Emma

𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟏𝟒

Emma knew from the start that it probably wasn't wise to bake with James, he was the clumsiest person she knew, and he did tend to get a bit excitable, but she just couldn't say no to him, and it was a great opportunity to spend some time with him. She had been talking about Christmas with the family, and all of the traditions she loved and she had mentioned baking.

As soon as James heard she was planning on baking some Christmas cookies, he was begging her to let him help, so she said yes. It probably wasn't the smartest move on her part, and she had to keep reminding herself that he was only doing it for the cookies, but she was excited at the same time.

She had made sure that everything was spick and span for James coming round, not that he would notice of course but it made her feel a little less nervous, there was one less thing to worry about. Stephanie had noticed her nerves, of course she knew about the little crush she had been harbouring on James and so she had helped her pick out her outfit.

Emma had to hold her back a little, she had wanted to go all out and help with her makeup and hair but she was happier just to go with her normal routine, although she did hand over the reigns and let her pick her outfit. She was glad she had.

She wasn't wearing anything fancy, she would hate for it to get stained if James spilled cake mixture everywhere, which he was sure to do at some point. Therefore, Emma was wearing a pair of skinny jeans, her oldest pair that were fading at the knees but the denim had softened considerably so they were her comfiest pair. She wore her Christmas jumper too, and a pair of her fluffiest socks, perfect for sliding about on the kitchen floor.

Emma had to take a minute to compose before opening the door when she heard the familiar tapping on her door. She glanced in the mirror and checked her teeth for lipstick, tucked a stray strand of hair back where it belonged and took a deep breath. A gust of cold wind hit her as she opened the door and beckoned him inside. He was grinning at her excitedly, and she smiled at his eager expression as she waited for him to kick off his shoes before leading him to the kitchen.

She had laid out all of the ingredients on the countertop ready, there were bowls and wooden spoons and decorations sitting out too. James was rubbing his hands together excitedly, and she couldn't help but laugh as she grabbed the cookbook and pointed out the recipe to him.

There really was no way to put it kindly, James couldn't bake for his life. With Emma's help, he was managing okay, but there was still flour all over the floor and egg dribbling down the cupboard door. She left him stirring the mixture as Emma attempted to clean up the mess he was making but he just spilt more as he went. "James!" He turned as she called out his name in exasperation and frowned at her before noticing the spattering of mixture surrounding him. He blushed and glanced towards her sheepishly.

"Sorry." She laughed, giving up on cleaning, there was no point when he was still making more mess. "You have to do it gently, or it all goes everywhere, as you have so perfectly demonstrated." Emma pointed to the mess as she reached for the bowl.

"Let me do it." He rubbed the back of his neck as she took the bowl for him and apologized once more. "It's okay, I can clean it up later." He nodded gratefully as she set down the bowl. "This looks like it's ready to roll."

"James?" she sighed softly.

"Yeah?" He looked up at Emma and she moved her gaze back to his cookies. "What shape are you trying to make exactly? I'm not sure my parents would like to eat one of those." He blushed, looking back to his oddly shaped cookies. "I'm making a few different shapes." Emma could spot a typical gingerbread man among his batch, and a santa hat, and something that was decidedly not part of the usual assortment of Christmas cookies shapes.

"And that was supposed to be, err, a stocking." He frowned, tilting his head. "Maybe I'd have better luck with something else." She laughed as he pouted and rolled the dough back up. "Maybe." He glanced sidelong at hers then shook his head.

"How did you get yours looking so nice?" She shrugged, she had cheated and used cookie cutters on a few of them, but the ones she had shaped herself looked pretty good too.

Emma had managed to make a santa hat, and a stocking that frankly looked much better than James' ones.

"Patience." She answered him honestly, it did take a bit of time to make them look the way she wanted to. He just rolled his eyes and picked out a cookie cutter. He waved it in the air. "I think I'll just stick to these thanks."

While Emma was waiting for the cookies to bake, she sat in the living room and turned on the television. She foolishly handed James the remote and he insisted on putting on the playing of When Harry Met Sally, which she didn't mind too much but she would have preferred a Christmas movie. She watched about five minutes of the film, she is sitting curled up in a corner of the sofa while James sat and fidgeted, before James suddenly stood up.

"You okay?" Emma asked concerned and he nodded, reaching into his pocket. "Yeah, I just-" He cleared his throat and glanced back to the television screen. "I just, I wanted to give you your present now, without everyone watching." Emma nodded, wishing she had wrapped his present already, there was a bunch under the tree but he was still sitting in a carrier bag somewhere. "Of course."

She stood up too as he handed her a small, wrapped box. "Ignore the wrapping please, I'm not the best, but-" He was rambling, she realized. "Don't worry, it looks fine to me." He nodded, for once falling silent as she gently tore back a corner of the paper. It was a little box for jewellery, which left her a few guesses as to what was inside. Emma immediately thought to the present upstairs which seemed daft now.

Emma pushed those thoughts aside as she lifted the lid and saw the little silver heart hanging on the most delicate chain. "Awww, James..." she murmured, lifting the necklace out of the box. He shrugged, suddenly sheepish again as he reached out for the necklace and instructed her to turn around. She did so and shivered as he brushed her hair aside to fasten the clasp. "I love it." She smiled down at it and he cleared his throat.

She looked up at him curiously. "So, what should we do?" Emma asked shyly.

"How about we get to know each other more." James suggested looking down at her smugly.

"Alright, um... Sure..." Emma smiled looking up at him.

"Okay, you first. When is your birthday?"

"September 18th, 1993..." James replied anxiously.

"How about you, when is your birthday..."

"November 26th, 1997..." she responded.

"Nice, okay um... Where are you from?" James questioned nonchalantly.

"I'm from New York City, New York. But I was born here, in Greensboro, North Carolina." Emma said smiling.

"That's amazing, I'm from Los Angeles, California."

"Wow, really? I always wanted to go there..." Emma grinned.

Suddenly, the oven timer went off signalling the cookies were ready. "Oh, looks like the cookies are ready." Emma said as she stood up from the couch and walked to the kitchen.

Emma slowly opened the hot oven trying not to burn herself. "James, can you help me please?" Emma grinned smiling at him.

"Sure..." He answered walking to the oven and grabbed a pair of mittens slowly getting the cookies out from the oven.

"Mmm, wow... It looks scrumptious... " James said in awed.

"Yeah, I can't wait taste them soon." Emma replied back smiling at him.