Something weird happened over the next week.
The next day was a rainy one. Umbrella in one hand and pole in the other, I fished as per usual.
Maybe an hour after I sat down, I heard a familiar voice say "Hey, farmer."
I shouldn't have been so surprised to see Sebastian walking up to me, with an umbrella in one hand and a cancer sti- that is, a cigarette in the other.
"Hey," I said. "What's up?"
"Well, the band was going to practice all together, but Abby's sick with the flu, so we decided to put it off," said Sebastian. "I see you're fishing as per usual."
"Yup," I shrugged. "There's probably a lot more I could be doing, but… I dunno. I just… feel like I belong out on this pier, I guess. Besides, a few creatures come out of hiding in the rain."
"So you know your stuff," said Sebastian, then proceeding to take a puff of his cigarette.
"I guess you could say that," I shrugged.
"I wonder what Sam's up to," said Sebastian. "Rainy days usually make him bother me to hang out. I guess I shouldn't be surprised; he can't skateboard in the rain."
Wait, did Sam ever tell me he skateboarded? Damn, so I was crushing on a skater boi, too?
"That's fair," I said.
We sat… well, he stood and I fished… in silence for another minute or so. I was expecting Sebastian to turn around and walk away at any minute, but he didn't. Every time I glanced to my right, he was still standing there. What sort of magical power had I gained?
I decided to pinch my nose and try to breathe through it. Nope, couldn't breathe through it. I wasn't caught in a dream.
"Er, you okay?" asked Sebastian. Whoops, he'd seen me do that.
"Yeah, it's nothing," I answered, staring down at the water and hoping my face would cool back down anytime soon.
Well, if I finally had this power, the power to keep people by my side, I was going to enjoy it.
"The Luau's coming up," Sebastian said after a few moments. "I wonder what'll be in the soup this year."
From what I'd heard, everyone in the town put at least one ingredient into a potluck soup. I couldn't wrap my head around how that could ever taste good. I didn't think I'd ever be brave enough to try it.
"One year, Sam put a pound of anchovies in there," Sebastian said with a little bit of a laugh.
"You're kidding," I reacted.
"I'm serious," said Sebastian. "Ever wondered why he leads the town in community service hours?"
"Does he?" I asked in awe.
"Yeah," said Sebastian, putting the cigarette back up to his mouth.
"Anchovies or not, I don't think I'll ever be brave enough to try a soup that everyone puts something into," I said.
"It can actually be pretty good sometimes," said Sebastian. "…If everyone puts something sensible into it. And not anchovies."
Still was going to take a bit of courage to try that soup.
The next day, the sky was overcast, but there was no sign it was going to rain again. If everyone else's beautiful day involved buckets of sunshine, my beautiful day involved a thick sheet of clouds.
This was a perfect day spent fishing, made even more perfect by Sam sitting at my side.
"So now Sebastian's sick," he said.
"Oh, sheesh, really?" I replied. "Whatever's going around must be pretty quick on its feet."
"Yeah, seriously," Sam sighed. "…Almost makes you wonder, though."
"What's that?" I asked, feeling a tug on my line.
"Think about it," said Sam. "Abigail gets sick one day, Sebastian gets sick literally the next… Doesn't it sound a little suspicious? Like those two…"
I laughed and replied "I mean, it is a pretty insane coincidence… but I don't think that's how the flu works. The incubation period is at least a few days."
"…I guess…" Sam said, almost in a disappointed grumble.
I reeled in a flounder. I held it and observed it for a bit; the placement of its eyes was unique, and never failed to amaze me.
As I put it away, Sam sighed and said "Sebastian has no trouble with the ladies."
"Oh, yeah?" I laughed, casting my line.
"If I had a dollar for every time someone's come up to me and asked for his number, or something like that," said Sam. "I'd have… like, five dollars, but still."
"Oh, no," I said with an apologetic laugh. "…I mean, I get it, though. He's the resident goth boy."
"You can say that again," Sam sighed.
"That's gotta hurt, though," I said. "I'd offer to give you a hug, but I can't put this pole down."
"Heh, don't worry about it," said Sam. "But one thing's for sure, though: he should have no problem winning Abigail's heart."
"I mean, I suppose," I shrugged, feeling a little sad that I'd just missed out on a hug. "You never know, though; maybe she's not into the whole goth thing."
"I guess," said Sam. "Even if that were true, though, I'm pretty sure she's into Sebastian."
"Is it obvious?" I asked. "I know you hang out with them a lot."
"I feel like a third wheel sometimes," Sam answered. "They're super awkward around each other, and I'm pretty sure I've caught her staring at him at least once."
"Well, that certainly sounds like something could be there to me," I agreed. I almost made a remark about him calling on me if he ever needed a fourth wheel, but decided against it.
"That's what I'm saying," said Sam. "And that's why we need to get the ball rolling!"
The next day, the sun was back out, but the sky wasn't completely blue, at least. The air was almost a bit cool.
I stepped off my steps and onto the farmland. All the pathing I'd just crafted were in my arms.
I immediately looked over, though, and noticed that the paths I had already laid out created a nice little section of farmland that looked perfect for some crops.
I laid out the pathing that was in my arms, then went to Pierre's. More accurately, I admired my newest work, looked at my watch, and set off on a mad dash toward Pierre's, doubtful if I'd even make it before he closed.
Somehow, I made it in, but getting in the door felt like getting into a shelter after being chased by a pack of zombies or something. Even Pierre seemed to be a little surprised at the urgent manner in which I entered his shop.
I quickly went toward the aisles in search of some sunflower seeds, nearly running into Sam's mother.
She noticed me and said "Oh, hello!", a bit more cheerfully than I was expecting.
"Hi!" I smiled.
I immediately noticed the cans of chicken-noodle soup in her hands… and the box of tissues…
"How are you doing?" I asked.
"Pretty good," she replied. "Poor Sam's sick with the flu, so I just stopped by here to pick up some things for him."
I laughed internally, and for one reason only: he'd made Sebastian and Abigail's flus a conspiracy, and here he was, down with the same flu. My amusement immediately transitioned to sorrow for my poor baby- er, that is, sorrow for Sam, though. The flu sucks. And in the dead of summer, too.
"That bug's been going around," I sighed. "Sebastian and Abigail had it, too. You wouldn't think that would happen in the middle of the summer, but diseases are sneaky like that."
…Did that mean I was next?
"Indeed," Sam's mother nodded.
"Well, I'll let you take those to him," I said, turning toward the door. "Tell him I hope he gets better soon!"
"I will!" she smiled. "Have a good day!"
"You too!" I said, walking away.
At the end of the day, my sunflower seeds were planted, and I was in bed, Laslow's head being petted by my left hand.
Poor Sam probably had to close his eyes tonight with a headache, a congested head… maybe even an upset stomach. I briefly let myself have an out-there daydream, that being laying in his bed and comforting him, maybe holding him if he got cold…
And then, I sneezed. Five times.