03 | One Step At A time

My eyes don't leave Olivia as I stare at her from across the table we're sitting at. She gulps and doges my eyes, shifting uncomfortably under Jaden's arm that's hanging over her shoulders. He looks between us and sighs.

We're at dinner together waiting on Hudson. It's been a little over twenty-four hours since Olivia told me Axel is going to be in the wedding. At least twenty-four hours of pure torture.

"V, you're going to have to get over it. I'm the one that asked Axel to be in the wedding," Jaden says impatiently.

Olivia leans closer to him and whispers, "You shouldn't have said that."

I'm glaring at Jaden now. "Thanks for the heads up."

He shakes his head and looks away. "V, I didn't do it on purpose to make you mad or anything. Axel and I became good friends when we were training together. Then we happened to get put on the same shift at the fire station. What am I supposed to do? Not talk to him?"

I sigh, turning my head away from him. Truth is I'm glad Jaden had a friend going through his training. It's hard enough alone, but why did it have to be Axel? I didn't even know Axel wanted to be a firefighter.

Olivia bites her bottom lip. "Also-"

"You're asking for trouble," Jaden says, looking done with the conversation.

"You have to tell me now," I mumble. Better to get it over with.

Olivia's eyes stay on Jaden for a few more seconds. Finally, she looks my way. "So you know how my sister is my maid of honor and that puts you right behind her?"

I nod my head, unsure of where she's going with this.

"Well, Hudson is Jaden's best man, putting Axel right behind him."

The whole world around me seems to stop moving. "So you're telling me that Axel and I will be walking out together? After you and Jaden say 'I do.'"

Olivia gulps again, nodding her head very slowly. "Yup."

I let my head drop to the table, making the silverware bounce against the plates. "Why," I groan.

Olivia reaches across the table and shoves my shoulder. "Vienna, stop. People are looking. Plus-"

"So!" I bang my head on the table two more times, making her suffer the embarrassment with me.

She swats my shoulder. "Stop!"

Looking up, I smile sweetly at her but it falls short when I see her and Jaden's faces. Jaden's looking smug with a smirk plastered to his face and all color has drained from Olivia's face as she gapes at something behind me.

Slowly, I turn around and my mouth forms an 'o' shape. "Uh, hi," I mumble.

Caleb, the firefighter who caught me yesterday, smiles back at me. Clearly he's amused by something because he looks at me like I'm a little helpless kid. "Hi, is everything alright?"

I glance back at Olivia and Jaden, who are both wearing the same expressions from moments ago. Great help they are.

"Yes I am," I mumble again. "Why?"

Caleb's smile grows as he crosses his arms over his chest. "Just wanted to make sure. You were causing quite a scene banging your head on the table."

My face starts to heat up in embarrassment. I glance around the restaurant and sure enough some people are watching me. Probably wondering what the hell a twenty one year is doing banging her head on the table like a five year old.

"You grabbing dinner here?" Jaden asks Caleb, saving the day for me.

Caleb nods his head. "Yeah, me and a couple guys from the station are. Sadly we don't all have a great girl waiting for us to get off work like you do, J."

This time it's my turn to smile. Jaden shoots me a look and I cover my mouth, trying to stifle my laugh. Never in any of the years I've known Jaden has anyone called him 'J.'

Caleb eventually walks away to another booth and as soon as he's out of hearing distance I turn to Jaden. "Oh hi, J. What up man?" I say, making my voice sound masculine.

Jaden rubs a hand over his face. "Please shut up."

Olivia slaps the table as she laughs, making the silverware scrape against the plates again and causing people to glance our way another time.

Jaden leans back in his chair and crosses his arms over his chest. "I can't take you two anywhere."

I grin, leaning my elbows on the table and threading my fingers together, looking smug. "Nope."

Olivia gets her laughter under control and wipes tears from her eyes. "Man, I've missed this so much."

I smile at her as my phone starts ringing. "It's Hudson," I say to Olivia and Jaden.

"Take it," Jaden says.

Nodding my head, I get up from my seat and walk outside the tiny restaurant located off the town square.

"Hello?" I ask into the phone as I pace alongside the short iron fence that encloses the outdoor patio that has more seating options for the restaurant.

"Hey, V. Traffic is really bad, looks like I'm going to be late at least an hour," Hudson says, sounding irritated.

"Aw, okay. Do you just want to meet up at home then?"

"Yeah, I'll see you soon little sis."

"Be careful, Hudson."

