• We were halfway through the third Star Wars movie when Zane and I started to fight about it. “Anakin deserved it!” I yelled.

    “No he doesn’t! He was only doing it for Padmé to save her.” I shook my head and laughed.

    “No, he shouldn’t have listened to that jerk of a bad guy.” Zane laughed.

    “He didn’t have a choice.”

    “Yes he did!” Zane sighed.

    “Can we please watch the movie?” he was smiling. I rolled my eyes and stood up. It was almost pitch dark out and you could see the snow actually had stopped. “Where are you going?” he demanded. I laughed.

    “None of your business!” I said. He watched as I went into the kitchen. I got the hot chocolate from the cupboard and started to make two cup fulls. “Do you want hot chocolate?” I yelled out. “Yeah!” he said. I laughed. I put a cup of milk in the microwave and set it. Just as it was done the lights flickered in the kitchen. I frowned.

    “s**t!” I muttered and before I could get a flashlight the electric went out. Everything was pitch black. I pushed myself against the counter hating the dark. “Zane?” I called. I heard him laugh. “Coming,” I heard him

    Scuffing his feet then heard something hit the wall. “Fu—“

    “Are you ok?” I asked. He chuckled.

    “Yeah I think,” I heard him coming again and moved along the counter to the sink then around to the bar. “Where are you?” he asked. I laughed knowing he was only a couple feet from me. “Right here,” I said and put my hands out. His hand smacked my arm.

    “Oh! Sorry,” I laughed. I felt his shoulder and pulled him toward me. He laughed.

    “Wow, so I wonder how long it’s going to be out for.” he mumbled. I shrugged.

    “I have flashlights but we have to find them first.” he sighed dramatically.

    “Great,” I held his hand as I put my hand out and followed the wall. We have a shelf by the frig that should have the flashlights on it. I could feel Zane close behind me his breath tickling my ear. I reached my hand out to grab one of the flashlights but it fell with a thud.

    “Crap,” I muttered. I got down on my knees.

    “What are you doing?” Zane asked laughing.

    “I dropped the damn flashlight.” finally my hands found it and I turned it on quickly. It flickered a little then finally was fine. I turned toward Zane who blinked and looked away. “OK, wow. Um I have my old Mp3 player in my purse in my room. That has the radio on it. We can listen and see if there are any power lines down.” he nodded.

    “Let’s go then,” we turned and headed back to the den where the fire was just going out.

    “Crap we need to start that back up before it goes out.”

    “Let’s get the radio first.” he said. He held my hand as we walked up the stairs and into my room. I searched my purse and finally found my Mp3 player and got my ear phones.

    “Got it!” I announced and turned back to him. He grinned.

    “Good. Turn it on,” I turned it on and put an ear phone in my ear. We slowly walked down stairs as I listened.

    “Its on commercial,” he laughed. Zane let go of my hand went to the stir up the fire and get it started again. I pushed the coffee table out and placed the blankets and pillows on the ground like a bed and sat down. The fire blazed behind the grate and Zane wiped his brow then came and sat back down beside me. His arm touched mine and my heart rate spun out for a moment. I swallowed.

    “Hear anything yet?” he asked. I realized I had been staring at him. The glow off the flames making his skin look almost golden.

    “Um, er, no not yet,” he smiled and nodded. I started to listen averting my gaze toward the black TV. It wasn’t very light in here and I hated that. “I think we need candles.” he nodded.

    “Where are they?” he asked. I thought for a moment.

    “In the drawer by the stove. Hold on I’ll help but I want to listen.” as I listened the news reporter came on saying there was an accident right down the road from us that hit a pole. The people were ok but the electric wasn’t probably going to come back on till tomorrow or if not a day or two. I sighed and turned it off. “They said we probably won’t get electric back for a day or two.” He snorted.

    “OK. Well once my car gets uncovered we can go to my house or something.” I nodded. We stood up and got the candles placing them around the room lighting them. The house smelled wonderful. With cinnamon and lavender and all sorts of smells. I looked at all the Christmas decorations and really thought it felt like Christmas. We sat back down again and I covered my legs up with a blanket. “So are you sleeping down here tonight?” he asked with a small smile. I shrugged.

    “I guess. I hate the dark.” He laughed lightly.

    “Afraid of the boogie monster?” I laughed.

    “Yeah a little,”

    “But I thought that Olivia Taylors was not scared of anything.” I looked down a moment thinking.

    “No…..I am. I just hate showing it.” I whispered. He looked at me and his blue eyes had that look in them I couldn’t make out to what it was. He stared at me a long time.

    “When I think I know you…you surprise me.” he said quietly his voice distance but soft. I glanced over at him and hugged my knees to my chest. There were a butterfly in my stomach that disrupting my thoughts.

    “I thought that’s what I was supposed to do. Surprise people.” I looked over at him amused. He smirked for a moment.

    “You definitely do. But you’re still mysterious.” that butterfly was making my mind go crazy now. I looked over at him and looked away quickly. I took everything not to reach over and touch him. And I didn’t know how long it would be until I gave up and did just that.