Short Stories

The Last Bachelorette (1)

UNEDITED

The sound of footsteps caught my attention, making my heart rate speed up. 'What? Who-' I turned around, seeing an unfamiliar face. "huh? Oh! Uhm, y-you're the new farmer right? " The ravenette nodded, his bouncy curls framing his face perfectly. 'It's like the hairstyle is made just for him.' I found myself observing him, the way his light eyes contrasted with his hair, his light, soft pink skin.

"Ah!" A deep, scratchy sound snapped me out of my trance. "I-I'm so sorry! It's been a while since I've seen new people so uh... Sorry!" I sputtered, the words pushing themselves out of my mouth. He stared at me, before shaking his head. The straw hat on his head casted a light shadow on his face, not dark enough to completely mask his face but not light enough for me to read his expression.

The scarcely-populated side of the valley was bathed in silence. I reached down, balling the edges of my skirt in my fists. 'Great first impression so far...' I let out a sigh. 'Come on... say something....' "U-uhm, what are you doing in this area of the valley anyways?" He tilted his head ever so slightly, the sunlight seeping in through the tiny holes of his hat and hitting his skin.

"I mean, not many people come here. It's quite deserted." He went quiet, not responding. I felt my skin prickle with numerous goosebumps. 'Ugh, a chance to make friends and you-' "Just exploring I guess."

"Wah!" I jolted, my hair standing on end. He stared at me, his face now more visible. His eyebrow was raised, staring at me with a small smile on his lips. "I'm sorry, I- you just suddenly talked and I thought you won't because you seem to be the quiet type based off of earlier." His smile widened, then...

'Huh?' His shoulders shook, his light laughter filling the air. Soon enough, I started mimicking his actions. My chest started to feel light, and laughter escapes freely through my lips. It felt quite refreshing, to laugh freely after years of not being able to.

Soon enough, the moment faded, the laughter turning into giggles, then giggles into sweet silence. I stared into his eyes, the ghost of his smile slowly fading. The chirps of the animals brought me out of my trance. I looked up, the orange sky meeting my gaze.

"Oh! It's already so late! I'm sorry for keeping you here," I apologized, lightly bowing. "You have a farm to take care of right? In that case, you should keep going." He then shook his head, adjusting his straw hat. "It's fine." He said before walking away.

"Bye!" I smiled, tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. I turned around, covering my head with the hood of my scarf. For once, I felt light. I gripped the handle of my basket before walking off. The long blades of grass tickled my shins, the feeling in my chest diminishing into a tiny flame. 'I hope I see him again...'

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The fridge door closed, the cool air dissipating in under a few seconds. "It seems like I have to go to the town again..." I mumbled, the familiar phantom of anxiety looming over me. I bit my lip, feeling the grumble of my stomach. Not like I had a choice.

I opened the cabinet near my fridge, seeing the small bag of berries sitting on the wooden surface. I grabbed it and walked out of the kitchen. I walked over to the door. On the coat rack rested my violet scarf and my dark blue cloak. I took the cloak, draping it over my shoulders before pulling the hood over my head.

The door creaked open as I walked out of my house. After making sure my door was locked, I walked off, going down the worn dirt path. As I reached the intersection, the beating in my ears became more apparent. I let out yet another breath, shaking my head.