Hey guys! It’s been what feels like literal years since I last updated the villages, at first I took a break due to PC issues and not having enough poses but now, well, I had actually noticed this before but I didn’t until I started playing the save file again but…. everything seems to be hella corrupted. Like the sims move super slow compared to my other save files and I thought it may have been because I had too much cc before but now I realize it’s the save file itself. So yeah, I’m gonna have to delete it.
So yeah, for now I’m officially (I know I took forever, I’m sorry- life) taking a break on The Villages and am going to focus on the story that came before it- Model Sister.
A tale of four sisters and their love lives over an interesting Summer Vacation. It’s not at all horror themed so… sorry.
I actually may continue to post stories about the villages but it may not have any pictures.
I learned a lot, you got to dedicate a separate day for cc shopping before you even start to play the game or at least take a break. You can’t do everything in one sitting.
I will eventually get back to starting a new save file centered around the villages but at the moment I’ve been going through a phase…
The drive back home was silent, and Dean refused to let Nalani drive home so late, especially with her having to head to the airport…
Larissa watched on with pursed lips when he told them to pack their bags. Threw up her hands when he kept patrolling their rooms.
“They can’t go!”
“New Zealand isn’t even that far from Hawaii!”
The girls paused to listen keenly to their parents’ voices, but it became muffled as Nalani shut the door behind her.
She eyed them both.
“You both know you don’t have to come if you don’t want to, right?”
Marina and Merida exchanged looks of panic. Was she changing her mind?
“We know!”
Merida quickly added, “We want to go!”
Nalani placed a hand on her chest in relief.
“Great, I didn’t want to feel like I’m forcing anyone to go somewhere they didn’t want to.” She walked towards the window to peer outside.
It was raining.
The rain continued the next day.
Larissa scowled at the sky with her sunglasses.
“Look, it’s not safe to travel!”
“Then that means we should all go home.” Dean hummed before looking to his wife and everyone. “Well, want to go home?”
His daughters averted his gaze, Merida looking to the left, pretending music was playing in her earphones, Marina at her phone and Nalani at the glass ceiling, to watch the rain slide down.
Larissa scowled. “You know what I mean.”
“You’re outnumbered Reese.”
Larissa rolled her eyes.
Dean beamed. “I think everyone’s going to have a legendary summer vacation. How about it?”
Merida nodded and smiled.
The two soon had to part ways as they headed towards their separate terminals, the twins felt odd as they watched their parents go. Larissa shooting them a glance as she trailed behind their Dad.
“Be safe.” She mouthed.
They waved and forced a smile.
When all was said and done, it was the first time they’d be leaving Hawaii, their nerves began to get to them when they boarded the plane.
The twins murmured in awe at their middle row seats, three, the perfect number. The foldable desk/table embedded in the back of the seat before them and the screen that allowed them to watch movies and listen to music. It was a totally new experience.
Meanwhile, Larissa kept looking back even though the kids were no longer in sight.
“Reese, come on.” He was boarding the plane when he noticed she wasn’t following.
She shot him a glare and stood there defiantly but as the crowd began to swell and stare at the woman incredulously, she finally budged when a passenger commented.
“Hey lady, you’re blocking the line!”
–
It was just as beautiful as the pictures if not more breath taking.
Nalani knitted her brows as her younger sisters trailed behind her like baby chics looking around excitedly.
To think she’d end up on babysitting duty after years of getting away with it… just her luck when she finally secured some time for herself. Oh well.
“Ms. Nalani Keating?” An Uber driver spotted her and called her out the moment they stepped out of the airport.
She shot them a placating smile. The plump woman beamed back and popped the trunk open.
“I can’t believe it’s really you! When I saw your name at first, I thought it may be a coincidence…”
“I get that a lot.”
“Who’s this?”
“Ah, my sisters.”
The driver eyeballed them hard making the twins fidget. “You had sisters? Cool…”
Nalani hurriedly put their things in the trunk.
