(a/n: when in quarantine...)
Beads of sweat dripped down my forehead. As the sun beat relentlessly upon my strained back, I winced from the exhaustion. The air was dry and crisp, offering no refuge from the controlled anger of the heat. Water jostled around in my watering can as I heaved it to and fro, ensuring each of my precious crops was fully nurtured. At this point, I cared about few things as much as my beautiful, helpless plants. Sam jumps instantly to mind, but, other than him, these plants meant the most to me. Sure, I guess my mom sent me cookies every once in a while, but...I just really liked these vegetables, okay?
I wiped the sweat from my brow, splashing some unwatered crops, and I saw the sprite turn darker. Gross, I thought.
"Hello? Hey, (m/n)!" I was too ensconced in my work to actually perceive the words being thrown in my direction.
"(m/n)! Are you aright!" As the voice got closer, my attention was finally drawn. I was a little dazed from dehydration, though.
"Huh? Oh, sorry, I was just, uh, the plants, and, sorry...oh, hey Abigail," I said quizzically, unsure why she would just kind of walk onto my property uninvited. That was a little harsh. It's a lot of land, people walked by all the time. But most people didn't walk right up to me. Maybe she thought we were friends?
As I obliviously became lost in thought, Abigail waved her hand in front my face and said, "Just wanted to say hi. You seem really tired, maybe you should take a rest?" I laughed and didn't really say anything in response, instinctively chastising her in my mind for how she just walked onto my land, infiltrated my work, and told me to stop like she has any idea how I operate my farm. I realized I was getting angry at her simple concern for my well-being, but Sam had kind of conditioned me to despise everything Abigail said. After Abigail and I's recent conversation at Pierre's, I had met up with Sam at our spot under the tree on the island in the lake (as we so lovingly call it). Casually I brought up in conversation that I actually had run into Abigail. I said the conversation we had was perfectly normal, and she seemed thoughtful and nice enough. That was when Sam froze up. He simply told me to not trust her, that he knew she would do anything to get back at him, and that she hurts people. That was enough to scare me into hating her guts. And I've had plenty of experience with fake people; kindness is such an easy quality to mimic. At the same time, I knew Sam would be easily inclined to exaggerate the malice of Abigail. I hate not keeping an open mind, so, at this point, I decided I'd just talk to Abigail like I would to any other person.
"You're right, I've been working a long time. What makes you stop by?"
"Well, I was just on a walk and thought it might be nice to see if you were out working. I figure farming has to be pretty labor-intensive, but I've never seen it up close."
"You're correct about the labor part. But mostly it's just watering. There's just a ton of it that needs to get done every day."
"I'll bet. Have you talked to Clint? He runs the smith over by the Jojamart. He might be able to spiffy up your watering can."
I coil back reflexively at her utterance of the J-word. Recollecting myself, I realize I had never thought about upgrading my watering can. "That's a really good idea, I'll definitely go talk to him. Thanks for the advice."
"Of course! I wouldn't want to be out here straining away, so it's the least I can do." I smiled and made eye contact with Abigail, and noticed that when she looks at you, it's almost like she's looking through you. As if there's something behind you, and she wishes you'd move out of the way so she could see it.
Abigail smiled back. "Sure! Hey, maybe a walk will clear your mind? Want to go down to that dock down in Cindersap Forest?"
At this point I had to weigh a lot of interests. First, she had just taken the time to help me and be nice to me, so if she was inviting me to go somewhere, it was the least I could do to come along. Additionally, there was my general urge to be nice so that people like me. But I knew Sam would hate if, after he just warned me about something like this, I went and ignored his advice. So I decided it would be okay to take a short little walk with Abigail and just not tell Sam about it. If he asked, I'd tell him, but we trust each other enough for this to be alright. I didn't really know why I was stressing so much about this, though.
"Sure, that sounds nice."
As Abigail and I walked around, I learned bits and pieces about her. Her hair color is completely natural (but I have my doubts). She really wishes she had a cat, but her dad's allergies forbid it. She would die for blackberry cobbler. After she said this, I offered her some blackberries I had foraged. She then told me she thinks blackberries themselves are disgusting.
The one thing distinctly missing from our conversation was discourse about Sam. I think both of us were trying desperately to think of other things to talk about while knowing the other was doing the exact same thing.
Soon we strolled up to the spot where Sam and I...well...you know...
