MOLLY

Molly, feeling a slight buzz in her head, sluggishly made her way outside and started to work on her farm. She didn't realize she had too much to drink until the damage had been done. Maybe if she didn't skip dinner the hangover wouldn't be hammering into her head so much; maybe if she drank more often, she'd be able to hold her own.

Trying to shake the feeling and fake it while she moved around her fields, she couldn't help but keep last night's conversation in her head. All she heard was Kathy's piercing voice in her left ear asking her, "Do you like anyone?" like a broken record. She didn't have feelings for Chase—they were just very good friends.

Chase was obviously not in Molly's core group of friends, but that was what she liked about him. When she wanted to get away from the rowdiness and fast-paced lifestyle the Crew always managed to drag her in, Chase always seemed to bring her down to earth. She needed that, but not romantically. His first introduction to her was him spilling a pasta dish all over her shoes. Molly was too baffled to do anything else but stand in the middle of the restaurant while he ran around trying to find some soap and a paper towel to clean her off. By the end of it, she was sitting in a chair laughing at some crude joke he had just made. From then she always found herself sauntering into the Brass Bar and just taking a seat by herself so she could have occasional chats with the head chef. Sometimes she'd even wait until he got off on Fridays so they could hang out in her house, or his, depending on the week. The fact that he wasn't in the Crew just made his company all the more enjoyable.

So when Molly finished watering her crops and tending to her animals (she had two cows, a sheep, and almost a dozen chickens and a beautiful chocolate brown horse) she found herself in the center of Harmonica Town, turning into the local watering hole.

As soon as walked in, she made herself comfy in one of the back tables. Flashbacks to the night before came back to her as she remembered toasting, laughing, and the inevitable interrogation. Quickly shaking that from her mind, she watched as Chase made his way out of the kitchen to see his friend sitting at her usual table, as he gave a relaxed smirk and leaned over the other side.

"Fancy seeing you back so soon," he joked. "How was last night?"

Molly shook her head, staring at the table. "Awful. Never again."

Immediately, Chase pulled out the chair and his smile had fallen. "What's up?"

Seeing his concerned reaction, Molly lightened up. She didn't like to make him worry, which, he did often. She could be a bit overdramatic, she realized, so she tried to take it down a few notches. For his sake, of course.

"Nah, you know Kathy. She just looooves to play the love game," Molly rolled her eyes. These conversations had come up so often that was what she referred it to.

Chase, always on the other end of these rants, rolled his eyes. He leaned on the table and rested his round head on his tired hand as he asked, uninterested, "Whom does she think you like now? Is it "

Molly broke a small smirk. She locked his purple orbs and bit her lip as she said, "You."

Chase nearly hit his head on the table. Molly couldn't help but break a small smile as she watched him freak out. While she knew she could be overdramatic, Chase was no different. While Chase can also worry too much, he also reacts heavy. Molly continued to giggle as he tried to compose himself and come back to the restaurant. Fixing his hair and leaning back in the chair, Chase finally stared her down and said, "What?"

She shrugged. "I dunno. She picked up a vibe or something."

He immediately shook his head, staring up at the ceiling and laughing to himself. When his eyes were brought back to meet her own, he leaned in and said in a low voice, "So she thinks we have a vibe, but she can't see your thing for Luke?"

Hearing his name in that sentence made Molly shudder. She checked the tables around her—none were in significant hearing range—as she shrugged her shoulders yet again. Molly had a thing for Luke, and there was no doubt about that. She found him strong, fun, and insanely attractive; all things she looked for in a guy. While sometimes he may be immature, he always had a positive aura and that was exactly what Molly liked. She wanted optimism, someone spontaneous and fiery. She wanted Luke.

"I guess not," Molly shrugged her shoulders with a smirk. "I dunno. I guess I'm really conscious about it when I'm with the Crew so I try not to make any weird comments…or whatever."

"Even when you do that it's still obvious you have a thing for him."

She whacked him in the shoulder. "Shut it."

She knew that he was right, hence the love tap on the shoulder. She tried her best to keep it subtle but sometimes she'd catch herself right after the act was done. Whether it was a romantic touch of the shoulder to just staring at him in public to even just watching him for a couple seconds in the forest before quietly approaching him. Whatever the situation may have been, she was so far from keeping it under wraps. But clearly she couldn't have been doing too awful if Kathy wasn't able to pick it up.

Throwing the entire conversation aside, Chase asked, "So, Molls, what could I get you for lunch today?"

She grinned sweetly and said, "Just the usual, thanks."

Her usual was a hot plate of spaghetti, the very dish that Chase had all over her shoes on the day they became friends. She always had it with a glass of water and a slice of lemon; it was very plain and simple, just how Molly liked to keep things. Plain and simple.

