Chapter Three
I wake up to someone banging furiously on my door. I gasp awake and fall out of the low bed. I groan from the floor for a moment before struggling to my feet. I hobble over to the door and grasp the handle with both hands. I pull with all my might and the door opens slowly to reveal a very impatient Taro.
"Hurry up! There are others at the beach! Come on!" he screamed at me, his neck veins bulging.
I panic for a moment, my sleep filled brain not really understanding anything. The old man sighed and ran off my farm. I gasped at his speed and ran after him after I struggled to close the door. I make it to the beach, and I'm huffing and puffing for breath. I place my hands on my knees when I feel the warm sand under my feet, and I struggle to get my breath back. I need to get in shape it seems, because I was just out ran by someone four times my age.
I take a deep breath and look around me. Groups of people stood off to the sides, all conversing with one another. There was a Chinese man with a little boy talking to Felicia, a large bear of a man talking to Elliot and Natalie, and a portly woman with a pretty girl about my age and a man with a cold expression on his face. I looked at Taro with a confused face and he grinned at me before addressing this odd gathering of people.
"Okay, so this is my understanding. You all want to move to this island and partake in a business?" he asked the groups, and everyone nodded but the boy with the cold, unfriendly expression.
"Okay, so what do you do for a living?" Taro asked the Chinese man, who smiled and walked over to us.
He was tall, with wide shoulders clothed in a traditional robe with a silver belt across the middle. He wore tattered shoes on his feet, but he didn't let that effect him. He held himself with an air of confidence that I wished I had. The little boy was a copy of his father, just in a smaller size. He had the same exact facial features, his fathers black hair with a head band tied across the forehead, and wore a small green jacket and trousers.
"I am a merchant. My name is Chen and this is my son, Charlie. We would like to sell seeds and other items used in daily life on the island." the man said and Taro grinned at him.
"Natalie!" he exclaimed to get the girl's attention, "show this man to the house farthest west. Please and thank you." he ordered and the girl huffed and led the way.
The girl who was with the portly woman ran up to us, "Hi! I'm Julia! This is my mom, Mirabelle. We own an animal shop in Mineral Town, but we want to open one here, too. That, over there, is Vaughn. He is going to supply us with animals!" the girl named Julia exclaimed, talking a million words a minute.
Julia was a pretty girl. She had long blonde hair that was up in a pony tail except for the pieces framing her face. She was wearing a button up shirt unbuttoned and tied directly under the bust. Her shorts were microscopically short and barely covered her. She wore knee high boots as well. The woman she directed as her mother wore an orange t-shirt under a rich blue dress. Julia was a copy of her mother, only smaller.
Mirabelle rushed up to us quickly and shook her head at the girl, "Julia, what did I tell you last night? Deep breaths when you talk." she scolded the girl before turning to us, "I'm sorry. She knows better. We would love to work on this island as the animal providers."
Taro grinned at the woman, "No worries. Elliot will show you to your new house."
Elliot blushed when he heard his name and looked at Julia. She grinned at the boy and his blush grew in intensity. I giggled, that was going to be a future relationship I bet. I watched the boy walk past me with fascination. He was what you could call a cowboy. His hair was a beautiful shade of silver and hung in layers down towards his shoulders. On his head was a black cowboy hat, which partially obscured his face. He wore a black button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up under a tan vest, tight black jeans, and well word cowboy boots. He glanced at me and I stifled a gasp. His eyes were a shocking amethyst color, hypnotic and deadly.
I advert my eyes and look over to the bear of a man. He was huge, and I do mean huge. His face was rough and tough, his eyes were mean and his mouth was set in a frown. I could see the man only had about three teeth, and that added to his tough factor. His arm muscles would span the same size of two of my heads put together, and I knew he could barrel through any obstacle. His posture was poor, and it reminded me of an early humans way of walking.
He grunted at us, "I'm Gannon. I'm a carpenter. I can build anything and fix anything. Of course, you have to pay money for it. Come by my shop later."
I watched the man walk away and I look at Taro, "Well, now what do we do?" I asked and he shrugged at me.
"Well, you need to go clear out your field, my family needs to finish our house, and so do our new residents. So, I suggest we get on it." he said before walking away, leaving me alone on the beach.
I sigh and settle down into the sand, not sure what to do. After a moment of thinking, I walk into town and go over to one of the houses, the one destined to be the animal shop. I walked over to Mirabelle and tapped the woman on her shoulder. She jumps and screams slightly, and I jump back in shock.
"Goodness, child. Don't scare me like that!" she exclaimed and I blushed.
"I'm so sorry! Um, I'll just be going!" I spit out frantically and the woman laughed after taking a deep breath.
"What is it that you needed?" she asked sweetly and I gulped.
"Um, well, I just wanted to see if you needed any help on the house. Mine is finished, so I just wanted to offer my help." I explained in a quiet voice and the woman grinned at me.
"You can help Vaughn and Julia paint. They are on the other side of the house." she instructed and I scampered off towards the area directed.
Julia grinned when she saw me, "Hi! What's your name?"
I blushed again, "Chelsea. It's nice to meet you." I said in a small voice, and the girl grinned broadly at me.
"I think we are going to be best friends one day, Chelsea. So, welcome to the family. Here's a paint brush." the girl hugged me before thrusting a paint brush into my hands.
I took a deep breath before putting the paint brush in the paint. If I watch were I go, maybe I will come out of this without major amounts of paint on me. I put the brush carefully against the wall and started to paint the wooden walls a dark red. Julia bumped my hip and I gasped as I teetered between the edge of balance and falling. She giggled at me before humming a song I had never heard before and shaking her slim hips to the beat. Time passes quickly and, before I knew it, it was dark outside. I was proud of myself because I didn't get paint on anyone. I gave myself a pat on the back and picked up the bucket of paint. I wasn't really watching where I was going, and I turned around quickly and felt myself collide with someone.
I gasped while someone cursed, "What the hell?" Vaughn spit out in an angry voice as paint splashed all over us.
I gasped again and my face heated up with embarrassment, "I am so sorry. I shouldn't be trusted to do anything. Let me help you!" I stumbled over my words and I reached out to help him clean off the paint.
He took a quick step back and held a hand out to me, "You've done enough. Just leave me alone."
He stomped away and I sighed and slid down the wall of the house. Why was I so stupid? I bet I made a nice first impression. Julia turned the corner and saw me sitting on the grass and leaning against the house and gasped.
"Chelsea! You're leaning against a wet wall honey." she said quickly and I gasped and leaned away from the wall, now covered from front to back with paint.
"Damn it! How am I going to get this out? These are the only clothes I have?" I said, mostly to myself while smacking myself on the forehead.
Julia walked over to me and patted me on the shoulder, which was paint free. "I have some clothes you can borrow. Come one. You can change and stay for dinner." she told me and before I had time to protest, I was being pulled into the house.
A/N: it will get better. I promise! Leave me a review!