SPRING, YEAR 1

24 MOUNTAIN ROAD


"Sebastian James Watson!" Robin screeched. "What the hell has gotten into you?!"

If there was a single word that could describe the expression on Maya's face at that very moment, 'surprised' was not one of them.

'Bewildered', seemed like the better word to use as Maya looked between Sebastian and his mother. While he held an unwavering glower that remained stagnant on his face as he placed the butter knives on the other side of the plate, Robin was fuming with eyes full of fury and embarrassment.

"Sebastian, that was completely uncalled for and inappropriate," said Demetrius.

His step-son hardly acknowledged his presence, let alone his words and rebuffed them with a mere roll of his eyes, muttering : "whatever", under his breath as he left the dining room. When he was out of view, both Robin and Demetrius sighed in defeat and Maru left for the kitchen to begin setting the table with the food.

"Maya," said Robin. "I am so very VERY sorry he said that to you. He's not always like this. I don't know what's gotten into him tonight. Sebastian is … difficult at best, aggravating at worst." She chuckled uneasily.

Maya felt bad. She had to say something. She actually wasn't offended by his comment, mostly because his mother had already expressed her own feelings about the farm, so hearing him almost repeat her exact sentiments from earlier was like deja vu to Maya. Still, it didn't make it hurt any less hearing it again, this time with more colourful language.

"It's alright, Robin. Honestly, I'm not offended." She tried to smile and hoped that neither of them could spot her lie.

Robin sighed and shook her head, not fooled by Maya's kind composure. "Demetrius, can you help Maru finish setting the table? I'll handle Sebastian." She stated firmly, not even waiting to hear Demetrius' response before stamping out of the room. Maya looked to the older man who only could offer her an apologetic expression.


It had been half an hour before Robin returned to the dining room. She was tired, but somehow managed to hold a bright expression that exuded confidence and pride. Maya wondered where Sebastian was.

"Did you speak to him?" asked Demetrius.

Robin waved her hand dismissively and smiled. "It's nothing to worry about." Then, she turned to Maya with a charming gleam in her eye. "I hope your appetite is still present because this food looks way too good to go to waste, so please help yourself and enjoy!"

Maya bit her lower lip before asking, "Aren't we waiting for Sebastian to join us?"

Robin shook her head as she began to fill her plate with grilled chicken. "No, Sebby's not really hungry right now. He said to go ahead and eat without him."

"He was literally just grunting about wanting to eat dinner before Maya got here," grumbled Demetrius.

Robin was indifferent as she added more vegetables to her plate. "Well, his appetite changed and now he said he'll wait until later."

"He could at least show some decency and apologize to Maya for those remarks."

"Demetrius, please. Seb told me he was sorry and I know he didn't mean it. Now, can we please eat?" she smiled, though her expression and eyes sung a different tune. One that Demetrius noticed immediately and left the conversation at that. Maru ate her food in silence as she watched her parents, noting the tension between them. She also noticed that Maya looked a bit out of place at their dinner table.

Things like this were common in Maru's family dynamic and she felt bad that Maya had to bear witness to it as well as being the brunt of the conversation too. So, Maru decided to change the discourse.

"Hey Maya, are you good with plants? What I mean is … do you understand their life cycle or have any experience in stuff like botany?"

"Um … well, I've always liked plants back home in the city, but to be honest … I have never tended to a farm before. The only time I ever worked on a farm was when my grandpa was alive and even then, I was just a child. No older than 5 and I was mostly playing in the dirt while Grandpa did all the work and heavy stuff." Maru smiled as she listened.

"But I did start reading up on specific plants to grow in each season and I also learned some tips and tricks that my Grandpa used to help maintain the farm from my parents too, so hopefully those pointers will help me become a better farmer."

"Well, I'm not very handy when it comes to farmwork, but if you ever need or want me to build something to help you with your day-to-day farming stuff, I could build something for you. Maybe a robot that self-cleans or tends to the weeds in your garden."

Maya smiled. "That would be such a lifesaver to me. So, I may take you up on that."

"Just say the word! I'm your gal!" Maru giggled. Then, Demetrius joined the conversation. "Will your family be visiting anytime soon? As far as I can remember, your grandfather didn't really have a lot of your family over. Except on very rare occasions, so I'm sure Mayor Lewis and the people of Pelican Town would be glad to meet them too."

At his words, Maya fidgeted uncomfortably.

"I uh … I doubt that … my family would come to visit me, to be completely honest." She smiled sadly. "My parents and I … are not really seeing eye-to-eye at the moment. They think that me taking over the farm is a waste of time and that I'd only make it worse."

Maru's eyes widened. "Why would they think that? Don't they want to keep the farm?"

"My parents' relationship with my grandpa was … pretty tense and unfriendly to say the least. They never got along and were always fighting because of their different perspectives. They never supported Grandpa and his farm business in the first place and basically condemned him for turning on his family." Maya swallowed thickly.

"Turning on his family? What do you mean-"

"That's enough, Maru," said Robin firmly. "Maya doesn't want to talk about it and that whole situation with her family sounds extremely personal. We shouldn't pry into her business. Maya?" The young farmer turned her head to the fiery redhead.

