Chapter Two - Ripples

'Hey Rina!' Called Sam as she walked past, seemingly in a world of her own. It had almost been a couple of weeks since she had moved into the Tyrell farm. Rina had definitely made strides on the land, almost all the debris had been cleared apart from the larger boulders and logs. She would often been seen after the middle of the day, foraging and fishing. Rina looked over at him and smiled brightly from where he was balancing on his skateboard.

'Hey, Sam!' She replied as she walked over. There was a basket in the crook of her arm that looked incredibly full. 'How's the kickflip going?' She asked as she looked at him wobble slightly.

'Yeah, it's going… well it's going,' he said making her giggle and he smiled in return. Rina had caused a little bit of a commotion in the town; it wasn't intentional that was for sure but a lot of people his age had taken a shine to her. 'You've been down the beach?' He asked looking at her basket.

She brushed her hair from her face and nodded, 'yeah, I've found some really nice stuff. It actually sells pretty well if the quality is good. Which is handy seeing as it takes time for my crops to grow, obviously,' she laughed lightly to herself as she lifted a shell out of the basket. It shone a pearly blue and glittered in the setting sun. 'Anyway, I should be getting home before it gets dark, I've not got a red-light generator yet on the farm,' she explained. A red-light generator kept the larger monsters away, those that weren't large enough to attack humans. Smaller ones tended to keep a distance from civilisations but unfortunately for Rina her farm was next to the forest on the outskirts.

'Hey, um, it's Friday and… well, usually I meet Abi and uh, Seb at the Stardrop saloon, it would be fun if you joined us?' He suggested. Rina tilted her head and thought for a moment. 'And, if you wanted, one of us could walk you back? Seb and I are used to monsters and that sort of thing, most carry weapons around here at night,' he said as he rubbed the back of his head in shyness. 'Besides, I'm sure Abi would like to have another girl around.'

Rina snorted and gave him a look as she crossed her arms. 'A girl? Really, Sam?' She said giving him a look. 'Also, I do have my own sword, you know,' she added. 'A night at the saloon does sound nice. Sure, why not?' She said as she pondered. 'Though you're buying me a drink for that "girl" comment,' Rina said with a smile.

Sam laughed and had the good graces to look mildly ashamed. 'Alright, okay, I'll see you there,' he said as she waved goodbye. He couldn't help but feel excited, he liked Rina a lot and she always made him happy when she was around.

-x-

Rina looked in her mirror that she had balanced against her table to get a full length look at herself. 'Okay, you're only going to the saloon, there's no need to get all dolled up… even if it is the first time, you're going to be hanging out with people you actually kind of consider friends…' she muttered under her breath. She had chosen a dress, she wore them if she was foraging or fishing, they were easier and cooler to move around in and their Spring so far had been kind in regards to weather. 'Hmm, maybe it's… not, right? Not casual enough?' She mused as she began to have doubts. 'Fuck,' she cursed, not used to the word but it felt appropriate at the time. 'Maybe I should call Maru and ask her what she would wear?' Rina sighed as she looked at her phone.

'No. No, this is stupid. I should just wear what I find comfortable,' she scolded herself and shook some sense into her head. 'Right. Well, honestly not this dress as it's a bit long and I want something cuter,' she walked over to her chest and opened it. A wind rattled her window and she bit her lip, 'might be a bit colder than expected,' she sighed as she sat back on her heels. A hoodie caught her eye and she looked at it with scrutiny, 'hmm,' she said as she pulled it out. A plain, dusty black but far too long on her, so she hadn't worn it while working on the farm. An idea hit her and she dived into her clothing chest for what she was looking for. 'Perfect!' She squealed as she found them.

Rina hadn't taken much longer to get dressed after that and she walked up to the saloon, not expecting to see Sebastian standing outside, smoking. 'Hey, Sebastian,' she said as she came more into the light. Her hand rested on the pommel of the sword that hung from her hip, she had taken precautions while walking there.

He smiled and exhaled a plume of smoke as he saw her. 'Hey, Tyrell,' he said in jest making her roll her eyes playfully at him. 'Sam said you were coming, he was getting worried so I said I would wait for you while enjoying some fresh air,' he explained.

'How fresh it is,' she said sarcastically. 'I'm not too late, am I?' She asked, a little worried.

He shook his head and raised the cigarette to his lips, taking a pull before speaking, 'nah,' he said before breathing out, 'he's just a worrier,' Sebastian laughed lightly with a shrugged shoulder. Rina relaxed and her hands moved to her bag strap instead, holding it tightly.

'Can… I ask you something?' She asked quietly as she stepped forwards, not caring about the small cloud of smoke around him. Sebastian nodded and waved his hand, disturbing the gentle drift of the cloud without realising, causing it to float off in the opposite direction of her.

'This is… um, my like, this is… a first for me… meeting friends and that,' she said biting her thumbnail and looking around them for anyone who might hear. 'Am… I, like, dressed right?' She looked down at herself and he could instantly tell she felt insecure.

