Our Life NF

--- Sat Dec 23 23:39:56 2023
It looked like fall in Golden Grove.
More than any place you'd seen before. It could be in one of your old picture
books to show little kids what "autumn" was supposed to be.
There weren't any green trees or bushes, but there weren't just bare branches
yet. It was almost the same as normal; all that had changed were the colors.
Red, orange, yellow, brown...
Even the blue of the sky high above your head seemed different than it did in
summer.
It wasn't as bright either, as though it had gotten tired of sparkling by this

late in the year, or like it was even farther away from you now that you were
in this place.
The plants and sky didn't get this way where you lived- {i}where you used to
live{/i}.
Your thoughts continued to jump around while you stood there in the big circle
of street at the end of the road.
It was a weird path to you; it couldn't take you ahead or to the sides or
anywhere else like most streets you'd gone down. This one only came right here
with those big houses.
The view in front of you was something you'd only ever seen in photos before
from stapled-together papers that advertised the middle house being for sale.
It {i}had{/i} been a picture book to you until this day.
Now you knew that it felt like fall here too, because it was cold outside.
Chilly enough that you sometimes held your eyes closed for a few seconds
longer than usual to try keeping your eyeballs from feeling like they were
gonna freeze inside your head.
This was a real place, the icy air surrounding you said, and you were really
in it. And it was where you were going to stay. That was new.
Your ma and you had lived in apartments before, and never for very long each
time.
That was until she'd gotten a big job in this not-that-big town and bought a
big house. You wouldn't be going anywhere else for a long time.
Now, in that moment, you couldn't imagine being there forever...
But that's just the way it was. The old tan house at the very end of the long,
round road was now {i}your{/i} house, standing tall with two others by its
sides.
Those buildings were homes too, with their own people living inside. And those
people, in those ancient houses, were going to be your neighbors.
Choice: It seemed okay to you.

Choice: You felt kind of mixed up inside.
Choice: You were super excited about everything happening.
Choice: You were mad.
Choice: There wasn't much you felt about that.
Choice: It all made you so sad.
Choice: You felt scared.
Choice: This would really be something, you thought.
Player chose: This would really be something, you thought.
Nothing was gonna be boring anymore.
Choice: And it was even better because you'd be doing this with your
[opal.term!l].
Choice: And it was good that that part was nice, since your [opal.term!l] was
no fun.
Player chose: And it was even better because you'd be doing this with your
[opal.term!l].
You'd have so much fun together.
Ma
Mariya! Come on over and take a look.
Oh. That was your ma's voice. You hadn't noticed she'd gotten so far.
You wasted no time catching up in order to reunite with her.
Off the cul-de-sac road and cutting across lines of grass and sidewalk, you
reached the picket fence your ma had called from. The gate was unlocked.
Unlike the other houses, in front of yours was a tiny, gray-stoned walkway
that led up to a couple little steps, and those steps led to the door.
You walked along the private path, making sure each foot landed squarely on a
rock and not on one of the dirt cracks in between until you arrived at the end
of the line.
Then you hopped up the tiny stairs to join your ma.
And there your ma was, standing at the edge of the porch, arms folded and
waiting.
She must have been moving around before because the shiny opal earrings she
had on were twisting from side to side a little bit.
You knew they were real opal stones because she'd told you before, when she
first got them.She also told you a long time ago that her normal name, not Ma,
was Opal.
Her clothes were the colors of a cloudy day after rain had already come and
gone.
The kind of day that could be cold and bad or really relaxing and comfy. It
depended.
You wondered which way she looked at it from. You didn't know.
The rest of her, though, was so much more bold, especially the matching
purpley-cranberryness of both her hair and eyes.
There weren't a lot of things out in the world with that color that could feel
gloomy.
Ma smiled at you. It made you feel as soft and warm on the inside as your ma
was on the outside.
Ma
What do you think? It's a pretty place, huh?
Choice: "I've seen worse junk."

Choice: "I've seen better places."
Choice: "It's beautiful!"
Choice: "I'm gonna have my own room, right?"
Choice: "It stinks," you said bluntly.
Choice: "It stinks," you said jokingly.
Choice: "It's okay, I guess."
Choice: You stared at her blankly.
Choice: You nodded eagerly.
Choice: You shook your head furiously.
Player chose: "It's beautiful!"
Ma
I agree, my dear.
Her mouth stayed in the shape of a smile, but her eyes and eyebrows changed,
bending in a way that made it seem like she wasn't really smiling. Or it was
some other kind of smile.
She put a hand on one of the white painted pole things that kept the porch
roof from falling down. Her fingers moved along it.
Ma
Won't be too much longer. The real estate agent should be here to hand over
the keys in a couple hours or so.
Ma
Then it'll be official: we'll be the newest residents of Golden Grove.
You shifted your weight from one foot to the other. This was a big deal to
your ma. Her whole life was changing, too.
You hoped it wouldn't be a mistake; you didn't want your ma to be sad.
Ma
Well, you've seen the yard and the outside; you don't have to wait here the
entire time. How about you go look around the rest of the neighborhood?
She bent down, placing her hands on her knees in order to speak directly to
you on the same level.
Ma
It's a safe town, especially in this area. You'll be able to play freely out
here.
Choice: You perked right up at the suggestion.

Choice: You jumped happily.
Choice: Your eyes went wide in fear.
Choice: You grasped her pants, wanting to stay together.
Choice: You huffed unhappily.
Choice: You frowned at her.
Choice: You merely shrugged.
Choice: You covered your face with your hands, not wanting to go.
Choice: You turned your face away from her in defiance.
Player chose: You perked right up at the suggestion.
Ma went back to her normal way of standing, with her head up high and arms
folded.
Ma
That's the spirit!
Ma
Enjoy yourself. Just don't stray into any other streets today.
Choice: "Yes, [opal.name!cl]."

Choice: "That's not fair!"
Choice: "I won't! Promise."
Choice: You didn't care about rules, but you kept that to yourself.
Choice: You gave a thumbs up.
Choice: You grumbled about the restriction.
Player chose: "Yes, [opal.name!cl]."
Ma
Thank you. I trust you.
With that, you flipped around, bounded down the steps, and went back towards
the sidewalk, ready to explore.
Your shoes really squished into the dirt part when you crossed from where you
were down to the solid road.
The smell of the grass and rain-softened ground, crisp though somehow also
kind of musty, hung in the air, bringing a whole new year of school with it.
You were going to be a 5th grader. It would be completely different from being
a 4th grader, and not just because you'd be attending a new school.
You'd be in the highest grade of the place.
Maybe that was why your ma was so sure you could do this by yourself. You were
growing up.
It felt good knowing there was more and more out there that you'd be able to
explore on your own.
Then, before you took one more step, there was a faint tap against your
shoulder. It was barely stronger than the wind, but it was definitely
something- and it was completely out of nowhere.
Choice: Huh. You wondered what that was.

Choice: You jumped straight in the air out of shock.
Choice: Both your fists went up defensively.
Choice: You screamed!
Choice: You rubbed your shoulder, feeling annoyed at whatever it was.
Choice: It was a ghost, you deduced!
Player chose: Huh. You wondered what that was.
It was kind of weird.
You slowly glanced down to the right and the left, trying to get any idea of
where the poke could've come from.
No one was there. The neighborhood was empty, except for you.
You would've settled on it being a mystery forever if you hadn't noticed there
was a thing left behind from the encounter.
Sitting there in between the muddy brown blades of grass was something new.
Mariya
A paper airplane?
Who would throw this at a stranger? And why would they disappear after doing
it?
As you considered those questions, your gaze shifted back towards the right,
the side of the street where the tap came from.
Whoever sent this to you had to have gone that way...
You crouched down to grab it, wanting to get some kind of answer to what had
happened.
The paper didn't feel the same crinkly, crackly way most normal paper did. It
was thicker, somehow, almost like a piece of cloth.... It was cottony.
That wasn't the only part that stood out; the page was a tan color with dark
brown lines. Not white and blue or white and black or something regular.
More questions to add to the confusion. Where would paper like that have come
from?
You turned the paper airplane around in your hands and squinted your eyes
keenly. There were pencil markings on the underside. The paper had scribbles,
or maybe even letters.
That was enough of a sign to undo the shape someone had put together. You
pulled at the flaps of the plane and flattened it out between your palms as
best you could.
It was true, the paper airplane had a message. Well, maybe.
There were some words on it, but not a lot and they were on different lines
from each other.
You read over each tiny part from top to bottom.
"Hello."
"Go out."
"Hideout."
And then in the bottom corner was...
"Mariya Karu."
Your name! It had been addressed to you personally. There was no mistake that
you were the one meant to get that plane.
You scrunched up your face. A person wrote stuff on a piece of paper, turned
it into a paper airplane, threw it at another person, and the message they
sent was {i}that{/i}?
Choice: This was too weird for you.

Choice: This was so cool.
Choice: This was a mystery worth solving!
Choice: This was stupid.
Choice: This scared you.
Choice: This was... something.
Player chose: This was a mystery worth solving!
Maybe the words were a code you had to break.
Choice: You had to tell your [opal.term!l] right now.

