A Chaotic Experience
Chapter 38: Won't Go Quietly
The Hopefuls went back to the Rancho Farm in the morning on the 18th and all were just talking and such.
"You know… people are going to be going on about us having our friendship with you, Ewan." Harris said as he ate a sandwich. It was around lunchtime, but Harris hadn't eaten yet.
"Hey, bring it on." Ewan said, lifting his arms up and ushering a 'get over here' motion and nodded. They all laughed a little and then Ewan took a deep breath before slowly getting up, "Okay, gotta get some chores done." he said.
"Thank goodness that I don't have to do anymore farm work here." sighed Raffi, touching her heart a little and letting out a sigh of relief.
"Now who said that you were done doing farm work?" Joe said with a laugh. Raffi gave him a playful look and just tickled her husband in response and the two started giggling and playing around. At this moment, Ewan just left and started taking care of his animals. Kai and Karen decided to come outside and watch him do his chores.
"So how are you?" wondered Kai, sitting down on the log-terrace just for fun. Karen was leaning against Ewan's house.
"Fine." he said, collecting a couple bits of fodder from surplus grass that his livestock would not need to eat. Ewan then went to go ship the chickens' eggs.
"Yes, but how are you REALLY?" Karen asked in a very cheeky way, a bit like she was trying to mimic a psychologist or something. Ewan looked at her for a moment and shook his head a little.
"I am fine." he repeated before moving his hair out of his face again. The Hopefuls still wanted to shave off Ewan's hair, but he constantly insisted against it, "Well, I'm a little bored." he said, pulling out his watering can.
"Bored?" Karen wondered with a little laugh, "I don't really consider that to be a big problem." the winery worker admitted with a small nod. Ewan took a bit of a deep breath and pushed his hair to the side once more.
"Obviously there's something a little bit more to this." the purple bandana-wearer ran up to Ewan and helped him water his crops in the right place by moving his watering can to the right spot. After the plants were silently watered outside and in the greenhouse, Ewan sighed again.
"Yeah… yeah, there is a problem that is still sitting on my mind." the blue-haired boy muttered before sitting down on the grass with the others, "I just… want to go around town. I know that my farm is my safeguard, but I've just got to get back out to town." Ewan said.
"We can help you with that." Kai said with a small nod.
"Yeah, I mean us Hopefuls are quite a big group. Many people may disapprove, but they'll have to deal with me!" Karen lifted her arm up in a little fist, even though Ann was the most intimidating out of the bachelorettes. Ewan smiled at her.
"Hey, thanks… let's go inside. I smell food." decided Ewan, holding his arms out, "Help me up." he told them. Karen and Kai grabbed him by one arm each and lifted him up.
"Ewan, you may be a bit more depressed, but you certainly haven't lost your sense of humor."
Popuri and Elli were still being best of friends, even though Elli was generally on the side of the Hopefuls and assuming that Ewan couldn't do any bad, but the two never really talked about him much. At the moment, the two of them and Gray were in Popuri's room.
"Come on, let's go out. It's not hot today, or at least not too hot. Maybe get a book or something?" suggested Elli with a warm smile.
"Whatever you want to do." Popuri said with a little shrug.
"Maybe we could go on a little double date at the Bakery?" suggested Gray with a small shrug of his shoulders, assuming that Elli go with Trent.
"Well the Bakery's closed today, but that would be an alright idea." reminded Elli to Gray before saying that it would be a rather interesting idea. She and Trent still found it odd to converse with Gray, as they usually wouldn't. However, it was easier for Trent due to his higher resentment towards Ewan that Elli didn't share.
"May I come in?" Trent's voice could be heard after he knocked on the door and Elli and Gray turned to Popuri, awaiting her to answer, seeing as it was her room.
"Oh… come in," Popuri took a little while to reply, daydreaming a lot more than she usually did, and she was the type to do it often. Trent smiled as he walked in.
"So, hi guys," the doctor greeted them, "Are we still going to the bakery? Even though… it's closed?" wondered Trent, laughing a little.
"I… think so," muttered the rancher, lifting his shoulders a little, "I don't think we'd have anything better to do, anyway." Gray admitted. Trent turned to Elli and whispered something in her ear about them 'needing to talk'.
"So why don't you guys head over there first?" suggested Elli.
"Yeah, I forgot something at the clinic… silly me!" Trent put his hand on his head, laughing a false laugh. Popuri and Gray silently nodded and took each other's hand as they left, heading to the bakery. Trent and Elli walked off in the direction of the Clinic.
"What is it, Trent?" asked the baker to her boyfriend, who looked slightly distressed.
