CHAPTER 14: You're Not Just a Secret

Noah arrived at Axel's house just after one in the afternoon. School had ended less than an hour ago, and the sun still hung lazily in the sky, casting a soft golden hue over the quiet neighborhood. Axel's place stood tall like a statement clean lines, dark stone, glass walls. It looked more like a modern museum than a home. Noah hesitated in front of the gate, adjusting his satchel and letting out a quiet breath. He wasn't nervous. Not exactly. But his heart had been beating faster all day, ever since English class when the teacher had paired them up for the upcoming presentation. The second their names were called together, Axel had glanced over at him, and their eyes had locked. Just for a second. But it was enough. Now here he was. About to step inside Axel's world. The gate buzzed open. Noah pushed it and stepped inside, walking the stone path to the tall front door. Before he could knock, it opened. Axel stood there in a tight white T-shirt that clung to his chest and arms in a way that was definitely not fair. His hair was damp, curls pushed back lazily like he'd just showered. He wasn't wearing shoes just black socks on the marble floor and his sweatpants hung low on his hips. "Hey," Axel said, voice a little too casual. Noah blinked. "You... seriously opened the door like that?" Axel raised a brow. "What, you expecting a suit?"

Noah snorted. "Nah. I just " He cut himself off before saying something stupid like you look good. Instead, he stepped inside, trying not to let his eyes wander. But they did. The house was cold and quiet. Too clean. Too perfect. Like no one really lived in it. "No one else here?" Noah asked. Axel shut the door behind him. "Nah. Maid's off today. Parents are... somewhere." "Must be nice," Noah said under his breath. Axel led him into a sleek living room, then gestured toward the kitchen. "You want anything? Water? Soda?" "Soda's fine." Axel disappeared through a side door. Noah watched him go, then looked around. The silence here was strange. Not comforting. Just... empty. He took a few steps toward the hallway. Just looking. It wasn't snooping. Not really. Just curiosity. But the longer he stood there, the more he wanted to know. Know Axel. The real one. The one who didn't just show up to class with snide remarks and bruised knuckles. A door was slightly ajar Axel's room, maybe. Noah peeked inside. Big bed, dark walls, messy desk. A photo frame sat on the nightstand. He stepped closer. The photo showed a much younger Axel, probably around seven or eight, sitting on a swing set, laughing. His mom was beside him, smiling but not really looking at him. His dad stood stiff behind them. Even in a picture, the space between them felt cold.

"Looking for something?" Noah froze. Axel stood in the doorway, holding two sodas. "I " Noah stepped back. "Sorry. I just saw the picture. I didn't touch anything." Axel's gaze lingered on him for a moment longer than necessary. Then he walked over and handed Noah the drink. "You really don't like being told no, huh?" he said, but there was no heat in it. "I just wanted to know you better," Noah said quietly. "You don't talk much about your life." Axel flopped onto the bed with a sigh, taking a long sip from his can. "Not much to talk about." Noah stayed standing. "There is. You just don't want to." Silence Then Axel looked up, his voice softer. "It's easier to act like nothing's wrong." Noah sat down beside him, their knees almost touching. "You don't have to pretend with me. A beat passed. Then Axel said, "That picture... that was one of the only good days I remember. The rest is just arguments and silence." Noah looked at him carefully. "You think that's all you'll ever get?" "I don't know what I'm supposed to hope for." Noah didn't speak. He just reached out and touched Axel's hand lightly, but meaningfully. Axel looked down at their fingers. Then up at Noah. His breath hitched. And then, slowly, he leaned in. Their lips met. This kiss was different from the others. Not desperate. Not rushed. Just... full of everything neither of them had said out loud yet.

Noah's hand slid up to Axel's jaw, steadying him, anchoring him. Axel's fingers curled in the fabric of Noah's sleeve. They kissed again. And again. Each one deeper than the last. When they finally broke apart, Axel's chest rose and fell quickly. "Why does it feel like this every time?" "Because it means something," Noah whispered. They worked on the project for a while after that or at least they tried. There were notebooks spread out, a laptop open, a page of half-done notes. But their focus kept slipping. Noah would catch Axel looking at him, and Axel would catch Noah pretending not to look back. Around six, Axel's stomach growled. "I'll order pizza," he mumbled, embarrassed. "I'll help," Noah offered, grinning. They moved into the kitchen together, shoulders bumping. While Axel pulled up the pizza app, Noah leaned against the counter, watching him. "You know," Noah said, "you're actually kind of a nerd." Axel looked up. "Excuse me?" "You just made three bullet points for a PowerPoint slide before we even agreed on a theme." Axel smirked. "Shut up." Later, after they'd eaten and cleaned up, the sun started to go down. They sat in Axel's room again, lights low, the laptop screen glowing. The air was different now. Quiet. Heavy. Noah leaned back on the bed, arms folded behind his head. Axel sat cross-legged beside him, fingers fidgeting with a pen.

"You ever get tired of pretending?" Axel asked suddenly. Noah turned his head toward him. "All the time." Axel bit his lip. "What do we even... call this? What are we doing?" "I don't know," Noah said. "But I want it to keep happening." Axel's eyes flicked to him. "Even if we're not a thing?" Noah sat up slowly. "Who says we aren't?" Axel hesitated. "We've never said it." "You kissed me," Noah said. "Twice." "More than twice." "Okay, three and a half times." Axel laughed, and the tension in the room cracked just a little. Noah leaned closer. "Make it four?" Axel didn't answer. He just leaned in again, and their lips met. This kiss was slower. Deeper. Axel's hand slid into Noah's hair. Noah's fingers gripped the back of Axel's shirt. Neither of them wanted to stop. Not now. Not yet. By the time they finally pulled apart, Axel's lips were red and his breathing uneven. His voice was low. "You should probably go before I... do something stupid." Noah smiled. "You say that like it'd be a bad thing." Axel looked at him. "You don't get it." "Then explain it to me." Axel's throat moved as he swallowed. He glanced down, then back up. "I want to do everything with you. And it terrifies me." Noah nodded slowly. "I'm not going anywhere." He stood, grabbing his bag.

Axel walked him to the door, hand brushing his once, then again. Just before Noah stepped out, Axel caught his wrist. "I meant it," he said. "About this... about you." Noah leaned in, pressing one final kiss to his cheek. "So did I." When the door closed, Axel stood there for a long time, leaning against it. His skin was flushed. His lips tingled. His head spun. And deep in his chest, a heat coiled and burned. Hot. Bothered. Confused. Hopeful. Whatever this was it wasn't just a fling. And Axel knew that now more than ever.