Michael's face dropped slightly, not because he thought three was a crowd or anything. It was the fact that he wasn't used to being in the house with someone that wasn't Max.

Yes, Calum dropped by with a few of his friends and they'd stay over for an hour or two.

But neither of them looked like Aaran and that's kind of where the problem laid.

It wasn't guys with flannels, skinny pants, Vans, and smelled like balls almost everytime.

This was a beautiful girl who he didn't know whether she wore flannels or struggled with skinny pants or owned a pair of worn out Vans.

But he knew she smelled like clean clothes on a Sunday afternoon and looked just as good as that smelled.

And that, that's what made it harder to give her the answer that's both dying and scared to roll off his tongue.

Aaran watched him carefully, her confidence dwindling with every second he just sits there. He's going to say no.

He's going to say 'no' and she's going to forced to go back home and be alone again.

She's going to be back in her cold home, riding on the fourty three percent battery left on her phone.

This would all be a waste of a trip, well not really since she got a hot meal and some warmth.

But it'll be embarrassing. She walked over just to be denied and sent back home.

Aaran started to tell him nevermind and she'll see herself to the door, until he cleared his throat and smiled.

"Yeah. You can stay until the power returns." Michael replied, finishing what's left of his drink and placing his spoon in his empty bowl.

Aaran couldn't stop the grin forming on her face, inwardly sighing in relief. "Really?" She blurted out, the realization kicking in and taking over her tongue.

Michael chuckled, standing to collect both his bowl and the girl's empty dish.

He found her reaction to be cute.

"Yeah, really." The blond bounced his brows at once, almost reaching the top of his forehead. Aaran giggled at his action, thanking him for collecting her bowl.

Her eyes moved along with his body, stopping when he made it to his sink.

"I got the dishes. Go ahead and get comfortable on the couch." He said with his back facing her. Aaran nodded then stood, alarming Max and causing him to stand along with the girl.

She smiled, patting her leg as she stepped over to the couch, and took a seat next to the dog.

"Max, get down!" Michael attempted to shoo the dog away, thinking it bothered the girl. She quickly smiled then knotted her brows together, shaking her head.

"It's okay. He's fine." Aaran assured, rubbing the husky's belly as he laid across her lap.

Max barked then licked at her hand, a gesture to show his appreciation, or at least that's what Aaran believes.

Michael just smiles at the two, taking a spot next to the girl and reaching to help her rub the dog.

"He's too spoiled." The blond comments, fondly rolling his eyes as the girl chuckled.

Max then makes a grunt like noise, bringing laughter from the pair.

"Even he knows it." The blond said as his laughter died down.

Aaran turns to her left where Michael is seated. He feels her eyes on his own and moves his head her way.

"What's wrong?" He asks, raising his brows, his heart skipping as he kept eye contact with the girl.

Aaran tilted her head a bit then blinked. "How old are you?" She asked the question that randomly popped into her head midway through rubbing Max's belly.

The green eyed boy grinned, squinting at the girl jokingly. "Random quetion but I'm twenty four. How about you?" He counter-asked, raising his brows up the girl.

Max jumped off her lap, trotting over to his food bowl and leaving the humans on the couch.

The boy guessed she had to be older than eighteen, just guesing by the way she looked.

Then again, teens nowadays appeared older than their age so really, basing age off looks was pointless.

Any thirteen year old could easily look eighteen and certain thirty year old's looked twenty.

So, he could easily be wrong.

Or maybe not.

Aaran smirked, kicking off her shoes, folding her leg under herself on the couch.

"Old enough." She replied, making the boy chuckle, a hearty chuckle. A chuckle that made her heart flutter.

Man, did she mention he was both cute and hot? Like at the same time? How is that even possible?

The boy ceased his laughter yet a lop-sided smile remained on his face. He took his bottom lip in his mouth and grazed his teeth against it. (Gif) He then looked at her with those green eyes.

And wow, she got lost in the speckles of sparkles in them.

Maybe something else, something a bit darker than those sparkles.

"Old enough for what, Aaran?" He asked, his tone a bit lower and she could've sworn she heard a bit of rasp in his voice.

