A/N: This is just a story of a sim of mine. Close to an original story, there's two original characters, and a few random children were born, so they might count as OCs.
I took a deep breath. This was it, my new life. To my right stood a suitcase, full of any belongings I had previously owned. To my left, was my only true possession: Princess. As I surveyed our new home, she looked up at me with a pleading expression. "I know," I said. "But you haven't even given it a shot. The least you can do is try." I hoped this would do. But she only mewed and turned her back on me. I sighed. "Look, Princess, I know you don't like it, but this is all we've got. We may not like it, but we're going to make it, me and you, all right?" She spared me a glance, but flicked her tail and turned away from me again. I knew she blamed me. Of course she did, I was the boss. But really, this was the best I could muster.
We stood before a mansion, two stories with a flat, useable roof. It lay over a sprawling hill, and had varying levels and a large set of grand looking stairs leading to the sidewalk. And as we watched, our new landlady came out. She had dark skin and red hair, a pair of sunglasses over her eyes and a smile on her face. "Hi, you must be Jamie, Jamie Keller," she said, extending a hand. I shook it.
"Yeah. You're Circe Beaker, then?" I asked.
"Yes."
"Then let me introduce Princess, my little sweetheart." I gestured to Princess, who stared up at the woman with bored, mismatched eyes. Circe smiled even wider.
"How darling! Nervous is going to love her. Oh, I told you about him, right?"
"In passing," I replied.
"Right. He's our other boarder. We just call him Nervous. He's distantly related, a cousin of a cousin or something. As long as you're going to meet him, it's best to warn you he's a bit unstable."
"Seriously?" I asked.
"Yes, unfortunately. A traumatic childhood has left him rather… different. But don't worry, he's fine most of the time. He just has a few spells. But he'll love Princess, he's always had a thing for cats. It's getting hot out here, how about we go inside?" Circe gestured up the stairs, and I full heartedly agreed, picking up my suitcase and following her up the stairs. Princess darted ahead of me, waving her tail slowly and sticking her nose in the air. I sighed. Her name was quite apropos to her personality. Circe opened the door and seemed amused that Princess entered before me. Princess and I found ourselves in a lavishly decorated living room. A blond man with a pointed chin and frowning brow was seated on the couch. When we entered, he stood, looking us over sternly.
I just know he didn't approve. There's something about a bloke in makeup and skinny jeans that doesn't sit well with frowny, strict looking men. But he only gave a gruff grunt and extended his hand. "This would be my husband, Loki," Circe said. "Loki, this is our new boarder, Jamie." Loki gave a sharp nod and retracted his hand.
"Pleased to meet you." There are ways of saying things so that you sound the opposite of what you mean. Loki seemed a master of this art.
"Likewise," I said. I looked around properly now. To our right there was a kitchen and dining room, and straight ahead there was a stone room with a set of stairs down to a basement and much scientific equipment. Between the living room and the kitchen was a set of stairs to the second story. It was here that my attention was attracted as a young man came down the stairs. He had a black Mohawk, a white t-shirt, blue jeans, and a chin that jutted out and wobbled just a tad.
"Ah, Nervous, glad to see you're up! Nervous, this is Jamie Keller, and his cat Princess."
"Princess Keller," I corrected. Circe smiled.
"Of course." Nervous came down the stairs slowly now, eyeing me suspiciously.
"So you'll be rooming with us?" he asked.
"Yup," I said, as cheerily as possible. Princess was twirling herself skillfully between my legs, purring and looking like the most affectionate cat in the world. She could be such a jealous queen sometimes.
"Can I touch her?" Nervous asked, reaching out tentatively to Princess.
"Sure. Go on, Princess." I nudged my girl with a toe, and she looked up at me with a wounded expression. But she got it. Nervous wasn't like normal people, she should be nice. So she padded over to him and nuzzled his hand, purring lightly. She knew he posed no threat, and that her place as my favorite was secure. Circe seemed pleased, and Nervous was slowly smiling as he pet her. But after a moment she looked up at me.
"You must be tired. Here, I'll show you to your room." Circe quickly walked up the steps, and I grabbed my bags and followed her. She lead me down a hall and to a medieval looking bedroom, with a four-poster bed and red curtains, an oak door leading to my own bathroom. I grinned and placed my suitcase on the bed. "I'll just leave you to unpack, then," she said, turning to leave.
"Thank you," I said politely, and she smiled at me as she closed the door. I sighed with relief and threw open my suitcase, quickly moving the meager clothing to the dresser. Once that was finished, I grabbed the pillow off the bed and placed it at the foot of the bed. Her Highness would be expecting the best accommodations. I flicked a piece of lint off it and decided it was good enough, and then retreated back downstairs to retrieve my cat.
I found Loki on the couch, reading the paper, and Circe back with the scientific equipment, fiddling with things. Nervous still knelt between the kitchen and living room, petting Princess. I could tell she was considering having me replaced. I smiled to myself as I walked over to the couch, sitting down opposite Loki. "So, can you recommend any activities in this town?" I asked, trying to spark a conversation.
"There's the pool," Loki said without looking up from his paper. I could tell he didn't want to be bothered, so I turned my sights to the man fondling my cat.
"So, Nervous, you really like cats?" I asked. Nervous looked up and nodded enthusiastically.
"Yeah. I always wanted one, ever since I was little. But Mom never let me have one…" He looked down sadly.
"You can play with her anytime you want," I said hurriedly.
"Really?"
"Yup. She don't really care who it is, as long as they're treating her nice." Loki looked disgruntled at my lapse of grammar, but Nervous didn't even seem to notice.
"She's really fluffy. And her eyes are pretty, too." Princess knew when she was being praised, and looked up at Nervous with such undying affection I almost laughed.
"Glad you like her. Though I can tell her fur is going to be terrible in this desert."
"Oh yeah…" He looked at her, feeling the thickness of her coat. With all this dark furniture, I knew they weren't going to be very happy at all with her fur. "Is it true you can teach a cat tricks?" Nervous asked suddenly.
"Oh sure! Princess knows lots of tricks."
"Can you show me?" I laughed.
"She knows them sure enough, but the 'command' part if it still evades her. Watch: Princess, come." Princess gave me her 'aren't-you-stupid' looks and turned her tail to me, cuddling closer to Nervous. Nervous chuckled at that.
"She sure has a personality," he said. I nodded.
"Yup, she sure does."
I got out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist. Shaking my blond hair, I looked into the steamed up mirror. My green eyes, looking odd without their usual heavy eyeliner, stared back at me. I was the same Jamie Keller, same full, pouty lips, likewise almost foreign without their lipstick, same clear, pale skin, same small jaw, same Jamie. I smiled to myself and toweled off my hair.
After I had dried off and slipped into a pair of boxers, I slipped out of the bathroom to find Princess sitting like the royalty she is on her pillow. I smiled and sat down cross-legged on my bed, looking at Princess. "Pretty interesting, aren't they?" I said. Princess settled her chin on her crossed paws, looking up at me regally. "I hope this works out. I don't think we have anywhere else to go. So we're going to give Strange town a shot?" Princess blinked at me, and then closed her eyes and mewled softly. I patted her head. "I knew you'd agree. Now come on, tomorrow's a big day." But I know it now, and I knew it then. That Nervous was trouble from the start.