My Best Friend's Best Friend

Chapter 20: Stardew Valley Fair

"Penny! Come play slingshots with us!" Abigail waved to Penny from the carnival game tents. It was the day of the Stardew Valley Fair, and Pelican Town was bustling with tourists and vendors.

"Mom, I'm just gonna go play some games," Penny said.

Her mom looked up from the goat pen. "Hmm? Oh, sure. Just don't let me find you running around any more abandoned mine shafts."

She was never going to get over that, was she. Penny ran off toward Abigail and Elliott, Abigail's near constant companion these days.

"Here," Abigail pushed a slingshot into Penny's hands, and the three of them lined up to shoot. The game attendant blew a whistle, and they started shooting furiously at the targets. Even seated, Abigail wiped the floor with them.

"Have you been practicing for this?" Elliott asked.

"Only every year for my entire life," Abigail said proudly. "C'mon, let's go again." They did, and Abigail trounced them again.

"Well, I can definitely win the fishing game." Elliott wheeled Abigail over to another tent.

This one had to be played in turns. "You guys go first so I can watch you," Penny said. "I've never fished before."

"Really? You're not hustling us, right?" Abigail eyed her suspiciously.

Penny held up her hands in defense. "Really. My mom's been saying she wants to take me for ages, but we haven't got around to it."

"Very well." Elliott picked up a pole. "Witness my greatness, and be amazed!"

The clock started, and Elliott cast the line. Then he waited, and reeled in a fish. Penny had a hard time being amazed, but he did seem to be an above average fisherman. She tried to watch closely to learn when to reel in the line, but suddenly she spotted Sebastian across the carnival, playing a game at another tent.

Penny's heart tightened just to see him. She turned away to look back at the fishing, but couldn't resist another glance. Or two. He was playing one of those guessing games where someone puts a coin under some cups and mixes them around.

She watched him guess wrong, and the woman running the game must have said something funny, because Sebastian laughed. Then she touched his arm...and lingered... There was no need to touch in those sorts of games, was there?

The woman running the game was, to Penny's sudden dismay, very pretty. She wore her hair in a sharp black bob with bangs, and dark eyeliner that flicked up at the corners. And she was leaning toward Sebastian as they talked. They were laughing again.

Penny was now struck with a number of physical complaints that she didn't understand. Her hands went clammy and cold. Her heart pounded in her chest, and her head felt foggy and light. She was angry—no, that didn't quite make sense. There was nothing to be angry about.

She was jealous.

More jealous than she'd ever felt. When she'd seen Sam and Maru kiss, there had been a taste of this feeling, but that moment had been so clouded by disappointment and embarrassment that she hadn't really thought of it as jealousy.

This was different.

And it sucked.

Penny tried to remain calm. Sebastian was just talking to someone. It wasn't a big deal. What right did she have to be jealous anyway?

"Penny?" Abigail said. "You good? It's your turn."

Then Penny did something that really was no big deal, but from this day on, she would always remember as being a little bit evil.