Sebastian made a show of tilting his head side to side and dramatically looking her up and down. He grinned and made a twirling motion with his spare hand and with a sigh, Rina gave him a small tottering spin. With a chuckle he nodded, 'yeah, Tyrell. You look fine,' he said honestly. She had plaited her hair either side of her head and it fell past her chest in sweet braids.

'Fine?' She repeated. A comfortability had grown between them. He was one of the first people she had met when she came to town and he often saw her when she popped over to chat to his mum or Maru. Rina didn't seem to expect anything from him and there was something about being around her that felt effortless. She had slotted into everyone's lives like she had always been around.

Sebastian snorted and dropped his cigarette, standing on it with his boot. 'What do you want me to say? You're wearing clothing and it looks nice, what more is there?' He pointed out as she clutched her bag.

'Well, I'll take nice over fine,' she said with a sniff. 'Okay, let's go in, Sam promised me a drink,' she said as she opened the door. They walked in and Rina waved to Robin and Demetrius as they passed, making their way to the pool table. Abigail smiled brightly as she saw them and shared a brief hug with Rina. 'Sorry if I'm late, I let time get away from me,' she said honestly.

Abigail shook her head, 'don't worry about it, you're here now. Oh, my Yoba! What you're wearing is so cute!' She said as she held Rina at arm's length. 'Y'see I've always wanted to wear a hoodie as a dress but I don't have the height to pull it off like you do! Where did you get it?' She asked in a flurry as Sebastian wandered over to the pool table and Rina sat down on the sofa next to Abigail. 'Honestly, leggings, hoodie and boots are such a vibe.'

Rina put down her bag and removed her sword belt, placing them both out the way next to the sofa. 'They're not mine, not really. Apart from my underwear, everything else was a… gift… like… hand-me-downs,' Rina admitted. 'So, I had to sew up a tear in my leggings here,' she pointed to a small seam near her knee. 'Also, on the hoodie, there's this tear by the cuff, which looks accidental but I kinda tore the other side so now they're thumbholes,' she said with a smile as she demonstrates. Abigail's smile had frozen but it was only for a moment before she cleared her throat and became reanimated once more.

'So cute!' Abigail said in a pitch too high. 'Um, Rina, you've not gotten a drink yet? I'll get you one-'

'Sam said he'd get me-'

'He's setting up the table, besides he can get the next one,' Abigail said as she stood up. 'Seb? Help me carry the drinks?' She called over to him. Rina was a little confused but thought nothing of it as the pair walked towards the bar. Sebastian and Abigail stood at the bar top waiting to be served when Sebastian broke the silence.

'You didn't ask her what she wanted,' he said simply. He knew where this was going and he was already bored of the conversation but knew it had to play out.

'I thought I recognised those boots,' Abigail said moodily. 'She's wearing your hoodie and boots. What else does she have?'

'Whatever my mum gave her,' he replied simply and nodded to Emily as she whizzed past, promising to take their order next. 'She needed clothing, that's it. What's the big deal?' He said as he looked at the young woman.

Abigail frowned, 'you said it would be weird if I had some of your old clothes,' she snapped as she looked over his shoulder to where Sam was teaching Rina how to play, a smile on both their faces. 'That seeing me around town would make you uncomfortable but you seem perfectly content to let her swan around in them.'

Sebastian sighed and leaned on the side. 'Abi, you know what people in this town are like. If you had worn my clothes, shit would have spread like wildfire. People would have assumed that we were "dating" and then next thing you know; I would have had your parents breathing down my neck to propose and no matter how much we would have denied it, it would have been blown way out of proportion. Tyrell has been here for just about two weeks and I couldn't exactly say no to my mum,' he explained. 'She needed clothing, Abi. She was trying to weed and toil her land in these flimsy cotton dresses and shoes that looked like they would have fallen apart at the sight of dirt.'

It made sense but it didn't mean that Abigail liked it at all. It was hard for her not to feel bitter towards Rina but she knew it wasn't fair. It wasn't like it was Rina's fault. 'Yeah, alright,' Abigail muttered. 'Why do you call her Tyrell?'

'That's her name,' he shrugged and then the conversation paused as he ordered from Emily and she promised to bring the drinks over as she had taken so long. Sebastian and Abigail move out the way and slowly walk back towards the side room.

'Her name is Rina, her surname is Tyrell,' she pointed out. There was something about the relationship between the new girl and Sebastian that she didn't like. She just couldn't put her finger on it.

Sebastian shrugged, 'it's just a joke. She comes across all prim and proper so I began to take the piss and she took it well and ran with it. So now it's just her name to me,' he said not really wanting to explain but he knew Abigail wouldn't let it drop. 'Look, before we go back in,' Sebastian said pausing them to the side before they got too close for Sam and Rina to hear. 'What's all this about?' He asked. 'What's with the third degree?'

'It's nothing, I was just wondering,' Abigail lied. 'She seems to get on well with Sam,' she said in a vain attempt to change the conversation topic. Sebastian looked over at where Rina was attempting to hit the ball with her pool cue, he chuckled and nodded, ending the conversation at that.