She was confused at first. The streets were completely abandoned. Who in their right mind – other than herself of course – would be out in such severe weather? Panic washed over her at the thought that it could be her father.

It only lasted a second however, when the stranger spoke again. She finally recognized exactly who it was

“Lisa, what the hell are you doing out here?!” Jennie shouted moving painfully slow towards the trembling blonde.

“Just enjoying the weather!” Lisa mocked delight, despite being amid such an unpleasant situation.

A grin played on Jennie’s lips. It almost scared her that even when she was supposed to be hating the girl, somehow, she could still make her smile.

“You’re gonna freeze to death out here!” Jennie told her, using whatever strength she had to run the small distance to Lisa.

“Come on!”

Jennie held out her hand and took a sharp breath when Lisa’s palm came into contact with her own. It felt as if someone had just handed her an icicle. Even so, she held it tight, quickly but carefully leading Lisa a few meters through the rain and up the steps of her front porch. She reached into her jeans to pull out her house key and unlocked the door before letting Lisa walk in ahead of her.

“Oh my god,” Lisa sighed in relief at the surge of warmth that greeted her as soon as Jennie shut the door behind them.

She turned to face Jennie, shivering and soaking wet from head to toe.

“Th-thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” Jennie replied, trying her best to remain stoic and stand her ground. It was taking everything in her, every shred of self-control, to keep away from Lisa. To restrain herself from embracing the younger girl and giving her a better source of warmth.

She’d gone through great trouble trying to avoid the blonde these past few days and was not about to succumb because she was generous enough to let Lisa ride out a storm in her home.

Nevertheless, it made her think. Did she do it out of the kindness of her heart? Or was it because it was Lisa who was stuck out there?

She never reached an answer as the blonde in question asked, “What were you doing out there?”

Jennie simply shrugged, “Could ask you the same thing.”

She stretched her arm toward the wall behind her, flipping on the light switch to rid of the darkness that surrounded the two but to her dismay the small hall remained unlit.

“, the power’s out,” Jennie cursed in a harsh whisper, proceeding to flip the switch several more times in a futile effort.

“Do you have a flashlight? Or maybe candles or something?” Lisa inquired following the other girl as she strolled into the living room. Their sneakers squeaked with every step against the hardwood flooring beneath. It was enough of a nuisance to make Lisa halt in her tracks and pull the noisy shoes off her feet before continuing on her way. She found the room in a tidier condition than her last two visits. Or maybe it was the lack of light in the space that made it seem so.

She quickened her pace at the startling roar of thunder that erupted from outside, a flash of lightening accompanying it, illuminating the room for a split second. Her feet led her to the kitchen where she was greeted by more darkness and no Jennie.

“Jennie, where are you?” she called out.

“In here!” she heard the brunette’s muffled voice from behind her. Turning around, she caught sight of a door, slightly ajar. A sliver of white light poured from the other side. She opened it wider, the light grew more intense and she could clearly see the room, its walls decorated in shelves of canned food, boxed spices, and other packaged foods of the sort.

Inside was Jennie, standing on her tippy toes, one hand holding up her phone – which the light shined from – and the other outstretched, reaching for the top shelf in an adorable effort.

“You want help with that?” Lisa asked crossing her arms, a teasing smile plastered on her face.

“No, I got it.”

She stretched her arm just a little higher hoping it would be enough to cover the last centimeter between her hand and the wooden surface above, but to no avail. A sigh escaped her lips as she dropped her arm back to her side in defeat.

Lisa took it as a sign that she did in fact “want help with that”.

Jennie watched as the blonde easily extended her arm and grabbed the box she had previously failed to acquire.

Lisa had the chance to see for herself what it actually was Jennie snatched it out of her hand and shuffled out of the room and into the kitchen, her way being illuminated by her phone’s flashlight.

“What is that?” Lisa questioned while closing the pantry door behind her with a quiet click.

“Candles,” Jennie answered, most of her concentration aimed on searching through the drawers beneath the kitchen counter. “My phone’s gonna die soon. I need to find matches.”

Lisa stood beside her and began unpacking the box of candles that were left unattended. She took them out one by one and placed them on the countertop.

“Found them,” Jennie said quietly. The phone’s light died out just as the words left and the two were once again engulfed by darkness.

“Good timing,” Lisa remarked as Jennie struck a match against the side of the box. She carefully lit every wax length sitting atop the counter, their surroundings turning a darker hue of orange with each candle that was lit.

Jennie blew out the match once she was finished, “There.”

She looked to Lisa who was starin