--- Tue Mar 09 12:40:41 2021 Tutorial Welcome to Our Life: Beginnings & Always! Tutorial There are various ways you can customize and interact with the game. This tutorial is an overview of how certain features work. Tutorial You can read the full tutorial from the main menu to learn about everything in detail. Tutorial To start off, the game is divided into three time periods called 'Steps': Step 1 Childhood, Step 2 Adolescence, and Step 3 Teenaged. Tutorial Our Life is further divided into sets of vignettes that take place during specific periods of time. Those are called 'Moments'. Tutorial Moments can be played in any order, or skipped entirely. You move on to the next Step whenever you want by selecting that summer is ending. Tutorial Steps 1-3 include five Moments each and even more can be unlocked by purchasing DLCs. Some are out now and other DLCs will release later on. Tutorial A lot happens over the years that go by, especially in regard to the character you play as. Tutorial You determine nearly everything about the main character: name, appearance, personality, pronouns, interest, skills, their relationship with major characters, and so on. Tutorial You can decide to change the details as time goes on, with a few exceptions. Your last name, skin tone, and eye color can't be altered once set. Tutorial Much of the MC's basic traits are determined on a character creation screen. As the MC grows up, more options become available on the screen. Tutorial As mentioned, one of the decisions you'll get to make for your character is selecting a name. You can type in any name you like, or you can pick a preset name. Tutorial Preset options are called Voiced Names because the name will be voiced aloud by the romantic lead. You'll get to hear him say your name as you play through the story! Tutorial Only the default name, Jamie, is included in the base game. Hundreds more can be added by getting a free Voiced Name Expansion DLC. Tutorial The full collection of names is separated out as a DLC because of how large it is. If you’re not interested in that feature, you don’t need to get it. Tutorial Each name in the DLC belongs to, or was selected by, someone who supported this project. Tutorial On the character creation screen there's a cute doll you can decorate to get an idea of what your MC looks like with the different traits put together. Tutorial Not all the things you decide about the MC appear on the doll. The script referencing what you've decided for the MC is the main way those decisions influence the game. Tutorial Our Life has a first-person perspective, so your character doesn't appear next to other character sprites. You only see the MC as the decorative doll and in special cut-in CG images. Tutorial The cut-in CGs only appear if certain choices are made, it's possible not to see any during a playthrough. Tutorial There's also a second type of special MC-based screen, the Interest/Comfort screen. Tutorial Unless you get DLCs, the game has one love interest: Cove Holden. He grows up with the MC, and the Interest/Comfort screen is crucial for determining how that plays out. Tutorial Interest Level sets how much you like him. There are four levels: Disinterest, Fond, Crush, and Love. Love is only available starting in Step 3 and if you were at Fond or Crush in Step 2. Tutorial Comfort determines how you generally react/think when it comes to him. There are three levels: Nervous, Relaxed, and Direct. Tutorial Your level of Interest and Comfort will set the type of dynamic your character has with the love interest. What you did in the past will influence the present, and feelings can change over time. Tutorial You get to pick your Interest/Comfort near the beginning of every Step. Comfort can switch between the three levels as you please. Your Interest Level can only stay the same or increase. Tutorial Your current level of Interest will become the new lowest option on the screen in the future. Tutorial For example, if you decide to be Fond in Step 1, Disinterest will not be available on the screen in Steps 2 and 3, which will make Fond the bottom level option for your relationship. Tutorial Interest Level has an impact when it comes to physically interacting with Cove. While growing up things are rather simple. Tutorial If you get along with one another and have a close relationship, you can choose to touch him, and Cove will occasionally interact with the MC in lighthearted or comforting ways. Tutorial But starting in Step 3, touching can become more romantic or suggestive if you're at Crush or Love. Tutorial To make sure things go nicely with that, there will be an extra choice to determine "initiative level", and a bonus mini tutorial that goes along with the choice to explain the feature in more detail. Tutorial Basically, even if you decide you like Cove, the game won't force you to act on those feelings. Tutorial You can always choose not to get together with him, choose not to accept or give romantic gestures, etc. If you do decide to date Cove, though, you can't break up with him later. Tutorial Interest/Comfort gets the basics down, but it's the choices that appear throughout the normal game events that decide what actually happens between the MC and Cove. Tutorial And it isn't only the MC who is impacted by your decisions. Cove grows and changes over the years. How he's treated and what he experiences help shape who he becomes. Tutorial In Step 2 and Step 3, Cove's personality, appearance, and interests will vary based on what happened in the previous Step. Tutorial It's something of a mystery exactly how your decisions end up changing him; you can try to guess as you go along. Tutorial Or, if you prefer, you can also just design your own ideal Cove directly using the Cove Creator option that pops up at the beginning of Steps 2 and 3. Tutorial Making the choices you want is always more important than making a choice because you feel like you have to in order to get a certain result. Tutorial When a choice does appear, usually you'll see that hovering the cursor over an option shows a certain color: yellow, blue, or green. Tutorial The colors aren't related to specific points or effects. They're only there to give a bit of insight on the tone/emotion of the choice, since text alone can potentially be read in more than one way. Tutorial Blue tends to be casual/straightforward, yellow more emotive/reactive, and green less certain/uncommitted. Tutorial Though, there are hundreds of options in Our Life and not every choice menu falls in line with that pattern. Tutorial Picking just one color every time doesn't give a gameplay benefit. Only stick to a certain type if that's what you happen to like, otherwise switch between them freely. Tutorial Always pick yellow, never pick yellow, pursue romance right from the start, never romance the love interest, be disagreeable or amiable, none of them will lead to a bad ending. Tutorial You're welcome to enjoy the events and shape the story without reservation. And then, if you like, you can play again to try something new. There's only ever more good content to discover. Tutorial We hope you'll have a nice time with Our Life. Thank you for playing! --- Tue Mar 09 12:43:58 2021 Choice: Yes. Choice: No. No choice chosen. Tutorial Welcome to Our Life: Beginnings & Always! --- Tue Mar 09 12:49:50 2021 The sun warmed your skin from its place in the sky and you closed your eyes, enjoying the mix of the heat with the pleasant breeze that drifted past you. You and Lee had spread out a blanket on top of one of the hills behind your house, and had been relaxing there for a while now. Lee had come over earlier in the day, and while a range of activities had been discussed - from staying home, to heading down to the beach - a picnic on the hill had been the choice you both settled on. A small spread was laid out in front of you. Some bottled water, soft drinks, as well as chips and sliced fruit. You sat up and reached for a snack, listening to Lee talk away about the musical she had gotten to see a few days ago. LEE It was unbelievable. There was singing, dancing and crazy stunts, and it was all done live right in front of my face! LEE Maybe one day we could go together. I've gotta see more shows like that. You smiled at Lee's enthusiasm, knowing how much she enjoyed singing and performing. And she was good at it too. You had gotten the chance to hear her sing a couple of tunes, and you knew she put a lot of effort into it. Choice: You also liked to sing, but you weren't very good. Choice: You also liked to sing and had talent of your own. Choice: You didn't like to sing, but you had been told you were good at it. Choice: You weren't good at singing, and that suited you fine. No choice chosen. That didn't stop you from doing it though. LEE I wonder... if maybe we could put on our own show? Think of how fun it'd be! LEE We could perform for our parents, and ask our friends and some other people to come and watch too. It'd totally work. Choice: "Yes, let's do it!" Choice: "I don't know about that..." The idea gave you stage fright. Choice: "Sure, I'll give it a go." Choice: "That's not a good idea." Choice: "It'd be embarrassing." No choice chosen. It'd be no fun for you, and you couldn't imagine anyone wanting to watch a show that a couple of teens had randomly come up with. LEE Are you really super sure? You have so many skills you could show off to the masses! Choice: "Okay, okay, I'll do it." Choice: "I really don't want to..." Choice: "I'd rather do something else." No choice chosen. Lee seemed a little disappointed, but she nodded and respected your wishes all the same. LEE What did you have in mind? The two of you lay back on the blanket and lazed in the sun, throwing ideas back and forth on what you could fill your time with. The beach was nearby, so you could go swimming or collect shells. Or find something to do back at home after all. In the end, nothing was tempting enough to move you from your current position, so you continued chatting with Lee and nibbling on your snacks while the sun travelled in the sky overhead. LEE Sooo, how are your neighbors doing? You haven't spoken about them lately. You knew Lee wasn't talking about neighbors generally, or down the street. She wanted to hear about the Holdens across the road. It was no secret that she liked to keep up to date on what was happening with them. Or more specifically, Cove. There weren't many other people your age around to talk about. Choice: "They're okay." Choice: "They're great!" Choice: You rolled your eyes. Choice: "I have no idea." Choice: "I don't care." No choice chosen. Lee