"Well… I got a call to go and give someone a check-up," began the doctor, making Elli look rather bored, "And… it was Ewan." Trent told her, making her look more shocked.
"Oh… wow… how is he?" Elli was quite curious.
"You can do see him yourself… he's apparently back in town," replied Trent, making Elli shoot both hands to her mouth in even more shock, "He was at the Firefly Festival yesterday, but it seemed that quite a lot of people didn't really… notice him?"
"Wow… I've got to see him!" insisted Elli, "I can't believe that I didn't see him yesterday…" she felt quite bad and started going off to the Rancho Farm, but Trent pulled her back.
"Whoa, Elli… we need to go to the bakery, first and be with Popuri and Gray now." Trent smiled at her, accepting that Elli wanted to see Ewan, even though he seemed to still have some problems with him. Elli saw this and gave him a hug.
"Alright, let's go get them some cake!" she said with a smile. They started walking back to the bakery to meet up with Gray and Popuri… or Gray at least.
Popuri had curiously followed them and wanted to ask if they wanted help finding what Trent had lost, but she immediately hid behind a tree and listening in on the conversation when she heard Ewan's name being mentioned. She was basically frozen where she stood now.
"… he's… in the village…?" muttered Popuri, pushing her face into her arms as she leaned into the large tree that kept her hidden. She knew better than to start childishly sobbing her eyes out. She was done with that and decided to walk back to the Bakery, where the others were. They asked where she was, but she said that she forgot something at the flower shop.
"So… sit down, you two," Elli told Popuri and Gray, telling them about Ewan. Gray obviously looked more shocked than Popuri did, "Yeah… so I just wanted to let you know." the baker told them.
"What cake is there for us to eat?" wondered Popuri, turning to the menu slowly after a moment of silence. Gray sat there quietly before he got out of his moment of being phased and turned to Popuri's menu.
"Um… that cake looks good…" it was obvious that Gray's mind was set on Ewan's possible involvement back with the village affairs, including the festivals. Even though he was unaware of Ewan's involvement yesterday. Elli and Trent looked at the couple oddly before looking at each other and sighing. Regardless of their affinity on Ewan at the moment, they just wanted all the drama to be over, as did many others.
A couple of days later, a little before the 24th and the beach opening, Ewan decided to sort of go around town and maybe see who else was on the Hopeful side. Raffi, Joe, Maria, and Harris were with him, as Karen and Kai had to work at the vineyard that day.
"Okay, we're walking… we're good…" murmured Raffi as Ewan was walking around on the farm towards the crossroads.
"You know, we haven't left the farm yet, honey?" Joe whispered to the brunette, who looked back at her husband with some irritation.
"I just want to make sure!" replied Raffi, looking at Joe. Ewan let out a little sigh and shook his head, carefully making his way to the crossroads.
"So… where to?" Ewan wondered, looking around what he could see of Flower Bud from where they were right there.
"How about… the Bakery?" suggested Maria with a little shrug. Ewan nodded, taking the long way and heaving himself across, slowly taking strides as he walked. It seemed the older people still had confidence in Ewan, too.
"Hello, Ewan." the midwife waved to Ewan with a small smile. Ewan waved back to her. It seemed that there were more people who were on his side, but it just wasn't really vocalized.
"Look, there's the Bakery right there!" Harris pointed to it and they walked over. Ewan slowly walked on over, being supported by Raffi and Joe as he walked by. Maria opened the door and they all walked in.
"Oh, hello you five!" Ellen's happy voice said as she rocked in her chair inside. Usually in the Summer and Winter she would be inside, as it would be too hot and cold, respectively. The five waved back to the old lady and Elli and Jeff walked out of the back room.
"Grandma, who are you talking to…?" wondered Elli, holding a box as she walked out. She let out a little gasp at seeing the group there at the Bakery. Namely Ewan being at the Bakery, "Wha… Ewan! What are you doing here?" she wondered, rushing to set down the box that was in her hands behind the counter before rushing over to the table where they decided to sit down at.
"Getting some air." Ewan replied bluntly, not moving the hair that covered his face as he said this. Elli expected some sort of laugh that Ewan did after a joke, but heard nothing.
"Well… why here?" she wondered, looking a little upset, but not really showing off this feeling very well.
"We weren't sure if you were still… you know, cool with Ewan," explained Raffi, lifting her hands up in a shrug, "I mean, Popuri is very close to you…" Elli let out a little sigh and held her head a little as Ewan stared off into the distance.
"I know that… that's why I'm trying to be more upset than I really am," explained Elli, crossing her arms a little and closing her eyes, "I know that Ewan didn't do that. But… Popuri is obviously a good friend." Elli walked over towards Ewan a little more.
