Chapter 1: Light Years Away
I stood there, motionless for a long time, just staring into the ocean. I hoped to find meaning, or answers, or emotion, or anything within it. After a while Elli came down to the beach, found me and brought me home. I stayed silent all the way there. Later that night she stayed with me. I questioned her about the night at the Inn, she was silent for a moment and then explained how Cliff was depressed when he returned to the Inn, tried to drink away his misery, and how Ann took advantage of him. I asked her why she or Gray never told me, they apparently didn't have any time to get to me. Furious I was for I felt betrayed, but after a comforting explanation on the whole ordeal I calmed down. The next day I was told the same thing from Gray, but with a little more aggression on how if Cliff ever hurts me again to just go find him. At first I thought he was joking, but then realized, this was no time for humour.
A whole week had passed; it was time for Cliff and Ann to arrive back in Mineral Town. I did not go to the dock, or the Inn to see him, I didn't think I would have been able to handle it. Though of course Cliff had come to see me at my farm. When I opened the door to behold his face, I immediately slammed it back at him, though not locking it he walked right in. He tried to explain everything to me after I ask him about it, but soon change my mind; I don't want to know the answer. I screamed and yelled for him to get out and never return again, seeing resisting is futile, he began for the door but before he parted he mumbled that he in fact did not have Hemochromatosis, yet his sister did. With that he had left and indeed never did return to my farm.
It was hard to believe that only a week ago that day we had been in my living room comforting each other. That was the one major default with our relationship, withier it was actual feelings or just the need for sympathy. True to my word Cliff never did come back to the farm. I was working so hard that half the time I would forget to eat, and have a lack of sleep. One day I had passed out from exhaustion and was taken to the Clinic where Elli treated me. She warned me that if I didn't solve my problem fast I would suffer the concencious.
Everything was going in a spiral downfall, I had no control over my life; I was losing everyone and didn't know how to save them. Over that time I would spend time with Gray and Elli when had the chance but with the change of seasons farming became harder and harder. I couldn't handle it anymore, Elli and Gray would have helped but their own jobs were demanding enough, so that's what helped me decide to leave Mineral Town, and the fact that I could no longer bear to see Cliff for another day. As soon as fall arrived I went to see Mayor Thomas and explained to him about wanting to leave. He was disappointed, he had expected so much more, but I'm not here to please people, that's someone else's job. I then returned home and packed my bags. The following day I said goodbye to everybody and left for Forget-Me-Not Valley.
When I arrive I make my way to the farm but a boy on the roof of the local Inn catches my eye.
"I'm gonna jump Nami, if you don't admit you love me I will." The boy yells.
A boyish looking girl with a red bob appears beside me.
"Go ahead dumbass, there is no way I'm admitting to that." she yells back
All of a sudden a young looking girl with smooth hazel hair comes rushing over and knocks me to the ground.
"Rock you piece of shit, you said you loved me!" she exclaims.
Her, this girl and him! She doesn't look older than 14 let alone be involved with this kind of guy.
"Hey baby don't worry I still do, look I'll get down just for you" he explains.
He moves to get down but his foot slips and he ends up falling.
The young girl rushes over to see him.
"Ha, what an idiot." The tomboy chirps.
She turns to me and says,
"Hey, I'm Nami; you're new in town right?"
I nod. "I'm Claire, and yes I am. I used to live in Mineral Town but I decided to move here." I respond while extending my hand.
"Well it'll be nice to have a change in faces here." she mumbles and shakes it.
I'm surprised; the people here seem a lot more my type then those in Mineral Town.
"By the way, what the hell just happened?" I question.
"Oh this, this is normal. Rock that blond guy that fell from the roof he's a player. He thinks everybody here loves him but fails to see how much he hurts Lumina when she is obviously in love with him. That's the hopeless girl that rushed after him." She explains.
I don't fail to see the slight emotion in her eyes that is longing but don't question it.
"Lumina, she is of age isn't she?" I hopefully ask.
"Ha ha, yes she is. I know she looks underage but actually she's 20." She answers.
"Wow she's older than me!" I awe.
"How old are you?" she questions.
"19 but I turn 20 next week, how about you?" I say.
"The great age of 21." She sighs.
Just then Rock stumbles over to us and drapes an arm around Nami and I.
"You may run but you can't hide from me." he whispers into her ear.
"Rock, what the hell did you hit your head, I'm right here!" Lumina yells.
He completely ignores her and turns to me.
"Hey little cutie what's your name?" he slurs.
"This is Claire now will you go away." Nami says and unlatches his arms from us.
"Now now, don't get all snippy with me I just want to talk with the girl, wait you aren't thinking about stealing her from me are you?" Rock jokes.
Nami turns away and storms into the Inn, Rock starts to apologize profusely and chases after her, stumbling along the way.
"Oh well there they go again, I'm Lumina but you probably already know that." she states.
"I'm Claire, sorry to ask but does weird stuff like this happen all the time here?" I question.
"Unfortunately yes but it keeps us all going." She explains.
"Do you have a mayor or somebody around that I can clarify with?" I ask.
Lumina explains that Mayor Thomas, from Mineral Town, also is in charge of the Valley. She then told me that right across from the Inn is my farm where Takakura, an older man that lives on my farm should be who I should go to. After I got all of that sorted out I entered my farmhouse. It was small but relaxing and I think I'm going to like it here. I spot a phone on the table and pick it up to phone Elli, she has news. Elli mumbles a few words into the receiver and I stop dead in my tracks.