I really enjoyed this update, I love how good friends Leah and Abigail have become
and how supportive Abigail is when she heard the news. I love the scene where she is contacting
the wizard, a very nice setup.
I love the galaxy tights they are gorgeous.
@emorrill I loved reading this chapter! I'm glad that Leah saw Abigail so soon. I kinda had to laugh about her worrying that Sebastian might be with her. Is it time to change room assignments? Of course the couples want to be together except Harvey and Penny who are saving themselves for marriage.
Abigail looks lovely in her new outfit. Her hair is very pretty. I'm glad she made contact with the wizard. I was surprised she called him her dad because he didn't raise her. To me a dad is the one who raises you. I know it wasn't his choice not to raise her but just surprised at the term so early in their relationship.
I had to laugh at his abrupt response. Typical!
I think all will go well and am glad that Abigail was able to reassure her. She needs to relax and enjoy her pregnancy.
I enjoyed reading Haley and Emily's sister time together. It was nice to see Haley being open about her and Sam.
You got some great photos of Haley mooning about missing and thinking about Sam.
Hmm, what are they gonna do at 3am? Hope things work out for Sam's plans.
I wanna find out what is going on with Alex...and Maru???? Get busy writing girl!
I need a Shane picture! What's he doing? oh...never mind I have blond Shane in my game now.
Hey friends. Sorry it took a bit for me to respond to your sweet comments.
Looks like the alternator died on my car and I had to get a new one put in this morning. Everything is so expensive these days......
Anyhoot!
@KevinL5275 Thanks for the compliment on those shots of Abigail and Haley. I had a feeling you would like the ones of Haley in particular.
Yep, that's Rasmodius for ya. He's got his reasons...
Just what are these two lovebirds going to do in the middle of the night!??!?!
^LOL! (Love this!)
Probably...not what you think.
I can't wait to share more so you can see!
@meerkattime Thanks about Abby's shirt. I can't remember where I got it...I think on TSR.
Hmm, the wizard's response wasn't very informative , but at least there was a response.
^Yep. There's only so much the Wizard can say. He's had to make that a rule since his pretty powerful daughter found a way to reach out to him while they're all still on the mysterious quest. That was a slight disruption.
I like it how Abigail is trying to reassure Leah anyway.
^Yes, Abigail is a sweetie. I've always gotten that sweetie vibe from her ever since I first played Stardew Valley.
Yep, Haley finally knows what it means to love someone other than herself. Yay Haley! And I had to show the sister's bonding also to further represent that. In my mind they've always craved to be closer to each other, but felt like they were just too different to be close.
I wonder what the romantic plan is that he has in his mind .
^I seriously can't wait to share it! I hope I can write it out, and stage it all, to perfectly portray how it's all pictured in my mind.
Thanks for the sweet comments and compliments.
@Silverofdreams30 Thank you. The way that all 12 of them have grown closer together throughout this journey has filled my heart with so many warm fuzzies. It happened better than I ever thought possible and it's made me love them all the more.
I love the galaxy tights they are gorgeous.
^Thanks to you. I should've given you that credit (cause I wouldn't have found them if you hadn't asked me to look for that other cc on the same page. ) when GraceyManor asked me about them. They look better than I was expecting them to look in game honestly. (You know how some folks like to photoshop their cc... ) Score!
@bekkasan I'm glad you felt well enough to get on the computer today. Hope you feel fully better very very soon!
Is it time to change room assignments?
^Lol! It probably is! I've toyed with the idea of having them all reside in one house, but...not enough bedrooms or space. So two it is still. *Sigh* Everyone makes it work though.
Thanks for the compliment on Abby's hair. Can I share a little secret with you? 🤫
I actually had to color in the hair a bit where her forehead meets the root line because there was a bald spot there that was just ultimately unflattering. Some bangs poke out, that you can see, that weren't attached to the root line, but that bald area, so that was also an issue. I don't know how I didn't fully notice these flaws until after I took the photos and looked at them on the desktop. (This is why we look at photos outside of the game first before sharing them online. ) And lazy me didn't want to stage it all again (with a new hairstyle), so I improvised with my mad photo editing skills! I need to find that hair and remove it from my game which is a darn shame because it is pretty, like you said, for the most part. Anyhoo,
I was surprised she called him her dad because he didn't raise her. To me a dad is the one who raises you. I know it wasn't his choice not to raise her but just surprised at the term so early in their relationship.
^You make a really good point here actually. 👍 (Didn't really think about it like that). I guess in my mind I was thinking that the two may have had a very intimate conversation or connection when he was teaching her things while she was in a coma, that created that sort of bond where she would feel comfortable calling him Dad. I dunno.
I had to laugh at his abrupt response. Typical!
^Oh yes, only so much he can reveal because the kids have to learn things on this quest on their own. I liken him to God...A tiny bit.
She needs to relax and enjoy her pregnancy.
^Agreed, and no worries. She will from here on out.
I'm glad you liked Haley's declaration of her love for Sam to Emily.
Hmm, what are they gonna do at 3am?
^Guess we shall see. I seriously can't WAIT to share!
I wanna find out what is going on with Alex...and Maru???? Get busy writing girl!
^ Hee hee, I'm getting there, I promise.
What's Shane doing? Well........Maybe I can give a little teaser of what's to come.
He's gonna be playing a video game while munching on popcorn when something unfolds in the room right in front of him.
oh...never mind I have blond Shane in my game now.
^Yes you do. Lucky you! He's smexy!
Thanks for the sweet comments. And for the chuckles. They always make my day.
@KevinL5275 Thanks for the compliment on those shots of Abigail and Haley. I had a feeling you would like the ones of Haley in particular.
Yep, that's Rasmodius for ya. He's got his reasons...
Just what are these two lovebirds going to do in the middle of the night!??!?!
^LOL! (Love this!)
Probably...not what you think.
I can't wait to share more so you can see!
Hmm, what are they gonna do at 3am?
^Guess we shall see. I seriously can't WAIT to share!
Well I'm not really thinking anything as it was a rhetorical question to see what's going to happen next. There ARE times when I'm NOT thinking about woohoo, you know.
Can't wait to see though.
I'm a 48 year old married man, with a beautiful wife, a cat, and a simverted personality.My Sims 3 Pictures
Well I'm not really thinking anything as it was a rhetorical question to see what's going to happen next. There ARE times when I'm NOT thinking about woohoo, you know.
First of all, I just have to say how adorable Leah and Elliott are together. They're a nice distraction from the ceaseless drama that's going on among the others
Love the idea of a bro and (step-)sis night out! I wish their relationship in the actual Stardew Valley game wasn't so strained.
I love Abigail's leggings too! Thank you for sharing that link in the big thread
Abigail was so nice to Leah even though she totally didn't expect the pregnancy to happen!
And so, the journey home begins... hopefully?
Those lines of dialogue are so in-character for the Wizard! Especially how he's doing his utmost to suppress the anxiety he must be feeling about Leah being pregnant. Great job writing those
I'm disappointed too, Leah, but at least he knows what's going on. It's a start. And I have no doubt the baby will come home safely with the rest of you because the Writer of this story wouldn't allow anything else to happen
A blessing for the baby and the mom-to-be, too! How sweet :>
Sounds like Haley had a very nice day with Sam, indeed. She's absolutely lovestruck!
That very... verbose description only confirmed Emily's suspicions!
Real, deep love really changes people, and since this is Haley's first time feeling it, I can totally see why Emily's so happy for her sister.
Yummy snacks and juicy details about Haley's newfound love sound like the perfect idea for a sister's night!
So sweet that Sam misses his new love as well
He's not lying, it does sound like he's feeling lonely.
I wonder if Emily can hear her sister on the phone? Although, the way things are going, she might be woken up sooner or later anyway!
Naughty boy Sam! Wipe that (perfectly captured) smirk off your face!
This was such a well-written update, and I'm looking forward to more!
@TinySpaceFox Hey girl. You're so sweet to head on over here to read and share your thoughts. They were a joy! Thank you!
I guess Leah and Elliott are a nice distraction like that. (I would add Harvey and Penny in there too. )
Love the idea of a bro and (step-)sis night out! I wish their relationship in the actual Stardew Valley game wasn't so strained.
^Me too. That's why I had to remedy it from the get go with this story.
You're welcome. Enjoy the leggings.
And so, the journey home begins... hopefully?
^It would seem so, yes.
Those lines of dialogue are so in-character for the Wizard! Especially how he's doing his utmost to suppress the anxiety he must be feeling about Leah being pregnant. Great job writing those
^Thank you.
And I have no doubt the baby will come home safely with the rest of you because the Writer of this story wouldn't allow anything else to happen
^Hee hee.
Yes, Haley was quite verbose there, wasn't she?
Real, deep love really changes people, and since this is Haley's first time feeling it, I can totally see why Emily's so happy for her sister.
^Exactly.
I wonder if Emily can hear her sister on the phone? Although, the way things are going, she might be woken up sooner or later anyway!
^Ha ha! You know I thought about writing something in where Emily overheard Haley's side of the chat, but I figured since I wrote her crashing rather quickly, she was out for the count!
Naughty boy Sam! Wipe that (perfectly captured) smirk off your face!
^Lol! Thank you. I laughed out loud when I caught that cause it was so perfect for the scene!
I appreciate your sweet comments so much! I can't wait to share the next part with all of you! Were you able to keep up with the story during your studies? (If not, totally understandable so no worries. ) If not and you feel confused about anything that happens from here on out, feel free to ask me any questions and I'll be happy to bring you up to speed.
Your signature gif makes me laugh every time! Poor, sexy Martin.
More is here my friends! Enjoy! Pelican Town to Sims Town Continuation of Chapter 18
Noticing the car headlights flash through the windows for a split second before disappearing, jumpstarted Haley’s heart. She leapt from the couch, hands clasped tightly before her chest and fixated her eyes on the front door with a beaming, blushing smile on her face. Sam had arrived and she couldn’t wait to find out what kind of magic was going to happen between them during the remainder of the wee morning hours. Every moment with him lately had been magical, by no influence whatsoever from the world, but solely from their own two hearts.
As Sam’s footsteps grew louder, Haley’s heart quickened. She hoped she looked good for her love, throwing on whatever cute combo she could find in the dark and forgetting she cleaned off all her makeup before bed. None of that really mattered anymore though. Not with Sam. She lost a breath when she heard his light knock on the door. Quickly running some fingers through her hair, she anxiously stepped forward and opened it.
There Sam stood, within the backdrop of the setting moon, looking as handsome as ever, wearing his normal adorable smile and that silly Appaloosa Plains t-shirt he purchased during their outing yesterday. He was also carrying his acoustic guitar. “Hey you,” he charmingly greeted.
“Hey you,” Haley greeted in return, biting down on her lower lip.
“Wow…,” he breathlessly paused, his jaw lowering. Her top accentuated her striking blue eyes. “You look even more gorgeous than I was expecting. Foxy!” He winked. Awww! She swooned from within, her shoulders meeting her chin.
Naturally she stepped to the side with her arm outstretched, gladly welcoming him in.
“You brought your guitar,” she curiously noted as they headed for the living area, sitting herself down on the sofa. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Yeah,” Sam expressed with some reservation, sliding the coffee table out of his way. “I’m just full of surprises.”
Haley shook her head at him with a grin. Most of the time it was true and she loved it.
Pulling over a nearby chair and setting it just a few feet before her, Sam sat himself down on it with his guitar and went on to say, “I thought I’d play some songs for you…since I know you like it…and I love to do it.”
“I do,” the blonde confirmed with a blush. “But…,” she shifted her eyes from him for a moment, “what if you wake the others?” she asked in a whisper.
“I won’t,” he assured while tightening a couple of guitar strings. “I’ll play softly.”
“Well in that case you might end up putting me to sleep,” she winked, stifling a yawn.
“No…I don’t think so,” he said with confidence.
The look in his eye held a sneaky secret, Haley could see, and it got her wondering just what he was up to.
Pretty soon the aspiring Rockstar began playing for her a very popular song known all throughout Stardew Valley, acoustic style of course. Haley found herself liking it much more than the original. But really though, she was just enamored once again over Sam and his incredible talent.
She quietly clapped at the end of the song, telling him how awesome it was, and before she knew it he went on to play another song. One from this world, that he heard playing on the radio while they were mall shopping and Haley was pleasantly surprised that he liked it upon first listen as much as she did. It was great to hear again.
After taking a quick rest from playing, Sam’s brow continued to perspire as he nervously, yet excitedly, gripped the neck of the guitar; the internal voices of his soul encouraging him on. “This last song I’m going to play,” he began, “is one I started writing about two weeks ago, and I just finished it.”
