I walked to the stairs to go into town for groceries when I heard Jake call my name. I stopped when I heard him. I turned and saw him at his door. He was closing it behind him and making his way over to me. I smiled at him kindly.

"Hey you." I told him as he approached.

"What are you up to?" He asked as we walked down the steps.

"Going to the store. Boring adult stuff." I told him. He stuck his hands in his pockets, chuckling.

"If you're an adult you can get whatever you want. No stingy parents to say 'you don't need that.'" He replied. I laughed softly. I didn't mention that both my parents had passed away. We didn't get into conversation that deep the other night at supper. I hadn't seen Slen since then. I had to admit I was a little worried, but I knew I shouldn't, he can take care of himself, no need to worry over a supernatural being.

"True. What are you doing?" I asked him as we got to the base of the stairs.

"I was just about to go meet some friends at the bar. They need a designated driver and I don't like to drink so I get corralled for that every weekend." He told me, sounding a bit tired.

"How old are you anyways? I can't believe we didn't get to that." I said as I unlocked my car. He drove a shiny refurbished 1950's Ford pickup that was painted dark blue and he parked it next to my dingy little Civic that was in dire need of a new paint job.

"Twenty-two, what about you?" He asked. That was a little disheartening. I was still just nineteen. My birthday was coming up in December though.

"Nineteen." I said, Jake opened his door without a word and got in.

"When's your birthday?" He asked.

"December 18th." I told him. He nodded and looked at me through the open window.

"You know you're real mature for your age." Jake commented. I nodded.

"I'm deathly allergic to stupid so ya know…" I said. He smiled and laughed heartily.

"See you later Echo." He told me, he started up his truck and the engine roared to life. I was surprised he hadn't got slapped with a ticket for disturbing the peace. He drove off, leaving me smiling like a dork. I really liked him. I got in the car and got on to the market, still thinking about Jake, he made my knees turn to jelly, and gave me butterflies. I parked at the market and I got out.

I walked into the market and grabbed a buggy and took out my shopping list. Absently, I made my way to the produce section.

Maybe I should get some friends. I thought distractedly. I weighed a few tomatoes. Its really not all that healthy to live like I do. I need some friends my age… Lee is cool and all, but she was more or less a work acquaintance, and she was forty something. Maybe if I get closer to Jake he'll introduce me to some people.

I knew that I needed to socialize more. When I tried earlier Slen would just come and talk me out of it. I never really understood why. What did me talking to people have to do with him? I nearly ran over a little kid that ran across the isle. I had to put on the brakes and swerve a little.

"Sorry." He said.

"It's cool. You should watch where you're going though. Someone else might not be so nice." I told him with a friendly smile and carried on my way to the meats.

I gently poked and prodded at different cuts. I wasn't sure whether I was going to continue my usual diet of pizza and fast food or not. Steak sounded kind of good. Usually if I wanted something like that I went out to the chain restaurant steak house and ate there. Being alone used to not bother me. But now it felt weird. I looked around the store. It was early in the evening, so there were a bunch of teachers from the local schools with their kids doing grocery shopping. I was really the only person there by herself. This made me frown softly. Most people my age were getting smashed at frat parties.

I checked my list.

Soda

Tomatos

Elbow macaroni

Velveeta block cheese

bacon bits

assorted candies

I had a strange taste in things. I wasn't really normal and I knew that. I wasn't upset about it either. But… I think I was growing tired of my usual life style. I had been alone since I was seventeen, its not something you think you'd get tired of if you live it for long enough. That maybe you'd be used to it. I didn't know what it was that changed. Was it Jake? Or was it what happened with Slen? Or was it just something else entirely?

I decided to stop wandering the store for no reason and just get the things I needed and get out. I loaded the groceries into the back seat of my car and returned the buggy. Then got into my car and went home. Entering my apartment laden with groceries I kicked the door shut behind me and set the bags on the counter.

"Maybe I should go to the cafe or something. I don't think I want to go to the bar. I could grab my laptop and go to the internet cafe on main street and just chill there. That's where people like me hang out." I muttered. Sometimes I wished Slen did come around. I really was worried. With each passing day I became more and more concerned. Maybe he wasn't coming back. I wasn't really sure if that was a good or a bad thing. I mean, for the longest time there he was my best friend and all I had. Not anymore though… I had Jake now. But how long would that last before he realized I was some sort of freak? Why did I think that? I wasn't a freak. I was just… different. Was that really what I thought about myself?

All I knew was that I needed to let more people. I think that would help me a lot. I just felt strange now. I was trekking uncharted territory in my life and I was scared. That was the only explanation I had about why I felt so strange. I needed someone to hold my hand and support me. And more than my friendly artist neighbor. But how would I start. It's like I forgot how to make friends. I never really was close to the people I was friends with in grade school. Maybe I should go to college. I shook my head distastefully. I wasn't going to go that far. Too much money and too many idiots. I seriously didn't like idiots.

I heaved a sigh and put my groceries away silently. I should put an ad in for a roommate or something. What would I do? Go to the newspaper like the Golden Girls? I didn't have Facebook or any of those social networks. I went to the phonebook and looked up the newspaper and dialed the number. My mind lit on Slen. If I got a roommate would I be tossing him out of my life? But what if he was already gone? I looked around the room with the phone ringing. I didn't know what to do…

"Hello, Haven Junction Newspaper, where can I direct you?" A friendly, chirpy lady asked on the other end of the line.

