5.07 When you do it with friends

"So, junior prom next week, anybody have plans yet?", asked Jessica. "That gross Michael Tolliver asked me to go with him, I told him I wasn't even sure I was going and I'd have to get back to him.", Cindy offered.

"Kim gave me a catalogue full of designer prom dresses to choose from.", Delilah added to the conversation.
"Yeah, well, my parents have forty five kids to feed, so I won't be going, and certainly not in any dress from a catalogue like that.", Evie complained.

"Sally went to prom, and Sally is going to University, how come she gets to do that and you don't? Why is she special?", asked Delilah angrily.

"Because she paid for it all herself, Sally has worked hard all of her life to be able to see the world outside the reservation.", Evie defended her sister, "Very few of our tribe have any interest in the world beyond the reservation borders, the only reason my litter even went to a public school was because there wasn't enough room at the reservation school, and they couldn't afford to expand."

Eve continued, "And once they did build extra classrooms, my brothers went back to the reservation school, the only reason I'm still here is because Sally argued with our parents to let me stay!"

Cindy interjected to defuse the situation, "Yeah, I might not go either, those prom's always turn into a bitchfest as soon as someone discovers you are wearing the same dress as them, and there is always fights because you looked sideways at someone else's date."

"Okay listen up, I think I have a solution!", stated Jessica, trying to swing the mood back to a more positive tone. "Evie, you are really good with a sewing machine, yeah?", Jess asked. "Yeah, with so many brothers, I had to learn, because Mama couldn't keep up with all the repairs."

"Excellent, I know where to get the materials we'll need, I've got the money for it. We will make our own unique dresses, and the four of us will go together, problem solved.", Jessica decreed, "Are we all in?"

 That night Jessica dreamed of the prom, it was a magical night,

and the spotlight was on Jess and her closest friends all night.

Part of Jessica's grand plan for her friends and herself to hold the spotlight for the prom included arriving in a limousine, and she needed her Dad to sign for it. The last room in the house that Jess looked for Edward was the spare room that he used for his artistic endeavors. The door was locked, but it was always locked. Jess took the key from it's not so secret hiding place and let herself in. Jess knew her dad spent at least a few minutes everyday in this room, even if it was just to fiddle with sketches.

Jessica's eyes where drawn to a pair of eyes on the painting stand. She recognized them immediately. Her Dad hardly ever painted real people, except memories of his long lost first love, her mother. Jessica knew that this painting was somehow significant, and it brought a warm glow to her heart.

Edward had gone out fishing even earlier than usual, he had a new purpose in life, the more money that he had, the better lifestyle he could give his daughter. Things that he had denied himself because of his fear of becoming a full Gobbler. If only he had realized at a much younger age that all he had to stave of the transformation was to stay fully fed! 

 "So Jessica and Cindy go as a couple, and you and me are a couple.", Delilah explained to Eve. "In yer dreams pussycat!", Evie blushed slightly. Jessica and Cindy tried to smother their giggles, they saw it, even if Eve and Delilah didn't.

Kim absolutely hated this part of her job with a passion. There was a rumor of  police corruption, and she had to dig to the heart of it. Midnight Hollow probably had the lowest crime rate in all of Simnation, and Kim had worked damn hard all of her career to keep it that way.

Their was no organized crime unit in the 'Hollow' because it hadn't needed one in years.

Maybe things were changing?

Edward had rounded up all of the salt water fish for the days orders, and relocated to his favorite lake to collect his fresh water catch. Henry Miller's car was parked by the lake, which didn't bother Edward, Joe's twin brother preferred to sit and fish by himself, just like Edward.

Unfortunately, there was also a familiar blue truck here, which meant Cecil Ghostpaw was also here. Cecil had been the only full time commercial fishersim when Edward had started his business and had provided nearly the whole town with fish. Edward's business had won a lot of contracts that were formerly Cecil's.

Edward had been fishing for around twenty minutes or so when a gruff voice from behind him interrupted his solitude. "I knew this town wasn't going to be big enough for the two of us.", Cecil said by way of greeting.

