I hope to head out and explore my new town rather than host anyone, but I open the door anyway.
Alisha: Hi, we’re your new neighbors – Alisha and Jayden Price.
Wade: Hi, I’m Wade. It’s nice to meet you, but I was just about—
Alisha and Jayden don’t seem to care what I’m about to say. They practically push their way in.
Alisha: *looks around* This is nice! I was always curious about what it looked like on the inside. The previous owner used it as a rental for the longest. I guess she finally decided to sell it.
Wade: I guess so. Lucky for me.
That came out way more sarcastic than I intended.
Wade: But, I was just about to –
Jayden: We brought you something.
Jayden walks over to the counter and places some food down on it. These two seem intent on staying, so I give up and take a seat. They sit down beside me.
Alisha: So, where are you from? I’m picking up a slight accent.
Accent? There’s no way I have an accent.
Wade: I’m from Henford-on-Bagley.
Damn! I do have an accent.
Jayden: Henford on what?
Wade: Bagley – as in the Bagley River.
They give me blank stares.
Wade: It’s out east, near Windenburg.
Jayden dismisses it as quickly as I say it and changes the subject.
Jayden: I hope you like fruitcake!
Wade: I’ve never had fruitcake.
Jayden: Well, we’ve had it forever, so –
Alisha gives him a side eye and shushes him to stop him from saying whatever he was about to say. That makes me nervous about trying the fruitcake, but to avoid rudeness, I take a chance and cut a slice anyway. To my surprise and delight – it’s good!
Wade: This is delicious!
Alisha: What! So you actually like it?
What is that supposed to mean? Did they bring me something they didn’t think I’d like?
Wade: You didn’t expect me to?
Alisha: Nobody ever really eats fruitcake. I always saw it as something you bring so you don’t show up at someone’s house empty-handed.
Oh really? That sounds like a Brindleton Bay thing. We don’t roll like that in Henford.
Wade: Well, it’s good. Maybe you should try a piece.
I wash my empty plate in the sink while Alisha and Jayden try a piece of the fruitcake they brought but obviously never tried. Judging by what I’ve seen so far, I don’t know if they are the type of people I’d enjoy hanging out with. There’s something odd about them. They both seem very assertive, almost to the point of being rude, but maybe that’s what people in this part of the Sim World are like.
I excuse myself, walk over to my stereo, and turn it on while they eat and chat. I hope they like hip-hop music. If not, maybe they’ll leave sooner if I turn it up loud. I crank up the volume and wait for their reaction. But it’s like they don’t even hear it. I turn it down a few notches, then return to them to collect their dirty dishes.
I gather up the leftover fruitcake because I don’t plan on giving it back. I see it as compensation for me putting up with them this long. Eventually, they start talking about other things they need to do today and leave. I’m not unhappy about seeing them go. I wave and thank them for the fruitcake, hoping it’s not too late for me to go out and see more of the town.
It’s dark out, but that won’t stop me from at least jogging and seeing more of the immediate area surrounding my house. There are docks and boats all around, but it seems most of the town goes to bed with the sun. I run across one or two other people while I’m out, which is not a good look. This place seems just as dull as Henford, except with a bad smell.
Maybe I should have moved to the Spice District. At least there’s probably something going on there. Even getting robbed would be better than this.
I return home feeling sweaty and a little tired. I need a shower, but I’m not quite ready to take one. And I realize I don’t have to because I’m the only one who lives here, so there’s no one to offend. In fact, I can walk around butt naked if I want to – and that’s what I do. I strip to nothing, leaving my clothes in a pile by the door, and stroll around my living room. But – there’s just one problem…
This house has too many damn windows! I should have closed all the curtains before I decided to bare it all. I run up the stairs and into the shower before giving anyone who chooses to pass by a free peep show. I guess living alone doesn’t exactly give you complete freedom. There are still neighbors to consider.
I step out of the shower and examine myself in the mirror. What I see is not bad, but it’s not the best either.
I have some work to do to be strong and ripped like Dad. First thing tomorrow, I’ll be seeking out the nearest gym.
I stow my developing ‘love handles’ under a robe and go to the kitchen to see what I have to eat. Right now, there’s nothing there but leftover fruitcake and ramen that Ma insisted I pack and take with me. I’m glad I listened. I warm it up in the microwave and sit down to eat, already missing the full refrigerator we always seem to have back home.
After eating my lackluster bowl of ramen, I sit down at my computer and take another look at my college acceptance letters. It’s time to make good on my promise to Ma, Dad, and myself. I chose drama as my major – hoping it’ll help me in my career as a social media content creator. Then, I enroll in two courses – a freshman-level drama class and a bowling elective. Taking two classes in addition to working and starting my social media career will be a lot, but judging by what I’ve seen of Brindleton Bay so far – I won’t have much to do outside of that anyway.
Loneliness weighs on me as I climb the stairs and change for bed. It’s too quiet here, and I’m missing the late-night symphony of my childhood home. I’d grown used to our dog Belle barking late at night at unseen phantoms and Drake or Mase making too much noise as they ran up the stairs to their bedroom. I lay my head on my pillow, expecting Dad to decide to vacuum at odd times at night and Ma fussing at him to save that until morning – ‘so the boys can get a good night’s sleep for school.’
I have one final thought before I can feel myself drifting off to sleep, but it grows from just a notion in my head to something that sounds like my voice except way more muted and sad…
Wade: *outloud to himself* I want to go home.
The words get lost in the silence of my new world.
(Generation 4 Chapter Summaries)
Thanks for reading! Please hit the “like” button if you’ve enjoyed what you read! Keep scrolling if you’d like to leave a comment. 🥰