She could be wrong because for a second she felt everything in her body speed up. Her blood rushed to her beating heart that felt like a bunny rabbit that drank too much coffee. Her ears heating up along with her cheeks, making her body warmer than the fire blazing in the chimney.

Internally, she was a mess but the girl tried so hard to keep it on the inside and not let it slip through her skin.

Aaran couldn't look him in the eyes, glancing down at her fingers and playing with a random string on her sweats.

"Uh--old enough to be considered an adult." She said quietly, mentally punching herself for losing the control of her voice.

Michael chuckled deeply at this, leaning over to the girl and once again using a finger to move her head up to his own.

"I'm up here, 'Ran." He smiled, removing that finger and swiping his tongue against his bottom lip.

Aaran swallowed and fought the urge to stare at his lips.

He is your neighbor, girl. She reminded herself in her head.

Michael's mind was more on the cloudy side. So, yes he was gazing at her lips and he didn't care too much if she saw him.

He wanted her to see him admiring her beauty.

"Old enough to be considered an adult, huh? What kind of 'adult' things do you do?" He asked, more to her lips than to her.

Aaran thought she'd be taken back by how he's looking at her and talking to her, clearly flirting with the girl.

But she wasn't...actually she felt the exact opposite.

Aaran found herself leaning a bit more into the boy, tilting her head as she sat a few inches from the boy. She smirked.

"Why ya asking, Michael?"

"M'asking for a friend. He's curious guy, ya know."

"Oh, really?"

"Really." They went back and forth until the girl chuckled, throwing her head back, fondly rolling her eyes at the man.

She couldn't believe she was in her neighbors home, flirting with him while his dog slept on the rug nearby.

The girl certainly wasn't planning her day to go this way.

But, that's what was happening and she definitely wasn't complaining.

"Do you always flirt with your neighbors?" She asked, crossing her arms over her chest, grinning at the smirking boy.

Michael shook his head and stood, heading for a skinnier door, holdng it open.

"Nah, none of them looked like you." He shook his head, pulling out a blanket along with a sheet.

Aaran felt her cheeks heat up for the third or fourth, maybe fifth time that night, following him with her browns as he reapproached the couch.

"Thank you."

"For the compliment? I'm sure--"

"No, not that. For letting me stay here. You didn't have to but you did." Aaran corrected, smiling up at the boy.

Michael smiled back, nodding at the girl then handing over the items from the closet.

"Second door to the left." He told the girl, making her brows come together.

"What are you talking about?" She asked, following his finger that pointed to the stairs.

"My room, it's the second door on the left. I'm taking the couch." Michael replied as if it was nothing. But to him it was because he didn't mind sleeping on the couch.

Aaran shook her head, ready to argue but Michael shushed her and gently pulled her up to her feet.

"Good night,'Ran." He raised his brows, indicating that it wasn't up for discussion.

Aaran sighed and gave his wrist a squeeze. "Good night, Mike." She smiled small, turning on her heel.

The boy watched as she began climbing up the stairs. His eyes resting on her figure until he heard a loud noise come from his basement. Max awakens then growls before slowly falling back asleep.

And then suddenly, as Aaran's foot hovered over the sixth step, the lights cut off.

Michael groaned and ran his hand over his face.

"Oh no."

"Oh no?" Aaran repeats as a questiom, whipping her head back to the boy.

Michael flashes an apologetic smile. "The generator crashed. I would work on it but it's too dark." He sighed, running a hand through his hair.

Aaran bit down on her lower lip, half because she felt bad and the other, she was scared.

Once again she was greeted by the darkness and it made her uneasy.

There's no way she's going to be in his room, once again, alone and once again, cold.

So, she extended a hand, making the boy's brows knot together.

Aaran wiggled her fingers. "It'll be too cold on the couch alone and I'm too scared to sleep alone. Do you mind keeping me warm on this cold night?" She asked, gaining a small chuckle from the boy.

He hesitated then stepped over to the staircase, taking her hand.

"Alright, but I'm watching you, neighbor." Michael said jokingly, making the girl suck her teeth, a smile on her lips.

Yeah, she didn't think her day would end up like this, snuggled up against her neighbor that she formally just met, but she definitely, one hundred percent, not complaining.

THIS WAS CORNY BUT CUTE!

BADMAN TING MIKE MOVE FAST, HUH?!

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