Edward fought back a panic attack, he knew if things got physical, that there was no way he could take on a werewolf. In fact with Edwards combat skill, he didn't think he could fight his way out of a wet paper bag.

"Good morning Cecil, how are things?", Edward asked politely without turning around, if he didn't turn around, it would be harder for Cecil to disembowel him.

"Things are, well, things are complicated.", grunted Cecil. "When you turned out to be an excellent fishersim, I started exporting all of my salt water catch to Roaring Heights, and now they have a festival comin' up and want a triple sized order, so I'm offerin' you a business proposition."

Edward's tension levels dropped by fifty percent. "So you need me to sell you enough fish to fill the order?", Edward asked casually. "Well.", said Cecil, drawing the word out. "I was more thinking of you buying me out, lock, stock, and barrel." Cecil's voice softened as he continued. "I'm getting too old for this game, and I'm ready to go back to the reservation and spent time with my grandpups, and I have my first great grandpup on the way too."
 

"You probably should have asked Kim or Sally to teach you, they are much better at this than me!", Edward complained. Eddy was a nervous passenger. "Relax Dad, take a deep breath, I know how to do this. I just need you to not freak out long enough to build my hours up. If all my friends get their licenses and I don't, think how bad that will make me feel!".

Edward sat in silence white knuckled as Jessica drove laps around the block. Edward knew that Jessica was already a better driver than he was, but that didn't make it any less terrifying for him.

"If you crash my new Jeep before I leave for Uni, Mama's gunna have two less mouths to feed instead of one!, Evie, when you let up the clutch, do it slower.", Sally advised her younger sister.

Cindy, whose parents didn't drive, managed to convince

Sally to give her driving lessons as well.

"I'm just really nervous learning in such an expensive car!", Delilah explained to Kim. "The other option is not an option.", Kim explained, turning down the volume on Delilah's music. "I can't having you learning in my patrol car, besides what my staff think of they saw you driving around with lights and sirens and the music pumping?". Delilah giggled, "Midnight Hollow has finally got it's first mobile disco?"

Jessica had checked back into her father's locked art room sanctuary a few times, watching the paintings progress. Edward never sold his art. If it wasn't something to be displayed around the house, it went into one of two categories. He kept it for himself, or he gave it away. Jessica had originally assumed that the painting of Kim was for Kim herself. Jess was secretly pleased to see that he had hang up the portrait of Kim in his private painter's lair. 

 The plan was for all of the girls to meet up at the movies after their final driving exams. "I passed it!", gushed Jess, "Me too!", added Delilah and Evie in unison. All eyes turned to Cindy. Cindy turned to Eve, "Tell your sister Sally that I'm really, really grateful for all of the help she gave me learning to drive before she left for Uni..." Cindy dragged it for a moment longer. "My grandparents don't have licenses, and my Mum and Dad, they don't have licenses." Cindy waited until her friends had stopped smiling. "But I DO!", she squealed.

Edward spent most of his day fishing, and quite often went night fishing as well, he had looked over Cecil's current contracts, while some of them were quite profitable, If he was going to take over Cecil's business he would need to hire a part timer. The deal that Cecil had offered was quite simple.

A small cash outlay for Cecil's van and processing equipment, take up the rental payments on the building Cecil used for processing, and five percent of profits on Cecil's contracts, payable until Edward's business folded, or Cecil passed away.  Edward looked at the offer from several angles, and even if he had to hire an assistant, it was a win-win for both of them.

Edward hooked another beautiful Angel Fish, and after bagging it, decided to call Cecil and accept the proposal.

"Hi, Coral, isn't it?", Jessica greeted when she bumped into a new fairy in the library at school. "Yeah, matey, Coral-Lee Seabreeze, Wavetamer Clan, of the Black Rock Islands Sea Fae. Jacinta, isn't it, I thought I saw  you in music briefly today but didn't get introduced.", the chirpy fairy introduced herself. "Jessica, but my friends call me Jess.", Jessica replied.