"Um… and how would… Popuri be…?" inquired Maria, lifting her head after watching Ewan, wondering whether or not he would move his head or anything. Elli pondered at Ewan for a moment, too.
"Judging by you, Ewan, I'd say that she's in the same state as you…" explained the baker, crossing her arms.
"Definitely the same as you," replied Jeff, laughing nervously and walking over to the group now. Ewan made a little grunting noise as if not to really care, "Um… she knows that you're back in town by the way."
"Huhn?" wondered Ewan, listening a little bit more inventively, pushing his hair out of the way as to let his eyes appear out of the bush of his hair that was normally there. Before more of the subject could be talked about, they heard someone walk in the Bakery.
"I'm here to get some cakes…" the voice said, walking in by himself and turning a little to the huge group of people, "Huh? What are so many people doing here?" the young man who had just walked in was Gray, most likely wanting some cakes for Popuri.
"Oh! Um, well Gray…" muttered Elli, scratching the back of her head a little. Ewan instantly knew that Gray was there with the sound of his voice and looked away, yet not hiding himself under his hair.
"Ewan… why are you here?" the rancher asked gruffly, glaring to the farmer as he looked away, trying not to show that he was worried to be around Gray. He let out a little scoff and looked away, crossing his arms, "I don't care." Gray was obviously a lot better at keeping his cool at this point than Ewan could.
"So why are you here? Some cakes?" quickly responded Jeff, rushing behind the counter to get some cakes wrapped up for Gray and get off the subject. He shoved his hands in his pockets and turned to Jeff.
"Cakes, yes. Two please. One for me and one for Popuri." explained Gray with a small nod. Jeff rushed to package the second cake as Ewan stared off into the distance. Gray turned to Ewan one last time before taking his package, paying, and nodding to Jeff and Elli.
"Why is he buying Popuri a cake?" Ewan implored no-one-in-particular. Elli and Jeff knew. But they didn't want to say anything. Once they finally were able to explain Gray and Popuri's newly found relationship, Ewan set his hands down to his side and allowed his blue hair to fall back over his eyes.
Another couple of days passed and the 24th came upon them. The beach day opening. The days in between felt as if they didn't even happen…
"Ewan? You ready?" Kai and Joe were at Ewan's place, awaiting him to get ready. Everyone else was already at the beach and everything was all set up. Ewan came out of his bathroom in a pair of swim trunks that matched his Winter bandana, a simple white shirt, and a pair of aviator sunglasses.
"I didn't even know that you had those," laughed Joe, looking at his pair of shades, namely at his reflection, "They're pretty cool."
"I didn't either," replied the farmer, staring off into the distance and with his hands on his sides. He took a deep breath before stepping outside, "The chores are done, let's go."
"You know, you've been very casual and nonchalant… surprisingly…" murmured the vineyard worker to Ewan. Joe agreed with this and awaited an answer from Ewan, who was just spacing out as they walked towards the beach.
"There's nothing else I can say." Ewan said before taking the turn at Green Ranch, which made Ewan cringe, but only slightly so that no one would notice or point it out or anything. There were more people at the beach than last year and it seemed as if all of them were staring at Ewan when he arrived with the other bandana-wearers.
"Well look who's here…" murmured the redheaded Ann when he noted Ewan walking up on the sands. Gray and Popuri were with her and Popuri sighed, quickly looking away when she saw him. Gray just sort of glared at him as he walked along the beach, staring off out into the ocean as he walked.
"Hello." the farmer greeted his friends who were in the middle area of the sand. Raffi, Karen, Maria, and Harris were all there.
"Swimming competition this year. Guess who's gonna win it this year?" asked Raffi, laughing at pointing to herself with her thumbs. Everyone laughed, except Ewan, and all said something like how they would beat Raffi very easily, "Why do you all have to ruin my fun?"
"Aw honey… it's just too easy!" explained Joe with a chipper tone. Raffi smacked his shoulder and looked away to the sea.
"I'll enter… but I usually get way too winded easily," sighed Harris. He took a soda can and opened it up, turning to Ewan after taking a sip, "You entering this year?"
"No," Ewan responded rather bluntly, "I'd rather just watch." he shrugged his shoulders and grabbed a drink, too, quickly popping the can open and taking a loud sip.
"… Anyone else entering?" wondered the librarian to try and get the conversation back up and going again. Maria never entered the swimming. She could swim, but was an even worse swimmer than Harris, and preferred to wade in the shallow end.
"Of course I will," declared Kai, "As I do every year." Joe also said that he was entering.