“Ooooh,” Haley expressed with excitement. She knew this would be a real treat.
“So this is its debut,” he smiled, giving her an affectionate look. “And I wanted you to be the first to hear it.” Aww! Haley’s heart swelled, as she held her hand to it.
“So for you Haley…here it goes…” He got his fingers in position and took in a few short breaths to steady his nerves and create the right mood.
“What’s the title?” Haley asked.
There was a pause. “I hadn’t thought of it yet…”
Nodding, Haley crossed her legs and placed her hands neatly in her lap, feeling so honored that she was the first to hear what was sure to become a future hit. She gave him her full attention.
When Sam played the intro, Haley recognized the tune instantly. It was the same tune he would randomly hum to himself during the quiet moments of their get-togethers recently, and now she knew why. She already thought it was a beautiful tune - thought it to be some favorite song of his that she never heard of - but now she thought it even more beautiful hearing it on the guitar.
And what a pleasure it was to hear him sing this time around as well.
You and I crossed paths,
For the first time in my dreams.
I’ve waited so very long,
To cross an endless ocean of time.
Rising into the sky,
Above the walls of impossibility,
Not knowing if you’d ever see me,
No longer feeling alone.
Haley’s brow curiously furrowed and her eyes gradually widened as she listened to the words. The look he was giving her while he sang…was he speaking to her? Did he just write a song for her?
Her heart skipped a beat, fluttering rapidly now. Her lips closed and turned upwards into a heartfelt smile. No one had ever done something like this for her before. Then again, Sam did everything for her that no one else ever did.
I take a chance,
Standing before you with this guitar,
This fantasy becomes a beautiful story,
And my dreams become reality.
Sam’s fingers stopped as he lightly addressed, “Haley,” then went on to strum and sing the chorus.
All I want to do is,
Spend my life with you.
And all I want from you is,
A chance so I can prove my love to you…
Haley’s eyes glistened at the subtle declaration, locking her gaze with his as he stood from the stool and stepped closer to her.
Will you take a chance on me?
Let me show you how happy you’ll be.
You’ll discover a love that’s not happenstance.
Please…give me a chance?
Haley grinned behind the clasped fingers pressed upon her nose, unable to control her emotional breaths now.
Before Sam could kneel and continue with the rest of the song, Haley unsuspectingly burst up from the couch and jumped right into his arms crying “YES,” before planting her lips on his. The guitar dropped to the floor, ringing loudly, but Sam didn’t care. The girl of his dreams was in his arms, kissing him fiercely, desperately, passionately. Showing him with her lips, tongue, and movements that he was all she ever wanted. The man of her dreams.
And getting the response he had so greatly hoped for, he held her tightly and kissed her just as wildly and affectionately in return.
A few feet away, Penny and Maru peeked their heads through the bedroom doorway and grinned brightly at the romantic scene before them, a new relationship unfolding.
If they had the ability to see, they would gasp in awe at the star that formed out of nowhere and swirled around the two lover’s heads before shooting up into the ceiling, to take its designated place in the night sky.
“I love you!” Haley tearfully and breathlessly declared, gripping Sam’s cheeks to kiss him again.
Sam then carefully lowered her feet to the floor and shot her a pleasurable smirk as he teasingly asked, “You love me too?”
“Yes!” she cried with a broad smile and a sniff. “I really do. The only man in the world that I've ever loved.”
Nodding in heartfelt acceptance, Sam responded in the typical fashion, “Sweet,” with a beaming smile.
Haley chuckled at his cute antics while Sam took her cheeks and pressed his lips upon hers again. He soon led her to the sofa to kiss her more and more and more. He could drink of her love until dawn and beyond.
“Ooooh, I never thought they could look so adorable together!” Penny whispered above Maru’s head, still watching, her voice nearly squeaking with excitement for her dear friend Sam. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Maru had to take a step back and avert her eyes from the scene now, but whispered in response, “...Yeah.” She began to wonder how this event was going to affect Alex. She could only hope that with his growing maturity, he would deal with it in an appropriate manner. Her shoulders drooped with a sigh.
Sam and Haley passionately made out on the couch until the sun came up and when it did, they fell fast asleep in each other's arms.
From that day forward, the two were inseparable. Joined at the hip, never to part.
They finally found “the one” they were always meant to be with - when they never thought it possible - and their futures were looking a whole lot better and brighter with the other person in it.
To be continued...
A/N's: Throwing in this very fitting song in conclusion.
This was a difficult scene to write (and why it took me so long to get it posted for being a short update) mostly because of coming up with lyrics for a song. I am not a poet, nor a songwriter (I know, shocker! ) , so it's always something I've struggled with in the writing world. So I took a random poem from the internet and combined it with some lyrics from a song - as well as tweaking the words to better fit the story between the characters - and ultimately came up with Sam's special song for Haley. I hope it flowed right and sounded good cause, I tried!
*Credit for the poem goes to Ronald J. Chapman ("Take a Chance," c. 2016) and credit for the thrown in song lyrics goes to Tom Higgenson/Plain White T's. From their song "Gimmie a Chance" from the Every Second Counts album (Released 2006).
Speaking of taking a chance, I sure took one using the low lighting in this scene because I had to make it look like early morning and that the rest of the house was asleep. Of course it ended up driving me a little nuts because it made Sam's cc hair look awful and created a lot of pixelation on the walls, clothing, and Maru's darker skin due to the awful Windows 10 2019 Graphics Driver update, which I knew would happen, so I had to do a little photo editing in some areas. But hopefully y'all didn't notice.
Lastly, as much as I aim for realism, I just didn't feel like dressing up Sam in winter attire at the front door because...I wanted him to be wearing that t-shirt more. Those shirts can be found here if you're interested.
Anyway, thanks always for reading, as always. Guess we'll see what happens next after this big event.
More is here my friends! Enjoy! Pelican Town to Sims Town Continuation of Chapter 18
Haley’s brow curiously furrowed and her eyes gradually widened as she listened to the words. The look he was giving her while he sang…was he speaking to her? Did he just write a song for her?
Anyway, thanks always for reading, as always. Guess we'll see what happens next after this big event.
No makeup?? And she still looks that good? hehe. She reminds me of Sarah Michelle Gellar when she first did Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
And Maru wandering around the house in just a bra? Oh my! Yes girl, can't wait to see how she and Alex take this new news. Five stars in the sky, only one more to go!
Good job on the song!
I'm a 48 year old married man, with a beautiful wife, a cat, and a simverted personality.My Sims 3 Pictures
As always this is a wonderful update!
The song lyrics are beautiful, it shows how he feels about Hayley and she looks really happy after hearing
it. I loved all the poses you used here.
It was funny how Maru and Leah were spying on them hehe.
Those kisses , they sure were busy here haha.
Great job.
@emorrill I loved reading the newest update. I really happy that the house has such great heating that Haley can run around in tanks and shorts in winter and Maru and Penny in their skimpy outfits. They all look very cute though. Glad to see Maru is a girly girl underneath her more serious clothing. I thought Sam's shirt was cute too and yeah, you threw realism out the window. It's the sims...it is what you want it to be.
Love the song that you made from the poem and the song combination. It was perfect for how Sam felt. You have great pictures showing the emotions of Haley listening to the song and Sam singing.
I love seeing Maru and Penny peeking in on them!
Yaay for the new star! Can't wait to see what you have in store when Alex discovers their new relationship. Perhaps he will soon discover there is a difference between true love and infatuation. Will Maru tell him or will he find out some other way? I know...,you are gonna make me wait to find out! Pooh!
Music in the middle of the night? Nooo, nobody can sleep now .
I like your indecor in the house - the carpet, the sofa and the arm chair, and the lamp too.
Well well, very romantic song . Haley would be melting right now if she already hadn't .
Ha ha @ Penny and Maru peeking at the door .
Ok, time to go Penny and Maru, before you witness something that is supposed to be very private .
I believe Maru will have her ways to help Alex cope with what has happened .
Haley's still so lovestruck! I agree, there's no better word than "magical" to describe the feeling of being young and in love :>
True love doesn't care about looks, Haley! Love is blind, as they say.
I fully trust Sam isn't gonna put Haley to sleep no matter how softly he plays. I mean, guitar or no guitar, music wouldn't be the only thing keeping them up
How sweet that Haley gets to be first to hear Sam's new song I know he started it weeks ago, but surely he made some edits along the way... some edits just for her
Yes Haley, your man is a musician. And he loves you. Don't look so surprised that he wrote a song just for you!
That's a great use of the default guitar-playing animation Love how she's watching him so intently too!
And you guys were worried that the music would wake everyone else! Haley's probably woken them up now with her shouting and making Sam drop his guitar!
Love Maru and Penny being all sneaky! I imagine Sam and Haley wouldn't mind even being noticed by them!
Sam then carefully lowered her feet to the floor and shot her a pleasurable smirk as he teasingly asked, “You love me too?”
“Yes!” she cried with a broad smile and a sniff. “I really do. The only man in the world that I've ever loved.”
Nodding in heartfelt acceptance, Sam responded in the typical fashion, “Sweet,” with a beaming smile.
What a confession! So simple, yet so heartfelt And there goes Sam again. Yes, it is definitely "sweet"
I'm with Maru, I hope Alex won't take things too harsh when he inevitably finds out.
What a night! The future certainly looks bright ahead for those two
You did a great job on the song! The lyrics are ever so slightly cheesy, but I think that's a good thing in this context, given how Sam is all head-over-heels for his girl.
As for Sam's attire, well, we'll just say running kept him warm. There.
Hey dear friends. It fills me with so much joy to read how much y'all enjoyed that scene. It's getting me excited to start writing the next part (if life will give me the chance to do so soon...Sigh...It's been crazy lately.) Anyway,
@KevinL5275 It seems Haley is an all around good looking sim isn't she? She really does have a Sarah Michelle Gellar look about her now that you mention it. (Buffy rocks! )
I knew you'd like seeing Maru in just a bra, since she's covered up all the time. Hee hee!
Good job on the song!
^Why thank you. It's one of my country favorites! )
@Silverofdreams30 Aww, thank you for the sweet compliments.
Of course Penny and Maru had to spy a little. I think the guitar falling to the floor woke them up with a start and they got to witness something wonderful.
I really happy that the house has such great heating that Haley can run around in tanks and shorts in winter and Maru and Penny in their skimpy outfits.
^Ha ha! I would imagine the thermostat is turned up pretty high at the girl's house cause they probably all get cold easily. And they don't have to pay any bills so, they can keep it up as high as they'd like.
In Utah natural gas was so common that it wasn't expensive at all to keep your house at a good, warm temp during the harsh winters. I walked around in my underwear as often as I could without L seeing me.
Love the song that you made from the poem and the song combination. It was perfect for how Sam felt. You have great pictures showing the emotions of Haley listening to the song and Sam singing.
^Thank you. I'm glad to hear it came together well.
I didn't originally plan on having Penny and Maru peek in on them, but it seemed like a cute thing to add in last minute. Plus I would imagine the guitar hitting the floor woke them up and made them wonder: "What the heck was that!?"
Can't wait to see what you have in store when Alex discovers their new relationship. Perhaps he will soon discover there is a difference between true love and infatuation. Will Maru tell him or will he find out some other way?
^Maybe. We'll see.
And yes, sorry I have to make you wait for more. But it'll be worth it. I'm glad you enjoyed this scene and thanks always for the sweet comments and compliments.
I like your decor in the house - the carpet, the sofa and the arm chair, and the lamp too.
^Aww, thank you.
I always chuckle at and enjoy the cute, little random thoughts you share.
Ok, time to go Penny and Maru, before you witness something that is supposed to be very private .
^Right!? I had originally planned for Sam and Haley to sneak off somewhere and have sex after their big moment, but...given the character development between the two, I felt they would want to hold off on that for a little bit and just enjoy being in love and continue to discover what a real relationship is all about. When the time is right for them to be intimate in that way, they'll know it.
I believe Maru will have her ways to help Alex cope with what has happened .
^
(^I know that's not much of a reaction, but it's all I can give at the moment. )
Thanks for the comments.
I agree, there's no better word than "magical" to describe the feeling of being young and in love :>
^Very true and I appreciate you saying that. Cause I was all over here writing and feeling like 'magical' was kind of a weak word and I should've come up with a better word. Now I'm not so concerned about that.
Love is definitely blind!
Yep, no music from Sam could ever put Haley to sleep. He's sexy when he plays and sings. (And sexy is not what I would normally call Sam personally...)
