Hi readers! Here is chapter 5 ^_^ I hope you all are enjoying it so far! Thank you to all who have been reading and/or reviewing. All of your feedback is very greatly appreciated! I hope you enjoy and to hear from you guys soon! xoxo -J

While some would say that the weather in Mineral Town had been less than ideal over the past week, Jack smiled as he watched the weather report. The upcoming few days of rain and clouds didn't bother him one bit. He decided that if the weather was bad, he clearly couldn't get any work done and therefore, all was out of his control. He had no choice but to delay his imminent workload. While he wasn't particularly proud of this new attribute, he wasn't exactly sorry either. He quite enjoyed getting to explore the town and meet the locals. He wondered what today would bring.

The clouds began to rumble ever so lightly as they hovered over the un-groomed farm. Jack stared out his window (as he did every morning) while eating his breakfast and felt a wave of panic wash over him. For the first time, he realized that he was the only farmer in town and he wasn't sure if there was anyone who could help guide him through the process. He suddenly felt the weight of the world on his shoulders as he thought about the fact that he had been entrusted with his grandfather's legacy. It was all in his hands now, and he had no clue where to start. He could feel the three years counting down day by day. Maybe the weather wasn't so great after all.

After effectively loosing his (usually large) appetite, Jack grabbed his rucksack and headed into town. As much as he would have loved to run into some of his new friends (preferably Ann or Elli), he was on a mission today, and hoped to sneak by unnoticed. He remembered seeing a sign for a library and he headed in that direction. Maybe he could do some research and figure this whole farming thing out.

Jack made it to the library just in time. As he opened the door, thunder cracked through the sky- as if on cue- and the rain started to pour. He jumped in the building and grabbed the librarian's attention with a startle.

"Oh, my! S-sorry, you scared me opening the door like that."

Jack turned his gaze to the librarian's counter. As he focused, he caught two dark eyes hidden behind glasses, trying to resist his. She had beautiful, long, dark hair pulled back in a braid and hands covering her reddened cheeks.

"Oh, haha. Sorry, didn't mean to scare you. It started to rain out of nowhere and the thunder got me going." Jack attempted to make conversation.

"It's ok. Sometimes I get caught up in things I am doing and don't notice what's going on around me. Then I look up and see what I've been missing. Things come out of nowhere like that." She spoke almost poetically. Jack paused for a moment to take it all in. "I'm Mary." She said.

"I'm Jack. I moved here to-" Before he could finish his introduction, Mary cut him off with a smile.

"Yes, I know who you are. You moved here to the Sunny Farm. It was your grandfather's and you have three years to restore it." She said matter-of-factly.

"Uh, yeah…How'd you know all that?" Jack looked perplexed.

"People talk. I listen." Mary's voice was soft and calm. Jack found it mesmerizing. He couldn't put his finger on it, but it almost put him into a trance.

"So…people have been talking about me then?" He said with a coy grin.

"Mhm.". Jack waited a moment for Mary to continue before realizing that was all she was going to let on. He wondered who could be talking about him and more importantly what was being said. He got the impression that information spread like wildfire in Mineral Town.

"…" Jack paused. "Anyway, I did have a reason for stopping by besides to get out of the rain. I need help…real bad. Between you and me…I don't know the first thing about farming. There are books for that right?" His face blushed with embarrassment.

"Crops. You should start there." Mary responded without delay. "Follow me. I think I have just the book."

Mary led Jack up a large staircase to the second floor of the library. She climbed a ladder and grabbed a large book from the top shelf.

"Here it is. Perfect. This is just what you need. My dad wrote it years ago, but no one has read it yet…well besides my mom and I…you will be the first here in town. I hope it helps."

"Wow! Thanks! So…is your dad a farmer or what? Haven't run into another since I've been here." Jack questioned.

"Haha, no. He just loves plants. He is a researcher- always out and about learning whatever he can about them. He writes many books. In fact, if you visit the library more often I'm sure you will discover that for yourself." Mary seemed to be hinting. She looked up at him shyly with a slight smile.

"Well then, it looks like I will have to visit more often. When do you want me to return this back to you?" Now Jack was hinting.

"No hurry. Whenever you feel like you're ready to, I suppose. Doubt others will be trying to take it from you." It was like Mary was speaking in prose.

"Well, thank you. This is very helpful. Now, if only this rain would clear up so I could get back and read it." Jack was anxious to get started on his work, but he wouldn't mind if the rain kept him inside a while.

"Well…you're welcome to stay until it passes. I'd rather not see you end up in the clinic. I've heard you were already in there before. Twice this season wouldn't be terribly productive." Apparently news did travel fast.

"Yeah… Pretty silly, I know I know. I've already heard it from Elli." Jack hoped he didn't offend anyone with the statement.

"Well, Elli is a pretty silly girl."

Jack wasn't sure how to respond. "You guys friends? I mean she seems nice enough."

"Yes, I guess you could call us friends. We don't spend much time together, but we have known each other since we were very young." Mary seemed distant.

"Oh, sorry if I am butting in. I don't know much about this town or the people here, so I never know what's going on. If you don't want to talk about personal things you don't have to. Just let me know." Things became a little bit awkward as Jack searched for words.

"Surely I would tell you. People think I'm very shy and they are right. But, there is more to me than meets the eye. It's just that most people don't open theirs enough to see it… I had a friend once. A good friend. We weren't the type to go out late to the Inn or share inside jokes, but we truly trusted each other. Unfortunately, it was that very trust that allowed her to leave this place." Mary looked Jack in the eye unashamed.

Before Jack could find the words to say, the door opened. The doctor stepped through the door and nodded to Mary.

"Here it is. Just came in last night." Mary handed him a large, tattered, brown book.

"Thank you." He gave Jack a look and walked out the door.

"He's friendly today." Jack said sarcastically hoping to provoke a laugh.

"Friendly is overrated. I think people should just be who they are. It's not fair to hide our selves for the purpose of appeasing others. Maybe there is more to him than you think…just like there is more to you than you let on."

Jack paused. Once again Mary left him searching for words he didn't know how to find.

"Maybe." Jack let out a sigh. "Being the new person in town is harder than I imagined."

Mary laughed. "Being any person in any town is harder than we imagined. It's all what you make of it." Mary seemed older than her years with her words of wisdom.

"True." He replied.

"The rain stopped." Mary looked towards the door.

"Oh, look at that! Well then, I better be on my way. I have some serious work to do."

"Ok, Jack. Good luck."

"Thanks. Oh, and I will bring this book back soon!" He added.

"Ok. And if you need any other information… feel free to stop by." Mary smiled as she saw Jack out the door.

Jack turned the corner and opened up his book, reading as he walked back to the farm. He was so absorbed in the material that he failed to notice someone walking in his direction. It wasn't until he ran straight into him that he looked up.

"Watch it."

Jack looked up to see a young man, about his age, wearing a low hat and some sort of jumpsuit on.

"Oh, sorry about that! I didn't see you there. I'm Jack by the way. Nice to meet you." Jack extended his hand.

"Yeah, ok."

Jack paused waiting for a response with his hand outstretched, but got nothing in return.

"And you are….?" He asked trying to be friendly.

"Gray."

"Oh, cool name. I just moved here to-" Jack was cut off short.

"Leave me alone." Gray mumbled.

"Uh…" Jack was left speechless.

Without pause, Gray kept walking and made his way into the library…almost like he was on a mission.