Authors Note:

Hey guys! Here's Chapter Eight

Disclaimer:

I do own harvest moon or any of the characters.

Key:

Normal text or dialog

'Thoughts' or sarcastic remarks

Inner-self conscious

Thanks for reviewing:

Witch girl pilar-Thanks. I thought the name was cute too!

SuperKatyDid-I know :) I love all of the love interests. It puts a spin on things.

Part 8

Two hours after they had finished working, Chelsea and Mark were on their way over to Julia's for lunch. She walked next to Mark happily. She felt refreshed and clean. After working, they both had taken showers. Chelsea was wearing jean Bermudas, A yellow baseball tee with an orange vest, on her head was a red bandanna. She was still wearing her work boots and her working gloves. She felt great. Mark looked great too. Of coarse...he always looked great. He was wearing a simple white tee and faded jeans with work boots. He smelled like mints. He smelled refreshing. Chelsea pried her eyes away from him and looked around. The town really was quite lovely. Then she noticed Massel's store. Mark smiled down at her and grabbed her hand before taking off. In less than a minute, they were standing in Massel's store. Julia greeted them with a smile. As soon as she greeted them though, Mark let go of Chelsea's hand. Julia had hugged Chelsea and took her over to a table. Only to be stopped by Massel.

"Julia, do you think you could go and get Vaults for me? I need him to move something for me" Massel smiled. Julia looked a little frustrated. Chelsea looked at Massel who had smiled back at her. Mark was sitting down looking a little confused. Chelsea smiled at Julia and then at Massel. Chelsea figured that Julia shouldn't waste her time looking for Vaults when she could be hanging out with Mark. Chelsea then made the decision to step aside.

"Um...Massel, I could go get Vaults for you" Mark was about to protest but Chelsea looked at him with a pleading look. "Mark...it won't take but fifteen minutes" Mark backed down and Julia handed him a bottle of beer. He nodded up at Chelsea with a plastered on smile. Julia came over to Chelsea and hugged her again. Massel nodded and smiled at Chelsea.

"Chelsea Hun, thank you! He should be at the beach" Julia smiled down at Chelsea and went into the kitchen. Mark still looked irritated but told her to 'Hurry up'. Chelsea took off and made it to the beach in less than five minutes.

Chelsea immediately noticed Vaults sitting out on the docks. Chelsea quietly walked out and sat beside him. His eyes were closed, so she kept silent. She closed her eyes and breathed in the scent of the ocean. Then she sensed that Vaults was looking at her so she opened her eyes. "Massel wants you to come and move something for her" Chelsea smiled as Vaults got up and held a hand out to her.

"C'mon" Chelsea smiled widely and grasped his hand. For the second that her hand was in his hand she felt a shiver run down her spine. His hand was cold against her warm hand. It felt nice. He immediately let go of her hand when she was up. Then he began walking. She had to jog just to keep up with him. He stopped immediately and looked down at her with a confused look on his face. Then he started walking again. Chelsea was confused but kept quiet. They arrived at the shop shortly and when they entered Julia was right at the door.

"Aw... you two look so cute together!" Julia smiled. Chelsea immediately blushed a deep shade of scarlet. Vaults just kept walking like he didn't care about her comment. Mark looked irritated and seemed a little pissed off. Julia just looked a little confused. "Um...did I say something wrong?" Mark got up and walked toward Chelsea taking her small hand in his. He pulled gently toward their table. Once they were sitting down, he looked at her with a small smile playing on his lips. Chelsea wondered what was going on in his mind. His green eyes kept looking into hers. It looked like he was searching for something.

"Chelsea..." Mark seemed to almost whisper. "Do you like Vaults?" Mark asked while making sure not to look into her eyes. Chelsea blushed. She wondered what had brought that up. She also wondered what difference it made to him. Mark seemed to sense her uneasiness and waved a gesture that said 'forget I asked'. He smiled at her. "I'm sorry..I was just wondering because..well...you're my best friend..and I care about what happens to you" Chelsea blushed and smiled back at him. Mark had always been like that. Sometimes he acted like another one of her brothers.

That reminded her. She hadn't heard from her brothers since she moved from the city...She wondered how they were. She missed them very much. There was Jacob...she missed him very much. He and his protective nature had always been there for her. Then there was Nick..he always knew what to say and what to do when she was sad. Last...there was Joshua. She missed him the most. He watched out for her when she needed him the most. And he was her constant companion. All of her brothers were older than she was. And they all loved Mark like a brother.

"Mark..it's fine, really" Chelsea smiled and blushed up at him. "I don't really know how I feel about anyone right now...well, except you" Chelsea smiled again. Mark raised an eyebrow and Chelsea giggled.

"And..how exactly...do you feel about me?" Mark asked with a small smile on his lips. Chelsea smiled and blushed a faint pink. She winked at him which caused him to blush.

"Wouldn't you like to know?" Chelsea giggled at Mark's open-mouth response. He was also blushing the color of a tomato. Chelsea burst into a fit of giggles and flicked Mark's nose playfully. "You should have seen your face" Chelsea smirked and Mark was still crimson. "You know how I feel about you...you're my best friend" Chelsea smiled. Mark gave her a small look that sent shivers down her spine. He used to give it to her when they were younger. It was the look that held hurt, want, and something else. She never had been able to figure out what that something else was. It was something that had always made her question her own feelings about Mark.