“Good genes must run in the family! I’m jealous, I mean my brothers were born with really interesting eyes and hair, but the genes chose to skip me.”
Nalani’s smile stretched.
“Having uncommon genes doesn’t make you any less special. You don’t need a DNA fairy to make you beautiful, you’re already attractive.”
The driver blushed and guffawed before finally starting the car.
The two talked about various things and Nalani smiled and listened before saying her piece.
The twins craned their necks.
“They just met right?”
“Right. Right?”
When they arrived at their hotel, the driver knitted her brows a flicker of panic and disappointment on her face.
Nalani thanked her for the ride as if they were old friends.
“Aw, yeah… well…”
“This is for you.” She pressed a tip into her hand and the driver’s eyes shimmered with moisture.
“H-hey…”
“Keep walking, girls.” Nalani urged them after they got their things. The driver had yet to leave and just stood there staring with misty eyes.
Her reaction surprised them; she couldn’t be any more eager to get away.
“I thought you two were getting along.”
“Some folks tend to get a bit too emotional when they meet you, they get attached.”
Merida continued to stare. “But I think she’s crying…”
Nalani whipped her head around. “Huh- Wha- was the tip too small?”
Nalani turned to wave, and the driver waved back.
“Though I must say I don’t run into people who ever really know who I am in public.” Nalani muttered.
The driver had just gotten in her car and was finally pulling away.
“It’s as flattering as it is nerve racking.”
“You didn’t seem nervous at all though.”
“I wasn’t. It’s what come afterwards when I have to leave that scares me.”
Marina hummed as she studied Nalani walk up to the front desk.
“Hello.”
“Hi, did you have a reservation?”
“That’s right under…”
Marina leaned into Merida.
“Hey, so it looks like we’ll be on bouncer duty.”
A question sign hung over Merida’s head.
“Bouncer duty?”
“You know… for Nalani.”
“She just said she doesn’t get noticed often though.”
Marina gave her a pointed stare.
“What if she’s been stalked before? She said it’s what comes after that scares her, doesn’t that say something?”
Merida blinked at her twin, a realization coming to her and nodded.
“Okay! Bouncer duty it is, we can be like-
Marina was already sighing.
“Don’t.”
“The men in black or-
Marina walked away.
“K2, Looking for anything suspicious!” Merida hurried after her.
The hotel had three beds, the twins marvelled at it’s beach-style furniture and architecture. Nalani stepped out on the balcony to inspect the weather, her grey eyes glittering.
“Ooh, looks nice. Do you girls want to stop by the beach? I can’t believe it’s so empty right now. What perfect timing!”
New friendships were formed that day on the left side of the room.
Amy Claire could clearly see it, the warmth of goodwill oozing from the group, sticking out its tongue almost as if to mock her.
She felt pressured.
The left side of the room was pretty cold in comparison. Belle Helenia would stare off to space with a gloomy expression wincing whenever Amy Claire so much as even looked at her, and Capucine who seemed incredibly talkative earlier suddenly became interested in her book she borrowed from the library upon remembering that it was due.
She could understand if it was a novel but it was a book on flowers, of all things and she couldn’t help wondering if she was just as affected as the other girls when she brought up Penny Village and was simply pretending not to care.
It wasn’t her first day but she felt like a transfer student all over again. As a transfer student it was absolutely vital to secure friends within the first week of school. Otherwise if she couldn’t make friends then, she wouldn’t be able to make them until next semester and by then be branded as loner.
Loners were susceptible to be misunderstood as snobbish and undesirable, and often the targets of bullying. The girls in her first period may seem civil but what about her next period?
She needed to make friends and fast.
So she tried with Belle.
“Hey-
Belle Helenia shifted her gaze elsewhere. “Sorry, could you not talk to me?”
“Uh…”
“Like ever.”
“O-oh, okay?”
“Bahahaha!”
Amy Claire wasn’t so sure what was suddenly so funny to Capucine, she doubted it could be the flowers.
