The sounds of thunder had been rolling on relentlessly since Zoey arrived home, each rumble shaking the walls as if echoing her own fear. Her quiet sobs filled the room, barely masked by the hum of the TV she left on for comfort. She was curled up under the covers, trembling, praying for James to come home. But he was still at practice.
Zoey had called him over and over again since the storm began. She checked the time—7 PM. His practice should've ended an hour ago, but there was still no answer, no sign of him. With a heavy heart, she gave up, letting her tears tire her into sleep.
-
Meanwhile, James had just finished an impromptu game with his team, the extra hour pushing him well past his usual time. He hadn't even realized how late it was until he checked his phone while changing out of his jersey. His heart dropped as he saw the string of missed calls and frantic texts from Zoey.
"Shit," he muttered under his breath, guilt immediately washing over him.
Looking outside at the pouring rain and distant flashes of lightning, it hit him—Zoey's terrified of storms. He tried calling her back, but each ring went unanswered. "Come on, baby, pick up," he mumbled, anxiety gnawing at him.
Grabbing his bag, he rushed out of the gym and sped home. As soon as he arrived, he barely shut off the car before bolting inside.
"Zoey!" he called out as soon as the door slammed shut behind him. No response. "Baby!" he shouted louder, his voice carrying through the house.
Still nothing. His stomach churned with worry as he sprinted to their bedroom. There, under a mound of blankets, he saw her, curled up and shaking.
"Zoey..." James whispered, rushing to her side. He knelt down and wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close. She was trembling, her breath ragged, but the moment she felt his embrace, she clung to him like a lifeline.
"James," her voice cracked as she spoke, tears still fresh on her cheeks.
"I'm here, baby. I'm here," he whispered, stroking her hair, trying to calm her as the storm raged on outside.
Boom! Clap! Boom!
Zoey flinched at the thunder, her hands instinctively flying to cover her ears. James cupped her face gently and, without a second thought, pressed his lips to hers.
At first, Zoey froze, her mind still spinning from the storm. But slowly, the warmth of James' kiss melted the fear away. She kissed him back, holding onto him like he was the only solid thing in a world full of chaos.
After a long moment, they pulled apart. "Feeling better?" James asked softly, his forehead resting against hers. Zoey nodded, her heart still racing but calmer.
Without a word, she collapsed back onto the mattress, pulling him down with her. "You know I haven't even showered yet, right?" James chuckled, his voice soft against her hair.
"I don't care," Zoey mumbled, her arms wrapped tighter around him.
James sighed, a smile tugging at his lips. "Alright, alright," he said, giving in.
He kissed her forehead and whispered, "I'm sorry for not answering your calls. I should've been here sooner."
"It's okay," Zoey replied, her voice barely above a whisper.
"You sure?" he asked, concerned.
"Yeah... really," she assured him, squeezing his hand gently.
James let out a relieved breath. "Okay, let's sleep," he murmured, pulling her closer. They both drifted off, wrapped up in each other, as the storm slowly faded into the night.