loved to chat about others' relationships, and would always ask you for the details on people you both knew. The sun slowly began to set, the sky turning a rosy pink, and then warm orange. LEE It's too bad Derek isn't in the neighborhood today. I like him. Choice: "Yeah, he is a good person." Choice: "I really like him too!" Choice: "He's okay." Choice: "He's kind of boring." Choice: "I don't really like him." No choice chosen. LEE Well, that's alright. You don't have to be friends with everybody. LEE Maybe there's someone else you like that I haven't heard of yet? Lee wriggled her eyebrows at you suggestively, and you knew exactly what she was implying. Choice: "Lee, there's nobody I 'like' like that right now." Choice: "I can't answer that..." Choice: "I have a crush, yeah." No choice chosen. Lee's eyes sparkled in an instant, like she'd just hit the jackpot. LEE What?! Who is it?! Choice: "I'm not giving you a name." Choice: "Someone from school." Choice: "It's Derek." Choice: "Mr. Holden." Choice: "Kyra." No choice chosen. Lee burst out laughing, her face going red. LEE Oh my gosh, Jamie! She is a mom. You weren't surprised when Lee started squeezing you for more details, and you answered as much as you were comfortable with. The two of you talked about your preferences in who you liked and stuff. You found that it was nice having someone to speak with about these sorts of things. Finally, you both decided to pack everything up and head back home for the evening. Upon walking through the front door, you were met by your moms and Elizabeth hovering around each other in the living room. Tension hung thick in the air as the three of them turned to you and Lee, frowning slightly. You had interrupted something. Exactly what, you weren't sure. Choice: "Wow, who died?" Choice: "What's going on?" Choice: You looked between them but said nothing. Choice: "Uh, hello." No choice chosen. Your moms looked at each other, wondering which one of them was going to speak first. Eventually Mom cleared her throat and spoke. Mom We're just having a talk with your sister. The room fell quiet again, with no one quite knowing what to say. You felt incredibly awkward. But the silence didn't last long. Elizabeth You don't have to stop just 'cause those two are here. There's no reason to try keeping it a secret! Elizabeth was mad, with her arms folded defensively over her chest, but your moms nodded in agreement with her. Ma Elizabeth was asking about her parents. Mom Her biological ones. The world spun around you at the news. You couldn't understand, why was this happening now? When you glanced at Lee, she shuffled her feet uncomfortably, as though she didn't know if she should be there or not anymore. You didn't know either. Your moms had always been open and honest about the fact that neither of them had given birth to you or your sister, but the details hadn't been fully explained before. It made sense that Elizabeth didn't know a lot about her biological parents and wanted to know more. You just hadn't ever thought you'd accidentally stumble into it. Elizabeth looked at your parents expectantly. She wasn't going to let the unintentional interruption derail things. Mom We don't want to keep that information from either of you, it's your right to know your past, but we did want to wait until you asked us to hear yourselves. Elizabeth Well, it's happening now, so? Your moms shared a nervous glance, and Ma took in a quick breath before speaking again. Ma I adopted you from the Philippines when you were just a baby. Elizabeth dropped her arms, her eyebrows shooting upwards in surprise. Elizabeth Wait! I wasn't born here?! Ma No, you weren't. You could clearly see that your sister was appalled by this information. You struggled even more with what to do or how to react. Elizabeth Am I gonna have to pass some test to even be a citizen? Mom No, you were adopted into the country. We took care of things, you're already a citizen. You have nothing to worry about. Ma I followed all the laws when it came to bringing a child into the U.S. Nothing can be held against you. Elizabeth sighed, placated with the information but still far from happy. Elizabeth Who were my parents? As people. Why did they put me up for adoption in the first place? Ma softly put her hands over Elizabeth's shoulder, trying to provide some support before she gave her the answer. Ma I'm so sorry, sweetie. Your parents were reported to have died. They didn't go into details on the specifics of how. But you were an orphan. Mom I wish we had better news for you, Elizabeth. Elizabeth was torn between emotions, her eyes filled with tears as she threw her hands in the air, settling on enraged. Elizabeth Great! So I can never meet them, even if I wanted to! Not that I could've, anyway, since they lived in another part of the world when they were still alive. Elizabeth turned her back on you and your moms and stormed off, sprinting up the stairs and to her room before anyone could stop her. Ma I have to go and talk to her. Ma immediately started to follow her, but Mom gently held her by the arm and shook her head. Mom We should give her a little space to process it all. Your ma's head hung low, but she stopped walking. With Elizabeth now gone, the two of them seemed to remember you and Lee were still standing awkwardly off to the side. Mom I'm sorry you had to see all that... It's not how I expected it would have happened when the time came. Mom But since it's the topic of the day - Jamie, is there anything you'd like to ask? Ma You deserve to know, after all. Lee patted your back and gave you a supportive look. Choice: "I want to know." Choice: "No, I don't want to hear. Not right now." Choice: You couldn't even answer. No choice chosen. Your parents both nodded in sync to your reply, ready to talk. LEE Um, I can leave, if you wanna have things be private. Choice: "I want you to be here." Choice: "Thanks." No choice chosen. LEE I can do that. Lee shifted a little closer to you in support, and you were glad to have her there with you. It made you feel a little stronger, somehow. You turned to face your parents again, preparing yourself for what they were about to tell you. Ma was the first to speak, her voice quivering with emotion. Ma You were adopted as a baby, but two years after Elizabeth. We used a different organization that time, and you were adopted within the US. Mom We're sorry to tell you, Jamie, your parents had also passed away, and no other family member took you in, if there were any. Mom That's why we wanted to wait until you asked. We didn't want to suddenly drop that in your lap. We wanted you to be prepared. Ma We're sorry, Jamie. Lee gave you a reassuring squeeze on the arm to show she was there for you. Choice: "Thank you for telling me." Choice: "Okay..." Choice: You said nothing. Choice: "It's not your fault. You didn't kill them, right?" Choice: You started to cry. Choice: You were so angry. No choice chosen. A lump formed in your throat just as warm tears started falling over your cheeks. You wiped them away with the back of your hand, sniffling quietly. Ma Thank you for listening, Jamie. Mom If there's anything else you want to know, all you have to do is ask. We'll do our best to answer any questions you have. Ma How are you feeling now? Are you going to be okay? Lee watched you closely, as though judging how exactly she should react to what was going on. Choice: "I feel fine." Choice: "I feel fine." But you didn't mean that. Choice: You continued to cry. Choice: You held back the tears, but you weren't fine at all. Choice: Anger rose inside you. You definitely weren't okay. Choice: You said nothing. No choice chosen. You didn't have the energy to reply to the probing. That was kind of an answer to the question in itself. No one seemed to have any words after that. Choice: You went up to your room. Choice: You needed to stay here with your moms. Choice: You wanted to get out of the house. Choice: You wanted to see Elizabeth. No choice chosen. The one person you knew who would understand what you were going through was Elizabeth. She was going through the exact same thing as you, and had seemed just as upset. You headed over to the stairs and up to her room. Choice: You asked Lee to go with you. Choice: You left Lee in the living room. No choice chosen. She nodded and followed near behind. Waiting in front of your sister's door, you raised a hand to knock on it. There was no answer for a good minute or two, and when you jiggled the handle you found it was locked. Raising your hand again, you knocked louder this time, thinking she must have her headphones on and so couldn't hear you. When she didn't answer the door a second time, it was clear to you that she either still couldn't hear, or was just straight up ignoring you. It hurt to be shut out, especially right now... Choice: You went up to your room. Choice: You wanted to get out of the house. No choice chosen. When safely behind your closed bedroom door, you let out a heavy breath before heading over to take a seat on your bed. Lee watched you from where she sat on your desk chair and gave a sad sigh in commiseration. You guessed she didn't really know what she could do to help, but was still trying to be supportive in any way she could. LEE So, what do you want to do? Can I help? Choice: "There's nothing you can do." Choice: "I don't want to do anything." Choice: "Just, thanks for being here." Choice: You said nothing. Choice: "Do you think of me as family?" No choice chosen. LEE Of course I do! I'm so happy we get to know each other and hang out and that we're related. You gave her a grateful smile, feeling your heart lighten a little more. Jamie I think you're family, too. She paced over and sat next to you on the bed and you sat quietly together as time passed. Lee opened her mouth to speak, but obviously thought better of it and pressed her lips together again. A little more time passed before you finally heard her voice, spoken softly from beside you. LEE You know, Jamie... the family you have will always be there for you, no matter what. I hope you know that. Choice: "I do know." Choice: You didn't answer. Choice: "I'm not so sure about that." Choice: "It doesn't matter." Choice: "Thank you." No choice chosen. LEE You're really welcome, Jamie. A knock on the door made you look up, though before you could even move it swung open and Elizabeth stood in your doorframe. She walked closer, and you didn't quite know what to do, or what she was planning on saying. Elizabeth Would you mind going? I want to talk to just Jamie. You can come back. It's not gonna be forever