"Yeah yeah...I know" Mark said while raking a hand through his hair. He looked at Chelsea and smiled weakly. Chelsea looked at him and smiled. When the tension looked like it was going to thicken...Julia showed up and asked what they would like to eat. "I'll have a cheeseburger and a beer. Chelsea?" Mark looked at her and smiled.

"Um...can I please have a cheeseburger and a fuzzy navel?" Chelsea smiled up at Julia who smiled and told them that it would be about ten minutes. Chelsea blushed and smiled at Mark. It felt like they were on a date...She wondered how Mark saw it. Not like he'd ever tell her.

"If your brothers knew that I let you drink...they'd kill me. Or at the very least..Jacob would kick my ass" Mark raked another hand through his hair while smiling at her. "How are your brothers by the way?" Mark asked. Chelsea smiled at him.

"Well...Jacob has entered the photography business. He's very good at it. Nick started a band and they have a contract with Pete Wentz. It's called 'Bloody hearts and Black roses' they've already met 'My Chemical Romance' and 'Panic at the Disco'. They are actually pretty good. Nick plays bass and is their lead singer. Joshua...still travels and paints. You know him..he craves adventure" Chelsea smiled while imagining her brothers in the back of her mind. "How's your sisters?" Chelsea missed Claire and Jen. They were always so kind. Claire was always the one that Chelsea came to when she was bored..since Claire was always hyper and bubbly. Jen on the other hand was the one Chelsea came to whenever she wanted to talk or whenever she needed advice. They were very nice girls.

"Well...Claire is living a perfect life. She lives in mineral town. Has a good husband. And has two beautiful children. Jen, on the other hand..still lives at home. She spends her days taking care of our grandfather. She will most likely inherit his farm in Forget-Me-Not valley. It will be good for her" Mark smiled and Chelsea wondered what was really on his mind. But she wouldn't pry.

Those ten minutes passed quickly and they were deep in conversation. Julia didn't even interrupt them when their food was done. She just sat the food and drinks in front of them and walked away smiling. Mark lifted his bottle and tapped hers. He smiled and then took a drink out of his bottle. Chelsea did the same. Immediately the fruity scent engulfed her. The peachy taste was sweet on her tongue. She moved the sweet liquor around her mouth with her tongue. A warm feeling developed in her chest. Chelsea smiled and took a small bite out of her cheeseburger. It tasted like heaven. She had never eaten a cheeseburger that tasted like it. It was amazing. Apparently, Julia's cooking was as amazing as Mark claimed it to be. In about five minutes, both of their cheeseburgers were gone. Chelsea took the last drink of her fuzzy navel and watched Mark take the last sip of his beer. He smiled at he when he was finished. He put money on the table to pay the bill and tip. He reached out his hand for Chelsea.

Chelsea smiled shyly and took it happily. His hand had always been warm against hers. They walked out of the diner and Mark looked at Chelsea. "So...where do you wanna go now?" Chelsea blushed. It was exactly like a date! Chelsea looked shyly at the ground. "Um...how about we go to the beach?" Chelsea blushed a light pink. She wondered if he knew what he was turning this day into. Then she felt his hand tighten around hers. She looked up and saw him smiling at her.

"No problem" Mark's emerald eyes glowed as he spoke. He started walking and pulled her hand gently till she started to walk beside him. Chelsea followed. It only took them ten minutes to get to the beach. When they got there Chelsea ran to the end of the dock, all the while, pulling Mark along. She sat down and pulled Mark down with her.

As they stared out at the ocean, Mark kept Chelsea's hand in his. Chelsea blushed when she realized that fact. It made her feel weird. But a good weird. She smiled and stared out to sea.

"Chelsea?" Mark said.

Chelsea looked up into his eyes and became slightly lost for a moment. But then she pulled herself back into reality. She smiled. "Yeah?"

"Um..well on the eighth, there's this thing called the Goddess Festival...and well...you're supposed to..um..go with a person" Mark looked like he was struggling to get the words out.

"A date?" Chelsea asked with a faint pink on her cheeks. She wondered why he was even mentioning it.

"Yeah..a date.." Mark smiled shyly down at her. "Well...I was kind of wondering...if..erm..youwouldliketogowithme?"Mark said it so fast that Chelsea couldn't really understand him. She smiled while confused. Mark smiled apologetically. "Um..would you like to go with me?" Mark said calmly with a blush evident on his cheeks.

Chelsea blushed a deep red and looked at Mark shyly. She felt extremely hot and nervous. Then she felt Mark's hand loosen on hers. She didn't want him to feel bad. She gripped his hand tightly and looked at her confused. Chelsea blushed a deep red and smiled shyly. "Of coarse I'll go with you" Mark blushed before smiling a lopsided smile that made Chelsea's heart beat quicken. His hand tightened around hers.

Mark got up and pulled her up with him. She blushed deeply up at him. "C'mon, let's go visit Eric" Mark smiled down at her. Chelsea nodded and followed him.

Author's Note:

Well...sorry it took so long. I have been away basically all summer. Well...this chapter is done. Next chapter will come as soon as I get 4 REVIEWS. I need your encouragement to write the next chapter! So REVIEW and I'll post! xoxo