(AN: sorry you guys for how long it took to get this chapter out and sorry
in advance for the shortness of it, but it's an alright chapter I guess,
and I'll get another one out soon. Tchau!)
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harvest Moon characters or the places. I don't own anything except my thoughts!
Chapter Two: Second Glances
The sun was just beginning to set along the edge of the horizon when I walked wearily back to the farm house. Sweat was pouring down my face as I turned around to look at the yard. It looked better now that I had cleaned up all the rubbish, but there was still a lot that needed to be done. My body was physically exhausted as I leaned heavily upon the gate. 'Phew!' I thought. 'This is harder than I remember, but I'm going to have to get used to it.'
As the thought crossed my mind, my eyes caught sight of the sky and the beauty of it almost took my breath away. Hues of pink and violet mixed with blue and lined with gold filled the massive expanse. I had never seen anything as beautiful.
"Hey! How's it goin'?" The voice startled me out of my thoughts and I turned my head to see a middle aged man with dark hair and eyes. He was dressed in a dark grey t-shirt which showed off his bulging muscles. A radiant smile covered his face and he held out a hand in greeting. I shook his hand as the man continued. "The names Zack. I'll be your shipper!" he cast a hasty glance at the shipping box. "Nothing today, eh? Well that's alright, this being your first day and all. Hey, the farm's looking great!"
"Thanks," I said, a proud look on my face. "My name's Jack. Pleased to meet you."
"Nice to meetcha too! Listen..." Zack spoke as a sadness clouded his face. "I'm sorry about your grandpa. I know how much he must have meant to you."
My heart fell at Zack's words and my eyes blurred at the memory. "Ya, he was a great man. I'm here because of him and I'm going to do my best to keep this farm up and running. I owe it to him."
Seeing my downcast eyes, Zack put his strong hand on my shoulder. "Hey kid, we're all going to miss him. He made a great impact on this village and I'm sure you will too." I smiled shyly at Zack's vote of confidence. "Listen, let me buy you a beer. It's the least I could do."
"I'd like that." I smiled and followed the man off the farm.
~*~*~
I whistled as they entered the local inn. "Nice place!" Zack led me over to a table and we sat down. There were three other men already seated at the table.
"Jack, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine."
The first man stood up. He was quite elegantly dressed and wore a maroon top hat. "Welcome to our town, young man. My name is Mayor Thomas." He gave me a warm smile.
The next man stood up. He wore a white shirt and had messy dark hair. "Hey. The name's Kano. I'm the town's photographer. Pleased to meet you."
The third man introduced himself. He too was dressed nicely. "The name's Duke. Welcome."
I smiled at the men and sat down. I listened to their small talk for a while, but soon lost interest. I found myself daydreaming about the last time I had been in this little village. I was a strong boy willing to do anything that Grandpa would let me help with. There was also something else. My eyes glazed over. I had often thought of the girl who'd become my best friend. I remembered the promise I made that day. 'I wonder where she is now?' I thought.
So preoccupied was I with my memories that I didn't notice that a question had been directed at me. I looked up, startled. "Um, pardon?" I asked, slightly embarrassed.
Zack smiled. "The waitress was wondering what you'd like to drink."
"Huh?" I looked up at the waitress and was surprised to see Ann's lovely face.
"Hi!" she said, smiling brightly. "How's Toby?"
"Toby? Toby's great! How are you?" I slapped myself mentally for stammering.
Ann didn't seem to notice. "I'm fine; it's been a busy night." to prove her point, she hastily brushed away some stray hairs that had escaped her braid. "What can I get you?"
"Just a beer, thanks." I smiled as he watched her write down the order and walk away toward the counter.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Duke giving Zack suggestive glances and looking back at me. The two whispered for a moment and tried to stifle a laugh. "Pardon?" I asked, confused.
"Duke here was just suggestin' that maybe you and that girly waitress over there are more than friendly." Zack said, nudging me in the shoulder and grinning.
"There is definitely nothing going on between Ann and I." I said with a tone that seemed to satisfy them. But I was unsure of my own statement as I gazed at her, her long strawberry blond hair plaited down her back. 'I definitely have to get to know her better,' I thought to myself. 'Who knows, we could become friends...or maybe even...more than that.'