or anything. Lee wasn't exactly jumping to go, so she checked with you quietly. LEE What do you think? Choice: "You can't ask that." Choice: You nodded your head in agreement. Choice: "I want to talk to you too." No choice chosen. If she wanted to talk to you in private, it was obviously about something important. You waited until the two of you were alone before fixing her with an inquisitive look. Elizabeth folded her arms, looking you over. Elizabeth Did moms tell you about your parents too? Choice: "I don't want to talk about it." Choice: "My birth parents also died." No choice chosen. Elizabeth nodded in understanding, her face solemn. Jamie Why did you want to talk to me? Jamie I went to see you and you didn't even answer. Elizabeth raised an eyebrow at the news. Elizabeth I didn't hear anything. Shutting everything out with loud music was very typical of your sister. You didn't feel much less confused, though. Jamie Why did you stop doing that, then? She shook her head, as though the answer should be obvious. Elizabeth I was worried about you. I was the one who brought it up, but I made you deal with whatever was left when I was gone. She sighed, glancing upwards for a moment before settling on you once more. Elizabeth I wanted to ask you what happened without everyone breathing down our necks. Choice: "That was pretty crappy of you to just bail." Choice: "I'm amazed you noticed that was unkind." Choice: "Thank you for thinking of me." Choice: "I'm not mad at you." Choice: You were quietly surprised by her admission. No choice chosen. She stuck her nose up a little at that, but her smile was soft. Jamie All of this... it upset me. She slipped back into a scowl. Elizabeth I'm sorry Jamie. It's a pretty depressing topic. Jamie Yeah. ... Elizabeth You have to be born in the U.S. to become president. Jamie What? You had never heard of that dream of hers before. She noticed your bafflement and continued. Elizabeth I get I was never gonna be president, but... it just feels weird - having stuff taken away, not even getting a chance at it. Elizabeth I don't like having to know that when I was born, I was gonna have a completely different life. So different I can't even think about what it'd look like in my head. Elizabeth I could've spoken another language, lived away from everything I've ever seen here, had someone else as my sibling. Elizabeth And then my parents died, and I was adopted, and the life I got became a totally new thing forever. Elizabeth I can't go back to what it was even if I wanted to. A heaviness settled between you and the person who became your sister. Choice: "I feel like that too." Choice: You knew exactly how she felt. Choice: "I don't really understand." No choice chosen. It was a confusing feeling - to have lived one way for as long as you can remember, but not having it be what was originally yours. Elizabeth watched you seriously. She was still trying to make sense of this to you, and herself. Elizabeth I don't know why today was the day. Nothing came up to make me ask the question, it was just something I've had in my head for a while. Elizabeth When it was just me and moms in the living room I just kind of... said it, finally, and there you go. She shifted from one foot to another, relaxing her stance just a bit. She also spoke more gently. Elizabeth Learning about them, and what happened, doesn't change how I feel about our family, Jamie. She smirked, fixing you with sharp eyes. Elizabeth I'd already figured a long time ago that moms weren't our biological parents. That wasn't news. Choice: "Technically, one of them could've been related to you." Choice: You kept listening to Elizabeth. Choice: "It really doesn't change anything?" No choice chosen. Jamie Our moms can have kids, just not both together. Elizabeth True, but I'm not half-white or native Hawaiian. So, no. Neither of them could have been my mom. Elizabeth Nice try, smart aleck. Elizabeth Nothing about the family I was first born in would've made me decide that this wasn't my family anymore. Elizabeth If you had hoped you'd be free of my big sisterly status, don't think you're so lucky. She bumped her shoulder against yours playfully, her lips tilted at the corners. Elizabeth You'll always be my little sibling. Choice: You smiled softly at her. Choice: You jokingly groaned at the prospect. Choice: You bumped her back. Choice: You hugged her. No choice chosen. Choice: "You'll always be my family too." Choice: "I think I'm really lucky." Choice: You took in the moment quietly. No choice chosen. Chuckling, she seemed pleased with how the conversation had gone, in the end. Elizabeth We should probably head downstairs and make sure moms are okay. It's been a long day, for everybody. You gave her a nod. Elizabeth Down we go. When you stepped into the living room, you found your moms quietly sitting together at the kitchen table. They both got to their feet when they noticed the arrival, and Ma gave you a careful smile. Ma We're so glad to see you. Choice: "Hi." Choice: "I'm sorry for walking away before." Choice: "Everything is alright." Choice: You said nothing. No choice chosen. Ma That's wonderful, sweetheart, really wonderful. Ma then came over and wrapped her arms around you and Elizabeth, giving you a tight hug. It didn't take long for Mom to join in, putting her arms around the both of you. Mom We really couldn't have asked for better kiddos. We love you. Ma More than we could ever say. Elizabeth Moooms... Choice: You smiled at their comfort. Choice: You were so glad your moms were alright. Choice: "You're smooshing me!" No choice chosen. Jamie I love you too. It was a nice moment, and you enjoyed it for as long as you could. They both pulled back eventually and grinned at the two of you, and you knew then that you all had each other, and you always would. Ma Well now... since we're all here, how about we do something together as a family? Mom That sounds like an excellent idea! We should have some fun before the night's over. --- Tue Mar 09 12:54:49 2021 His parents looked over him, their features soft. Cove instead snuck a glance at you. Choice: You were glad you could be here for him. Choice: You suddenly felt like you shouldn't be there. No choice chosen. Cove then fully faced his parents. Mr. Holden stepped forward cautiously, his expression twisting in dismay. Cove's Dad I am so, so sorry. I should never have done something so stupid. COVE It's okay. Cove's Dad It really isn't. That was a boneheaded move if ever there was one. I was bribing an actual child, one I'd never even met before that day! Cove almost cracked a smile, though he quickly regained his composure. COVE Then, it isn't. But... I want things to be okay anyway. Cove's Dad Cove... I'm sorry. Kyra placed a hand on Mr. Holden's shoulder. Kyra Your dad doesn't believe there's something wrong with you, or that you can't make your own friends. He can explain. COVE I know why Dad did it. He wanted me to be happy, that's all. He didn't think it'd be like this. It was an accident. Kyra sighed heavily; a sad smile appeared on her lips. Kyra You're very grown up, Cove. Mr. Holden brought his hands up against his forehead and began to pace around the room. He didn't seem to know what to do with himself. He turned back around to face Cove and Kyra. He looked more solemn than you'd ever seen him. Cove's Dad I'm not going to do it again. I haven't done it again! Kyra Haven't tried to bribe more people, or haven't continued to step over a line without registering it? Cove's Dad Both! He let out a heavy breath, before shrinking down a little. It was impressive, because he was pretty tall. Cove's Dad ...I don't know. But I don't think so. Cove's throat bobbed as he swallowed thickly. He looked like he was trying to gather all his courage. When he spoke up, his voice was small but firm. COVE You invited Mom here. His dad's eyes widened. Cove was ready to have a talk he had put off before. COVE You didn't ask me if I wanted things to be like this, with both of you together again for just a little while. Mr. Holden's hands slowly returned to his forehead. He was stunned, as if someone had just hit him. Cove's Dad I did it again. I did it again and I... I didn't even notice. Cove's Dad {i}What's wrong with me{/i}? Why can't I just... do something right? It was quiet for a long stretch. Mr. Holden had sat down in a chair, his shoulders drooped and his head in his hands. You looked to Cove. He watched his dad, and how genuinely he was struggling with what he'd been told. Cove glanced down at the ground, then looked back to his dad. COVE I'm not angry anymore. Slowly, Mr. Holden met his son's eyes. COVE I can... I can try to talk to you about things, and what I feel about stuff. COVE I- I stopped saying that to you, since everything happened. I didn't want to talk to you. But... you won't have to guess if you know. Mr. Holden broke eye contact at that, shaking his head. Cove's Dad My child shouldn't have to take care of me. Cove's Dad You shouldn't have to make up for my shortcomings, Cove. I can fix things! I can still change. After having something of an outburst, Mr. Holden turned his face away and spoke more guardedly. Cove's Dad Besides, I'm used to that already. I might not get it right, but not a damn thing would happen in what's left of this family if I wasn't making the effort. It's always me. What's one more thing to manage? COVE Dad... Kyra You're right, Cliff. I know. Kyra But, I don't think Cove wants to take care of you, he just wants to understand. And he wants his dad to understand, too. That's what matters, isn't it? It was still as Mr. Holden digested what Kyra said. He stared down at his empty hands, held out in front of him. When he looked at Cove again, tiny tears glimmered in the corners of his eyes. He got up and crossed the room to his son. Cove didn't move or look away as he approached. Mr. Holden set his hands on Cove's shoulders, the touch firm. He furrowed his brows. Cove's Dad Bud, you and I are going to talk about every single thought that ever pops into our heads. Cove's Dad For the rest of your life. He shook Cove forward and back a bit. Tears slipped down Cove's cheeks, but he was smiling. COVE No! I don't want that! Mr. Holden began to smile too. It trembled at the corners, but it was genuine. Cove's Dad I'm afraid it's the only way. Kyra chuckled, even as she blinked away her own tears. Mr. Holden turned towards her. Cove's Dad You better not be thinking you can get away from this, Kyra. The same is gonna apply to you. Kyra You can't! He let go of Cove with one hand while he placed his other arm around Cove's