Chapter 1
There is nothing wrong with leaving everything you achieved behind and starting from zero, isn't there?
Even if you don't know what will happen, or what is waiting for you?
Is it truly okay?
Those words where spinning in Gretel's head. She looked back, at everything she was leaving behind. It seemed so impossible, but she was still young, 23 to be precise. It was right to start her life again, or that's what she believed, but still something didn't feel right. She just didn't know what it was.
It started with a hunch, suddenly, while working at the café she let the cup slip from her hands. She just felt it. She just had to start again. In another town, leaving everything behind. And that's what she did. Everyone believed she was crazy, letting her achieved goals slip away. The elders just gossiped about it for weeks.
She looked in every newspaper, trying hard to find a new job, but the only one she found was in a farm, miles away from her home. Sephyr Town. Known for his once famous bazaar. Why not? She once said to herself, but now she wasn't that convinced at all.
"Look, that's Sephyr Town, the place where you'll be living. Isn't it beautiful?" The blonde big man dressed in green said to her.
"Yes, Sir." She just said, fearing that if she just said no, the man would kill her.
He didn't seem that fierce, but she was 4 times smaller than him. Felix, was his name, he was Sephyr Town's mayor.
"If people there are like this man, then I'll just have to be careful with what I say." She said to herself.
In reality, almost everyone was bigger than her; Gretel was very petite, brown-blond and had purple eyes. That's why she wasn't so sure of her success in the farm.
They arrived at the house where she was going to live. It was big, had storage, a stall where the animals could live and a big field beneath it.
Felix showed her everything about the house, and explained a bit how a farm worked. She understood it quickly; then she had a shower and started to organize her things.
Someone knocked at her door.
It was a woman, about her age, with long hair dark hair and a dress.
"Good day, Gretel, I am Sherry, Felix's daughter. I just came in to say hi. Also, if you have any questions regarding farming, ask me, I'll try to help you." She said.
"Oh…" Gretel didn't know what to say. "Oh, please, come in if you want."
"No, you just arrived, it wouldn't be polite." Sherry said.
"No, no, please, it is nothing. I'll prepare a tea or something." Gretel insisted.
"Well, if you insist. Thanks." Sherry gave in.
She came in and went to the kitchen. Gretel started to boil water and sat at the desk with her.
"Well, since you're new here, why don't I tell you about the residents?" Sherry suggested.
Gretel just nodded.
"Uh, you seem young, so why don't I tell you about the boys here?" Sherry giggled. "Well, young boys…You can name Ivan, Dirk, Lloyd, Angelo, and sometimes there's a boy around here, but I don't know much about him. I think his name is Amir. Then, there are a lot of people you can befriend. Freya, Antoinette, Daisy, Marian, the elders and myself, of course . If you want, I can give you a tour around some day. Or, well, you can meet them yourself, but I bet you're a bit too tired now. You can go tomorrow if you want." Sherry said.
Gretel just nodded, without replying anything. Then she stood up and prepared the tea, afterwards she served it.
"Thanks, it's really good. You have a special way to prepare it." The guest complimented.
"Thanks. It's truly nothing. I just add the leaves and then a bit of Raspberry. It gives it a special flavour." Gretel explained.
"Oh, well, it's already late. I should get going, otherwise, I won't make it in time, and I've got to prepare lunch. I'm glad I've met you. You know, if you've got any questions, come to me, I'll gladly explain it." Sherry said, and then she proceeded to go.
'What a talk active girl…Whew.' Gretel thought, while cleaning everything and sorting her things afterwards.
Sherry went down the hill, where she used to talk with Antoinette. Then she went to the village, where almost everyone lived.
Before going to her own house, she knocked at a certain house. Her best guy friend lived there. She had told him she was going to meet the new farmer, and he insisted to tell him the news.
"Dirk! It's me, Sherry. Open the door, please." Sherry said.
The door opened, but it was not her friend, but his older brother, Ivan.
He had light brown hair, purple eyes, was tall, and wore an indigo coat. He seemed to be kind, but strict, and he was also a teacher in the city, also home-schooling the two twins of the village.
"Oh, hello Sherry. Have you come to meet Dirk? I'm afraid he's not here. I don't know where he went, though. I'm sorry. You can come in if you want to wait for him here." Ivan said.
'Certainly, Cold but Sweet and nice.' Sherry mumbled to herself.
"Oh, no, don't worry, I still have to go to my own house. I just wanted to tell Dirk some news." Sherry proceeded to say.
"I'm staying here for a while. Do you want me to tell him something, if he returns home?" Ivan asked.
'And caring. Over-protective with his brother', Sherry continued with her notes.
" Oh, well, if you insist. Tell him I've already met the new farmer that is not a boy but a girl. She is very pretty, quiet and is quite tired right now. Also, tell him, that I'll talk to him later and that tomorrow we'll meet her." Sherry said.
"Oh, well. So my brother was gossiping." Ivan laughed. "Well, nice to know a girl can take over a big farm like that."
"Yes, I'm sure this town will become lively again thanks to her. Well, I'm going. Be sure to tell Dirk the message." Sherry said, going away.
"If he returns while I'm staying here I will." Ivan shouted back, closing then the door.