Capucine put down the book grinning at her.
“Don’t mind them. They’re new and easily impressionable by the rumors.”
“Rumors?” Amy Claire raised a brow. “What-
DIIIIING!
The bell off all things, was hair-raising. An ominous dooming sound that made Amy Claire flinch hearing it.
She looked around worriedly half expecting a choir of people wearing hoods to come out and start singing ominously in Latin holding candles.
Everyone surged towards the door then, and when she blinked Capucine had already vacated her spot.
Her voice came from the door, her short stature hidden by the taller girls. “It was nice meeting you Amy Claire, see you later!”
Amy Claire remembered her question then. “Wait!”
But Capucine was swallowed into the hall’s sea of darkness.
Amy Claire ran out to catch her. She looked right only to see nothing and then, left only to see-
“Hey.”
“Ack!” Her heart nearly sprang out of her chest at the sight of Zoeira. Who had probably been patiently waiting there all along.
She wasted no time getting straight to the point. “So, for your next class, your classroom is right there.” She gestured towards her left side.
But Amy wasn’t looking in the direction she pointed but at her fingers.
“You heard me right? It’s right there. Literally the door where those kids are forming a line.”
Amy Claire kept twiddling with her fingers.
apologies for dif color pics on different days I forgot filter I used TT- TT
Zoeira blinked, a flicker of impatience living and dying in two seconds.
“Alright then. I gotta go.”
“Wait!” Amy Claire called after her as she turned to leave.
Zoeira slowly turned around, her brow raising.
“What?”
“Is there something you’re not telling me?”
She blinked.
“Yah. There’s a lot I haven’t told you.”
Amy Claire knitted her brows.
“Why not?”
“Firstly, your group came late. Secondly, you woke up late. And thirdly you seem to be pretty in the dark about this place’s history which isn’t for the faint of heart.” She blinked. “And I’m afraid you seem to be either both faint of heart, guts and brain. Being faint of brain actually is a good thing.”
“Are you calling me stupid?”
“That too.”
“Why are you so mean to me?”
“Surely you didn’t expect this place to have nice people. You should know by now there’s never any such thing as a nice person. No one can ever truly be nice, they’re only trying.”
“My classmates were…well some of them.”
“Mmmhm. But you see this is a school for misfits. They’re nice now but you haven’t seen them snap yet. Hopefully you never will. Some people are only like that because of the environments they were raised in, didn’t get enough love and attention or they got TOO much- every misfit’s universal truth. You will find mostly everyone here to be civil, but still obnoxious in some way or another, get used to it.”
“Is it because of our village?”
“I told you didn’t I? People are superstitious here.”
“But that’s so stupid, even the new students that came in with me yesterday were acting all iffy.”
“I’m sure they’ve been told stories.”
“What, about ghosts?”
“About history. You clearly never researched this place have you? Most kids do when they hear they’re being sent here.”
Amy Claire never had such curiosities, she never believed her Father would send her here. Leave her alone. Even as much as he preferred his new family, she always believed she was his family too. When her mother left her behind, she thought it was because her Father wanted her, that he wouldn’t give her up even if her Mother came back from the icy waters her car dove off of demanding her back.
“How unfortunate. But see I don’t like talking to ignorant folks. So your homework for the day is gathering information. Tomorrow, and hopefully you DO wake up TO-morrow…” she paused for emphasis. “We can have a nice little chat then.” Having said that Zoeira turned and left.
Amy Claire watched her go before turning to the right. Which way was her class again?
She stared at the line Zoeira once mentioned that became more of a crowd now.
She entered it, replaying their conversation.
No matter the history or stories isn’t it just odd to judge others off of a room they sleep in? It can’t be justified.
As she stood there moping about being in a school surrounded by narrow minded people, the crowd around her began to grow and she came out of her thoughts
as a beacon of light rounded the corner blinding everyone. It swept across the walls.