"(m/n), are you still with me?" I had gotten lost in thought recounting that night.
"Huh? Yeah, totally. What were you saying?"
"I was just saying it's nice to really talk to someone. My parents are just bleh and Sebastian is, well, Sebastian. I don't really have anyone anymore to just talk to."
I ignored the subtle self-pity and nodded. "Hey, I like talking to people and I like when people want to talk to me."
Abigail did that thing where she looks through me again. "Mm-hmm. Yeah, it's really weird having only Sebastian as a close friend." Now I could tell what she was doing, and I wasn't going to let it happen.
"I know what that's like. Back in the city my coworkers were all soulless. No one I knew lived nearby and my hobbies weren't exactly conducive to forming new friendships. It can be alienating going without human connection for so long."
"Yeah..." Abigail, seeing she wasn't getting anywhere, tried a more direct approach. "You know, I know we already talked about it, but I just want to make sure you don't think I'm weird for that night at Sam's. To be honest, he hasn't spoken to me since, and things had been really strained up to that point. I wish we were still friends, but I guess I did something and he just doesn't want anything to do with me. But I promise I'm not a freak or a jerk. Not that I think you think that, I just-"
"I get it! It's totally fine. I don't think you're weird at all. People grow apart, sometimes without making peace and sometimes with. I don't judge you for it. You seem perfectly fine and you're really nice, so you're cool by me."
Abigail let out a sigh of relief. "Thanks, (m/n). That's really nice to hear."
We sat on the dock, talking less. I meant what I said, about Abigail being nice. I don't exactly trust her yet, but I frankly can't bring myself to hate or even dislike a person who's being genuinely nice to me. She's trying, and I respect that. I know what Sam said about her soul being rotten, but I know Sam, and I think he's still, you know, emotionally torn. If I were in his shoes, I'd probably hate her, too. But I think she's just caught up in a sticky situation. Still, I feel bad about disregarding Sam's wishes for me to stay away from her. But I'm my own man! God, this is weird.
"Well, I have to be back for dinner or my mom will flip." Abigail rolls her eyes. She stands up and stretches her arms her head. I stand up quickly after. On our walk back, I stop at the farm and we say our goodbyes. It was still early in the evening, since I had gotten my farm work done relatively quickly. I don't mean to brag, but I'm a pretty good farmer. I figured I'd text Sam.
"hey, you wanna hit up the saloon tonight?"
Sam responded after about five minutes. "idk, not really feeling up to it"
"ohk. are you alright?"
"yeah, im just worried abigail might be there" I didn't like this paranoia that had overcome Sam. He frequently stayed in or avoided doing things he'd enjoy otherwise for fear of running into Abigail. In a town of like 20 people, you do see folks you didn't intend to see quite often, but he had to learn that this was his life. He either had to find another way to deal with Abigail or try and make amends.
"sammy, you gotta be able to do anything without constantly thinking about abigail"
"i know, i just dont know how id handle seeing her"
"you gotta figure something out"
"ur right. lets go to the saloon. meet u there in 10?"
"sounds good 3"
I slipped my phone back in my pocket and started walking. That reminds me, That's one of the nicest things about living here: I can walk everywhere. No more wasting time away hunched over in a car. No more traffic, no more gas, just fresh air.
I was a little late getting to the saloon. I had stopped along the way to pick up some spring onions out of the ground because I just HAD to have them. I saw Sam standing along the side of the saloon, nervously checking his surroundings. Looks like it got to him.
"Hey, Sammy."
Sam looked toward me quickly.
"(m/n), you're here! Come with me." Sam grabbed my wrist and led me into the saloon. I said hi to Gus and a couple other townsfolk I knew while Sam made a beeline for the room to the side. He led me back into a game room I had never seen before.
"Sam, what's wrong?"
"I can't do it."
"Can't do what?"
"I just, every time I'm out, I feel like I'm being watched. Like any second she could," Sam paused to sneak a quick glance around the corner of the saloon, "she could just appear to torment me." Sam was getting worked up.
"Hey, baby, hey, it's okay." Sam and I didn't usually go for pet names. "You're alright, she can't hurt you. She can't hurt us. You're alright."
"I know, but how am I supposed to deal with this? I just feel trapped in this damn town. With Abigail, and now you and I, and if people find out, and my mom not liking it..." Tears welled in Sam's eyes as he struggled to keep his voice down.