Yep, he definitely wrote that song for her with a plan in mind.
That's a great use of the default guitar-playing animation Love how she's watching him so intently too!
^Thank you. I was very happy to be able to capture her looking up at him so intently too because their heads tend to wander sometimes.
Yeah the falling guitar totally woke Penny and Maru up, if they hadn't already been awoken by light voices outside their door.
What a confession! So simple, yet so heartfelt And there goes Sam again. Yes, it is definitely "sweet"
^Yes indeed. Thank you.
Sometimes I like the cheesy lyrics in romantic songs. I think it's the hopeless romantic in me.
I can't wait to share more!
@emorrill Those two are an awesome couple, I am so glad she stuck with Sam. You are definitely a hopeless romantic, I´d give you that trait any day. And writing stories like this, that trait fits so well Hayley has progressed so much since the start of this story, in the beginning I would probably had seen her with that other bloke, what´s his face. Well done, I am eagerly awaiting the next update!
@emorrill Those two are an awesome couple, I am so glad she stuck with Sam. You are definitely a hopeless romantic, I´d give you that trait any day. And writing stories like this, that trait fits so well Hayley has progressed so much since the start of this story, in the beginning I would probably had seen her with that other bloke, what´s his face. Well done, I am eagerly awaiting the next update!
^Awww! Thank you @ZhakiraP You're making warm fuzzies develop in my heart.
Alex is the other bloke you are referring to. She was with him for a while, but...it just wasn't meant to be. Their relationship was purely physical and the two had to get ripped apart to learn what love truly is.
I hope to get the next part of the story written and shared as soon as possible!
Alrighty everyone! *clasps hands together and rubs them rapidly*
Who's ready for more of Chapter 18? I've been excited to share this event for a long time. Simply because...it's epic. (In that regard, this one is especially for you @KevinL5275 Maybe not in the way that you think though... )
This was so super fun to write and stage. I hope y'all will enjoy it as much as I have. It is picture heavy, so I apologize for that if you have slow internet... I just had to illustrate this from a few different angles and viewpoints for a more dramatic effect.
I will be starting the chapter off with a song this time, instead of ending it with one. You can play it before or after, whatever you prefer to do. I felt it was fitting in a couple of ways. And it was a good mood setter. Or I dunno, I just love sharing music. 🎵 Y'all know me.
Anyhoo, Enjoy! Pelican Town to Sims Town Continuation of Chapter 18
In the following days, the radiance of Sam and Haley’s true love could not be masked and it was a beautiful sight in the eyes of most everyone in the group. Except for Alex, as much as he tried to let it go. All those very recent crushed dreams and heartbroken emotions were unpleasantly unearthed from their shallow grave and brought right back up to the surface again. And something still kept eating at him, which was making it especially difficult to let go. The star gridball player hated any form of losing, especially losing to a loser. How in Stardew Valley did that happen? Such ridiculousness stung deeply at the jock ego still present within him. Haley looked so good in love, with those sparkling baby-blue eyes and genuine, bright smiles, all for Sam, which painfully reminded him of what he thought he had with her. What should have been his. It all the more fueled his upset towards her, but mostly towards Sam. He couldn’t stand the kid. Never liked him and didn’t trust him either. That was the eating issue. Because someone that annoying and stupid looking had to have some kind of hidden persona or agenda they were masking, all to work towards their own benefit. How else could Haley have fallen so hard in love with the inferior one? The brewing feelings of hate and frustration over it all festered like a zit, about ready to pop all on its own. He wasn't sure if he could keep it contained anymore.
On this particular morning at the guy’s house, Emily and Haley kissed their lovers goodbye before heading off on a sister’s shopping trip.
Christmas was still around the corner - as well as Leah’s birthday just two days beforehand - and Emily, especially, hadn’t even started her shopping for everyone. Sam figured he would hang out and have fun with his other two besties during Haley’s absence. Shane gladly sat himself back down on the bean bag in front of the TV to return to playing the new, cool video game (very similar to gridball) he discovered on his, also, unfinished Christmas shopping trip. He’d finish it with Emily later.
Abigail sat on the sofa behind him, watching him play with great interest, wishing to join in, but figured he would rather play on his own right now.
Elliott and Leah were out together somewhere and Harvey, Penny, and Maru were upstairs doing research as usual.
Alex nodded a goodbye to the exiting sisters while wallflowering in the foyer, casually checking the daily reward on the lame puzzle game on his phone.
When the car pulled out of the driveway and headed for town, all Alex could do was eyeball Sam in the distance with glowering eyes.
With Haley out of the way, he suddenly felt the push to give in to his festering emotions; his better judgement becoming skewered by the sudden force.
Sebastian, with his back turned to Alex and not noticing his slithering closer, gave Sam a little fist bump and whispered, “Yeah! You and Haley bro! You two look amazing together!”
Sam proudly returned the fist bump, not noticing Alex either, because he was readying his plastic players for an epic new game of foosball. He was gonna roast Sebastian this time around!
The sound of Alex’s sneakers halting beside him, alerted Sebastian of his presence. “Oh. Hey Alex,” came the awkward greet. “Come to watch us play?”
“Not exactly,” Alex dryly responded, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeballing the man on the other side of the table. “Congrats to you and Haley, Sam.”
Sam’s head popped up in surprise, Shane and Abigail glanced over in a like manner.
“Uhh, thanks,” Sam naturally replied with a cracked, bemused smile. He wasn’t expecting that. Not so soon anyway.
Alex flashed a fake smile before going on to say, “So tell me Sam, is this how you musicians get the girls you want? Play to be the perfect guy and serenade them with songs just so you can steal them away from their boyfriends?”
Abigail’s mouth dropped. That was enough to get Shane to pause the game and fully turn in the guy’s direction now, the feeling in the room escalating.
“What!?” Sebastian cried in a defensive, yet flabbergasted manner over Alex’s audacity. But Alex stood his ground and continued to eyeball his rival.
Sam just dismissively shook his head and turned his attention back to the little plastic foosball players. “You dunno what you’re talking about man...”
“Don’t I?” Alex protested, stepping closer with balled fists.
“Yeah!” Sam fired back. “You don’t know me. And what you think you know about me is wrong.”
“Oh I know enough!” Alex huffed. “You think I haven’t noticed your attempts to snag Haley away from me this whole time? Like that one time when you kept slapping her butt in the garden while you guys were playing in the sprinklers? Trying to turn her on, right there in front of me!”
“That was just some innocent flirting,” Sam countered, not entirely proud of who he was when they started this quest and didn’t need the reminder. “Besides, she wasn’t even your girlfriend at the time!”
“Yes she was!” Alex half-lied. “She was always my girl and you knew it! You should’ve left well enough alone!”
Sebastian slid over to stand beside his best friend, showing Alex with his scowl that he had Sam's back and was ready to defend him if necessary.
“I wasn’t even trying to…you know what?” Sam stopped, raising his palm in the air. There was no point in arguing with Alex. He was done with all of this. Beyond tired of it. “You wanna fight?” he approached Alex now, his face stopping mere inches from his. “Bring it! Let’s end this once and for all!” His nostrils flared like a bull’s as his broad, muscly shoulders flexed, continuing to stare the athlete down. “I’m not afraid of you!”
Not anymore.
Truthfully, Sam’s confidently abrupt confrontation caused Alex to quake, but he would never back down. This was Sam. The scrawny little punk kid he grew up with. He could take him on easily, even if Sam had managed to beef himself up a little. The athlete was strangely impressed by it.
Shane grinned brightly at the two, getting himself comfortable and grabbing some more popcorn to munch on. He was going to love watching this. For once he wasn’t the one involved in a brawl.
On the flip side, Abigail’s eyes bugged out with fear.
Alex threw the first punch, almost knocking Sam to the floor.
“You son of a b***h!” Sebastian seethed, launching himself at Alex - Abigail crying out his name in the process - but Sam stopped him with an outstretched arm.
“I got this Seb!”
Sebastian’s eyes glowered at Alex as he helped Sam back up onto his feet, the spikey haired guy stammering in the process. That hurt…his cheekbone stung with every pulse beat, but he didn’t care. He went right ahead and gave Alex just as good of a blow in return, giving this fight his all.
“YEAH!” Shane cheered with a mouth full of popcorn while punching at the air with his fist. "Fight! Fight!"
“STOP IT!” Abigail cried out over the back and forth punches between the two guys. It was getting intense.
The foosball table ended up getting knocked over during the brawl, making a terribly loud sound that rang all throughout the house. It alerted the three upstairs and they came rushing down to see what was going on.
Pinning Alex to the floor, Sam wailed on him now; blow after blow after blow. Years of repressed feelings coming out through his fists.
Alex did somewhat well shielding himself from the punches with his arms, but one epic punch made its way through and popped him in the nose. Blood dripped from it within seconds.
“That’s right Sam! GET HIM!” Sebastian cheerfully egged on. It was about time his best friend stood up to Alex and his ridiculous and unknown hate towards him. Well…before he won over the dude’s ex-girlfriend.
“Shane DO something!” Abigail implored, considering using her magic to stop the fight, but feeling too emotionally unstable to properly do so.
“Why?” Shane simply responded. “Looks like Sam is taking care of it all on his own.” He popped another puffy kernel into his mouth with enjoyment.
Abigail rolled her eyes with an exasperated breath, readying her hands to cast a spell, until she heard…
“Hey hey hey hey hey!” Harvey cried, rushing over to the scene and bravely pulling the two brawlers apart, planting himself firmly between them with outstretched arms. “Break it up! We’re not doing this gentlemen…” It didn’t take a genius to know what they were fighting over. Nevertheless the two tried to push past Harvey’s arms in rage anyway. “We are NOT doing this gentlemen!” Harvey sharply repeated himself, stiffening his arms. “I will not be patching the two of you up simply because you decided to throw unnecessary punches at each other!”
Then he turned his head toward Alex and sternly yet sympathetically whispered, “There are better ways to handle this…”
“Hey while you’re at it there Harvey,” Sam interjected, “why don’t you tell Alex that he should think twice before picking fights over false assumptions and LOSING over it!” He boomed to purposely hurt the athlete’s pride. It felt so good!
“That’s right!” Sebastian hissed.
“Enough!” the Doctor yelled, shooting quick glances between Sam and Alex. “Now the two of you go to your rooms and cool off.”
“With pleasure,” Sam spat out while still giving Alex a death stare, then turned for his bedroom with Sebastian in tow.
Alex panted as he wiped the blood from his nose with his bare arm, every eye in the room locked onto him. He sharply turned for the solitude of his bedroom, but not before noticing Maru’s piercing gaze at him near the stairway. He stopped, seeing her head slightly shake at him, her expression filled with disappointment. It wrung at his heart.
He pressed his lips together and quickened his pace, right on past her and straight into his bedroom. She continued to watch him until he slammed the door.
“Aww man Harvey,” Shane broke the silence with a half-tease, leaning back into the bean bag. “Why did you have to interrupt such a good show?”
“Shane…,” the Doctor turned to with a sigh, “not now, alright?”
Shane just shrugged and turned his body and attention back to his paused game. Abigail went to join Sam and Sebastian in their bedroom; mostly to make sure Sam was alright and also to chide her boyfriend for not stopping the fight.
Penny stepped over and gave Harvey a hug, relieved that he didn’t get hurt while abruptly stepping in the middle of those two. Harvey tenderly kissed the top of her head in comfort.
Maru glanced back over at Alex’s door, debating within herself as to what she should do. Leave him alone or talk to him?
She decided on the latter.
*****************
A/N:
So...obviously Alex does not shine in this scene (kinda got what he deserved) but that aside...what lesson might he learn from this?
While I am sure that most of you understand, I hope this doesn't produce more of a distaste for Alex to some of you who aren't fans. He really is a good guy - and has grown in some good ways - he just got caught up in his anger, heartbreak, preconceived notions, and perhaps even a little jealousy. Like so many of us, being human, tend to do at least once in our lives.
Maybe now that he's released all those pent up emotions, he can finally move past Haley and the break-up and move forward in his life.
How will it go with Maru talking to him? And how will Haley react when she hears about it?
@emorrill Update! Woot! So, what is gonna give me excitement when you finish this story?
Grabs my coffee and settles in to read.
Oh Alex! You are thinking way too much! Such a jock with your hate of any one different than you. (great song for the update even though I don't really like that group... ) Give it up boy! Take it like a man instead of a manchild.
Sweet kisses. Like they are gonna be separated for days instead of a few hours.
