Chapter 45: Danny

I stir the pot of milk, watching it slowly come to a simmer as Sofia stands next to me, unwrapping bars of dark chocolate. It’s a quiet, intimate moment—just the two of us in the kitchen, with the other three boys setting up blankets and pillows on the couch for movie night.

She glances up at me with a small smile. “Do you always make hot chocolate like this?”

“Only when I want it to be good,” I tease, nudging her lightly with my elbow. “Store-bought mix doesn’t cut it.”

She laughs softly, her cheeks slightly flushed from the warmth of the stove. “I can’t wait to taste it, then.”

I watch as she drops the chocolate into the pot, stirring it in slow, careful circles. The rich, dark smell of melting chocolate fills the kitchen, and I can’t help but smile at how comfortable she’s become around us. Just a few weeks ago, she would’ve been too nervous to even stand this close.

“More sugar?” she asks, holding up a spoon.

I shake my head, amused. “Nah, it’s good. You don’t want it too sweet.”

She sticks her tongue out at me playfully, then continues to stir. I lean back against the counter, folding my arms as I watch her work. There’s something about seeing her here, in the kitchen with me, that feels so... right.

"Alright," I say after a few minutes. "I think it’s ready. Grab the mugs?"

She nods and starts pouring the hot chocolate carefully into five mugs lined up on the counter. I watch as the steam rises from the rich liquid, the kitchen smelling like melted chocolate and warmth.

When the last mug is full, she hands one to me, her fingers brushing mine briefly. There’s a spark there, and I can feel it linger even as she pulls away to grab the others.

“Let’s bring these to the guys before they fight over who gets what,” I say, chuckling as we head to the living room.

We walk in, and the whole place is transformed. The boys have gone all out—pillows piled high on the couch, blankets draped over every available surface. It’s like a cozy fort, ready for a night in.

Nate is sitting on one end of the couch, arms crossed, looking at the TV like he’s already mentally prepared to hate whatever movie they choose. Leo is sprawled out in the middle, legs stretched out like he owns the place, and Riley is leaning back on the other side, flipping through the movie options with the remote. They all look up when we walk in, and I can tell by the smirks on their faces that they’re already scheming about how to get Sofia as close as possible.

Leo’s the first to speak, his grin widening. “Hot chocolate? Damn, you two have been busy.”

“Homemade, of course,” I say, handing out the mugs. “Only the best.”

Sofia laughs, passing a mug to Riley before turning back toward the couch. She stands there for a moment, holding her own mug and looking around at the guys, clearly not sure where to sit.

Leo, ever the opportunist, pats the space next to him with a wink. “You can sit here, Sof.”

Riley rolls his eyes. “You mean on top of you, right?”

Nate smirks from the other end, his eyes scanning the setup. “There’s room if we shift around.”

It’s subtle, but it’s clear what they’re doing—each one of them wants a piece of her, a chance to be close. And honestly? I can’t blame them. I want it too.

I step forward, gently taking her hand. “We’ll make it work,” I say softly, guiding her toward the couch.

They shuffle around, making space for her in the middle. She ends up sitting between me and Leo, her legs draped across Riley’s lap, while Nate is close enough to touch her hair, which he does without hesitation. Leo leans in, resting his arm casually behind her, his fingers brushing her shoulder. And me? I’m sitting close enough that our knees bump every time we move.

It’s like we’re all connected to her, each one of us touching her in some way—holding on to her, as if reassuring ourselves that she’s really here with us.

“Comfortable?” Leo asks, his voice a low rumble next to her ear.

She nods, a shy smile on her lips. “Yeah... surprisingly.”

The movie starts playing, but for me, it’s hard to focus on anything except the feeling of her warmth beside me. Every now and then, she shifts, leaning into one of us, or adjusting her legs on Riley’s lap, and each time, it sends a spark through the room.

“Careful, Sof,” Riley jokes after a while, though his voice is soft. “You’re gonna end up breaking us all.”

She laughs quietly, though I can tell she’s a bit flustered. “I didn’t mean to...”

“It’s not a complaint,” Nate says from the end of the couch, his voice smooth but with a hint of amusement.

The movie we settle on is one of those feel-good, goofy flicks where the humor is over-the-top, and the characters constantly find themselves in ridiculous situations. The opening scene already has Sofia laughing under her breath, and we haven’t even made it through the first ten minutes yet.

