"It was Y/N's idea!" Veronica yells.

"B-but.." I stutter, confused. This girl, that I look up to, is saying I did it?

I did.. succumb to peer pressure.. and do it. If Veronica says it, it must be true.

"R-right, Y/N?" She asks me.

"Y-yeah.. I came up with the idea.." I look away from the officer, ashamed. Murderer. Murderer. Murderer.

YOU KILLED HER.

— Day One.

I shoot up from bed, sweat dripping down my forehead.

Another dream.. I pick up my phone to check the time. Six AM...? I should get up.. I turn in bed, desperate to stay in bed and hibernate. I should work though.. I'd feel better if I wasn't useless. I sigh, and sit up from bed.

I change into some overalls and put my hair up. There's a small box on the table, as well as a handful of farming tools.

I pick up some of the tools, surprised at the heavy weight. I should look into sprinklers. Opening the box, my eyes land on parsnip seeds. I grab the seeds and put them in my pocket, dreading tilling the earth.

I dredge myself outside in the bright sun, wincing as I imagine the sunburnt future ahead of me. I'll have to buy some.

I can just plant the parsnips wherever, right? Since all the land is 'fertile' as the mayor said.. I feel like this isn't how farming works, but, ah, well.

I force my frail body to clear any debris in front of my house and till some land, nearly exhausting myself. Thankfully, sowing seeds isn't too difficult.

I sit on the steps up to the house— my house, nearly exhausted. It's almost noon, I should probably go get lunch. They probably have some place to eat in town, right?

I walk through the bus stop into town, surprised by the sheer amount of nature here. It's overwhelming.

The mayor didn't lie, almost everyone had a garden near their house. I walk into the square, quietly admiring the quaint town.

"Hello! You must be the new farmer, Y/N, right?" I flinch and jump around to a woman with green hair.

"Um, y-yeah. How did you know my name?"

"Mayor Lewis told me." My anxieties calm in my stomach, nobody knows. "Have you met my daughter yet, Abigail? She's the pale one with purple hair."

"Um, no, you're the first person I've spoken to.." I avoid eye contact.

"Oh! You should try the general store my husband, Pierre, runs." She smiles. "Quite a few people visit a day."

I am hungry... "Um, which way would that be?"

She laughs. "Right behind me."

I blush, embarrassed. "Ah! Right! Um, thank you. I'll get going now." I quickly walk over to the store, hoping to leave the conversation.

"Have a good day, farmer!" Caroline waves from behind me.

I walk into the store, the bell attached to the door ringing. I meekly walk around, looking for a quick meal and sunscreen. I probably need SPF eight-hundred or something..

I pick out some sunscreen and grab some chips, still looking for a main course.

"Can I help you with anything?"

I jump around again, scared out of my mind... again. I'm met with a pale girl with purple hair— Abigail, I presume. "Um. Hi. A-are you Abigail? Caroline said you had purple hair."

"Yep! You must be the new farmer.. Y/N, right? Ah, I'll miss exploring those overgrown fields, but, ah, well. I can make a new friend!" She smiles.

"E-eh?" I tilt my head in confusion.

"Oh, don't get that sunscreen, it's shit. Dad gets it 'cause it's cheap. Let me show you the better one.." She grabs my hand and leads me to another aisle, then hands me a bottle of fancier sunscreen. "Here ya go! Trust me, I'm a pale girl. Part vampire."

"T-thank you.." I grab the bottle from her hand. "Um, y-your dad runs this store? That sounds nice."

"Eh." She waves her hand. "He gets real prude about his produce sometimes, it's real annoying. He doesn't even spend Winter's Eve with me and mom, he's too busy running festival stalls." She looks off into the distance. "I'm over sharing, aren't I? I've been looking for a new girl friend for so long, a lot of the girls in town are too different from me!"

I blush. "G-girlfriend? H-how do you know we have anything in common..."

"I can see the Junimo Cart tattoo on your forearm." She points.