But her crush on Luke wasn't very plain and simple. If Luke had feelings for her too, and the duo began to date, how would that affect the dynamic of the Crew? Before anything else that thought always streamed through her mind. Obviously Kathy and Owen had been dating forever, before the Crew was even assembled. So at that point, whatever friendship the five of them had going on didn't make anyone feel uncomfortable, or at least didn't make Molly feel uncomfortable. She worried that Calvin would feel strange if she and Luke became a thing, considering Kathy and Owen were already a solid item. Thoughts like these rummaged through her mind, thoughts of Luke consuming her like no one has ever before. It was disturbing and unnatural and even foreign; she had feelings of course, but she always had put her work first. Whether that had been school, her career, or her farm, whatever she was doing that required her drive usually excluded a boy.

Molly would be lying if she convinced herself that she wasn't attracted to Luke when they first met. She wanted to upgrade her house for the first time and the only possible way for her to do that was to collect lumber in the Fugue Forest. She awkwardly made her way over there, lugging this axe that weighed about half her own, when she saw him slugging away at a tall tree. He was so focused, he muscles tightened as he swung one after the other with large force. Captivated by his striking blue hair and defined built, it was easy to say that Molly was star struck. He finally took notice to her, where the two began to talk. It was easy talking to him, Molly remembered, because of his jubilant attitude and energy. She remembered the help he offered her when she explained how she had never used an axe let alone collected lumber, and he kindly instructed and demonstrated the proper technique. Needless to say, after about two hours in the forest she felt comfortable with him. It wasn't love at first sight, and Molly knew that, but the pit in her stomach that swarmed with butterflies definitely guaranteed at least like at first sight.

After Chase had brought out her meal and Molly finished it, she left the money along with a generous tip to Chase on the table. He came back out one last time to wish her farewell, along with a few other comments.

"So where are you off to now?" he wondered as he began cleaning her table. He wasn't a waiter but he always felt the need to after Molly had come by.

She gave him another shrug in reply. "Not sure! I guess we'll just see where I end up. Talk to you later!"

They waved each other off as Molly opened the door and made her way outside. It was as if fate had listened to her call because as she was about to march through town she collided with a taller, larger body, causing her to recoil backwards. She glanced up and smiled, to find it was no one else than Owen.

"Hey!" they said in unison, until finally laughing it off.

"Where are you headed?" she asked him.

"I'm heading up towards Dale's place to bug Luke, where're you going?"

"No clue to be honest, I was kind of hoping I could find plans."

"Well good thing you bumped into me, right? Come on, let's go annoy Luke together."

How could Molly pass up an opportunity like that, right?

Without a second to delay, she followed Owen as they trekked through Harmonica Town up into the Garmon District. They turned into the carpenter's shop, or as everyone just referred to it as Dale's place, and pushed the door open to hear a faint bell above their heads. When the two walked in, they looked around to notice the office looked relatively empty. Confused, Owen bellowed, "Helloooooo?"

"Back here!" a voice immediately called from the back of the room. It was most definitely Luke's voice, and Molly was sure of it. She could recognize his voice from anywhere.

Smiling at each other, Owen and Molly made their way to the back of the room to see Luke on a chair, his feet kicked up on the table against the wall. He glanced up at the two of them and gave them that cheeky smile he always threw around.

"Hey guys!" he cheered as he brought his feet down to the ground. "What brings you guys over here?"

"I was just coming to bother you and picked up a straggler along the way," Owen nudged her.

She shrugged. "It's true."

"She was begging and crying to come along. I wasn't going to do it but I mean, she got down on her knees and started crying man. I couldn't say no."

Quit it, Owen, Molly thought and smiled, feeling all of the blood rush to her head. I know you're joking but this isn't funny!

Luke now shifted his gaze to meet Molly's, giving her a cute smirk. He said in his gooiest tone, "You really missed me that much, Molls? It's only been fifteen hours!"

"Ya' caught me," she threw up her hands in an embarrassed attempt to stay cool. "Owen promised he wouldn't tell but clearly he's a filthy liar."

Owen, his smile proud and bold, quickly fell into a flushed frown. "Why you gotta call me filthy?" Molly couldn't hold back a grin as he stared at her with fake, sad eyes. It caused her to laugh louder than she expected.

"Hey O, where's Kathy?" Luke wondered as Molly and Owen decided to sit up on the table that Luke's feet had rested comfortably moments ago.

"She said she was at the tailor," he began to explain, "I dunno, she said there was a hem that needed to be fixed? Something in one of her work clothes? She just said that her dad told her she needed to get it fixed before her shift that night so she obviously didn't want to mess with Hayden's wrath."

They all chuckled at that statement. Hayden was one of the nicest people. He had a mean face but a warm heart, and that was a phrase they all threw around him often. He didn't mind it, in fact, everyone was convinced he liked it; he always broke out a smile when someone said it.

The trio talked for a while after that. They talked about the night before, their hangovers, Luke's lack of a hangover, and then, as the three spiraled deeper and deeper into last night's conversations, the once-again inevitable question was placed in front of Molly. She dreaded it every time it came up. She only expected it with Kathy around, because there was nothing Kathy loved more than juicy gossip, especially when it came to romances on the island. But the blonde bombshell wasn't here to start the conversation, nevertheless keep it going. Instead, her bulky, redheaded boyfriend decided to take that responsibility for her.

"So, we ask again," Owen glared over at Molly with a sharp eye. "Who in Goddess' name do you like on the island!"