Choice: You were going to get to the bottom of this.
Choice: You were done exploring. It was time to go back to that house.
Choice: You just wanted to get back to looking around.
Player chose: You were going to get to the bottom of this.
Someone, or something, had to have sent this to you. You weren't going to stop
until you found out who and why.
Past the parts where the light shone through the clouds and the parts where it
got darker, you began your investigation by heading in the same direction the
paper had hit you from.
The half-circle of houses was out of sight by the time the normal sidewalk
ended- and it really ended.
Tutorial
Hello! Since the previous version of Our Life: Now & Forever, there have been
a few changes to how we handle pronouns and terms.
Tutorial
Since you're already past the character creator for this save, you can choose
to see part of the character creator again to update your terms, if needed.
Your preferences from the previous version have been adapted to the new
version as much as possible.
Tutorial
Do you want to update your terms? You won't be able to do so again until you
get to Step 2.
Choice: Yes, I want to update my terms.

Choice: No, I'll leave them as they are.
Player chose: Yes, I want to update my terms.

Tutorial
You can click on the "?" button in the top left corner of the screen to see an
explanation on how the new system works. When you're done, hit Confirm to
return to your save.
Instead of connecting to another street with homes or stores, there was the
car road behind you and a bunch of trees and plain ground in front.
Going down the road would have to bring you to the rest of the town
eventually, but you were sure that would be "straying too far" like your ma
warned against.
That was okay; you had other options.
Bending in between the dark trunks and bright leaves were two lines stamped
out through the grass. They went in opposite directions.
It was a crossroads.
One led more towards where the neighborhood was, but back further- right on
the edge of where the forest started.
The other went completely into the trees - a walking path for the people who
lived here.
You stood there at the start of this turning point in the woods - in your life
- feet poised to move over the stirring thicket floor.
Choice: You knew exactly which one you wanted.

Choice: But you didn't know where you were going.
Player chose: But you didn't know where you were going.
How could you know which one was better? You'd never tried either and there
were no clues on where to start now.
It was a puzzle that made you pause. You thought about it as hard as you
could, even shutting your eyes to focus.
Then, finally...
Choice: You went down the walking path on the left.

Choice: You went along the tree line to your right.
Player chose: You went along the tree line to your right.
And your quest continued.
The "path" ended up being kind of a trick. You ran out of dirt to walk on
after only a minute or two, and it became plain grass everywhere.
Luckily, you only had to keep following the curved bend of brush and tree
trunks that separated the forest from not the forest to know you were going
where you had planned to go.
Then, as you strolled even farther, something came into view. You almost
didn't notice it at first.
Stretching about as high as the trees and made out of practically the same-
colored wood was a tower sort of thing.
The bottom of it was mostly empty space with thin stick poles at the corners
and only one full wall. There were little fake rocks stuck to the boards of
the wall side, probably for people to climb on.
Above was an actual floor with a slanty roof and railings around. Some ropes
dangled off it in multiple places.
The thought came to you that it had the same feeling as a treehouse, except
not in a tree. It definitely wasn't a real house. You might have found a local
playground.
Curiously, you moved closer until you were right in front, and that's when you
came to the shocking realization that there was something up in there at the
top!
Eyes squinted to try seeing more clearly and your neck bent back so far your
head might fall off, you could make out a lumpy pile.
Choice: You just stood there, looking.

Choice: You shouted out.
Choice: You gave the base of the tower a swift kick.
Choice: You gave the base of the tower a good shake with both hands.
Choice: You grabbed on to the parts sticking out to try climbing up there.
Player chose: You grabbed on to the parts sticking out to try climbing up
there.
Reaching one hand higher and the other closer to anchor yourself, you grabbed
hold of different fake rocks attached to the wall. You then situated one of
your feet onto the lowest climbing point.
You huffed and strained your arms to pull. The foot on the rock then carried
all your weight as you lifted the other into the air.
It was tricky, but you got the second foot against a rock of its own that was
higher up than the first. You'd made it fully off the ground.
The sudden sound of a clattering ruckus from inside the fort made you flinch
in place.
It was a scrambling, thudding noise that you knew came from movement.
That lump stopped being just a lump. It shot up, bent right over the railing,
peered down, and saw you.
It was a kid...
Choice: Who were they? That's all you could wonder.

Choice: You couldn't look away from their eyes. They were really deep brown.
Choice: They had a pointy hairline, you noticed.
Choice: You liked the fluffy-hooded coat they had on.
Choice: That was the prettiest person you'd ever seen.
Player chose: You liked the fluffy-hooded coat they had on.
Your hands started to shake as you held yourself up against the wall. You had
to step back onto the grass. The person stayed put.
The silent standoff of surprise played out between you and the stranger.
Then, all together, one half of their mouth, one of their eyebrows, and one of
their hands shifted upwards.
That lopsided pose they had and the fact that they were at the top of a tower
made them seem pretty in-charge here.
???
Who are you? Why are you in my backyard?
Oh. They {i}were{/i} in charge here.
Choice: "I'm [p.name]."

Choice: "I didn't know this was your backyard. I couldn't tell. Sorry."
Choice: "I'm looking for something."
Choice: "Who are {i}you{/i}?"
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Your backyard? There's no fence or anything!"
Choice: You said absolutely nothing.
Player chose: "I'm looking for something."
Somehow, they twisted their smile and leaned over the railing even more than
before.
???
Yeah? What're you looking for?
Choice: "It's a secret."

Choice: "I don't know."
Choice: "I'm not gonna tell you."
Choice: You didn't answer that question.
Choice: "Maybe... I'm looking for you."
Player chose: "I don't know."
???
Hm... Alright.
At that, they pressed the palms of their hands hard against the railing, then
used it to kick their legs up over the sides and throw themselves right off
the fort!
There was a powerful crunch and gust of air when the person hit the ground
just a little to the side of where you were.
They landed on their feet, crouching into a ball, and making the hood of their
jacket flip over their head from the impact of falling so far down.
The person stayed like that for long enough that the leaves they stirred up
settled quietly onto the grass again.
Then the kid straightened themselves out with more poise than you could have
expected.
Squared shoulders, chin up, and with one hand they pushed the hood down over
their back again.
They were confident and knew how to show it.
???
That's that.
Choice: "Why would you do that?"

Choice: "That was so cool!"
Choice: "That seems dangerous."
Choice: "That was so dumb to do!"
Choice: "Could I try jumping off there?"
Choice: "You could've crushed me."
Choice: You were left speechless. It was impressive.
Choice: You were left speechless. It was crazy.
Player chose: "That was so cool!"
???
Yeah, it was.
They took hold of the open sides of their jacket and flapped them out, shaking
off bits of sticks and whatever other stuff that got on it when they collided
with the dirt.
???
Anyway.
They shifted their head around to get their hair back over their shoulders,
the way it was before, and then jabbed a finger into their own chest.
Qiu
I'm Mr. Qiu Lin: Q-I-U and L-I-N. It means...
Both of "Qiu's" arms spread out openly, gesturing to the wide world all
around.
Qiu
{i}Autumn{/i}. Nice to meet you.
Qiu
What's your name?
Choice: "My name's [p.name]."

Choice: "I'm [p.Mx] [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Choice: "Why did you say it so fancy?"
Choice: You didn't say.
Choice: "But shouldn't the U come after the Q?"
Choice: "I already knew "Qiu" meant autumn. It's Chinese."
Choice: "You're not a 'Mr.', you're a kid. Why did you say it weird like
that?"
Player chose: "I'm [p.Mx] [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Qiu
That was perfect, Ms. Mariya Karu.
Choice: "Oh, but people should call me [p.nickname]. Only my [opal.term!l]

uses my name."
Choice: "Oh, but people sometimes call me [p.nickname], except my
[opal.term!l]."
Choice: "Oh, but my friends always call me [p.nickname]."
Choice: "Oh, but my friends sometimes call me [p.nickname]."
Player chose: "Oh, but my friends sometimes call me [p.nickname]."
Qiu
Cool! I've got a nickname too, it's "Autumn". 'Cause, like I said, that's what
my name means. You can use it, if you wanna.
Mariya
Alright.
Qiu
Wait, and also, how old are you? We seem pretty similar to me.
Choice: "I'm ten."

Choice: "That's none of your business."
Choice: "Ten whole years! Double-digits."
Choice: You put up all ten of your fingers.
Choice: You didn't answer.
Player chose: "I'm ten."
Qiu slapped his fingerless-gloved hands against the front of his chest to show
just how taken aback he was.
Qiu
Whoa, so am I!
Qiu
Nobody else close by was exactly ten before, but now there's you.
Qiu
Whoa, so am I!
Qiu
Nobody else close by was exactly ten before, but now there's you.
Qiu
And you're gonna grow up someday and I'm gonna grow up too, but that's never
gonna stop us from being the same age. Cool.
Choice: "Yeah! This is great!"

Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "Even if we are the same age, I still act older than you do."
Choice: "Even if we are the same age, you still act older than I do."
Choice: You just stood there quietly.
Choice: You shrugged over it.
Choice: You gave a big thumbs up.
Player chose: "Yeah! This is great!"
More ten-year-olds were better than less.
Qiu
But-
The talk you were having ended with a clear clap from Qiu to bring it to a
close.
Qiu
Now that we're people who know each other, I still wanna hear what you were
doing.
Qiu
I've lived my whole life in this town, in this neighborhood, in that house,
and I've never seen you anywhere! There's gotta be something going on.
Mariya
Well...
You reached right into your pocket and presented the mystery paper to Qiu,
wanting your own explanation.
But before you even said anything about it, Qiu wheezed with a tight grimace.
He looked as stiff as the wood tower behind him just like that.
Qiu
You're a- you're a... a- a- a-
He stammered, and babbled, and pointed his finger all around the space that
was sort of in front of you, until the word finally came to him.
Qiu
A sorcerer!
Mariya
What?
Qiu
No! Wait!
Qiu threw his hands up higher towards his shoulders, the sudden movement
making sure nothing interrupted his train of thought.
Qiu
You're a thief!
Qiu
That's why you're here- to rob my house.
Choice: "That's right! I'm gonna steal all your stuff."

Choice: "No, no, you were right before. I'm magic!"
Choice: "I'm a sorcerer and a thief!"
Choice: "I'm not a sorcerer or a thief!"
Choice: "That makes no sense."
Choice: "Why do you sound so excited about that? You think I'm gonna rob you?"
Choice: You didn't know what to say to that.
Choice: "Why would I let you know I was here if I was gonna steal things?"
Player chose: "I'm a sorcerer and a thief!"
Qiu
Oh, what?!
Mariya
...Do you really think I'm a sorcerer-robber?
He got all fluttery, with his laugh and the waving of his fingers.
Qiu
No, you're just a kid. But you've got some good tricks.
Qiu tucked one of his hands inside his jacket. He moved it around in there,
'hmming' the whole time. There was some kind of secret pocket or compartment
in that coat.
Qiu
Ah-hah.
Just as you thought, when he removed his hand, he was grabbing on to

something. It was a little notebook.
The edges were bent up and crumbly, probably from being squished a lot of ways
and a lot of times.
And there were papers sticking out in weird ways that made you think they
weren't even attached to the book anymore; they were just smashed between
other pages to keep them in place.
But the thing you noticed the most were the colors- tan with dark brown lines.
It was the paper from the airplane!
Qiu flipped open the book, tapped in a slow, considering rhythm at the front
page with the back of his knuckles, and said what you wanted to know without
you having to do anything.
Qiu
That's my special paper, with my notes on it, but it's not in my notebook- it
was in your pocket!
Qiu
You must've done the... the thing that's... slate of hand! Sleight? Sleight of
hand. That's what you did to snatch my stuff in the blink of an eye while I
was standing right here.
Qiu
So you're a magician, or a pickpocket. That's all it could be.
He shifted on his feet, putting one hand to his hip and using the other to
make a waggling gesture with the notebook. Qiu was really confident in his
accusation against you.
Qiu
Can you show me how you do it?
Mariya
Uh-
But that wavy motion Qiu did was too much for the old notebook. It bent in
half upwards and downwards with the momentum of its owner's arm.
Some of the papers slid out. They drifted to the ground lightly, the same way
leaves fell from trees.
You stared right at them, sitting there freely like that. Qiu didn't.
Choice: "You lost it, Qiu."

Choice: "You're right, I don't know how that paper disappeared from you." You
were being sarcastic.
Choice: "Maybe you just... dropped a paper and someone picked it up?"
Choice: "Yup, it was definitely because I'm magic."
Choice: You silently stood there.
Player chose: "You're right, I don't know how that paper disappeared from
you." You were being sarcastic.
Qiu
Yeah, it's so weird. I never lose track of stuff.
He said it absentmindedly, still not paying attention to the papers cluttered

around his feet. They were pretty much just waiting to blow away in the wind
at that point.
Choice: "There are papers on the ground right now, you know."
Choice: "Um, I think you might want to look down."
Choice: "You never lose things? You've already lost more papers!"
Choice: You decided to let Qiu figure it out on his own, if he ever did.
Choice: Bashfully, you pointed a finger down.
Choice: You jerked a finger right at the papers currently on the ground.
Choice: You wanted to tell Qiu about the papers but were too shy.
Choice: You hoped Qiu never noticed what happened. It'd be funny.
Choice: You hoped Qiu never noticed what happened. It'd be what he deserved.
Player chose: "Um, I think you might want to look down."
Qiu's eyes widened. He lifted the notebook over his head and twisted his feet
outwards more to fully clear his view of the grass below. Finally, he spotted
the missing pages.
Qiu
Whoa! Thanks.
In the middle of talking he dropped to his knees to scoop up the loose papers.
It only took a second for each one to be gathered.
He leaned off his knees onto his butt and made a little 'oof' sound. From
there he got his feet against the ground while pushing up with his hands still
clutching the paper so he could stand again.
With that successful rescue mission done, Qiu delicately flipped through the
notebook, inserting the loose papers along the way between different pages. He
went all the way to the end.
Then Qiu's complete book was pressed shut once more.
Qiu
Hey, that really helped, Mariya.
A beaming smile directed right into your face almost had you covering your
eyes, but before that happened, he looked away.
Qiu twisted to the side to better rummage inside the hidden pocket of his
jacket. He made super sure that the entire stack of papers made it back safely
this time. You heard a sigh of relief.
In an even, swooping move, Qiu tilted his head back over his shoulder to
reveal his face again. The bright expression from before was completely gone.
He had that smirk again.
Qiu
So... did you see that? {i}I don't lose anything{/i}.
Choice: "Are you kidding?"

Choice: "You lose stuff all the time! You just find it again-
{b}sometimes{/b}."
Choice: "It was only because of me."
Choice: "Next time I'm not gonna tell you about it..."
Choice: Your cheeks got hot from embarrassment.
Choice: "You're a real idiot," you said tiredly.
Choice: "{i}You're an idiot{/i}," you said jokingly.
Choice: You broke into laughter.
Choice: Wow, Qiu was cool, you thought.
Choice: Dang, Qiu was cool, you annoyingly had to admit to yourself.
Player chose: "You lose stuff all the time! You just find it again-
{b}sometimes{/b}."

{b}sometimes{/b}."
Player chose: "It was only because of me."

{b}sometimes{/b}."
Player chose: "Are you kidding?"
Qiu
I mean what I say.
Qiu
I mean what I say.
Qiu's fun with your reaction came out as a set of snickers. His cheeky mood
drifted away once those were done.
Qiu twisted to the side to better rummage inside the hidden pocket of his
jacket. He made sure that the notebook made it back to its normal spot.
When he tilted his face back towards you, he was quiet and thoughtful.
Qiu
This is very mysterious.
Qiu
My paper vanished, and a brand-new kid appeared in my backyard, all out of
nowhere. I don't get it.
Mariya
Qiu, I'm your neighbor now. I moved into the middle house on the street.
Qiu
Oh! {i}The new neighbors{/i}. That's right. That's you!
Qiu
It makes so much sense!
Then Qiu shook his head side to side, flopping dark brown strands of hair
around and trying to sort out his thoughts.
Qiu
But if you're just my new neighbor, not a thief or sorcerer, how'd you know
that was my paper?
Mariya
I didn't know, not for sure.
Qiu
What, you were showing my notes off to everyone you saw in the world?
Mariya
Yeah, that was kind of the idea.
Qiu
Huh?
You breathed in, let it out, and then tried to explain the weird situation
that didn't even make sense to you.
Mariya
I got here today with my ma. She's waiting for the real estate agent, so I had
to go spend time doing something.
Mariya
I went down to the road and a paper airplane hit me in the shoulder and nobody
was there.
Qiu nodded along, probably not getting everything you were talking about, but
curious enough to just keep listening.
Mariya
I picked it up and opened the plane and saw the stuff written on it. I thought
the person throwing the plane was trying to give me a message.
Mariya
I've been looking for whoever did it since. When I met you, I had to check if
you were the one who did it.
You'd went over the steps that led you to this point as best you could, and
Qiu joined in with the conclusion.
Qiu
It wasn't me who made any airplane, but the page and things on it {b}are{/b}
mine!
He put his hands on his hips as he thought hard about the info he'd learned
from you.
Qiu
That means someone else somehow got a piece of paper from my notebook and used
that to make the plane they chucked at you for some crazy reason?
Mariya
I guess so, but... if you are the one who wrote that, how did you know my
name? That was on the note. And what were those other words supposed to mean?
Mariya
"Hello. Go out. Hideout. Mariya Karu."? It doesn't make sense.
Qiu
Oh!
Qiu cracked a smile and flicked out his arms to start his own explanation.
Qiu
That's just stuff I was gonna do.
Counting one-two-three on his fingers, Qiu listed off each part of the letter
simply.
Qiu
"Hello"- say hi to the people around. "Go out"- visit the town or another
neighborhood or whatever. "Hideout"- means go to my hideout.
Qiu stopped the countdown to pat the sturdy wooden wall behind him with pride.
Qiu
Right here!
Choice: "Hm, fine."