shoulders. Then he faced Kyra. Cove's Dad Oh, yes, I can. He continued to talk as he walked in her direction, bringing Cove along with him. Then, father and son were standing in front of her. Mr. Holden put his other arm around her. Now he had both of them in his arms. Cove's Dad If you think the ideas that I actually go with are bad, you two are going to be amazed by the thoughts I decide against all on my own! Kyra jokingly cringed at the concept. Cove smiled tearfully up at his parents. COVE Thanks, Dad. Cove's Dad Thank you, son. Cove's Dad But, hey, you know what I'm thinking now? Cove, wiping his face with the back of his hand, shook his head. Kyra God no. You're an incomprehensible maniac. Mr. Holden laughed, not disputing her words. Cove's Dad I'm thinking we should eat that dinner I painstakingly made. It's salvageable, just gotta heat it back up. Kyra sighed in exaggerated relief. Kyra That we can manage. Right, Cove? COVE Yeah. Cove's Dad Great! We're making progress already. Cove's Dad Though, I don't even know how I'm going to start making this up to Jamie. Carrying that secret for all this time must have been quite the burden to bear. Cove's Dad Twenty bucks is not nearly enough for all the hullabaloo. Jamie Okay. Cove ducked his head and spoke towards you. There was a tiny smile on his face. COVE Do you wanna stay for dinner still? Mr. Holden finally let go of his family. Kyra patted him on the back with a content sigh. Kyra You're very good boys. I'm so lucky. Cove shyly rubbed his arm, while Mr. Holden nervously rubbed his neck. Neither could make eye contact out of bashfulness. In that moment, they really did seem like father and son. Cove's family was nice, you thought to yourself. You were glad that you got to come over. --- Tue Mar 09 12:58:04 2021 Cove wasn't able to do many things that summer. When you, him, and Shiloh sat out on the shoreline one bright morning, you could tell he wanted to be in the water. But there was no way he'd be swimming any time soon. Not with his cast. The waves washed a single shell to shore -- glittering and blue. Another reminder of the places he couldn't go. From what you'd heard about Cove's old life so far, in tiny pieces and fragments, you could tell that he'd do anything to be able to get the cast off. You thought about how his summer last year must have been totally different from this. With his old home and his mom and dad... But now he was here, with you and Shiloh and Lizzie and everyone else, and he couldn't even go in the sea. This town wasn't bad - it had all your favorite things in it - but sitting there, on the same beach you'd grown up on you could understand that not everybody else felt the same way about Sunset Bird as you did. You watched him from the corner of your eye quietly and he finally said aloud what you had been pondering. COVE ...I wish I could go in. SHILOH The water? COVE Yeah. SHILOH Oh. I'm sorry. You're gonna be able to do it soon! Cove only sighed in response. Apparently, "soon" wasn't soon enough. SHILOH It's so pretty, the ocean. COVE Mhm... And huge. There could be anything out there, like mermaids. SHILOH Yeah! Choice: "I wish you didn't have a cast." Choice: "I don't really care." Choice: "Swimming might be fun, if we could." Choice: "I'm fine here on land." Choice: "Mermaids aren't real." No choice chosen. Shiloh gaped at you, but Cove just shrugged. COVE Says you. Obviously not interested in hearing much more of your input on the situation, Cove turned back to the water. But as he looked away, something about Shiloh's slow, careful movements caught his eye. COVE Hey, are you building a sandcastle? SHILOH Sort of. I was only playing around while you were talking. I'm listening. COVE Maybe I could too. I've only made big piles before. SHILOH It's really nothing special. I'm sure you'll be good at it right away. COVE Well how do you do it, then? Shiloh's cheeks lit up. You could tell he was a little bit uncomfortable to have Cove's expectant stare on him. Jamie I'll play too. Choice: "I love making sand stuff." Choice: "I've never really made one before." Choice: "There's nothing else to do." No choice chosen. SHILOH Okay. He put his hands back to his seashells and sand and nodded. SHILOH I don't do a lot. Here's how I like to get a house started... Shiloh, focusing more intently than you'd ever seen him, guided Cove through his process. You happily used your own method. It didn't take long for the three of you to each have humble structures prepared. SHILOH That's all, kind of. You can do anything now. Like, make it bigger, add some seashells, carve a pretty pattern... I bet you'll have great ideas! COVE I'm gonna make it bigger. Mine is gonna be a real castle. SHILOH Cool. This is gonna be a house! Looking at the base of your sandcastle, you decided to make... Choice: A house. Choice: A castle. Choice: A mansion. No choice chosen. Looking at the base of your sandcastle, you decided to build a fancy castle. The better part of the next hour was spent focusing on your own work. The boys were the same. Even Shiloh didn't sneak as many peeks at everyone else as he usually did. You finished shaping before either of them did, glancing up from what you'd built. It seems you got done so fast because they already searched around for extra decorations. Shiloh had grabbed most of the really interesting stuff, and Cove had a lot of the shells, but there were still options. The first thing you reached for was a... Choice: Red bottlecap. Choice: Blue seashell. Choice: Green piece of seaglass. --- Tue Mar 09 12:59:14 2021 Sunlight shone through the windows as you sat in your living room, your home phone pressed to your ear. Cove was on the other end. It'd been shaping up to be an ordinary day, like any other, until Cove had called unexpectedly. He sounded unusually nervous greeting you. You listened silently as he kept talking, his words stilted. COVE So. I was just, uh, wondering. Do you want to come over to my house for dinner tonight? The question came out strangely. Almost like he'd rehearsed it a few times beforehand. Your eyes widened a little. You hadn't expected this to be the reason behind the call. Choice: "Yeah, I'll go." Choice: "I can't." Choice: You kept listening. No choice chosen. COVE It was- huh? Oh. It seemed that Cove still had more to say. And you just interrupted him. Oops. COVE Cool. Well... He stumbled for a bit, trying to gather his thoughts again. COVE My mom and dad... they really want you to be there, if your parents don't have a problem with it. They asked me to ask you. You took a moment to think. Dinner at home would be quiet and uneventful today. If you really wanted to, you could go to Cove's instead. COVE Can you? Come over, I mean? Choice: "Yeah, I can come." Choice: "I'll have to ask my moms and get back to you." Choice: "No, I can't make it." Choice: "Why am I the only one invited? Or did you mean the whole family?" No choice chosen. He spoke to you for a little while longer, to explain what time to come over and other details, then hung up. And that was that, for now anyway. Soon enough, the sun dipped out of the sky and evening came. It was time for you to head to Cove's house. After letting Elizabeth know you were leaving-she didn't look away from the TV, just grunted-you made the small journey across the street. You knocked a couple times on the heavy door to their condo. As you waited for an answer, you found yourself contemplating being a guest while both of Cove's parents were there. Choice: It was exciting. Choice: You were apprehensive. Choice: The idea made you curious. Choice: You didn't think it would be especially interesting. Choice: You couldn't say you were thrilled. No choice chosen. You had thought today was going to be boring. But it turned out to be much more interesting! You didn't get too much time with your thoughts, though. The door opened soon enough. Cove's mom, Kyra, stood in the frame, smiling warmly at you. Kyra Heya, Jamie! Welcome! Please, come on in. She opened the door wider and moved to make room. You stepped inside, allowing her to shut it behind you. Kyra Thanks so much for coming over. I know it was kind of last second! Kyra Of course. Just make yourself at home. It's not my home but I've been given permission to say that. Cove's Dad Hey, Jamie! Welcome to our humble abode! She opened the door wider and moved to make room. You stepped inside, allowing her to shut it behind you. Kyra Thanks so much for coming over. I know it was kind of last second! Kyra Of course. Just make yourself at home. It's not my home but I've been given permission to say that. Cove's Dad Hey, Jamie! Welcome to our humble abode! You jerked your head towards the sound of Mr. Holden's voice. He waved at you briefly from the kitchen, with his back turned and a large spoon in hand. Cove's Dad Hope you're hungry, because I'm whipping up a lot of tasty stuff! True to his word, you heard something sizzling on the stove. You closed your eyes and inhaled. It smelled spicy and savory. With Mr. Holden busy, and Cove nowhere to be seen, it was just you and Kyra. She gave you a wry smile. Kyra He sure is. While I've been barred from cooking the entire time I'm staying here. Can you believe that? She nudged you with an elbow. Mr. Holden scoffed good-naturedly, then spoke from over his shoulder. Cove's Dad You're on vacation, Kyra! You need to accept that already! She yelled back, amusement obvious on her face and in her tone. Kyra People still cook when they're on vacation! Everyone's gotta eat! Kyra It's not like I'm some celebrity who can go out for every meal or hire a private chef. Cove's Dad Well, in this house, you're a VIP! Kyra smiled and shook her head quietly. Then she turned to face you once more. Kyra Sorry about that, Jamie. Here I was, trying to strike up a conversation with you, and Cliff just had to butt in. Cove's Dad I don't butt in! She eyed him, chuckling in disbelief. He wasn't exactly disproving her point with that. Kyra leaned over to whisper to you. Kyra It's okay. He likes to be included. But since Clifford insisted on cooking all by himself, he'll have to wait. The two of us can chat. Her next question continued to be said in a hushed tone, just to be safe. Kyra So, how are you doing? Choice: "I'm doing good!" Choice: "Oh, uh, I'm good." Choice: "Things are okay." Choice: "I'm not really sure." Choice: You didn't reply to her question. No choice chosen. Choice: "I'm doing good!" Choice: "Oh, uh, I'm good." Choice: "Things are okay." Choice: "I'm not really sure." Choice: You didn't reply to her question. No choice chosen. Kyra That's what I like to hear. She