"And then I know that Gray and Cliff are also entering," Karen reported before turning to Raffi, "Looks like you're the only girl swimming this year."
"I swear, all the guys are gonna gang up on me and make me get sixth." complained the doctor, crossing her arms and looking off onto the water where Ewan was looking. She wondered if there was anything specific that the farmer was staring off at, like a boat or something.
"Hey, guys." Elli walked over to the group, carrying a little bottle of water and taking a drink of it, "Having a good time?"
"As we do every year." responded Harris with a smile, putting his empty can in a little basket that the group had brought with them. Gray looked on to the Elli being with their group and raised an eyebrow.
"What is she doing over there?" scolded the rancher, fixing his hat a little before turning back to Popuri, who seemed to be staring at the group with an expression similar to what Ewan held under his sunglasses.
"Oh, let her do what she wants," Cliff said, turning to the water, "Ann, let's go swimming!" suggested the vagabond. The redhead grinned and nodded, pushing Cliff out of the way and rushing to the sea, beating him to get swimming.
"I'm glad that you've having fun," Elli said with a smile, "Just remember, don't eat before you go swimming!"
"I'm sure Trent was drilling that into your head all day, wasn't he?" wondered Karen with a chuckle, lying down with her hands behind her head. Elli giggled a little and lifted her arms up in a small shrug.
"Maybe." she turned to see Trent calling her to go swimming. He probably got the idea from Cliff and Ann's rushing into the water. Elli waved to the others and met Trent halfway on the way to the water.
"Come on, everyone. Let's warm up before we go out for the contest!" Joe decided, rushing to the water before everyone. Karen decided to stay and work on her tan, or something along those words. Everyone else followed Joe and went in the water, but Ewan and Maria just stayed by the shallow end.
"I'm gonna swim, too…" Gray declared, standing up and brushing some sand off of his trunks. He turned back to his girlfriend, "Are you coming, too?"
"No… I think I might go to the dock," replied Popuri, rubbing her eye a little, "I'm kinda tired. Have fun though." she gave him a fake smile and Gray nodded, getting into the water. Popuri finally got up, too, and made her way to the docks to sit down and have her feet trail in the waves. She was watching Ewan as she lightly kicked her feet over the water.
"You've become quite fond of those shades haven't you?" Maria asked Ewan with a tiny smile as everyone else was practicing swimming. The buoy was already out in the water so that people could do some practice races if they wanted.
"Sun's hot in Summer." replied Ewan quite casually, pushing the glasses back in place. Maria laughed a little at that and pushed her own glasses in place.
"I have a character sort of modeled after you in the story I'm writing. Am I gonna need to change his personality and give him some glasses?" wondered the black-haired librarian curiously. Ewan shrugged his shoulder.
"If you feel that said character now has a changed personality." answered the farmer before getting up with Maria when Thomas appeared and announced the start of the race being underway. Popuri stayed at the docks, but those not entering the race watched from their towels at the sand.
"On your marks… get set…" the mayor started counting off slowly, building the suspense of the swimmers, "GO!" and they were off! Raffi and Joe spent most of their time battling for first place while the others trailed behind. Gray was staying steady at 3rd place, but with Kai catching up to him as quickly as he could. Cliff, too, was challenging Joe and Gray for 3rd while Harris was just going at a steady… last place.
"Whoo… work out…!" the mailman gasped as he was doing his swimming. Raffi's determination led her into first place in the last stretch when Joe ran out of some breath. Gray and Kai caught up ahead of Joe, but he quickly kicked it into gear when Cliff got close.
"Phew… one place better than last year…" panted Joe after he passed the buoy. Cliff finished right after Joe and they were all swimming back to shore when Harris reached the buoy.
"Yes! I can't believe that I won!" cheered Raffi, darting an arm up in the air triumphantly. Gray just crossed his arms and covered his face with his hat.
"I guess I just got cocky and thought that I would do as good as I did last year!" cackled Kai, scratching the back of his head.
"I didn't even realize that you and Gray RUSHED ahead of me!" the carpenter smiled and tied his bandana.
"If only you hadn't noticed a couple seconds longer then I would have gotten 4th…" complained Cliff, holding his head a little from fatigue.
"I'm just glad that I finished!" chuckled Harris, holding his stomach a little.
"Okay, Raffi, as the winner, you get this big panda stuffed animal!" Thomas handed her the huge stuffed animal, which he somehow hid before they all finished the race, "Everyone else gets a consolation prize of 1000G! Thank you for entering the race and we'll see you again next year!"
And that was that. The Swimming Festival was over and everyone headed home.