Chapter Twenty-Five — Pretty Girl, Officially Mine
(Sienna's pov)
It was late afternoon, sunlight spilling through the blinds of my apartment, dust motes sparkling in the golden glow. The day had been quiet — a rare moment of calm before the chaos of Season Two started again.
I was curled up on the couch, Ember bouncing beside me like a caffeinated squirrel, when my phone buzzed. Axel.
Pretty girl… can I come over? Need to talk.
I groaned, half because I was tired, half because I knew he was going to be impossibly charming.
"Fine," I muttered, tossing my phone onto the coffee table. "But no chaos, okay?"
"No promises," Ember said immediately, giving me a wicked grin. "He's impossible, sis."
A few minutes later, there was a soft knock, and Axel stepped inside. Hair slightly messy, black jeans, a fitted shirt that made my stomach twist, and that smirk — the one that made my heart skip every single time.
"Pretty girl," he greeted, voice low and teasing.
I huffed, pretending not to be affected. "Hi."
He leaned casually against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, eyes glinting. "I know we've had… chaos lately. Viral edits, Anna, the whole world watching. But… I want to do something."
I raised an eyebrow. "Something?"
"Yeah," he said, taking a careful step closer. "Something just for us. A date. Tonight. No cameras, no interviews, no chaos. Just… you and me. And I also… want to ask you something."
My stomach flipped. "Ask me something?"
He knelt slightly, hand brushing mine. "Pretty girl… will you be my girlfriend?"
Time seemed to freeze. My heart was pounding, my fingers trembling slightly as I looked into those dark, infuriatingly mesmerizing eyes.
"Are you serious?" I whispered, voice barely audible.
"Dead serious," he said softly, thumb brushing over my knuckles. "I want everyone to know. But more importantly… I want you to know. You're mine. Pretty girl."
A slow, dizzying smile spread across my face. "Yes. Yes, I'll be your girlfriend."
He grinned, pulling me into a careful, slow hug. Hands on my waist, forehead resting against mine, and just for a moment, the world outside — Anna, the media, viral edits — didn't exist.
"Good," he murmured, lips brushing my temple. "Now… the date. I promise, this one's all about us. But also… Anna might see it. Just a little… reminder of who's real."
I laughed softly, heart still racing. "You're impossible. And I love you for it."
He smirked, pressing a gentle kiss to my lips — soft, warm, private. His mouth fit perfectly against mine, and the world melted away. Every tension, every fear, every viral clip became irrelevant.
"Pretty girl," he whispered against my lips, "tonight… is ours. Only ours."
By evening, we were out — downtown, city lights sparkling, streets bustling but somehow private, as if the world had shrunk just for us. Dinner at a cozy, dimly-lit restaurant, laughter, stolen glances, teasing touches under the table. Axel held my hand, fingers interlaced with mine, thumbs brushing.
At one point, I caught a glimpse of a familiar face across the street — Anna. Her jaw clenched slightly when she saw us laughing, leaning into each other, completely in our own world.
I smirked, elbowing Axel lightly. "Take that, Anna."
He chuckled, dark eyes gleaming. "Exactly. Pretty girl, I think we just set a record for the cutest public display of 'we're together'."
I leaned against him, heart racing, adrenaline from the nerves and excitement mixing into pure warmth. "I… love this. Us. You."
He brushed hair from my face, thumb resting gently against my cheek. "I love you too, pretty girl. Always."
And in that moment, the world could watch, tweet, post, and obsess.
Because it didn't matter.
We were official.
We were us.
And the internet could implode for all I cared.