"Oh. Y-you like video games?" I got this tattoo because the game was available to play in prison on the communal TV, it was my savior from my own thoughts.

Abigail nods. "Yep, all kinds of games, my favorite would be Journey of the Prairie King, though."

I nod. "T-that one is really popular. I haven't played it, though, because it came out when I—" I shut myself up quickly. "When.. when I was in the middle of exams."

"We could try multiplayer sometime." She smiles.

"Um, would you know where any meals are in here? I-I came to grab lunch."

"You'll wanna head to Gus' then. He should be open by now, in the Stardrop Saloon. He has kick-ass food. You want me to check out those items for you?"

I nod, and hand her the chips and sunscreen. She quickly scans them, and I pay in change from my wallet.

"The saloon is just south of here. I recommend eating at the park, which is north. I'd come with, but, I'm taking care of the shop while dad's on break."

"Um, ok, bye."

"Bye, Y/N! Better drop by again sometime." She waves and grins at me, which I timidly return.

I head south to the saloon, to pick up some food.

The place is what you'd expect, a saloon to put it simply.

A man with a comically large mustache looks up from the bar, and he smiles. "Well, hello there! A new face, welcome to the Stardrop Saloon. I'm Gus, the owner and chef for the place, so let me know if I can get you anything."

"U-um... yeah. My name is Y/N, the new farmer. I was hoping to get some take-out?"

"Ah, of course! There's a menu here." Gus slides a laminated piece of paper towards me.

I look through the menu, deciding on the caesar salad. "Um, could I get the caesar salad and an iced coffee?"

"Of course! It'll be done in a few minutes." He turns around and starts working behind the bar.

I sit on a barstool and tap my feet. Talking to new people isn't as bad as I remember.. nobody knows about my past, so I'm ok. It's ok!

"Here you go, Y/N, and feel free to stop by anytime! Friends are always welcome."

I smile. "T-thank you. Have a good afternoon." I walk out of the saloon with a bit more pep in my step. I head to the area Abigail suggested, hoping to relax before I get back to work.

My eyes land on the ruined building for a while, but I shrug it off and look for the park.

I spot a fountain, and decide that's the perfect place for me to eat.

I sit on the bench and start to eat my salad, enjoying the outside air. I should stop and smell the roses more often.

"Oh.. you're the new farmer girl, aren't you?" Someone asks, and I turn my head to see a bombshell. The prettiest girl I've ever seen, prettier than Veronica, even.

"Y-yeah. My name is Y/N." I smile.

She looks me up and down. "Huh..? Oh, I'm Haley. Hmm.. if it weren't for those horrendous clothes, you might actually be pretty. Actually, never mind."

I feel my heart drop. "I-I just didn't want to get my good clothes dirty, y'know? I like dressing up, but, I wanted to take over my grandfather's farm."

"I guess I could see that.. my great-grandmother was an interesting lady. And Granny Evelyn is always blabbing about the good days twenty or so years back when your grandfather used to live here.. must suck to be old." She rolls her eyes.

"Y-yeah.. I try not to think about it, makes me nervous." I look away shyly. "What sights would you recommend seeing in town?"

"The beach." She shrugs. "Just the beach. Everything else is so boring in this town."

I nod. "Yeah, I agree. Shame it's not summer."

"... oh? Did you say something?" She looks over to me, busy holding a pocket mirror to her face.
She doesn't seem interested in conversation... I wonder what she likes? Flowers, maybe? I should get her some... maybe I could make her a flower crown... it would suit her beauty.

"Um, I'm gonna go get back to my farm now. H-have a nice day, Haley." I smile before standing up and walking back to my farm.

Ah... I should finish watering my crops. I lazily run the watering can over the parsnip seeds, then bounce into bed.

I scroll through my phone, looking at the latest fashion trends on a whim. I'll dress nicer tomorrow once I finish watering all my plants.
I cover myself in sheets, silently praying for a dreamless night.

Heart lv. up!
Abigail +❤️
Haley +❤️