The Anti-Social Social Club [Stardew Valley Sebastian x Female Player (OFC)]

Chapter Forty

I didn't leave my house for days after the fight. I avoided every phone call from Sebastian and Emily. I did what I did best. I hid myself away in the comfort of the places that made me feel safe. I ran away.

In my self-isolation, I'd managed to clean out several closets and found old pictures grandpa had stored away in dusty cardboard boxes. Some of them were of the farm, some of them were of me, or me and him together smiling and holding the fish we'd just caught down by the beach; the picture no doubt having been taken by Willy.

At the very bottom of one of the boxes, there was one of a woman I barely recognized. The photo was covered in a layer of dust and I lightly blew on it, sending the dust flying off the faded image and into the air. She looked familiar, but I couldn't quite place where I knew her from. She was standing on the front porch of the farmhouse, waving to whoever was taking the photo, and a big smile on her face.

I wondered what her story was; who she was. Instinctively, I flipped over the photo in my hand and saw cursive writing that looked like grandpa's in faded blue pen: Mona, Summer '06. The summer my father took me away for good.

She looked happy. She looked exactly how I used to feel here in Stardew Valley with grandpa. As if Stardew Valley had been a place where nothing bad ever happened, and everyone was always happy all the time. Maybe that had been true once upon a time, or maybe it had just been a merely innocent childhood assumption. I knew now that there wasn't ever going to be one place that ever brought about true happiness. The most horrible parts of life would always find their way back to me as if I were a magnet drawing them in.

When Wednesday rolled around, Sebastian asked if I could come see him. It was raining, and he said he'd be down by the dock if I wanted to come by. I decided I would, if just to get out of the house and know I wouldn't run into anyone in town with the rain.

The day felt so similar to that one back in summer when he told me he loved me, except instead of a warm, comforting rain, the air was sharp and cool as winter's bitterness lingered right around the corner. I still hadn't said anything to him about that day, despite it constantly eating away at me, lingering in the back of my mind any time I saw him.

When I got to the beach, he was standing down at the end of the dock just like last time. All of this felt too similar, but in a different way. Something felt off this time. It was as if I was reliving that moment of the summer in an alternate universe.

I took soft, light steps down the slippery dock and stepped up beside him. We stood side by side in silence for a moment, neither one of us daring to break the awkward tension between us. He hadn't even glanced over at me when I stepped up next to him. He just kept a stoney stare out at the black, choppy water in front of us.

I watched the raindrops beat down on the ocean below us, rippling the surface in harsh drops. I wondered how long Sebastian and I would stand here in silence, getting soaked. I would say we were enjoying each other's company, but the energy that radiated off him was anything but welcoming. It was as if that wall he used to keep around himself was back up, and we were at square one all over again. He was keeping me, and everyone else, out again.

"Stella," He began, finally breaking the silence. I looked up at him, but he just continued to stare off at the dark horizon. "I think we should stop seeing each other." He said, his tone flat and emotionless.

"What do you mean?" I asked, knowing perfectly well what he meant, but hoping maybe there would be a different reason—a different answer.

"I don't think we should sleep together anymore. I don't think we should be doing this at all anymore." He motioned between us as he dropped his gaze to the ground. "I got too caught up in the excitement of you, of us, and I hurt two of my best friends because of my stupid actions. I can barely get Sam to speak more than a few words to me and Abby won't even look in my direction." He paused, sighing, "I think we should just leave 'us' in the past."