Disclaimer: I do not own any of the Harvest Moon characters or the places. I don't own anything except my thoughts!
Chapter Two: Second Glances
The sun was just beginning to set along the edge of the horizon when I walked wearily back to the farm house. Sweat was pouring down my face as I turned around to look at the yard. It looked better now that I had cleaned up all the rubbish, but there was still a lot that needed to be done. My body was physically exhausted as I leaned heavily upon the gate. 'Phew!' I thought. 'This is harder than I remember, but I'm going to have to get used to it.'
As the thought crossed my mind, my eyes caught sight of the sky and the beauty of it almost took my breath away. Hues of pink and violet mixed with blue and lined with gold filled the massive expanse. I had never seen anything as beautiful.
"Hey! How's it goin'?" The voice startled me out of my thoughts and I turned my head to see a middle aged man with dark hair and eyes. He was dressed in a dark grey t-shirt which showed off his bulging muscles. A radiant smile covered his face and he held out a hand in greeting. I shook his hand as the man continued. "The names Zack. I'll be your shipper!" he cast a hasty glance at the shipping box. "Nothing today, eh? Well that's alright, this being your first day and all. Hey, the farm's looking great!"
"Thanks," I said, a proud look on my face. "My name's Jack. Pleased to meet you."
"Nice to meetcha too! Listen..." Zack spoke as a sadness clouded his face. "I'm sorry about your grandpa. I know how much he must have meant to you."
My heart fell at Zack's words and my eyes blurred at the memory. "Ya, he was a great man. I'm here because of him and I'm going to do my best to keep this farm up and running. I owe it to him."
Seeing my downcast eyes, Zack put his strong hand on my shoulder. "Hey kid, we're all going to miss him. He made a great impact on this village and I'm sure you will too." I smiled shyly at Zack's vote of confidence. "Listen, let me buy you a beer. It's the least I could do."
"I'd like that." I smiled and followed the man off the farm.
~*~*~
I whistled as they entered the local inn. "Nice place!" Zack led me over to a table and we sat down. There were three other men already seated at the table.
"Jack, I'd like you to meet some friends of mine."
The first man stood up. He was quite elegantly dressed and wore a maroon top hat. "Welcome to our town, young man. My name is Mayor Thomas." He gave me a warm smile.
The next man stood up. He wore a white shirt and had messy dark hair. "Hey. The name's Kano. I'm the town's photographer. Pleased to meet you."
The third man introduced himself. He too was dressed nicely. "The name's Duke. Welcome."
I smiled at the men and sat down. I listened to their small talk for a while, but soon lost interest. I found myself daydreaming about the last time I had been in this little village. I was a strong boy willing to do anything that Grandpa would let me help with. There was also something else. My eyes glazed over. I had often thought of the girl who'd become my best friend. I remembered the promise I made that day. 'I wonder where she is now?' I thought.
So preoccupied was I with my memories that I didn't notice that a question had been directed at me. I looked up, startled. "Um, pardon?" I asked, slightly embarrassed.
Zack smiled. "The waitress was wondering what you'd like to drink."
"Huh?" I looked up at the waitress and was surprised to see Ann's lovely face.
"Hi!" she said, smiling brightly. "How's Toby?"
"Toby? Toby's great! How are you?" I slapped myself mentally for stammering.
Ann didn't seem to notice. "I'm fine; it's been a busy night." to prove her point, she hastily brushed away some stray hairs that had escaped her braid. "What can I get you?"
"Just a beer, thanks." I smiled as he watched her write down the order and walk away toward the counter.
Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Duke giving Zack suggestive glances and looking back at me. The two whispered for a moment and tried to stifle a laugh. "Pardon?" I asked, confused.
"Duke here was just suggestin' that maybe you and that girly waitress over there are more than friendly." Zack said, nudging me in the shoulder and grinning.
"There is definitely nothing going on between Ann and I." I said with a tone that seemed to satisfy them. But I was unsure of my own statement as I gazed at her, her long strawberry blond hair plaited down her back. 'I definitely have to get to know her better,' I thought to myself. 'Who knows, we could become friends...or maybe even...more than that.'