Choice: "I get it now!"
Choice: "Wow, I like your hideout."
Choice: "That's all stupid," you said sharply.
Choice: "That's so stupid," you said, amused.
Choice: "Your "hideout" is in your own backyard?"
Choice: "If that's a "hideout" why would you tell me it's a hideout?"
Choice: You didn't speak.
Player chose: "If that's a "hideout" why would you tell me it's a hideout?"
Qiu
You seem alright, you can know about it. But don't tell anyone else!
Qiu
Ah, right, yeah, for your name being there, my mom and dad told me.
Qiu
They talked about how people were moving in next door and how there was gonna
be a kid my age and that her name was Mariya Karu.
Qiu
It was cool to me, so I wrote it down. That way I wouldn't forget.
Qiu
And I even took out and read that page a lot to make {b}sure{/b} it'd be
something I remembered. Looks like I forgot after all!
Choice: "That's it? Okay then."

Choice: "Thanks for trying to remember, anyway."
Choice: "I don't know why you're confident when you get everything wrong," you
said, put off.
Choice: "You're such a scatterbrain," you said, put off.
Choice: "Wow, you're such a scatterbrain," you said fondly.
Choice: "I can't believe you forgot who I was after your parents told you
everything!"
Choice: "You forgot because you lost the paper."
Choice: You quietly accepted his answer.
--- Tue Dec 26 23:55:52 2023
Choice: "That's it? Okay then."

Choice: "Thanks for trying to remember, anyway."
Choice: "I don't know why you're confident when you get everything wrong," you
said, put off.
Choice: "You're such a scatterbrain," you said, put off.
Choice: "Wow, you're such a scatterbrain," you said fondly.
Choice: "I can't believe you forgot who I was after your parents told you
everything!"
Choice: "You forgot because you lost the paper."
Choice: You quietly accepted his answer.
Player chose: "That's it? Okay then."
Qiu
Yep, that was everything.
Qiu
But I'm gonna stick with you now. Whoever took my paper is still out there and
you were their target.
Qiu
Maybe you're not a sorcerer-thief, but what if the paper airplane person is?
Qiu
We'll figure it all out and you won't have to worry about anything.
Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "You can come! I was gonna ask that."
Choice: "Well... alright, if you really want to."
Choice: "Mm. Yeah, I could use more eyes for looking."
Choice: "Thanks. I would've been scared to go alone."
Choice: "This is something I need to do on my own."
Choice: "Sorry, I'm going by myself."
Choice: "No way! You have to stay here."
Choice: You nodded in agreement.
Choice: You shook your head 'no'.
Player chose: "Okay."
Qiu
Super! Do we have a plan?
You stood up tall, accepting your now-partner on this trip, and laid out the
next part.
Mariya
Yeah, I know which way we should go now. We have to go back to the spot in the
forest with two dirt paths.
Qiu
I know that place. It's right nearby. Let's do this.
And so, you started to walk along the autumn tree line now with your new
partner in the adventure.
Qiu
I know that place. It's right nearby. Let's do this.
And so, you started to walk along the autumn tree line now with your new
partner in the adventure.
Qiu came alongside you with bold, certain steps. You were going to find that
paper airplane person.
Soon you reached the head of the path. You were at the crossroad once more,
but you'd brought back knowledge, and this new boy, with you.
Mariya
Alright, we did that one, it's where you were, and down there is just a car
road.
You stood by Qiu, gesturing around animatedly with both hands. You didn't know
if that helped him understand better, but you couldn't keep still.
Mariya
But! There's that way over on the other side.
You bent your knees, stretched out both arms, and pointed across the forked
passage to where the second dirt imprint was. Qiu couldn't possibly miss it
with your direction.
With a tilt of his head, Qiu grinned in agreement.
Qiu
That makes sense to me!
The decision easily made, your and his crunching footsteps started up again in
unison.
And still, your quest continued.
Once you went through the forest-y path, you had truly entered the wild woods.
Nothing else surrounded you any longer.
Nature spread across the land with the narrow dirt line and fence being the
only sign anyone had walked in this spot before you. People were only visitors
here.
Golden and red leaves gently rustled against each other in thick clumps with
each tree's branches flowing into the others nearby.
It was enough to keep the sky and sun out almost completely, but the leaves
burned bright with the light basking over them from above.
The foot-made passage continued to twist around up higher into the

mountainside, farther than you could see.
Choice: You were amazed.

Choice: It was sort of nice.
Choice: You felt uneasy.
Choice: You preferred the neighborhood over the woods.
Choice: It was dirty and icky.
Choice: This was your kind of place.
Choice: Your curiosity was piqued.
Choice: It was so boring.
Choice: That was a creepy place. Awesome!
Choice: You regretted coming out here. The forest was frightening.
Player chose: You were amazed.
With your wide, wonderous gaze thrown every which way, you let yourself flow
deeper into the thicket.
Qiu watched your face. Your good mood was enough to rub off on him.
Qiu
I hang out in the neighborhood or the other parts of town most of the time,
but woods can be cool too.
Mariya
Really? Why don't you visit more often? It's right by your house.
Qiu
Mm. I've lived here forever- every day of my whole life. Stuff's always going
on with people in the neighborhood and in town.
Qiu
The forest is the same whenever you come back. Trees, bushes, some birds...
It's kinda weird when you think about it.
Qiu
Besides the plants looking different when the seasons change, it's like time
doesn't exist here!
Casually, Qiu lifted up his hands from his sides, only to gesture them
downwards to the forest floor.
Qiu
And hey, you know, this path we're walking on has always been here, even
before I was born.
He strolled along, kicking at a little piece of rock on the road and looking
straight ahead.
Qiu
It's probably been around for as long as this place has been "Golden Grove",
or longer.
For a second he was thinking so hard the smile he almost always had went away.
Then something made him chuckle and he pointed over to the side.
Qiu
But that fence is kinda new.
Qiu
I remember there just being the dirt when I was little. That's the only thing
that's ever gotten different out here.
Mariya
Wow.
The quiet bubble that existed here in the forest, away from the town, popped
from a sudden, unnatural clatter.
You stopped.
It was a whooshing, thumping, and stirring up of the leaves, like something

had crashed into them.
You and Qiu shared a look, both checking that the other heard it too.
Qiu
That wasn't me, and that wasn't you either...
Mariya
Yeah.
You knew for sure that it wasn't the wind. It had to have been an animal, or a
person.
And it came from right over there. That thrilled Qiu. His voice shrunk into an
eager whisper.
Qiu
{i}It could be them{/i}. The mystery paper airplane sender. Let's go before
they get away.
Choice: You decided to just take a peek.

Choice: You wandered through the bushes to find the source of the sound.
Choice: You picked up a stick to throw that way, just to see if something
happened.
Player chose: You wandered through the bushes to find the source of the sound.
You pulled up your socks and began to make your way off the path and through
the overgrowth.
It was harder to keep your footing on the slanted, untrimmed ground.
When you reached a really tree-cluttered spot, you grasped at the branches and
pushed them aside in order to open enough space for you to get past.
You moved them the same way you'd open up a set of curtains, but it was a lot
harder to do.
The tiniest branches couldn't take the bend and snapped from the pressure. You
could feel the splintery ends of the plants scratch a little at your face and
clothes.
It wasn't as smooth of an entrance as you'd hoped it would be.
On the other side of that tree line was still the woods, but kind of an empty
part. There was a lot of open ground with no trees or bushes growing and a ton
of leaves that were gathered into piles.
Past that clearing, the trees were back and even more closely pressed together
than they were by the path.
It was mysterious. There was nowhere easy to go, and nothing seemed out of
place to you, until-
???
Hello!
There was a shout and a new whirlwind of leaves rushing through the air.
From underneath one of the piles was a... another kid.
Choice: Who was this person? That's all you thought.

Choice: You couldn't look away from their eyes. They were really red.
Choice: They had sparkly hair, you noticed.
Choice: You liked the scarf they had on.
Choice: There were leaves stuck in their hair and clothes.
Choice: That was the prettiest person you'd ever seen.
Player chose: That was the prettiest person you'd ever seen.
You stared at them, and they looked right back at you as everything they'd
thrown into the air gently drifted back down.
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Were you in there this whole time?"
Choice: "You scared me."
Choice: "Do you live out here?"
Choice: "You're crazy!"
Choice: "How did you know we were here?"
Choice: "Were you... waiting for us?"
Choice: "Awesome!"
Choice: You had no idea what to do.
Choice: "You are pretty!"
Choice: "'So pretty..." you accidentally said out loud.
Choice: "I don't think you're pretty!"
Choice: You began to laugh.
Choice: "I thought {i}we{/i} were gonna catch someone, but you got us."
Player chose: "I thought {i}we{/i} were gonna catch someone, but you got us."
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Awesome!"
You stared at them, and they looked right back at you as everything they'd
thrown into the air gently drifted back down.
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Awesome!"
Player chose: "I thought {i}we{/i} were gonna catch someone, but you got us."
That got the stranger giggling.
???
Yeah! I got you!
Qiu folded his arms across his chest. He blinked slowly and thoughtfully. He
usually had plenty to say, but in that moment he was left as stumped as one of
the actual stumps in this forest.
???
Wait here!
The jumping-jack kid hopped again, but this time it was to get up off the
ground.
They dashed to the opposite edge of the open space, leaves scattering behind
them- dropping out of their clothes and being kicked up by their steps.
You were already wondering what was gonna happen next.
Watching them go, Qiu finally found some words.

