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Post by Butterscotch on Apr 24, 2006 23:46:38 GMT -5
Legal drinking age in whatever country Flowerbud Vilage is in is 18
Dream About Me:
Chapter Eleven
“Gr-ay!” Popuri's voice rang out. Gray paused at the gate, and looked back. Popuri was standing in the kitchen doorway, waving at him. He gave her a shy wave back as she ran over.
“Where are you going?” she asked.
“Rick's.”
Popuri clapped her hands. “I have to return some library books. Wait here and I'll go get them and we can walk to town together!”
“Okay.”
A few moments later the pair set out. As they walked, they engaged in conversation, which meant that Popuri chattered away, while Gray grunted an occasional reply. It was an arrangement that suited them both.
“Isn't it a beautiful day?,” Popuri sighed, turning her face to the warm sunny sky.
“Yeah...”
“What's wrong, Gray?” Popuri asked, peering up at him.
“N-nothing,” Gray replied, quickly jerking the brim of his hat low on his forehead.
“Am I annoying you?”
“What? N-no, of course not,” Gray stammered, his fingers still touching his hat.
“If I'm bothering you, I can shut up” Popuri murmured, looking at the ground.
“No, that's not it,”
“Then what is it?” she glanced over at Gray. His shoulders were hunched and he had shoved his hands in his pocket. “Gray?”
“Forget it” he muttered. They walked in silence for a while, neither looking at the other.
“I'm sorry,” Popuri whispered after about five minutes had passed. “I don't know what I did...I'm always annoying people.” She sniffled a little.
Gray stopped in his tracks. “No...no. You're not annoying at all,” he said. “I just--”
“What?”
“Um...I, well..I know I'm not much of a talker,” he began.
Popuri burst out laughing. “That's an understatement!”
“And I guess I must be pretty boring to be around,” Gray paused, and Popuri opened her mouth to protest, then thought better of it. “And, um...well, why?”
“Why what?”
Gray took a deep breath. “Why be around me...when-when there are more interesting people to be around?” His voice dropped very low at the end, and Popuri had to lean close to her him.
“Well...” she said slowly, “I guess it's because you're a good listener for one. And well, I guess I just like being with you.” She blushed and stared at her feet. Gary stared at her. Only in his wildest dreams had he imagined Popuri saying something like that.
There was a few moments of awkward silence. Popuri continued to stare at her feet, her cheeks growing pinker and pinker. Finally Gray cleared his throat. “We, ah, we should get going,” said. Popuri nodded, and they continued on their way, until they reached the crossroads where they had to split up.
“I, uh, won't be too long,” Gray said,
“I won't be long either,” Popuri replied. “I'm just returning the books, and maybe getting a new one. Um...if our timing is good, we can walk home together too, right?”
“Yeah,”
“Good!” Popuri beamed, and she skipped off to the library. Gray watched her for a moment, before turning and heading to his cousin's shop.
~*~*~*
At the library, Popuri handed Maria her books, and went over to the shelves to pick out a new one. The library was still, the only sound was that of Maria's pen scratching on the paper. It was common knowledge in Flowerbud that Maria was writing a novel, but no one had ever read any of it. Popuri selected a book from the shelf and brought it to the desk, craning her neck to sneak a peek at Maria's paper. Maria quickly stuffed the paper in the drawer, her cheeks turning slightly pink. Popuri smiled at her, and handed the book to Maria.
Just as Maria was stamping the back cover with the due date, the library door swung open, and a man walked in. Both girls knew him by his reputation. He was the salesman who was sometimes seen at festivals, selling goods of dubious origin. He tipped his hat at the girls, and strode over.
“What visions of loveliness,” he said. He reached into his pocket as he continued, “Beautiful girls like you deserve pretty things.” He opened his hand revealing a small gold pendant, hanging from a slender chain. In the center of the pendant was a small glittering stone.
Both girls gasped. The salesman twirled the chain slightly, and the stone caught the light and sparkled.
“How 'bout it girls? Which of you two lovely ladies will take this home for only 500g?”
Popuri gave a little sigh, and shook her head. She had no money on her. Maria quickly reached into her pocket. “I'll take it!” she said, and began counting out the money.