Emily's short hair suits her face.
Do guys call each other besties? Hmmm? I'm out of touch with the lingo.
Cute pictures of Shane playing his game. I love how they get so involved in the game and I can sit and watch them play as they wack the controller.
Abigail should play with him. Much more fun than just watching.
Oh dag Alex, how stupid! He deserves so much more than Haley if he would just think about it. But despite his act of confidence, he really doesn't have much. He relies on his rep from high school to carry him through. Haley and Sam deserve each other. (sorry, still not a fan of Haley but I do like Sam because he represents the underdog and I always root for them. I think he will always cherish and love Haley and despite the changes she is making, she needs that in her life.)
Fun fight though. Glad Sam told Seb to back off. Your poses were great. I kinda agree with Shane , would like to have seen more. I totally would have been eating popcorn.
Who taught Sam to fight? Muscles don't equate knowledge. All Sam's exercises did build his muscles though, and how did no one notice he is not scrawny anymore.
haha, Papa Harvey stopping the fight. I dunno, it would have been cool to see Abigail zap them both. Girl power!
I dunno about Harvey sending them to their rooms like bratty kids though. Yeah, they needed to cool off but they are not kids despite acting like them.
Great blood drip!
Wonderful update and I look forward to seeing what happens when Maru and Alex talk.
No Alex didn't shine and you know he is not my favorite either so it didn't change my opinion of him. Just showed he still has that jock inside of him instead of a man.
@bekkasan Thanks for commenting so quickly. It was such a joy to read!
So, what is gonna give me excitement when you finish this story?
^Aww. Hmm...my new story? Whatever that might be... I will have to take a bit of a writing break after this though and decide on what I need to do next in life. You're so sweet.
Oh I know you don't like Plain White T's. It's all good. That's one of their better songs if you can believe that.
Yeah Alex is definitely being a man-child...
Emily's short hair suits her face.
^Thanks. I thought so too.
Do guys call each other besties? Hmmm? I'm out of touch with the lingo.
^You know, it's actually more of a girl's expression to say "I'm hanging with my besties!" so I think I'll change it to "buddies" in regards to Sam. Thanks for pointing that out. Guess my female writer self came out a little bit there.
I knew you would enjoy seeing Shane again. I can totally watch Sims play their video games and laugh at their reactions to it for a while too. Abby doesn't mind not playing and watching sometimes. It's how she learns tricks on how to beat people at the game later. #gamergirlhacks ! Hee hee!
Oh dag Alex, how stupid! He deserves so much more than Haley if he would just think about it. But despite his act of confidence, he really doesn't have much. He relies on his rep from high school to carry him through.
^Yep and yep! It's like he's about due for some kind of maturity wake up call (like some of the others) isn't he?
I absolutely love what you said here.
Haley and Sam deserve each other. (sorry, still not a fan of Haley but I do like Sam because he represents the underdog and I always root for them. I think he will always cherish and love Haley and despite the changes she is making, she needs that in her life.)
^I root for the underdogs too. And Sam will definitely love and cherish Haley for always. They'll make a great future together in showbiz.
Hee hee, I'm glad you found Shane's kicking back and eating popcorn while watching the fight humorous. (I was laughing while writing it and laughing even harder while staging it. ) Like we talked about earlier it was very in character of him.
Who taught Sam to fight? Muscles don't equate knowledge.
^True, but in my mind he was so emotionally charged up that he didn't need fighting experience to kick Alex's butt. Alex doesn't have any fighting experience either and I'd like to think his weak reason for starting the fight was his downfall.
It reminds me of that moment on the "Christmas Story" movie where Ralphie (the main character, kind of a chubby, average, underdog kid) finally had enough with the Bully picking on him and his friends every day after school so in a moment of great, emotional disappointment - and once again confronted by the Bully - he just lunged himself at the Bully and wailed on him like there was no tomorrow, royally kicking the kid's trash!! (Blood coming out of his nose and everything too. )
haha, Papa Harvey stopping the fight. I dunno, it would have been cool to see Abigail zap them both. Girl power!
^Yeah, I agree it would've been cool. But it was always Harvey stopping the fight whenever I would imagine it. Probably because he's that father figure and leader of the group. 👍
I think it's because they were acting like children that he was like, "Just go to your rooms and cool off."
Thanks for the compliment on my mad blood drip Paint skills.
It fills me with so much happy that you enjoyed this update and I look forward to sharing the next part with you as well.
This was a great update!, I loved how you staged it,
I know Alex did wrong and that he's angry but it is no good going to hit someone else just because you are angry,
but I know what kind of character he's supposed to be in the game and you wrote it well.
@Silverofdreams30 Thank you girl! I'm glad you enjoyed it.
Yeah...Alex let his emotions get the better of him and...it appears he still has some growing up to do.
^Ha ha! (It took me a second to remember the reference. )
Guess it was a little surprising for Sam to win the fight, eh? Hee hee!
Yeah, sorry for ending it there...I still have to work on the details of that event...and the one following.
Glad you enjoyed this update.
So I wanted to share a little something.
I was watching a couple of LDS/Mormon comedy movies from my High School days today for grins and giggles (actually more like laughing to the point where I almost peed myself a couple of times! ) and couldn't help thinking how much the actor/musician Kirby Heyborne (in the 2000's) looks a lot like Sam.
"How in Stardew Valley did that happen?" Lol!
Pretty Christmas decor and cute kisses. Isn't young love sweet !
Alex looks surprisingly good when he's angry . But I don't think this conversation with Sam is going to end well... Alex is being very childish.
Well, if I try to be fair, Alex is not all wrong though - Sam was trying to get Haley from him all the time. That is not a bad thing because in the end it was actually the best for them all, even Alex, and he will realize it in the future, but still.
Sebastian looks nice too when he's angry .
Oh no, this is really is going towards fighting...
Shane and his popcorns !
No!! Boys, stop that, immediately!!
Sam is winning . Nobody expected that. Well, maybe Alex will be less willing to start fights in the future .
Good job, Harvey! It was about time to stop that silliness!
“Now the two of you go to your rooms and cool off.” He he, Harvey is talking to them like he was talking to kids. But then again, they are behaving like kids.
I understand Maru's disappointment... But... I still hope she'll talk to Alex soon. He needs a friend too.
Go talk to him, Maru! Now! I think he needs a listening ear.
Yes!! I want to see how this continues!
^Hee hee, glad you liked that.
Yes, I love seeing young love.
Alex looks surprisingly good when he's angry
Sebastian looks nice too when he's angry
^Hee hee again. These made me chuckle. Alex definitely looks more hot with the new hair. Woo!
True, Sam was pretty infatuated with Haley, even when she and Alex started dating. But as time went on, Sam began to mature and started to show some pretty decent respect to Alex by backing away from his feelings for his girlfriend...If only Alex had known that.
Shane and his popcorns !
^YES! Round of applause! Gosh it was so fun to write and stage.
Yuuuup, there's gonna be a fight...
Sam is winning . Nobody expected that. Well, maybe Alex will be less willing to start fights in the future .
^Indeed. I think Alex was emotionally charged in all the wrong ways, while Sam was emotionally charged in all the right ways...and that's how he came out victorious.
Yep, Harvey is sending them off like the little kids that they were being. But to be fair to Sam, he acknowledged that Alex was the one at fault for the fight. (And being the more childish one.)
I think you and everyone else will like Maru's chat with Alex. I have the outline of it all written down, just gotta flesh it out more and take the pics in game for it. Hopefully soon.
Thanks for the comments.
I was severely lacking in the pose department for the way I imagined (and wrote) these scenes so...I made do with that I had. I'm sure y'all can imagine the rest.
Got another song to ring in at the beginning of the update again. It's a good one. Crank up the volume and enjoy! 🎵 (And of course enjoy the update too. )
Pelican Town to Sims Town Continuation of Chapter 18
Maru approached Alex’s door and stopped to listen for a moment.
Nothing.
Gently, she knocked on the door, turning the knob at the same time and quietly entered. The broken man sat on the edge of his bed in an emotional stillness, his head lowered towards the resting, clasped hands in his lap. Normally she’d never enter a man’s room without his permission, but in this case, it felt okay. Almost necessary. Some powerful force was pulling her soul towards him, but most of that force was driven by her own feelings. Her feet stopped about four feet from him, her arms crossing over her chest all on their own, telling him that she was here and listening.
As Alex lifted his head up to acknowledge her presence, she could see the tears resting on his eyelids, waiting to be released. Of course he didn’t let them. He wiped at his nose with his arm again, taking the remains of the smeared, dried blood with it as he said, “Come to tell me you’re disappointed in me? Go ahead and say it,” he shifted his gaze toward the wall, “you wouldn’t be the first…”
Maru closed her eyes for a moment, hating his negativity and self-loathing, but she understood why. Yet it was time to put an end to it.
“I’m not going to express my disappointment,” she simply said, “but I do think you could’ve handled that better.”
Not what Alex wanted to hear.
“Well can you blame me!?” he snapped, throwing his hands up in protest and dropping them onto his lap. “You can’t tell me that if you were in my shoes you wouldn’t have reacted in the same way!”
Maru held her stance. “I sympathize with your feelings Alex, I’m not disregarding how hurt you feel. But you once told me that we’re not in high school anymore. That we’ve all matured from those days. Yet what you did back there,” she pointed with her thumb at the door, “was a very immature, high school Alex response!”
Alex jerked his head away from her, hating the harsh truth and verbal slap to the face; with his own words even. It all the more fueled the raging fire within him and oh how he wanted to yell something back at her in defense. And yet…he lowered his head again and shook it with a sigh.
She was right.
He couldn’t deny it and he couldn’t fight it anymore.
He couldn’t be angry at her either; that made his heart ache just feeling it for a few fleeting seconds.
“That’s not you anymore,” Maru went on. “You’re better than that now. I’ve seen it. And I know you still are.”
Her words miraculously doused the raging flames in his troubled soul like a mid-summer monsoon. Oh how much it meant the world to him to hear it, he didn’t fully realize…
She still believes in me, he thought with a relieved and comforted heart. How he came off to her mattered to him more than with anyone else in the world.
“You’re right,” he softly admitted, raising his head to meet her gaze. “I don’t know what came over me. Actually…I do. But I just,” he sighed, slapping a hand down onto his leg again, the embers within still burning, “I hate knowing that I lost Haley to HIM! Of all the guys in Stardew Valley…”
Maru just shook her head. “Sam is a good guy, Alex. He really is. If you had taken the time to truly get to know him, instead of making snap judgements about him all these years, you would see that.”
“I know…,” he surprisingly acknowledged. “And maybe I’ve always known that…it’s just,” he somewhat tittered, “I was captain of the gridball team. I had to pick on someone. He was the obvious target.”
Maru shook her head again with a hint of an eye-roll and a cracked smile as she sat down beside him. “Not anymore,” she kindly reminded him, with a light pat on the leg. “That’s not you anymore.”
Alex looked down at her hand and then back up into her eyes with an appreciative smile. “Yeah…”
Closer now, the two’s heads began to lean into each other. Alex adoring her rich brown eyes, so full of affection and that spu'nk he was beginning to love about her, while Maru briefly got a whiff of his cologne or deodorant, she didn’t know which, that teased at her hormones. He was so attractive that a girl would have to be an utter fool not to notice or melt like butter in his presence. Her attention then turned to his nose, with flecks of dried blood still present on the inside of the one nostril. Instinctively she reached up and carefully lifted it with her thumb to get a better look. “How’s your nose? I hope it’s not broken…”
“It’s not,” Alex assured. “Trust me, I know what a broken nose feels like.”
Bouncing her eyebrows she said, “I’m sure you do,” then drew herself back a little.
But Alex kept leaning in, subconsciously. “So…if Sam is as good of a guy as you say he is, is that really why you kissed him that one night?” He smirked. “Not just to pull a prank.”
Maru inadvertently blushed as her smile widened, knowing what he was really asking. She played to think his question over for a moment. “Maybe…but the fact of the matter is, which I believe you pointed out also that night,” she winked, “he isn’t my type. Plus he’s always been that second brother to me so it would feel weird to date him regardless.”
Alex nodded. That made sense. “So,” he paused, somewhat hesitating to ask, “what is your type then?”
“You know,” she stopped and thought with a sigh, clasping her hands within her lap and gazing at the wall. “I always thought I knew, but now…,” she returned her eyes to his, “I don’t know.” She shrugged.