opened her mouth to say something more, but some lightly pounding footsteps caught your attention. You checked to see Cove emerge from the hall a few moments later. He might've heard all the commotion and left his room to see what was going on. He quickly took stock of the situation. It was when you glanced away from Cove that you spotted his parents watching the two of you interact. Cove noticed their stares too, meeting them with narrowed eyes. COVE Are we having dinner now? Cove's Dad Not yet, bud! I'm still cooking. COVE Alright. I'm gonna go back to my room. Cove turned fully and made his way down the hall. Kyra Have fun, you two. Cove's Dad We'll call you when food's ready to go! With that, you followed after Cove. The two of you made your way down the hall. Choice: This was the first time you were invited to see Cove's room. Choice: You had visited Cove's room before, but only rarely. No choice chosen. Cove got to the door first, opening it and stepping inside. You joined him. There was a mat on the floor in front of the door. As you stepped over the threshold into his room, you felt the crunch of sand beneath your feet. You glanced down. Sand was clustered around the entrance. You even spotted smaller amounts of it dusting the rest of the room's floor. Though you hadn't anticipated it, you weren't surprised at the sight. Of course beach-boy Cove Holden would get his room all sandy. COVE Um, so... This is my room. Cove was a bit shy as he said so, fidgeting with the hem of his shirt using one hand and vaguely gesturing to the space with the other. COVE There's stuff you can sit on, if you want. You looked over at the desk chair as an option. When you turned back, Cove was already sitting on the edge of his large bed. Choice: "Are you trying to make your own beach with all this sand?" Choice: "It's nice." Choice: "Thanks for letting me come over." Choice: You weren't sure what to do. No choice chosen. COVE No. COVE But... It'd be cool if I could, though. Choice: You didn't sit anywhere. Choice: You sat down on the chair. No choice chosen. You moved in front of the open bookcase, situated in one corner of Cove's room. When Cove realized you weren't going to sit, he raised an eyebrow, but didn't push the topic. With a silence growing, your gaze began to drift. You stared at the bright fish swimming in the tank. There were a bunch of them, floating to and fro in the open space. They stood out starkly against the green aquarium plants. Jamie How long have you had those fish? COVE My dad bought them for me not very long after I moved here. I guess it's been years now... Jamie Wow. That's a long time. You peered carefully into the tank. The fish looked to be doing well, he must take good care of them. Most of them were small, but there was one especially big one. Jamie What are their names? COVE Um. I don't name them. Well, not really. You lifted an eyebrow at that, He continued the explanation sheepishly. COVE Mostly, I just call them things based on what they look like. "Squirt" for a small one, "Tangerine" for a really orange one. That sort of thing. COVE I've had a lot of fish and I'm not that good at coming up with names... Choice: You found that funny. Choice: You found that surprising. Choice: You found that relatable. No choice chosen. Who knew that was a weakness of his? It was an entertaining revelation. COVE Oh. A couple of them have other types of names. He pointed to a small orange-ish red fish. It was minding its own business, away from the others. COVE My dad named her Dreamcatcher. And that other one's Mark. Mom came up with that one. Cove smiled to himself, his eyes reflecting the glow from the tank. Jamie You let other people name your fish? COVE Yeah. It's nice. A silence fell over the two of you for a while, your attention solely on the fish tank. Jamie You know, I'm not allowed to have pets in my house, not even fish. The corners of Cove's lips turned down at that. COVE That doesn't sound fair. COVE It's not like fish would make a mess of your house or anything. You just gotta take care of their tank and feed them and they'll be okay. Choice: "Right? My moms can be strict over the weirdest things sometimes!" Choice: "I don't mind it too much." Choice: "I get it." No choice chosen. Jamie You have to do so much for a pet. It's a lot of work and responsibility. My moms take it super seriously and that's why they don't want to just get one. COVE That's true. Cove had been quiet for most of the story, apart from the reveal of the lizard. He had a thoughtful look on his face. COVE I can't even imagine what it'd be like to have a sibling. You gave serious thought to his statement, before you told him... Choice: "It's fun." Choice: "There are ups and downs." Choice: "You're lucky to be an only child!" Choice: "It's a nice idea in general, but my sister is Elizabeth." Choice: "I don't know how to explain what it's like." No choice chosen. Jamie It is how it is, I guess. Cove pursed his lips at the words, considering them quietly for a while. COVE That's... interesting. I think your family is cool. He didn't have much else to say. Though, while on the topic of your family, you considered your relationship with your moms, too. Choice: They were absolutely the best. Choice: You got along with your moms. Choice: You thought your moms were okay. Choice: You found your moms to be difficult to deal with. No choice chosen. You had disagreements with them, but at the end of the day, you loved them and they loved you. That was what really mattered. Well, say what you want about them, but at least your moms never tried to pay someone to be your friend. The thought prompted you to look over at Cove. He probably still didn't know that happened. You doubted that Mr. Holden mentioned it and you never had. You wondered if you should tell him. It was a long time ago, but you were keeping a secret from Cove... Choice: You didn't tell him. It was a bad time. Choice: You didn't tell him. You weren't sure how he'd react. Choice: You didn't tell him. Secrets were meant to be kept. Choice: You didn't tell him. You just didn't want to have that talk with Cove. Choice: You decided to tell him... No choice chosen. You took a deep, steadying breath to prepare yourself for the conversation. Now you just had to figure out how to tell him. Choice: "Cove. I have something important to tell you." Choice: "Hey, you wanna know something crazy?" Choice: "Please don't get mad about this, but..." No choice chosen. Cove's brow furrowed at your uncomfortable tone. He turned to give you his full attention. COVE About what? You stared into his bright ocean eyes. Choice: You chickened out. "Never mind". Choice: You told him the truth. No choice chosen. Jamie So, um. This was way back when you moved here, and- and the first time I met your dad, actually... Jamie Your dad, he, well. He offered to give me twenty dollars to be friends with you. Cove sat still. Uncharacteristically, there was an unreadable expression on his face. His eyes seemed to look through you, and you didn't know what to do next. Then, without saying a word, Cove stood up from his bed in a single motion and- he just bolted right out of the room. For a moment, you didn't move a muscle. You were in shock. This was... oh no. Your senses quickly came back. You shot out into the hall after him. You could see Cove down the way. He had already sprinted back to the living room. His arms were stock at his sides with hands tightly balled into fists. He might not have been facing you, but you didn't need to see his face to know now how he felt- Cove was furious. His parents were nearly finished setting the table. They greeted him, none the wiser of what was about to happen. Kyra Hey, what's up? When did you start running in the house? His parents were nearly finished setting the table. They greeted him, none the wiser of what was about to happen. Kyra Hey, what's up? When did you start running in the house? Cove's Dad Are you that famished? The parents' words didn't even register in his ears. Their child was wholly focused on another matter. He was practically shaking. Cove took one more step forward and glared up at his father's face. COVE You paid Jamie to be friends with me?! Mr. Holden froze. He looked like a helpless deer caught in the headlights. Kyra Clifford! Are you serious?! He whipped his head towards Kyra, his eyes wide and blinking rapidly. Cove's Dad It was only one time! The admission elicited an aghast expression from his ex-wife. Mr. Holden raised his hands up to gesture defensively. Cove's Dad I-It seemed like a good idea when it happened. She covered her eyes with one hand. It was clear that her patience was frayed, but she was not so shocked anymore. Mr. Holden bowed his head, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. The fact that she accepted this as something he'd do so easily seemed to be the most crushing part. Cove just stood there, fuming silently during their little aside. His eyebrows furrowed painfully and his eyes trembled. Choice: You felt so bad for Cove. Choice: You felt so bad for Mr. Holden. Choice: You felt so bad for Kyra. Choice: You felt so bad for yourself. Choice: You felt so bad for everybody. Choice: You thought this was uncomfortable. No choice chosen. Choice: You felt so bad for Cove. Choice: You felt so bad for Mr. Holden. Choice: You felt so bad for Kyra. Choice: You felt so bad for yourself. Choice: You felt so bad for everybody. Choice: You thought this was uncomfortable. No choice chosen. You tried not to get in the way. Maybe that way the others would forget you were even in the room. They were pretty distracted. Finally, after what felt like an eternity but must have been only minutes, the tense silence was broken by Cove. COVE I don't want to stay here. That immediately caught his parents' attention. They turned to him with twin expressions of worry. Cove's Dad Hey, wait a minute, bud... You don't... have to do that. Kyra There's still your room. We'll stay out of your way, I promise. Where could you go at this time of day? It's almost night. He stormed out of the house without waiting for another response. You jumped as the door slammed closed behind him. Choice: You immediately followed after Cove. Choice: You just stood there. No choice chosen. You didn't even take the time to say something to his stunned parents. You ran after Cove, shutting the door more softly behind you as you left. Choice: You immediately followed after Cove. Choice: You just stood there. Choice: You felt so bad for Cove. Choice: You felt so bad for Mr. Holden. Choice: You felt so bad for Kyra. Choice: You felt so