I was exhausted when I woke up a few hours after Louis had dropped me off back home considering I had stayed up way later than I usually do. Dad seemed confused at my zombie like appearance, his eyebrow raising as I weakly lied and said I couldn't sleep the night prior. Dad only handed me my breakfast and made me take my pills before ushering me back to bed, letting me have breakfast in bed and sleep in more while he went to work.

I woke up several hours later, my alarm clock reading 11:35 on the dot. I forced myself to get dressed and look presentable, I was going out to town with Louis after all.

After brushing my teeth and splashing some water on my face I spent too much time rummaging through my closet for something I thought Louis would like. I settled for my usual sweater and skinny jeans after deciding it was too cold to try and dress cute. I brushed my hair and put it up in a ponytail before wrapping a scarf around my neck to keep warm.

I rubbed my hands together as I went downstairs, trying to warm them up from the frigid cold air that seemed to only get colder as the days passed. A cup of hot chocolate seemed to work fine in heating up my body as I drank my mug, making a second mug for Louis whenever he came over.
In the meantime I busied myself with my book I had been trying to read that still lay on the coffee table in the living room.

I had never been a real big reader growing up, and I think that was one reason why I became so interested in photography. There were no long passages to read, no tiny text and elaborate words to decipher out in your mind for hours. There was just one image that made you feel something, and I think I liked photography so much because a picture never told you how to feel. One person could look at a picture of a city skyline and feel awe, while another person could feel saddened by it. Like they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, just the words are entirely up to the person who sees it.

Still, I found the book interesting, and I was determined to finish at least one book in my life (truth be told I never finished any of the books Dad assigned me. I could hardly understand Charles Dickens, much less Nathaniel Hawthorne.)

About fifteen pages and an empty mug of hot coco later, I decided to wait outside for Louis. I bundled up in a warm jacket and hiking boots before sitting outside, waiting for the familiar pair of sparkling eyes and dizzying smile to appear just outside of the forest tree line. I took his mug of hot chocolate with me, just so he could have something to keep him warm in the cold.

Not long later, Louis walked out of the forest, just as bundled up in a beanie, scarf, and winter jacket as I was. His jeans had slight dirt stains on them, like he had tripped in the forest, and his sneakers were covered in dirt and stains. His nose was turning pink from the frigid wind blowing across his face, and I thought it was just the cutest thing.

I stood up as he approached the back patio, a smile on my face as I held out the mug of hot coco to him. Instead of smiling and taking the mug from my hands, Louis instead stared at me like I must be crazy.

"Mira, tell me you weren't sitting here waiting on me for long. It's freezing out here, you should be inside." Louis urged me, taking the mug from my hands and hurrying me back into the warm cabin. He kicked off some of the muck on his shoes before he came in, sighing in relief when I let him inside.

"I wanted to wait for you. It's not that cold." I argued, Louis raising an eyebrow and smirking when my arms wrapped around me to conserve heat. They quickly fell to my sides when I saw Louis' look, my conscious deciding to change the subject.

"Just drink your hot chocolate." I told him, sitting down at the small kitchen table. Louis followed suit, a frown on his features troubling me as he stared at his mug after taking a sip.

"What?"

"It's cold." Louis said, looking to me as I groaned. I must have been sitting outside too long.

"I'm sorry Louis, let me make you another." I got up from my chair, but Louis shook his head and gently grasped my wrist to sit me back down.

"No need." He smirked again before holding the mug in front of him in the middle of his two palms. "Watch this."

Louis took a deep breath before releasing it, my eyes watching in wonder as a red warm glow began to emerge from his palms and into the mug. The previously cold hot chocolate was now properly warmed and steaming, Louis taking a sip before smiling at me.

"Pretty cool huh?" He boasted, leaning back in his chair as I rolled my eyes.

"You just wanted to show off." I told him, Louis laughing before leaning forward, suddenly a bit more serious than he had just been.

"Don't move." He instructed as he took my always cold hands between his, taking another deep breath before I suddenly felt warmth seep into my fingers and palms. Louis' hands were like a personal heater, bringing feeling back into my previously numb and cold fingers from sitting outside so long.