His gorgeous smile appeared again. “You want a Brainiac,” he expressed with certainty, looking down at his hands, “just like yourself…”
Maru could detect the disappointment in his voice, which is why she said, “Brains aren’t everything Alex…” Which was definitely something she had been discovering for a while now.
Alex flashed her a warmhearted smile as he returned his gaze to his hands, beginning to twiddle his thumbs. “Guess I dunno what my type is either anymore…” The hurt tried to surface again, but he wasn’t going to let it. It needed to pass.
Maru lowered her head in sympathy. When she looked back up, her eyes were pleasantly met with Alex’s again.
“Hopefully we’ll both figure it out soon,” he simply said.
“Yeah,” she nodded with a smile.
“In the meantime,” he sighed, “I guess…we just keep doing this quest thing…”
“Right…,” she expressed with an eye-roll.
“Gosh I’m so tired of it.”
“Me too!” she exclaimed louder than intended. “I mean it’s definitely been an incredible learning experience and let’s face it, we all look better than we’ve ever looked before in this world so that’s nice.”
Alex wholly nodded at that.
“But man, I just can’t shake off feeling like the Wizard did this for some sneaky reason, or whatever his whole reasoning was for sending us on this 'quest.' I really haven't been able to figure it out! It’s terribly frustrating!”
“Welcome to the non-genius life…”
A playful shoulder bump met his as they chuckled.
“I miss Dusty,” Alex randomly expressed. “I’ve needed his puppy loves lately.”
Maru smiled at him with a gleam in her eye. She’d nearly forgotten about his faithful watchdog, behind the small fenced in area, scaring people away from his grandparent’s house with growls ever since they moved in with them. “I’m sure he misses his owner’s loves too.”
The affectionate and appreciative look in his eye melted Maru’s heart. He was having that effect on her more and more recently and…she wasn’t quite sure how to process it. So much of her heart and soul wanted to explore it - she could feel his did too - but so much was still up in the air between the two. A bit more personal growth was needed, mainly for Alex. Time is what would help everything become grounded. Whether that would happen on this quest or back home, neither could be sure. In the meantime, they just had to keep on living and fulfill the seemingly never ending quest.
“Thanks Maru,” Alex heartfully expressed, interrupting her thoughts. “I really needed this…even the verbal butt whoopin.’” He chuckled.
Maru chuckled too, proudly brushing some hair behind her ear.
“But seriously…thanks for caring and…being here for me.” His hand twitched, longing to take hers into it, but it didn’t quite feel appropriate.
“You’re welcome,” she kindly expressed in return. “What are friends for?”
He smiled. He loved being her friend. It should’ve been like this between them years ago.
“I know it won’t be easy, but I know you can overcome this and move forward Alex,” she continued. “Make amends. Accomplish your goals. Reach for your dreams. You're a lot stronger than you think you are. And in the meantime, if you need anything…,” now her hand longed to take his, “I’m here - for you - to help.”
“Thanks,” he concluded with that swoon-worthy smile of his again.
The two then stood from the bed, sensing from the other that it was time to part, but maybe not exactly wanting to.
Alex stepped ahead of Maru and opened the door for her. “Thank you,” she whispered as she exited. He nodded while leaning against the doorframe, watching her leave. He loved that she glanced back at him for a moment before completely disappearing.
Wow. She really is somethin', he thought with an impressed, smitten, and aroused head shake.
It had been a long time since he felt this better and empowered after speaking to someone and he knew what he needed to do.
It would be hard, but it was time to tell himself that he could do hard things outside of the gym and the gridball field. It was time to act like an adult. BE an adult. Be the man his father never was, who he always wanted himself to be.
****
In an hour's time, Alex cleaned himself up with a shower and then relaxed on his bed with a book. When he finished the chapter his stomach growled loudly in want of food. He didn’t realize he had skipped lunch. Just as he was about ready to put a shirt on and head for the kitchen, someone came bursting into his bedroom with a raging start.
“What the h*** is the matter with you!?” Haley sternly addressed with raised palms. Oh boy...
“I’m gone for a couple of hours and return to find out that you got in a fight with Sam!? Good GOSH Alex, I thought we were past this!”
“Haley, I–” he attempted to calm.
“Sam had NOTHING to do with the break-up, you understand! It was me! ALL me! So if you’re gonna pick a fight with someone, pick it with ME!” She pointed at herself. “The person that actually hurt you. Otherwise,” she threw her arms into a folded position, “BACK OFF!”
With raised eyebrows, Alex blew out a breath through puckered lips. He certainly couldn’t blame his former girlfriend for bursting in and yelling at him like this. And once again it was a well deserved tongue lashing that carried with it a valid point. Geez these women today…, he thought as he scratched at the back of his head.
He knew what he did was wrong and was in no position to argue about it, nor did he want to anymore.
“Aren’t you gonna say something!?” Haley pressed.
“You’re right,” Alex solemnly replied. “I’m sorry…”
Shocked and confused, Haley took a step back. “Well…okay then,” she mellowed, lowering her arms. Her eyelashes flapped for a moment to bat away the baffle. “I really think you should be saying that to someone else right now though.”
“I know…you’re right about that too.” He lowered his head.
Haley appreciated his acceptance and submission, but gave him a questionable look anyway. “Seriously, what’s going on with you? Are you okay?”
“I’m just tired…,” he rubbed at his forehead.
“You don’t seem like yourself.”
“Well…hopefully that’s a good thing?”
That took Haley off guard. “It…it could be,” she replied, looking down at her hands. “I…uh…thank you for your apology.” Then she glanced back up at him. “What I said earlier…about hurting you…I really didn’t mean to hurt you. Or break your heart. You do know that right?”
It took a second to say, but, “Yeah,” he truthfully replied, instinctively stepping closer to her.
“You were my best friend Alex…really the only one I had. I could never intentionally hurt you.”
“I know,” he soothed, stopping just a couple of feet from her now. “I should’ve focused more on that instead of letting my anger and jealousy take over…
…Don't worry about it. It was my bad. It’s all good.”
Nodding, she said, “I’m glad.”
Soon a smile crept up on both of their faces, a mutual understanding developing between their souls. Realizing all the more that what happened really was for the best; for both of them.
“You’ve been acting differently lately too, you know,” Alex playfully noted. “Very much in a good way.”
Haley acknowledged his compliment with a smile. “Thanks. I feel different. It’s been…really nice.” She didn’t want to elaborate too much on why, out of respect to his still tender feelings. She surprised herself even by how much she had grown. “I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life. Turn over a new leaf.”
Pondering on that, Alex said, “Me too,” with a smile in return.
“Well,” Haley sighed before turning to leave, “I still expect you to make things right with Sam. Don’t think I’m not still pis’sed about that.”
“I know…and I will,” he avowed. “I just need a little time.”
She nodded. That was fair. “Guess you both do.”
Once Haley left, finally feeling closure, Alex felt all the more ready to turn over a new leaf in his life as well.
And he couldn’t wait to find out what would happen on the journey.
YAY for the women in this Chapter whipping Alex back into shape, right!?
Anyhoo, gonna go into Christmas (Snowflake Day) for the gang after this. 🎄 Then there will be a time jump. So stay tuned!
I can't believe how close this story is getting to the end...it feels unreal. But I'm glad I can still provide y'all with a few more updates before then.
Comments
I really enjoyed this update, I love how good friends Leah and Abigail have become
and how supportive Abigail is when she heard the news. I love the scene where she is contacting
the wizard, a very nice setup.
I love the galaxy tights they are gorgeous.
@emorrill I loved reading this chapter! I'm glad that Leah saw Abigail so soon. I kinda had to laugh about her worrying that Sebastian might be with her. Is it time to change room assignments?
Abigail looks lovely in her new outfit. Her hair is very pretty. I'm glad she made contact with the wizard. I was surprised she called him her dad because he didn't raise her. To me a dad is the one who raises you. I know it wasn't his choice not to raise her but just surprised at the term so early in their relationship.
I had to laugh at his abrupt response. Typical!
I think all will go well and am glad that Abigail was able to reassure her. She needs to relax and enjoy her pregnancy.
I enjoyed reading Haley and Emily's sister time together. It was nice to see Haley being open about her and Sam.
You got some great photos of Haley mooning about missing and thinking about Sam.
Hmm, what are they gonna do at 3am? Hope things work out for Sam's plans.
I wanna find out what is going on with Alex...and Maru???? Get busy writing girl!
I need a Shane picture! What's he doing? oh...never mind I have blond Shane
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Looks like the alternator died on my car and I had to get a new one put in this morning.
Anyhoot!
@KevinL5275 Thanks for the compliment on those shots of Abigail and Haley.
Yep, that's Rasmodius for ya.
Probably...not what you think.
I can't wait to share more so you can see!
@meerkattime Thanks about Abby's shirt.
Yep, Haley finally knows what it means to love someone other than herself.
Thanks for the sweet comments and compliments.
@Silverofdreams30 Thank you.
@bekkasan I'm glad you felt well enough to get on the computer today.
Thanks for the compliment on Abby's hair. Can I share a little secret with you? 🤫
I'm glad you liked Haley's declaration of her love for Sam to Emily.
What's Shane doing? Well........Maybe I can give a little teaser of what's to come.
He's gonna be playing a video game while munching on popcorn when something unfolds in the room right in front of him.
Thanks for the sweet comments. And for the chuckles. They always make my day.
Well I'm not really thinking anything as it was a rhetorical question to see what's going to happen next. There ARE times when I'm NOT thinking about woohoo, you know.
Can't wait to see though.
@KevinL5275 ^
I find that very hard to believe!
j/k
Love the idea of a bro and (step-)sis night out! I wish their relationship in the actual Stardew Valley game wasn't so strained.
I love Abigail's leggings too! Thank you for sharing that link in the big thread
Abigail was so nice to Leah even though she totally didn't expect the pregnancy to happen!
And so, the journey home begins... hopefully?
Those lines of dialogue are so in-character for the Wizard! Especially how he's doing his utmost to suppress the anxiety he must be feeling about Leah being pregnant. Great job writing those
I'm disappointed too, Leah, but at least he knows what's going on. It's a start. And I have no doubt the baby will come home safely with the rest of you because the Writer of this story wouldn't allow anything else to happen
A blessing for the baby and the mom-to-be, too! How sweet :>
Sounds like Haley had a very nice day with Sam, indeed. She's absolutely lovestruck!
That very... verbose description only confirmed Emily's suspicions!
Real, deep love really changes people, and since this is Haley's first time feeling it, I can totally see why Emily's so happy for her sister.
Yummy snacks and juicy details about Haley's newfound love sound like the perfect idea for a sister's night!
So sweet that Sam misses his new love as well
He's not lying, it does sound like he's feeling lonely.
I wonder if Emily can hear her sister on the phone? Although, the way things are going, she might be woken up sooner or later anyway!
Naughty boy Sam! Wipe that (perfectly captured) smirk off your face!
This was such a well-written update, and I'm looking forward to more!
TS4 Sims in TS3
I guess Leah and Elliott are a nice distraction like that.
You're welcome. Enjoy the leggings.
Yes, Haley was quite verbose there, wasn't she?
I appreciate your sweet comments so much!
Your signature gif makes me laugh every time!
Pelican Town to Sims Town
Continuation of Chapter 18
Noticing the car headlights flash through the windows for a split second before disappearing, jumpstarted Haley’s heart. She leapt from the couch, hands clasped tightly before her chest and fixated her eyes on the front door with a beaming, blushing smile on her face. Sam had arrived and she couldn’t wait to find out what kind of magic was going to happen between them during the remainder of the wee morning hours. Every moment with him lately had been magical, by no influence whatsoever from the world, but solely from their own two hearts.
As Sam’s footsteps grew louder, Haley’s heart quickened. She hoped she looked good for her love, throwing on whatever cute combo she could find in the dark and forgetting she cleaned off all her makeup before bed. None of that really mattered anymore though. Not with Sam. She lost a breath when she heard his light knock on the door. Quickly running some fingers through her hair, she anxiously stepped forward and opened it.
There Sam stood, within the backdrop of the setting moon, looking as handsome as ever, wearing his normal adorable smile and that silly Appaloosa Plains t-shirt he purchased during their outing yesterday. He was also carrying his acoustic guitar. “Hey you,” he charmingly greeted.
“Hey you,” Haley greeted in return, biting down on her lower lip.
“Wow…,” he breathlessly paused, his jaw lowering. Her top accentuated her striking blue eyes. “You look even more gorgeous than I was expecting. Foxy!” He winked.
Awww! She swooned from within, her shoulders meeting her chin.
Naturally she stepped to the side with her arm outstretched, gladly welcoming him in.
