Axel walked into the kitchen, the aroma of freshly brewed coffee and scrambled eggs filling the air. His mom, already seated at the table, looked up from her cup and froze. Her eyes widened in surprise, taking in Axel's new appearance.
"Axel, what's...what's going on with you?" she asked, her voice laced with concern. "You look...different."
Axel shrugged, trying to play it cool. "Just a growth spurt, Mom. I'm fine."
His mom set her cup down, her expression skeptical. "A growth spurt? Axel, you're...you're taller, and your muscles...you look like you've been working out intensely. What happened?"
Axel took a seat at the table, avoiding eye contact. "Like I said, Mom, it's just a growth spurt. Let's not make a big deal out of it, okay?"
His mom's expression turned stern, and she changed the subject. "Axel, I need to talk to you about something else. Why didn't you attend the funeral for your classmates who were shot? You knew them, and it would've been a chance to pay your respects."
Axel's expression turned guarded, and he focused on his breakfast. "I don't want to talk about it, Mom."
His mom's voice rose in frustration. "Axel, you need to tell me what happened after the incident at school. You've been distant, and I know something's bothering you. Why didn't you go to the funeral?"
Axel's jaw clenched, and he refused to meet his mom's gaze. "I said I don't want to talk about it, Mom. Just drop it."
The tension between them was palpable, and the breakfast table fell silent. Axel's mom looked hurt and concerned, but Axel remained resolute, unwilling to discuss the matter further.
The silence stretched out, with only the sound of Axel's mom's gentle sigh breaking the stillness. "Axel, I love you, and I want to help you through whatever you're going through. But you need to talk to me, to let me in."
Axel pushed his chair back, his breakfast unfinished. "I'm done, Mom. I need to go."
As he walked out of the kitchen, his mom's worried gaze followed him, her eyes filled with a mix of concern and frustration.