GOING AGAINST THE GRAIN

Jadyn couldn’t deny that - the fact that Aramore was a small town was one of the things that had initially attracted him to the place - but he couldn’t help but feel a little bored after the hubbub of Brighton. “I’ll just have to come up with something to fill up all of this free time.” 

“Is that so? And is there something in particular you had in mind?” Katherine raised a brow, the edge of mouth tugging up. Finishing the last of her drink, she placed the glass on the counter. “Actually, forget I asked. So how long have you been in Aramore?”

“I don’t know how many times I have to tell people this but this is just my face. I can’t change it.”

“I know you normally look grumpy and can be bitchy but even for you this seems to be a new level.”

Cassie swung her head round to Katie, mouth dropping wide. “You mean you don’t?” She asked in surprise, flicking her friend on the side. “Don’t you think it’s completely adventurous, magical, romantic.” She paused for a moment, as if in thought, before adding: “Although now I think about it, it sounds like just the sort of thing a Tourist Board would make up to bring in more visitors.” Well maybe she still believed it… A little. 

“No. I don’t.” If anything Kate found it all ridiculous, even if she could admit herself that the situation with the town was slightly peculiar. “C’mon Cass, does it look like I like that kind of thing? And don’t let anyone else hear you say that. We don’t need anymore tourists here.”

“And you think talking to me is.. what? Going to change my mood and turn the world into sunshine and rainbows?”

“Oh, no, not at all. I know that’s beyond possible with you. I was hoping that if you’re taking it out on me, then it’s not directed elsewhere.”

It wasn’t often that Saf left the house. Although her job couldn’t really be classed as demanding, as such, it often required that she spent a significant amount of time in her room. The result of this? She barely spent any town in the beautiful snowy town that she called her home. On one of her rare days off - updates - she decided to go out and explore. She knew that her housemate Melina worked at Cover to Coffee and a familiar face was always appreciated when surrounded by strangers. Pushing open the doors, she smiled at the little tinkling bell that sounded, before looking inside. It was completely packed. She couldn’t see a spare seat in the house, which was to be expected since she’d come on a Saturday. Fingernails scratched over skin as her eyes darted around nervously, too scared to walk forwards but also too embarrassed to turn around and walk straight back out. But she spotted an empty seat tucked under a table where someone was already sitting. Cheeks flush, she headed towards them. “Can I_ I mean, do you mind if I sit here?” 

Kate had been sat on her break reading her most recent book of choice with a cup of coffee, having already demolished her sandwich when the new voice interrupted her. When she looked up, she made sure to politely smile considering she was still at work and they could potentially be a customer. “Help yourself. I haven’t got long left anyway and then it’s all yours.” Kate was sure she recognised her, she’d seen her with Melina a few times.

It had been a long night. Jadyn wasn’t a stranger to hard work - he’d been working the grind for all his life - but as it got later he could feel the day taking its toll. The glasses were cleaned, the floor was swept, and there were only a few patrons left in the Drovers Inn that night. One of them was sat at the bar and Jadyn moved towards them, a smile stretching across his lips as he leaned against the bar beside them. “So, is it always this quiet? Or did Marcus just warn everyone that it was the new guy on tonight?” 

It wasn’t the first time that Katie had seen the newcomer around town, in fact he appeared to be the current gossip of the tittering girls who were currently hunched round a table in the corner. “Well it is a small town after all. I have a funny feeling that if it were the other reason, it would have had the opposite affect and it would be rather busy.”

“I’m being the same amount of bitch that I always am but that’s for your concern.”

“It’s not concern for you, don’t worry, it’s more concern for the others that may encounter your wrath.”

“Nothing’s up, I just want this day to be over,” he grumbled. It was his first break of the day and he’d been working for far too many hours and he just wanted to smoke in peace but no. Apparently that wasn’t happening today. “Seriously. Nothing’s up.”

“We both know that’s a lie.” Katie frowned, her brows creasing as she watched him concerned. She slowly sat down next to him, as if to give him a chance to stop her and say no, knowing that she wasn’t always able to tell when she had gone to far with her intruding and boundary pushing. “I know we don’t really know each other, or haven’t known each other for very long but I can clearly see something is going on.”

A few people could come to mind. The people working on my father’s site. Elise.

Excuse me? What makes you think that I would have a threesome?

“It’s not that I want to ruin them. I just don’t understand why they have to build unnecessary buildings and destroy parts of the town that make it beautiful. I want to protect the town.” 

“If we’re lucky, we might find Mother Nairna.” She followed up her words with a spooky ‘oooh’ noise, hands dancing by her face to accentuate the spooky. With a laugh, Cassie slapped the back of her hand against Katie’s shoulder. “Stop being such a miseryguts. It’s February not July! I’d rather snow over rain any day.” 

“Oh please don’t tell me you’ve joined the that mumbo jumbo?” Gently shoving Cassie’s shoulder playfully as she rolled her eyes laughing at her friend’s dramatics, unsure if her friend actually believed in any of that silly superstition and town lore. “It’s easy for you to say that, you haven’t had to deal with it all your life.” 

Noah nodded sadly. “If they’re not looked after, they could easily fall into disrepair.” There was a lot to be done to maintain historical landmarks like this, the town just didn’t seem to be interested in doing it. “I can’t say I’m a fan,” he confessed. “I think Aramore is nicer as a small town; I don’t understand why the McMorgan’s think they need to industrialise everything.” 

“Okay, so how do we stop it? Can a petition not be done or donations?” Katherine was wondering whether her savings account her grandparents had set up could finally be put to good use. “That’s the McMorgan’s for you. If they can profit or increase their bank balance, they’ll jump at the chance.” There was a hint of sadness to Katherine as she spoke about her family, she couldn’t help but wonder how many of the town disliked the McMorgan’s because of their plans for the town. “We just have to be on top.” She hadn’t realised her mistake until it was too late.