Even though I can't see him, I know he's smirking like an idiot. "I will be, V. Remember I'm the older brother. I look after you. Not the other way around."

"Mhm," I mutter back. "You're only one year older so get over it."

He chuckles on the other end of the phone. "See you soon, V."

"Love you!"

We hang up and I'm about to make my way back inside before stopping short and realizing where I'm standing. At the exact same spot I'm standing in Axel and I had run into Amelia Clark, Elea's mom. It was the first time Axel and I had ever been alone with each other.

The memory feels like a lifetime ago, but at the same time it's still fresh in my mind. It was prom night and Axel had helped me get James back home after hanging out with kids that were trouble. After we'd dropped James off, he'd taken me to the ice cream parlor. On our way there we'd passed Amelia and she'd assumed I didn't go to prom because I didn't have a date. And stupid naive me had taken that as her asking if Axel and I were dating, and I'd sputtered out that we weren't boyfriend and girlfriend.

I quickly shake the memory from my head, suddenly feeling gloomy.

Even though Axel broke my heart three years ago, it still hurts like it was yesterday.

Sighing, I force myself to walk back into the restaurant, one step at a time. Sadly I've learned that heartbreak never gets any easier, you just learn to live with it.

As I make my way back inside, I don't miss the whispers between Jaden and Olivia. "What's going on?" I ask, taking a seat.

"Nothing," Olivia says too quickly. "How long will Hudson be?"

I shrug my shoulders, suddenly not having the energy to ask her why they were really whispering. "He won't be able to make it. Traffic is bad."

Jaden's eyes shift to the table as his fingers play with the napkin on the table.

"Jaden? What's wrong?" I ask him, knowing something's up.

Before he can respond, a voice behind me speaks. Caleb. "Can we sit with you guys? All the other guys who were supposed to come bailed."

Slowly, I turn around and am met with not only Caleb, but Axel.

My breath hitches in my throat as his pale blue eyes pierce mine. There's an emotion there, but I can't read him like I used to. The person standing in front of me is so familiar, yet a total stranger.

I look away, not able to answer Caleb's question.

"Uh, sure," Jaden mumbles.

Caleb takes the open seat next to me while Axel sits on the end by Jaden and Caleb. An awkward silence hovers over the table.

I pick up my menu and shove my face into it, pretending to be interested in it.

Caleb apparently doesn't understand that I don't want anyone to talk to me.

"So, Vienna. I hear you're a photographer."

I bring the menu down slightly, only so he can see my eyes. "How do you know that?"

He chuckles. "All three of these people say you're the best." Caleb points his finger at Olivia, Jaden, and Axel.

My heart starts to be a little faster. Axel still talks about me?

Awkward silence again fills our table. Jaden's looking down at the plate in front of him, Olivia keeps biting her bottom lip and throwing me a look, while Axel just watches the people around us.

"So." Caleb tries again. "You and Axel used to date right?"

The fork that Olivia's holding slips through her fingers, creating a ringing noise as it hits her salad plate.

I stand up quickly, needing to get out of the restaurant. It feels like all four walls are closing in on me. And I still feel myself looking for Axel. He was once my rock, the one who helped calm me down and talked with me. The boy and now man that I used to love.

And who knows, maybe a part of me will always love him.

The look on his face is a pained one. But what does he have to be upset about? He's the one who dumped me.

"I gotta go," I mutter.

I grab my things and walk out the door and towards the crosswalk down the street, needing to get to my car as fast as possible. The lamps along the sidewalk light the way since the sun started setting about an hour ago.

Cars wizz by me as I get closer to the crosswalk. My brain feels foggy and all I can think about is getting to my car..

I'm about to step out into the street when a hand grabs my arm, yanking me backwards into a hard chest. A honk sounds as a car drives by, causing my hair to fly into my face.

That was close.

My heart's beating a million miles a minute in my chest.

"Conley."

I ignore him.

"Conley. Look at me," he whispers, slowly spinning me around to face him. His touch still burns me, leaving the tingling feeling.

I close my eyes, not ready to face him.

"Vienna," he says with more force this time. He only ever used my first name when he was dead serious about something. "What were you thinking? You were almost hit."

I don't miss the slight panic in his voice.

Slowly, I open my eyes to look at Axel. I take a big breath and step away from him. This time before crossing I make sure no cars are coming and cross, leaving Axel standing there alone.

A/N: A lot of emotion going on in this one. Hope you enjoyed and if you did, please vote! <3

Also, if you enjoy this book and Inevitable Moments, you might like my other book 'Someone to You.' :)