It's Claire's first year in the Forget-Me-Not valley and she's fit to be tied when someone knocks on her door at six in the morning. But instead of the person at the door being Thomas, Rick, or even Popuri, it's someone she has never met before. Rated K+... for now.
A knock on the door. Claire sat up in her bed. What? Usually when someone knocked on her door at six in the morning, there was a festival tomorrow. Or…, she thought bitterly, it was Thomas waking her up to tell her he had found her ball. Well, she had checked her calendar yesterday; there were no festivals. Then again, what did she know? She had only been here one season, after all.
Claire listened again for a knock. Nothing. She was about to go back to sleep, thinking she had only dreamed it, when the knocking sounded again, this time louder and more urgent. Claire groaned. She stumbled out of bed and to the door wearing only old sweat pants and a ratty t-shirt.
"What, Thomas?!" Claire growled as she threw the door open.
Staring back at her was a handsome, but unfamiliar face. Claire blushed as she suddenly became self-conscious of her old pajamas and tangled blonde rat's nest.
"Uh, sorry..." She mumbled. She was expecting whoever this was to scold her for being rude- though in her defense, she did just wake up- and storm off, but he only chuckled.
"Don't worry about it," he smiled. "I get the same way in the morning." When Claire didn't respond, he kept talking "I'm Kai, by the way. I own the Snack Shack, you know, on the beach. Tomorrow's the first day of Summer, and to celebrate, I'm making it all-you-can-eat." When she still didn't respond, Kai just fiddled with his purple bandanna.
"So... Is that an invitation?" Claire finally asked.
"Well, yeah," he responded. "Hope to see you there! Oh, and try to wear something a little more... not that," he grinned, staring at Claire' pajamas.
She rolled her eyes. "So, how come I've never seen you around before?" she asked quizzically.
"Oh, I'm only here for the Summer. I've got a room over at the Inner Inn," Kai said motioning with his hand.
"That's nice," Claire said. "Ruby's a good cook."
"Yeah, she taught me a lot," he agreed. "Well, I'll see you around!"
Kai turned to walk off, and Claire started to close her door when he suddenly said "Wait!"
Claire looked up into his chocolate brown eyes. "Yeah?"
"I don't know your name."
"Oh! Claire! It's Claire!" she smiled.
"Claire..." Kai pondered. "Well, I'll be counting on you this Summer!" he said turning around.
"Yeah..." Claire called back. What was she supposed to say? What was that supposed to mean? Whatever, she thought, dismissing her confusion.
Claire went back inside to change into something less "what-she-was-wearing-now" as Kai put it. Today was going to be a busy day.
As Claire hacked away at her strawberry plants, she thought about the stranger at her door that morning. He said his name was Kai, and from the looks of him, he wasn't from the valley. His skin was incredibly dark compared to the marshmallow-white valley natives. Not that it was unattractive, Claire told herself. And what was with that bandanna? I mean, he must be out in the sun a lot, but why a bandanna? Why not a hat? He certainly was strange. Questions about this boy overwhelmed her mind as she worked. But there was no sense in wondering now. She had seeds to sow.
Annnd... chapter one is complete. I do intend to post more chapters, but don't expect many updates because, well, I don't really know where I'm going with this story. Anyway, please review! I know it was short, but if I added anything else, it would come off as rambling, and well, I do enough of that in real life XD