"No one!" she lied. The reaction came so quick that it was second nature. She usually never had to lie about this, but because for years and years to come she always had that response prepared for that question that even as a lie it was the first answer to escape her lips. She couldn't help it that she was prepared.

"Calling bullshit times seven," Luke glared at her.

His gaze caused goose bumps down her arms and the feeling of the blood rushing to her face again. She couldn't imagine either of them seeing her face so red; they'd know something was up in an instant if either one of them noticed. A red face was difficult to hide, in case you weren't aware.

"Seriously," she glared at him back, as hard as that was to do without feeling flirtatious in any way. "I'm too focused on my farm to be thinking about boys…well what about you, Luke? I'm calling bullshit on you too!"

"What?!" his mouth went agape.

"Hey, sorry to interrupt, but…" Owen popped himself off the table, "…I think I need to head out. Ramsey probably needs me back over there, I've really overstayed my welcome."

No. No no. Please don't leave me, Molly thought, the idea of she and Luke completely alone nearly terrifying her.

"Alright man," the boys dapped each other, as Luke gave him a quick pat on the arm. "See you around."

Molly and Owen gave a small exchange of a smile and a wave before he cleared his way through the carpenter's office and out of the door, faintly hearing the bell chime in the distance. That left Molly and Luke alone in the back room, in the middle of Molly questioning Luke about his personal life.

Fantastic.

"…Well, you heard me. Spill it," Molly egged him on. There was no going back now, she figured.

Luke rolled his eyes and said with a smile, "Molly, there's no one! Really."

She noticed that his voice grew calmer. It was a soothing calm, one that she rarely heard. The only times she ever heard it were the rare occasions in which the two of them were absolutely alone. That really didn't happen to often, as Molly feared being alone with him in case he could read her better if they were in a private setting. The control meter had been set on high, and she was really doing her best to try and contain the rush of emotions that had now consumed her whole being.

"C'mon I mean… you're you! You have to like someone. I mean, it's not weird for me not to like anyone. I never like anyone. But you're always throwing around crushes on people. Remember when you liked Phoebe for maybe a week?"

"Four days, actually, thanks," Luke spit back, smiles forming between the two.

"But seriously, you're always liking someone, so yeah, calling absolute bullshit on you not liking anyone now."

And all he did was give her a shrug. "Nope. No one."

Frustrated with his answers, Molly rolled her eyes into the back of her head and leaned up from against the wall. She was now had her body weight leaning on her arms that were pressed straight onto the table as she stared down at the blue-haired axe wielder.

"Well then is there anyone you at least find attractive?"

It only took him a few seconds before he sparked a seductive smile and said, "You."

Molly felt her heart cave in quickly. She wasn't expecting that. It was as if her entire body went into a sort of shut down mode and she was trying to reboot. Everything blacked out and Molly panicked beneath her skin. Trying to revive herself, all she could garble out of her mouth was, "What?"

"Was that the answer you were looking for?" Luke raised a brow, his smirk not leaving his face.

Speechless, she just stared at the boy's glowing orbs as she tried to restore herself internally.

"Yeah, I find you attractive. Beautiful even. Always have…" Molly noticed his cheeks flushing and she couldn't help but smile. It made her feel more comfortable about her own rosy cheeks, at the least.

"…Aw man what am I saying! I never would've said this to you," Luke, now clearly flustered, began awkwardly readjusting his bandana. "You're just really, really pretty."

Nearly hiding her face now, she replied, "T-thank you."

A small silence fell between the two. It didn't last long though. Luke looked up at her and said sarcastically, "Well? Isn't this where you tell me that I'm pretty too or did I miss that part of the agreement?"

Molly couldn't help but belt a laugh, finally the mushy vibe rising above them and the playful tone setting back in. She had never had that vibe come from both ends of the party before. But since he decided to let out a little of what was inside, she obviously couldn't let him break down barriers by himself.

"Well I do think you're pretty. Er—handsome. Attractive? Ugh." She slapped her hand on the side of her face while Luke laughed at her. He rose up off of his chair while she just wallowed in her own mistakes, until he began to approach her.

He got very close to her, almost strangely close as Molly felt oddly comfortable yet uncomfortable. He pushed a brown lock out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. Immediately that uncomfortable feeling fizzled and died, as all she saw were shining golden eyes and the want to get closer.

"Stop me if this is wrong," he whispered.

Molly didn't know how else to react. She watched as Luke brought his hand to the side of her face, and slowly began to lean in. Knots tying in her stomach, she closed her eyes.

And there it was. In the faint distance, the bell above the door chimed. Everything stopped once Dale's profound voice hollered, "Luke?"

Simultaneously their eyes opened, Molly just now realizing how close Luke's lips were to her own. He sighed as he then pressed his forehead against hers, smiling with frustration. He found himself retreating as Molly felt her heart ache for him to come closer yet again.

"Luuuuuke!"

"In the back!" he shouted in reply, the eye contact he kept with her not breaking. Molly couldn't help but grin as Luke then said lowly to her, "Next time."