Pelican Town is that small haven for anyone exhausted by city life seeking for a fresher air, and it's got everything one could be expecting from a place lost in the middle of nowhere : kind villagers, farmers, shops. Everyone is living their peaceful life.
I'm Nancy, and i just arrived in the community after years of living out of a miserably paid job on the behalf of people who don't even know I exist. I've had enough. So, I guess I simply decided to take back my grandfather's business in his farm despite my nonexistent knowledge in plants. Or animals, for that matter.
Now I've arrived some days ago and already had some friends here and there. Robin and the mayor really were sweet with me, and I think I'm getting friend with Abigail by now. We sometimes hang out at her place to play games or talk about stuffs on our mind. And tonight was the night she invited me to go at the Saloon with Sebastian and Sam.
So i was there, waiting for them, one beer in the hand laying on that old blue couch that felt like it should have been cleaned ages ago. And then she arrived first, her purple hairs passing the door, turning to face me. She was frowning at first but her eyes opened when she crossed mines.
« Hey Nancy, how are you doing tonight?
- I'm fine. What about you? »
She smiled, made a sign of the hand to Gus and then went to sit crossed legs next to me with a bit of a dreamy look.
« Going fine. Sam and Seb shouldn't take long anymore, I spotted them hanging out outside Sam's house. »
Emily arrived right after, handing a beer to Abigail before turning and politely smile to me. She looked so happy today.
« Hi, Nancy! I've never seen you in the bar before, it feels good to see new faces in there. »
I nodded, and Emily left already. She was such a dear sometimes, yet i barely talked twice to her. At least it felt like I was accepted in this town.
« Hey, feels like you got a hook, huh?
- What are you talking about? »
I giggled and took a sip of my beer while Abby kept eye contact.
« You should think about finding someone seriously, you look like one of these desperate girls seeking love from chickens.
- Don't make bad jokes, I came here to take fresh air from the city, not to flirt with random people i barely know. »
Yet i blushed and looked away from her. It looked like she was digging right into my soul with these blue eyes ; but she gave up with a lazy shrug. At the same time, both Sam and Seb arrived in the bar looking right and left, searching for Abigail and I. Abby raised and shook her hand to get their attention.
« Hey guys, we're here! »
Upon seeing us, Sam walked straight to the back of the saloon ; but he suddenly bumped into a barely standing man who was in the middle of the alley.
« Hey, you! Don't stand just there, what's your problem? »
The man staggered with his beer in one hand, wearing a very drunk face. He moved back two steps, before barely retorting.
« Y-You! Don't… Don't talk to m- »
He burped and vomited on the ground at Sam's feet while letting his empty beer bottle fall and break on the ground in a sea of broken glass. Everyone jumped back suddenly.
« Wow Shane! You really overdid yourself this time. Just go back home you old loser, and stop hanging out in people's feet. »
Shane, wasn't it? I've never saw him myself, but Marnie told me a bit about him. Her nephew helping her at the farm with the chicken. I felt a bit disappointed after seeing him, right now he just looks so miserable with that shaggy look and his worn jacket.
« Sam, stop. »
Abigail stood up and walked to him to catch his hand before quickly dragging him to us. Sebastian followed, bending his path to avoid Shane on the way.
« Just leave him alone, Gus will take care of him.
- You're no fun, Abby. He doesn't deserve anything here, he's never been part of the town anyway.
- S-Shut… Shut up! »
Shane stood up while holding his own weight against the bar, looking right at Sam in the eyes.
« I am… I'm part of the town! Okay…? »
Gus arrived immediately and caught Shane's arm to slowly drag him out.
« Shane, It's probably time you go back to the farm. Marnie must be worried, it sure is getting late by now. »
I watched, as Gus was throwing Shane by the door. He resisted, but got no other choice than leaving when the door closed right in front of him.
« What a scene. »
Abigail sat back on the armchair while sighing, taking back her beer in one hand.
« I feel bad for the guy. He seemed pretty drunk, right?
- It's like that every nights, Shane has a real alcohol problem. »
Sam stood by the couch, seeming enraged by what just happened.
« Seriously, he's such a bother. He never talks to anybody, works at that weird market, and then he expects getting away with people by being rude? »
I didn't know what to think, from what Abigail told me already Sam could be a real hot heads times to times, and probably was saying all that out of anger.
« Just forget about it. »
Seb, next to him, put a hand on his shoulder to tell him to calm down. But before he could say anything else, Abigail suddenly cut short the discussion.
« Hey guys, what about playing a silly game to make us all forget that? We're here for the night, let's not waste the evening mumbling about a random!
- Hell, you're right Abby. »
She suddenly left her chair to sit on the ground, and invited us to do so. She gulped the rest of her beer in a few second before wiping her mouth and setting the bottle on the ground.
