Chapter Three

Let It Begin.

When the movie finally finished Shaun decided it was time for him to leave, and I found it a bit strange that Axl didn't complain a bit but when I tried to leave it was a completely different story.

"Do you have to go?" He asked, tightening the hold he had around my shoulders.

I smiled at him. "Yeah. I do." I squealed as he pulled me so that I was half sat on his lap. The sofa cushions drooped even more under our combined weight.

"Are you sure about that?" I gulped as he put one of his hands behind my neck and gently guided it towards his. My eyes flickered from his eyes to his lips as our faces got closer and closer. "Are you really sure?"

"Um." I gulped, and stopped breathing as our lips were almost touching.

The door banged open.

I gasped and pulled myself off Axl and onto a separate sofa cushion. My eyes darted to the teenage girl who was standing in the doorway looking between Axl and I with curiosity.

Once he saw who it was Axl jumped up. "Sue, why do you always have to wreck everything with your bad timing and just your general face." He shouted all of this at her in a frenzied manner. I was quite unsure what to do so I just sat where I was, feeling incredible sorry for the girl. I was actually quite thankful she'd interrupted us when she did, I wasn't sure what I wanted from Axl and I wasn't going to do anything until I was sure.

After a few awkward seconds of me watching him shout at her, I got up. "Um, I'm just gonna head home now. My mom's probably worried about where I am." I edged my way past Sue who had started shouting back.

Axl put his hand over his sisters mouth and snapped his head towards me. "What? No! See what you've done Sue! God!" He shoved her away so that she stumbled into the hallway.

"It's not Sue." I mumbled, aware of his eyes on me. I lifted mine to meet his. "I just really need to go now." I attempted a smile.

He sighed, looked to the floor and kicked his feet. He raised his head and peered under his eyelashes at me. "Do you wanna a ride home?"

I bit my lip, was that really a good idea? Looking at his hope filled face I hesitated before nodding. He grinned at me and grabbed his car keys off a nearby table. I followed him outside and to his car, the rust was barely visible when it was dark out. I got into the passenger seat, nervously put on my seat belt.

"So." Axl drawled as he backed out of the driveway. "Where do you live?" I gave him directions but apart from that we sat in silence. I was tempted to put the radio on but I didn't want to break his car.

Once we got to my house I didn't know what to do. Should I get out and pretend nothing happened or should I do something?

Luckily I didn't have to make this decision as he cleared his throat making me look at him. He sighed and reached over to grab my hand. "Sam, I know we haven't known each other long but I like you. There I said it!"

I could feel my face heat up and I was finding it really difficult to form any words.

"Um, thanks?" I winced at how pathetic that sounded and cleared my throat. "I, I don't know how I feel about you Axl. I like you but I don't know." I finished lamely, peeking at him from under my fringe.

"Oh. Well. I." He stopped his stuttering and stared straight out of the window. I bit my lip, unsure of what to do.

"Axl?" He jerked out of whatever trance he had and gulped.

"I'm fine. I'm fine. But how can you resist this?" He motioned to his body. I raised my eyebrows and tried to hide my smile.

"Um, I don't know?" He noticed the laughter in my voice and seemed to get quite offended by it. I didn't want to hurt his feelings anymore so I stopped.

"You will like me." He nodded to himself.

"What?"

"You will like me." He repeated.

I blinked rapidly. "I heard, but I don't know if I will."

"You will."

"I got that."

"So you agree?"

"I don't know!" I grabbed my head in my hands and muttered. "I'm so confused right now."

"Don't worry." He reached over and patted my head, gently lifting my head so that he was looking straight into my eyes. "Let the wooing begin."

I lent against my front door breathing heavily. The back of my head rested against the door as I tried to get my thoughts in order, Axl was going to woo me. I didn't know if I liked him or not in the first place so this was just going to confuse my feelings even more than they already were. I didn't even know if I was ready for a boyfriend, we'd only known each other for a day or two, how did he already know he liked me?

I pushed away from the door and peered out of the window, seeing Axl's car still there and he seemed to be talking to himself. He punched the air in front of him with a huge smile on his face, I cringed as I realised this meant he knew he had a plan or something up his sleeve.

I was going to make my own plan, and it was going to be avoiding Axl whenever possible. I just didn't think I was ready to be wooed. And who says wooed now anyway?

The next time I saw Axl I ducked behind a nerd and a locker, cursing my bright hair as I tried to look inconspicuous. I thought he'd gone but when I turned around he was right in front of me. I screamed and backed into the locker behind me. He had to stop doing that!

"Hey." He smirked.

I glared at him as I attempted to move away from the cold metal that was pressed against my back. "Stop that." He pressed his hand against my collarbone and gently pushed me back. I narrowed my eyes at him, a little nervous as to what he was thinking about.

"I like it when you get flustered." That set off the blush I had been so desperately fighting. I looked down to avoid his intense stare and took his hand off me, unfortunately this gave him the idea to link our hands together. I gave a quiet sigh, finding it not as bad as I'd thought. It just so happened that at this point Ashley and Brittany walked past, both giving me the thumbs up and a wink.

Great, looks like this was going to be all over the school by next period.

"Axl." I whined, taking my hand back. Or rather, attempting to. "Axl!"

"What?"

"I need to go to class." Not to mention get all of my books from my locker beforehand. He kept my hand in his as he started walking, making me jolt away from the locker and try as discretely as possible to hide our hands.

I shivered as a breeze blew through the open front doors of the school, rubbing my arm with my free hand. I didn't notice Axl slipping off his jacket until it was draped over my shoulders. I was about to argue when another breeze hit me and goosebumps rose on my arms. I put my arms through the sleeves, feeling relieved when Axl finally let go of me.

I looked at him to see that he clearly liking what he saw with me in his clothes. I bit my lip and looked away, going towards my locker trying to remember my combination. I was aware that Axl was still there, and I wondered why he wasn't chatting my ear off like he usually was.

"So." Here it was. "What are you doing after school?"

I took my books out and shoved them in my bag, still not looking at him. "I dunno, probably just be at home." I sneaked a look at him to find that he had lit up at that. I started walking to my first class knowing that we shared it, and knowing that he was following.

"Cool." He took hold of my hand again and I didn't even bother to take my hand back, his hands were really quite warm. "I was thinking you might want to come over again? Help me with that homework we were given yesterday?"

"Which bit?"

"All of it." He smiled sheepishly. I wanted to sigh, he was acting too cute for me today.

I met his eyes and knew that I was going over to his later and I think he did too for when I smiled he simply smiled back, opened the classroom door for me and sat as close as possible to me.

This boy sure did get attached quickly, I smiled to myself, thinking that even if we did end up together it probably wouldn't be too bad. But I wasn't going to give in just yet.

I kind of wanted to be wooed.