"Black Rock Islands, isn't that like the complete other end of Simnation?", Jessica inquired, suddenly intrigued. "Aye, that it is, the black rocks sit in a stretch of water between Simnation and the Fae Kingdom."

"So why are you in the basic music class and not the advance, I heard you play the violin and you're really good.", Jessica asked to keep the conversation flowing. "I only learned the Violin to please me Mam, but I want to learn something new. Where I'm from all a girl needs to know is how to fish, how to fight, how to grow things, how to cook, how to dance, and how to a play an instrument to get a man in ta ya bed. I can't believe how many hours drylander's spend in school! It's a shock to the system to be sure."

"Drylander's?", asked Jess, trying to keep up with the chatty Islander. "Aye, it's a different life, we live on the sea, on rafts and barges and great houseboats, the islands are too hilly to live on, so we just land to get the rich soil to grow things on.". "You actually learn to fight?", asked Jess when Coral stopped for a breath.

"Aye we do, from the moment we get our first tattoo, let me show you on a map.", Coral pulled an atlas from the shelves. "These here be my islands, this be the edge of Simnation, this here is the Fae Kingdom, this be the royal castle, and this here be the lands of the Vampire Counts of old.", Coral poked a finger at each location.

"Wait, you have tattoos?", Jess interrupted. Coral shrugged her shoulders out of her top, revealing two tattoos, "My clan tattoo, I got that when I learned to walk.", Coral nodded at a black swirling design on one shoulder, and my totem tattoo, a Dolphin, that I chose to mark me as a woman, I got that when I got these.", Coral cupped her boobs. Coral turned back to the book as if a teen with tattoos was nothing new to her.

"This be why the cold ones are having so much trouble defeating the Fae, other than this narrow stretch of land here, which is fiercely defended by the Royal Black Fae.", Coral pointed again, "The only way the old bloaters can get at the Royal Fae is across the water here passed our Islands.", explained Coral, drawing a line from the Vampire lands over the Black Rock Islands to the Fae Kingdom. "And that's not going to happen as long as there's one of us left with the strength and will to hold a sword.", Coral insisted.

Jessica was really enjoying the Sea Fae's company and tried another question. "So what brings you all the way across the nation to glamorous Midnight Hollow?", Jessica asked. Coral, who was glad to have finally found a friend in this new town explained.

"A few months ago the Vamps tried to cross the water again, not something they do often, our Clan and the Black Pearl Clan kicked their asses and sent em home before the Royal Fae Navy even arrived, but me Da lost his life, and me Ma lost her sword arm, so she packed us up, and moved us to Simonsvale Fields. We didn't stay long, Ma couldn't abide not hearing the ocean, so she packed us up again, and moved us here to be on the coast again." 

Despite Coral's, or because of Coral's talkativeness, Jess and her became instant friends. "I'll introduce you to my three best friends after school and maybe you can hang with us?", Jessica offered. 

Coral immediately spotted the plant sim girl sitting in the park, Coral had visited the Royal Palace a few times with the father on War Council Business, there where a lot of Plantsims seeking refuge in the gardens there.
"Looks like only one of them wants to meet me.", Coral whispered to Jess, only seeing the green haired girl and her pets. "No, they are all here.", Jess replied, not bothering to whisper.

"Well, I can hardly believe what my eyes are seein', a full blood Werewolf and a Werecat?", Coral gasped.
"I'm a Changeling, there's no such thing as a Werecat!", Delilah huffed, annoyed that Jessica's new friend assumed that she was a Were anything, just because she could change shape.

Coral attempted to smooth over her social error. "I'm sorry, there's no Changelings living where I'm from, so I've never met one before, can you change into any form?"

"No, Changelings either subconsciously choose a form or inherit it, obviously, I'm a catgirl.", Delilah said in a very catty tone of voice.