“You brought your guitar,” she curiously noted as they headed for the living area, sitting herself down on the sofa. “I wasn’t expecting that.”
“Yeah,” Sam expressed with some reservation, sliding the coffee table out of his way. “I’m just full of surprises.”
Haley shook her head at him with a grin. Most of the time it was true and she loved it.
Pulling over a nearby chair and setting it just a few feet before her, Sam sat himself down on it with his guitar and went on to say, “I thought I’d play some songs for you…since I know you like it…and I love to do it.”
“I do,” the blonde confirmed with a blush. “But…,” she shifted her eyes from him for a moment, “what if you wake the others?” she asked in a whisper.
“I won’t,” he assured while tightening a couple of guitar strings. “I’ll play softly.”
“Well in that case you might end up putting me to sleep,” she winked, stifling a yawn.
“No…I don’t think so,” he said with confidence.
The look in his eye held a sneaky secret, Haley could see, and it got her wondering just what he was up to.
Pretty soon the aspiring Rockstar began playing for her a very popular song known all throughout Stardew Valley, acoustic style of course. Haley found herself liking it much more than the original. But really though, she was just enamored once again over Sam and his incredible talent.
She quietly clapped at the end of the song, telling him how awesome it was, and before she knew it he went on to play another song. One from this world, that he heard playing on the radio while they were mall shopping and Haley was pleasantly surprised that he liked it upon first listen as much as she did. It was great to hear again.
After taking a quick rest from playing, Sam’s brow continued to perspire as he nervously, yet excitedly, gripped the neck of the guitar; the internal voices of his soul encouraging him on. “This last song I’m going to play,” he began, “is one I started writing about two weeks ago, and I just finished it.”
“Ooooh,” Haley expressed with excitement. She knew this would be a real treat.
“So this is its debut,” he smiled, giving her an affectionate look. “And I wanted you to be the first to hear it.”
Aww! Haley’s heart swelled, as she held her hand to it.
“So for you Haley…here it goes…” He got his fingers in position and took in a few short breaths to steady his nerves and create the right mood.
“What’s the title?” Haley asked.
There was a pause. “I hadn’t thought of it yet…”
Nodding, Haley crossed her legs and placed her hands neatly in her lap, feeling so honored that she was the first to hear what was sure to become a future hit. She gave him her full attention.
When Sam played the intro, Haley recognized the tune instantly. It was the same tune he would randomly hum to himself during the quiet moments of their get-togethers recently, and now she knew why. She already thought it was a beautiful tune - thought it to be some favorite song of his that she never heard of - but now she thought it even more beautiful hearing it on the guitar.
And what a pleasure it was to hear him sing this time around as well.
You and I crossed paths,
For the first time in my dreams.
I’ve waited so very long,
To cross an endless ocean of time.
Rising into the sky,
Above the walls of impossibility,
Not knowing if you’d ever see me,
No longer feeling alone.
Haley’s brow curiously furrowed and her eyes gradually widened as she listened to the words. The look he was giving her while he sang…was he speaking to her? Did he just write a song for her?
Her heart skipped a beat, fluttering rapidly now. Her lips closed and turned upwards into a heartfelt smile. No one had ever done something like this for her before. Then again, Sam did everything for her that no one else ever did.
I take a chance,
Standing before you with this guitar,
This fantasy becomes a beautiful story,
And my dreams become reality.
Sam’s fingers stopped as he lightly addressed, “Haley,” then went on to strum and sing the chorus.
All I want to do is,
Spend my life with you.
And all I want from you is,
A chance so I can prove my love to you…
Haley’s eyes glistened at the subtle declaration, locking her gaze with his as he stood from the stool and stepped closer to her.
Will you take a chance on me?
Let me show you how happy you’ll be.
You’ll discover a love that’s not happenstance.
Please…give me a chance?
Haley grinned behind the clasped fingers pressed upon her nose, unable to control her emotional breaths now.
Before Sam could kneel and continue with the rest of the song, Haley unsuspectingly burst up from the couch and jumped right into his arms crying “YES,” before planting her lips on his. The guitar dropped to the floor, ringing loudly, but Sam didn’t care. The girl of his dreams was in his arms, kissing him fiercely, desperately, passionately. Showing him with her lips, tongue, and movements that he was all she ever wanted. The man of her dreams.
And getting the response he had so greatly hoped for, he held her tightly and kissed her just as wildly and affectionately in return.
A few feet away, Penny and Maru peeked their heads through the bedroom doorway and grinned brightly at the romantic scene before them, a new relationship unfolding.
If they had the ability to see, they would gasp in awe at the star that formed out of nowhere and swirled around the two lover’s heads before shooting up into the ceiling, to take its designated place in the night sky.
“I love you!” Haley tearfully and breathlessly declared, gripping Sam’s cheeks to kiss him again.
Sam then carefully lowered her feet to the floor and shot her a pleasurable smirk as he teasingly asked, “You love me too?”
“Yes!” she cried with a broad smile and a sniff. “I really do. The only man in the world that I've ever loved.”
Nodding in heartfelt acceptance, Sam responded in the typical fashion, “Sweet,” with a beaming smile.
Haley chuckled at his cute antics while Sam took her cheeks and pressed his lips upon hers again. He soon led her to the sofa to kiss her more and more and more. He could drink of her love until dawn and beyond.
“Ooooh, I never thought they could look so adorable together!” Penny whispered above Maru’s head, still watching, her voice nearly squeaking with excitement for her dear friend Sam. “Isn’t it wonderful?”
Maru had to take a step back and avert her eyes from the scene now, but whispered in response, “...Yeah.” She began to wonder how this event was going to affect Alex. She could only hope that with his growing maturity, he would deal with it in an appropriate manner. Her shoulders drooped with a sigh.
Sam and Haley passionately made out on the couch until the sun came up and when it did, they fell fast asleep in each other's arms.
From that day forward, the two were inseparable. Joined at the hip, never to part.
They finally found “the one” they were always meant to be with - when they never thought it possible - and their futures were looking a whole lot better and brighter with the other person in it.
To be continued...
A/N's: Throwing in this very fitting song in conclusion.
This was a difficult scene to write (and why it took me so long to get it posted for being a short update) mostly because of coming up with lyrics for a song. I am not a poet, nor a songwriter (I know, shocker!
*Credit for the poem goes to Ronald J. Chapman ("Take a Chance," c. 2016) and credit for the thrown in song lyrics goes to Tom Higgenson/Plain White T's. From their song "Gimmie a Chance" from the Every Second Counts album (Released 2006).
Speaking of taking a chance,
Lastly, as much as I aim for realism, I just didn't feel like dressing up Sam in winter attire at the front door because...I wanted him to be wearing that t-shirt more.
Anyway, thanks always for reading, as always.
No makeup??
And Maru wandering around the house in just a bra? Oh my!
Good job on the song!
As always this is a wonderful update!
The song lyrics are beautiful, it shows how he feels about Hayley and she looks really happy after hearing
it. I loved all the poses you used here.
It was funny how Maru and Leah were spying on them hehe.
Those kisses
Great job.
@emorrill I loved reading the newest update.
Love the song that you made from the poem and the song combination. It was perfect for how Sam felt. You have great pictures showing the emotions of Haley listening to the song and Sam singing.
I love seeing Maru and Penny peeking in on them!
Yaay for the new star! Can't wait to see what you have in store when Alex discovers their new relationship. Perhaps he will soon discover there is a difference between true love and infatuation. Will Maru tell him or will he find out some other way? I know...,you are gonna make me wait to find out! Pooh!
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Music in the middle of the night? Nooo, nobody can sleep now
I like your indecor in the house - the carpet, the sofa and the arm chair, and the lamp too.
Well well, very romantic song
Ha ha @ Penny and Maru peeking at the door
Ok, time to go Penny and Maru, before you witness something that is supposed to be very private
I believe Maru will have her ways to help Alex cope with what has happened
True love doesn't care about looks, Haley! Love is blind, as they say.
I fully trust Sam isn't gonna put Haley to sleep no matter how softly he plays. I mean, guitar or no guitar, music wouldn't be the only thing keeping them up
How sweet that Haley gets to be first to hear Sam's new song
Yes Haley, your man is a musician. And he loves you. Don't look so surprised that he wrote a song just for you!
That's a great use of the default guitar-playing animation
And you guys were worried that the music would wake everyone else! Haley's probably woken them up now with her shouting and making Sam drop his guitar!
Love Maru and Penny being all sneaky! I imagine Sam and Haley wouldn't mind even being noticed by them! What a confession! So simple, yet so heartfelt
I'm with Maru, I hope Alex won't take things too harsh when he inevitably finds out.
What a night! The future certainly looks bright ahead for those two
You did a great job on the song! The lyrics are ever so slightly cheesy, but I think that's a good thing in this context, given how Sam is all head-over-heels for his girl.
As for Sam's attire, well, we'll just say running kept him warm. There.
TS4 Sims in TS3
@KevinL5275 It seems Haley is an all around good looking sim isn't she?
I knew you'd like seeing Maru in just a bra, since she's covered up all the time.
@Silverofdreams30 Aww, thank you for the sweet compliments.
Of course Penny and Maru had to spy a little.
@bekkasan ^Ha ha!
In Utah natural gas was so common that it wasn't expensive at all to keep your house at a good, warm temp during the harsh winters.
I didn't originally plan on having Penny and Maru peek in on them, but it seemed like a cute thing to add in last minute.
And yes, sorry I have to make you wait for more.
@meerkattime ^Aww, thank you.
I always chuckle at and enjoy the cute, little random thoughts you share.
(^I know that's not much of a reaction, but it's all I can give at the moment.
Thanks for the comments.
@TinySpaceFox Hey again!
Love is definitely blind!
Yep, no music from Sam could ever put Haley to sleep. He's sexy when he plays and sings.
Yep, he definitely wrote that song for her with a plan in mind.
Yeah the falling guitar totally woke Penny and Maru up, if they hadn't already been awoken by light voices outside their door.
Sometimes I like the cheesy lyrics in romantic songs.
I can't wait to share more!
@emorrill Those two are an awesome couple, I am so glad she stuck with Sam. You are definitely a hopeless romantic, I´d give you that trait any day. And writing stories like this, that trait fits so well
^Awww!
Alex is the other bloke you are referring to.
I hope to get the next part of the story written and shared as soon as possible!
Who's ready for more of Chapter 18? I've been excited to share this event for a long time. Simply because...it's epic.
This was so super fun to write and stage.
I will be starting the chapter off with a song this time, instead of ending it with one. You can play it before or after, whatever you prefer to do. I felt it was fitting in a couple of ways. And it was a good mood setter. Or I dunno, I just love sharing music.
Anyhoo, Enjoy!
Pelican Town to Sims Town
Continuation of Chapter 18
In the following days, the radiance of Sam and Haley’s true love could not be masked and it was a beautiful sight in the eyes of most everyone in the group. Except for Alex, as much as he tried to let it go. All those very recent crushed dreams and heartbroken emotions were unpleasantly unearthed from their shallow grave and brought right back up to the surface again. And something still kept eating at him, which was making it especially difficult to let go. The star gridball player hated any form of losing, especially losing to a loser. How in Stardew Valley did that happen? Such ridiculousness stung deeply at the jock ego still present within him. Haley looked so good in love, with those sparkling baby-blue eyes and genuine, bright smiles, all for Sam, which painfully reminded him of what he thought he had with her. What should have been his. It all the more fueled his upset towards her, but mostly towards Sam. He couldn’t stand the kid. Never liked him and didn’t trust him either. That was the eating issue. Because someone that annoying and stupid looking had to have some kind of hidden persona or agenda they were masking, all to work towards their own benefit. How else could Haley have fallen so hard in love with the inferior one? The brewing feelings of hate and frustration over it all festered like a zit, about ready to pop all on its own. He wasn't sure if he could keep it contained anymore.
On this particular morning at the guy’s house, Emily and Haley kissed their lovers goodbye before heading off on a sister’s shopping trip.
Christmas was still around the corner - as well as Leah’s birthday just two days beforehand - and Emily, especially, hadn’t even started her shopping for everyone. Sam figured he would hang out and have fun with his other two besties during Haley’s absence. Shane gladly sat himself back down on the bean bag in front of the TV to return to playing the new, cool video game (very similar to gridball) he discovered on his, also, unfinished Christmas shopping trip. He’d finish it with Emily later.
Abigail sat on the sofa behind him, watching him play with great interest, wishing to join in, but figured he would rather play on his own right now.