« Don't tell me-
- We're playing the bottle game!
- Oh my god, what are you, twelve? »
Sebastian sighed with the most annoyed look on his face as we were laughing. I sat down on the ground, following her.
« Cmon, it won't be that terrible! I've never actually played it, you know.
- Oh my dear Nancy, where is your childhood then? »
Seb, grumpy, looked away.
« We used to play that years ago as teens, we're supposed to be adults now.
- You chicken! »
Sam sat on the ground too next to me and smiled with all his teeth to his friend, clearly mocking him.
« … Fine, you win. I don't have any choice than to play too. »
Abigail danced a victory gesture and immediately rolled the bottle on the damaged wooden floor without waiting a second more, looking as excited as ever.
And that is how that night started, with a stupid game and alcohol, between us youngs who had no idea what it all was about to become.
It was getting really late when we kept playing, there were nobody anymore in the bar besides us and Gus cleaning some glasses and plates. Even Emily had left her shift to go take some rest. But who doesn't pull an all nighter on a Saturday night? At least, we did.
« Seb! »
Abigail looked at him after screaming his name, her cheeks red from alcohol. That last one was almost laying on the floor, taking deep breaths of the cigarette he was holding between his fingers.
« Truth.
- Hmm.. What about, your first crush ever? »
Sebastian suddenly stood straight, looking at her with blushy cheeks.
« Are you REALLY twelve?
- Don't tell me you chicken out of this one.
- I don't have any crush. Never had. None. »
Sam laughed next to him and bumped his shoulder against his torso.
« You lier! We all know you only have eyes for Abby.
- What the fuck are you saying? I've got nothing for her! »
He looked troubled and quickly grabbed the bottle to turn it again. We all laughed it off, at least until it fell on me.
« Hey, Nancy. It's on you!
- Okay guys, i won't play like that scaredy-cat little Seb. Dare me. I'll accept anything.
- Don't call me a scaredy cat. Go, Sam, pick a dare for her, a good one she'll have to refuse. »
Sam stopped a second, his hand against his chin to think a few second. The silence was getting heavy as I regretted my words. What the fuck was he going to ask me?
« Hey, I know a good one. »
He winked at me and simply put his hand on my shoulder.
« Please don't ask me to do anything… Weird.
- No worries, it's worse. »
He smiled and looked right in my eyes before opening his mouth. The air felt so tense while he was mumbling each of his words one by one.
« Remember Shane? Find a way to go out with him.
- What? »
Abigail answered the first. She seemed surprised, and i simply washed away Sam's hand from my shoulder.
« What, are you crazy? We're talking about one's feeling here.
- She's right, don't make her play with people as if they were toys.
- But she said she'd accept anything, tho. »
I looked away for awhile, but noticed then the worried look of Abby. Was she worried about Shane, or… About me? I wasn't sure about what she was trying to express, but that clearly was my chance, if there was any in the beginning.
« Fine, I'll do it. I'll flirt with that guy. I'm sure he's not that bad when he's not… Utterly drunk.
- Oh god, you're serious? »
Sam looked clearly amused while spitting his words, the others not so much. But Gus cut the little party, arriving behind us and catching Seb's cigarette to crush it on an ashtray.
« It's over, the saloon's closing now. Go back to your parent's homes, and take care on your way to the farm Nancy.
- Sure, Gus. »
And so we all stood up and walked to the door. The floor had been cleaned during the night.
I'm wondering what kind of person Shane was, I doubt the type I would like to be around. "Alcoholic behavior" isn't really what i'm searching in a romantic interest, to be honest. But Sam gave me an opportunity. Maybe Abby would get jealous if i developed something with that guy, would it be helpful to get closer to her?
We all stepped out, and Sam gave me a huge tap on the back when i started walking straight.
« We'll leave you, right Nancy? Look behind you. »
I turned back, and noticed a person laid against the walls of the saloon on the street. It was Shane's shape, from what i could see in the dark.
« See you! »
I stopped while Seb and Sam were heading away ; Abigail didn't go with them at first. She instead started whispering at me.
« It was just a game, you're not forced to do this, you know.
- Leave it to me Abby, I'll show them i'm not a sissy. »
She sighed, gave me a hand sign, and trudged on the path to her house. I could see her disappear in the obscurity of the night.
When i turned to Shane, i felt nervous. It was all for her, just for Abby. I didn't even needed to get really close to that guy, right? But what if he was a sociopath? What if he had a violent behavior? My legs walked to his body and kneeled, but I was shaking like hell.
« Shane ? That's your name, right?
- … Leave me alone... »
I had a deep sigh and gently glided my hand over his upper arm.
« Listen, you shouldn't stay out there in the cold night. You're gonna catch a cold.
