* A/N I do not own or claim to own anyone other than my own OC and scenarios I make up. I will try to stick to the story timeline as much as I can. *

*Recap*

The rest of the wake went by in a flash after meeting back up with my friends from school. We made plans to get together at The Grill in a couple days. I also learned that the carnival would be happening soon and that it would be good to check out. Mason said he would go with Tyler and Jenna, and I decide to go together.

The next day after the wake, I decided to head into town just to get some lunch at The Grill. My house was getting cleaner, but not clean enough that I would eat in it. Also, the cleaners were coming back and would be finished in a day or two thankfully. As I drive up to The Grill, I notice the carnival being set up. I decided to shoot Jenna a text and see if she wanted to go and waited for a response.

Once inside The Grill, I took a seat at a table and placed my order for my burger and cola. I knew I could be healthier, but with my runs in the evenings I felt like one burger a day would be okay. As my burger came out with my cola, I was so happy to be eating some good food. Food was the best way to feel better other than a cup of tea. Jenna responded back and said she would love to go to the carnival with me and maybe Rick, as she called him, would join us. Since the carnival would be starting up in a few hours, so I figured walking around the town square would be a good idea. It was interesting to see which places were still open and which had closed.

I met up with Jenna and Rick just as it started to get dark. We decided to check out the rides and we tried out hands at the games. Even thought the games are kind of rigged, it was fun trying and catching up with Jenna.

"I cannot believe that you finished your masters before me," Jenna chuckles taking a handful of popcorn.

"And why is that Jenna?" I ask giving her a look of disbelief.

"Well, you were a couple grades below me," she started, "and yet somehow graduated with me."

"Ha," Rick laughs, "what really?"

"Yea," I say. "I like to study, and school is fun to me. Learning is really interesting."

"If only more students felt that way," he chuckled.

"It would make teachers' lives way easier," Jenna said.

"Well," I say, "I have loved our evening together, but I would like to get a little sleep tonight."

"Yea," Jenna says, "I need to get home before the kids do."

"Okay," Rick says, "we will see you again soon."

"Of course," I say shaking his hand. "If you guys want to meet up just shoot me a text." I give Jenna hug and head to my car.

I walk through the carnival to get to my car. I am glad I parked in the back area to get out easier with all these cars. I stop to dig my keys out of my bag. It was good to go out just for some fun. As I was looking for my keys, I looked off to the side and I was pretty sure I saw some fire, but it went out just as quickly as it started. I must be way more tired than I knew. My mind was playing tricks on me, that had to be it.

As I drove home, I looked up at the stars. One thing I loved about our small town was the clear sky. Seeing the stars was something I missed about being in a town that seemed to never sleep. As I pulled into my drive, I shot a text to friend since I was in a good mood. After looking through the house, I could see that the cleaners would probably be finished tomorrow if they kept up the pace they were going.

It was odd going through my home and seeing how nothing had really changed since I had been gone. I stopped outside my parents' room before opening the door. It was like time had stood still. The room was just as it was left after their funeral. I ran my hand along the furniture just remembering all the times I had come into this room in the middle of the night because of nightmares. I missed my family so much. It felt like forever since I had been with my family.

I decided that it was late enough, and I should really get to bed to wake up on time for the cleaners. I grabbed a hot shower and then crawled into my bed. That night I dreamt of some of the happier times I had with my family in the house. The dreams had been getting more and more intense since coming home.

I decided to meet up with Jenna after she texted me Rick would be gone for the day, and we could meet up and have lunch at The Grill. She also hoped I could help her go over her thesis that her professor never seemed to agree with.

"Jenna!" I say greeting her at The Grill. "I am so glad we could have some girl time now. I have missed talking with you."

"Yea," Jenna says with a smile, "I have missed having someone to talk to. It feels like everyone has been more secretive and distant lately."

"Well let's get our burgers and fries and chit chat," I laugh and head inside.

We head inside and sit at a table in the back. The waitress takes our order and brings us our burgers and fries with 2 cokes.

"So how have you been really?" I ask Jenna taking a bite of a fry.

"Honestly," she says holding a fry, "I feel like I am drowning most of the time. My sister made it seem so easy and effortless."

"Well of course she did," I say. "She wanted to be a mom and had a few years of practice. This got dropped on you suddenly and you didn't have any time for it to sink in before you had to be all responsible."

"That's the truth," she says. "It just seems like that these days the kids are better emotionally, but it's like something else is going on that I don't know about."

"I mean they are teenagers," I say taking another fry. "Did we ever tell our parents everything when we were their ages?"

"Oh touché!" Jenna says back throwing a fry at me.

"Hey!" I say picking up the fry. "Don't waste the fries. It is the best thing about town."

"What about you?" Jenna asks me. "What have you been up to since I last saw you?"

"Oh, you know," I state. "Just working on my thesis and finishing that up in New Orleans.