Intertwined

"We were strange in love
her and I
too wild to last,
too rare to die."

-Atticus

Narrator's Perspective

(Months before the events of Fated)

It wasn't that she was right there, but so far. It wasn't that she wouldn't say his name. It was that she wouldn't look him in the eyes.

He just needed to feel the euphoria of her looking at him like that one more time and he'd be happy. He'd never ask for anything again.

Except to wipe away the sadness in her smile. He didn't want to see that ever again.

She sat across the bar, with her biology study buddy Amy.

"I don't know why we bothered coming, it's not like we were gonna get drunk. It's gonna rain anytime soon, too. I'll just call my mom to come pick me up," Amy complained.

Juliet smiled, hiding her annoyance, sitting only a few feet away from Axel in this crowded and lonely party.

Amy's mother did indeed come pick her up. It did indeed begin to rain. Parker did indeed drink too much with his 'friends' but what's new.

Juliet got up from her seat and Axel instantly knew she was walking back to her house, which through the dark alleyways was only 10 minutes away.

But he would be damned if he let her walk alone.

"You're seriously going to walk alone? Plus, it's raining," The green-eyed boy stood in her way.

She just walked around him, completely ignoring his statement and he felt strings of hurt tug at his chest as his shoulders slumped.

"Oh, thank you so much for your concern Axel, walk me home, won't you?" Axel filled in the silent air, mimicking her voice best to his ability (which isn't all that good) and she rolled her eyes, biting her lip to avoid smiling (an old habit; he hated knowing these little things).

But of course, that would never be her actual response. Firstly, she barely talked to him, unless it was absolutely necessary.

Secondly, she would never say his name. He had turned 17 a few months ago and he hadn't heard his name spill out of her mouth since their mothers died.

He ignored the ache in his chest and kept walking.

Two minutes later, deadly thunder and lightning ensued. Juliet, being Juliet, tripped over, well... nothing.

He laughed a little and she glared at him. He offered his hand, which she stared at skeptically before taking into her own and he pulled her up, giving her a quick scan to check for injuries. But she made it out with a scraped knee.

As they began walking, Axel found himself wishing he could hold her hand again.

She shivered as her top clinged to her skin and he forced himself not to have perverted thoughts.

Silently, he removed his jacket, and placed it over her. Her eyes widened in surprise and her hands flew to his. She kept walking, muttering a small 'thank you' to which he replied with a small 'don't mention it'.

She was surprised that he would give her his jacket and freeze himself but she should know, that he would give anything to her, the jacket was nothing, really.

When he walked into her house, following her, she didn't say a word.

He went straight in the direction of the first-aid kit.

She sat on the kitchen stool, watching him fiddle around. Finally, wordlessly, he kneeled in front of her, treating her wound.

And once he was done, he put everything back in it's place, including his head, reminding himself he could never stay.

When he was almost out the door she called out and his heart soared.

"Hey! Listen, um, thank you, for walking me home and the jacket. And uh, helping me with my knee. I appreciate it. But, you didn't have to," she smiled a little, and he was awestruck by it. She held out his jacket for him to take.

"I wanted to," he said looking at anything but her. As he's almost out the door, he turns around.

"Keep the jacket."

She bites back a smile. "Yeah?"

He finally allows his smile to take over. "Yeah."