Qiu
It's another person I've never seen before today?!
He twisted around so the top of him was angled more toward you. He brought one
of his hands to the side of his mouth and held the other close to his chest,
pointing subtly in the direction the stranger went.
Qiu
Mariya, do you know this leaf kid?
Choice: "No."
Choice: "Qiu, you're the only person I've met here."
Choice: "I don't know anyone in this town, not even you!"
Choice: You shook your head strongly.
Choice: You simply stared back at him.
Player chose: "Qiu, you're the only person I've met here."
Qiu
Yeah, true.
Qiu's arms fell back down like limp noodles, but he never took his eyes off
the other person. He was definitely curious.
From behind one of the tall, crooked trees the kid began throwing sticks and
other plant pieces around. They were uncovering a hidden treasure- a big brown
bag.
They had to use both hands to lift the pouch and get it over their head. The
thick strap pulled tight under the strain of the weight attached to it. The
line of their mouth looked just as strained.
The stranger huffed when they released the bag from their fingers, letting it
rest completely across their shoulder.
You heard stuff bumping around inside from your position way over here. It was
a really full pack.
But it didn't slow that kid down. They ran back at full speed to meet you
where you were. When they were in front of your face, they gave a wave and
asked a question.
???
Ooo! Whoa, are your eyes two colors?
You suddenly had a stranger leaning their face closer to yours to try getting
a better look at your eyes.
Choice: "It's not special or anything."

Choice: "Thanks for noticing!"
Choice: "Do you think it's weird?"
Choice: "Stop coming towards me."
Choice: "It's pretty cool, right?"
Choice: "You don't have to yell about it…"
Choice: You just looked away, pretending you didn't hear.
Choice: Your cheeks felt hot and you couldn't speak.
Choice: You stood tall and lifted your chin.
Player chose: "It's not special or anything."

Whoever they were hummed a happy reply.
???
No, it's fancy.
The kid then kept talking like that whole thing didn't even happen.
???
Hi. Are you girls too?
Qiu gestured to the front of himself casually.
Qiu
I'm a boy: Mr. Qiu Lin. Q-I-U and L-I-N.
???
Wow. Okay. Hi, Qiu.
The kid turned their attention to you.
???
Are {i}you{/i} a girl?
Choice: "No."
Choice: You shook your head.
Choice: "I'm not a girl!"
Choice: "No. Why would you think that?" you asked curiously.
Choice: "No. Why would you think something like that?" you asked, feeling
insulted.
Choice: You glanced at Qiu shyly, not wanting to talk.
Player chose: "No."
???
Okay. Boys and stuff are just as good. What's the right answer?
Mariya
I'm just a kid. People use she to talk about me.
And then it was like all the clouds in the sky, and her head you guessed, had
cleared away.
???
Alright.
And all of a sudden, the leafy girl seemed to remember to introduce herself
the way most people do.
Tamarack
I'm Tamarack!
Choice: "Alright."
Choice: "That sounds nice."
Choice: "Really?"
Choice: "Tamarack is a weird name."
Choice: "Cool!"
Choice: "Tamarack? What does that mean?"
Choice: "Tamarack? That's a tree!"
Choice: "Wait, isn't that a normal word and not a name?"
Choice: You simply nodded.
Player chose: "Tamarack? That's a tree!"
Tamarack
Yeah! You're right.
Tamarack
A "tamarack" is a kind of tree. I like it a lot!
Qiu grinned widely at her enthusiastic introduction.
Qiu
It fits you. What's your last name?
Tamarack
Baumann.
Qiu
Cool. Ms. Tamarack Baumann. You know, my name means "autumn".
Tamarack
That's amazing! It's a match too. How do people know how to do that?
Qiu
I think we're just lucky. Lots of kids don't have the right ones.
Tamarack
Yeah.
Tamarack
So what's your name?
The girl you now knew as Tamarack sent the question your way, since Qiu
already gave his out.
Choice: "I'm [p.name]."

Choice: "My name is [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Choice: "It's [p.name] [p.last_name]. Nice to meet you."
Choice: "I'm [p.Mx] [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Choice: You didn't speak up.
Choice: You let Qiu talk for you.
Player chose: "My name is [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Tamarack
Wow. Hi, Mariya.
She greeted you with a finger-spread wave of her hand, as sweetly as if you'd
always known each other and she'd done it a hundred times.
Tamarack
Do you think yours fits too? Your name?
Choice: "Yeah."
Choice: "No."
Choice: "I don't know."
Choice: "Sometimes."
Choice: "A little."
Choice: "It's all right, I guess."
Choice: "I like my nickname more."
Choice: You shook your head against that.
Choice: You shrugged vaguely.
Player chose: "Yeah."
Mariya
But I've got a nickname that my friends sometimes call me, Mari.
Tamarack
Oooh. Alright.
Tamarack
Oooh. Alright.
Tamarack
Your ribbon is nice.
Choice: "Thank you!"

Choice: "Yeah, it is nice."
Choice: "Well, thanks, I guess?"
Choice: "Oh..."
Choice: "I like your hair tie, too."
Choice: You proudly reached up to straighten the [prologue.accessory] on your
head.
Choice: "My [opal.term!l] got it for me," you announced happily.
Choice: "My [opal.term!l] made me wear it," you informed her flatly.
Choice: You just looked down shyly.
Player chose: "Thank you!"
Tamarack
You're welcome.
Qiu
It's cool to meet you, Tamarack.
Qiu
It's cool to meet you, Tamarack.
Qiu
Maybe.
He pointed a suspicious finger her way as he made another point with words.
Qiu
There was only {b}one{/b} house for sale anywhere near this neighborhood.
Mariya lives there now. Where did you come from?
Qiu
{i}Unless you're Mariya's mom{/i}!
Tamarack was completely tickled by the idea, giggling and covering her mouth
with her hands. She didn't do a good job at stopping any of the laughter from
getting out.
Tamarack
{i}No{/i}. I'm not a mom! I moved in with my Omi and Opa.
Choice: "Who are they?"

Choice: "Are those your parents' names? "Omi and Opa"?"
Choice: "You're living with your grandparents?"
Choice: "I've heard that before. Omi and Opa is grandma and grandpa."
Choice: "I have no idea what you're saying."
Choice: You listened quietly.
Player chose: "I've heard that before. Omi and Opa is grandma and grandpa."
Tamarack
Yep.
Qiu
I've never heard of that. Is it another language?
Tamarack
Uh-huh. It's German and they're German.
Qiu
Cool! You two know a lot.
Qiu
There's a granny who lives there and a guy that's her husband. That's your Omi
and Opa?
Tamarack
I think so, probably. Omi has really long hair, Opa has short hair and some of
it is on his face!
Qiu
Yeah!
Qiu bobbed his head up and down with great understanding.
Qiu
Granny and him have a kid now? Huh. Wow.
Choice: "Oh. Alright."

Choice: "That's nice."
Choice: "Nifty."
Choice: "I have no idea what it'd be like to not live with my [opal.term!l]."
Choice: "Are your parents dead?"
Choice: "Why did you move in with them? What about your parents?"
Choice: You didn't say anything to that.
Qiu
There's a granny who lives there and a guy that's her husband. That's your Omi
and Opa?
Tamarack
I think so, probably. Omi has really long hair, Opa has short hair and some of
it is on his face!
Qiu
Yeah!
Qiu bobbed his head up and down with great understanding.
Qiu
Granny and him have a kid now? Huh. Wow.

Choice: "Nifty."
Player chose: "Why did you move in with them? What about your parents?"
Tamarack
They're busy! And not at home. I wouldn't go to school or do anything if I
stayed there.

Choice: "Nifty."
Player chose: "Are your parents dead?"
Qiu
{i}Mariya.{/i}
Qiu's eyebrows pinched together as he whispered your name disapprovingly. What

a worrywart. Tamarack didn't mind. She understood that it was just a question.
Tamarack
No.
That ruined the superhero reveal you thought was about to happen with her
story.
Mariya
Oh. Then what?

Choice: "Nifty."
Player chose: "That's nice."
Tamarack
Yeah.
Tamarack
I've been here five days and it's really good. There's so much out here. I
probably won't be finished for a long, long time. Months, maybe.
Tamarack
I've been here five days and it's really good. There's so much out here. I
probably won't be finished for a long, long time. Months, maybe.
The loudness of Qiu's voice shot up. He was shocked and confused.
Qiu
Five days?! That's almost a week and I've never even seen you.
Qiu
Where have you been this whole time?
Tamarack
I said so before. I've been here!
Tamarack used one foot to push against the ground and the other to stay
upright and spun around in place once.
Tamarack
I play in the forest every day.
After getting the answer, he went normal-volume again but kept frowning.
Qiu
Aw, well, you can come with me and my friends if you wanna, too. We hang out
in the neighborhood and in town and my backyard and stuff.
Qiu
If you see us, just walk over and join. You don't have to worry. They'll like
you, and you can talk to me if you don't know what to do.
She only shrugged, and the shoulder without the bag strap went up higher.
Tamarack
Maybe.
There wasn't a lot of interest for Qiu's offer. He finally grinned again. He
watched Tamarack with a tilted head.
Qiu
You're like your Opa, huh? No one ever really sees him around either, even
though he's lived here for a million years.
Tamarack squished her cheeks between her fingers, delighted.
Tamarack
He likes his office a whooole lot.
Mariya
This is my very first day in Golden Grove.
Tamarack
Wow! That's barely different at all! We're a match.
She furrowed her extra-short eyebrows as much as she could as a new idea came
to her.
Tamarack
Hey-
Tamarack
I'm a girl and neither of you are, but what if we're the same age? I'm ten!
Choice: "We're ten, too."