Elliott and Leah were out together somewhere and Harvey, Penny, and Maru were upstairs doing research as usual.
Alex nodded a goodbye to the exiting sisters while wallflowering in the foyer, casually checking the daily reward on the lame puzzle game on his phone.
When the car pulled out of the driveway and headed for town, all Alex could do was eyeball Sam in the distance with glowering eyes.
With Haley out of the way, he suddenly felt the push to give in to his festering emotions; his better judgement becoming skewered by the sudden force.
Sebastian, with his back turned to Alex and not noticing his slithering closer, gave Sam a little fist bump and whispered, “Yeah! You and Haley bro! You two look amazing together!”
Sam proudly returned the fist bump, not noticing Alex either, because he was readying his plastic players for an epic new game of foosball. He was gonna roast Sebastian this time around!
The sound of Alex’s sneakers halting beside him, alerted Sebastian of his presence. “Oh. Hey Alex,” came the awkward greet. “Come to watch us play?”
“Not exactly,” Alex dryly responded, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeballing the man on the other side of the table. “Congrats to you and Haley, Sam.”
Sam’s head popped up in surprise, Shane and Abigail glanced over in a like manner.
“Uhh, thanks,” Sam naturally replied with a cracked, bemused smile. He wasn’t expecting that. Not so soon anyway.
Alex flashed a fake smile before going on to say, “So tell me Sam, is this how you musicians get the girls you want? Play to be the perfect guy and serenade them with songs just so you can steal them away from their boyfriends?”
Abigail’s mouth dropped. That was enough to get Shane to pause the game and fully turn in the guy’s direction now, the feeling in the room escalating.
“What!?” Sebastian cried in a defensive, yet flabbergasted manner over Alex’s audacity. But Alex stood his ground and continued to eyeball his rival.
Sam just dismissively shook his head and turned his attention back to the little plastic foosball players. “You dunno what you’re talking about man...”
“Don’t I?” Alex protested, stepping closer with balled fists.
“Yeah!” Sam fired back. “You don’t know me. And what you think you know about me is wrong.”
“Oh I know enough!” Alex huffed. “You think I haven’t noticed your attempts to snag Haley away from me this whole time? Like that one time when you kept slapping her butt in the garden while you guys were playing in the sprinklers? Trying to turn her on, right there in front of me!”
“That was just some innocent flirting,” Sam countered, not entirely proud of who he was when they started this quest and didn’t need the reminder. “Besides, she wasn’t even your girlfriend at the time!”
“Yes she was!” Alex half-lied. “She was always my girl and you knew it! You should’ve left well enough alone!”
Sebastian slid over to stand beside his best friend, showing Alex with his scowl that he had Sam's back and was ready to defend him if necessary.
“I wasn’t even trying to…you know what?” Sam stopped, raising his palm in the air. There was no point in arguing with Alex. He was done with all of this. Beyond tired of it. “You wanna fight?” he approached Alex now, his face stopping mere inches from his. “Bring it! Let’s end this once and for all!” His nostrils flared like a bull’s as his broad, muscly shoulders flexed, continuing to stare the athlete down. “I’m not afraid of you!”
Not anymore.
Truthfully, Sam’s confidently abrupt confrontation caused Alex to quake, but he would never back down. This was Sam. The scrawny little punk kid he grew up with. He could take him on easily, even if Sam had managed to beef himself up a little. The athlete was strangely impressed by it.
Shane grinned brightly at the two, getting himself comfortable and grabbing some more popcorn to munch on. He was going to love watching this. For once he wasn’t the one involved in a brawl.
On the flip side, Abigail’s eyes bugged out with fear.
Alex threw the first punch, almost knocking Sam to the floor.
“You son of a b***h!” Sebastian seethed, launching himself at Alex - Abigail crying out his name in the process - but Sam stopped him with an outstretched arm.
“I got this Seb!”
Sebastian’s eyes glowered at Alex as he helped Sam back up onto his feet, the spikey haired guy stammering in the process. That hurt…his cheekbone stung with every pulse beat, but he didn’t care. He went right ahead and gave Alex just as good of a blow in return, giving this fight his all.
“YEAH!” Shane cheered with a mouth full of popcorn while punching at the air with his fist. "Fight! Fight!"
“STOP IT!” Abigail cried out over the back and forth punches between the two guys. It was getting intense.
The foosball table ended up getting knocked over during the brawl, making a terribly loud sound that rang all throughout the house. It alerted the three upstairs and they came rushing down to see what was going on.
Pinning Alex to the floor, Sam wailed on him now; blow after blow after blow. Years of repressed feelings coming out through his fists.
Alex did somewhat well shielding himself from the punches with his arms, but one epic punch made its way through and popped him in the nose. Blood dripped from it within seconds.
“That’s right Sam! GET HIM!” Sebastian cheerfully egged on. It was about time his best friend stood up to Alex and his ridiculous and unknown hate towards him. Well…before he won over the dude’s ex-girlfriend.
“Shane DO something!” Abigail implored, considering using her magic to stop the fight, but feeling too emotionally unstable to properly do so.
“Why?” Shane simply responded. “Looks like Sam is taking care of it all on his own.” He popped another puffy kernel into his mouth with enjoyment.
Abigail rolled her eyes with an exasperated breath, readying her hands to cast a spell, until she heard…
“Hey hey hey hey hey!” Harvey cried, rushing over to the scene and bravely pulling the two brawlers apart, planting himself firmly between them with outstretched arms. “Break it up! We’re not doing this gentlemen…” It didn’t take a genius to know what they were fighting over. Nevertheless the two tried to push past Harvey’s arms in rage anyway. “We are NOT doing this gentlemen!” Harvey sharply repeated himself, stiffening his arms. “I will not be patching the two of you up simply because you decided to throw unnecessary punches at each other!”
Then he turned his head toward Alex and sternly yet sympathetically whispered, “There are better ways to handle this…”
“Hey while you’re at it there Harvey,” Sam interjected, “why don’t you tell Alex that he should think twice before picking fights over false assumptions and LOSING over it!” He boomed to purposely hurt the athlete’s pride. It felt so good!
“That’s right!” Sebastian hissed.
“Enough!” the Doctor yelled, shooting quick glances between Sam and Alex. “Now the two of you go to your rooms and cool off.”
“With pleasure,” Sam spat out while still giving Alex a death stare, then turned for his bedroom with Sebastian in tow.
Alex panted as he wiped the blood from his nose with his bare arm, every eye in the room locked onto him. He sharply turned for the solitude of his bedroom, but not before noticing Maru’s piercing gaze at him near the stairway. He stopped, seeing her head slightly shake at him, her expression filled with disappointment. It wrung at his heart.
He pressed his lips together and quickened his pace, right on past her and straight into his bedroom. She continued to watch him until he slammed the door.
“Aww man Harvey,” Shane broke the silence with a half-tease, leaning back into the bean bag. “Why did you have to interrupt such a good show?”
“Shane…,” the Doctor turned to with a sigh, “not now, alright?”
Shane just shrugged and turned his body and attention back to his paused game. Abigail went to join Sam and Sebastian in their bedroom; mostly to make sure Sam was alright and also to chide her boyfriend for not stopping the fight.
Penny stepped over and gave Harvey a hug, relieved that he didn’t get hurt while abruptly stepping in the middle of those two. Harvey tenderly kissed the top of her head in comfort.
Maru glanced back over at Alex’s door, debating within herself as to what she should do. Leave him alone or talk to him?
She decided on the latter.
*****************
A/N:
So...obviously Alex does not shine in this scene (kinda got what he deserved) but that aside...what lesson might he learn from this?
While I am sure that most of you understand, I hope this doesn't produce more of a distaste for Alex to some of you who aren't fans. He really is a good guy - and has grown in some good ways - he just got caught up in his anger, heartbreak, preconceived notions, and perhaps even a little jealousy. Like so many of us, being human, tend to do at least once in our lives.
Maybe now that he's released all those pent up emotions, he can finally move past Haley and the break-up and move forward in his life.
How will it go with Maru talking to him? And how will Haley react when she hears about it?
Stay tuned to find out!
Grabs my coffee and settles in to read.
Oh Alex! You are thinking way too much! Such a jock with your hate of any one different than you. (great song for the update even though I don't really like that group...
Sweet kisses. Like they are gonna be separated for days instead of a few hours.
Emily's short hair suits her face.
Do guys call each other besties? Hmmm? I'm out of touch with the lingo.
Cute pictures of Shane
Abigail should play with him. Much more fun than just watching.
Oh dag Alex, how stupid! He deserves so much more than Haley if he would just think about it. But despite his act of confidence, he really doesn't have much. He relies on his rep from high school to carry him through. Haley and Sam deserve each other. (sorry, still not a fan of Haley but I do like Sam because he represents the underdog and I always root for them. I think he will always cherish and love Haley and despite the changes she is making, she needs that in her life.)
Fun fight though. Glad Sam told Seb to back off. Your poses were great. I kinda agree with Shane
Who taught Sam to fight? Muscles don't equate knowledge. All Sam's exercises did build his muscles though, and how did no one notice he is not scrawny anymore.
haha, Papa Harvey stopping the fight. I dunno, it would have been cool to see Abigail zap them both.
I dunno about Harvey sending them to their rooms like bratty kids though. Yeah, they needed to cool off but they are not kids despite acting like them.
Great blood drip!
Wonderful update and I look forward to seeing what happens when Maru and Alex talk.
No Alex didn't shine and you know he is not my favorite either so it didn't change my opinion of him. Just showed he still has that jock inside of him instead of a man.
The Cowboy and the Mermaid
Oh I know you don't like Plain White T's.
Yeah Alex is definitely being a man-child... ^Thanks.
I knew you would enjoy seeing Shane
I absolutely love what you said here.
Hee hee, I'm glad you found Shane's kicking back and eating popcorn while watching the fight humorous. (I was laughing while writing it and laughing even harder while staging it.
It reminds me of that moment on the "Christmas Story" movie where Ralphie (the main character, kind of a chubby, average, underdog kid) finally had enough with the Bully picking on him and his friends every day after school so in a moment of great, emotional disappointment - and once again confronted by the Bully - he just lunged himself at the Bully and wailed on him like there was no tomorrow, royally kicking the kid's trash!!
I think it's because they were acting like children that he was like, "Just go to your rooms and cool off."
Thanks for the compliment on my mad blood drip Paint skills.
It fills me with so much happy that you enjoyed this update and I look forward to sharing the next part with you as well.
Hey girl!
This was a great update!, I loved how you staged it,
I know Alex did wrong and that he's angry but it is no good going to hit someone else just because you are angry,
but I know what kind of character he's supposed to be in the game and you wrote it well.
Great job!
That was great, such suspense and a shocking twist ending.
And you leave us hanging with the Maru-Alex interaction at the end. Grrr!
Yeah...Alex let his emotions get the better of him and...it appears he still has some growing up to do.
@KevinL5275 ^Ha ha!
Guess it was a little surprising for Sam to win the fight, eh?
Yeah, sorry for ending it there...I still have to work on the details of that event...and the one following.
Glad you enjoyed this update.
So I wanted to share a little something.
I was watching a couple of LDS/Mormon comedy movies from my High School days today for grins and giggles (actually more like laughing to the point where I almost peed myself a couple of times!
Right!?
Hope y'all are having a great day.
"How in Stardew Valley did that happen?" Lol!
Pretty Christmas decor and cute kisses. Isn't young love sweet
Alex looks surprisingly good when he's angry
Well, if I try to be fair, Alex is not all wrong though - Sam was trying to get Haley from him all the time. That is not a bad thing because in the end it was actually the best for them all, even Alex, and he will realize it in the future, but still.
Sebastian looks nice too when he's angry
Oh no, this is really is going towards fighting...
Shane and his popcorns
No!! Boys, stop that, immediately!!
Sam is winning
Good job, Harvey! It was about time to stop that silliness!
“Now the two of you go to your rooms and cool off.” He he, Harvey is talking to them like he was talking to kids. But then again, they are behaving like kids.
I understand Maru's disappointment... But... I still hope she'll talk to Alex soon. He needs a friend too.
Go talk to him, Maru! Now! I think he needs a listening ear.
Yes!! I want to see how this continues!
Yes, I love seeing young love.
True, Sam was pretty infatuated with Haley, even when she and Alex started dating. But as time went on, Sam began to mature and started to show some pretty decent respect to Alex by backing away from his feelings for his girlfriend...If only Alex had known that.