“Ow!” The student before her cried out, having bumped in with the beacon.
The light flicked down the hall and as it pointed towards them, Amy Claire could make out a tall dark indian woman frowning deeply.
“What-What the bloody hell are you all standing in the darkness like roaches for?”
“The door is locked…” The girl in the front responded somewhat nervously even though from what Amy Claire could barely see she was taller than the woman. Wasn’t this a delinquent school? She expected her to have more backbone…
The woman huffed. “Don’t you have PHONES, and doesn’t your PHONES have something called FLASHLIGHTS?”
The girl in front proceeded to timidly answer. “I… left it in my locker.”
“Didn’t you read the syllabus? Do you even know what class this is? Video Production, you will definitely need your phone, laptop, any personal electronic to help you in this class. If it’s in your locker go get it before I call attendance! I will wait, if you aren’t back in ten minutes I’ll mark you absent.”
The girl, and a bunch of others broke off from the crowd meandering back down the hallway with their arms stretched out. God bless anyone with lockers down here.
“Um, I forgot my phone…” Amy Claire spoke up as the woman neared.
A deep guttural grown was released from the woman. She began to mutter, something about the new generation not reading anything and having no common sense or sense of resourcefulness before furiously opening the door, shoving it open with her bust and pelvis as if it was in her way.
“Come, come, come!” She called from within impatiently.
The students hesitantly flowed into a room with six white tables, make up chairs and mirrors sat on the far left partitioned off by curtains, on the far right of the room was a snack bar. There was an assortment of tumblers, a display case of cookies on top of a microwave, a tin of coffee, the coffee maker, a donut warmer and sandwich shelf.
“This is a three hour period, which means you will be down here for a while. Feel free to help yourself to the energy station. You will not have a lunch period because of it’s existence. Make sure you eat everything here. You don’t have to worry about the next class as the items will be restocked. You can eat and drink in this class but be sure to clean up after yourself otherwise I will be on your ass.” She warned.
Was she allowed to curse? Amy wondered in awe.
The teacher proceeded to say. “Do NOT make me angry.” As if she wasn’t already.
No lunch? Amy Claire pulled out her folder given to her and filed through. Her eyebrow twitching. Zoeira didn’t mention this.
School here apparently had A days and B days as well as something called Morning and Night class.
This class took up three periods, afterwards she would have Swimming class.
Someone who knew her and her interests clearly picked out her schedule and she couldn’t help wondering if it was her Father or his ex-secretary, her step-mother. She had mixed feelings about it that were hard to put into words but she tried.
A tea leaf of relief floating in a mug of bitterness and resentment.
Amy Claire’s mind
“Now, I give out tablets to every student at the start of the school year. These are yours forever, just keep in mind the school is watching you, and our school Wi-Fi does restrict access to certain websites. Sign this clipboard and take one.”
“Oooh! There’s a blue one!” A student closest to it hurried over.
The other students returned around then and the teacher repeated herself starting from the snack bar and ending on the same note about the tablets.
Amy Claire, being one of the few left behind in the classroom first, got to sign up for hers earlier and turned on the tablet flicking through it.
The teacher who had been waiting finally introduced herself.
“My name is Anaya Burman. That’s Mrs. Burman to you young ladies.”
Once I get home I’ll probably redoing some of these scenes and videos… <- the type to get self conscious of builds when you realize it needs MORE! Also when more decorative cc that suits your build is released.
Belly and Romahnia… didn’t fit the 3 by 3 sadly.
Dresscode update:
There’s a lot of delicious (yes delicious!) maxis match uniform cc that’s out so far I’ve decided the black and green blazer will be kept.
pics are all from my bread and butter, cloudcat, their cc is on patreon and its free.
Students are allowed to wear sweaters, vests, hoodies etc.
White blouse, black skirt/tunic is still allowed.
I’m planning to make youtube shorts soon featuring snippets from the daily lives of these girls from their perspectives. You’ll be able to find them on my youtube channel – Phoebe’s Convenience.