"You don't need to disclose any information to us that you don't feel comfortable sharing. Please know that no matter what, we love that farm and your grandfather's hard work and know that my family will always be its number one supporters. We're all just so happy and excited to see how you'll transform Bramblewood Barn into your own."

Maya pondered over the thought of telling them at least one of her plans for the farm. It was harmless and seemed pretty useless in the grand scheme of things so she felt comfortable enough to share this tiny detail with them.

"Well … actually, … I was thinking about doing a name change as one of the first things on my to-do list for the farm."

"A name change?" said Robin and Demetrius, collectively.

"Bramblewood Barn was my grandpa's name and it his legacy. Even though I want to honor him and his work, I still feel like the farmlands don't exactly belong to me, even if it is written on paper. So, … I thought that if I changed the name, it would mean that the farm would be having a new start under new ownership." She suddenly felt bashful explaining her reasoning to them and started to blush. "I know it sounds childish, but-"

"No, it's not," said Demetrius with a kind smile. "It's actually very heart-warming and noble of you to do something like that. At the end of the day, this is your farm now. Your family's legacy will always be a part of it, but the farm is yours. And it should have a name that represents you in the best possible way."

"Can we at least have a hint to what you were thinking of naming it?" Robin asked curiously.

Maya nodded. "I was thinking … maybe something more natural, something that, like Demetrius said, encompasses what I love. I love plants, animals, nature, the countryside, everything about simple living. So, … I was thinking … maybe something like …. Evergreen Farm."


After dinner, Robin and Demetrius cleared the table and reset it for dessert. Sebastian was still nowhere in sight and Maya felt inclined to find him and to talk to him. Mostly because she wanted to believe Robin in what she said about Sebastian earlier. That he hadn't meant to be rude or offensive to her. And there was also an innate curiosity she had about him. Maya didn't want to believe that he was only this tall, dark and brooding young man who was severely reclusive to society.

Like herself, she felt that there was something more to Sebastian.

So, while Demetrius and Robin chatted in the kitchen, preparing the dessert and Maru took hold of the bathroom to freshen up; Maya stepped outside into the fresh air again to recollect her thoughts, while also, sneakily, trying to locate Sebastian. The night air was crispy and cool up in the mountains and Maya started to grumble to herself about bringing a jacket tonight as she rubbed her chilled arms. In the distance, she could smell cigarette smoke brewing the air, coming from the river streams ahead. Of course, with no jacket, she would be even more cold, so she thought against going there and remained at the front of the house.

Even with the chilly winds, the night was beautiful under the moonlight and she was impressed by the view of the stairs scattered across the dark blanket of the sky and how fortunate she was to be living in the countryside where nights like these were always common.

"You're freezing," said a voice approaching. Maya's heart fluttered slightly at hearing Sebastian talk. The man was handsome, so it made perfect sense in her mind to be a little nervous and giddy around someone you find attractive, even if you only just met them moments before.

Not to mention he's already made less than graceful remarks about her farm, but she chose to ignore that little detail for the time being.

"Just a bit chilly," she responded softly.

Sebastian puffed at his cigarette, drew in a breath and then released the smoke into the air whilst maintaining eye contact with Maya. Thank goodness for the darkness of their surroundings, otherwise Sebastian would've easily noticed the faint blush on her face.

"You should've brought a sweater or a jacket. We live in the mountains, ya know. I'm never really cold, but still. Might wanna start investing in one if you're going to be calling on my mom for upgrades and stuff."

Maya bit her lip and looked to the left as she spoke. "I didn't know where you lived when I was coming here. I had no idea you lived in the mountains, but … it's not so bad." She reassured him, which seemed to have no effect. He puffed at his cigarette as he continued to watch her. So, Maya decided to continue.

"You're lucky … you get to live under a night sky like this. Back on the farm, the stars seem so far away, but here," she smiled to herself. "It's almost as if you can actually touch them."

Sebastian snorted as he blew out the last bit of smoke in his cigarette and then flicked it onto the dirt ground, crushing it with the heel of his boot. It was then that Maya noticed actually how tall Sebastian was. She was already slightly above average when it came to a woman's height, standing at 5'9 almost 5'10, but against Sebastian; Maya felt like she was a baby.

He had to be at least more than 6 feet, possibly 6'3 or maybe even 6'5. She couldn't tell from the lighting out here.

Sebastian raked a hand over his slicked back man bun and noticed Maya shivering subtly before him, thanks to the candlelight that pointed it out.

Sighing, he moved to the garage door and used his strength to haul it up which revealed two vehicles inside. On the right was a black motorcycle, freshly cleaned and in need of an oil change soon that Maya couldn't take her eyes off of. To the left was a blast from the past. A 1968 Ford Mustang Cobra Jet; a priceless, clean and well-kept vintage car that looked as if it barely had any mileage on it.

On the motorcycle was a leather jacket hanging off on the front lever.