"Come here." I hugged Sam close. "I know things are scary. I know there's no easy way out. But you're strong and we're strong and we will be okay. Believe me. You have to look past things and be strong. Abigail can only hurt you if you let her. Be the bigger man, treat her like an acquaintance, pretend to be ignorant, but find some way to cope. I hate seeing you scared, and I know you're better than this and you're better than her." I backed away and Sam looked at the ground.
"Y-you're right. I'm just...so scared."
"It's alright, there's nothing to be scared of!"
Sam looked me in the eyes, now. "No, (m/n), you don't get it. There is. This town doesn't like people like you and me. You heard my parents, you heard Alex, you know. You can't upend people's morals in an instant. And if parts of you are counter to what they believe in, then they will disparage and disregard you." Sam's voice was getting louder. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to come off as mad, but it's the truth. This town won't accept us if people find out. And right now, we don't have a great record in our secret-keeping."
I looked at the ground now. "I know. It tore my parents to shreds when I came out. But they came around. And no matter what, I believe in the ability of people to change for the better. Like you said, it might not be quick, but," I looked back at Sam. "I'll be damned if I let that stop me from loving you."
Sam's eyes lit up. He let out a slight laugh and smiled sadly at me. I took his face in my hands and leaned in.
"So, as I was saying, there's just-" Abigail and Sebastian walked in. I immediately drew my hands away from Sam and looked straight up. We were positioned such that my back faced toward the entrance Abigail had just walked through and Sam could see her.
"Oh, oh, uh, sorry, uh, Sam, and, uh, (m/n)." Abigail stammered, not knowing what to say. I blushed, analyzing Sam's face for any sign indicating she had seen what we were doing. Sam's eyes were wide and his eyebrows moved like he was processing a million pieces of information at once. His now-relaxed eyes darted toward me, gave what seemed like a reassurance, and looked back at Abigail.
"No need to apologize! We were just headed out. Nice to see you two!" Sam sounded confident, even if I knew he wasn't fully.
"Oh, okay." Abigail seemed to have not expected this response. "See you around!" Abigail said toward us, but we were already leaving the room. We spoke to no one on the way out and upon getting a safe distance away from the saloon, Sam broke the oddly ominous silence.
"Well, I did it. I talked to her. But unfortunately, I think dealing with Abigail is still just as gargantuan a problem as ever." Sam said, stressed.
"You don't think she heard or saw anything, do you?"
"I don't just think it, I know it. Here's what happened, she heard us in there, stopped Sebastian, and eavesdropped on that whole thing. Then, when she knew she had all the evidence she needed, she walked in at the perfect time. Any earlier, and she doesn't scare us, Any later, and we know she knows about us. But she walked in at the perfect time, because she is cold and calculating. But I know her too well! I saw through it. She can't fool me anymore." Sam gained a sort of crazed look.
I was dumbfounded. On the one hand, it seemed like a mere coincidence that Abigail walked in when she did. On the other, Sam's reasoning made perfect sense. If she truly were malignant, that's exactly what she would have done. And Sam was so steadfast in his belief that Abigail was out to get her, I believed him. Of course I believed him anyway, but now I really felt the fear he felt.
"So, now what?" I asked nervously.
"We're one step ahead of her, now. She thinks we don't know she knows, but we know!" My head spun. Sam continued, "If we can play along, we might get the upper hand."
"But if you're right and she does know about us, what stops her from telling everyone in town and making us outcasts, like you said?"
Sam stopped. And he thought. And what the farmer described was a real threat, but for some reason, Sam wasn't too worried about that. So he explained, "Abigail wants to get back at me. But she loved me. She wouldn't ruin my life. You've probably seen, deep down, she can be a good person. She should see Harvey to be diagnosed as clinically insane, sure, but she does not want to destroy me." Sam, emboldened by this reasoning, seemed to have claimed victory.
"If you say so." At this point, I was terrified. Abigail might not want to destroy Sam, but she also might not give a rat's ass about me. For all I know, she could go around spreading "the farmer is gay" rumors, ruin my life, and then have Sam all to herself as I'm made into the outcast.
Infinite hypothetical scenarios swirled in my head for what might happen next. But if I was going to practice what I preached, I knew I had to stay calm and firm in my belief that Sam and I were stronger than this whole damn town. Our love would bypass any damn conservative hatred and any damn purple-haired freak. We were meant to be, and, like I said, I was going to let nothing stop us.