Will use other uniforms to represent the other schools in the area. There’s so many delicious uniform cc released by cloud cat I can’t wait to go back home.
Any favorite character designs so far?
The Villages is a painful read so I don’t expect there to be any favorites just yet.
Fun Fact: The image for Zoeira’s pic- outside of my storyline she really can’t seem to get along with Amy Claire as this pic is her angrily leaving the table they were eating at together.
My older sis had a baby and so I’ve been in Cali helping out. My PC is back home in another state. Hopefully will be able to resume my projects.
I was really looking forward to the new high school years pack, has anyone bought it yet?
I wanted it as you could probably tell for the school that I built but… I’m wondering if it’s for the best that I don’t buy yet.
Do the bugs come with HSY or is it just the update itself?
On the bright side mods are now free.
I felt bad for Content Creators at first but then when I thought about it again I realized that some modders are charging others more for cc then it is for individual packs.
In the end it was the consumer who lost out either way.
Although all the CC I used was free. I’m hoping I can go down the path of making youtube videos, like an actual machinima(sims story video) of the chapters…
I only hope nothing else goes wrong and all the bugs are gone by the time I can go back to play.
Arakawa Hiromu, the Mangaka of full metal alchemist came out with another manga called Yomi no Tsugai.
I read seven chapters online and I’m already hooked.
This will make a great anime too!
Didn’t have anywhere else to share it and I didn’t want to forget since I tend to read interesting manga but then forget the title and can’t check back in on it 😤
So the hair for Capucine no longer works so I had to change it.
Before:
After:
I really liked the old one so I was kinda sad but this one is growing on me and seems to suit her. Doesn’t she look lovely? Since she likes birds and fairies this hair makes her look a bit naive unlike her first hair.
Also yeah still internet less and plus my game is freaking out on me and I can’t repair -_- So I’ve just been taking a break.
Was watching ATLA shorts when I was reminded just how deep that show was as well as to what the characters represented…
Sometimes when I write I have a set persona and story for my character but I forget to give them a theme.
Cause when I think about it we all have reoccurring themes in our life. Me? I’m living the life I want but my lack of attention to detail, and if knowledge always ends up with me wasting my own time
I feel like I’m navigating life blind, like toph. I can only put my foot down and hoping to sense and see what’s around me.
Everyone seemed to be heading inside a gigantic door that looked like it belonged to a military base.
The doors opened automatically, with a hiss.
There was a dreary hall decorated by lockers, glass screens, prison bars, and strange consoles.
“Everyday we have to sign in with our student id card.” Zoeira approached the console and demonstrated by placing it on the scanner. The doors clicked open.
Amy Claire made a face. “What are the windows for?”
“For new students like you, and also to make sure the person signing in looks like the person on the Id card. Go up to the window, they’ll hand you your class schedules.”
Ugh. This really was a school for misfits wasn’t it?
A woman in black with shades on blinked back at her, chewing something… black. Black gum?
They handed her a folder and waved her away.
She inspected the folder and sure enough her name was typed on the paper.
There was a brochure for club activities and more, she wasn’t able to read because Zoeira yoinked it from her.
“It seems like most of your classes are in the basement. Alright then, I’m going to grab a quick bite at the cafeteria upstairs before the last bell rings.”
Amy Claire also realized she had yet to eat breakfast up till now.
“The bathroom’s over there, feel free to clean up. I’ll be back.”
“I’ll go with you!”
Zoeira seemed surprised but didn’t object. “Try to keep up then.”
As she trailed behind, Amy Claire couldn’t help noticing the occasional student wearing different colored blazers. “Why is everyone wearing different blazers?”
“Village representation.”
“Huh?”
“You’ll figure it out eventually, people are really big on villages here. They specifically wear colors to represent their villages/cliques.”
“The school allows it?”