"Catch," he said and Maya scrambled to grab the jacket midair, almost dropping it, but thankfully it didn't touch the ground. Her fingers glided over the pure leather of this jacket and felt the soft wool on the inside that felt like a soft teddy bear. She looked up at Sebastian's nonchalant expression.

"Why are you giving this to me?" she asked.

"Because you're cold and shivering and are probably going to catch a cold tonight, if you don't put it on." He said flatly.

Her heart fluttered again, this time more intensely. Such a small insignificant gesture made her nervous and unable to think of a response that was coherent enough to give to him. How had she gotten all tongue-tied so quickly? It was probably because she wasn't expecting him to do something like that and be so … unbothered by it.

Before she could utter a 'thanks' to him, Demetrius came outside and looked between the two of them.

"We were wondering where you'd gone off to Sebastian." said Demetrius, still annoyed over his performance from earlier. He crossed his arms and looked directly at his step-son.

"Well, if Mom would've listened to what I told her, instead of obsessing over this ridiculous dinner get-together or whatever the hell this is; I said I went to go smoke by the river." Sebastian grumbled.

"Careful there, Sebastian." Demetrius warned. "That's your mother you're talking about."

Maya swallowed.

"Like I didn't already know that." Sebastian quipped. At this point, Demetrius looked like he was about to have an aneurysm with the constant banter and hostility between him and his step-son. Pinching the bridge of his nose, Demetrius tried to control his breathing before he spoke to Sebastian again, but the brooding young man had already turned his attention to his bike and felt the need for an adrenaline rush right now.

"I'm going for a ride," said Sebastian.

"No way, it's too late in the evening, Seb. You know the rules." said Demetrius.

At his words, Sebastian chuckled sardonically. "Funny how I don't remember me ever listening to any of your rules, Demetrius. How about we cut the happy family bullshit and stop pretending like we get along in front of our 'esteemed' guest?"

That hit a nerve in Demetrius and Maya flinched when she saw him take a step forward, but then Robin came out the house and the tension eased slightly.

"Oh good you're all here! Maya, dessert is ready. Sebby, time to come in now. I have Lemon Cake waiting for you guys."

"Pass," Sebastian muttered. Demetrius' left eye began to twitch in annoyance.

"Actually Robin, it's a bit late for me now. I have to get up early in the morning to tend to the crops and do some shopping tomorrow, so I'd better go now, but dinner was delicious."

Robin frowned. "Oh, alright then. At least let me give you a slice of Lemon Cake for you to take home. It'll only take a second. Sebastian," she turned to her son. "Start the car and take Maya home."

Maya immediately went in to object as kindly as possible, but neither Robin nor Demetrius would hear it. "No ifs, ands, or buts. Sebby will escort you home."

"And why can't Demetrius do it?" Her son grunted.

At the tone in his voice, Robin whipped her head around and eyed him closely. "Because I'm telling you to do it and I don't want to hear any flack from you right now because I have a good mind to dismantle your motorcycle if you don't do it and if that doesn't make you understand my point then how about I take apart your computer too? I'm very sure Maru could use some of those parts for her latest invention." She threatened.

Maya was curious to see how Sebastian would respond to her threat, but even he wasn't bold enough to test the waters and see if she would hold true to them. So he resigned himself with a huff and went to turn on the car ignition. Robin smiled triumphantly and winked at her husband before heading back inside to wrap up the cake for Maya.

Demetrius lingered a bit outside with her until the car was ready and warm enough to get going.

"I apologize for tonight, Maya. Unfortunately, you've had to bear witness to our … family drama. That wasn't the intention."

"It's alright. All families have issues. Mine is far from perfection and I understand … wanting to build closer familial ties. I've always wanted that for my own, but … it never got the chance to actually come into fruition." Maya replied.

"Well, regardless I hope you at least have a full belly from tonight."

Maya giggled. "I did. Thank you."

Demetrius smiled with a raised eyebrow. "It's also nice to see you being comfortable in your own voice. You sounded very shy and afraid when you came tonight, but now you sound more lively."

Maya blushed for the seventh time tonight. "I … I'm not good with social interactions. I tend to stay to myself."

"You sound like Sebastian." He replied. At the mention of his name, his step-son honked the horn and pulled out of the garage and came alongside Maya, just as Robin and Maru came out to hand her the cake box.

"Here you are, one fresh homemade slice of Lemon Cake just for you. Sorry, you couldn't stay too long." said Robin.

"No worries," said Maya. "I'll … more than likely be back here to ask you … for some help upgrading the farm."

Robin grinned. "I'd be more than happy to oblige, Farmer Maya. Safe travels, hun."

"Good night, Maya." said Maru, who came to give a very awkward hug to the young farmer, but Maya didn't mind. Maru didn't seem like the 'hugger' type, so she probably tried to make her feel more welcome by the action. Maya enjoyed it nonetheless.

"Drive carefully, Sebastian." said Demetrius, as Maya sat in the passenger seat and closed the door.

"Yeah, whatever." Sebastian grunted and pushed the gear shift into drive, turning the car around to go in the opposite direction of the walking path, heading for the trail specifically made for their vehicle.


Peace & Love

xGhostReaderx