Intoxicated (Stardew Valley)

Chapter Twenty

IT WAS RAINING. It was no surprise. Most of the snow had melted, signifying the start of a new season, and it had been sunny for days, it had to pour eventally. And so, water filled town; watering the plants (thank goodness), flooding the roads, and giving everyone a chance to stay indoors.

Well, for the most part, anyways.

I walked along the path toward the bus stop, my boots sinking into the mud filling with water each step I took. My clothes and hair were drenched, but I didn't seem to mind. I didn't bother to bring an umbrella.

Walking through the rain had helped me become... calmer, after everything that has happened. Maybe it was the pattering sound that seemed to soothe me, or just watching the town in its serenity.

Silently, I thanked Yoba that it was not a good day today. I certainly did not want to have the towns people look over at me and silently judge me. In fact, most people had forgotten about this loathe and were slowly starting to forgive me. It took a lot of time and giving everyone their well-loved gifts, but it was a start.

And even Jas. I had felt so guilty after having her caught up in the fire at the festival and I knew that I had to do something. And so I had surprised her with her favourite flowers: fairy roses that I had been growing inside of my house. She seemed hesitant when she first saw me, but eventually warmed up again once seeing I had brought cake.

Emily and Sam had realized that they were wrong to judge me and had shown up at my door the night before, bearing gifts and plenty of food. It wasn't hard to forgive them, seeing Sam's sad face and Emily holding my favourite dishes from the Saloon.

Everything was slowly coming back together... Almost...

As I approached the bus stop, Pam's figure came to view, her usual scowl on her face. She didn't seem to mind being drenched in the rain. In fact, she seemed happy ever since the bus was restored and she could go back to her job.

Her expression didn't change as she saw me. "Heading anywhere today, kid?"

Kid... Was I so selfish? Was I being a child, wishing that Shane could stay?

"No, not today," was all I said. Pam grunted and turned away, heading into the driver's seat.

After a few minutes, another set of footsteps could be heard echoing off the muddy floor, slow but still distinct. Shane entered my peripheral vision and I took a deep breath, taking in his sight. He grasped onto a strong stick that allowed him to stable himself, his body still not strong enough on his own (unfortunately, this town wasn't benefitted with crutches). Unlike me, his familiar blue sweater covered his face, the one I was so mesmorized with for the past few months.

Seeing him walk toward me, I was reminded of what happened over the course of my arrival, memories flooding into my mind. How he had once loathed me, how he was a reminder of my old life, how I indulged in him with my past and how our lives were intertwined. How we were bad for each other... but we couldn't keep away.

In fact, it was not that we were bad for each other... We had our own faults, had our own regrets. We weren't perfect. And this made us just right, fitting us together like puzzle pieces. We had to solve our own problems before joining together.

Soon, Shane was in front of me, and I blinked as if stuck in a trance. He reached an arm out to me as though he was going to pull me into a hug, but he then grabbed me, colliding my chest to his. I had to hold him to maintain his stability. "For someone who doesn't work out as much, you sure are strong," was all I could muster.

I gazed up at his dark eyes, trying to see the story behind them. But I knew everything about him. Since I got to know him better, he became transparent, opposed to the opaque mask he wore at the beginning.