8 Chapter Eight

The words Axel said yesterday still rang in my head.

For Christ's sake! We have been hanging out and he says "we aren't friends".

What in the world!? Well I have nothing to say.

12pm.

Not too many people gathered at the auditorium for the counseling event taking place.

"Why are we here?" Trina,Clara's friend asked. "To support August" Clara replied her as we walked into the auditorium and took our seats.

Axel and Diego sat not too far away from us while August was busy presenting.

I took out my phone, texted Stacia, telling her where I was and what was going on. She wasn't online so I dropped the texts.

"So you hang out with them" Trina said to me. "Yeah" I replied. Trina started applying lip gloss. "Where is Axel sitting so far away" she uttered. "Trina please" Clara said.

"From now on, I'll hang out every time with you Clara, I need to get closer to Axel since you don't want to help me" Trina said.

Did she just? No she didn't.

"Leave the man, you can't make him want you all of a sudden" Clara replied.

This is weird.

"Watch me work my magic okay?" Trina uttered. "But firstly, help me talk to him, about going out sometime you know" Trina continued.

"I'll try, you know how he can be" Clara replied.

"Does anyone in this congregation want to share something?" The host said.

"Well in that case, let's welcome Professor Whitman" the host continued.

Everyone applauded as the speaker walked up to the stage.

"I want to use the washroom, I'll be back" Clara said to us.

The speaker went on talking about different challenges people face till he got to a topic I wasn't comfortable with.

Not that it was discomforting but I related to it.

"There are times you need to speak up about things you face, let people know what you're going through, don't bottle it up, if someone is taking advantage of you, speak up, if someone maltreats you, speak up, say those words so that you can get help" he said.

I got up and walked out of the auditorium.

Tears rolled down my eyes.

Why was I tearing up? Did I really want to talk to someone?

Axel saw me getting up from my seat and he followed me.

"Stella" he called out. I felt numb.

"Stella" he tapped me on my shoulder as I turned to face him with loads of tears packed up in my eyes.

"Why are you crying?What happened? " he asked.

"I don't want to talk about it" I cried. "You can trust me. tell me what happened Stella" he said.

Why did he care?

He looked really sad for me. I cried my eyes out but he didn't watch me do that. He came closer to me and wrapped his arms around me.

"Don't cry" he said. "Everything is going to be alright" he assured.

After several minutes in that moment, I let him go. "Tell me what happened" he said. "There's nothing you can do about it" I said.

"I know I've not been the nicest person to you but I'd like you to tell me what is wrong and how I can help" he said.

Not been the nicest???

"You can't help me" I said.

"Try me" he replied.

I knew at this moment I was going to tell Axel everything.

Why did I trust him so much?

We walked to the park and took a seat.

"So" he uttered. "It's okay if you don't want to talk about it" he continued.

"No, I want to" I said sobering up. "Can I trust you?" I asked him.

"Yes" he said.

"I've been holding this in for a long time, trying not to get depressed and all" I started.

"I understand" he replied.

"Back in high school, one day when my parents and My brother weren't home, I was all alone. Something happened that day that I can never forget" I said.

"What happened?" He asked.

"I was assaulted that day by someone I thought was good to me, I could never imagine him doing that to me" I cried.

"Who? Who is the person? Why haven't you told anyone? Does he still do that to you?" Axel asked curiously.

"He does" I cried bitterly.

Axel couldn't help it. Seeing me cry. He hugged me tightly and patted my hair.

Who knew he was this sweet.

"It's okay, it's okay" he said.

"I need to go now, its better I leave for my dorm" I said wiping the tears away.

"Okay" he said. I got up, cleaned myself up and walked away. He watched me walk away until he couldn't get a trace of me.

This is something I haven't even told my parents or even Stacia, I really hope he keeps it a secret.

I got up to my room, opened the door, laid on my bed with tears in my eyes.

I took a pillow over my head and wept silently.

My past has really become my present again.

Back at the auditorium.

Axel walked back in, "where did you go?" Diego asked him.

"Fui afuera" Axel replied.

"Por qué? Diego asked.

"Nada, ¿estan hechos?" Axel asked.

"Ellos estan redondeando" Diego replied.

"Bueno" Axel said.

"So, there you have it! If you would love to have a one on one conversation with any of our counsellors, please stay back" the speaker announced.

The session was over.

Trina walked up to Axel and Diego while Clara accompanied her.

"Hey" Trina said to Axel. He looked at her then faced his front, walking towards the exit. She followed him.

"Do you maybe wanna go out sometime?" Trina asked him. "I'm busy" he replied. "So you can't make time? For me?" She asked.

Who is this bitch?

Axel didn't respond to her, he walked away. "Espera por nosotras Axel" Diego uttered as he watched Axel walk away.

Axel, Diego and Clara walked to Diego's dorm.

"Just go out with her, on a simple date, just once Axel" Clara told Axel. "Why would I go out with her? I don't like her" Axel said. "Look Trina is sweet, the reason why she has always been around you is because she likes you. Just give a chance, just this once" Clara said.

"Just one date yeah?" Axel asked. "Just one" Clara replied. "You know you don't have to force him to do things" Diego said to Clara.

"I'm not forcing him" Clara said. "You are" Axel said. "Shut up" she replied Axel. "I just want him to be happy" Clara said to Diego.

" have you texted her?" Clara asked Axel. "I'll do that right now" Axel replied, bringing out his phone to text Trina.

I can't believe he actually texted her.

They walked while chattering all the way to Diego's dorm.

While I cried myself to sleep, I really hope I'll get better.