Escaping to the valley

(Chapter 5: Social anxiety, and a fear of bugs)

"Today's a nice day to try to do some fishing." I thought as I made my way down to the beach.

When I got to the bridge, I happened to bump into someone. I happened to glance up at them for a split second before starting to write "I'm so sorry, ma'am, I didn't mean to bump into y-'' Then the woman turned around, and that's when I realized that she... Was actually a he!

"Ah, the new farmer we've all been expecting... And whose arrival has sparked many a conversation! I'm Elliott... I live in the little cabin by the beach. It's a pleasure to meet you."

The pretty man said, grabbing my hand, and giving it a little kiss.

(Author: Yes, I mistook Elliott for a girl when I played Stardew Valley for the first time. Shhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhut up.)

"Why does this man look and act like he just jumped out of a romance novel?" I thought, wiping my hand on my pants while he wasn't looking. "I'm all for romantic stuff, but not this."

"I'm kind of new to this town myself, but I really feel at home. I moved here only a year before you." The man said, gesturing to his little house on the beach.

"That little shed is his home? I mean, I guess I can't really complain. My place kinda looks like a shed too. But hopefully it won't once Robin's done doing whatever she's doing." I thought.

I jumped when Elliott said "Please excuse the sorry state of my cabin. You probably wouldn't like it inside. It's dark and full of spiders." most likely noticing the way I was staring at it.

"It's not bad! It's a cute little cabin." I wrote, feeling bad that I made this man think I had something against his little home on the beach.

"Why thank you, young farmer. If you don't mind me mentioning... I noticed you seem to prefer the written word rather than speaking aloud." The man said, pointing to my notebook.

"Oh, yeah. I have selective mutism and bad social anxiety, so it's really difficult for me to talk to people unless I really trust them. Writing is much easier for me. A lot of people seem to take my silence as me being rude, but I promise that isn't the case!" I wrote, scratching the back of my neck.

"Oh, you poor soul. I hope that someday, you will find someone that you can speak to as loud as wish. One thing I've learned is that if someone is shy, you should keep showing interest in them and they'll get comfortable around you. Everyone likes to have friends, even that grumpy blacksmith." The man said with a smile. "If you're lucky, there will be someone who will show interest in you. Or there might already be someone. I know you're fairly new here, but friendship happens in unexpected places, and unexpected times."

"I think I have already made a friend here. If not three." I wrote, remembering my conversation with Sebastian, but still being a little unsure about Sam and Abi.

"Oh, how wonderful, um..." He started, pausing for a bit, not knowing what to call me.

"Willow. My name is Willow. And I'm Nonbinary, in case you were wondering." I wrote with an awkward smile.

"Well, it's lovely to make your acquaintance, Mx. Willow, and I hope that you'd be able to consider me one of your dear friends in the near or distant future." The man said, smiling brightly, before making his way to his cabin.

"No one's ever used Mx. as an honorific for me. Someone actually used it for once!" I thought, doing a happy little hop, before I continued my walk down to the beach.

(A few hours later)

"Uuuuugggggghhhhhh! I feel like I've been sitting here for days!" I thought, glancing at the two fish I caught, sitting next to me in a bucket. "Okay. That's it. My butt is numb, I've only caught two fish, and I wanna go home because fishing SUCKS!" I thought, getting up from where I was sitting, and walking towards town.