"do you ever read?" nora asked miles. it was the same day since miles taught nora how to properly ride a horse. now, it was late at night. nora was sitting on miles' mattress while he was rummaging around in his closet.

"no? i mean during my online lessons sure but other than that, not at all. why?..."

it was raining. storming, actually. it wasn't too bad at the current moment but the rain was well heard, and you could occasionally hear thunder or see lightening, but it wasn't the worse weather.

"just asking. i use to read every night before i went to sleep. but ever since i came here, i don't do that anymore."

"why not?" miles asked her. his voice fading as he got deeper into his closet.

"i'm not sure, actually. well yeah i am. i talk to you every night before i go to bed now." miles stopped looking for whatever he was looking for, and sat down beside nora on his mattress.

"can we talk about earlier?" she asked, looking at miles. he immediately looked away.

"umm sure? i mean what's there to talk about..." he murmured. nora looked down. she hasn't thought about that, she just wanted to talk about everything that happened. after a little bit of silence nora spoke.

"i just kinda wanna know why or how i— you know— but if you're embarrassed by it or anything you don't have to say, i'm just curious." once the words escaped her mouth she kinda felt bad for asking.

"no.. no it's fine. you're just gonna see me as a horny fuck now and not want to talk to me—" nora cut him off.

"fuck no!! i don't and i won't. can you just tell me?" nora picked up some of miles traits from being here for a long while. she was more demanding now too, like him. but miles was getting better at being nicer now too.

"fine. sure." he puffed out a large amount of air. "you're really pretty. like, really pretty. and i don't make much human contact besides with flora. mrs grose doesn't count. i'm not even sure what my.. feelings mean. i don't feel anything much anymore. but now that you're here i feel different." nora sucked in her lips, and her eyes naturally just got bigger. she didn't know what to say.

"see i told you you were gonna hate me." he got up and started to walk away. before he could get far nora grabbed his hand.

"bring your ass back down here and listen to me." miles turned back and looked at her.

"miles, just because i didn't say anything doesn't mean i hate you. i don't know how to respond to that. if anything, i didn't expect you to call me pretty..." the thunder was joining their conversation now.

"why not? have you seen yourself?!"

"yes! and that's why i was surprised someone like you would call someone like me pretty!" nora told him shyly.

"what's that suppose to mean?" the rain continued to get worse.

"if you're really that clueless i'm sorry. i just— i cant say why. it's weird."

"no it's not!"

"yes it is! how the fuck would you know, you don't even know what it is!" her voice was rising, louder than the rain and thunder.

"i don't have to, nora. tell me, please! i just told you so much. why can't i know this in return?" miles was sitting down beside her now.

"fine, you wanna fucking know? i'll fucking let you know! i like you miles, i like you a lot. you're the most attractive guy i've ever seen, and your personality is so unique to anyone i've ever met. i'm always thinking about you and i always want to talk to you. i like you. happy?"

miles just sat there, and stared at her. they've known each other for a month, but it felt like they're known each other since they were children. it was a moment that miles would remember forever. nora liked him? but how? he was so rude to her. he is a bitch to her. it made no sense, and right when miles was about to say something he got cut off.

kate burst through miles' shut door, grabbing both of the teens attention.

"come on kids, the storm is getting bad. we have to get the lowest part of the house." kate was waving her hand in a signal for them to get up and come on. miles got up first, and nora got up straight after, following him.

the three of them rushed down the stairs, and they were all sitting in the kitchen.

"don't we need to hide in the bathroom?" little flora asked.

"i don't know yet, sweetie." kate said, trying to comfort her, even though flora didn't seem even the slightest bit of being scared.

nora on the other hand, was slightly scared. she never liked storms, but they never scared her. but this time was different, for two reasons.

first reason being they never got this bad. second reason being her house was not this big or old. miles, flora, and mrs grose often talked about how old this house was it could fall at any moment. nora thought it was really stupid for them to talk about this a lot, and not to be joking. they could all die and it sounded like they didn't even care.

the rain sounded like bullets beating down on the wood. it didn't sound good at all.

miles joined nora on the floor, mainly because he wanted to sit by her (obviously).

she rested her elbows on her knees and her head in her hands, exhaling largely. miles looked over at her.

"what's wrong?" he asked. she closed her eyes and shook her head.

"not much. i'm just... kinda... scared. oh god i feel pathetic." she chuckled nervously at the end of her sentence.

"don't feel pathetic! it's okay, we all feel scared sometimes." nora could feel mrs grose's eyes on her even though she was at the other end of the kitchen.

"i know that. i just feel weak for thinking it's possible the house will fall down." miles took noras arm off of her knee and put his hand in hers. he gripped it, hard. the blonde teen felt happiness trickle throughout her body.

"it's possible nora, but i doubt it will. even if it does, you'll be okay. i promise. and if the promise is broken... um i don't know." nora giggled and pushed her hair behind her ear. miles face lit up because he was able to make nora happier.

"thanks miles." now she was the one gripping on to his hand. she looked over to him, only to find out he was already looking at her. she felt safer. she didn't know it was possible to love someone who was such a bitch like him, but she did. she really did. he might've been a bitch, but he was kind at heart, he just needed someone to bring out the good in him. nora was that someone.

a clap of thunder ruined the moment, causing nora to jump aggressively. it scared the shit out of her. her 'little' scare caused her mom, flora, and of course, mrs grose, to look over to her.

"gods sake nora, it's just thunder. there's no reason to be scared! calm down." mrs grose never got necessarily angry at nora, so this was new to her. she didn't like it.

"oh i'm s-sorry.." she stuttered. mrs grose was extremely intimidating.

"you oughta be, you're gonna scare flora!"

"i'm sorry, i didn't mean to, it was just so sudden and-" her teeth were chattering now. mrs grose cut her off.

"no excuses! i don't want to hear it!-" mrs grose kept blabbering and complaining. it felt like she had a grudge against nora. why else would be this mad? she just got scared and flinched harshly. no big deal.

nora didn't even notice her eyes were watering from the yelling and storming, but miles did. when he realized she wasn't responding or interrupting mrs grose to say anything he looked over to see her face. there were obvious tears forming in her eyes.

miles immediately jerked his head over to look at mrs grose.

"shut up!" he exclaimed. mrs grose kept on talking, not hesitating. miles was now infuriated at her behavior. first he made nora upset, and now she wasn't listening to him.

"SHUT THE FUCK UP!!!" he yelled, so loud it sounded like the rain had stopped for a split second. mrs grose was taken aback. did miles really just use that time of voice with her? oh yes he did. and he meant it, too.

flora didn't seemed phased. it was almost like she was use to seeing this. nora was, along with mrs grose and kate, but she didn't show it. a single tear slipped from her eye.

"what has gotten into you miles?" mrs grose demanded. she seemed horrified (as always). but now, she truly seemed horrified.

"you're making nora upset. you know she has feelings too? do you even know what you're saying?" mrs grose didn't respond.

nora calmed down after that. if miles didn't put the creepy bitch in her place she would've been more scared, and still upset. miles made her happy. he made her feel safe. he had a place in her heart, and that place was only there for him. it would never belong to anyone else.