Chapter 13

Chapter 13

I ran as fast as I could to keep up with him. His legs were longer than mine and it also didn't help that the ground's getting muddier by the second.

"The apples!" he said as we passed by our basket near the pumpkins.

"Leave it."

We kept on running until we reached the beginning of the apple picking area.

The hayride was already moving.

"Wait!" we both shouted as we ran faster.

The hayride stopped and we jogged to it. We were both panting, catching our breaths as the operator handed us an umbrella. I reached for it then opened it as we walked towards the last cart.

We sat next to each other as the hayride drove us back.

"Did you see where they went?" I asked in a low voice.

"Huh?"

"The paparazzi." I clarified. "Did you see where they went?"

"Oh. I don't know." his chest still heaving up and down. "Keep your head down. They might still be around."

"Okay then, hold the umbrella," I said as I passed the umbrella to him then looked at the ground.

We stayed silent for the whole ride back to the entrance area, not wanting to catch any more attention.

We placed the umbrellas on their racks near the entrance when we arrived at the shed.

The rain turned into a full-on storm. The sharp lines of lightning and the loud roars of thunder were enough to make the little kids cry. Heck, it's enough to make me more scared than I should be. We were told to weather it out first before leaving but Axel and I were worried about the paparazzi.

"What do you think?" Axel asked.

I shook my head. "I say let's make a run for it."

His eyebrows raised in surprise. "Are you sure?"

"Yeah, I mean what's the point? We're already soaking."

He nodded then grabbed his coat from his left arm. He placed it over our heads again.

He looked at me, "1... 2..." I nodded.

"3!" then we ran towards the parking area.

It's a lot harder to run now that the ground is mostly mud. My poor shoes.

He fished for his keycard in his right pocket as we reached the car. Wow, we're really about to track mud inside a Tesla.

He pressed the keycard on the passenger door's handle.

"I'll close it," I said as he still covered me with his coat as I get in. He nodded then went to the driver's door.

His breaths came in shallow pants as he got inside the car. He laughed, slapping the steering wheel.

I laughed with him. "Some date, huh?"

He shook his head, "I'm so sorry."

"No, it's okay. I got the full Axel James experience." I joked as I removed his camera from my neck, handing it over to him.

"Not even close." he let out a soft laugh as he placed the camera at the backseat.

"Come on, let's get out of here," he said then pulled out of the parking lot.

The rain was pouring like crazy, we had to slow down because it's almost zero-visibility. It's dark now and we've reached the highway but I doubt we'll get home in two hours with the traffic.

The heater's on but I still felt cold due to my wet clothes. Axel's car really came in handy right now – it has a defogging option, thank God. I remember driving through the rain at night in November about 4 years ago and I had to turn the A/C on just to keep my car's windshield from fogging up, I really felt like I was inside a freezer.

"Hey, Axel..." I started.

"Hmm?"

"Let's drop by a gas station."

He frowned, "This car's electric."

"I know, I just need coffee –" I sneezed. "And a change of clothes." I sniffed.

"Oh, of course. And, uh, I don't know why I haven't thought of it earlier but I have extra clothes in the trunk." He scratched the back of his head.

"Oh. That's good but I also need clothes."

"Yeah, well I have plenty in there. They gave it to me from the photoshoots last Thursday."

"Well, I guess I can make do... I'll just have to buy an umbrella first so we could get it from the trunk dry."

He just nodded then went back to concentrate on driving. I also concentrate on the road, I figured he can use some extra eyes for assistance. After all, we both have the same objective here – to get home safely.

A few minutes in and the rain started to calm down.

I sighed in relief.

"Thank God." Axel sighed.

Then the car was filled with soft laughter.

"It's like we were holding our breaths without knowing."

"Oh, I know I was holding my breath." he let out a breathy laugh.

"Oh, there's a gas station!" I pointed to the right where the gas station is.

He carefully switched lanes to the right then we were parked in front of the gas station's convenience store.

"So... here's what we're gonna do."

"Wow, sounds like you have a plan," he said, amused.

"Of course, I do. I don't want us to be followed anymore. So, here's what I'm thinking... I'll buy an umbrella first then I'll signal for you to open the trunk. I'll the get clothes, I can change in the bathroom, you can change inside the car. And then I'll go back to the store to buy us some coffee. That way nobody would even know you were here."

A smile formed on his face, "I'm impressed, Grant."

"Of course, you'd be. Alright then, no time to waste." I said then got out of the car.

I rushed to the convenience store, it's just drizzling but it's still rain, no less and I can't afford to be sick. Now that I think about it, Axel also can't afford to be sick because it's New York Fashion Week come Monday.

