Chapter 20: Yeah, Just So You Know
Knowledge is power.
Knowing more than someone thinks you know gives you an automatic advantage.
It gives you a sense of superiority.
You have something to dangle over someone's head, like your own little puppet.
What you decide to do with it, just depends on how you feel at the time.
And he knew.
He knew it all.
The question was: what would he do with his information.
Rexial sat in her room, summoning up fire balls, about the size of a golf ball.
There was a knock at her door which startled her, making the fire poof away.
She got up and opened the door a little to see who was there. Opening it fully to the fiery red hair she caught a glimpse of.
"Oh, hey Axy. What brings you here?" she asked cheerfully. Axel blushed at the nickname.
"I, uh, wanted to, uh. Hey, do you wanna go somewhere?" he stuttered. Rexial giggled a little, not sure why he was so nervous.
"Sure, where to?" she asked him, stepping out of her room.
"Uh, I, just, you'll see." he said, grabbing her hand. This time Rexial blushed as they exited through a dark portal.
It was warm with a slight breeze flowing through the palm trees.
The sand almost sparkled underneath the hot sun that beamed down brightly from the sky.
The clouds spread out across the sky, standing out against the blue.
The pair stood on a boardwalk nearby the sand and unbelievably clear blue water.
Rexial couldn't help but to squeal.
"This is so pretty!" she exclaimed.
"Yeah, I was hoping you'd agree. Since it's an off day and all, I thought we could just get into some hot weather." Axel smirked as he held his arms out in the sun.
"But, I don't have a swimsuit." Rexial observed staring at the water.
"Hmm, come with me." Axel said, taking her hand and leading her across the boardwalk.
They came across a store, the inside was just as beautiful as the outside.
"Welcome." a woman greeted, very tan with long wavy hair. Axel nodded in acknowledgement as something dawned on Rexial.
"Axel, are we in HAWAII?" the girl asked in excitement, almost unable to control her volume. The redhead smiled.
"Yep, Rexy. Welcome to Hawaii." he said, leading her to the female swimsuit section of the store. "Pick one. Anyone you like."
"But, they're, so expensive." Rexial said, not wanting to impose.
"Nonsense, come on, pick." he coaxed, picking up various swimsuits. "Oooh, this one's red."
Rexial blushed, turning the shade of the suit.
"Axel…" she whined, "that's a bikini." she pointed out.
"And this is Hawaii. The beach. I think it'll look great on you." Axel commented. "Besides, it has a like, dress thing if you're not comfortable walking around in it?"
Rexial analyzed the swimsuit. It was pretty cute The top tied around the neck and the bottoms had little bows on either side. It also came with a red wrap-around skirt. All of the items had black flames on them.
"Okay, I can't resist it." the brunette said, taking the swimsuit to look at it more closely.
"Great." Axel said, heading to the men's swimsuit section. He returned to Rexial before she even got to fully grasp he was gone, holding a pair of black swim trunks with red flames. "I saw it from over here." he explained.
Within a few minutes, the suits were purchased and the two had changed into them, leaving their belongings in a rented locker on the beach.
Rexial ran to the sand, feeling the warmth under her feet. She spun around a little, enjoying the sun. When she stopped, she noticed Axel staring at her.
He snapped out of it, shaking his head.
"Sorry," he apologized, "I just, didn't know you had a belly ring." he said, fighting the urge to flick the tiny sparkling charm.
"Oh yeah, got it a little while back." she said, starting to blush from Axel's stares.
He looked from her, to the water, and back again.
"Well, last one in the water has to kiss Vexen." Axel said, running past Rexial.
"What? No fair!" she yelled, running after him, laughing the whole way.
The day had gone by perfectly.
They had swam and played in the sand from noon until sunset when they finally decided to go eat.
"Yo, I'm hungry." Axel said, grabbing his tummy which rumbled loudly. Rexial started at him then started laughing, Axel soon joining in himself.
"Yeah, me too but, you might need to eat more than I do." she teased.
The two decided to eat at an outdoor restaurant since the sunset was staring and it was still warm outside.
They ate at a table for two, somewhat secluded from everyone else.
It was silent for awhile as they both watched the sunset. The sun hadn't fully disappeared yet. Axel stopped eating, staring down at his plate.
"Rexial?" he said for said girl's attention.
Rexial looked up at him in full attention. He didn't usually use her full name.
"I, uh. I." he cleared his throat. "Where to begin… well, first of all, I considered this a date." he said.
Rexial paused, eyes going wide.
"Yeah, like, I mean, I, ugh." he sighed in frustration and looked up at her. "I like you, a lot, got it memorized?" he said firmly, looking her in the eyes.
"You're like, amazing to be around. And I, I just, feel like I have a heart with you." he finished his statement quietly, eyes casting down again.
There was silence for awhile. Rexial was in shock. After such an amazing day, Axel tells her this. She was overjoyed, but unsure how to react without squealing like a lovesick fan girl.
"I-I like you too, Axel." she stated finally.
Axel looked back up at her, eyes sparkling.
"Really?" he asked. She nodded.
Axel nearly jumped over the table to hug her.
"Oh my goodness. And here I thought you would reject my feelings." he said, seeming to gain a lot of confidence back. "So, what do you say, be my girlfriend?" he asked sweetly.
"I'd love to." Rexial said with a smile.
It was an amazing day.
So much knowledge, but do you really care.
Not so much.
You know so much, and even in knowing, nothing stops you.
That's how you rise above.
That's how you get ahead.
Taking everything you know in consideration, will not always get you where you want to be in life.
So, we chose to do what we please, reguardless.
Roxas heard that Axel was out of the castle, and with Rexial.
He was not pleased at all.
Currently, he was rummaging around his room for his journal once again.
"Where the fuck is it?" he yelled.
"What? This?"
Roxas spun around to see a tall redhead holding up his checker-printed journal. He gasped.
"Axel… you…" he started.
"Whatever Rox." Axel said, tossing the notebook to Roxas' bed. He turned to leave the dumbfounded blonde.
"Oh, and I told Rexial how I feel about her." he said. Roxas just glared at him. "She feels the same. Guess that makes us a couple."
"Axel, you bastard. Why would you-" Roxas yelled, but was cut off again by Axel turning to him with a smirk.
"Yeah, just so you know." he said then left the enraged boy's room.