Choice: "You're ten?! So are we!"
Choice: "We {i}are{/i} the same. All three of us."
Choice: "Well, {i}I'm{/i} ten," you said, not answering for Qiu.
Choice: "Why do you even care?"
Choice: You nodded "yes".
Choice: You held up all ten fingers.
Choice: You kept quiet.
Choice: Qiu answered for the both of you.
Player chose: "We {i}are{/i} the same. All three of us."
Tamarack
Hooray, same age forever!
Happily, Tamarack held onto the worn strap of her big bag and bounced up and
down in place.
You decided that this was the perfect time to talk to her about everything
that had happened. The paper might've been Qiu's, but it was possible she was
the one who sent it to you.
Choice: "Hey, I got hit with a paper airplane a little while ago. Was that
you?"
Choice: "Um... did you throw a paper airplane at me?"
Choice: "Do you maybe know anything about a paper airplane?"
Choice: "Tell me the truth, are you the paper airplane person?"
Choice: "Do you know what this is?" you asked while pulling out the page.
Choice: Without a word, you took out the piece of paper.
Player chose: "Hey, I got hit with a paper airplane a little while ago. Was
that you?"
Tamarack
Ah! Yeah! You got it?
Mariya
Yes, I got it! It's right here.
Tamarack
Woo!
She flung her arms up over her head in celebration, knocking her bag out to
the side. It made a thump noise when it swung back against her.
Tamarack
My aim is good.
You blinked at her in disbelief. You'd truly done it. You found the mystery
person who owned the paper in the first place {b}and{/b} the person who
actually sent it to you as a paper airplane.
Choice: She was entertaining, you thought.

Choice: You rubbed at your eyes exhaustedly.
Choice: She was loud. It made you nervous.
Choice: You couldn't believe the trouble she set off.
Choice: You smiled to yourself shyly.
Choice: She was so cute, you thought.
Choice: You didn't know how to feel about that.
Player chose: She was so cute, you thought.
But you weren't the only one who had a reaction to the results.

Tamarack
My aim is good.
You blinked at her in disbelief. You'd truly done it. You found the mystery
person who owned the paper in the first place {b}and{/b} the person who
actually sent it to you as a paper airplane.

Player chose: She was so cute, you thought.
But you weren't the only one who had a reaction to the results.
Qiu
Alright! Nice, Mariya.
Your wide eyes and Qiu's cheers had Tamarack excitedly looking between you and
him, not knowing what the celebration was about, but wanting to join.
Choice: "Thanks for sending it."

Choice: "That plane was really cool."
Choice: "Why would you do that?"
Choice: "Yeah it is. Your throw was perfect."
Choice: You smiled quietly, but with satisfaction.
Player chose: "Yeah it is. Your throw was perfect."
Tamarack
Thanks! And yay for the trash doing something nice.
Qiu
Trash?!
He brought both his hands up to his face and pressed his fingertips into his
cheeks with great drama.
Choice: "Even if it was trash to you, it's still important to me."

Choice: "Even if it was trash to you, it's still important to him."
Choice: "It's not trash!"
Choice: "You've got that right, it's garbage," you joked.
Choice: "You've got that right, it's garbage," you stated.
Choice: You snickered.
Choice: You glared at her.
Choice: "What was that about never losing things, Qiu?"
Player chose: "What was that about never losing things, Qiu?"
With wrinkled brows, Qiu shifted his hands more to the side so he could
instead tug at the front strands of his hair, pulling them out fully straight.
Qiu
I don't know how it's possible.
Qiu
You wouldn't maybe be a sorcerer or a thief, would you, Tamarack?
Tamarack
No!
Qiu
Too bad.
Choice: You thought about how he was so funny.

Choice: You covered your eyes at the ridiculousness.
Choice: You sighed.
Choice: You smirked widely.
Choice: You thought about how he was so adorable.
Choice: You felt tired.
Choice: You just ignored it.
Player chose: You thought about how he was so funny.
Tamarack and you both laughed, the sound harmonizing.
Qiu finished his pout, straightening up and putting his hands solidly on his
hips. He was back to being in control.
Qiu
You know, there's nobody out there who's perfect. I accept my mistake and I'm
sorry to you, forest, for messing up the place.
Mariya
That's really nice of you to say, Qiu.
Qiu
Thanks.
Tamarack
I think it forgives you!
Qiu
Cool.
Watching the two kids interacting, you started thinking about this more and
more, going over the whole experience in your head.
Your turning thoughts were put on pause when Tamarack suddenly changed the
subject.
Tamarack
What are you two gonna do now?
Mariya
I've gotta go back. My ma is waiting for me.
Qiu
And I'll walk Mariya there. I gotta make sure she doesn't get lost out here.
Tamarack
Hm, I should probably see how my Omi and Opa are too. They're pretty old and
need help sometimes.
She took a big hop closer to you and Qiu, a smile growing across her face as
she landed.
Tamarack
We could go back together!
Choice: "Alright, we can."

Choice: "Yes! I was gonna ask that."
Choice: "Well... okay, if you both are sure."
Choice: "Sorry, I want to be by myself."
Choice: "No! I don't want people coming."
Choice: "Sorry, me and Qiu are going together."
Choice: "No! You should stay here. Me and Qiu are going on our own."
Choice: "Okay, Tamarack. Bye Qiu, the two of us are going."
Player chose: "Alright, we can."
You relaxed your stance, accepting that this was really over now.
Tamarack
Woo-hoo!
Tamarack snatched up a nearby stick off the ground and directed the pointy end
forward, the way you had come from.
Tamarack
To our houses!
While chuckling, Qiu used his fist to enthusiastically punch the air.
Qiu
Homeward bound!
Choice: "This is really... nice."

Choice: "We're going back successful people."
Choice: "Alright!"
Choice: "You two are loud."
Choice: You smiled at them in agreement.
Choice: You watched the two in a shy silence.
Player chose: "This is really... nice."
Tamarack
Yeah! Yeah! Yeah!
She had cupped her hands around her mouth to make it extra loud.
Qiu
It's pretty cool.
And so, you started to walk through the browned fall brush to get to the
neighborhood again, but you weren't going to be alone there.
Tamarack bounded ahead, bouncing her arm up and down with the stick like she
was the conductor of a marching band while Qiu came alongside you with even,
casual steps.
You were returning to that house.
Your new neighborhood had become even more orange-toned by the time you
finally returned to it.
The far-off sun slowly sank away behind the tallest mountains and forests to
sleep for the night.
Your shadows grew larger, pulling away from your bodies to reach out into the
street ahead.
The dark shapes morphed and combined with one another as you walked in your
own mismatched rhythm.
All while the eyeball-chilling-ness of the outside world got more powerful bit
by bit.
Tamarack still stayed about two steps ahead. Sometimes she was closer and
sometimes she got away from you again.
She used her stick to knock at the bushes and lamps along the sidewalk.
Qiu was next to you but had switched things up so that he was taking large
skips backwards. You guessed it was to look at you in the face better. Or he
just thought it was fun.
He pointed out the sharpest building on the street as he went. Part of it

looked almost like a tower, a different kind than the one in the backyard.
Qiu
See? That's the house from the front. It's great.
Qiu
And... that's your house, right? The one in the middle. And Granny owns that
even further away one.
Mariya
Mhm.
Qiu
Cool.
The sounds of your steps continued to echo through the cul-de-sac until you
came to a stop right in the center of the path. You'd arrived.
Qiu
Okay, this is it!
Qiu pulled out an eager grin.
Qiu
We've gotta meet up again later.
Qiu
See you, Mariya and Tamarack.
Qiu flipped around to go back the same way he had come with you. He needed to
return to the pointy red house with the huge backyard.
He didn't drop any papers this time.
Tamarack
Bye! Goodbyeee!
Tamarack
Bye! Goodbyeee!
Tamarack put both her hands up in front of her chest and waved them around.
Tamarack
I'm going home, too!
Tamarack spun in place before dashing further along the sidewalk to the
sloped, gray house on the other end of the neighborhood.
Her bag clunked and jingled at her side the whole way there.
You waited there in front of the house in the dimming evening light, watching
the two other kids go to their homes right on the same street.
Choice: "Bye."
Choice: "See you later!"
Choice: "Be careful on your way back."
Choice: "Thank you for coming with me!"
Choice: "It was cool to meet you two!"
Choice: You gave a wave goodbye.
Choice: You waved your hands in the air and jumped up.
Player chose: "See you later!"
That was everything- the whole outing was done.
In the quiet resolution of your first day in this place, the two encounters
you had earlier that afternoon drifted through your head.
Qiu and Tamarack...
In the quiet resolution of your first day in this place, the two encounters
you had earlier that afternoon drifted through your head.
Qiu and Tamarack...
Things were so different for you from just that morning when you left and went
on the drive to move.
Before then, you'd never been in Golden Grove. You'd seen it only in pictures
and hadn't known anybody who was a "local" there.
But here you were, a person who lived in the town and was friends with the
neighbors on both sides of your house who also lived here.
Were you friends? You thought so...
And even though she wasn't here anymore, and a bunch of other things had
happened that day, Tamarack was the only thing on your mind.
What it was like when you first saw her in the leaf pile, when you started to
talk to and know her, all that stuff with the paper airplane.
She was... special.
The air outside kept getting even colder, but you were so warm on the inside.
It was nice and comfortable in the place you were.
Getting even more lost in your own imagination, you wondered when you'd get to
see her again.
Ma
Mariya! Is that you?!
Your ma called from over the fence.
Mariya
Coming!
Mariya
Coming!
You bounded forward and passed through the gate.
Ma had left the porch and was there to meet you.
Ma
Thank you for coming back. I'm sure you were having an exciting time out
there.
Choice: "It was great."

