Set Me Free ▪︎ Joel Miller ▪︎

▪︎○ Forty ○▪︎

Colorado 2033

A week had passed since their visit with Tommy at the plant and already Joel had showed a significant shift in his behaviour towards both Olivia and Ellie. Not only did he now answer Ellie's constant random questions without much complaint but he also would occasionally laugh at her jokes without trying to hide his amusement like before.

Even his affection towards Olivia had strengthened. He was warmer towards her, softer in nature and made little effort to hide his care for her. They were taking things slow and at their own pace, appreciating one another and sharing gentle kisses and hugs without having gone further - mainly because they were offered very little time alone.

Everything was heading in the right direction, more so when they eventually reached the outskirts of the University after seven long days of travelling by horse.

"So, let me get this straight. If you mess up the fourth down, then you give the ball to the other team?" Ellie asked as she sat behind Joel, continuing their current conversation about football with a dip in her brows.

"Right, it's called turnover." the smuggler nodded.

"And if you clear the first ten yards then you're back at... first down?"

"First down, that's right." he again confirmed for the curious teen.

"Man, it's confusing." Ellie breathed out with a slight head shake while Olivia nodded in agreement.

Joel chuckled at the pairs shared confusion on the subject as they came upon the entrance to the university. "You just gotta play it a couple times, it'll all make sense." he told them as he crossed the threshold into the large university car park.

"It just seems like a lot to learn for one game," Olivia mumbles.

"I reckon you'd like it." Joel smiled, flicking his hazel eyes onto her as she sat atop her horse just to his left.

"Weird, that's what your brother said to me about you." she teased playfully.

"Funny,"

"No, not really but it did turn out to be true." Olivia chuckled, sharing a short moment of eye contact with her partner before Ellie spoke up, breaking them from the moment like she often did.

"Okay, none of these buildings look like a giant mirror to me." the teen spoke clearly, scanning the few brick buildings around them with a frown.

"Well, we'll head to central grounds." Joel said whilst motioning ahead of them towards another large gate he assumed would lead to where he had said. "Should be able to see most of the campus from there."

"Lead the way, cowboy." Olivia smirked, earning herself a sigh from the older man before his lips twitched upwards into a smile - unable to hide it.

They moved forward, trotting along through the large metal gate with their eyes peeled for that mirror building. It seemed no where in sight, even as they came upon a garage of sorts to the right of where the gate had been. They slowed outside it, briefly scanning the interior until Joel took it upon himself to jump down from his horse. "Stay Callus," he instructs before turning to Ellie. "What kind of name is Callus anyway?" he asks her as his feet pick up their pace into a light jog towards the garage.

"It's not my fault you forgot to ask Tommy his name," the teen retorted, sure to have earnt herself an eye roll from the older man.

"I hate to agree with Joel on this but it is an unusual name, El." Olivia weighed in, smiling slightly whilst running her hand behind the ear of her own horse, giving it a light scratch.