1.1. The Roommate

Flora couldn’t believe her luck.

She had expected--like most sims in her generation--to rent forever. So when the opportunity arose to buy a home on the cheap in the mountains of Hidden Springs, she jumped at it. It had wiped out the entirety of her savings, but she could proudly say she was a homeowner at the age of 18.

The house was rickety, as was the dust-ridden barn. The fireplace didn’t seem to work properly, and there was--at the moment of purchase--no stove. But it did come with, of all things, a horse.

The owner had died shortly after purchasing the horse, an appaloosa named Bourbon. The realtor had promised Flora he’d be gone before move-in. Flora instead included the horse in her negotiations. She wasn’t used to living alone, after all, so a built in room mate--even one that didn’t pay rent--was welcome.

Flora had gone horse riding before, back in Aurora Skies. For much of her freshman and sophomore years, she would spend her weekly allowance at the stables, where it cost §10 to ride one of the stable’s weary horses, and §2 for a bottle of water after. That experience left Flora with a highly inflated sense of horsewomanship prior to this day. 

In truth, she barely remembered how to mount a horse.

As soon as she was settled in the seat, Bourbon began to trot. Flora’s stomach sank. Suddenly it occurred to her how much could go wrong: she could fall and hit her head. Bourbon could stumble on a slope and break a leg. She could default on her mortgage and be foreclosed upon. After all, she had no job, no high school diploma, and no plan beyond the next day.

Inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale. Out with worry, in with focusing on not breaking her neck.

Whenever Flora rode him, Bourbon would go no faster than a mild trot. At the stables, though, he let loose. The stallion had a knack for racing. It seemed the only thinking holding him back was his rider.

Flora knitted her brow as she watched him. She’d heard gossip at the stables about the money a good jockey could make. She didn’t know much about riding, but she was light, determined, and unemployed--a triple threat.

***

 

“Are you ready?” Flora asked. Bourbon snorted in response.

It was the night of the Hidden Springs Racing Cup. One of the trainers at the stable suggested it, as it was considered one of the easier cups in Simnation racing. With a deep breath,  she steered Bourbon into the equestrian center.

They came in fourth place. Not great, but enough for a couple hundred simoleons.

It seemed once Bourbon got started, he couldn’t stop. Once out of the equestrian center, he galloped home, a terrified Flora clinging to the reins. “Slow down, you beast!” She yelled. He whinnied, ignoring his rider. This race home would become routine over the following weeks, and would increase in speed as Flora and Bourbon climbed the ranks of the Hidden Springs equestrian scene.

***

While her evenings training and racing Bourbon were enjoyable, mornings were often difficult. Flora woke up alone, a fact she wasn’t used to since she had spent the first seventeen and a half years of her life sharing a room with her twin sister. It was impossible to cook with no stove, and her morning showers were often freezing cold. She relied on the sun for warmth and her small garden for food. Still, she had the basics, although they cost most of her racing winnings.

With the foundation of Maslow’s Hierarchy met, Flora found herself longing for something else: human companionship. The desire grew and grew, until she decided to give in. She saddled up Bourbon for the day, but headed to the library instead of the stables.

The ride to town was nerve-racking, in large part due to the inconsiderate nature of Hidden Springs’ drivers. “Get off the road!” one particularly violent driver screamed out the window as he swerved dangerously close to Flora and Bourbon. The stallion snorted as he clopped to the side, and Flora clutched his reins tighter.

Once at the library, Flora opened Hidden Springs’ Gregslist. She typed quickly:

Room for rent. Shared bathroom and kitchen. §200 a week, including utilities. No smokers!

She was surprised only moments later when her email pinged:

Greetings,
I’m interested in your rental. Could we meet tonight @ 6:30 PM at 32-Bit Arcade to discuss the terms? I promise I’m not a smoker!
Regards,
Liam

She frowned at the suggestion--missing tonight’s race would mean a decreased income, after all. She wasn’t crazy about the idea of a male roommate, either. Still, she responded affirmatively.