“They don’t care so long as you’re in standard dress code. Black skirt, white blouse, black, brown or grey shoes. And to begin with the school only gives the main students a hard time, we’re pretty much left to our own devices.”
“But isn’t that bad?”
“Not really, we mind our own business and stick to our schedules.” She yanked open the cafeteria door.
Was she being included as the “we”- technically, she wasn’t an orphan…
It was nearly empty. A Korean girl manning the front counter beamed as soon as she spotted the two.
“Zozo! Been a while!”
“I literally saw you yesterday.”
“But you didn’t stop by! Don’t be ghosting us on Netphix night!”
“I’m in charge of showing the new villager around this week, man.”
“Ah. That’s right it’s new villager season, ours hasn’t arrived yet either. I kinda don’t want them too, there’s no room for them right now.”
“Right? Renovate the rooms first dammit!”
“But like where would we get the extra space?
Zoeira turned to introduce the two.
“This is Yerim, the village chief of Sherbet City Village also known as block 12. We’re both small and nearby so we tend to stick together. She’s also the morning manager of Mo Mush Burgers.”
Yerim nodded in approval of her introduction.
“What kinda mush can I mash for ya today?”
“The usual-” Zoeira glanced at Amy suddenly. “You’re not vegan are you?”
“Not that strict, but I am kinda vegetarian…” She waited for them to shrivel their noses.
Yerim clasped her hands together. “Awesome! We have black bean buns, soy meat and even imitation crab which is just fish- unless you’re against fish too. Or are you a simple hash brown gal?”
All options sounded pretty good.
“Hash browns….” Amy Claire stared at the menu. “The pho chicken egg… mushhug too?”
“And to drink?”
“Orange juice.”
Yerim glanced at Zoeira.
“A fake black bull.”
The what? Was that a secret code for an insult?!
Amy Claire inspected the beverage menu only to find it in the meal replacement drink section. Dark chocolate, peanut butter, oatmeal, bananas and chocolate soy milk.
That sounds exceedingly good! Too bad they were already bagging the order…
“Alright an order for Zozo and …I’m sorry what was your name?”
“Oh my bad, this is Amy Claire Ee.”
There were few who could pronounce her name correctly on the first try, although she didn’t want to her misgivings about Zoeira went down by just a millimeter.
Yerim had a far off look in her eyes. She bleated. “Eeeeee-eeehhhh?”
Zoeira paused for a second. “Eeeee-yeeeeaaaah.”
After a moment of silence the two burst out laughing, clinging to the edges of the counter, their weak knees giving out from laughter.
Amy Claire sighed.
This is why she always introduces herself as E. Everytime she tells someone her surname the school always breaks out into hysterics, it got so bad in middle school everyone always bleated when they saw her, even the teachers accidentally did so, even worse in roll call. She had to work hard to erase it from their minds and personally request her teachers to introduce herself by simply E, at the start of every semester. A real hassle.
“Don’t hate me for that, I just couldn’t resist!” Yerim recovered her sides shaking.
“Nothing is sacred here, not even last names.” Zoeira lamented.
She probably would have taken it more personally but seeing Zoeira laugh, she looked like a different person, not someone mean and spiteful but someone…almost easy to get along with. It was unfair.
Maybe if she cleared the table they could be like that too? But…she doesn’t really know what she needs to clear to get along.
A co-worker handed Yerim their bagged orders, hands trembling as they tried to contain themselves.
“Here you guys are. Hope you have a good day… Amy!” Yerim called after them. “I’m sorry!” She actually sounded sincere.
“Thank you!…and s’okay….”
“So…. are YOU vegan?” Amy Claire tried as they walked down the halls to wherever her class must be. The silence was unbearable now that her nerves had been officially fried. She tried to put aside her overwhelming dislike.
“Heck nah. The only meat I don’t eat is pork and shrimp.”
“You don’t eat shrimp?”
“They’re the maggots of the sea, man.”
“Not all of them are raised in the sea.”
