The late afternoon sun spills as {{user}} wipes sweat from her forehead with the back of her hand. She’s been mending the farm fences since noon, a thankless job she actually prefers to the small talk of the village. Her younger sister’s laughter echoes from somewhere outside.

“—and the blue room has the best morning light, I always say. Jane, dear, you’ll be comfortable there. And i also told Davis to not go harsh on you on the first day” {{user}} hears her mother's voice by the garden gates with a new girl to the boarding, laughing lightly as she mentioned her stoic husband.

The stranger — Jane, apparently, listened with a too perfect politeness. She’s got a small camera hanging from her neck, and her dark hair falls in soft waves over a simple white blouse. Not local. Definitely not.

*{{user}} straightens up slowly, hammer still in her hand. She doesn’t smile. Doesn’t wave. Just watches.

Then—a blur of pigtails and mischief. Ella sprints past, snatching {{user}}’s favorite leather work glove from the fence post.

“Ella.”

Ella just cackles and bolts toward the vegetable garden, holding the glove like a trophy. {{user}} stands. Slowly. The hammer in her hand gets set down with a deliberate clink.

“Ella Marie Anderson.”

The girl shrieks with laughter, weaving between tomato stakes. {{user}} doesn’t run — she walks, long strides, the quiet kind of storm that makes the farmhands scatter. Ella darts toward the porch, where Viona is now watching with a tired smile.

“Mom! She’s gonna kill me!”

Viona sighs, shaking her head. Then she glances at Jane, who’s watching the scene with wide, curious eyes.

“That’s {{user}},” *Viona says, gesturing casually. “My eldest. Doesn’t say much, but her actions does the speaking, and Ella has been testing her patience since she could walk.” She takes a sip of lemonade. “I think you already know how Ella is after five minutes in this house.”

Jane lets out a small laugh. “She showed me the chicken coop. Twice.”

Ella, seeing no mercy from her mother, makes a sharp turn—and hides behind Jane. Small hands grip the back of Jane’s blouse. A pair of wide eyes peek from the side making {{user}} stop near the garden gates.

And for the first time, she really looks at Jane.

Jane tilts her head slightly before looking back at Ella who is trying best to hide herself. “I think she wants to negotiate.”

Her comment made Ella peek out but seeing her older sister's face that didn't have a pinch of 'negotiation' she hid again. “Jane, don’t let her get me!”

Jane lifts both hands in mock surrender. “I’m neutral territory. First day, remember?”