Wandering Spirits

Chapter 15

Freja practically bounced into the bathroom, eager to step into her new reality through the clothes neatly folded and waiting for her. With her fingers fumbling and dancing over the fabric, she reached for the buttons, but the little rascals wouldn't cooperate. "Storm!" she shouted, her voice filled with a mix of frustration and anticipation.

Storm, who had been lost in his thoughts about Freja's innocent enthusiasm, jerked at the sound of his name. He walked towards the bathroom, a smile forming at the sight of her focused gaze in the mirror. She stared at her reflection as if trying to crack a code only she could see.

"These buttons..." she began, without finishing the sentence. Storm entered, his long fingers taking over, and the buttons obediently followed his commands. There was something about the way he helped her - gently, almost reverently - that allowed a warmth to spread in the room.

When he was finished, he stepped back, and Freja turned towards the mirror again. Her eyes lit up, and a childish expression of joy spread across her face. The clothes fit as if they were made just for her. She spun around, the dress lifted in a pirouette before falling back into place, and she laughed - a sound so pure and carefree that it could cleanse the air.

Without hesitation, she rushed towards Storm and threw her arms around him in an impulsive hug. It was a gesture so full of gratitude and joy that his heart skipped a beat. In that moment, he felt something shift, how every fiber of his being wanted to protect this girl with the self-cut hair and deep brown eyes.

He hugged back, and it was not just a response; it was a declaration. His arms enveloped her tighter than they ever had anyone else. In this embrace lay an implicit promise that he was there for her - in buttons and chaos, in joys and sorrows.

And as they stood there, two souls bound together by the simple moment of sharing pure joy, the world outside the bathroom window became a little less important, a little more distant. They were two people, alone together, and that was all that mattered right now.

Storm recognized it again, the paralyzing moment of doubt creeping over him. His heart pumped faster at the thought of taco night at Liam and Niko's - an evening filled with laughter, loud discussions about football, and burning mouths from spicy food. But his body, it was restless and impatient; it pulled him in the opposite direction, closer to Freja, who now stood before him with eyes sparkling with life.

"I feel like skipping taco night tonight..." he muttered, while trying to hold her gaze, searching for a sign that could give him peace with the decision.

"Yes," she answered, the strength in her voice surprising him almost as much as her grip around his arm. "Stay here with me." It was simple, without room for doubt, and Storm felt a warmth spreading in his chest.

"Okay, okay," he said, letting his hands fall to his sides. "Hungry? I can make something. And then a movie?"

She nodded eagerly, and a smile spread across her face, a smile that seemed to light up the entire small bathroom they were standing in. He knew he had made the right choice, even if it meant disappointing his friends. Friendship was important, but nothing could compare to the feeling of being needed, wanted, here and now.

He moved towards the kitchen with a newfound determination, and as he tore open the refrigerator door, he couldn't help but think that this, this right here, was what true happiness felt like. He caught a glimpse of Freja in the corner of his eye, how she was leaning against the kitchen counter, still smiling, and he knew that no amount of tacos could compete with that sight.

Storm stood at the kitchen counter, slicing up fruit for an improvised evening meal, when his mobile phone began to vibrate insistently against the hard surface. Without lifting his gaze from the knife gliding through an apple, he reached for the phone and swiped down the notification screen. Messages lit up the screen in quick succession - "Where are you?" - "Taco night isn't the same" - "Have aliens abducted you or what?!"