Hey guys! This is my first story, and well I really hope you guys like it! I'm new to fanfiction and I'm always trying to improve my writing :) Any critic would be loved and I hope you will keep reading for more chapters in the future. Ai Wo Ma was right, this chapter was pretty short and It was unrealistic. So I'm gonna change it up a bit, I did just write it off the spot.

Fall 10, year 1

Claire has been living in Mineral town for two and a half seasons now. It's the middle of fall and the leaves are just a beautiful orange- yellow. Some are already fluttering to the ground, ready to be crushed by the falling snow in a few weeks. Which saddened Claire, she never was a big fan of the snow, she did love fall though.

Her animals were outside, grazing on the grass she planted back in spring. Well, what was left of the grass. Her chickens were inside the chicken coop, she felt like it was too cold for them to be outside for some reason. Claire always babies her animals too much. Her horse and dog were chasing each other, which was funny because just not too long ago, when she first moved here, they couldn't stand to be around each other. They were jealous of each other for some odd reason.

The sun was high in the sky, it was 1pm and Claire has gotten nothing done yet. Sure, she's watered her crops and tended to her animals, but she hasn't bought any flour yet to make bread and hasn't bought any oil. Well, might as well get started now.

Claire has been making friends with everyone in the village; of course there are those few who she just doesn't really like. Karen, she seems like a nice girl, but sometimes she can be a little snobby. Claire could give her a chance, but she's a little too lazy. She almost has a best friend as well. Mary and Claire have been getting along very well. Mary was super shy at first, but she's getting a little more open.

There seemed to be no one around while Claire walked to the supermarket. She sort of hoped Karen wasn't going to be there. Claire didn't think she's horrible, just well, not her type of friend. Claire stopped by at the library to see how Mary was doing. She just can't wait to read her novel when Mary finishes it. "Mary, how is your book coming along?" Claire waltzed right into the library, but Mary wasn't around. Today wasn't Monday and she wasn't on the 2nd floor. Where could she be? Well, maybe she'll be around later. "Uh, bye I guess…".

That was weird, Claire thought. It's not like Mary to not lock up the library. She was a shy girl, but she loved books and she wouldn't want anything happening to them. Not that anyone here would steal anything, let alone books. It still bothered her though, that Mary wasn't there. Maybe she should have knocked on their house door. Too late now, she was at the supermarket.

Jeff greeted her, as always. Claire felt sort of bad since she hasn't paid him back yet after he let her use credit to buy seeds the other day. He was a nice guy, but Sasha did really not approve of Jeff letting people use credit. That's why Claire always leaves the store when she comes in, she doesn't want to be stuck in an argument. "Hey Jeff, how are you doing?" Claire grabbed 4 flours and 4 oils, and walked up to the register where Jeff always is.

"Same old, same old, but I can't help but think Karen is off doing something. She always worries me and I hate it when I see her go off into the mountain" Jeff was a worried guy, he loved his daughter and wife, but he seemed like a worry-wart.

"I'm sure she's find Jeff, and no credit today please" She hoped he wouldn't mention anything about paying him back. She couldn't pay him back anyways till she shipped this next batch of crops. Luckily, he didn't say anything. He just had this sad look on his face, probably worried about Karen still. "Thanks."

It was late now, 4pm. Man where does the time go? Claire set the paper bag down on the ground and stretched her arms up and peered up into the sky, it was turning an orange-pink color and the clouds were disappearing in the delicious colored sky. The sky's delicious looking self almost distracted her from going back to Mary's. Wow, I am so lame. She sighed and picked the bag up and walked to the end of the street.

Mary was back now, thank goddess, Claire thought. She was starting to think she was turning into a "Jeff" now, worrying about simple things. "Hey there, where were you earlier?" that simple question shut Mary up and her face turned a light shade of pink. Uh oh, must have been something embarrassing that happened! Claire giggled; she always loves to hear about embarrassing things.

Mary didn't say anything at first and her cheeks started to get a little darker. All this waiting was going to end of killing Claire. Claire wanted to go shake Mary and just have her tell her already, but Mary seemed to catch on that waiting wasn't fun. "I-I went to see…I went to the blacksmith" The blacksmith? Claire scratched her head, why would she go there? Does she have a crush on Gray? No way.

"Oh my goddess! You have a crush on GRAY?" Claire started to laugh, which she quickly stopped once she saw Mary's hurt face. "Oh no, I wasn't laughing cause it was funny. It's cute" Claire smiled and ran up to the shy littler librarian and gave her a big hug. "Good luck" Claire winked at Mary and started to giggle again as she left the library.

Claire was smiling so huge that her eyes were closed, therefore she couldn't see where she was going, and then there was a thud. Claire was on her butt and she heard something else hit the ground as well. She looked up to see an angry Gray flat on his butt. "Oh my Goddess, I am so sorry!" Claire hopped right up and reached out to him to help him up. He just shook his head.

"I don't need your help." Gray stood up and brushed himself off and pushed past her, walking into the Inn. A happy Ann greeted him and they walked in together talking about what she would make for dinner for everyone. Claire just grimaced and walked away, feeling awkward.

Gray sure acted like dick. Anyways, he could have at least let her help him up. No way was both of their eyes closed. What was his problem anyways? She was just being friendly. What did Mary see in him? They were total opposites. Maybe he just pretended to be a jerk? She sure hoped that was the case, or he just was angry cause she bumped into him.

It was dark now, at least 9pm. Oh great, I forgot to put my animals inside. Damn Gray for making her get distracted. Claire sighed and jogged back to the farm to see a small little wolf being chased around by her dog, Niko. "Yeah you get him, Niko!" Claire was jumping up and down pumping her fist into the hair cheering her dog on, when she noticed one of her cows was on the ground, with a bloody ankle. "MooMoo!"

Claire rushed over to her cow, which she had since the 2nd week of spring and patted her head. "Everything is gonna be alright." This wasn't the first time this has happened, but to her favorite cow? That crushed her. Claire raced inside to grab her peroxide solution that Doctor would make for her, some bandages, and a needle and thread. She hated stitching her own animals.

Claire cried while she stitched the wound close. The bleeding stopped but an infection would probably kill her cow. The cow started to calm down once she stopped stitching. She smiled, wiped her tears away and hugged her cow. She helped steady her and she walked her into the barn. She sat down instantly. Claire knew she would be okay by tomorrow, at least she hoped.

The wolf was long gone by now. Niko was a pretty good watch dog. He knew better to get violent with the wolves though. They were twice his size after all. "You did good, boy" Claire ruffled his fur with her hand and picked him up, and kissed his head, placing him gently down back onto the ground. The other animals were already in bed which meant it was finally time for bed.

The house as dork and a cold draft ran through the house which creeped her out a little bit, but didn't bother her too much. Claire stripped down and took a quick rinse-off in her shower and crawled into bed, wearing nothing but…she was wearing nothing, nothing at all. Claire fell to sleep right away, but something lingered in her mind and she started to dream.

I saw myself running; I was running through the mountains. It was a nice beautiful clear day. Flowers bloomed all around me and birds sang in the rustling trees. I noticed my hand was gripping something, it was someone's hand. I was smiling and the other person was too. I couldn't see his eyes though; he was wearing a light cream colored shirt and what seemed to be a yellow tie tucked into it. It looked so familiar, but her dream was fading and then she woke up.