Chapter Thirteen:

Realization

When I got back that morning, I found Mark already at work and trying to round up the chickens. He asked Mr. Taro about the weather and it was going to rain, so he was rounding them up, but they got out of the fence.

"How'd they knock down the stones?" I asked him later.

"They didn't your horse did. And it started running all over the place and I couldn't get it back in the stable and then the sheep kept running away and the cows just wouldn't budge!" Mark told the story in one breath, "Never leave me alone with the animals."

I laughed, "Will do."

My second year on the island went without a hitch. Everyone knew my name, the farm was thriving, and everyone was happy. Island of Happiness and all that, right? Though, I never considered myself "happy."

But what reason wasn't there to be happy? I was successful, popular, and I was discovering new and valuable things with my new hobby: mining. I still fished, a lot, just not as much as I used to, it was mostly something I did when I was in need for some solitude.

I didn't understand what was wrong with me until Julia and Elliot's wedding. They were married Summer twenty-third on a bright, sunny morning with family and friends in attendance. I remember sitting with Mark and Natalie afterwards, and that's when it hit me; I knew they were next.

Late Fall, Natalie and Mark married. And I found myself wondering: who was next? Pierre and Sabrina—I didn't think so at the time but the idea that I would marry last, or worst never, had me panicked. I didn't want to forever be a bride's maid.

The next day I did what I always did when I was too frantic, I fished. And when that didn't work, when only memories of a groom that never was flooded my mind, I rushed to the mines so I could concentrate on my survival, rather then my love life.

I worked for a little while, but once I started finding blue stones I began imaging a blue feather being offered to me by a faceless man.

"I'm too desperate!" I yelled out in the mines. I couldn't take it any longer, so I ran out of the cave and back into the low light of evening.

I was exhausted, about to faint when I walked into the forest and spotted Vaughn. The sight of him put a spring in my step as I approached him.

"Hey Vaughn. You're still here?" I asked, it was Thursday and getting late.

Before he could respond a pack of wild dogs came out to the clearing.

"Whoa!"

He smiled, "They're friendly, don't worry."

I relaxed, "They seem that way."

"Yeah."

He started playing with the runt by waving his hat above the little guy's head.

I laughed, "Is this what you do in the forest?" I asked.

"Sometimes, I came across them in Winter last year. I gave them some food and they've seem me as some pack leader ever since."

"Really? That's so sweet of you!"

"Don't think I treat everyone like this."

"Well, you do with animals."

"I guess."

"Hey, do you want to play with them?"

"Heh, sure, why not?"

So we did. Simple games like fetch and follow the leader. The wild dogs were playful but a little rough, so when they started chasing and nipping at my feet, Vaughn felt that enough was enough.

He picked me up and shooed his pack away with his hat.

"V…Vaughn! What're you doing?" I asked as he did so.

He turned his head so our faces were close. He was staring, and his gaze made me blush.

"What?" I asked.

"You're just…"

"Just?"

"It's nothing."

His face was red too.

I want to say that I've always loved Vaughn, that I just never realized it. However at that moment, my feet off the ground and being so close to my cowboy, I knew. Don't ask how, I just did.

Before I go on, let me just say I'm not very impulsive, that I have never made a decision without thinking it through first—except when it came to Vaughn. No thinking, just action. That's what led me to lean in and kiss him.

I felt as if I blacked out, when I kissed him. As if my brain switched off and it felt great, liberating. As if the world was mine and so was he, but it wasn't long before reality kicked back in.

He let me down when we came apart. He was still red and I felt my body's internal temperature rise.

"I…I…I…have to…go. Yeah—see you Vaughn," I said, running off.

I didn't care much that I was on the verge of passing out, that it wasn't the wisest idea to run deeper into the forest quite possibly leading him to the one place no one should ever venture.

"Witch Princess!" I yelled running into her home.

She turned when she saw me, I didn't let her speak because I grabbed her cape, in tears, "What did I just do?!" I asked her.

"Chelsea? Oh dear will you calm down?" she said, holding me up, "Tell me what happened."

"I did something I shouldn't have."

"What?"

"I…I…"

"Yes?"

"Kissed Vaughn."

"Oh my…"

"Why did I do that? Oh God what did I do that?" I kept asking she sat me down on her bed.

"Shhh, Chelsea. You've done nothing wrong," she tried to convince me.

"No, no, no. You don't understand! I…I…"

"You don't love him?"

"That isn't it!"

"So…you do?"

"No…! Well, I don't know."

"So you do."

"I didn't say that, Witch Princess!"

"Chelsea. Either you do or you don't. And you are so very obviously in love."

"But--!"

"But nothing. Chelsea, do you remember your first winter here? Your first Starry Night Festival?"

"Well, yes, but what has that got to do with anything?"

"It's got everything to do with this! Chelsea, you watched the sky with this Vaughn."

"So?"

"So! You two are destined to marry!"

I backed up until I was on the other side of the bed, "That wasn't my intent!"

"Doesn't matter. You two set your fate that night."

I sat silent.

"But isn't this what you wanted?" she asked, sitting next to me and putting her arm around my shoulder, "To get married and finally start a family?"

"I…I do," I admitted.

"So what's the problem?"

"What it I don't love him?"

The Witch Princess sighed, "I'm sure you know whether you do or not."

I thought about it for a moment. Vaughn was always there, not always a friend, but someone I knew would be there to help if I just asked, even if I didn't.

I swallowed, I knew the answer. "I love him."

"Well, you finally realize it! Good grief, Chelsea you are too oblivious to your and other's feelings."

"Oh, shut up," I said pushing her lightly, giggling.

I went home later that night, disappointed but understanding that Vaughn wasn't there waiting for me. I knew that I wasn't going to see him for another week too, but I was okay with that, I knew that I could get a few things done, like get a husband's bed (yes, I was getting ahead of myself).

I was hoping it would snow by the time he came too, so we could enjoy the weather together. I couldn't wait to see him again.

I just didn't have the confidence to say anything at all.

Author's Note: Life + Dying computer + New Pokemon Game = Little story output and a sorry author D:

Disclaimer: Harvest Moon and all characters belong to Natusme