She's not afraid - A James McVey (TheVamps) Fanfiction

Chapter 3

All I know at the end of the day - OneDirection

Around 5 pm I heard our doorbell when I was outside in the garden and tried to put up the tables and benches. I had trouble with it because they had a really complicated folding technology.
I went around the house to the door wondering who could ring that early.
It was James. Why is he already here?, I thought.

"Hi James. You know that the guests will come only in an hour?" I greeted him happily.
He turned around when he heard me. "Hi! I thought you could need some help?" He came to me and smiled. He had a plate in his hands with something under an aluminum foil. "And what is that?" I asked and pointed on his plate.
"A little surprise" He just answered with a wink. A really hot one in my perception. But I would never allow myself to admit it.

I guided him into our kitchen that he could put down the plate on the table. He removed the foil and revealed a really delicious-looking cake!

"A cake! Thank you. That wouldn't have been necessary." I said with a smile.
"Oh yes, it would. I hope it is tasty, I haven't tried it yet."
"I believe it is. At least it looks so."
"Thank you" he said and smiled too.

After an awkward moment of silence we went outside and he tried to help me with the tables. Fortunately he understood how to put them up and we finished after a couple minutes.

Both of us took the heavy table on each end and we carried it to the right place. As I stepped backwards I stumbled over something and I was in danger of falling to the ground. I could cushion myself on the table which James hold safely. After a moment of shock I looked down to see what was surprisingly on the ground. "Oscar! You stupid tomcat! Why are you always under my feet when I'm walking backwards?!" I yelled to my cat which was lying on the ground and looking afraid.

"Are you alright?" James asked worried.

"Yes. I'm okay."

Then he giggled because I shouted at my cat.

He came around to see my cat. "Oh how cute! Is that yours? He looks exactly like my cat!"

"Yes, that's my cat. Really? I love the color of these cats." I said and he smiled.

"Me too. So his name is Oscar? That's funny! I love the name." He giggled.

"The family where he was born called him Oscar. We didn't want to change his name." I replied.

"How do you call your cat?"

"Mickey. It's a lovely cat." We smiled at each other again. I liked that he prefered cats instead of dogs. I was always a cats lover and James seemed to be too.

He bent down to my cat and took him up. Surprisingly Oscar did not complain about it. He seemed more to be happy about the love James was going to give him.

"Awww, what a lovely cat. He even let me stroke him! Unlike my cat." He looked delighted down to the cat on his arms.

"I'm wondering too. Normally he leaves as fast as he can when somebody wants to take him" I said surprized. Maybe the cat felt that James really knew how to treat cats. That was attractive.

After a while James let Oscar down and we went on preparing the tables. The cat disappeared.

We had a nice talk the whole time about cats and other things till my mum came back from the bathroom. She was really nice and open and nobody could see that she was angry about the fact that a stranger was invited to her little party yesterday. James and my mum shook their hands and smiled at each other. They introduced themselves and I noticed that James behaved really polite. I was glad about it. Of course I was sure that he was nice but nevertheless I was a bit worried.

Like I expected, my mum liked James.

The first guests came punctual at 6 o'clock. My grandparents went to me sitting on the table and James next to me. We hugged each other and then they turned to James. "And you are...?" my grandma asked with a tone of doubt. My grandpa beat her softly with his ellbow and wispered: "Don't be mad!"

He gave James a huge smile and said: "Hi. I am Melinas grandpa. We've never seen you before. What's your name?"

James answered: "Hi. I am James. Nice to meet you!" and gave him his hand.

Then he gave my grandma his hand who introduced herself as my grandma. Now she was smiling too, even if it was a forced smile.

She never liked new people. But after a couple hours of meeting them she mostly liked my friends.

They went on to my mum and helped her in the kitchen.

When they were out of the hearing range I explained James that he has not to worry about my grandma even though I did not know why. Why was it important for me that he felt comfortable around my family? I knew that the reason was not only my hospitality.

When the other guests arrived we started the grill and everybody ate what they wanted.

James sat opposite me on the end of the table. We talked about the food and I told him about my family. And so did he. He had a little sister and lived in a house not far away of my house.

Everybody was finished with eating and I fetched James cake. Everyone was happy because of the cake. My grandma was the first one who tasted a piece of it. Suddenly she shoutet: "Delicious! I need the recipe! Who baked it?"

James hesitated a little bit and put up his hand. "It was me."

I did not know that he could also be shy! In this moment I actually discovered a new side of him.

Since that moment my grandma loved him. She asked him some questions and talked a lot with him. He was always friendly and polietly. The only thing what she did not ask was where I knew James from. I was really glad about it even though I wondered why she did not.

At the end of mums party the guests left and so wanted James.

We stood on the door and looked at each others eyes. The evening was better then I could have expected. It was not only better, the evening was amazing! I was sure I started to like James.

"Thank you again for the cake. It was really delicious. And thanks for coming. The evening would have been boring for me indeed."

"So I could entertain you?" His face lightened up.

"Yes, sure." I said like it was obviously. Wasn't that?

"Then I am satisfied. That was my job today." he said with a smile.

I lought silently.

"And I am sorry again that I invited myself first... I don't know what came up in my mind." I did not want him to apologize. Everything was just fine and I was glad that he was here. So I answered: "It's okay. Yes it was strange but now I am happy that you are here. It was a nice evening, wasn't it?"

"Oh yes, it was. I liked it too." He answerded in relief. "Do you want to see my cat one day? She really looks like Oscar."

Without hesitation I answered: "Yes of course!" making sure that we would  see each other again. I was sure that he could be a good friend to me.

He smiled and said: "Cool! Then see you soon." and stept forward to hug me.

I was surprised about the sudden hug but wrapped my arms around his waist too. I loved that hug. It was so familiar and close. I felt the heat of his body against mine which was a comfortable contrast against the cold air of the night around us.
I could feel his muscular back under his t-shirt and all together made my heart beat a little bit faster. But I ignored it. Nevertheless I closed my eyes and enjoyed his hug for a short moment.

Then he stepped back, smiled and went away without any other words. I stood a couple minutes at the door and looked at him walking away even though he was still out of sight. My mum called me and I went in. The evening was over and I was really happy.