"Hey, hey, I was wondering if we could hang out now."

It was Axel's fourth day in a row asking you this. It wasn't that you were trying to purposefully avoid or ignore him; you were genuinely busy this whole week. Your schedule had been packed with assignments, family commitments, and various social events that left you little time for anything else. Every day seemed to blur into the next with its own set of obligations and expectations.

Axel wasn't a bad kid. Sure, he hung out with a rough crowd, the type of guys who wore their trouble like a badge of honor. They were the kind of people your parents warned you about, the ones who seemed to live by their own set of rules. But despite his associations, Axel himself was different. He had a quiet, almost gentle demeanor that surfaced whenever he was away from his friends. There was a kindness in his eyes that belied the tough exterior he often had to maintain around others.

You knew how deeply he cared for you, and that knowledge both flattered and frightened you. His feelings were evident in every glance, every word he spoke to you. He was infatuated, completely smitten, and it scared you because you didn't know how to handle it. Axel was a gangster, a pushover one. The one everyone was mean to, except you. You were a well-known girl, respected and admired, moving through a life of relative privilege and security. Your worlds were parallel lines that never seemed to converge, and yet here he was, trying to bridge that gap.

You thought back to the first time you noticed Axel’s interest in you. It was at a school event, a fundraiser for the local community center. You were organizing the bake sale when he walked up, hands in his pockets, trying to look nonchalant. He bought a cookie, but it was clear that he was more interested in talking to you than in the baked goods. His awkward attempt at small talk was endearing, and you couldn't help but smile.

Since then, he'd found ways to be around you. And you let him.