- Booze keeps me warm, just get lost already. »
He suddenly burped, I stepped back quickly. He was so disgusting. I tried to be the nicest i could to him, and yet he acted so rude.
« Come with me, I'll bring you home, okay? »
Did I even need to do that? Would he remember tomorrow? I have to admit, I would feel bad leaving him to be in the middle of the street during such a night.
Dared or not, i'm going to help him anyway. Even just this time.
« Grab my shoulder. »
I slipped my arm in his back and pushed on my feet with all my strength getting him to stand up, and with all the trouble of the world we finally succeeded.
« B-Bleh… Thanks. »
And we slowly started lurching up to Marnie's ranch in the cold of a moonless Saturday night.
« Why are you drinking that much? Look at you, you're wasted.
- What a sharp eye, I didn't even notice I was.
- Don't play that game with me, I could just drop you there and you wouldn't even be able to use your two little feet to go back at your place. »
He didn't even answer, just resting his head on my shoulder in a silent half-nod. He should have passed out by now, with that amount of alcohol in his blood.
When we arrived at the ranch, i slowly knocked at the door ; immediately the entrance opened to deliver the face of a restless Marnie in a luminous hall. She looked so worried and desperate.
« Shane? Is that him? »
He slowly lift his head but immediately slid his sleeve to cover his eyes.
« T-The light, Marnie…
- Are you kidding me, Shane? It's 1am, you're drunk, you came back home only thanks to Nancy, and all you find to say is about the light? »
He didn't answer, lowering his head to avoid any facial confrontation.
« I'll just bring him to his room so he can get some rest. »
The woman stepped back to let us enter, looking at the floor with pitiful eyes.
« Get some rest Marnie, he's safe now. »
She nodded, pointing her finger at the other side of the room to what she called "his bedroom", and went to lock herself in her own while i carried Shane to the door.
I opened by turning the handle, and a violent smell of booze and sweat immediately got my nose. He was an absolutely disgusting man.
« Oh my god, do you never open the window?
- Fuck you, I'm not in the mood for anymore comments about my lifestyle... »
Some more steps, and i pulled him on his bed. He was definitely heavier than he looked like at first view, and i stretched out once i was free from the weight.
« Take care of you Shane, will you? You won't make any friends by acting rude as heck.
- Just buzz off, you're a brat to think that way. I don't need no friend. »
He turned away, burped a last time before shoving himself in the blanket.
« Fine. I'll leave you die in the streets next time. »
He mumbled something under the sheets, but I didn't even hear it. Simply swiveling on my own feet, I walked to the door and closed it behind me.
It was so silent out there. I could hear my footsteps to the entrance, then on the grass that I was walking on.
I felt like that night was one of the longest i've ever had since i moved here. Shane was rough and rude, and Marnie was so concerned about his well being. Does he have any idea what it feels like to be as helpless as she was seeing he wouldn't get back home?
I probably should tell Sam i give up on that dare. It was a good opportunity for me to get Abby worried, but wasting my days helping a drunk ass wouldn't get me anywhere.
I looked up at the bright starts of the sky, shining diamonds that were lightning my path to home, and i kept thinking about what happened earlier.
The next morning, i woke up at the thud of knocks at my door. Grabbing my alarm I could read a flashy "09:46" on the screen. Who'd wake up this early on a Sunday morning to go annoy me the hell out of my sleep?
I walked to the front door and opened it to find the guy I helped yesterday night. He had heavy dark circles around the eyes, and the same old jacket he was wearing before.
« Hey. You're Nancy? Marnie told me you picked me up yesterday night, she wanted me to go apologize. I barely remember anything, but still.
- On a sunday morning?
- Sorry. »
I groaned my exhaustion, to which he scratched the back of his head.
« I'll go now. You don't need to talk to me anymore. I'm grateful you helped yesterday but i'm not the kind who'd be all over your feet after that. Just forget about me and leave me alone.
- Still as rude as yesterday, i guess? I expected you to be different while sober.
- Don't worry, you're not the first person I disappoint in my life. »
He seemed in pain, resting his foreheads in one hand as started turning around. But I quickly grabbed him by the shoulder to stop him from getting further away.
« Listen, you're certainly having a bad hangover. Let me give you something to get better, maybe some coffee? »
He suddenly turned his head while shivering, and frowned to me with a pissed look in the black of his eyes.
« What, do you think we're pals now? Don't fucking touch me ever again.
- Wow, calm down. »
He almost spit at me as I stepped back, and only then i saw him getting relaxed. Without another word he walked away, back to the Marnie's farm.
Maybe Sam was right, he really is simply an annoying alcoholic afterall. Maybe he's got nothing to offer despite hate and insults.
« Asshole! »
I screamed my lungs out as he was already at mid-field distance ; and without even looking at me in front face, he simply offered me a middle finger.
And this night was the night I met Shane for the first time.