there's a first time for everything

blake's essentials

The new apartment is small and smells like an animal died inside it. I breathe through my mouth as I move inside, clutching my backpack's straps so tight that my knuckles are white.

Mom lugs a suitcase inside and immediately wrinkles her nose. "What is that smell?"

I walk over to the kitchen. "Look, there's two ovens."

Mom grins. "More space to cook!"

One of the oven's dials fall off. Her face falls too, but she shrugs. "We'll fix it."

There are only two rooms. I pick the one with two windows for myself and check for any broken stuff. There isn't anything that can't be fixed easily.

Before we can really settle in, we have to get some furniture and necessities. Mom asks me if I want to come, and I shrug. "Sure, I guess."

Blake's Essentials. A grainy but large store bursting with everything except the kitchen sink.

"Hiya guys," a tall freckled teenager greets us, walking over. He's wearing a blue baseball cap and white tennis shoes, and his nametag says Freddie.

"Are you the owner?" Mom asks him. "Are you Blake?"

"No, Blake is my uncle." He laughs, as if someone told a joke. "I just work here. What are y'all looking for?"

"Maybe a small couch, and some tables," Mom says, and he leads her somewhere. I wander away, coming to an arts and crafts section. I rift through a stack half as tall as Freddie and find some magazines with sheets already teared and cut.

"You an artist?" I hear from behind me. I turn around to see a boy with flaming hair, a face as pale as snow, and raised eyebrows.

"No," I reply, dropping the magazine.

"Are you... an artist's assistant?"

"No."

His mouth quirks. "Then what are you?"

"No one." I scan the aisle for Mom. She's talking with someone else now, gesturing around the place.

"Well, you have to be someone. Hmm, could you be a magical elf, come to Earth with the intention of stealing a human for observation?"

I shake my head, a small smile forming despite my efforts to ignore him.

"Orrr, you could be an undercover ninja working for the FBI," he cracks, grinning.

I do my best to pay as little attention as I can when I walk a little to the end of the aisle, picking up a set of paintbrushes.

He just follows me, tapping my shoulder. "Anyways, I'm Ede. What's your name? You probably have that, don't you?"

I sigh and turn around. "Alright, you can't get the gist, so whatever." He looks at me expectantly. "I'm Aspen."

"Ass-pen?"

"Oh my god, no," I mutter, my face heating. "Shut up."

"Oh my god," he mocks, rolling his eyes.

I walk faster, pushing past him towards Mom. "I have to go, sorry."

"Okay, bye!" He calls to me, waving.