a Stardew Valley fan fiction: The Proper Care and Feeding of Souls

Chapter 17: Fire (Part One)

i saw

your smile

and my heart

forgot

it was broken

- R.a

Grace strolled into the town square that morning, full of childhood memories of the fair. Every summer, the villagers would gather in the town square, traveling merchants descending upon the small town to show off their curiosities and wares. Of all of the memories that Grace hadn't been able to relive, with child-like hope, she was desperate to relive this one.

The town square was bustling with tents and booths, villagers and strangers strolling through the streets. Grace inhaled, delighted to take in the strong, sweet scent of caramel corn and cotton candy. It was just as she remembered.

Beneath the awning of Pierre's General Store, Pierre had set up a large tent to sell his goods. Grace made her way over, dropping off her baskets of jam and freshly picked peaches. Pierre was busy with a customer Grace didn't recognize as being a local, so she made a quick nod to let him know what she'd dropped off for him and left.

The summer sun sparkled brightly in the dazzling blue sky. In the distance, the ocean glistened in the light. It was a beautiful day. Grace was strolling along the rows of booths mindlessly when she bumped into Penny.

"Oh!" Grace startled. "Penny, I'm so sorry! I wasn't paying attention." She smiled genuinely into the eyes of the local school teacher. Penny blushed and shyly responded.

"Oh." She smiled. "Hi. I wasn't paying attention either." She giggled and her body relaxed. She looked down at the table she'd been perusing and gently grazed her finger along the cover of one of the books displayed on the table. "I was just daydreaming, I guess. These books...." Penny shook her head quickly as if to shake an unreasonable idea from her brain. Grace found Penny's bashful nature endearing.

"Hey, wanna grab some coffee?" Grace stood next to her as they browsed the book titles. Penny cast her eyes towards Grace. She hated being around new people, but Grace seemed kind and Penny was feeling desperate for adult interaction.

"Sure", she reluctantly agreed. The two lingered a moment, taking in the stories laid out before them when Grace felt a familiar arm wrap around her shoulder.

"Look at you out in public on a Saturday morning," she teased. Penny looked up to see what Grace was talking about and saw Sebastian with his arm around Grace. Sebastian nodded to acknowledge Penny. She blushed and looked down. Penny knew Sebastian, of course. It was an incredibly small town. Everyone knew everyone. But, Sebastian was possibly the only person in town who rivaled Penny as the town introvert. The two avoided other people at all costs, which meant they never really interacted with each other.

"Come on," Grace patted Sebastian's arm. "We're getting coffee." She led the two of them to a nearby by coffee cart with a few tables and chairs scattered in front.

The unlikely trio settled at a table, Grace and Sebastian with their steaming cups of coffee, Penny with an iced tea.

Sebastian stretched out his lanky body, his long legs sprawling under the table. Cupping his hot coffee in his hands, he gazed across the table at Penny. They had gone to school together, but Sebastian never paid her much attention. Her nose was always buried in a book. Not that he ever felt worthy of her attention, anyway. She was smart and innocent and good. Her fiery ginger hair fell softly around her face in curls, delicate freckles scattered across her pale skin. Her eyes were curious and sincere, the palest blue eyes he'd ever seen. He studied her eyes for the brief instant she allowed his dark eyes to meet hers. They spoke of the hurts holding her prisoner and the comforts of feigning invisibility. Inklings of longing danced deep below their pale blue surface. As the sunlight hit her face, Sebastian was unexpectedly struck by something within Penny he had never taken notice of before.