bad for yourself. Choice: You felt so bad for everybody. Choice: You thought this was uncomfortable. His parents were nearly finished setting the table. They greeted him, none the wiser of what was about to happen. Kyra Hey, what's up? When did you start running in the house? Cove's Dad Are you that famished? The parents' words didn't even register in his ears. Their child was wholly focused on another matter. He was practically shaking. Cove took one more step forward and glared up at his father's face. COVE You paid Jamie to be friends with me?! Mr. Holden froze. He looked like a helpless deer caught in the headlights. Kyra Clifford! Are you serious?! He whipped his head towards Kyra, his eyes wide and blinking rapidly. Cove's Dad It was only one time! The admission elicited an aghast expression from his ex-wife. Mr. Holden raised his hands up to gesture defensively. Cove's Dad I-It seemed like a good idea when it happened. She covered her eyes with one hand. It was clear that her patience was frayed, but she was not so shocked anymore. Mr. Holden bowed his head, rubbing the back of his neck guiltily. The fact that she accepted this as something he'd do so easily seemed to be the most crushing part. Cove just stood there, fuming silently during their little aside. His eyebrows furrowed painfully and his eyes trembled. Choice: You felt so bad for Cove. Choice: You felt so bad for Mr. Holden. Choice: You felt so bad for Kyra. Choice: You felt so bad for yourself. Choice: You felt so bad for everybody. Choice: You thought this was uncomfortable. No choice chosen. She was blindsided by something someone else did years ago. Now she'll have to live with all this fallout. Finally, after what felt like an eternity but must have been only minutes, the tense silence was broken by Cove. COVE I don't want to stay here. That immediately caught his parents' attention. They turned to him with twin expressions of worry. Cove's Dad Hey, wait a minute, bud... You don't... have to do that. Kyra There's still your room. We'll stay out of your way, I promise. Where could you go at this time of day? It's almost night. He stormed out of the house without waiting for another response. You jumped as the door slammed closed behind him. Choice: You immediately followed after Cove. Choice: You just stood there. No choice chosen. Cove's parents sighed deeply in unison once the door was shut. For a handful of seconds, no one spoke again. Then Mr. Holden slumped his shoulders, his gaze still lowered. Cove's Dad Sorry, Kyra. Kyra shook her head. Though visibly unhappy, she seemed more disappointed than angry. Kyra I don't want to fight about this. Kyra I don't even want to talk about this, honestly. Unless there's anything else I should know that's been going on while I'm away. Cove's Dad No... there isn't. Kyra Then fine. Kyra Let's give Cove some time to calm down. We can try and convince him to come home later. Mr. Holden's mouth tightened, but he nodded in agreement. He seemed defeated. Cove's Dad Okay. You shifted your feet, feeling awkward. Kyra glanced over at you, her eyes widening as if she just realized that you were still there. Choice: You immediately followed after Cove. Choice: You just stood there. Choice: You felt so bad for Cove. Choice: You felt so bad for Mr. Holden. Choice: You felt so bad for Kyra. Choice: You felt so bad for yourself. Choice: You felt so bad for everybody. Choice: You thought this was uncomfortable. Choice: You chickened out. "Never mind". Choice: You told him the truth. Choice: "Cove. I have something important to tell you." Choice: "Hey, you wanna know something crazy?" Choice: "Please don't get mad about this, but..." Choice: You didn't tell him. It was a bad time. Choice: You didn't tell him. You weren't sure how he'd react. Choice: You didn't tell him. Secrets were meant to be kept. Choice: You didn't tell him. You just didn't want to have that talk with Cove. Choice: You decided to tell him... Choice: They were absolutely the best. Choice: You got along with your moms. Choice: You thought your moms were okay. Choice: You found your moms to be difficult to deal with. Choice: "It's fun." Choice: "There are ups and downs." Choice: "You're lucky to be an only child!" Choice: "It's a nice idea in general, but my sister is Elizabeth." Choice: "I don't know how to explain what it's like." Choice: "Right? My moms can be strict over the weirdest things sometimes!" Choice: "I don't mind it too much." Choice: "I get it." Choice: You found that funny. Choice: You found that surprising. Choice: You found that relatable. Choice: You didn't sit anywhere. Choice: You sat down on the chair. Choice: "Are you trying to make your own beach with all this sand?" Choice: "It's nice." Choice: "Thanks for letting me come over." Choice: You weren't sure what to do. --- Tue Mar 09 13:05:03 2021 Sunlight shone through the windows as you sat in your living room, your home phone pressed to your ear. Cove was on the other end. It'd been shaping up to be an ordinary day, like any other, until Cove had called unexpectedly. He sounded unusually nervous greeting you. You listened silently as he kept talking, his words stilted. COVE So. I was just, uh, wondering. Do you want to come over to my house for dinner tonight? The question came out strangely. Almost like he'd rehearsed it a few times beforehand. Your eyes widened a little. You hadn't expected this to be the reason behind the call. Choice: "Yeah, I'll go." Choice: "I can't." Choice: You kept listening. No choice chosen. COVE It was- huh? Oh. It seemed that Cove still had more to say. And you just interrupted him. Oops. COVE Cool. Well... He stumbled for a bit, trying to gather his thoughts again. COVE My mom and dad... they really want you to be there, if your parents don't have a problem with it. They asked me to ask you. You took a moment to think. Dinner at home would be quiet and uneventful today. If you really wanted to, you could go to Cove's instead. COVE Can you? Come over, I mean? Choice: "Yeah, I can come." Choice: "I'll have to ask my moms and get back to you." Choice: "No, I can't make it." Choice: "Why am I the only one invited? Or did you mean the whole family?" No choice chosen. He spoke to you for a little while longer, to explain what time to come over and other details, then hung up. And that was that, for now anyway. Soon enough, the sun dipped out of the sky and evening came. It was time for you to head to Cove's house. After letting Elizabeth know you were leaving-she didn't look away from the TV, just grunted-you made the small journey across the street. You knocked a couple times on the heavy door to their condo. As you waited for an answer, you found yourself contemplating being a guest while both of Cove's parents were there. Choice: It was exciting. Choice: You were apprehensive. Choice: The idea made you curious. Choice: You didn't think it would be especially interesting. Choice: You couldn't say you were thrilled. No choice chosen. You were getting antsy, and it hadn't even started yet. You didn't get too much time with your thoughts, though. The door opened soon enough. Cove's mom, Kyra, stood in the frame, smiling warmly at you. Kyra Heya, Jamie! Welcome! Please, come on in. Kyra Heya, Jamie! Welcome! Please, come on in. She opened the door wider and moved to make room. You stepped inside, allowing her to shut it behind you. Kyra Thanks so much for coming over. I know it was kind of last second! Kyra Of course. Just make yourself at home. It's not my home but I've been given permission to say that. Cove's Dad Hey, Jamie! Welcome to our humble abode! You jerked your head towards the sound of Mr. Holden's voice. He waved at you briefly from the kitchen, with his back turned and a large spoon in hand. Cove's Dad Hope you're hungry, because I'm whipping up a lot of tasty stuff! True to his word, you heard something sizzling on the stove. You closed your eyes and inhaled. It smelled spicy and savory. With Mr. Holden busy, and Cove nowhere to be seen, it was just you and Kyra. She gave you a wry smile. Kyra He sure is. While I've been barred from cooking the entire time I'm staying here. Can you believe that? She nudged you with an elbow. Mr. Holden scoffed good-naturedly, then spoke from over his shoulder. Cove's Dad You're on vacation, Kyra! You need to accept that already! She yelled back, amusement obvious on her face and in her tone. Kyra People still cook when they're on vacation! Everyone's gotta eat! Kyra It's not like I'm some celebrity who can go out for every meal or hire a private chef. Cove's Dad Well, in this house, you're a VIP! Kyra smiled and shook her head quietly. Then she turned to face you once more. Kyra Sorry about that, Jamie. Here I was, trying to strike up a conversation with you, and Cliff just had to butt in. Cove's Dad I don't butt in! She eyed him, chuckling in disbelief. He wasn't exactly disproving her point with that. Kyra leaned over to whisper to you. Kyra It's okay. He likes to be included. But since Clifford insisted on cooking all by himself, he'll have to wait. The two of us can chat. Her next question continued to be said in a hushed tone, just to be safe. Kyra smiled and shook her head quietly. Then she turned to face you once more. Kyra Sorry about that, Jamie. Here I was, trying to strike up a conversation with you, and Cliff just had to butt in. Cove's Dad I don't butt in! She eyed him, chuckling in disbelief. He wasn't exactly disproving her point with that. Kyra Sorry about that, Jamie. Here I was, trying to strike up a conversation with you, and Cliff just had to butt in. Cove's Dad I don't butt in! Cove's Dad I don't butt in! Kyra Sorry about that, Jamie. Here I was, trying to strike up a conversation with you, and Cliff just had to butt in. Cove's Dad I don't butt in! --- Tue Mar 09 13:12:10 2021 Moths bounced against your window, attracted by the light of your room, a siren call in the slowly darkening sky. Just as the day was coming to an end, so too would summer. Liz would be moving back into the dorms before long. Luckily, Lee had been able to come stay for a short trip before her own new journey began. She'd officially been accepted to her first-choice college a few weeks ago. This was her last chance to see you all in person for... You flicked through the plans for the next few months, realizing that you didn't even know when you'd next have the opportunity for everyone to be in the same place again. It was hard to think that you'd likely be seeing even less of your cousin going forward, but you were delighted that she was pursuing her dreams. While you were still with