Louis looked to me as I smiled at him, the mug of hot chocolate forgotten on the kitchen table as he brought my hands to his lips, kissing over the knuckles like he had when we were stargazing. Our eyes couldn't look away from each others', Louis smiling as he released my hands and stood from the table.

"Let's go Magical Mira. I do believe it's your turn to take me on an adventure."

After getting all my stuff together and leaving a note in case Dad came home early, I led Louis out. I took a while to find the spare house keys, Louis bragging as I found them under one of Dad's discarded jackets on the couch.

"I can breathe fire too, like a dragon. Wanna see that?" His eyes were bright and full of excitement like a kid on Christmas.

"I'd rather not see it inside of my house." I told him as I led him out of the cabin and locked the front door, Louis deflating a little at my response to his proposition until I allowed him to indulge in his little show. He blew flames up in the air on the walk towards town, having fun until he claimed he almost burned his throat. I had laughed so hard until he intertwined my fingers with his, using his talent to keep me warm in the chilly air.

I had shown Louis all of my favorite spots in Briarwood, Louis having fun trying on accessories in all the boutiques and clothing stores while I looked around. At one point I tried reaching for a shoe box in one of the stores that was high up on a shelf, Louis checking to make sure no one was around and no security cameras were filming before using his talent again to levitate the box into my hands.

He was having a good time, and I couldn't have been happier. Louis told me in all his time being in Washington, he had never been to Briarwood's main street, and he was happy he could explore it with me.

We had hit almost all of the best places to go on the main street, the last place being the ice cream shop. I had insisted we didn't need to get a cold treat since it was already cold out, but Louis told me one never goes to an ice cream shop and looks around, so we ended up getting the same banana split Dad had gotten me when we went to spend time together.

We sat at a table next to a huge window that allowed us a view of the main street, Louis cheekily only getting one spoon for both of us until I had rolled my eyes and gotten my own. The spoon did, however, remind me of something I wanted to ask him from the night prior.

"Did you kiss me goodnight last night?" I asked as I sat down again, a spoon in hand, Louis' smirk only growing.

"I don't know, why don't you tell me?" He teased before taking a scoop of chocolate ice cream into his mouth. His tongue slowly ran over his lips when he finished, making my cheeks flush red. I knew he had done it on purpose, his little knowing look after making me blush more.

"Isn't that why I'm asking you? I was half-asleep, I hardly remember." I argued before taking a small bit of ice cream, Louis setting his spoon down.

"Then why don't we find out if I did?" He suggested, my spoon dropping from my grasp and into the ice cream bowl as Louis leaned forward towards me.

His hand reached across the table to gently brush over my cheek and under my chin to pull me closer, a light gasp being the only thing heard from me as I felt Louis' lips on mine. My eyes closed as his soft lips touched mine in a chaste kiss before I felt him pull away, his touch on my face leaving as well. My eyes were dazed and wide when they opened again, Louis smiling as he took another scoop of banana split between his lips.

"Was it like that last night?" Louis smirked as I nodded wordlessly, my mind racing and my heart beating furiously.

Louis had kissed me. He was my first kiss, and oh my God he actually kissed me. I still couldn't wrap my head around the idea.

What was my life becoming? Something straight out of a fairy tale, that's for sure.

We had finished the ice cream and set back for the cabin before it could get too dark. I mean, Louis had assured me he could always light the trail for us if it did get dark, but I still wanted to get back home before nightfall for Dad's sake.

We managed to reach home just at sunset, Louis cracking jokes the whole way and making me laugh as I opened the door, which surprisingly was unlocked. Louis never ended my laughter, telling me knock-knock jokes and puns that he seemed to have a never ending supply of in his mind.

My laughter ended when I heard a familiar voice.

"Mira? Baby girl, is that yo-" Dad started, but stopped as he emerged from the kitchen with a pot in hand. It didn't take long for him to look from me to Louis, to our intertwined hands. His face changed from confusion to anger as he stared solely at Louis, who seemed oblivious to his rage at first.

"Who the hell are you and what are you doing with my daughter?"

A/N: Dedication for this chapter goes out to @quiffsandcurlz99 aka Kayla for her long thoughtful comment on chapter 7! Plus her profile pic is perfect <3