“I don’t like their taste. It’s weird. And they look too cute and disgusting to be eaten. I raised some once in an aquarium back at my old orphanage and they got murdered by the fish. The take down was brutal.”
“O-ohhh.”
“Anyway everyday, first door to the right that’s you. It’s leads to the basement.”
The sudden change of subject left her flustered as Zoeira hurried downstairs. She felt they were getting close if only for a second there.
The halls were dimly lit in the basement, even worse than the lower forms of their dorm, you could see figures moving in and out of the lit spots, it was spooky. But she didn’t bother complaining, simply stuffed her face with mushhug, and what with Zoeira’s bright red hair as her guide, it was hard to get lost even in the dark.
“This is you.” She brought Amy Claire over to a room down the hall after making two left turns. Heaven knows how she could read the classroom number above it.
The bell rung.
“I was supposed to show you around the campus but since we came late there is no time. You’ll have to figure it out as you go. We’ll try again tomorrow. I’ll send you texts so be sure to check your phone yeah?”
“Okay!”
She watched Zoeira leave only to remember she left her phone at the dorm. Dammit . She peeked in through the glass door.
She had a bad start with Zoeira hopefully, things turn out differently with her classmates.
will replace someday sorry.
“!” Two of the girls she arrived with were in her class!
Cleo Mona and Periwinkle was it?
While she peeked a girl with faint freckles called out to her.
“You can come in, the teacher isn’t here. They left instructions on the board for us.”
Heads turned to stare.
Amy Claire tried not to freak. “What’s the assignment?”
“Getting to know each other. Everyone’s introduced each other but you. We’ll have to start again. Names, hobbies, and villages. I’m Capucine, Capucine Daise. From House Daffodil. I like gardening and making tiny houses for birds and fairies.”
A blue haired protested. “How many times she gonna say that? Fairies don’t exist!”
Capucine snorted. “Yeah, and ghosts totally do.”
“They do exist! I saw one when I was a kid!”
“Uhuh,” Capucine looked back to Amy Claire “You can sit next to me if you want.”
Amy Claire smiled, her gaze flickering back and forth between the two. Fairies and Ghosts? Weirdos.
“Ugh.” The blonde Russian standing tensely beside Capucine finally huffed and sat down. “If people keep coming in and we have to restart everytime why not just wait?”
“But that was the last person… I mean, the last bell rung so they have to be right?” Capucine looked to Amy Claire. “Was there anyone new-looking out there with you?”
Amy Claire shrugged. “It’s kinda hard to see in the dark, sorry.”
“This place is so damn dark and for what? Are they trying to hide the bogeyman?” When Capucine continued to stare at her she took that as her cue and did so with a moping expression.
“Belle Hellenia Romanoff. Please just call me Belly. I’m from Pink Peony Palace. I like music, video editing and other…stuff.”
Cleo Mona adjusted her glasses.
“I heard this place is undergoing renovation…for a while. My name is Cleo Mona Mochalat from the village of Silver Lining, I like reading, writing and using old firebrick ovens to cook. Please call me Cleo.”
Periwinkle spoke next. Amy Claire didn’t realize it before but she was a slow and quiet talker, she had to lean over to hear her.
“Am I the only one that likes the darkness? It’s pretty cool and comforting, like the rain. My name is Periwinkle, You can call me Perry. Oh yeah, I’m from Lily village. I like making beaded things like bracelets and watercolor paintings…it’s fun…I was thinking of making a handicrafts club…if anyone’s interested. Not just making bracelets but learning how to sew pot stickers and quilts things like that…”
Amy Claire only heard half of it and gave up on listening. Her name was Periwinkle, that was all she needed to know.
Cleo listened patiently and took immediate interest. “Oooh, You know? I’d really like to make my own oven mitts!”
“I’d be glad to teach you, if-
The girl sitting next to Perry cleared her throat.
Perry closed her mouth and smiled. “Ah, that’s right… my bad.”
The girl went on to introduce herself next.