each other, your family was going to have dinner together. As ever, the Holdens were tagging along, too. Choice: You were going to the Chinese restaurant. Choice: Your destination was that tropical place. No choice chosen. It was somewhere your family had always enjoyed going, ever since you and Liz were tiny. That longstanding connection made it a fitting location for a final meal out before Liz and Lee set off again. Technically, you were getting ready to go out, though your mind was only half on the task. It was a pleasantly warm evening, the kind that epitomized the vacation feeling, and you were in no mood to spoil it by rushing around. It was strange to think that summer was coming to an end, yet you wouldn't be returning to school. That pattern had been in place for as long as you could remember, and had come to feel like a natural rhythm, as inescapable as the coming of the tide. This was the first time that you were going to be able to set your own tune. Whatever came next was entirely up to you... Choice: The future looked bright. Choice: You couldn't wait to start your new life. Choice: You were nervous but ready. Choice: It was all so uncertain. It worried you. Choice: Just thinking about it made you queasy with stress. No choice chosen. While you couldn't know what it would bring, you were confident that you would make a success of it all. Mom called up from downstairs, tearing you from your thoughts as she told you it was time to head off. You raced downstairs, looking forward to the evening. Everyone piled into the car. While it was marketed as being suitable to hold five people, in practice it made for a very tight fit. Your moms, sitting in the front, were fine. You, Liz, and Lee were squished into the back, Lee in the middle, wedged between you and your sister. But Mom was an excellent time-keeper. Thanks to her efforts, you pulled up near the restaurant on time. The process of getting out of the car was slightly easier than squeezing into it, with much less coordination required to release seatbelts than to secure them. You gave Lee a hand as she clambered out from the middle seat, then headed into the building as a group. A waiter greeted you as you entered. Ma let him know how many of you there would be in total, and he went to arrange a table that met your needs. He returned promptly to guide you to your seats. You perched comfortably in your chair, your head held aloft as if buoyed by today's good fortune. Your family settled down around you, all cheerful and looking forward to the evening ahead. Your drinks order had just been taken when the Holdens came through the door. They were pointed in your direction, though with Mom waving an arm in the air it was hardly necessary. Cove and Mr. Holden came to join you at the table. LEE It's great to see you. LIZ Glad you could make it. Mr. Holden Hello everyone, you wouldn't believe how hungry I am. Mom You came to the right place, then. There was some laughter, though Liz groaned playfully, shaking her head at Mom's sense of humor. Growing up, she'd have complained, and Mom would've responded by making another comment. Liz had mellowed over the years, but she still made a show of despairing at Mom's jokes. Her reaction to them had become a joke in its own right. Menus were soon passed around and a temporary hush fell over the table as everyone read. It didn't last long, punctured by comments about what people had eaten here before and light chatter about what people were considering tonight. Once the waiter had disappeared with your orders, Cliff piped up. Mr. Holden So, I've got some good news. Kyra's making a trip out here tomorrow! Cove nodded, turning from his father to the rest of the table. COVE Yeah, we talked about it and figured this was a good time for everyone. LEE That's great! Everyone reacted positively to the news, though Ma looked wistful. Ma If only we'd known... Here we are, having a big meal without her. If we'd waited one day, she could have joined us. Mom patted Ma on the back, gently nudging her from the realm of possibilities and 'what ifs' and back to the evening that was going so well. Mom Chin up. Lee and Liz will still be here tomorrow. We'll just have to throw another get together and keep the fun train chugging along. Ma smiled warmly, taking Mom's hand in hers. Ma That's true. There's plenty to celebrate right now, but there will be more good news and good times on the horizon. Mr. Holden Right! And speaking of, that's not all we've got either. Mr. Holden's eyes were alight as he sat up straight in his chair, face angled towards his son. He barely let a beat go by before nudging Cove with his elbow, pushing him to follow up on the announcement. He was the very picture of a proud papa. Cove shied from the limelight, ducking his head down and staring at his lap as he spoke. COVE Well, it's just, I've switched over to working full time instead of only part time. Plus, I've been looking at apartments - there's a few I can choose from. He flicked his gaze up at everyone around the table, a smile creeping over his face. COVE I'll be pretty busy going forward. Mr. Holden gripped one of Cove's shoulders and gave it a loving shake, his excitement couldn't be contained. Mr. Holden Incredible. Cove's actually going to make it to adulthood. It's a miracle. Mr. Holden leaned back in his chair, staring up at the ceiling in mock wonder. Mr. Holden I wasn't convinced I'd be able to rear a kid all the way to this point, but thankfully I lucked out and got the best boy a dad could've asked for. COVE Dad... Cove blinkered his vision with his hands on the side of his face, temporarily blocking his father from sight. Despite his genuine bashfulness, which left him unable to meet anyone's eyes after all the attention thrust his way, he was happy. COVE Thanks. I was really lucky, too. You're a good dad. Mr. Holden Aw! C'mere. Mr. Holden threw an arm around Cove's neck, pulling him into as close of a hug as the seating allowed. He rubbed his cheek on the top of his son's head while Cove chuckled, accepting the affection with good humor. You looked around at the faces of the company here. You'd been on this journey with everyone here for years, seen them falter and grow, and they had watched you go through the same. Now you were striking out on a new path. Cove was leaving his family home. Liz was heading back to college, while Lee was starting at hers. You were all heading in different directions, to different destinations. Some near and some far, but it wouldn't be long until you were all going your own way... Choice: Your heart swelled with pride for everyone. Choice: It was bittersweet. Choice: The thought troubled you. No choice chosen. You held your head aloft as you looked forward, literally and metaphorically. It was amazing how far you'd all come. You were sure that you would face each day that came head on, knowing that you had people who cared about you backing you up, even if it was from a distance. You couldn't wait to see what happened next. Cove started pulling on the hem of his shirt. He turned his head back to face you, but it was an awkward movement. COVE Well, I... I wanted to talk to you one-on-one about all this. You know- my work, moving... COVE I mean, it was coming before, but now it's pretty much here. Jamie Yeah, it's exciting. Cove stopped picking at his shirt and he seemed to respond well to that response. He was relieved you weren't upset about it. COVE I'm glad you think so. But then he looked down and his brows furrowed. You saw his hand shift away from his clothes to instead rub at his arm. Jamie Are you looking forward to it? COVE I am. COVE Well, I'm trying to be... He ducked his head further and you saw his face start to redden. COVE But, it's scary. I don't want things to end. Choice: "C'mon, you don't need to worry." Choice: "You're going to do great things." Choice: "So, you're saying you're going to dress up as The Future for Halloween." No choice chosen. Jamie It may be scary now, but it'll be worth it. COVE It could be... Cove then turned his head away and wrapped his arms around himself. You felt a sudden chill that definitely wasn't caused by the air conditioner. COVE I was just thinking... COVE Are we really gonna stay friends? His words came out hesitantly. He didn't want to ask this. He didn't want a no. COVE I'm not just talking about today, but forever- always. Even if things change later, right now do you feel we can make it? COVE Or... do you think we can't last? That one day, we'll have to move on? Choice: You were as worried as he was. Choice: You got mad at him for this. Choice: You kept calm. No choice chosen. Had you given him any reason at all to ask something like that? No! Choice: "Why did you have to bring this up now?" Choice: You began to tear up. Choice: "I don't know, Cove, I don't know anything." Choice: "You should already know the answer to that." Choice: You just glared furiously at him. No choice chosen. He flinched. You don't think he expected your anger. If anything, this made you glare with more venom. COVE I'm so sorry. COVE I didn't wanna make you feel bad by bringing this up! Just... I... I don't know what I wanted. COVE But I felt I had to say something about this. If not now, then when? Out of the corner of your eye, you noticed a nearby table of people were staring. Cove's outburst had attracted attention. The eyes on you just made things worse. You felt overwhelmed, smothered by everything going on. You couldn't handle this. Jamie I need some air. Alone. Cove seemed pained, but he didn't protest when you brushed past him and left the restaurant. There was nowhere else to go but out. You stepped onto the sidewalk. A couple cars drove by on the main street and the breeze hit your face. You took a few deep breaths now that that conversation was no longer suffocating you. You weren't quite sure what to do next. Gaining space had been the only plan. You patted your sides on reflex and pulled out the spare key for your moms' car. Walking fast, you went down the sidewalk to the part of the street where your parents had parked. You remembered going past a particular building on the way into the restaurant and managed to backtrack your way to the car without incident. You unlocked the car with a shaky push of the button. The headlights flashed. You pulled open one of the backdoors and tucked yourself inside. You shut the door and the car beeped when you locked it again. While putting the key away, you switched it out for your phone. There were concerned messages from your family. Were you okay? Was something happening? Another text came in from