Jessica picked up that while Cindy seemed open to adding a new friend to their social group, Delilah and Eve where a little less open to the idea. "Okay ladies, this is my new friend Coral Seabreeze, she is a Sea Fae from the Black Rock Islands. This is Evette Longpaw, Werewolf and drummer, Hyacinth Evergreen, Plantsim and Bass player, and Delilah Lightfoot, Feline Changeling, Pianist and mix master extraordinaire."

"I've invited Coral to come Jam with us at next weeks session, so you all better be there for it!", Jessica grinned, "Also, my Dad's doing an over night business trip at the end of the week, so I'm going to throw a little party."

"A late night boys and booze party, with loud music and shenanigans? You somehow believe your Dad will ask his best friend, the chief of police, to keep an eye on you?", Cindy asked. "Well, what I have planned is a lot more sedate, it's a day time gardening party, followed by an afternoon pool party, finishing up well before dark, so on a level from one to a zombie apocalypse after party, this shouldn't even show up on a radar."

"I'm sorry, I thought you said gardening party, I might need to trot on down to the veterinarian and get my ears checked.", Evie stated. Jess rolled her eyes. "When my Dad first bought the new house, he bought a stack of seeds for the garden, because he works so hard to give me a nice things in a nice place to live, he has never had time to grow anything. I want to thank him by getting the garden started. But I need help, and it's a huge garden.

"I can get everybody from the botany club to come help, It'll be easy, especially with the offer of free food and a pool party afterwards.", Cindy suggested. "I learned to garden long before I got my second tattoo, I'll chip in", Coral volunteered, "Plus me Ma has a big bag of seeds going to waste, I can donate them."

"Delilah and I don't know the first thing about gardening, but I can dig holes?", Eve offered. "Someone is going to teach me something new, and there's definitely food and a pool party afterwards right?", asked Delilah, looking at Eve.

"I would like to thank each and every one of you for the monumental effort in bringing this garden to life. When I first suggested this to Eve, Cindy, Coral, and Delilah last week I thought I'd bitten off more than I can chew. Speaking of, help yourselves to the food on the other side of the pool, and pools open until 6PM. Thank you all so much and enjoy!", Jess finished off her speech.

After the teens had all gone home, Jessica and her friends settled into the spa and shared the days gossip. 'Although Delilah and Eve still hadn't overly warmed to Coral, at least they had stopped being snippy', Jess thought to herself. "Oh, if I soak up any more of this hot water, I'm going to look like a fricasseed celery stick.", Cindy sighed, poking her tongue out at Eve. "I need to jump in the other pool I think.", Cindy added, as she dragged herself out of the spa. 

Jess and Coral followed as Cindy lowered herself into the cooler water. "So, are they a couple?", Coral asked Jess quietly, referring to the two girls that remained in the spa. "Not officially, but quite possibly, once they admit it to themselves.", Jess informed Coral. "It's rather surprising, considering they fight like cat and dog, but what do I know, I'm an angiosperm asexual.", said Cindy, inadvertently killing the conversation.

"Hurry now Susan, round up my colleagues with haste, we have a history exam in the morrow and there is much cramming to do, yet we have so little time!", Jessica chirped at the bus driver as she climbed aboard.

Susan the bus driver rolled her eyes, there was one in every bunch, that weirdo that actually enjoyed their time at school while they where still there. Susan remembered when she had bailed school at the first opportunity, in hindsight she wished she hadn't. Look at Susan's glorious life now. The gearbox made horrible grinding noises in agreement as Susan jammed it into first gear.

 After school Jess went to Kim and Delilah's house to help Delilah study. History was her worst subject and without Jess's help she was at risk of failing. Delilah and Jess had just wrapped up their studies when Kim asked Jessica for a private conversation.

Delilah's cat like curiosity itched to eavesdrop at the door, but she knew Kim's hearing was almost as good as hers, and to avoid getting caught Delilah decided to go to her room and study geography instead, the other subject that was the bane of her existence.

Beside, if it was juicy gossip, Delilah knew Jess would spill the beans to her later.