Yuuuup, there's gonna be a fight... ^Indeed. I think Alex was emotionally charged in all the wrong ways, while Sam was emotionally charged in all the right ways...and that's how he came out victorious.
Yep, Harvey is sending them off like the little kids that they were being. But to be fair to Sam, he acknowledged that Alex was the one at fault for the fight. (And being the more childish one.)
I think you and everyone else will like Maru's chat with Alex.
Thanks for the comments.
I was severely lacking in the pose department for the way I imagined (and wrote) these scenes so...I made do with that I had. I'm sure y'all can imagine the rest.
Got another song to ring in at the beginning of the update again.
"Castle of Glass" - Linkin Park
Pelican Town to Sims Town
Continuation of Chapter 18
Maru approached Alex’s door and stopped to listen for a moment.
Nothing.
Gently, she knocked on the door, turning the knob at the same time and quietly entered. The broken man sat on the edge of his bed in an emotional stillness, his head lowered towards the resting, clasped hands in his lap. Normally she’d never enter a man’s room without his permission, but in this case, it felt okay. Almost necessary. Some powerful force was pulling her soul towards him, but most of that force was driven by her own feelings. Her feet stopped about four feet from him, her arms crossing over her chest all on their own, telling him that she was here and listening.
As Alex lifted his head up to acknowledge her presence, she could see the tears resting on his eyelids, waiting to be released. Of course he didn’t let them. He wiped at his nose with his arm again, taking the remains of the smeared, dried blood with it as he said, “Come to tell me you’re disappointed in me? Go ahead and say it,” he shifted his gaze toward the wall, “you wouldn’t be the first…”
Maru closed her eyes for a moment, hating his negativity and self-loathing, but she understood why. Yet it was time to put an end to it.
“I’m not going to express my disappointment,” she simply said, “but I do think you could’ve handled that better.”
Not what Alex wanted to hear.
“Well can you blame me!?” he snapped, throwing his hands up in protest and dropping them onto his lap. “You can’t tell me that if you were in my shoes you wouldn’t have reacted in the same way!”
Maru held her stance. “I sympathize with your feelings Alex, I’m not disregarding how hurt you feel. But you once told me that we’re not in high school anymore. That we’ve all matured from those days. Yet what you did back there,” she pointed with her thumb at the door, “was a very immature, high school Alex response!”
Alex jerked his head away from her, hating the harsh truth and verbal slap to the face; with his own words even. It all the more fueled the raging fire within him and oh how he wanted to yell something back at her in defense. And yet…he lowered his head again and shook it with a sigh.
She was right.
He couldn’t deny it and he couldn’t fight it anymore.
He couldn’t be angry at her either; that made his heart ache just feeling it for a few fleeting seconds.
“That’s not you anymore,” Maru went on. “You’re better than that now. I’ve seen it. And I know you still are.”
Her words miraculously doused the raging flames in his troubled soul like a mid-summer monsoon. Oh how much it meant the world to him to hear it, he didn’t fully realize…
She still believes in me, he thought with a relieved and comforted heart. How he came off to her mattered to him more than with anyone else in the world.
“You’re right,” he softly admitted, raising his head to meet her gaze. “I don’t know what came over me. Actually…I do. But I just,” he sighed, slapping a hand down onto his leg again, the embers within still burning, “I hate knowing that I lost Haley to HIM! Of all the guys in Stardew Valley…”
Maru just shook her head. “Sam is a good guy, Alex. He really is. If you had taken the time to truly get to know him, instead of making snap judgements about him all these years, you would see that.”
“I know…,” he surprisingly acknowledged. “And maybe I’ve always known that…it’s just,” he somewhat tittered, “I was captain of the gridball team. I had to pick on someone. He was the obvious target.”
Maru shook her head again with a hint of an eye-roll and a cracked smile as she sat down beside him. “Not anymore,” she kindly reminded him, with a light pat on the leg. “That’s not you anymore.”
Alex looked down at her hand and then back up into her eyes with an appreciative smile. “Yeah…”
Closer now, the two’s heads began to lean into each other. Alex adoring her rich brown eyes, so full of affection and that spu'nk he was beginning to love about her, while Maru briefly got a whiff of his cologne or deodorant, she didn’t know which, that teased at her hormones. He was so attractive that a girl would have to be an utter fool not to notice or melt like butter in his presence. Her attention then turned to his nose, with flecks of dried blood still present on the inside of the one nostril. Instinctively she reached up and carefully lifted it with her thumb to get a better look. “How’s your nose? I hope it’s not broken…”
“It’s not,” Alex assured. “Trust me, I know what a broken nose feels like.”
Bouncing her eyebrows she said, “I’m sure you do,” then drew herself back a little.
But Alex kept leaning in, subconsciously. “So…if Sam is as good of a guy as you say he is, is that really why you kissed him that one night?” He smirked. “Not just to pull a prank.”
Maru inadvertently blushed as her smile widened, knowing what he was really asking. She played to think his question over for a moment. “Maybe…but the fact of the matter is, which I believe you pointed out also that night,” she winked, “he isn’t my type. Plus he’s always been that second brother to me so it would feel weird to date him regardless.”
Alex nodded. That made sense. “So,” he paused, somewhat hesitating to ask, “what is your type then?”
“You know,” she stopped and thought with a sigh, clasping her hands within her lap and gazing at the wall. “I always thought I knew, but now…,” she returned her eyes to his, “I don’t know.” She shrugged.
His gorgeous smile appeared again. “You want a Brainiac,” he expressed with certainty, looking down at his hands, “just like yourself…”
Maru could detect the disappointment in his voice, which is why she said, “Brains aren’t everything Alex…” Which was definitely something she had been discovering for a while now.
Alex flashed her a warmhearted smile as he returned his gaze to his hands, beginning to twiddle his thumbs. “Guess I dunno what my type is either anymore…” The hurt tried to surface again, but he wasn’t going to let it. It needed to pass.
Maru lowered her head in sympathy. When she looked back up, her eyes were pleasantly met with Alex’s again.
“Hopefully we’ll both figure it out soon,” he simply said.
“Yeah,” she nodded with a smile.
“In the meantime,” he sighed, “I guess…we just keep doing this quest thing…”
“Right…,” she expressed with an eye-roll.
“Gosh I’m so tired of it.”
“Me too!” she exclaimed louder than intended. “I mean it’s definitely been an incredible learning experience and let’s face it, we all look better than we’ve ever looked before in this world so that’s nice.”
Alex wholly nodded at that.
“But man, I just can’t shake off feeling like the Wizard did this for some sneaky reason, or whatever his whole reasoning was for sending us on this 'quest.' I really haven't been able to figure it out! It’s terribly frustrating!”
“Welcome to the non-genius life…”
A playful shoulder bump met his as they chuckled.
“I miss Dusty,” Alex randomly expressed. “I’ve needed his puppy loves lately.”
Maru smiled at him with a gleam in her eye. She’d nearly forgotten about his faithful watchdog, behind the small fenced in area, scaring people away from his grandparent’s house with growls ever since they moved in with them. “I’m sure he misses his owner’s loves too.”
The affectionate and appreciative look in his eye melted Maru’s heart. He was having that effect on her more and more recently and…she wasn’t quite sure how to process it. So much of her heart and soul wanted to explore it - she could feel his did too - but so much was still up in the air between the two. A bit more personal growth was needed, mainly for Alex. Time is what would help everything become grounded. Whether that would happen on this quest or back home, neither could be sure. In the meantime, they just had to keep on living and fulfill the seemingly never ending quest.
“Thanks Maru,” Alex heartfully expressed, interrupting her thoughts. “I really needed this…even the verbal butt whoopin.’” He chuckled.
Maru chuckled too, proudly brushing some hair behind her ear.
“But seriously…thanks for caring and…being here for me.” His hand twitched, longing to take hers into it, but it didn’t quite feel appropriate.
“You’re welcome,” she kindly expressed in return. “What are friends for?”
He smiled. He loved being her friend. It should’ve been like this between them years ago.
“I know it won’t be easy, but I know you can overcome this and move forward Alex,” she continued. “Make amends. Accomplish your goals. Reach for your dreams. You're a lot stronger than you think you are. And in the meantime, if you need anything…,” now her hand longed to take his, “I’m here - for you - to help.”
“Thanks,” he concluded with that swoon-worthy smile of his again.
The two then stood from the bed, sensing from the other that it was time to part, but maybe not exactly wanting to.
Alex stepped ahead of Maru and opened the door for her. “Thank you,” she whispered as she exited. He nodded while leaning against the doorframe, watching her leave. He loved that she glanced back at him for a moment before completely disappearing.
Wow. She really is somethin', he thought with an impressed, smitten, and aroused head shake.
It had been a long time since he felt this better and empowered after speaking to someone and he knew what he needed to do.
It would be hard, but it was time to tell himself that he could do hard things outside of the gym and the gridball field. It was time to act like an adult. BE an adult. Be the man his father never was, who he always wanted himself to be.
In an hour's time, Alex cleaned himself up with a shower and then relaxed on his bed with a book. When he finished the chapter his stomach growled loudly in want of food. He didn’t realize he had skipped lunch. Just as he was about ready to put a shirt on and head for the kitchen, someone came bursting into his bedroom with a raging start.
“What the h*** is the matter with you!?” Haley sternly addressed with raised palms.
Oh boy...
“I’m gone for a couple of hours and return to find out that you got in a fight with Sam!? Good GOSH Alex, I thought we were past this!”
“Haley, I–” he attempted to calm.
“Sam had NOTHING to do with the break-up, you understand! It was me! ALL me! So if you’re gonna pick a fight with someone, pick it with ME!” She pointed at herself. “The person that actually hurt you. Otherwise,” she threw her arms into a folded position, “BACK OFF!”
With raised eyebrows, Alex blew out a breath through puckered lips. He certainly couldn’t blame his former girlfriend for bursting in and yelling at him like this. And once again it was a well deserved tongue lashing that carried with it a valid point. Geez these women today…, he thought as he scratched at the back of his head.
He knew what he did was wrong and was in no position to argue about it, nor did he want to anymore.
“Aren’t you gonna say something!?” Haley pressed.
“You’re right,” Alex solemnly replied. “I’m sorry…”
Shocked and confused, Haley took a step back. “Well…okay then,” she mellowed, lowering her arms. Her eyelashes flapped for a moment to bat away the baffle. “I really think you should be saying that to someone else right now though.”
“I know…you’re right about that too.” He lowered his head.
Haley appreciated his acceptance and submission, but gave him a questionable look anyway. “Seriously, what’s going on with you? Are you okay?”
“I’m just tired…,” he rubbed at his forehead.
“You don’t seem like yourself.”
“Well…hopefully that’s a good thing?”
That took Haley off guard. “It…it could be,” she replied, looking down at her hands. “I…uh…thank you for your apology.” Then she glanced back up at him. “What I said earlier…about hurting you…I really didn’t mean to hurt you. Or break your heart. You do know that right?”
It took a second to say, but, “Yeah,” he truthfully replied, instinctively stepping closer to her.
“You were my best friend Alex…really the only one I had. I could never intentionally hurt you.”
“I know,” he soothed, stopping just a couple of feet from her now. “I should’ve focused more on that instead of letting my anger and jealousy take over…
…Don't worry about it. It was my bad. It’s all good.”
Nodding, she said, “I’m glad.”
Soon a smile crept up on both of their faces, a mutual understanding developing between their souls. Realizing all the more that what happened really was for the best; for both of them.
“You’ve been acting differently lately too, you know,” Alex playfully noted. “Very much in a good way.”
Haley acknowledged his compliment with a smile. “Thanks. I feel different. It’s been…really nice.” She didn’t want to elaborate too much on why, out of respect to his still tender feelings. She surprised herself even by how much she had grown. “I’m ready to start a new chapter in my life. Turn over a new leaf.”
Pondering on that, Alex said, “Me too,” with a smile in return.
“Well,” Haley sighed before turning to leave, “I still expect you to make things right with Sam. Don’t think I’m not still pis’sed about that.”
“I know…and I will,” he avowed. “I just need a little time.”
She nodded. That was fair. “Guess you both do.”
Once Haley left, finally feeling closure, Alex felt all the more ready to turn over a new leaf in his life as well.
And he couldn’t wait to find out what would happen on the journey.
YAY for the women in this Chapter whipping Alex back into shape, right!?
Anyhoo, gonna go into Christmas (Snowflake Day) for the gang after this. 🎄 Then there will be a time jump.
I can't believe how close this story is getting to the end...it feels unreal. But I'm glad I can still provide y'all with a few more updates before then.
Thanks always for reading. 🤗