I woke up first to the news of the snow in. I carefully got out of bed without making a noise to avoid waking Mila. I knew she enjoyed looking at snow, but she needed her sleep after the previous night.

I snuck out into the room Mila was staying in and grabbed a few lanterns. I brought them out to the kitchen and tried figuring them out as I stalled for time. Some needed batteries and a few others needed to be lit, so I set them up strategically where Mila couldn't easily knock them over.

I was turning on the electric lanterns when Mila got up. She was grumbling as she adjusted the blankets on her shoulders in the kitchen doorway.

"Iris?" She mumbled and waddled over to me. Resting her head on my shoulder, she let out a loud groan. "Everything hurts,"

"That's what happens when you drink too much." I laughed and pointed to the pills I had set on the counter. "This always happens."

"Why didn't you stop me?" Mila glared at nothing as she spoke.

"I tried, but you didn't want to listen to me." I raised an eyebrow and Mila, who could barely stand straight, decided to change the topic to avoid talking about her irresponsibility.

"Why is it so cold?" Mila yawned and looked over at me with a weak expression.

"Power is out. The whole area is out. We're snowed in and the power should be on tomorrow, but you know how that goes," I replied, looking back at Mila, who had taken the pills already.

"I'm starting a fire then," Mila mumbled and wandered over to the living room with her blankets still covering her body.

I grabbed the lantern and followed her out of the room, not trusting her with any sort of destructive medium.

"Help me?" Mila pouted and looked over at me with the lighter in her hand. "It won't start." She held the lighter and tried lighting the wood. Nothing caught.

"Here," I set a crumpled newspaper page on the fire and moved her hand so the flame was touching it. Mila's hand was shaking as she lit the paper. "Are you alright?" I looked over at her to see her face turn a light red hue.

"I'm just a little cold!" She leaned against me and watched me look at the flames.

"I prefer the quiet," Mila finally said. "It won't be quiet when I go back home."

"I know you're stressed about your parents." I couldn't manage anything else when I didn't know what to say. I couldn't offer her empathy when I didn't quite understand no matter how much I tried. I had loving parents who begged me to move back in so they could see me. Her parents sounded like a nightmare at times.

"They're kicking me out at the end of the month and I still haven't found a place. If I can't find anywhere I'll move in with my aunt but I hate this pressure they're putting on me."

The room was quiet again. Mila was staring into the fire with such intensity that I was afraid she'd burst. She moved a blanket from her shoulders to over her, still leaning back on me in my arms. If every day could be as peaceful, I'd be satisfied living a life like this.

"Stay with me, Mila."

She slowly looked back at me as if I had suggested something absurd.

"Come stay with me. I don't have a good place right now but that's okay. I mean, you're there so often that you practically live with me anyway."

"Iris, you can't just—"

"It's us against the world, Mila. Let me at least house you." I squeezed her sides lightly in an attempt to get her to answer me. She had gone completely silent and I was unable to get a response from her with my pestering.

"Plus I'd like a nice scenery."

"Your apartment already has an amazing view, Iris." Mila responded as if it were obvious.

"The only apartment with a view is one with you in it." I spoke almost absentmindedly, as though I had forgotten who I was. It wasn't uncommon for me to say things like that to Mila occasionally. It was like a ghost came over me and spoke through me.

"Iris!" Mila laughed and buried her face in the blankets.

"Say you'll stay with me at least until you find a new place." I crossed my fingers and waited for a response.

"Fine," she leaned her head on my chest and closed her eyes, "but whatever made you say that, hold onto it."

If I was being honest, I had no clue what I was doing. Usually I'd say something like that and it would make Mila laugh and that was enough for me, but that time I became confused by it.

"Lovely," I nudged her but she didn't respond. She grabbed onto my arm as it was already over her and fell asleep. I squeezed her hand make sure she was asleep and her light snores confirmed it.

"Sleep well, Mimi."