Mated With Five Boys

Chapter 15: True Colors.

"Weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character.’ - Albert Einstein

"Sorry to interrupt but we need to go.’ Rylan's voice sounded on edge.

"Why?"

I asked, my cheeks burning with embarrassment.

"Noah's here.’ He looked up at Axel, silently having a conversation with their eyes.

"Camila's boyfriend?"

Kina asked confused.

Nobody answered Kina's question but Rylan looked down at her before looking back to Axel.

"Come on, we need to go." Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

Axel's voice was now hard and unattached.

Since the kiss, Axel has yet to look at me and I get the feeling he regretted kissing me.

I Know I'm not the best kisser but I didn't think it went awful, in fact, I thought it was the opposite of awful his lips were so soft and strong and the way they felt against mine was unexplainable.

I'm not sure what possessed me into letting him kiss me.

I don't understand why my skin doesn't crawl or my stomach clench when he touches me.

I'm confused by the way he looks at me, I can't tell if he likes me or hates my guts.

One minute he has me in a chokehold and the next he's kissing me, one minute he's saving my life and the next we are running away from the police.

Everything about Axel Deacon confuses the living hell out of me and I'm not sure I can handle that.

We started making our way to the nearest exit of the mall when a deep voice from behind us made us all stop dead in our tracks.

"Leaving so soon?"

His voice was cocky and crude as I remember it to be.

My heart started thumping faster and the memories started flooding back.

Axel was the first one to turn around and face him, then Rylan, followed by Kina.

I didn't want to turn around, I didn't want to face him.

"Exactly, we are."

Axel's voice was low and intimidating.

"Not on my account, I hope."

I could hear the smirk that was painted onto Noah's face.

I finally turned around to face Noah and the longer I looked at him the angrier I got.

My blood was boiling, I want nothing more than to punch him square in the nose but that probably wasn't the best choice with his 3 bodyguards standing behind him.

That's when I realized this was the first time I've seen Noah since my first day of school.

I could tell his left eye was bruised but it was almost fully healed now and he had various cuts scattered around his less than perfect face, but other than that he looked like his usual rotten self.

Remembering how helpless I felt with his hands on my body made me shaking in anger.

It scared me how much rage I was carrying with me, despite everything I was never was a violent person even though I had plenty of reason to be.

I think I was too scared to stand up for myself.

I was too scared of making things worse, I guess deep down I thought they were right, I was nothing more than a waste of space that deserved everything I got.

But something has changed, something about me has changed.

I didn't feel scared anymore, it had been replaced with a new but familiar emotion: Rage.

The same rage I felt when my mom left me, the same rage that left me screaming into a pillow for hours straight, the same rage that plagued my heart with hate for so long.

"Well, you're not the best company.’ Rylan cut in, glaring hard at Noah.

Noah's eyes narrowed slightly at Rylan, but they quickly filled with amusement.

"Nice to see you too good friend.’ Noah grinned evilly.

"We are not even close to friends.’ Rylan spat, practically heaving at him.

There was definitely something I didn't know about that happened between them.

Rylan and Axel both had murderous looks in their eyes and I knew it couldn't be just because what Noah had done to me.

Noah carelessly looked away from Rylan and his eyes landed on me.

A wicked smile spread across his grimy face as his eyes looked me over slowly.

"Hello, Mia."

The sound of my name coming from his mouth made me want to get sick but stood still, I didn't flinch or cower.

I stood my place standing there staring at him with all the hate I could muster.

"I had a great time the other day, I would love to have a round 2."

He smirked at me, licking his lips.

And that right there was enough to send me over the edge.

My hands balled into fists and I probably would have decked him tight then and there if Axel hadn't had beat me to it.

The sound of Axel's fist connecting with Noah's cheek echoed in the empty hallway of the mall.

I heard Kina gasp in shock at the scene in front of us.

Noah fell to the ground from the blow he just took, his gang members stood there in shock for a few moments before looking back up at Axel in surrender.

What cowards.

Axel jerked Noah off the floor from the collar of his jacket and brought his face right in front of Noah's now bleeding face.

"I think you forgot who's in charge here."

Axel chuckled unamused.

"If you don't want another black eye to match that pretty one, I suggest you make yourself invisible.’ Axel seethed out.

"And if you so much as talk too, touch, or even look at Mia again, I will make your life a living hell’ He threatened Noah, his brown eyes blazing.

"What are you going to do? Kill me?"

Noah laughed, blood escaping his mouth.

"You just want the slut for yourself.’ He continued, coughing roughly.

"Oh, you're going to wish I'd kill you."

Axel's voice was calm and steady, I even noticed the grin that started to form on his lips.

"This is your last warning."

He said before letting go of Noah's collar which sent him falling back to the hard tiled floor.