Every time there’s a particularly funny moment, she glances at one of us, her eyes sparkling, like she’s sharing the joke with us. It’s a small thing, but it feels huge—this is the most relaxed we’ve seen her since she came into our lives.

At one point, the lead character ends up in a ridiculous situation involving a dance-off, and Sofia nearly loses it. She covers her face with her hands, peeking through her fingers as she laughs uncontrollably.

“I can’t,” she giggles, leaning into me slightly, her shoulder brushing against mine. “This is too much.”

I can’t help but smile, my heart feeling lighter than it has in a while. Seeing her laugh like this, so carefree, is exactly what I needed.

Just as we’re all laughing, Sofia nestled comfortably between us, the room is suddenly plunged into complete darkness. The TV cuts off, the lights go out, and we’re left in an eerie, unsettling silence.

Sofia lets out a small scream, her body instantly tensing. "What... what happened?"

Without thinking, we all instinctively gather around her. I can feel Leo and Nate pressing in close from one side, while Riley and I close in on the other, forming a protective circle around her, like we’re ready to jump into action if something—or someone—comes at us in the dark.

“Relax, Sof,” I say softly, though my own heart is pounding a little. “It’s probably just the wind or snow messing with the power.”

The wind howls outside, making the trees creak and groan. I hear the snow rattling against the windows like tiny pebbles, adding to the sense of isolation. The darkness wraps around us, and even though I can’t see much, I know Sofia’s fear is rising. Her breaths are shallow, her body trembling slightly as she clings to me. I pull her in tighter, running a hand over her back to soothe her.

Riley mutters something under his breath and then says, “I’ll go check the breaker box, see if it’s something we can fix.”

“I’ll come with you,” Nate adds, his voice low but steady.

Leo stays next to Sofia, his arm around her shoulders, keeping her close. "It’s nothing, baby girl. Just the storm. We’re not in any danger." His tone is calm, reassuring, but I can sense the tension beneath it.

“Maybe it’s just the wind messing with the power lines,” I say, trying to sound confident. But deep down, I know storms like this can be unpredictable. We’re in the middle of nowhere, and getting the power back on might not be as simple as flipping a switch.

A few minutes later, Riley and Nate return. “The breaker’s fine,” Riley says, frustration clear in his voice. “Must be something outside.”

“I’ll go take a look,” Leo volunteers, already moving toward the door. “Might be frozen cables or something.”

As Leo slips out into the cold, the wind slams against the cabin even harder, and Sofia jumps, gripping the front of my shirt. “It’s okay,” I whisper to her, holding her tight. “We’ve got you.”

A few minutes pass, the tension thickening in the air. Sofia stays close, her heart racing against me. When the front door finally creaks open again, Leo steps back inside, his face dusted with snow. He shakes his head, brushing flakes off his shoulders. “Cables are frozen solid. No way we’re getting power back anytime soon.”

“So... we’re stuck in the dark?” Sofia whispers, her voice wavering slightly.

“Looks like it,” Leo says, glancing at me and the others. “Small storm going on out there. We’ll have to ride it out.”

“Great,” Riley mutters sarcastically. “Just what we needed.”

I can’t help but chuckle at that. “You scared of the dark, man?”

“Shut up.”

Sofia still seems on edge, and I pull her closer, letting her know we’re not going anywhere. “It’s gonna be fine,” I murmur, my lips close to her ear. “We’re safe here. Just gotta wait it out.”

We gather some flashlights and lanterns, setting them up around the room. It’s still dim, but at least we’re not completely in the dark anymore. Sofia sits between us, her legs drawn up beneath her as she watches us move around, trying to make the best of the situation.

After a while, the initial tension fades. Sofia seems to relax, though she stays close, her hand gripping mine whenever the wind picks up outside. "So... what do we do now?" she asks, her voice small.

“Well,” Riley says, leaning back against the couch, “we could keep playing board games by flashlight.”

“Or,” Leo smirks, “we could tell ghost stories.”

“Uh, no thanks,” Sofia says, shaking her head quickly. “I’m already freaked out.”

I chuckle, reaching up to brush a strand of hair behind her ear. “Okay, no ghost stories.”