The man yelped and scurried our of the store. Ember’s face was covered in tears. “Thank you Axel…” she gives him a quick hug then turns back to her cart of books, trying to pick up the books with her shaking hands while she tries to wipe her eyes so she could see clearly to shelve. A book drops from her hands and she kneels to pick it up, but stays kneeling.
Axel gently took the book from her and took her hands, helping her stand. He gazed down at her thoughtfully, frowning a little.
“Ember, it’s okay. He’s gone now.” He took off his scarf and wiped her eyes with it. He gave her the scarf, helping her tighten her hands around it. “Do you want to take a break? I can do stuff up here.”
Ember shook her head. “I only have a couple more to do, then I’m done. I’ll just finish up.” She looked at the scarf in her hands. She runs her hand over the scarf. “This is beautiful… is it hand stitched?” She fingered the weave. “I’d like to knit something this pretty.”
Axel looked down at it. “I don’t know. Probably.” He looked up at her again. “Are you staying for lunch? I packed you something in case you were.” He smiled a little, his expression hopeful and caring.
Ember looked away. “T-that’s ok. I got an apple today. You don’t need to share your food again..” she smiled up at him. “But I’d be happy to eat with you.”
Axel smiled back. “I think you should have more than an apple. I packed you a PB+J in case. I hope you like… PB+J…”
Ember grinned. "Thank you! I love PB+J!" She gave him another hug, then quickly stashed the last few books. "Done! Let me go take my apron off. Do you wanna go someplace ese to eat lunch, or do you wanna stay here?"
“We could just stay here.” Axel beamed a little wider. “I think it’ll be fun either way, you know?” He rubbed his hands together excitedly.
Ember was beaming, the last traces of tears drying up. "Yeah. I'll be right back." She dashed off to her locker. She quickly stashed the apron and pulled on her jean jacket. She hauled her heavy backpack onto her shoulder, and grabbed the paper bag with her apple and some knitting. She hurried back out to find Axel.
Axel straightened his back. “Ready? The sandwiches are in my car, so we can just go ahead and go.” He fixed up his scarf, tucking his long, wild hair into the warm folds.
Ember gave a tiny hop. "Yeah! Oh, wait Axel-" She reached up and tucked a wayward piece of red hair into hi scarf. "There!" She leaned back and gave him a grin. "Ok, ready now!"
Axel grinned back, grabbing his keys out of his pocket. “Righteo! Lead the way. My car’s just out front. The old red Convertible.”
Ember skipped her way out the door calling a good-bye to their employer who was working the check-out desk. Their boss called out, "Have fun!" Ember stepped out into the crisp autumn air and looked around. She quickly spotted the car. She sprinted over to it. She looked over it in strange fascination. She looked over at Axel. "It's cool." She stayed a reasonable distance away from it, awkwardly, not wanting to seem weird for looking at his car.
Axel trotted after her, after a wave and a “Thanks!” to their employer. Axel put on speed and quickly unlocked his car, smiling.
“Hey, thanks, it was a Mum’s. Alright, get on in the passenger’s seat.”
Ember slipped into his car, a little nervous, and buckled herself in after fumbling a little.
Axel plopped down into his seat and grinned at her after buckling in himself. “Ready?” He held up the keys.
Ember glanced at him. "As ready as I'll ever be." She clutched her backpack to her chest, eyes wide. "It's been awhile since I've been in a vehicle, so apologies in advance if I'm a little quiet."
Axel smiled warmly and put his key into the ignition and shifted the stickshift. “Of course. Our destination is only a few minutes away, though.”
Ember just curled up on the seat and nodded, watching the sidewalk pull away. She watched the scenery go by. It was nice, with orange, red, and yellow leaves scattering the ground as people walked, going about their lives.
Axel hummed happily with the song on the radio. He wished he could turn it up more, but it was an old car. He should be glad the radio even worked.
“Where do you wanna go? To the park?”
Ember looked at him. "That sounds nice." She looked outside again. "Wish I could take a picture of the trees. They're so pretty… Maybe I can sketch them in the park."
Axel smiled. “I might have my camera on me. It might be in the glovebox if you’d like to check.” He pointed to the shelf in front of her.
Ember looked in the glove box. Sure enough. She pulled it out and quickly set it to sport setting so she could take the pictures as they passed by the trees they zoomed by, and snapped some beautiful pictures. As she looked at the pictures she looked like a small child proud that they did some simple thing. "Thank you Axel."
Axel grinned at her. “You’re welcome. I’ll take a look at them later, if you want! Maybe print them out and we can hang them up.”
Ember squeaked with happiness, feet swinging somehow. “Really?!” She pulled out a sketchbook from her backpack with a mechanical pencil and started to sketch one of the better pictures she had taken. She hummed along with the song that just came on the radio.
Axel smiled and turned slowly at a red light. Ember was so sweet when she was happy and relaxed. He hummed with the song too, thrumming his fingers with it.
Ember started singing along to the chorus, her sweet voice filling the car. She was putting finishing touches on the girl that had been walking by in the photo. She glanced up slightly when the song finished. “Are we there yet?” She was trying not to be annoying, but she wanted to know.
“Yep! I just have to find a spot…” He found one, pulled in and parked the car. “Here we are! Theeeeee park!”
Ember stuffed her sketchbook bag in her bag. “Yay!” She puts a silly grin on her face and her hands in the air before hopping out of the car. She waits for Axel, hopping. “Let’s go, let’s go, let’s go!” She cries out happily.
Axel grabbed the cooler in the backseat and a couple of thermoses and his blanket, then joined her on the other side of the car. “Alright alright yes, let’s go.”