Choice: "Could've been worse."
Choice: "I don't know..."
Choice: "You're never gonna believe what happened."
Choice: "Everything was amazing!"
Choice: You squeezed her legs, thrilled at what happened.
Choice: You didn't say anything about it.
Choice: "I wish I didn't go."
Choice: You clung to her, relieved to be back and upset you'd had to go.
Choice: "I met people, [opal.name!cl]. Kids my age."
Choice: "I met a girl I'm gonna marry."
Player chose: "It was great."
Ma
I'm so glad to hear that.
Ma
From strength to strength. We've got the key to the house!
Ma
The agent finally arrived about twenty minutes ago. He's gone now, but I
haven't peeked yet.
Ma
The both of us should be here for this. It's your house, too.
Ma
The agent finally arrived about twenty minutes ago. He's gone now, but I
haven't peeked yet.
Ma
The both of us should be here for this. It's your house, too.
Mariya
Yeah, this is our house now.
Ma
Absolutely.
Ma
Come on.
Ma turned to go and slipped the key out from her sweater pocket. She gestured
with the other hand for you to follow.
Your ma led the way as you went back up the stairs.
The key fit perfectly into the hole on the door, and Ma smiled at the sound of
an unlocking "click".
Carefully, she leaned forward with her shoulder, giving it a nudge, unsure if
the best option for the ancient door was extra force or extra restraint.
The house opened with a creak. Air came out through the front like it was
exhaling. Ma let out a breath at the same time.
Ma
Over here, Mariya, there's space for you to get a little closer. You can see
inside here.
You scooched towards your ma's side in the doorframe.
It was then that you noticed there was a mat at the front. It had a light
color and a kinda hard but fluffy texture.
The sort of mat that'd get dirty looking right away when it was used, but it
was still clean and nice. It hadn't been worn down at all like the rest of the
building.
This part of the house wasn't just an old thing left behind by other people
who didn't need it or want it anymore. Someone must've put it there for this
happening, for your ma and you moving in.
Written across the top it said...
Ma softly tapped the top of your shoulder, bringing you back into the moment.
She kept the hand there, leading you ahead with her.
The two of you walked through the door.
Everything in the air was still. The wind was blocked, but it was practically
as cold inside as it was out of the house.
Ma shifted forward cautiously, feeling around for a light switch.
Ma
Got it.
A dim light from the ceiling sparked on in an instant. And there in front of
you was an old-fashioned living room.
The house had furniture that came along with it, but it wasn't a set. The
pieces were mismatched, each chair, table, and bookshelf in a different color.
They were covered in transparent sheets of plastic, and in dust.
The room had a real fireplace made out of brick. In the back you could see a
staircase going up to another floor.
Ma
Beautiful. It's even better than the photos; so much potential inside these
walls.
Choice: You were amazed. It could fit in a storybook.

Choice: You were so disappointed.
Choice: It blew your old apartment out of the water.
Choice: It was the worst house in the world.
Choice: It could work, once you had your stuff out.
Choice: You thought it was okay.
Choice: The house was definitely haunted.
Player chose: You were amazed. It could fit in a storybook.
Ma was right. You had thought it'd be good, but it was somehow more than that.
Your ma touched the tips of her fingers to the muted blue paint next to her.
Ma
We'll have to clean as much as we can to make it livable before bed; it'll be
a long night.
Ma
We can unpack more of our things tomorrow. Though, I'll be doing much of that
on my own. You're going to be busy.
Ma increased the pitch of her voice, squinting her eyes sweetly.
Ma
After all, it's the first day of fifth grade.
Choice: You grinned brightly.

Choice: You groaned, throwing your head back dramatically.
Choice: You had hoped she'd forgotten.
Choice: You threw your hands up in the air from excitement.
Choice: You covered your face, getting nervous just thinking about it.
Choice: You bit your lip, scared to even imagine having to go to a new school.
Choice: You shrugged plainly.
Choice: You got lost in thought imagining what it might be like.
Choice: You glared at her, annoyed that she'd bring it up so cheerily.
Player chose: You grinned brightly.
She chuckled gently while watching you.
Ma
We got here just in time, hm?
Her eyes drifted closed and there was a crease in her brows. She seemed
further away without having gone anywhere.
Ma
Even if I am here early for the job, I was not going to make you be a full
week late to class.
Ma
Being new to a town like this is already going to make you a point of
attention...
You couldn't tell if she thought that was a good thing or a bad thing by her
tone, but Ma didn't say any more about that.
She lifted her circle-scarf over her head, careful to not have it catch on her
earrings, and left it on top of her suitcase.
Ma
So, want to see the upstairs?
Mariya
Yeah!
The second floor was more of the same. Lonely, sealed away rooms with
furniture nobody had been using for ages that were covered up by plastic
sheets.
And lots of dust.

You could see the footprints your ma left behind in the grime as she wandered
the halls with wide, amazed eyes.
After checking the state of the whole house, Ma made the decision to leave the
furniture in its protection until after the sweeping was finished.
There were too many dust bunnies that might jump over to take a seat on your
couches if a spot was available.
Ma
Mm. I hope I can remember where I put that dustpan. The broom itself shouldn't
be hard to find...
You returned to the living room after Ma got her trusty pair of crafting
scissors out of her suitcase. She put her scarf inside it when taking the
scissors out.
Ma then went through some of the taped-up boxes like it was her birthday and
each one was a shiny, unopened present with a ribbon on top. But her gift was
just stuff she already owned.
One by one, she took out the supplies that had been brought for this very
moment, setting them around her legs on the floor wherever there was space.
Then she divided them out into separate piles.
A pair of yellow gloves, a fluffy-fresh duster, a bottle of cleaning spray,

and a full roll of paper towels. Ma had a set of her own, the other was for
you. You were going to need them.
There was only one broom and dustpan that she did successfully find. You were
going to take turns using that.
The first move in the "make the house a place people can actually live in"
plan was yanking open the streaky windows to get some air flow going.
Though, before even that you had to get the locks on the window themselves to
come loose.
You dug your fingers in between the base of the window frame and the latch
pressed against it, forcing it to move against its will.
When the lock clicked into place on the opposite side, you shoved the window
up with both hands. Your gloves were already patchy with filth.
The icy-crisp breeze that flowed in from the outside was a lot more welcome at
this point. You got a good look at the neighborhood while catching your
breath. Streetlights had come on.
But you then left the window there to do its job and got back to yours.
The two of you went back and forth and up and down around the house to open up
everything that you could. Some windows were jammed in place so tight, you had
to leave it alone for your ma to get to later.
The next point on the list was to somehow scrub down all the floors, walls,
counters, and every other inch of space where dust could settle- which was
every inch of the entire house.
You picked a spot and gave it a sweep with the fuzzy head of the duster. A
nice line of clear wood followed behind your motion.
That pattern continued for a while, and whenever the dust layer was gone from
a spot, you'd go back over it again with the cleaning spray to really make it
shine.
Your ma was able to track down and turn on the heater, not that you could tell
the difference with all the windows wide open.
Eventually, you had a short dinner break with your ma, standing around in the
kitchen together with the two of you as dusty as the rest of the house. It was
packed meals from the car.
Simple sandwiches, fruits with thick peels that wouldn't get smashed on the
drive, little bags of granola and pretzels, and juice boxes.
There were no groceries. The rickety fridge was off and totally empty when you
checked.
Choice: It was a relief that there was nothing gross in there.

Choice: It was disappointing that there was nothing gross in there.
Player chose: It was disappointing that there was nothing gross in there.

Eventually, you had a short dinner break with your ma, standing around in the
kitchen together with the two of you as dusty as the rest of the house. It was
packed meals from the car.
Simple sandwiches, fruits with thick peels that wouldn't get smashed on the
drive, little bags of granola and pretzels, and juice boxes.
There were no groceries. The rickety fridge was off and totally empty when you
checked.

Player chose: It was a relief that there was nothing gross in there.

