Chapter 1.1: New Beginnings

So here we go! Chapter one of the first generation! I’m excited. Are you excited? I hope so! At least a little? Heh. As you’ll see I took a somewhat different approach with this first character, but I like her and I hope you will too ^_^ Now, without further blathering, I present to you, chapter one.

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I could hardly breathe once the taxi dropped me off at my new home. This place was so…perfect. For me at least. It was beautiful, peaceful, and best of all, far away from the smog and chaos of Bridgeport, where I had lived my entire life thus far. I hated it there. I really did. I mean, not everything there was terrible- I did like my family and there was certainly never a dull moment, but you just couldn’t ever escape it.

Sometimes, I would go to the Butterfly Esplanade, stand right in the middle of it, and close my eyes, imagining that I was in a place far, far away from Bridgeport. I’d really feel like I was too, that is, until I opened my eyes. Then I would see the massive glass dome surrounding me and the fakeness of it all would hit me like a pack of llamas. I knew that as soon as I turned 18, I would leave- and that’s exactly what I did.

So now here I was, Aubrey Winters, a young adult now and in Neverglade, ready to start a whole new life. I already knew what I wanted to do- I wanted to grow a perfect little garden and live off my profits, have a family, and live a simple life. In Bridgeport, despite all the city chaos, my family had always maintained a small garden in the backyard. It had been there for years. I think it dated back to my grandparent’s time, when they lived on a massive farm in Riverview, but when a terrible drought hit the area, they were forced to leave and moved to the city where there were still jobs available. They missed it though. Farming. So they planted that small garden as a memoir. I had always been captivated by that story and the one time I felt completely happy in Bridgeport was when I was gardening- so of course I was going to make that my life.

As I reminisced, I closed my eyes, breathing in the sweet air of Neverglade and letting myself completely forget Bridgeport. And this time, when I opened my eyes- everything was real.

First thing was first though- as lovely as this tract of land was, I needed a home, so I immediately hired a small construction crew and got to work. I spent my days on the lot, telling the workers what I wanted and helping out where I could- despite my appearance, I wasn’t a girly girl. In fact, I got pretty ticked off when people underestimated me. Actually, I kind of got ticked off a lot. I guess you could say I have a bit of a temper. Oh, and my mom always went on about how childish I acted, but whatever. I figured I was just bitter because I didn’t like it there. In Bridgeport I mean. Perhaps here I could really start anew….

Man, I go off tangents a lot. Where was I? Ah yes, my days were spent on the lot helping out and my nights were spent at a small hotel in town. I would have rather stayed on my lot, but unless I wanted to sleep on a plank of wood that wasn’t exactly an option. One day though, finally, I arrived at the lot to find my first home completed. I didn’t have much money, so I hadn’t been able to afford to do much with it, but I didn’t care. This was my home and I loved it.

Unfortunately though, building this home pretty much took everything I had, so I had to get earning money- and fast. That’s when I planted my first seeds. You’ll probably think I’m weird for saying this, but there is no greater feeling than getting your hands in the soil and making life spring from it. It was such an incredible process. That is, the radical transformation these tiny little seeds would make. And I would make sure it happened. I kind of had a knack for gardening. Maybe it was all that time I spent outside in the garden back home, or maybe it was just in my blood, but regardless I could make any plant thrive.

And so I did. One morning when I got up to tend the garden, I noticed that the first signs of life had begun to sprout in my little garden. I was so excited that I immediately took a taxi to City Hall where I registered myself as a self-employed gardener. Now everyone would know who to come to if they needed any produce. Finally, my dreams were starting to come true!

As the days went by my plants grew more and more under my care. Everyday I weeded them, watered them, and even talked to them sometimes, partly because I hadn’t met anyone else yet and partly because I knew it would help them thrive. Soon enough I even had my first harvest to sell. I quickly, but carefully, harvested all my crops, put them neatly in a box, and headed to the grocery store, which I had heard was always looking for fresh produce to buy.

Luckily, what I had heard was true! The supermarket was thrilled to have locally grown produce to sell (probably because they could sell it for more since organic foods were in such high demand) and paid me a fair amount for my product- 171 simoleons!  Okay, so it wasn’t all that much, but still, I was happy.

“Woooo!” I cried out as soon as I left the store. “I just got some money, I just got some money, I just got some moneyyyyy, for my awesome crops!” I sang.

“….did you just sing that to the tune of Freezer Bunny’s Clues?” a voice asked from somewhere to my left, sounding incredulous, but bemused.

“What?” I asked, turning in the direction of the voice and feeling horribly embarrassed. Deny it, deny it all! “No, of course not. I’m not a little kid you know!” I harrumphed, putting my hands on my hips.

“No, of course not. Now where did your parents run off to?” he responded with a grin, putting his hands on his hips in what I realized was a ridiculous impersonation of me.

“Hey, what gives you the right to talk to me like that? You don’t even know me!”

“I doubt your parents would approve of that attitude,” the man tutted, shaking his head.

