It's like been 50 years since I've updated but I'm sorry, I keep putting off writing because it's getting more difficult for no apparent reason, anyways, here's the next chapter, enjoy
"What do you want?" Neil asked, looking up at the girl through his blonde eyelashes, glaring more than usual.
She wore her casual dress, pushing the blue skirt down with her hands and playfully swinging on her heels, her neatly combed hair swaying back and forth, draping her blonde bangs into her perfectly lined, sea blue eyes. She parted her plump, glossed lips and tried her hardest to be as cute as possible.
"That's not very nice." She pouted. "What happened to 'welcome to Neil's animals'?"
"Welcome to Neil's animals." Neil rolled his eyes. "What do you want?"
Leave, leave before he comes back…
"Hmm…" She rocked back and forth on her heels. "I don't really know."
"If you're just looking, feel free to leave. Otherwise, hurry up." Neil almost barked, leaning back against his chair and crossing his thin arms, if looks could kill, she'd be dead ten times over by now.
"You're being grumpier than usual, what's wrong?" She asked, her tiny pale hands planting themselves on the counter, and she leaned in, blonde hair falling over one shoulder.
"Nothing. I just don't feel like talking to you."
"What did I do?" She practically groaned, leaning in closer, too close for his comfort, causing the other blonde to lean back farther.
What haven't you done?
Neil didn't dare think out loud.
He knew it didn't make sense for him to be angry with her for turning Rod down, but honestly, she pretty much destroyed all of Rod's confidence, and what's worse? She destroyed the very smile Neil came to depend on to brighten his day.
Neil just shrugged in response.
"And to think I came all the way here to give you something." She faked a pout. "Here."
She placed a gallon of great quality yak milk on the stand.
"What, why?"
"Well, since you sold me the yak, I've been taking great care of her. I thought you'd be proud to know I managed to get her quality to the max." Rachel grinned, a smile so bright it could rival Rod's; of course, Rod's was more sincere.
"That's great. So why give it to me?"
"You don't want it?" She frowned. "But I milked it with you in mind."
Just leave.
"Fine, I'll take it." Neil took the gallon and placed it on the floor near his stand.
"Oh, and one more thing."
"What now?"
"Since you can't seem to take a hint, I'll just have to ask you right now."
"Ask me what?"
"Out." She said.
He looked at her confused.
But as Rachel dug through her side pouch, the redhead returned.
"Neil, I got it!" he called, running towards them.
Everything became clear.
"Wait, Rachel-" Neil started, but was cut off as she flashed a tiny commitment ring right as Rod approached.
The redhead froze and dropped everything he was holding; the tiny box lunches hit the floor and broke open, handmade food splattering all around his feet.
Neil stood up abruptly, grabbing the farmer's wrists and yanking her away from the booths, and away from Rod's crushed face.
"Jeez, Neil, where are you dragging me?" Rachel asked as they entered the forest area.
He tossed her wrist back to her angrily as they entered the mine.
"What the hell are you thinking?"
"What?"
"How could you ask me out only a day after you reject Rod?"
Rachel sighed and sat herself on one of the many boulders in the tiny mine, crossing her long legs, and pulling lightly on her black tights.
"I was going to wait but everyone in town said he was doing just fine." She said. "Besides, I couldn't wait any longer. I like you, Neil."
Neil's entire face turned as red as his eyes.
She held out the ring again.
"E-Even if you show that to me, I'm not interested…" He shook his head. "Go find someone else."
Rachel's eye went wide as her whole world nearly shattered.
She was quiet for a minute, in a state of shock at the sudden rejection she just wasn't expecting.
Finally, she found words.
"B-But I visit you every day...! I even buy your fodder when I can grow my own!" She yelled out, her eyes stinging and helpless.
Neil looked at her, at first because of her sudden volume, but his eyes widened when he noticed tears in hers.
"W-wait, don't cry…"
"I went through all the trouble of buying the ring since you obviously weren't going to ask me!" She cried out, planting her hands firmly on either side of her lap, holding onto the boulder as if her voice would cause her to fall off.
"Rachel…"
"Do you know how many crops I had to grow before I could afford it?!" she interrupted.
Neil didn't say anything, just cringed at the sound of her screams echoing off the walls.
"I even rebuilt this entire town to impress you!" She rubbed her eyes, smearing mascara all over. "I bought so many cute outfits, and went off of what I thought you'd like the best! Whenever I wore something new I always watched your reactions to see if you liked it!"
Neil bit his lip slightly.
"I even wore makeup around you! Do you know how hard it is to work as a farmer and still try to look beautiful?!"
Neil felt a pang of guilt at how harsh he'd been, regretting not letting her down more gently.
"I know you probably think I'm some sort of man-eater but I'm not! I didn't mean to get Rod to like me! I was just trying to be friendly! It's not my fault that he took it the wrong way! It's not my fault any of them did! If they could fucking take a hint I wouldn't have had to hurt them!"
I misjudged her…
"I just thought of some bullshit excuse every time to get them off my back!" She cried. "I know it was wrong, but what else am I supposed to do?! Why is it that everyone else seems to want me but you don't?!"
He didn't reply, he didn't know how.
It was true, all the other men of the village loved her, he just never did. Sure, he didn't find her ugly, she really was pretty, but her cheery attitude annoyed him, her feminine smile didn't charm him, her curvy figure didn't attract him.
He just didn't like her at all.
"It's always been you! And only you! I've wanted no one else! I've been in love with you since you gave me my first cow over a year ago!"