“Romahnia. Not Romania, Ro-mah-nya. Either get it right or just call me Nya Nya or Nya. I’m from Lily village too, I like swimming, ducks and betting on ducks, there’s a lake nearby if anyone ever wants to meet up nearby and hang out.”
A girl in a cardigan and bright orange thigh-high socks spoke next.
“Once again, I’m Bedelia from Black Rose village. I fancy practicing magic tricks, reading erotica and vampire novels. Ah but don’t be mistaken, I don’t find vampires sexy. I just like reading how the author will justify the grooming of the protagonist and how they isolate themselves from all they once knew for eternal damnation. See, I recently found out my biological parents were twenty nine years apart so I’ve been trying to come to terms with it and the fact I’m fond of old people has me concerned. I’m quite perplexed on how to cure myself of this ailment, if anyone has any advice please let me know. Ah, I also like psychology. If that wasn’t already obvious.”
Cleo Mona tilted her head. “I don’t think reading vampire novels will help. Lycanthropy and vampire novels are so incredibly juvenile and toxic, it’s absolutely disgusting.”
Bedelia gasped. For a second Amy Claire feared a fight would start.
“I agree! But it is my reality, I was trying to feel less disgusted with myself by desensitizing myself to it.”
Cleo Mona opened her mouth only to get cut off.
“Janelle Primrose. From Black rose village.” The blue-haired girl from earlier spoke last. “I like reading ghost stories, witch stories, erotica, and going on nature walks. That duck bet sounds pretty interesting Nya, would you mind me observing?”
“No. Not so long as you bring drinks.”
“Are we talking beverages or…” Janelle clucked her tongue.
“Aren’t you underage?” Amy Claire caught on.
“I’m half German!” Nya insisted.
“So am I!” Janelle held up an imaginary glass and the two clinked it. Chiming “Prost!” (Cheers in German) In unison.
Questions signs hung over Amy’s head.
Cleo rolled her eyes and explained “It’s legal to drink at fourteen in Germany, although in my experience whenever others say that they’ve never lived there and are just using their DNA as an excuse…Perry is also German, you don’t hear her bragging about it.”
Perry looked alarmed. “How do you know that?”
“That journal you were reading on the bus.”
“Oh that…” She looked self conscious.
Janelle banged the table. “You don’t have to live in Germany to drink early, I used to drink with my grandmother all the time!”
“Same here, same here! Although it was my German neighbors and Uncle.” Nya closed her eyes. “Nevermind. Enough with German talk.” She looked to Amy.
“Your turn, new girl.”
“Ah, I’m Amy Claire from Rusty Penny Village, and I-
The room went silent and for a second, Amy’s heart skipped a beat, for a second she thought she said her last name.
“You’re from where?”
“Penny Village.”
Bedelia and Janelle’s jaws dropped, while Perry and Nya blinked and leaned close together to whisper.
The only person to break the ice was Capucine.
“Ms. Zoeira is the supervisor of my job! She’s pretty cool!”
MISS Zoeira?! “Job?”
“It’s like an extra-curricular, you sign up when you first enroll. If you don’t it’s assigned to you.”
“Huh?”
“They gave you a folder right? Lemme see.”
As the two inspected her schedule, Capucine’s expression brightened.
“Oooh, you have the same extra-curricular as me!”
“Where? Which one is that?”
“Janitorial work- we clean the school in the evening! Make sure the private stores are up to certain sanitation standards, and a bunch of different stuff, like delivering left behind laundry from the laundry room.”
Amy Claire’s jaw dropped. It was one thing for Zoeira to be her ambassador but her supervisor?! And it was another thing for her to be assigned an extra-curricular but cleaning?! She could already picture the shitty toilets and crusty rags. Lawd! Her soul was ready to eject herself from her body.
Oblivious to Amy Claire’s mental decline, Capucine was giddy. “Looks like we’ll be seeing each other often!”
PB CONVENIENCE 