XXXIX
I look at my father who looks taken aback. Mum puts her hand on his arm, slowly carresing it, trying to calm him down. "No! What the hell are you even doing in my house?" Dad suddenly bursts and I jump a bit in fright.
Axel frowns for a second and I think he's gonna go all out, but then he composes himself and taking a deep breath, he begins:"I came for your daughter, sir, and I won't give up. I'm sorry that we got off on the wrong foot, but I care for Sophia, no matter how it may look."
I gasp, quietly but everone hears it so they all look at me.
I look at Axel, his green eyes staring and I can see him gulp and then smile at me.
I feel immense relief with that smile, all stress and sadness rolling off of me in big waves. Before I know what I'm doing, I'm with him, hughing him tightly to myself. "Sophia what the hell are you doing? Get away from him!" dad shouts. I break from the hug and look at dad.
His eyes are filled with rage, but also a bit with sadness and disappointment.
"I'm sorry, dad." I say. "But he's not what you think he is."
"Oh, really?! So he's not an asshole with an extremely wild sex life?!"
I open my mouth to reply, but realize that he's kind of... right.
"That doesn't mean that I don't care for her. And about the sex life... that's in the past." Axel replies, his hand on my waist, holding me to him.
"Come on, let her have some fun, Daniel." I can hear mum whispering to dad and I smile, a big, bright, real smile.
I look up at Axel and meet his eyes.
"So you don't hate me?" I ask, softly, and he shakes his head.
"No, that couldn't be further from the truth. I'm so, so, sorry for saying that." he says and tucks hair behind my ear. His eyes are full of honesty and regret, and I get an overwhelming urge to kiss him, but I know I can't, not in front of my parents.
"I'm gonna go get ready." I announce and move up the stairs quckly before anyone could object, especially my dad.
I look through my closet, looking for something nice.
Axel must've made a reservation or something, considering he actually dressed up, so I should put in effort. Hoping that Axel and dad don't tear each other apart, I pull out a skirt, the same skirt I wore on the date in the woods. The beige silky material fells soft against my fingers as I pull it on, still loving the way this dress looked on me.
I quickly move to the bathroom, putting on foundation, mascara (2 layers), and a nude lipgloss which goes well with the dress. When I like the result, I slowly head back downstairs. I'll have to grab the bag, the shoes and the coat downstairs.
Axel looks highly uncomfortable sitting behing the table, taking with my dad and mum.
Or, should I say, suffering an interrogation from my dad.
"Sophie, darling, come sit down with us for a moment, will you." mum says and smiles.
I nod and sit down, next to Axel.
I can see a bit of tension leave his body when I do that and he relaxes and grabs my hand in his, squeezing it.
I smile at him, trying to calm him down.
Dad has a deep frown on his face, watching out exchange.
"I want her home by nine." he demands.
Axel nods. "Yes, sir."
It is kind of hillarious, watching him in this position. I never thought I'd see him like this, so obeying.
"And if I see her cry or anything, anything at all, any signs that you hurt her in any way, I will not be nice, boy, do you understand?" he asks, his voice loud, he's still feeling angry.
He must feel betrayed by me; I promised him I wouldn't talk with Axel.
"You go to school, boy?" he asks and Axel nods.
"The same school as Sophie, sir."
"And which year are you?"
"Fourth, I'm a senior." he replies.
"So you're a year older." dad concludes.
"Yes, sir. My birthday is in February."
"And Sophie's next week." dad says, like I can't answer for myself.
I want to roll my eyes at him, but I stop myself.
Axel looks down at me, surprised. "Really?"
I nod. "Yes."
"So, tell me Axel, how many girls have you dated?" dad asks, and I cringe slightly.
This is not going to be good.
"Well, I haven't exactly dated any girl before." He cringes.
"Oh, right, you're the type that "doesn't date"." dad says, getting move aggravated by second. »Well am I not just exhilarated that you decided you want to start dating when you met my daughter.« he adds sarcastically.
Axel gulps and I can see his hands shake a little.
"Well, I don't really think that the number of girls I've been before matters that much. What matters is that I don't want any of them, anymore." Axel tries to make his way out and I squeeze his hand again.
"Dad, stop. These aren't the things you should worry about, these are the things between me and Axel." I say, a small urge in me to defend him coming up on the surface.
Dad gulps and leans back in his chair, running his hands through his dark hair in distress.
"I don't like you, boy, I want you to know that." dad begins. "However, my beautiful wife here does, for some reason, and for some reason I trust her."
"You can take her out tonight, but that is far from having my blessing to be with her, do you hear me?"
"Yes, sir." Axel gulps. He must hate my dad so much.
"I want her home by nine!" dad repeats and points with his finger towards the door. "Now go already."
Mum offers me a comforting smile while leaning her head on dad's shoulder.
I smile back and stand up, pulling Axel with me to the door and taking by bag from the couch halfway. I pull him with me around the corner and as soon as we're out of sight, I put my lips on his, giving him a long, real kiss.
"Keep your goddamned hands off each other while in my house!" dad booms from the living room, sensing what's going on and I chuckle, pulling away and I lean down to put on my black shoes without the heel. I can't walk in heels.
Axel already has his shoes and jacket on, in the chaos we forgot to offer him slippers.
I put on my coat over my dress and smiling at him, grab his hand.
"We'll be back at nine!" I shout and Axel smiles down at me, looking in my eyes.
"Bye, sir, ma'am!" he shouts and with that, pulls me out of the house, taking me to his car and lifting me on the seat.
"Hi." he says, greeting me for real for the first time.
"Hi." I greet back and throw my hands around his neck.
"That was so fucking nerve-wrecking." he says, closing his eyes. "I thought your dad was gonna pull out a gun at me or something." he says and I chuckle.
"I told you that he didn't like you." I tell him and he leans his forehead on mine, putting his hands on each side of my thighs.
"Well, I didn't think he hated me so much, but it was time for me to finally do this thing right."
I bury my hands in his hair. "You did great."
He pecks my lips and smiles. "Did I?"
"Mhm." I reply and peck his lips.
Axel sighs and pulls me closer to himself.
"I'm sorry about what I said last night, Sophie, I'm so sorry. I was hurt, so the sadist in me wanted to see you hurt as well." he whispers, his eyes squeezed shut.
"It's okay." I say and watch him shake his head.
"No, it really fucking isn't. I can't be without you, Sophie, I can't sleep, I can't think, I can't do shit, so I think it was finally time I did something about it."
He gulps and then looks at me, as if he's looking at my soul and speaks the words I would never forget.
"I want you to be mine, completely mine. No more bullshit, no more being scared, just you and me. I know that you have to trust me for that to happen and this is also why I'm taking you out tonight. I promise to honestly answer every question you might have, but you have to promise me to try to understand as well, okay?"
I stare at him in awe.
Finally.
My smile breaks out into a huge grin and I hug him, as tight as possible, while softly nodding.
"Okay." I reply and he wraps his arms around me.
"I'm fucking tired of running away from what we're supposed to be." he says I look up at him, pressing my lips on his, feeling like the happiest woman on the planet.