Stumble - (Stardew Valley)

3 - I Owe You One

     The exterior of the house was completed, new furniture from Robin's store had been delivered, and I had my new dog, Roger; this place was really starting to feel like a home.

     I changed my entire wardrobe from what I wore in the city, other than a couple old band t-shirts my dad gave me when I was younger. I now wore those underneath my grandpa's baggy overalls and the pair of once-new boots Robin gifted to me. Putting on the daily attire, I looked at the calendar next to my new mirror. Spring 20th. Shane's Birthday.

I didn't have much to give my neighbors for their birthdays, but I'd typically scrounge up some flowers or something as an inexpensive gift. Shane, however, didn't seem like the flowers type of guy. To top it off, he seemed to brush off the experience we had on the pier. He wasn't as rude anymore, sure, but he still tended to ignore me. It was incredibly irritating, but what could I do? Nothing.

     I turned my gaze over to the mirror. A freckled face framed with long strawberry blonde curls stared back at me, watching me with what Mayor Lewis called the "Matthews hazel" eyes. The Matthews family never had a lot, but we were relatively comfortable. Our heirloom was not material, but rather our eye color that's persisted throughout generations. I was proud of it, even if most people saw it as regular old hazel. My freckles on the other hand reminded me of my mother and I wish I could hide them away. I wanted nothing to do with that woman. Nothing.

     Roger followed me as I walked out the door, my eyes scanning over the crops in front of me. I had a lot of work to do, as per usual. My limbs were always sore in the morning with this new lifestyle, but the aches were getting less severe with each passing day.

     "Good morning, Polly," Robin called out. She was working on a new renovation for my house. A kitchen.

     "Good morning!" I responded. "Thanks again for taking care of the kitchen, it means a lot that you've helped me so much with this house."

     "Hey, you're the one paying me and giving me the materials," she grinned, but her expression then shifted to a more concerned one. "What have you been eating without the kitchen? The only other way you'd be able to get substantial food without a kitchen is going to the saloon and I never see you there."

     "Oh, I get take-out from there. I don't have enough time to sit down and eat there," I lied. In reality, I probably had a couple field snacks per day. I didn't want to eat more than that. Even a couple field snacks seemed like far too much food for me, but I needed the energy to get through the day.

     "I'm surprised you eat at the saloon so much, you look like a twig!" Robin chuckled. I winced. You? A twig? That's some kind of cruel joke. You're disgusting. Repulsive.

"Yeah, guess all of the work on the farm is a good workout," I mustered up a smile.

     "Must be! I'll let you get to it, alright?" Robin started to turn back to her work and I did as well, but suddenly, she called out at me again.

     "Oh, Polly, I just had a great idea. Are you interested in coming to the saloon tonight? I know, I know, you usually get take-out, but it's a Saturday night. I think you'd have fun!" she exclaimed.
     "I'll see. I have a lot of work on the farm to do, though," I sighed. Truthfully, I didn't want to go to the saloon. Eating in front of other people was rather uncomfortable for me and if I didn't eat there, people might notice. On the other hand, it was Shane's birthday. But why did I care that it was his birthday anyways? I suppose that it was some kind of excuse to go see him. Whether I'd like to admit it or not, interactions with him were always entertaining. Maybe going to the saloon tonight wouldn't be terrible. Then again, maybe it would be.