“Sold!” the man yelled. He handed the necklace to Maria with one hand, and shook her hand with the other. Just as he released her hand, the door swung open and Harris walked in. He glared at the salesman, who seemed to realize this was is cue to leave. Tipping his hat at the girls, he scurried out.
“I certainly hope that neither of you girls was taken in by that charlatan!” Harris said sternly. Then he caught sight of Maria's necklace. “Oh no...Miss Maria, did you by something from that phony?”
Maria held up the necklace, “I bought this...it um...”
Harris took the necklace, and dropped it to the floor. “I suppose he told you it was a diamond? Well, we'll see about that!” Harris brought his foot down on the necklace. Popuri heard a soft crunch as the stone broke. Harris ground the stone into glittering dust then turned to Maria. “See? It wasn't a real diamond at all!”
“I...I knew that...” Maria said hesitantly “It was only 500g...” Harris paled at little when he heard this. “it was so cheap that I knew it couldn't be a diamond...but I thought that 500g was not so very much to pay for a piece of custom jewelry.”
By the time she finished speaking, Maria was crying. Popuri felt as if she too might cry.
“I...didn't know...I thought...Well, I...” Harris stammered. “I'll buy a new one...”
“It was the last one!” Maria exclaimed, crying even harder. “Just go.”
“Miss Maria...I--”
“GO!” Maria nearly yelled. Popuri had never heard her speak with such force before. Neither had Harris. He hung his head and left the library. When the door was shut, Maria broke down sobbing. Popuri leaned over, giving Maria a hug on the shoulders. Popuri stayed with Maria for a long time, trying to soothe her, and after a while Maria calmed down. Her eyes were red, and she was sniffling, but she wasn't sobbing anymore. She gave Popuri a quick hug. “Thanks for staying with me,” she murmured.
“No problem,” Popuri said with a smile; the girls walked out the door together, and Popuri watched Maria walk home, then continued on her own way. She walked slowly, knowing that it had gotten very late in the time she had spent comforting her friend. As she drew near the edge of the village, she saw a tall man leaning against the sign-post.
“Gray?” Popuri rushed over to him. “You waited?”
“Well, uh, it's getting dark, and it's not safe alone...for a girl,” he said.
“I'm sorry I took so long,” Popuri said. She recounted the entire story as they walked home.
“Poor, poor Maria.” she concluded as they walked into past the Green Ranch gate. “She really likes Harris too...or at least, she used to.”
“She does?” Gray asked.
“Sure, I thought everyone knew that.”
“What does everyone know?” Cliff's voice came from behind them.
“That Maria likes Harris,” Popuri replied.
“Maria...Maria...she's the library girl, right? Talks about as much as him,” Cliff nodded in Gray's direction, “But somehow seems twice as friendly?”
“That's her!” Popuri chirped, then realized what she had agreed with. “Um, I mean...that is!”
Cliff grinned at her, and slapped Gray on the back. “You guys are fun!” he said, chuckling.
“Hey, you guys!” a female voice rang out. The trio turned and saw Karen rushing towards them. “I'm glad you're all together. I have big news!”
“Ooh, what is it Karen?” Popuri squealed.
“Tomorrow is Ann's birthday, right? Well, I thought since she's turning 18, we should have a surprise party at the Bar. I talked to Duke and he's agreed to cut us a deal on the drinks.”
“That sounds great, Karen!” Popuri exclaimed.
“Great! I'll see you all there, right?”
“With bells on!” Cliff said.
“No,” Gray said at almost the same time.
“What? But Gray, it's your only sister's 18th birthday!” Karen said. “You have to go!”
“Yeah, Gray, you have to!” Popuri added.
“Come on, Gray, you have to go,” both girls said. Gray sighed.
“Okay, okay,” he mumbled. “I'll go.”
“Yay!” Popuri clapped her hands.
“All right, I'll see you guys at eight o'clock tomorrow,” Karen said, and began to walk away.
“Ummm...Cliff?” Popuri asked when Karen was out of earshot. “Um, I don't think Ann will like it if you go to her party....”
“I know! That's why I'm going!”
To Be Continued!
500g is the price of a bag of grass seeds, so the necklace is really cheap, not even good enough to be costume jewelry, really, but Maria wasn't taken advantage of.
Harris is somewhat out-of-character here, which I regret.
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Yay!
[M:28]
), but my idea was to have a whole year pass in the story, so I need to flesh it out some with side-stories