Flora arrived at the arcade at 6:30 on the dot. She found a young man with a shock of ginger hair loitering by the door. He was hardly taller than her, and possibly 15 pounds lighter.

“Liam?” She asked.

“That’s me,” he answered as he stuck out his hand, “Liam O’Dourke.”

The corners of her mouth twitched as she accepted his hand. “O’Dourke?”

He smiled. “Dourke by name, dork by nature. You must be Flora. Flora…?”

“Trémaux. Flora Trémaux.”

“Nice to meet you, Flora. I figured you’d want to meet in a neutral location at first, you know.”

“Um, I appreciate that. Do you want to see the room?”

“Let’s hang out a little, first,” he suggested. “No offense, but I’ve had bad luck before. I’d feel better knowing a bit more about you before we continue.”

“Good idea,” Flora agreed.

At Flora’s suggestion, the pair settled in at an arcade table.


“I haven’t played this since, um--well, since I left home,” Flora smiled weakly.

“Aurora Skies?” Liam quirked an eyebrow.

Her eyes widened. “How could you tell?”

“The accent is slight, but I went to college with a girl from Aurora Skies. The way you say s’s is a giveaway,” he shrugged.

“Gee, thanks--I hadn’t been self-conscious before you said that,” she frowned.

Liam laughed awkwardly. “I’m sorry. I can be a know-it-all. I don’t mean to be callous about it.”

“Whatever, O’Dourke. Get ready to eat it.”

“Eww,” Liam shook his hand, “my controller is sticky.”

“Excuses, excuses,” Flora shrugged.

The two played game after game, and before Flora knew it she had spent §30. She had also told him about her family (omitting the supernatural elements), her highschool (omitting her lack of degree), and her house (omitting the poor plumbing and lack of stove). In turn, she learned Liam was a scientist and a saggitarius.

He, on the other hand, learned Flora was difficult to beat, and easy to talk to.

As the night wore on, Flora’s eyelids grew heavier. Finally, she managed to tear herself away from the arcade table.

“I have to go home now,” she said, “but would you be interested in seeing the room tomorrow?”

“Definitely,” Liam smiled. “I think we’re a good match, Flora Trémaux. I’ll see you after work.”

The following day was bright and warm, fortuitously pleasant. Flora met Liam on the porch.

“Thanks for coming by,” she said as she shook his hand. “I hope you’re still interested after the, um, tour.”

“I’m already impressed by the curb appeal,” he smiled.

“You don’t have to lie, Liam.”

The tour took only a moment. Flora had dusted the fireplace mantle and windowsills, and polished the scratched hardwood floor as much as possible. It was like putting lipstick on a pig, however--nothing could make the house, and Liam’s potential room, look appealing.

“Well--this is it,” she smiled, arms wide.

Liam tapped his index finger against his chin. “When can I move in?” He asked, “tomorrow? This weekend?”

Her mouth dropped. “Are--are you serious?”

“I mean, it’s not as nice as my current home, but the rent is cheaper and it’s close to work. Plus it gets lonely living alone. I’m sure you’re aware of that.”

“Very true,” Flora agreed, “and I am exceptionally good company.”

“Besides, with my rent payments, you’ll be able to buy some furniture and make some improvements. I have tomorrow off. I can start moving then.”

She threw her arms around him. “Thank you--this is a huge relief.”

“Tomorrow it is,” he laughed.

***

Author’s note: I had a save in Hidden Springs EONS ago, back when I had a much shittier computer and no blog (ca. 2011, iirc). Liam quickly became my favorite pre-made in that save, and I was happy to include him in this legacy, with a minor makeover since too many pre-mades in HS have permanent smiles. He brings with him the secondary income: science! I learned from the wiki that his LTW is randomized in each save. In this one, he wants to adopt six strays.This generation’s goal is “fulfilled,” so that will be an annoying one. :/

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