"So," Mrs. Casey watched Rae kick a stone on the way home. Night had fallen, the family had spent almost all day at Mr. Collin's office. Even though they were tired, the last thing Rae could imagine doing was sleeping.  "This  be huge... we go from barely having one house to owning two. How you be feeling, sweetie?"

Rae could only shrug.

"Of course, once you be turning 18, we can sell it, but until—"

"NO!", she reacted immediately, "I mean, we can't mom."

"Why not? It be the reasonable thing to do."

Why not? Rae wanted to say the library, but she knew she couldn't tell her parents about that. It felt strange keeping secrets from them, but Mrs. Casey would freak, and Mr. Casey would be upset that the responsibility was placed on a mere teenager. It was just one of those things.

"Yes, but... It not be feeling right. Lin be giving it to us for a reason."

"I'm sorry Rae, but we be needing to pay taxes for you now, and—"

"I be finding a way to pay them myself, I promise! Just please!"

Mr. Casey decided to interrupt, and Rae was never more glad that he did. "C'mon, if it be meaning that much to Rae, we can pass by. We be fine without the house before."

"No, Ted, we not be!"

"We be fine. And when Rae be moving out, she be needing a house to live in."

"Oh... well...", she sighed, "We be having two years... I guess... we'll see."

That probably meant a no, but Rae had to take what she could get. "Thanks mom!", she said before her mother could change her mind. She found herself smiling and then, remembering why she had the house in the first place, felt guilty about it.

It seemed Mrs. Casey was following along the same thought, as she sighed afterwards, "I be feeling bad about arguing about it now! Poor Lin, it all be so sudden. And you, poor baby.", she pulled Rae into an unwanted hug, "I can't be imagining how it be for you. If you need anything—"

"I be wanting to visit the house."

"W-what?"

"I be wanting to visit her—my house."

"Now?"

Rae was adamant, "Now."
____________________________________________________
You never notice how much the life of a place depends on the person living inside of it until they are gone. As Rae stepped through the now familiar hallway of Lin's house, she was hit with a feeling of something missing. It was the first time that she truly realized Lin was gone. Gone. She wasn't going to meet her at the door, she wasn't going to hurry off to the kitchen to make tea. She was gone.

The house still lingered of her homely scent, but it seemed like an unwelcome ghost. Rae started shivering, and without her parents to comfort her (they had headed off home with her promise to return safely), she started regretting coming here so soon.

But Rae had a mission, and she wasn't leaving without completing it. Being careful to walk on the pads of her feet— even though there was no one to hear her— Rae made her way to the door off the side of the kitchen. She leaned in to scan her eyes, half afraid it wouldn't work, but the door swung open almost immediately. Turns out Lin had gotten time to transfer the library over.

When Rae stepped into the library, she realized two things. One, that the library seemed to be the only room in the house that didn't seem lonely. She figured that was because she wasn't alone. There were thousands of people in these books, she just had to pick them up. And two, there was no way she could keep this to herself. As she looked at the wooden shelves, she realized that the world had to know. Even if it killed her, they just had to know. There was no way that something so amazing could just die out with her.

So she got on her knees, and packed a few of her favourites into her bag. Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and a couple of what they called classics was all she could fit— this time.

With a newfound determination, Rae left the house, feeling it less miserable than before. But instead of going home like she had promised, she turned for the street behind hers.

Asha Jones's house was small. Definitely far too small for such a large family. But it was like a second home for Rae, she had been welcome there since before she could count. So when Rae knocked upon the door, she was surprised to find that the scene that awaited her was far from welcome. Faint screams could be heard and Asha looked irritated to see her— or, at least more irritated than usual.

"They be arguing again. This better be important Rae, or I swear—"

"Trust me," she said a little breathlessly, "It be."
________________________________________________________
A.N: Thank you so much for reading! Make sure to vote and comment if you liked it.

I noticed that people have actually started making covers for this book (thank you XxBloodShedxX and GodsBro1234 ), which is amazing, because I really didn't expect my work to get that far! Because I think everyone's hard work should be credited, and the covers are FABULOUS, I will be using all of them, at least for a few weeks.

This does mean the cover will change a lot, at least until I decide on one, so bare with me.

If anyone feels inspired to make covers for this books, tag me and I'll be sure to use it and give you permanent credit in the description. Thanks :)