The process of getting a home in town had been strenuous. So much back and forth on what you might need. And more so what the council was willing to give you. It was finally settled; you were given a small ranch style home on the outskirts. Its best features being the front porch and spare bedroom.

Move in day was unbelievably underwhelming, you soon realized how little you had. All of your things fit neatly into one backpack. The house had all the basics, a bed, a small table and chairs, and one love seat. Though mismatched it was perfect—It was bare, but it was yours. You had never owned a house before; you hadn't even ever owned your own car. The thought of it made your chest lighten. However as fast as that feeling came it soon skyrocketed down. You wanted to call and tell your mom about it. The thought lingered, stuck like a knife in your chest. It was moments like these that made your head spin, bizarre snippets of normalcy. This normalcy would have you fall back into place like before. The want to call your mom after an accomplishment, to hear how proud she is. How she's doing these days.

You flicked on the light in the living room and took in the scene adjusting your pitiful backpack. The front door opened to the living room, with the kitchen off to the right and a small hallway to the bedrooms to the left. A muted green covered the walls of the living room leading into the kitchen. You wondered if there was still paint out there that was still usable because this color was a bit awful. Three doors lined the hallway, the one at the end you were told was the master with a connected full bathroom. Though you were reminded to only ever flush the toilet and use the other water for showering and washing. This made you roll your eyes after hearing the week before about one of the council member's functioning dishwasher. Heading down the hall the wood floor creaked beneath your feet. It was a welcomed sound. The house was older, as were most homes in the outskirts of Jackson. Having at one point been a historical town, you could see this in the crude upgrades throughout. Some homes featuring original fixtures, and others with circa 1980s. You could tell yours was a mix, the kitchen had been ripped from the 80s wallpaper and all. Whereas the bathrooms took a loud green 1950s approach.

The door to the master creaked, mimicking the floors. The room was broad and soaked in sunlight. Having taken the day off work, you were able to enjoy the midday spring sun. The room featured a bay window, with the bed shoved against the back wall facing it. You laid your backpack on the bed and slowly unpacked it all. Here with everything sprawled out it seemed like even less. You took your neatly folded clothes and tucked them into the closet shelve. Next was the small horse statue, you placed it delicately on the bare side table— making note that you should probably get an alarm clock today. You stored the balls of yarn, with your crochet hook on the bottom shelf. Last were the pictures. You kept the pictures of your brother on the side table, then bringing the rest of them into the living room. You placed them on the small mantle above the fireplace. You backed up to take in your intricate home decorating. It should do for now, you inwardly laughed at yourself, taking a seat on the couch.

A knock at the front door almost made you fall off the couch. The jolt rocked your body, adrenaline pulsed in your toes. You rose and headed to the door but not before there was another knock— this time more insistent. You pulled the door open.

"Jesus took you long enough." Ellie signed, stepping on to her tip toes to try to see behind you.

"I- um, hi?" This was your first guest ever.

"Hi, heard you finally got a house— came to check it out." She said not making eye contact, still looking over your shoulder.

You moved to the side allowing her the enter, she did swiftly, kicking off her shoes. "Man, it must've taken you forever to move in, just look at all this stuff!"

"Funny." You couldn't tell if you wanted her here or not.

"I am, yes." She headed deeper into the house, now in front of the fireplace eyes focusing in on the pictures. "Are they your family?"

"Yes." You swallowed the lump in your throat.

"I did a good job with the frames, they look good." She replied. Now drifting into the kitchen.

All you could do was just stand and watch. "Don't you have school?"

She waved you off, now opening the fridge. You peered over her shoulder curious as well.

"You have nothing," she closes the fridge and starts opening drawers.

"Yes, thank you Ellie."

"Hey! Found a fork— no spoon or knife, lucky you." She laughs.

You aren't necessarily annoyed with her, but your patience was waning. "Is there anything I can help you with or?"

She continues opening drawers and cabinets, scoffing every time she finds one empty— which is most of them. "No, like I said I'm just checking it out. Joel, you know your boyfriend, was talking about it this morning so I wanted to try to catch him here."

You felt heat rise in your cheeks, "he's not my boyfriend and I didn't know he was stopping by."

She shrugs, now walking past you into the living room and plopping on the couch. "Sure, but I guess I beat him. Your house has a nice view of past the wall. Man, the sunsets must be crazy." She motioned to the window above the kitchen sink.

"I haven't even had time to think about it." You say, moving into the living room to sit on the floor across from her. Making a mental note to hunt down some furniture.

"Do you think your friend will be having another card night? It was really fun and now that you have a house..." she trails off, not making eye contact.

"I'm sitting on the floor, I gotta figure out some furniture before I go hosting." You furrow your eyebrows. "But I can ask Cas about another card night."