"That was from Dunhill…"
"I know that! Alright?! I know! It's just…it's just…" She hunched forward slightly, her shoulders shaking. "What's wrong with me? Why do you hate me?"
"I-I don't hate you…It's just…I don't see you like that…" Neil stared at the floor of the mine, finding it suddenly interesting in his discomfort.
"Is there someone else?!"
"What?" He snapped his head up.
"Is there?!" Rachel asked, staring up at him with tear filled eyes. "Well?!"
Neil stepped back.
"What, no! I-I…I don't know…"
Is there…?
Rachel stood up abruptly, having heard enough, she ran out of the mine with streams running down her face.
Neil bit his lip.
That didn't go the way I thought…
Neil dragged his feet as he walked back to his stand, feeling lower than dirt.
By the time he got back, Rod was gone, and so was his stall.
Neil sighed, gathering his things and closing shop early.
He felt like utter shit, and such an asshole after that, so he decided to treat himself to a meal of something other than instant ramen.
As he ate his shrimp chili at the restaurant, the doors were opened, rather, slammed open as Rod b-lined right to him.
"Why would you do that?!" Rod yelled with a look of pure anger Neil had never seen before.
"What?" He asked, his red eyes a little wide at the tone and volume the redhead was using
"Why would you make Rachel cry?!"
Neil put down his fork and sighed, noticing everyone else in the restaurant was now staring at them.
Clement, Felicity, Allen, Iroha, Tina, Michelle and her audience, everyone, watching the scene unfold, like some sort of sick movie playing solely for their entertainment.
He can't honestly plan on doing this, here, now?
"I didn't mean to…"
"Why did you turn her down?!"
"Why does it matter?" Neil asked, getting up from the table and leaning against it so his back was turned to what felt like a million pairs of eyes. "I just don't like her." He finished.
"But the way you did it was fucking horrible!"
Everyone in the restaurant gasped, never having heard a single curse word out of the normally cheery redhead's mouth.
Neil shrugged.
"I'm not good with people."
"That's just a bullshit excuse and you it!" Rod stomped his foot, his blood boiling under his skin. "You ever wonder why everyone in town hates you, Neil?! It's because you're such an asshole! It's like you don't even want to fit in!"
"I don't…" Neil flinched, Rod's words cutting deeper than he thought possible.
"Even I'm getting sick of it, and I've never given up on a friend before in my life! But you know what?! I'm sick of you! I'm so tired of your fucking attitude!" With that, he stormed out, leaving the blonde, still with his back turned to everyone, and his red eyes stinging slightly, as if tears were threatening to form.
"My, my, what did you do to our Rod?" Allen asked, removing his glasses to clean them.
"Shut up, Allen." Neil said, hunching over and fishing in his pocket, throwing the money for the meal on the table.
Allen crossed his arms and smirked. "I'm just saying, I don't think I've ever seen Rod so upset! He must have a true soft stop for Rachel."
"I said shut up!" Neil clenched one fist as he slammed it down on the table, causing it to shake violently.
"Your bad habits must've worn off on him." Allen continued, not the slightest bit threatened by Neil's gesture, or the animal seller himself.
Neil's shoulders shook slightly, trembling as he bit his lip hard to keep from crying.
"Are you even listening to me?"
"Leave him alone, Allen!" Tina yelled, stomping her foot as she turned her look of anger to softness as her eyes rested on Neil's back.
Iroha gingerly placed one hand on Neil's shoulder. "We don't hate you, Neil." She said as gently as possible.
Neil jerked away from her, and ran all the way home.
"Well, Rod, you put on quite the show." Allen slow clapped as he entered the other redhead's home, Rod laying face down on his mattress.
"Go away, Allen." Rod mumbled, not having the energy to deal with his annoying childhood friend.
Allen, of course, didn't listen, just waltzed right into Rod's room area and sat himself on the bed.
Rod rolled his eyes, burying his face deeper into his slightly wet pillow to hide his pink eyes, and his tear streaked cheeks.
"What had you so riled up?" Allen asked, flipping his bangs. "I never knew you cared so deeply about Rachel."
Rod blushed. "I don't…"
"Then why so upset?"
Rod bit his lip. "I don't even know…I just…I'm so mad."
"Are you jealous?"
"Of what?"
"That she asked him out."
"Of course not! I don't have feelings for Neil!" Rod sat up, yelling at Allen.
Allen was taken aback slightly, before regaining face. "I wasn't implying that you did. I meant jealous for Rachel."
"O-Oh…" Rod blushed, not understanding why he jumped to the other conclusion. "Well, I don't know…I just want her to be happy…"
"So you're angry that Neil turned her down?"
Rod froze.
"N-no…"
"Then why yell at him?"
Rod thought back, his anger got the better of him, but what was the source of it?
He made Rachel cry, sure, but that wasn't really it, was it?
No, it was about how he made her cry, what Rachel said he said to her.
"He admitted he loved someone else!"
Rod flinched.
That's what Rachel had told him.
That's when he went after Neil.
Was that why he was so upset?
Allen, sensing his friend was having an inner battle, got up to leave, more than happy to nudge Rod in the right direction, but not wanting to be there as the wheels began to turn in the young man's mind, he walked out of the home with a smirk on his handsome face.
God I love Allen, getting shit done
Anyways, that's it for this update
Also, I'm still writing, but some ideas would be greatly appreciated =v= I won't use all suggestions, I just wanna make this a little less angsty