A/N: I can't believe I'm doing this. So, I haven't written anything in months (not even an RP reply), and I get this game and can't get this situation out of my head. I had to write something. I do feel sufficiently pathetic for writing HM fic, though (writing fic for a simulation game totally doesn't fly with me, but ToT is admittedly less of a sim than most other HM games I've played). As a disclaimer, I just started playing last week, and have only gone through one year in game, in which I've married Anissa (irony, har) and have only two hearts with Jin, so if I go against "canon" in any way, that's probably why. Also, not sure if it is relevant to this story as of yet, but Julius is totally flaming. I'm trying my best to save poor Candace from his freaky rainbow ways in my game, but there is just no way he could possibly be interested in a female. That's just how it is in my little world, so get used to it. Alright, go to.
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I didn't really know what I was doing, picking up that brochure and leaving my sad excuse of a home to start a new life as a rancher. I mean, really? A month ago the thought of me with my hands in the dirt, pitching bales of hay around would have had me rolling. But by the time I saw that pamphlet, I knew it was my chance to get out.
Only now I really don't know what I'm doing, and my uncertainty has nothing to do with running a farm.
I left the city to get away, not only from my judgmental family, but from myself. I thought that I could leave behind that part of me that insists on not conforming, on being too different, and start living my life the right way. Get a girlfriend, or something. Settle down. Hell, overwork myself, anything to keep my mind off my goddamned vices. Of course I should have known better. My old shrink always said that it wasn't something I was going to "get over" and that I needed to accept it as a part of who I was. Needless to say, I've had a hard time doing that, and the change of scenery so far hasn't done much good either way.
It all sort of started at the farm the old mayor bussed me off to when I first got here. I got along great with Craig; I pride myself in my dry sense of humor so we hit it off right off the bat. The old lady was pleasant enough despite her immutable pessimism, but it was the girl who really got me going.
Don't get me wrong, Anissa's a sweet girl, and not unintelligent, but she can sure be obtuse when it comes to reading people. The doctor showed up at the farm a few days after I got here (and I'm not going to lie, the first time I saw him I thought he was a woman with that pretty face), looking for some plant or another and Anissa would not leave him be. I understand that he's sort of her teacher, but she was head over heels with the poor guy, and if he's at all interested I'll eat my foot. Because I could tell, from the way he looked at me when he shook my hand, that he's like me.