your sister at that moment. You didn't respond to any of it and held down the power button. You looked back at your phone and stared at the black, blank screen. You could see part of your face reflecting back at you. Then you dropped your phone on the seat. Choice: You cried. Choice: You groaned loudly. Choice: You sat completely still. Choice: "Why did you have to bring this up now?" Choice: You began to tear up. Choice: "I don't know, Cove, I don't know anything." Choice: "You should already know the answer to that." Choice: You just glared furiously at him. Choice: You were as worried as he was. Choice: You got mad at him for this. Choice: You kept calm. Choice: "C'mon, you don't need to worry." Choice: "You're going to do great things." Choice: "So, you're saying you're going to dress up as The Future for Halloween." Choice: Your heart swelled with pride for everyone. Choice: It was bittersweet. Choice: The thought troubled you. Mr. Holden threw an arm around Cove's neck, pulling him into as close of a hug as the seating allowed. He rubbed his cheek on the top of his son's head while Cove chuckled, accepting the affection with good humor. You looked around at the faces of the company here. You'd been on this journey with everyone here for years, seen them falter and grow, and they had watched you go through the same. Now you were striking out on a new path. Cove was leaving his family home. Liz was heading back to college, while Lee was starting at hers. You were all heading in different directions, to different destinations. Some near and some far, but it wouldn't be long until you were all going your own way... Choice: Your heart swelled with pride for everyone. Choice: It was bittersweet. Choice: The thought troubled you. No choice chosen. You turned your head to the side, wistful, not wanting to spoil the evening with your troubles. You were glad that everyone was succeeding, but the idea of splitting up gave you a twinge of regret. These people had been key pillars in your life. Days ahead without them, no matter how bright and shiny, felt a little empty, like a theme park after closing time. Choice: But you focused your mind on the sweet side. Choice: Your mind filled with the bitter part. No choice chosen. Cove started pulling on the hem of his shirt. He turned his head back to face you, but it was an awkward movement. COVE Well, I... I wanted to talk to you one-on-one about all this. You know- my work, moving... COVE I mean, it was coming before, but now it's pretty much here. Jamie Yeah, it's exciting. Cove stopped picking at his shirt and he seemed to respond well to that response. He was relieved you weren't upset about it. COVE I'm glad you think so. But then he looked down and his brows furrowed. You saw his hand shift away from his clothes to instead rub at his arm. Jamie Are you looking forward to it? COVE I am. COVE Well, I'm trying to be... He ducked his head further and you saw his face start to redden. COVE But, it's scary. I don't want things to end. Choice: "C'mon, you don't need to worry." Choice: "You're going to do great things." Choice: "So, you're saying you're going to dress up as The Future for Halloween." No choice chosen. COVE Thanks. Cove then turned his head away and wrapped his arms around himself. You felt a sudden chill that definitely wasn't caused by the air conditioner. COVE I was just thinking... COVE Are we really gonna stay friends? His words came out hesitantly. He didn't want to ask this. He didn't want a no. COVE I'm not just talking about today, but forever- always. Even if things change later, right now do you feel we can make it? COVE Or... do you think we can't last? That one day, we'll have to move on? Choice: You were as worried as he was. Choice: You got mad at him for this. Choice: You kept calm. No choice chosen. You understood his concern. It was definitely hard to imagine what would happen. However, you didn't let yourself get upset. Things relaxed and you took a sip of your drink. Lee idly tapped the table and got your attention. LEE I'm so excited to try this place! LIZ Mmm. LIZ I haven't been here in a long time. I hope it's as good as I remember. Mr. Holden All the restaurants in the area are pretty top notch in my humble opinion. LIZ We'll see. It was a challenge issued. Liz carried herself like some sort of professional food critic, and mom snorted. Mom Tough crowd, geez, Liz! Ma giggled and chimed in as well, much to Liz's embarrassment. Ma That's right, Lizzie, geez! LEE Oh, geez Louise! Choice: "Geez." Choice: "Rude!" Choice: "Hey, be nice to Liz." Choice: You shook your head at all the silliness. No choice chosen. Jamie She doesn't even say it that much anymore. Everyone burst out laughing, besides Liz of course. She smirked. No one could ever accuse your family of being no fun. Night fell soon after everyone finished their meals, and before you knew it, you were standing in the parking lot, saying your goodbyes, and packing up the cars to go home. After the last of the chores were done, your family spent some more time together. The rest of the night felt like it was going by in a blink of an eye, and somehow the time came to retire to your room to sleep... You pulled your covers up under your chin and settled down for the night, getting warm and cozy. As your head sank into your pillow and you closed your eyes, your mind drifted back to everything that had happened that day. You could see it all now, behind your eyelids, as though you were experiencing it all over again. And then the image of Cove popped into your head, and you smiled softly to yourself... Choice: You decided to send him a text to chat. Choice: You texted him to come over. Choice: You wanted to sneak out to his room. Choice: You were feeling tired, so you snuggled deeper into your bed. No choice chosen. Taking your phone from your bedside table, you lay on your back and held it above your face, typing out a message to Cove. He didn't reply, and you let out a defeated sigh as you locked your phone screen and let your arms fall back down. He must have fallen asleep... Suddenly, your phone buzzed in your hand, and you scrambled to check the message that had just come through. It was Cove! Phone 2 Yeah, what's going on? Choice: nothing much. Choice: i'm trying to sleep Choice: I'm texting you that's what Choice: :) --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:10 2021 It was another scorching summer day, the kind where no sooner had you finished one cup of water, you were already filling it up again. Everyone else had something on, so that afternoon it was just you and Shiloh. This didn't happen much, especially since Cove had arrived. Without Lizzie around, Shiloh looked to you for all the answers. It made you feel... Choice: Pleased. Choice: Frustrated. Choice: Nothing really. No choice chosen. You might not be in double digits like your sister, but he was only seven. Being the oldest and getting to be the leader was a nice change of pace. You drained yet another drink and frowned at the empty vessel. Your thirst was gone, but you still craved something icy cold and refreshing. Something sweet. Something like: Choice: A popsicle. Choice: An ice cream cone. Choice: An ice cream sandwich. No choice chosen. You wanted something fruity and brightly colored. There was nothing like that to be found at home. You knew that without needing to look. Your moms didn't keep sweets in the house. Outside there were plenty of places where such goodies could be obtained, but they were shops and demanded payment in exchange for their products. Choice: You sighed. Choice: You voiced your predicament aloud. Choice: You asked Shiloh for help. No choice chosen. Jamie Shiloh, do you have any money? SHILOH Oh. Let me check! That was easy. You felt like you should tell him why you were asking. Jamie Thanks. I want a popsicle, but my moms don't keep any here. Shiloh rummaged in his backpack and proudly produced an assortment of coins, plus one stray button. You set the button aside and counted the coins in neat piles. Just over a dollar. You announced this to Shiloh. He had almost certainly come to the same conclusion, but he'd been watching you expectantly. Choice: "It's not enough." Choice: "It's a start." --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:43 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:44 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:46 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:48 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:48 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:49 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:14:49 2021 --- Tue Mar 09 13:15:31 2021 From the moment you woke up, you knew that today was going to be busier than usual. There was a list of errands that needed to be finished before the day was done. First up was visiting one of the biggest farmers' markets in the area. It was only open two weekends a month during certain parts of the year. It was rare that you and your family were able to attend, so your moms liked to make the most out of every minute of it. And you realized it was not just them feeling that way, when you heard a whistle from your left side. Mr. Holden Wow, this is a swanky show. Vegetables have never seemed so highbrow. Mom Seriously, they don't mess around with their products. Ma Isn't it exciting? Liz crossed her arms; you could tell she was amused. LIZ We couldn't have picked a more perfect trip. It's been too long since we've had a {i}true family outing{/i}. Her teasing tone said more than she actually did. Your next-door neighbors had joined you this day and that's what made it a 'true family outing'. The three parents laughed approvingly. Out of the corner of your eye, you caught Cove looking at you sympathetically. Some things never changed, and some jokes never died. You'd long accepted that. Choice: You were excited to check things out. Choice: You thought this trip might be fun. Choice: You shrugged, feeling indifferent. Choice: You felt uncomfortable. Choice: You were in a bad mood. This trip was a waste of your time. No choice chosen. There were so many stalls. You couldn't even imagine what hidden gems you might find among them. Bubbling with anticipation, you smiled. Mr. Holden Well, I'm ready to get started. I've got plenty of dishes in mind I could use ingredients for. Before your moms responded to that, they glanced at each other and smiled. Ma Yes, that's a very good idea, Cliff. This place is much larger than it seems. It's difficult to visit each part in a single day. Mr. Holden I'm sure we can make a decent dent together at least.