"Oh, um, hi. I'm looking to put an ad in the paper." I told her.

"Okay, I'll redirect you to Classified. Will you hold?" She asked.

"Yes, thanks." I replied.

"Alright, one moment please." She said. The hold music started and I was left in awkward silence.

"Hi, this is Mark. How can I help you today?" Someone asked as the music ended abruptly.

"Hi, I'm Echo Blacke, I need to put an ad in the paper." I told him.

"Okay, we don't make ads over the phone, could you come in sometime or sen me an email and we discuss the content of the ad through there?" Mark asked.

"Oh, internet sounds good. Whichever is easiest for you." I told him. He chuckled softly.

"You sounds young, can I ask how old you are?" Mark replied.

"I'm nineteen." I told him.

"Okay, alright. Do you think you could come in tomorrow at three? My browser sometimes eats emails." He replied.

"Oh sure, that's fine." I told him

"Good. I'll see you then." Mark said. I said goodbye and hung up. Sometimes I forgot I was just barely an adult. I decided not to go out and just got ready for bed. I wasn't really all that hungry, so I watched a little TV and then went to sleep around eleven.

I woke up the next day and got in the shower. I blew my hair dry and brushed it. I went and ate breakfast then brushed my teeth. I lolligagged for a few hours until two forty and then went to the newspaper office.

"You want an ad for a roommate?" He asked incredulously.

"Yeah, I know, it's dumb. But I kind of just moved to town a few months ago. I have an extra room in my apartment. If they're sketchy I'll be fine." I told Mark. He was a forty two year old with silverish black hair and grey eyes, a straight nose, a thin line of a mouth and crinkles at the corner of his eyes.

"It is a little unsafe. Are you sure you want to go through with this?" He asked. I shrugged.

"Might as well. What's life without a few risks?" I replied. He shook his head and put his glasses back on.

"Okay. We'll run your ad in the Sunday paper. Are you really sure you want to do this?" He asked I nodded. I knew it really was a stupid idea, but I didn't know what else to do.

"Thanks. Have a nice day." I told him, standing up and leaving his office. I was such an idiot. The dumb kind, not the annoying kind. Just the bad decisions kind. I hadn't a clue what this would bring. But I could deal with the problems. I was a big girl.

Jake and I had made plans for a movie night. I was popping some popcorn when he came into my apartment with his own 'assorted candies.' He and I had favorite candies that the other hadn't even heard of, so we each went out and got what we could. I was making something though, Oreo cake pops. They were the single best sweet that had ever graced God's Earth.

"Hi Echo." He announced.

"Hey Jake! How was last night with your friends? How hammered did they get? Don't spare any of the nasty details." I told him sarcastically.

"One of them was having their twenty-first birthday, so you tell me how that went." He said, sounding slightly irritated with his friends' shenanigans.

"Oh, what a nightmare." I said playfully, I grabbed the plate of my first cake pops batch that had I had finished fifteen or so minutes ago and put the plate on the counter next to Jake.

"Take your taste buds on a journey." I told him. He eyed the pops curiously.

"I can't believe you've never had those once in your life. They are mana from Heaven." I continued. There was a quick minute of silence.

"Oh my God." He said simply. I laughed.

"Right?" I asked, turning around and looking at him. The look of shock on his face was priceless.

"That is… amazing. Where did you learn to make these!" Jake asked in awe.

"My mom used to make them and when she died I started to learn her recipes and stuff to try to make my dad feel better." I told him simply.

"Oh… I'm sorry." He replied. I shrugged.

"I was really little. I don't remember her much. So not a lot to apologize for." I said.

"Are you sure?" Jake asked quietly.

"Yeah, don't worry about it. I didn't mean to damper the mood any." I said, going to the fridge with the second batch and putting the pops in to chill.

Soon we had a good enough amount of sweets to last three or so movies. Two batches of frosted and sprinkled cake pops, a massive bowl of popcorn (not exactly a sweet but...shut up, I know what I'm talking about). The candy that Jake and I had bought was forsaken with Jake's discovery of my Oreo pops. About half way through the second movie I stood up to stretch my legs and go outside and clear my senses. Sitting next to Jake revealed that he had a lovely scent of fresh paint and wet clay with the tiniest hint of Old Spice that just added a bit to his very nice scent and it was clouding my senses almost uncomfortably.

I went out onto my balcony and looked out over the parking lot. Jake was good. I liked him and for once in my life I saw a future with someone. It made me smile. It made me happy. I wondered if he felt the same.

Hi everyone! I think some of you might be mad at me on account of an email I received yesterday and I completely understand. I'd like to explain. I was trying to do a quick fix on my private laptop and screwed up everything. I was afraid to use the computer I do have access to because it is a public computer and Lord knows what could happen to the story should someone decide to be rather cruel. But I took a chance yesterday and wrote this for you. I am terribly sorry and I do hope this chapter is acceptable. I will be able to fix my personal computer on the arrival of a Recovery Disk next month. I hope you enjoyed the chapter and I do wish you forgive me for my absence.