 Later on when Jess walked home from Delilah's, Jess went looking for her Dad. "Dad, can I get a lift to Cindy's house, we need to go over stuff for tomorrows exam.", Jess asked. "Sure thing Princess, let me get my keys.", Edward replied. Edward unlocked the garage and stood by his truck.

"Hey, where is the old truck, and whose car is that? You haven't got a girlfriend you haven't told me about, have you?", asked Jess, thinking of how crushed Kim would be if her Dad had finally opened his heart to someone else.

"I don't know, but look there is a note on the windscreen.",  suggested Edward, trying to keep a straight face. "Dear Jessica, thank you for being the most wonderful daughter in the world.", Jess read the note out loud. "Oh maker, thank you Daddy, its totally perfect!", Jessica wrapped her arms around her father and hugged him for all she was worth. Jess drove her car around to Delilah's house, then Cindy's, then Coral's, then Eve's, and bought all of her friends ice cream sundae's to help her celebrate her first car.

The next day at the weekly jam session it was revealed that everybody passed their exam, maybe not all with flying colors, but nobody failed. The mood was jubilant until Coral arrived to jam. "Look, we play rock, metal, punk, dubstep, techno and variations and combinations thereof, I just don't see how a violin, no matter how well played is going to enhance our sound.", Eve was telling Cindy.

"That's fine, I don't intend to play the violin, I'm going to play the Laser Rythym-a-con.", said Coral loud enough to let Eve know that her objections had been heard and ignored. "No way, where in Simnation did you get your hands on a Laser Rythym-a-con?", Cindy gasped, apparently aware of the instrument.

"A laser what ma whatty?", asked Delilah, who had never heard of it. Eve just stared blankly, she also had no idea what this thing was.

"A Laser Rythym-a-con, when I was a wee lass my father took me to a War Council at the Royal Palace, and I got to meet Lady Lilliana Rosebloom herself, sister to the King, and she gave it to me, probably just to keep me entertained while the grown ups talked war. After the meeting she said I may keep it, and it's been me most prized possession ever since.", Coral explained

"Show them how it works Coral.", suggested Cindy. "You guys are going to love this.", Cindy enthused at Eve and Delilah. Eve and Delilah looked at each other skeptically. Coral fired up the lasers and slowly began swaying and using her hands and her feet to interact with the instrument. Coral opened with Lindsey Stirling's Crystalize, a mellow violin chillstep song, and increased the tempo.

Delilah, Eve, Cindy and Jess watched in fascination as Carol switched it up to a heavy dubstep-techno variation of New Order's Blue Monday, the gentle swaying become a frantic aerobics workout with Cindy and Jess dancing along. Mia joined in, although only Jess could see her.

"Oh wow, you can do all that with just one instrument? All those different sounds, that's so awesome!", gushed Delilah after Coral had finished. "You've got everything in the one box, except vocals, why would you even need a band like us, when you are practically a one sim band?", Eve asked. She was extremely impressed, but her ego refused to admit it out loud.

"Simple.", replied Coral in her odd accent. "I learned a long time ago, that anything fun, is a whole lot more fun when you do it with friends."

 Authors Note:

I read somewhere that a sims band can only be four sims. The girls aren't destined for the rockstar band lifestyle, its a story telling hobby, and five can jam...

If you could imagine Captain Jack Sparrow's manner of speech with with a Scottish or Irish accent, then you might now what her voice sounds like in my head...

Delilah and Eve aren't actually a 'couple', despite the fact that can't take their eyes (and sometimes hands) off of each other, finish each others sentences and all that. Haha, yeah right. No seriously, just ask them, Delilah will pretend she has no idea what you are talking about, and Evie will vehemently deny any girl-girl relationship, especially with a cat of all things!

This whole generation seems to be in denial about their relationships...

Junior Prom, the usual debacle, there where still people queuing up, trying to get in the door after the event was over. At least all four girls wore their dresses that I designed they designed and made. Even if the one pre prom photo I took doesn't show the big red rose on the hem at the left leg. I had intended to catch more caps outside the school.... Oh, well, maybe better luck at the senior prom...