I clenched my fists angrily. Seriously, who WAS this guy? Who the hell just randomly mocks someone on the street, especially when they’re so clearly happy? This guy was irritating the crap out of me. And you know what? I DID have a bad temper and I was going to let him have it!

Before I could open my mouth though the young man laughed, shaking his head. “I’m kidding, I’m kidding, relax. I just thought I’d break the ice. You’re new around here, aren’t you?”

I narrowed my eyes at the man for a second, considering him. What a stupid way to break the ice. Instead of using an ice pick he had thrown a reindeer. WHO DOES THAT? I was about to yell at him anyway, but a tiny voice that sounded annoyingly like my mother’s chimed into my head: “Hey, hey…it’s okay. He’s just introducing himself.” Sigh. Thanks, ghostly mom voice. I mean conscience.

“Err…yeah,” I said, forcing a bit of a smile. “Um…I’m A-A-Aubrey, Aubrey Winters.”

Ugh, now that I wasn’t angry, I suddenly felt so nervous and awkward. Did I mention that I’m horribly and painfully shy? Yeah…you probably wouldn’t know it after I just described that outburst to you…but I am. I’m good with people who are close to me…and I’m evidently pretty good when I lose my temper, but any other time meeting new people made my stomach churn, my palms sweaty, and my heart beating all erratically. It was awful.

“Suddenly so shy,” he commented, seemingly amused. “I’m Noah. Noah Danes.” He shot me a dashing grin. You know, one of those smoldering you-know-you-want-me grins. Wowwwwww. Who did this guy think he was?

“Cool,” I said stupidly. Cool? COOL!? ARGHARHGARGH. I was going to kick myself!!!  Or maybe him because he was still looking at me with that stupid grin on his face!!!! ….okay, okay, temper check. Maturity check. Deep breath. You are a grown woman now. “Nice to meet you,” I added politely. Sigh.

“And you. So…you like butterflies, I see,” Noah commented, shifting awkwardly and clearly struggling to find something to talk about. Hrmm. Now he seemed to be the nervous one. Wait, what was I talking about? Now it seemed we were BOTH nervous.

“Yeah…”

“I like fish. I mean I like to fish, you know,” he said, stumbling over his words at first, but immediately perking up at the mention of fishing. Apparently the very thought of it brought him great joy, which was fine. I guess?

“Oh, yeah, that’s fun. I’ve gone a few times. I just like, you know, being outdoors.”

“Me too.”

“Cool,” I murmured, averting my gaze.

“Yeah.”

Oh my gosh, I was about to scream from the awkwardness. My cheeks were burning and my heart was beating so fast I was pretty sure it was going to explode or something. I needed to get away…now.

“You just can’t take this, can you?” Noah suddenly teased, seeming to regain some of his confidence as he shot me another grin.

“WHAT?” I asked, angrily. “What kind of comment is that!? Does that actually win you women? ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!” I exploded, my shyness suddenly gone once again now that I was ticked off.

“I’m just kidding around! Good God, are you nuts?” Noah asked, looking alarmed.

“Urgh! You are so rude!” I said, clenching my fists and stomping my foot.

“And you need anger management classes!”

“OH YEAH! Well you-” I began, but stopped as I suddenly realized what I was doing. Why was I getting so worked up over this? I needed to calm down. I was an adult now. Young, yes, but still an adult. My mom was right. I was childish. “Never mind,” I mumbled. “I have to go. It’s getting kind of late.”

Noah looked surprised at the sudden change in tone. “Oh. Yeah. Okay.”

“Bye Aubrey….”

I turned away and gave him a little wave before setting off. Or rather, running off as fast as I could in the direction of my safe, quiet home. Great. The first person around my age that I met and I acted like a total spaz in front of him. I felt like such an idiot. Then again, he really was annoying. Ridiculously cute, yes, but annoying because he knew it. Ugh. Those kinds of people drove me nuts.

That night, it took me a while to get to sleep. I was so horribly embarrassed by the way I had acted. What was it about him that got me so mad anyway? …what was it about me? I wiped a tear angrily from my eye and turned on my side.

He might have been irritating and I might have made a complete fool of myself…but I realized that he was the first person I had really talked to since arriving in Neverglade. The thought made me feel incredibly lonely.

Sniffling, I hugged my pillow and tried desperately not to think of my house in Bridgeport. This was home now and besides my social life, everything was wonderful. It would get better. I was just new. Everything would be okay.

With that reassuring thought, I finally drifted off to sleep. Tomorrow was a new day, after all.

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AN: So what did you think? Like it? Love it? Dislike it? Let me know! Constructive criticism is always appreciated ^_^ As I said, I went for something a little different with this first character, making her childish and hot-headed and seeing where it went from there. She’s certainly interesting, I’ll say that XD One minute she’s all shy in my game and the next she sneaking up behind people and scaring them. *shakes head* Keeps it fun though =) ANYWAY, blathering on just like Aubrey does, thank you so much for reading and I hope to have the next chapter up in a week, week and a half or so!! *fingers crossed*