An old work of mine, might as well post it.
Disclaimer: I do not own Harvest Moon. If I did, squirrels with rabies would take over the world.
I could never figure it out, why I was so infatuated with her. Maybe it was the way her hips swayed when she'd serve customers who demanded for her attention, or possibly how her green eyes shined like stars in the faint light of the drab, tacky bar.
A girl like her didn't belong here, she was made for the city-luscious curves, blonde hair, and fair skin, and any man would practically die to just get a second of her attention.
She shot Owen a wink, to which he hollered gibberish loudly, not caring in his drunken state. Luke, who was also drunk, laughed loudly, and slammed his head on the counter. He groaned and Kathy laughed, which sounded like music to my ears.
She was simply too amazing for anyone to deny that she was perfect. Not even Selena, who usually got all the men in the bar riled up, could compare. She was too bland, too much like every other girl in the city to ever win my affections. Kathy was truly unique.
Or, maybe it was just how I thought of the blonde waitress. As some say, "beauty is on the eye of the beholder." Then why couldn't I ever tear my eyes away from her?
Damn her for being so ethereal, so unlike everyone else.
"Hey, are you gonna order your drink, or just sit there and dream about unicorns and ponies?"
This got my attention, and I composed myself by clearing my throat.
"A grape cocktail, please." I responded with a smile.
"Alright, then." Kathy flashed me her prize-winning smile and set off to give the order to Hayden, her hips swayed hypnotically.
I chewed on the inside of my lip, cursing for not presenting myself properly in front of the blonde beauty.
"Hey!" Owen called before downing his eighth drink, "lookin' a little lonely over there, wanna come and have a drink with us?"
"No thank you." I shook my head. "Just don't get carried away."
"Sucks for you then!" Luke swayed, then tilted forward and fell off his seat. Owen burst out drunken laughter at his friends' actions.
I sighed, but then smiled. 'Just as it should be.' I thought, and nodded my head in fondness at the thought of the little island he lived on. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else.
Then again, Kathy made anything feel at home.
I remembered the first time they met; her eyes bright with curiosity. The mere sight took my breath away.
Any thought of Kathy always left me in awe. How could one girl, who lived sheltered on this small island her whole life, make my knees tremble, my legs weak? She never knew the troubles of a hard life on the mainland, and probably never would. She made it quite clear that she had no intentions of leaving.
I knew the dangers of a relationship such as this one, for Waffle Island dwelled on old-fashioned ways. A woman was never allowed to fall in love with another woman, as the same for men. Such an act was seen as shameful, and could lead to isolation from fellow villagers. My grandmother would be ashamed if she figured out my secret.
Men had just never interested me from the start, and then soon I found myself attracted to woman. Though Kathy, out of all the other women, seemed to catch my eye the most.
"Daydreaming yet again?" Kathy said, with her head propped on her elbows, her face only inches from mine. She could feel her breath as it fanned on my face.
"Ah-ah, yes." I stuttered, but hid my uneasiness with a sweet smile.
"Well, here's your order." Kathy passed me the cocktail. Suddenly, she leaned over the bar counter, again too close for comfort, and whispered into my ear, "Meet me at Cream Beach after my shift's over." She smiled questioningly.
After I snapped out of my trance, I nodded hastily. Kathy gave me a wink and went back to work.
I sipped on my cocktail, and wondered why Kathy wanted to meet me. My brown eyes flickered to Luke and Owen, who were both passed out.
I couldn't help but be discouraged when I thought of the recent gossip going around about Kathy and Owen. Everyone believed that He had a blue feather and was going to propose to her soon. Some even said they were secretly dating.
The very idea of it sent chills of dread that crawled up my spine. At the same time, I also felt saddened by it. Her and Owen getting married, and having children that mirrored themselves; but of course, it was the perfect fairytale love.
And who could resist Owen? With his muscular build and friendly personality, he could easily win any girls heart with the blink of an eye.
I felt the bile rise in my throat. I shook my head. I couldn't be selfish. Besides, Kathy would be better off with him than me.
With Owen, She was assured a comfortable life style, A loving husband, and everything that could ever come with being a wife. With me, all she'd get would be me, which was it. A relationship with her would never work, never.
But at the same time, I didn't want to be left behind…
-X-
Just as promised, I waited for Kathy, and when the barmaid arrived, I couldn't help but feel overjoyed.
"Come on, I wanna show you something." Kathy took both my hands and led me to the water. "Take off your shoes." She commanded, and I obliged quickly, still confused on what she was doing.
She dragged me out into the water until we both were thigh deep.
"Kathy what are we doing?" I asked, and frowned at my now half-soaked dress.
"You'll see, be patient, and stand perfectly still." She replied.
Suddenly, the clouds cleared, and I knew what she meant.
The moon shined brightly, and the stars were more vibrant than I ever remembered. The dark waters made a perfect mirror to reflect the image. We could both see ourselves looking back at us.
"Kathy, it's…incredible." I whispered, and when my eyes met hers, I was once again breath-taken by how the moonlight played perfectly off her blonde tendrils, which made them glow.
"I know, right? My mom, when she was still alive, would take me here when the conditions were just right, with no wind blowing and it not being too cold." She explained softly.
"I'm sure she was an amazing woman, I would have been honored to meet her." I tried to imagine what Kathy's mother would've looked like, since obviously she didn't her beauty from her father.
"She, and you, are the only people who understand me. Everyone else tries to decide everything I do." Kathy shook her head. "I got into a fight with my dad, lets just say he wasn't too happy with my decisions."
"What did you fight about?"
"Personal decisions I made." She sighed. "That's actually why I brought you here. Dad wasn't happy of who I chose as my romantic interest."
"Are the rumors true?" I questioned in anticipation.
"No, Owen and I will never be anything more than friends, I assure you that."
"Then who?"
She gazed at me with a foreign emotion in her emerald eyes. She peered through her eyelashes, and whispered this word so softly that I barely heard it.
"You."
The only thing that could be heard was my beating heart. I, on the inside, fought a war with myself. 'What is she thinking, is she stupid?' 'What are you doing idiot? She confessed, say something!'
I could not agree with one or the other, so I came out with, "you know, the choice you made could be very dangerous."
She glared at me. "So what? Are you saying you don't return my feelings?"
I frowned solemnly. "No, but I'm warning you. You've built a good life here-great friends, well paying job, heck; you have every man in this town head over heels for you. Are you sure you want to throw that all away, just for me?"
"I don't want those things if I can't have you as well. I-I love you." She gave me a pleading look, and I knew my answer.
I didn't hesitate a second. I gripped her shoulders and crashed my lips onto hers, those lips that I have always wanted to kiss myself, but never had the courage to.
After recovering from shock, she responded energetically. I angled my face and slid my tongue along her bottom lip, to which she let me have entry.
When we parted, I felt the strong need to hear those words come from her again, just to make me know that this wasn't a dream.
"Say it, say it again," I whispered softly.
Kathy smiled at me, her eyes filled with adoration.
"I love you, Elli."