Alright y'all. This took way too long. Over four hundred reviews! You rock. And...
THE RESULTS ARE IN.
The winner is... posted at the end of the chapter. xP
Read this monster-of-a-chapter first (if you can)!
CHAPTER STATS
Word Count (excluding A/N): 2011
Date Updated: 9-11-11
Current Review Count: 424
Vaughn slowly made his way down the stairs of his apartment building, ignoring the peeling walls in the stairwell. He rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, wishing he'd made coffee before leaving his one-room place. He watched his scuffed boots step over the various discolorations on the floor, following the invisible trail he'd worn into the mustard carpeting over the last seven years. It was Saturday, his first day off this week, but he'd gotten in later than usual the night before and had slept in. He'd also had a very strange dream, but he couldn't remember a thing about it. He only remembered that it was incredibly weird and that, when he woke up, he had felt very uncomfortable. He hated those kinds of dreams.
Yawning, he reached his little mail cubby in the lobby and opened it, past the point of struggling with the faulty lock on the dented door. It was rusting on the edges and it had always taken a forceful tug to get it open. He reached for the bills and junk mail, his mind just working through habit. Inside was the usual stack of envelopes. He pulled them out, accidentally dropping one on the floor in the process. Sighing, he bent down to pick it up.
He studied the small parcel in his hands for a moment, noticing how tattered and damp the cream-colored paper was. It smelled strongly of salt and fish, like it had arrived very recently via boat. This was no bill. Turning it over, he glanced over it for a return address. His eyes found the smudging black letters and his back stiffened in recognition. A shiver ran down his spine.
He sent one wary glance over his shoulder at the deserted lobby. Not even the doorman was around. He shoved the letter into his jacket pocket and carried the other mail back up to his room, unconsciously dodging the newest brown stain on the carpet near the bottom of the stairs.
Ooo
"Vaughn, man, what took you so long?" Riley asked as Vaughn sat down across from him at their usual table in the fast food restaurant. "I've been waiting here for like twenty minutes."
Vaughn didn't say anything. He pulled the letter out of his pocket and flicked it onto the table. Riley picked it up and raised one of his eyebrows.
"What's this?" He asked, pushing his brown hair away from his eyes.
Vaughn frowned. "Look at the return address."
Riley turned the envelope over and read the smudged letters out loud. "Sunny Island?"
Vaughn nodded.
Riley blinked at him, tossing the letter back onto the table. "So… what's the problem?"
"There ain't no problem," Vaughn said, picking the sealed parcel back up and studying it. "It's just… I don't know what it is."
"Have you tried reading it?" Riley asked, his tone strongly implying that Vaughn was missing something obvious.
Vaughn hesitated for a moment, pulling at his Stetson. What if it was from Mirabelle—what if she was firing him? That was the most likely to happen. He didn't just get letters. They were usually only sent to him if he had to be formally notified of something—usually the loss of a job or the death of someone he only sort-of-knew.
And then a thought hit him like a frying pan to the face. What if he wasn't fired? What if someone had died? There was only one person on Sunny Island he could think of that would ever be able to get killed in such a harmless place…
He swallowed and tore the envelope open, his sudden fervor startling Riley. Vaughn pulled the paper out and hastily scanned over the first line, then the second, then the third. Rile watched as Vaughn physically sunk in relief, followed by an irritated roll of his eyes.
"What is it?" Riley asked, eyeing the back of the paper curiously.
"Nothin'," Vaughn sighed, continuing to read the letter.
"Yeah, right," Riley frowned slightly, the curiosity eating away at him. "Who's it from?"
"Chelsea," Vaughn answered absentmindedly, still reading—or possibly rereading, Riley couldn't tell—the neat lettering.
"Chelsea?" Riley repeated, a smirk growing on his lips. "Is that her name? The girl on the island?"
"Yeah," Vaughn said, still acting distracted. He finished reading the letter and set it down, trying to reconstruct his curt expression. "I thought you knew that."
"I don't think you've ever told me her name," Riley said, his eyes teasing. "So, what does it say? Is it a love note?"
"Naw," Vaughn scowled as his face heated up at his friend's taunting. "Why the hell would she—?"
"What is it, then?" Riley interrupted, snatching the letter from the table before Vaughn could even decide if it was something he didn't want Riley to read.
The brunette held the letter close to his face, studying the small, neat letters. "She has cute handwriting."
Vaughn rolled his eyes, his face still pink. Riley chuckled and read the letter.
Ooo
Dear Vaughn,
I just found out that your birthday is tomorrow! Why didn't you tell me? This letter probably won't even get to you in time. I hope it gets to you before you go back to work. Anyways, happy birthday! Or maybe happy belated birthday. Either way, I hope you had a really good day. You're twenty-six now, right? That sounds so old… In a good way, I mean! Well, not a good way, but—eh, nevermind.
I also just realized when I was talking to Julia (we made up just a little bit ago, actually) that I never told you when my birthday was, and she said that I couldn't expect you to tell me when yours was if I didn't tell you when mine is so… uh, sorry, I'm just rambling now. My birthday was back on winter seventh, so I'm not a teenager anymore and haven't been for a while, ha ha!
So I guess I should wrap this up. I can't wait until Wednesday! It's my favorite day.
I'll see you soon,
Chelsea XOXO
P.S. I have a present for you when you get back!
P.P.S. Mirabelle told me your address in the city and helped me send it, if you were wondering how I knew where you live—and I know you totally were.
Ooo
Riley read the letter, his smirk growing with every line. He set it on the table, his eyebrows raised at Vaughn. There were so many new questions in his head now that he'd read that letter. Where to start?
Vaughn picked the letter up grouchily and shoved it in his coat pocket. "Quick smirkin' like that."
