Emma

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟐

Emma checked the weather for the tenth time, biting her nails nervously. The forecast just kept getting worse. A huge snowstorm was headed their way, her aunt and uncle weren't back from her Aunt Jenny's house in West Virginia yet. Yes, they decided to spend their weekend at their place again. Meanwhile Emma haven't moved from her bed for hours, powering through multiple seasons of The Vampire Diaries. She could almost feel the cobwebs forming.

She glanced out the window. Thick tufts of snow are already falling outside, and it's starting to get dark, too. Her aunt and uncle should be home by now. As she was about to check the weather again, her cell phone rang. It's Aunt Caroline and Uncle Albert. Emma answered the call.

"Hi Emma, have you seen the weather forecast?'' Aunt Caroline asked.

"Yeah, are you guys gonna be able to get home?''

"Actually, we decided not to take any chances so we're staying at a nearby hotel for one more night. Hope that's okay..." Aunt Caroline said anxiously.

Emma shrugged. She'll have to make her own dinner again, but she has no complaints about having the house to themselves. "Sure, I'll be fine."

"Don't throw any ragers," Uncle Albert jokes. "Oh wait, you'd need friends for that." she facepalm. Typical. "Bye, Uncle Albert," Emma said, as she hung up the cell phone in her hands at once.

It's past seven, and she was craving mac and cheese. She went downstairs and set a pot of water to boil. She headed back upstairs to finish her episode when the doorbell rang.

Emma froze, automatically wondering if it's a robber or a serial killer, or something like that. This was always her first thought. She's scared of everything, hence why she never answer the door when she's home alone with her sister and cousins. It's just too risky!

The doorbell rang again. And again. Must be a pretty determined murderer, especially since he's standing out there in the snowstorm, which is raging at this point. Emma could barely see out the window, what with the snow coming down so thick. And the wind is howling like a banshee. Whoever this is, they must be desperate doe braving this storm.

Emma contemplate for a moment longer, but another, more insistent doorbell ring prompts her to face her fears. She unlocked the door and slowly opened it.

On the doorstep is no serial killer, no robber, no psychopath. It's James flashing her a sweet smile on his face.

She stood frozen for a moment, her mouth agape. He stood frozen too, but probably because it's literally freezing. Let him in, idiot.

"Hey James," Emma said as casually as she could, screaming internally. "What are you doing here?"

He avoided eye contact. He seemed uncharacteristically awkward, but maybe that's because he's on the doorstep of his best friend. "I... got kind of stuck in the snowstorm..." he said uncertainty, and she melted at the sound of his raspy thick sexy voice. "And my cell phone died, so... great timing, huh?'' he chuckled and shivered.

"Okay, come on in, idiot. You'll freeze to death out there.'' Emma stood back and open the door to let him in. He stepped in, and snow fell off his Adidas onto the rug. His ankles are bare. He's wearing a pair of khaki shorts and a Metallica band t-shirt.

She blinked a couple of times and looked back up at him. "A t-shirt? Are you insane?"

He still won't look at her, rubbing his arms and looking at his feet. "Yeah, I was running a couple laps at the park. I had no idea there would be a big storm. I started walking home but realized I didn't want to die, so I went to the nearest house... and I noticed the porch lights were on and so I decided to take a closer look, he added, which you assume really means, "I'm not a stalker, I swear."