Chapter 27
Archer
I hope Ellie’s heating is never fixed. Even if it means I wake up every day from now on to a furry alarm clock.
At first light, Fish sings us the song of his people, the price of his silence— breakfast. Once the tiny tyrant has been sated, Ellie and I get ready for our day.
She steps out of the bathroom in a ‘trick or teach shirt’ where a ghost is holding a pencil paired with pink jeans with a big pink bow.
I don’t think many grown women wear big bows like that, but it works on Ellie.
I don’t know if it’s because it’s Ellie or if it’s a gift that all teachers have but it works.
“Are you coming home before Trunk or Treat?” I ask.
“Yes! I need to change into my costume for tonight and I don’t feel like dragging everything to school.” She says as she puts in her little ghost earrings. “I figured we could ride together, unless you need to be there early for team things.”
“No, we can ride together.” I prefer the idea of us riding together actually.
Even though she’s spent the past two nights here, I want more time with her.
Yesterday was great. It felt domestic and I didn’t realize how much I missed that when I was living alone.
I know I had to live alone and work through all my shit with Cassie, but I was lonely.
Maybe I should get a cat, I’ve already become dangerously attached to Fish.
I grab her waist as she walks past spinning her into a kiss before she can grab her overnight oats and her coffee.
Giggling she kisses me back before spinning out of my arms and grabbing her various bags and accessories.
“Do you need help taking that to your car?” I’m still shocked that she manages to haul everything without dropping it.
“This is my sixth-year teaching Arch. I think if I haven’t mastered my bag carrying skills, they’d revoke my license.” She jokes. But it really is impressive how much she manages to carry in one trip.
I take the bag from her hand anyway and ride the elevator down with her to our cars. I load her bag in her car and give her a quick kiss before we go our separate ways for the day.
●●●
A smile tugs at my lips as I walk into my apartment.
This is Halloween plays from my speakers and Ellie must have picked up a candle because something that smells like pumpkin spice and vanilla permeates my apartment.
I set my backpack down and walk down my hallway to see Ellie singing along and curling her hair in the hallway bathroom. She smiles at me from the mirror.
“Your costume is hanging up in the closet.”
I hurry to the closet, my curiosity getting better of me. I open the garment bag, and a loud laugh escapes me. What hangs in front of me is an exact replica of the pirate costume I wore in college. Plastic parrot included. I see Ellie’s handwriting on a post it.
Please wear the eyeliner. It completes the look, It’s also super hot.
Chuckling, I change into the pirate costume. This is what poor Jason has been up to the past day and half. I decide to give him an all expenses paid vacation as part of his Christmas bonus. He’s really putting in the work.
I quickly dress into the itchy costume. Freshman Archer really didn’t splurge on his costume. It was more about the vibes and the booze at that point.
Affixing the parrot to my shoulder I walk to the hallway, needing to borrow Ellie’s eyeliner. Because who am I to deny the people what they want.
I stop dead in my tracks. Ellie’s in her Ghostbuster’s costume. Albeit it’s not quite as revealing as the one in college. I fucking hope she has one similar to what she wore in college for later. If not, me and my caveman brain make a note to find one. For photo recreation purposes of course.
Ellie smiles and hands me the eye liner pencil and
I try not to stab myself in the eye. After several painful attempts, Ellie takes pity on me and has me sit and she applies it for me.
Eyeliner is applied and I’m carrying down the boatload of candy Ellie’s bought for the kids. I catch her blowing out the candle before grabbing her purse and another tote of candy.
“This is a lot of candy, I know we’re expecting a lot of kids, but the team takes care of the candy we pass out.”
“Oh! I’m not going to be at the Wolves tent. Sadie, Leanne, Jess, Katherine and I are going to be at our school tent. Dani is taking her kids so she won’t be working with us this year, but I think we will have plenty of help.”
It dawns on me that she’s been in my orbit for years. Trunk or Treat, the various Mexican restaurants and coffee shops that she frequents. Our paths intersected and yet it took a drunken DM to get us to collide.
“Oh! Well, I’ll make sure to visit.”
“Yes, you can make me look super cool in front of my coworkers. Who by the way, have no idea we’re together unless you count Sadie, but she’s basically my other half so I don’t count her.”