"Vaughn," Riley said, biting back laughter, "she's barely twenty?"
Vaughn rolled his eyes. "So?"
"Isn't that a little young?" Riley said, snorting. "I mean, I guess she's legal. But still."
Vaughn scowled, his face burning in humiliation. He shouldn't have let Riley read it. He should have known Riley would tease him.
"Ah, sorry," Riley said, chuckling. He still had that taunting smirk on his lips. "But seriously, she seems sweet. Silly, maybe, but still sweet. She's even got a present for you."
"Whatever," Vaughn frowned, although he was kind of intrigued at the possibility of getting a birthday present. He hadn't received one in decades.
"Honestly, man, she's got some serious thing for you," Riley said. He wished Vaughn would realize it—and soon. "You should make a move or something."
"What are you talkin' about?" Vaughn said, still frowning. He'd decided that ignoring Riley when he got on these rants wasn't doing anything to discourage his brunette friend, so humoring him might just make it easier.
Riley rolled his eyes. "C'mon, Vaughn. We've been over this. You like her, she likes you—you should just ask her out or something."
"I don't know what you're talkin' about." Vaughn growled, his face heating up. Why did Riley think Chelsea and he could be a couple? That was just weird. They were friends… Vaughn nodded to himself. They were just friends.
"Vaughn, your face turns bright red every time we talk about her—and we talk about her all the time."
"That's 'cause you always bring her up," Vaughn protested, trying to keep himself from flushing.
"You almost kissed her, man."
Cue flush.
"See?" Riley said, motioning towards the flustered cowboy. "Tell me—did you want to kiss her?"
"What the hell kind of question is that?" Vaughn scowled, his face still hot. What made Riley think he could suddenly ask stuff like that?
"The important kind," Riley replied, leaning forward slightly. "So? Did you? Do you?"
"I—I—" Vaughn stuttered, words not forming like he wanted them to. He felt humiliated under Riley's knowing gaze. He felt anger heat his face with the embarrassment. "I ain't answerin' that."
"Alright, fine," Riley shrugged, leaning back again. "I don't need to know—but you sure as hell do, and soon, I think."
Ooo
Knock, knock, knock.
Chelsea yawned, rolling out of bed. The sun was barely starting to rise. Why did people on this island insist on coming to her door so early?
"Hello?" Chelsea asked as she opened the door, her voice cracking from sleep. A petite girl who looked no older than she stood in front of her. She had short, brown hair and was wearing a spotless gown that seemed to be a religious garment.
The girl smiled at Chelsea, her eyes squinting closed. "Hello, I'm Alisa."
"Chelsea," Chelsea said, extending her hand to Alisa.
Alisa shook it firmly, surprising Chelsea with her strength. "Nathan and I have just arrived here. A church has been built next to the Goddess Pond in the forest—we're here to serve the Goddess through that church."
"I see," Chelsea nodded, smiling absentmindedly. She remembered the church back in Mineral Town where she'd gone everyday to get an education. There were a lot of memories in that church. "I'm really glad that a church is opening on the island."
"Nathan is up there now, finishing the interior," her smile turned apologetic, "I'm sorry he couldn't come to introduce himself too."
"Oh, no, it's fine," Chelsea said, waving off her apology, "I can just head up there later and meet him."
"That'd be great," Alisa said, still smiling. Chelsea liked her—she seemed t be a genuinely happy person. Pursing her lips slightly and tilting her head, Alisa continued. "I actually also wanted to ask something of you, if that's alright."
"Sure," Chelsea replied, "what is it?"
"Well, the Goddess Festival is coming up in a few days. Nathan and I were hoping that we could celebrate here on the island, even though it's very short notice," she explained, her smile apologetic once again. "Anyway, we'd like for all the young ladies on the island to perform a dance, as is the custom for the festival."
"That sounds like fun," Chelsea smiled. She remembered going to the Goddess festival back at home. She'd left before she'd had the chance to participate in the dance, though.
"That's great to hear," she replied, happiness and relief obviously sweeping over her. "I asked that sweet girl—Lanna, I think her name is—to ask you earlier if you'd like to participate, but I wasn't sure if you'd received the message."
So that explained why Lanna had come over before. Chelsea shrugged. "Well, I know now. When will the rehearsals be?"
"Do you think you could come to the meadow tomorrow around noon? That seemed to be the best time for the other girls."
"Sure," Chelsea smiled. "I suppose we'll be learning quickly then, huh? The festival is on the eighth, right?"
"Yes," Alisa nodded, "In only three days."
"I'm looking forward to it," Chelsea said, her feet starting to feel cold form the crisp morning air blowing inside. "I'll see you tomorrow, then."
"Alright," Alisa nodded again, beaming at the farmer. "See you!"
Chelsea closed her door and sighed. It seemed that there could never be a dull day on this island.
Alright. I'm sososo happy that so many of you guys participated, and all the entries were so awesome! Personally, I loved them all. You guys picked awesome scenes and drew them really well. It's a good thing that I wasn't the only judge, because I would never have been able to determine winners. I got a group of five people (plus myself) and had them rate each entry on a scale of 1 to 10 in three categories. The winners were the ones with the highest average of those three categories. It was close!
Without further adieu, the first-place winner is Angel Little with her lovely illustration of a certain scene from Chapter 30!
Second place was a close one, but the winner is Cherryblossomtree154 with her spot-on drawing of the opening scene!
Send me a PM letting me know you saw this, please!
Congratulations! Thanks and great job to everyone who participated-the entries are all printed out and in my locker at school, I love them so much. xP
in other news, updates will most likely continue to be spaced out. I wrote this one incrementally over two weeks. I don't know when I'll have the opportunity to sit down long enough to church out the next one, but I'll figure something out! Thanks for reading and reviewing, you guys. I love y'all to bits :)