Now he had curiosity. She was pretty, Sherry had said. He wanted to meet her as well.
The door opened, it was Dirk.
"Dirk, I was just about to leave. Sherry came over, and told me to say something. But still, if I were you, I'd go to meet her so she can say it to you personally." Ivan informed.
"Oh, what was it? She has already met the new farmer? Has she told you anything about him?" Dirk said, making a kitty face.
Ivan just sighed and told him what Sherry had said. Then he went away, going to the city, where he worked.
He walked with Freya, his friend, a girl who also worked in the city. He had always had a small crush on her, but she didn't notice, so he just listened to what she said, without talking, but this time, he didn't listen to her babbling. He was still thinking about the farmer, trying to figure out how she looked. He imagined her and blushed a bit. Hoping he would also meet her.
After Dirk had listened to the news he raced to Sherry's house. He knocked at the door and went in, without expecting a reply.
"Sherry! Ivan told me you met the new farmer. It's a girl! I want to know more about her! Hurry up and tell me." Dirk lively shouted.
"Dirk, it's you. You almost gave me a heart attack." Sherry said, turning around to see her best friend.
Dirk smaller than his brother. He was also younger. He had a red coat and black pants and a green t-shirt. He also wore a funny hat. He had the same hair colour as Ivan, but he had big green eyes and a cat face. Still, he was mature and knew whenever to help.
"Sorry Sherry. But, I'm excited. So come on, tell me!" Dirk said.
"Dirk, can't you see I'm cooking right now?" Sherry scolded.
"Oh, well, then I'll help you to cook, while you tell me about that farmer." Dirk insisted.
"Man, you don't give up. Don't you have to work today in the café?" Sherry asked.
"Not today, today is Thursday, so you don't have another option." Dirk teased her.
"Oh well. Then, come, help me cut the onion, then wash the dishes and then you've got to put everything in the fridge." Sherry said. "Well, the farmer is very pretty. She has dark purple eyes, blonde-brown hair and is very small. She is very quiet, polite, and helpful, plus the tea she prepares tastes very good. Her face was full of doubts, but I think she'll do a great job. I talked a bit with her, but not about the farm. I said she could go tomorrow to meet everyone, since she seemed a bit tired. And that's everything."
"Oh, man. I'm going this evening with Ivan. He's going to like meeting a new girl. I don't like Freya that much." Dirk said.
"Oh, yes, I wanted to gossip about that a long time ago. Does he still have that crush on her? I mean, it is pretty obvious, but he seemed excited to know the farmer was a girl." Sherry giggled.
"Yes, I think he still has got a small crush on Freya, but I doubt Freya likes him back. Also, I hate her. She's boring and dull. I tried to talk to her and she just laughed and said I looked cute, so it's good for him to meet some new persons." Dirk explained.
"Oh man, gossiping is something bad, I know, but it is so interesting. Well, I already told you everything I knew, but don't tell anyone. And now, I'm sorry, I know you want to help, but right now you're just in the middle Dirk, so you are free to go, I'll cook by myself." Sherry said.
"Heh thanks. I'm going then. See you later." Dirk shouted, going away.
'Cute, small, active and funny. So different from his brother' Sherry thought.
"Um, I'll gossip with myself now. What kind of boys could Gretel like? I mean, she seems a bit doubtful about his job, so I guess someone who could take care of her would be nice. Oh, this is so complicated, I'll better ask her when I see her. It's always better to know the truth than to make things up, anyway." Sherry said.
"What are you talking about, Sherryline?" A strong voice said behind her.
"Oh, father. I was talking about the new farmer. She seems nice, right?" Sherry said to Felix.
"Oh, yes. I'm sure the bazaar will be at is best glance in no time. By the way, this boy, your friend…Um…Dirk! That's his name, right? Well, he fell the stairs, so I took him to his house, maybe you can visit him later." Felix said.
Sherry just laughed, served the food and went to Dirk and Ivan's house.
"Sherry, is that you?" Dirk said.
"Yeah, are you okay?" Sherry laughed. "I heard you fell the stairs."
"Yes, now I'm waiting for my brother, he should be here anytime." Dirk replied. "Oh, man, I hope it'll be better, so I can visit Gretel."
Some keys sounded. The door opened, it was Ivan.
"Oh, Dirk, Sherry? What happened?" Ivan asked.
Dirk explained everything. Ivan laughed.
"Dirk, I don't think it's nothing, so let's go. I want to meet this new farmer as well." Ivan said, and although it was barely noticeable, Sherry could see that he slightly blushed.
"Good! Let's go." Dirk said, standing up.
Sherry also went to her own house.
Ivan and Dirk knocked at the farmer's house. They where both nervous.
Gretel opened the door.
"Oh, hi." She said, blushing a bit.
"We're Ivan and Dirk. We just came to say hi." Ivan said.
"It's okay. My name is Gretel. I'll be the new farmer here. Do you want to come in?" She introduced herself.
"Oh, no, no…it's okay. We're going now, good night." Dirk said.
They both went away.
"Do you think she'll manage the farm all by herself?" Dirk asked his older brother.
"No, that's why, let us help her when we have the time, okay?" Ivan said.
Dirk nodded and they both went home.