"Let's go."

Axel snapped towards us as he walked out the sliding double doors that led outside.

I looked over at Kina who looked absolutely petrified.

I couldn't help but wonder: is that what I used to look like? Scared and clueless? I don't want to be like that anymore, I don't want to be the weak one.

We all followed Axel out the mall, leaving Noah laying on the ground.

It was in that moment as I watch Axel's shoulder muscle move as he walked I knew I saw another side of him that I could have gone my whole life without seeing.

I wasn't scared of him which was strange, the Mia from a month ago would have probably started crying is she saw what just happened.

As crazy as it sounds I couldn't be afraid of Axel after the night at the warehouse, not after he helped me be somewhat okay with my body.

Instead, as I stared at his back I couldn't help but to wonder what happened to Axel? What happened to him that made him this way.

Who hurt him enough to where he thinks this how he should live his life? To where being in the streets and getting into fights or threatening people is the only way to get by.

I knew that the whole gang leader thing was apart of him, but that wasn't all to him.

I've seen it before, underneath that hard and rough shell of his, there is a decent person under there.

"Do you regret kissing me?"

I asked looking over at him as we got into the car.

The thought was bugging me and I just needed to know the truth.

"Do you?"

Axel looked over at me suspiciously.

Did I regret kissing him? "I asked you first."

I resorted, not knowing the answer.

I stared at Axel, practically on the edge of my seat waiting for his answer, it looked like he was waging a battle with himself and when his face went blank, I knew which side had won.

"Not only do I regret it, I hated it"

He spoke, not missing a beat.

If I said that what he had said didn't affect me or didn't hurt, I'd be lying.

Because it did hurt, I don't know why it hurt.

Maybe it was just the rejection that hurt? Or maybe the disgusted look in eyes? It shouldn't hurt, I shouldn't care what he thinks, but it did and I do.

"Why."

I pressed.

I could feel the knot in my throat forming but I refused to let it stop me this time.

"Because you are not worth my time, you are an insecure little girl, who has mommy issues.

You are less than average and I can't believe I even kissed you."

He snapped at me.

That one stung.

"You know you don't mean that,’ I said softly.

"What do you mean? Of course, I do."

He gave me a look like I was insane, and maybe I was.

"You are so scared of someone seeing you, not the version that you want people to see but the actual you."

I swallowed hard.

"I don't think you want to see underneath this made-up version of me.’ Axel's eyes bore into mine, almost taking my breath.

"Well, you seem pretty pleased with the person you're pretending to be"

I snapped back at him.

"Pretending? Mia, you don't even know me.

He yelled.

"There's not nor ever will there be anything between us.

I don't like you and I wished I had never met you.

Do you understand me?"

He growled.

"Yeah, I understand."

I shook my head, reaching for the door handle.

"For the record, I don't regret it; I whispered getting of Axel's car, slamming the door shut.

Maybe I was wrong, maybe there wasn't anything good or redeemable about Axel.

I started walking away from his parked car and the more I thought about him the more upset I got.

From the very beginning, Axel was nothing less of horrible to me, I was foolish to think there was anything better about him.

I heard Axel's mustang come to life so I started walking a little faster, he might run me over or something.

When I felt the warm air from this car hit my body I knew he was behind me.

"Get in the car Angel"

He sighed heavily, rolling down the passenger side window.

After everything, he said to me he's really going to call me that? "No dickhead."

I snapped, looking forward again.

"Listen, Mia, I'm sorry.’ He said.

That's a first, who knew Axel Deacon could apologize.

"I did listen Axel and heard you loud and clear! And what exactly are you sorry for?"

I yelled.

"Are you sorry for insulting me? Or are you sorry for wishing you never met me? How about the way you treated me the first day I came to this shit show!"

I seethed, I could tell I surprised Axel from the look on his face.

"You know what Axel? I'm the one who is sorry.

I'm sorry you have so much hate in your heart that you feel like you got to hurt others, I'm sorry that you don't like me, for whatever reason that maybe, but must of all I'm sorry that you can't be the person that we both know you could be."

I stared at him shaking my head.

"Now, no offense, but get the hell away from me; I said, focusing on the road in front of me.

Axel didn't say anything but I saw him nod his head from the corner of my eye.

I watched as his car sped down the road in front of me, my heart felt heavy as I watched him leave.

I hate to admit but Axel was just like almost every person I've met in the system.

He was rude, abusive, manipulative, just overall not a good person.

It was right then I finally knew what color Axel was.

Axel Deacon was black, an empty, bottomless, oblivion filled black.

Kind of ironic really.

I pulled out my phone and opened the GPS because I had zero clues on how to get myself back to the house.

Note to self: Only start a fight in a place you're familiar in.