I paid for the black umbrella then got out of the store. I tapped on Axel's window, asking him to open the trunk, I walked to the back but the trunk still wasn't open. I walked back to his side and tapped again, he rolled down the window, "It's not open."

"Uh, yeah, I forgot to tell you, the trunk's in front."

"Oh, a frunk!" That makes sense.

I walked to the front and opened the trunk; the clothes were still in black garment covers.

"What should I get?"

"Just get everything and bring it inside," he replied.

There were 5 bags total. I placed them on my left arm as my neck was supporting the umbrella. I closed the trunk using my left hand then raced back to the passenger door. I handed him the clothes first before getting in.

He checked the tags on each bag.

"Suit, Suit, Coat, Fall Casual 1 and... Fall Casual 2." he said then he handed me the 'Fall Casual 2' bag.

He placed all the other bags on the backseat.

"Okay, I'll go get dressed then," I said then went to the gas station's bathroom to change.

I opened the garment cover as soon as I got inside a stall.

It's a silk burgundy button-down shirt with a knot around the neck. Over it is a brown wool and cashmere jacket. I moved the jacket to the sides to get the shirt first.

My breath hitched when I saw the tag.

Yves Saint Laurent.

Holy shit.

I know the guy models but I didn't know it's for freaking YSL!

There are black denim pants hanging under the shirt. I checked on the jacket and the pants' tags. Both YSL. Jesus, this whole ensemble may cost 15 days' worth of my salary, if not a month.

I was pondering over the thought of just not wearing it and bringing it back to Axel but I remembered how I cannot afford to miss work if I get a cold. I just have to be very careful about it so I could give it back to him in very good condition. I put the whole outfit on then placed my clothes inside the garment cover. It's oversized but I used my belt so the pants would fit.

I went back to the convenience store and bought two French Vanilla coffees.

Thank God the rain stopped, I didn't really think through how I would bring my clothes and two hot coffees in the car while holding the umbrella.

Axel opened the door from the inside when he saw me walk back. He grabbed the coffees from me before I got inside. I put my clothes in the backseat together with the other clothes.

"You wear it better than I do," Axel said as he handed me my coffee.

"Yeah, well, it's YSL. You didn't tell me you model for them!"

He's now wearing a red flannel shirt under a yellowish-brown parka with some light-wash jeans. Looking every bit of the model he is.

He took a sip of the coffee then winced.

"Yeah, not really good," I said after taking a sip.

He nodded in agreement then placed the coffee on the cup holder near him.

"Let's go?" he asked.

"Uh-huh," I said then he reversed out of the parking area.

"So, how busy are you next week?" he asked as we drive into the night.

"We don't have any changes in our department. I'm not sure we're affected by the Fashion week."

"Oh, so you can go to the shows?"

"I don't think that I can. Accounting isn't really invited to those events."

He just nodded then we stopped. I looked up to see the seconds counter of the traffic lights but I was greeted by a giant lighted-up billboard.

"Are you fucking serious right now?" my mouth opened in surprise.

"You got a little drool over there."

"Oh, shut up." I swatted his hand. He just laughed.

Unbelievable.

Axel in a MyCalvins ad. Oh, Lord.

"Who are you?" I asked and he laughed a little louder.

* * *

It was a little past 9:00 when we arrived at my apartment. We bought burgers and fries from a drive-thru then just ate it inside his car while we're parked in front of my apartment's building.

"Hey, thank you for today," Axel said as I was about to leave.

I smiled at him, "Today turned out surprisingly well, despite everything. You earned a second date." I joked.

He laughed, "As if it wasn't going to happen."

"Hey, I could say to Harper that you were insufferable, I can't go through with it."

"Oh, but I have evidence that says otherwise."

"Yeah, the pictures." I settled back in my seat. "Oh, you said we'll review them. Show me."

He shook his head, "Alright, alright." he said as he reached for the camera at the backseat.

"Oof, dead battery." he looked at me apologetically.

I rolled my eyes, "Okay then you have to show them to me on the second date. Oh, almost forgot..." I reached for my clothes at the backseat.

"I'll give your clothes back to you, don't worry. And don't you dare tell me I can keep it because I would not." I added.

He shrugged with a boyish smile on his lips.

"And..." I removed my seatbelt then leaned forward to him. His smile faded when I pressed my right palm on his chest then looked at his eyes then his lips, he mirrored my movements, leaning forward.

The atmosphere in the car suddenly changed, it feels like it's humming with electricity.

Our faces are so close to each other now. "And what?" he whispered, looking from my lips and into my eyes.

"And don't forget... I won this round." I whispered then immediately got out of his car.

I exhaled loudly as I walked into my apartment building, trying to calm the pounding in my chest.

I didn't look back at his direction. That's the best thing I could do because I don't really know if I won this round.