The very last thing I expected when I opened my door was to see James standing there with his travelling backpack.

If I was being honest, I was expecting Christmas gifts from mom and dad, or even a letter from Daisy who was currently in Italy for winter break with her girlfriend, Julie. I definitely was not expecting a smiley James.

"Hello."

"What are you doing here?" I blurted, feeling my face heat up from the unintended rudeness.

James just grinned wider at me, "Since our winter breaks lined up this year, I decided to come over to surprise you."

"Well, it's great to see you," I said happily, wrapping the boy in a quick hug, "I've missed you."

"I missed you too," the dark-haired boy told me, pressing a kiss so feather-light to the side of my head I swear I must've imagined it.

After that, I dragged James into the living room and forced him onto the couch, taking a seat next to him.

"Don't you have a roommate?" James asked me, shrugging off his bag and setting on the floor next to us.

"Two actually," I corrected him, "They both went back home for the break."

"And you didn't?"

I shrugged, "Well, mom and dad went to Paris for Christmas, so I'm staying here this year."

"Do you think either of your roommates would mind if I slept in their rooms?" James asked, leaning back against the couch.

"Not if they don't know," I said, "But I'm not to be trusted, so they always lock their rooms if they have to be away for too long."

The boy chuckled at that, "What did you do?"

I cleared my throat awkwardly, "Well . . . I kinda managed to break both of their beds, don't ask how."

Now that had James properly laughing.

***

"Do you only have hoodies?" James asked me as he searched through my closet.

"I mean, I have pants too," I said sarcastically, "But I do have a few t-shirts."

"I'm not seeing any," the raven-haired boy said as he continued to look through my clothes.

"That's because I keep them in my dresser."

Eventually, James stopped looking through my closet and flopped onto the bed next to me with a bored look on his face, "Is there anything else to do around here?"

I rose an eyebrow at him, "You're the one who said he was tired of watching TV."

"Only because there's nothing good on," James muttered with a pout.

"We were using Netflix," I said, pursing my lips, "How can there not be anything on?"

At that, James' face flushed pink, "Shut up."

***

"James really came to visit you? For winter break?" Daisy asked me, the smirk practically in her voice, "Where is he right now?"

"Taking a shower," I told her, glancing over to the hallway for good measure, even though I could still hear the water running, "That's why I called you."

"If that doesn't scream romantic, then I don't know what does," The girl said with a laugh, "I'm telling you, James is totally into you."

"Dee, shut up," I muttered into my phone, "Why would he like me anyway? You know, as more than a friend?"

"Someone has a crush," James teased from the hall, his hair still damp and wearing only a t-shirt and boxers.

James' sudden entrance made me fumble with my phone before I hung up on Daisy, smiling a bit awkwardly at him.

The raven-haired boy continued to smile at me as he sat down next to me and flung an arm around my shoulders, "You never told me you liked guys."

My face started burning at that, "Girls are great too . . . I just happen to like a boy . . . well, there were other guys before too."

"Yeah," James murmured, "I guess girls are great too, I'd just never date one."

My mouth fell open a bit, blinking rapidly in shock, "I -- you -- wha?"

James laughed at that, leaning into my side, "You always do that when you get flustered."

I stared at my friend with wide-ish eyes, "Do what?"

"You can never make an actual sentence when you're nervous," he told me, "It's cute."

I jumped up from the couch, "I think I'm going to go -- change?"

As I stalked out of the room, I heard James laughing softly from the living room.

God . . . why is James so, well, James?