She gives you a small smile.

"You're pretty good too, I see why you might like it." You say returning her small smile.

She shrugs. "Cards are easy to travel with. I can run circles around anyone in solitaire."

You laugh, it's genuine and feels good coming out. And she returns the laugh.

"As soon as I get settled, I'll have a card night— just for you."

"Finally! Thank you."

"You have a house too, you know."

"Mmm, I think Joel would burst into flames if there were that many people in the house." She laughs.

"Probably." You reply agreeing.

"I'm actually planning on moving soon."

"Oh?"

"Joel's fixing up the garage, he won't let me in though."

"That's pretty cool, the whole thing to yourself."

"Well, I mean if you really think about it, Joel then gets the whole house to himself. So I'm kinda the one getting the raw deal." She talks with her hand, making wide gestures to match her upbeat cadence.

You fake a shocked look. "How dare he."

"He definitely dared." She laughs.

"Well, regardless I think it'll be cool to have your own space like that."

"Yeah, probably. I just hope I never have to pee in the middle of the night. Longgg walk."

You smile and laugh at her, she joins in. The rest of the afternoon is spent playing war, after Ellie had conveniently forgotten she had a deck of cards in her back pocket. Only breaking it off to go get dinner, though reluctant she packed up her cards and you headed out with her.

The sun had started to set, and the coolness in the air slowly fell down, now almost at the end of April was spring finally showing her face. Ellie walked in step, mud caked her shoes, though she didn't seem to mind.

"You owe me a game of war."

You put your hands up in defeat. "That I do, who knew how heated that game could get?"

Ellie raises her hand. "Me, I did."

"My brother and I used to really get at it. I for sure had tackled him over a game before." You could see him now, sitting across from you on the floor of the living room.

"Who was better?"

"Probably him, though I held my own."

"Man, I wish I could play him then, maybe I'd get a real challenge then."

You scoffed at her, chuckling a little. "Hey, I won a few times."

"Yeah, key word there." She lifted her arms and preformed air-quotes. "Few."

You laughed again, now holding the doors to the church open for her. She cocked her eyebrow and narrowed her gaze as she entered, you follow behind. She took the lead and headed up to the driving tables handing you a plate. Filling your plates making idle chit chat, you took your time through the food line.

You and Ellie sat at a near by table and took in the sights. The day patrols started to roll in— that meant Joel was back, you hoped to have lunch with him tomorrow. The group of giggling teens sat in a back corner, having waved at Ellie earlier. The council members accompanied the other back corner, you felt it was a bit eerie that they'd sit together the way they did— at least the ones that did eat here, most ate at home.

The council members were usually fine, Maria being your favorite. The others though elected seemed to be a bit out of touch with the day to day running of Jackson. Maria would often be found out and about helping where it was needed. Bill would occasionally show his face in the stables. A part of you wanted to believe they were doing much more, but it never seemed like it. Often keeping to themselves, or their families and only showing up at events and then of course the meetings. Which you hoped to be a far time away from having another.

"What are your thoughts on the council." You asked Ellie. Maybe she had some young person wisdom you just couldn't see.

"They're boring, I guess." She frowned down at her plate. "I mean I like Maria; she's always been cool. Being with Tommy and all. Why?"

"Just wondering, I had to talk with them a lot to get my house. They are boring, you're right."

She gave you a look, her nose scrunched. You shrugged to her. Leaving it at that and shift the conversation to movies, letting the rest of dinner fly by. She often asked you to retell movies, having early on caught on that you liked them.

"So, there's a man who has like, the abilities of a spider?"

"Spider-Man yes."

"That feels a little on the nose huh?"

"You'd think, but really cuts to the point you know?"

"Jeez, I guess."

"You're telling you've never heard of him? The comics? I know you like them."

"I mean maybe. Hard to find, I think? I'm not sure. If I had known, it was such a thing maybe I would have tried harder." She laughs.

You walked Ellie home, now this was the way for you to go home. She waved you off from the front door, you chanced it, craning you neck to maybe get a look of Joel. Seeing nothing you played it cool by pretending to look at the sunset. This then added an extra 5 minutes because Ellie needed to see the sunset. Giving her a final goodbye you ventured further out of town to your house.

The cool night had settled in the air, the wind blowing a little harder to night. Trekking to the house took a lot longer than the walk home to the hotel. Almost double the time, you began formulating what time you'd need to wake up for work in order to make it on time. Silently cursing yourself for not getting an alarm clock today— maybe you could set the time on the stove?

In the distance the house looked cold and dark. You hoped that maybe you could make it glow the way Cas did hers. The way that made it feel like home. As you approached the front fencing you had to do a double take. Joel was sitting on the front porch steps fiddling with his shoelaces. As you approached, he quickly looked up.