You had spent a lot of time preparing your finest produce the annual Luau. You had completed the Mayors list, and had delivered the crops too.
As you arrived at the beach for the annual Luau, you were greeted by the townspeople who had set up a grand feast of grilled fish, salads, and desserts. The aroma of the food and the sound of the waves crashing against the shore filled the air.
As you made your way through the crowd, you spotted many familiar faces from Pelican Town, all dressed in their best outfits. Mayor Lewis was subtlety overseeing the preparations, the Governor by his side chatting away. You knew that the Governors opinion on the town meant a lot to Lewis, and therefore you wanted to ensure that produce you produced for the soup was of an outstanding quality.
Your eyes scan the crowd, looking for your friends. You saw Shane chatting with Gus, whilst Haley and Abigail were dancing to the music being played through a small stereo. Across the way, you saw Elliot sitting under a tree, lost in thought, with Leah by his side. Everyone seemed to be having a good time already. In moments like that you truly saw how unified the community was. Everyone liked one another, a trait not so common in Zuzu City.
You continued to scan the crowd of townsfolk. Your heart fluttered as you caught sight of Harvey talking with Maru and Robin near the food tables. Your gaze lingered on him for a moment before the realisation that he was with Maru again set in. You saw Maru laughing at something he said, and you felt a twinge of jealousy just like before. However you reminded yourself that Harvey is just your friend and that he's allowed to talk to other people.
You took a deep breath and walked over to the food tables to grab a plate, your stomach rumbling. As you topped it with delicious food, you couldn't help but steal a few glances at Harvey, who seemed to be enjoying himself. You smiled to yourself, happy to see him having a good time, even if it's not with you.
"Evangeline, I must say, your vegetables looked amazing!" You turned to see Marnie beside you, smiling as she spoke. "Oh thank you Marnie!" You replied, beaming in pride of your hard work. You had been paid a fair commission for your produce, the majority of which you would be re-investing into the farm and the house itself. "I bet the soup will be delicious!" she chuckled, leaving you to your devices.
Soon after, the soup was ready to be served, the Governor being the one to take the first taste. This was a tense moment for both you and the Mayor. Lewis just wanted to impress the Governor, whereas the possible blame of the soup not tasting adequate was on your shoulders.
The Governor made his way over to the pot, taking a large spoonful. The crowd was quiet in anticipation. "This is delicious!" He exclaimed, a feeling of relief washing over you. It seemed that the rich flavours of the herbs and vegetables blended together perfectly. He took another spoonful and nodded in approval.
He turned to Lewis who was already beaming. "What's your secret ingredient?"
Lewis smiled and replied, "It's a family recipe that's been passed down for generations." What...? You felt a rage build inside you as Lewis took credit for the soup and vegetables that had been specially grown and selected for by you. Harvey had noticed the Mayors words and knew that he was lying and was now glancing over at you to see your reaction. However, you did not visibly show your frustration and kept a smile on your face despite the arrogance of Lewis.
The Governor smiled back and said, "Well, it's certainly one of the best soups I've ever tasted!" Everyone gathered round the soup and began to grab servings of it for themselves. You decided to hold back, feeling unappreciated and shot down. Seemingly no one knew you had grown the ingredients and supplied the recipe apart from Marnie who had stewed it and Lewis. You glanced over to see Lewis laughing with the townsfolk's, all asking him about "his recipe."
You knew that you had to get yourself out of the vicinity of the beach quickly before your anger finally bubbled over. You turned to the beach beside you, deciding in the moment to go on a walk to calm down. Harvey had noticed you begin to walk away from the Luau and cleared his through quickly to gain the attention of the townsfolk.
"Ahem, excuse me everyone..." He announced, everyone glaring at him in a confused manner. You turned to see Harvey facing the crowd. "I'm sorry Mayor Lewis, but that isn't fair." He begun. Lewis' face shifted from a content smile to sour frown. "You didn't make the recipe or supply the vegetables," Harvey glanced in your direction. "Evangeline supplied the recipe and grew the vegetables on her farm herself."
You raised your eyebrows and widened your eyes in shock horror, not sure if Harvey had really just done what you thought he had just done. The other villagers shifted their gaze between you, Harvey and Lewis, who looked somewhat embarrassed. "That's... thats preposterous!" Lewis frowned, the Governor now staring directly at you after following everyone else's eye line that was already on you. "Is that true Lewis?" The Governor prodded. Lewis paused.
"You're right, I'm sorry Evangeline, I just really wanted to impress the Governor..." Lewis sighed, looking devastated that he had been caught out lying. "I apologise for taking credit for your soup. It's delicious, and you deserve all the credit for it." Lewis apologised, a look of defeat washing over his face. The Governor was now frowning, realising that the Mayor had been actually lying to him the whole time.
However, the townsfolk had already begun to congratulate you on your delicious soup. You couldn't help but smile, feeling a sense of validation and appreciation from Harvey's defence. It was a great feeling to know that your hard work had finally been recognised and you were immensely grateful that Harvey had realised and stuck up for you. Some part of you felt strangely bad for the Mayor in one way, you know he didn't mean any real harm.
The sound of laughter and music filled the air as the townspeople continued to enjoy the festivities. Mayor Lewis was no longer at the center of attention, and everyone was having a good time. You found yourself surrounded by your friends such as Emily and Leah, chatting and laughing over plates of delicious food.
As the crowd died down and the sun began to set, you could see the Governor beginning to make his way to leave, giving Lewis a short and blunt goodbye before exiting. Apart from the hiccup of the soup, everyone seemed to have really enjoyed the Luau.
You knew you had to talk to Lewis eventually, so you began to approach him to talk.
"I know you didn't mean any real harm, just maybe don't lie next time." You half-smiled in a reassuring way. "Yes, I am sorry, I fear I may have done more damage than good." Lewis frowned, not saying another word and turning to leave instead. You felt slightly ajar by by his response, but you refused to let that ruin the amazing day you had. Everyone slowly filtered out leaving just you and a few others left on the beach.
You decided to stroll down the beach after the Luau, the sun slowly setting on the horizon. The now cool sand beneath your feet and the sound of the waves lapping against the shore provided a soothing atmosphere. As you walked, you noticed the sky changing colours from a fiery orange to a soft pink, and finally, a deep shade of blue. You paused for a moment to take in the beauty of the sunset, feeling grateful for the moment of peace after a very busy day. Continuing your walk, you notice some of your fellow villagers still on the beach, some sitting around a bonfire, others playing games or simply enjoying the cool evening breeze.
You decided to sit and take in the atmosphere by yourself, somewhat reflecting on the day and your overall journey so far in the Valley.
As you sat lost in thought, you suddenly felt someone sit down next to you. You turned to see Harvey, looking tired but content.
"Mind if I join you?" he asked, offering a small smile.
"Oh, of course," you smiled welcoming his company.
"We seem to find each other in these quiet moments don't we?" Harvey chuckled, leaning back against the sand.
"We do seem to..." You replied smiling, "I thought you left a while ago."
"No, I stuck around to relax a bit more." He sighed.
"Thank you for sticking up for me today, you really risked your neck for me there..." You smiled, turning to look at him for the first time since he had sat down next to you.
"Don't mention it, Lewis often takes credit for things which aren't his to take credit for, but he doesn't take credit for the things that are wrong in this town." He chuckled. You let out a slight giggle, the weight of the world seemingly falling off of your shoulders.
Harvey was wearing a shirt just like before with the first few buttons unbuttoned and his typical work trousers, his glasses reflecting the beautiful shades of blue that bled across the sky before the both of you. You found yourself lost in thought, admiring the way Harvey's hair blew gently in the mild wind whilst the warmth of his hand as it brushed against yours slightly at certain intervals. Harvey, too, seemed to be enjoying the peaceful moment. His eyes were closed, a soft smile on his lips, and his body seemed to be naturally relaxed next to yours.
"Is work busy for you?" You asked, being polite.
"Not particularly, I am just very bored on my own in the clinic." Harvey sighed, gazing out across into the horizon.
"Well, I get that, I feel the same sometimes..." You mumbled, trying not to seem to vulnerable.
"I understand, it's quite isolating to live alone." He mentioned, absorbing every word you said.
You sat in comfortable silence for a few moments, watching the waves together. You couldn't help but notice how relaxed and at peace Harvey looked, like he didn't have a care in the world in this moment.
"Are you okay?" you asked, breaking the silence.
Harvey looked over at you, looking slightly surprised. "What do you mean?"
"You just seem really relaxed. Like you're not worried about anything." You mentioned, your eyes meeting his. In the soft moonlight, you were certain that he could see the glimmer of admiration in your gaze, making his heart race.
Harvey chuckled. "I guess I am pretty relaxed right now..." He begun, gazing into your eyes. "Sometimes life throws these strangely timed distractions at you, just when you need them." His eyes moved to your lips. Without a word, you leaned closer together, the space between the both of you growing smaller and smaller. You begun to feel Harvey's breath against your skin, and the heat emanating from his body only added to the intensity of the moment.
He leaned in closer, his lips just inches away from yours, and you could feel your heart racing.