Player chose: It was disappointing that there was nothing gross in there.
What's the point of having a weird old house if there isn't at least one jar
with mysterious goo and lumps inside?
The trash from your food was dumped into the same giant, black garbage bag
that you'd been throwing piles of gray-stained paper towels and wads of
squished together tape in for the whole night.
Somehow, the bag was getting full even though it was big enough to fit your
whole body inside. It was a mark of how much work you'd really done.
Looking at just the house made you think you hadn't even gotten started.
The only way to change that was to keep going, as your ma talked about when
encouraging herself to clean again after dinner.
You and your ma polished up the house as best you could for even more hours.
But when your usual bedtime arrived, Ma put the duster and the scissors down.
She wasn't gonna have you stay up late, no matter how excited she was to
unpack.
She guided you to the first-floor bathroom - the ones on the second floor were
too dirty to use - plucking her overnight bag off the counter along the way.
Your ma explained how she'd do a round throughout the whole house to close the
windows to keep busy until the bathroom was free and left you to get ready to
sleep.
Inside the bag was little baby sized versions of normal toothpaste and mouth
wash containers and simple toothbrushes.
All you had for pajamas that night was a green long-sleeved shirt with
matching pants.
Choice: You got as clean as you possibly could with only a sink to use.
Choice: You did a good job washing up.
Choice: You were pretty lazy about it.
Choice: You finished washing as fast as possible.
Choice: You just pretended to be busy for a little while.
Player chose: You did a good job washing up.
After how dirty you'd gotten, it was satisfying to get clean.
Choice: You kept your [prologue.accessory] on for bed.

Choice: You took your [prologue.accessory] off for bed.
Player chose: You took your [prologue.accessory] off for bed.
Then you changed into the pjs and let your ma have her turn.
While she was away...
Choice: You took out your favorite stuffed animal from your packed bag.
Choice: You took out your favorite action figure from your packed bag.
Choice: You took out your favorite doll from your packed bag.
Choice: You took out your special blanket from your packed bag.
Choice: You took out your special pillow from your packed bag.
Choice: You could only wait for her to be done.
Player chose: You took out your favorite stuffed animal from your packed bag.
It wasn't something you could sleep without.
The furniture was still plastic wrapped, so you crouched down and sat on the
rug.
Ma returned in only a couple minutes wearing her purple pajamas, and she also
had sleeping bags tucked under each of her arms.
She shifted one forward to hold against the front of her chest and dropped the
other onto the floor. It landed with a puff.
Ma
That'll be mine.
Your ma noted while trying to untie the band that kept the sleeping bag
together in a roll. She pulled and pinched at the knot.
When it didn't budge, she lifted the bundle to her face and used her teeth to
pry the threaded bands apart from each other.
She got it loose and victoriously flapped the bag all the way open. She laid
it down in a clear spot on the wooden floor.
Ma
There you are, Mariya, all ready.
Mariya
Okay.
--- Wed Dec 27 23:33:07 2023
Mariya
Okay.
You used your feet and rocked back and forth to move yourself across the
antique rug, scooting towards the sleeping bag without getting off the ground.
Ma chatted casually while spreading out her own bag nearby.
Ma
We'll need to get some wood so we can actually use that fireplace on nights
like these.
Did your ma know how to use a fireplace? You'd never seen one in person until
now, and so far you'd still never seen one that had fire in it.
Luckily, the house was warm and cozy even without that since the windows
stopped letting the chill in. The heater worked. That was sort of a surprise
to you.
Ma soon settled down on the center of her temporary bed.
She sat cross-legged with her back solidly straight. Her hands came to rest on
the tops of her knees, and she made direct eye contact with you.
Ma
Thank you for the help with the house today. It'll be home before we know it
at this rate.
Choice: "I worked really hard," you said while stretching your arms.
Choice: "I am soooo tired now," you said while flopping down.
Choice: "You're welcome."
Choice: "A house and a home are the same thing."
Choice: The way she said it made you roll your eyes.
Choice: You stretched your arms out, happy with a job well-done.
Choice: You flopped down onto the bag with a tired huff.
Player chose: You stretched your arms out, happy with a job well-done.
She slouched her shoulders, easing away some of the stiffness.
Choice: "Hey, guess what I did in the neighborhood today."

Choice: "[opal.name!cl], could I tell you about what happened today?"
Choice: She asked you how your day was.
Player chose: "Hey, guess what I did in the neighborhood today."
Ma
You hid behind the fence the entire time.
Mariya
No, Ma.
Ma
Okay, tell me, dear.
After pausing just a little to build suspense, you began to narrate the entire
story of the paper airplane adventure.
From the moment it hit, to the way it led you down the forest crossroad,
meeting Qiu on his tower with his notebook full of loose pages, then finding
Tamarack in her leaf pile and all her surprises...
Ma listened with her whole self, leaning forward and grinning wider with each
new turn you revealed.
You wrapped it up by explaining how you returned to the neighborhood with Qiu
and Tamarack after everything you'd discovered.
Ma
What a way to spend an afternoon. I'm proud of you, Mariya.
Ma
You're a bona fide detective.
Ma
I had no idea you'd gotten into such a winding journey.
You kicked your legs up and down on your sleeping bag, very pleased with her
reaction.
It was a fun story to tell.
Somehow, the events of the day felt like they were a long time ago - or that
they happened to someone else, and you just heard about it.
But it had been real. The paper airplane hit your shoulder; you held the note
in your hands...
Choice: And you threw that paper away when you were cleaning.
Choice: And you didn't have any idea what happened to that paper.
Choice: And you were saving that paper to give back to Qiu.
Choice: And you were saving that paper to give back to Tamarack.
Choice: And you saved that paper with your things as a keepsake.
Player chose: And you saved that paper with your things as a keepsake.
It had nice memories that went with it.
With your topic all done, Ma softly spoke up to share her own thoughts with
you.
Ma
It's odd, imagining this entire building collecting dust for all this time,
isn't it? No one wanted to live here. Not renters, not the man who owned it.
But it's a charming house.
Mariya
Yeah, it is. How did we get to have something like this?
Ma pinched her lips together in consideration, then she kept talking.
Ma
There aren't a lot of opportunities out in these woods, I suppose.
Ma
At my company, the retiring of the former HR manager was the first big
position I've ever heard of for this area.
Ma
And even that didn't open up for people already living in the town. I was
asked to relocate to take the position.
Creases grew around her eyes the more she thought about it. She caught herself
before a frown could follow.
Ma
Oh, but it's not an issue. I'm grateful. We'll find our place in the slow pace
of Golden Grove. And at least we'll have each other regardless.
Choice: "Yep, you and me are a team."

Choice: "It's great we have each other to talk about stuff with."
Choice: "We'll always be together!"
Choice: "You can count on me, [opal.name!cl]."
Choice: You nodded strongly.
Choice: You yawned, not paying too much attention.
Ma
Oh, but it's not an issue. I'm grateful. We'll find our place in the slow pace
of Golden Grove. And at least we'll have each other regardless.
Choice: "Yep, you and me are a team."

Choice: "It's great we have each other to talk about stuff with."
Choice: "We'll always be together!"
Choice: "You can count on me, [opal.name!cl]."
Choice: You nodded strongly.
Choice: You yawned, not paying too much attention.
Player chose: "Yep, you and me are a team."
Ma
A very impressive one, I'd say.
Then your ma stretched her legs out fully across her sleeping bag, wiggling
her toes inside the black socks she had on.
Seeing Ma right there on the floor with you was cool. You didn't hang out
together during bedtime like this most nights; it was special.
As you thought about that, your eyelids were trying to tape themselves up with
the sticky, gritty stuff your eyes made when it was extra-late.
Ma
Alright dear, you should get inside the sleeping bag now, before you blink out
on top of it.
That sounded like a pretty good idea.
Scooping your stuffed animal into both your arms, you shimmied into the open
end of the bag. It was made out of fabric that was so smooth it wasn't
difficult to do.
You moved farther down until the edge was to your chin. You were wrapped up
like a loaf of bread in a grocery bag.
Ma got to her feet, taking a short jog over to the far wall of the room. She
lifted a finger to the light switch but kept her gaze down on you. The
expression on her face was gentle.
Ma
Goodnight, Mariya.
Choice: "Goodnight, [opal.name!cl]."

Choice: "Night!"
Choice: "Sweet dreams."
Choice: You smiled up at her.
Choice: You blew her a goodnight kiss.
Choice: You stared up at her.
Choice: You rolled over on your side, turning away from her.
Player chose: "Goodnight, [opal.name!cl]."
The room went pitch black with a click.
While your eyes were trying to adjust, you heard the shuffling sounds of Ma.
She'd joined you on the floor again.
Those noises soon stopped. Ma didn't talk anymore.
There weren't sounds of cars passing outside. There was a thumping in your
ears, and you thought you might've heard a creak somewhere.
The night noises were a lot different than what you had experience with. They
were so quiet and distant. It made you notice them more than if they were
clearer.
You'd have to get to know the sounds better. It was another part of the
house's personality.
You were okay with that. It was normal to need time to get familiar with each
other.
You pressed your eyes shut. In your head was thoughts of...
Choice: Moving to a new town.
Choice: [opal.name!cl].
Choice: Qiu.
Choice: Tamarack.
Choice: Qiu and Tamarack.
Choice: The first day of school.
Player chose: Qiu and Tamarack.
You tossed and turned in the squishy cocoon, wanting to sleep so tomorrow
would come sooner but too excited to do so. It was way too long of a night.
Then your second day in Golden Grove arrived...
Tutorial
Hello again! We mentioned it earlier, but occasionally you will get the
opportunity to change what you're wearing during the game.
Tutorial
You may also be able to take off accessories like hats and scarves during
certain in-game moments.
Tutorial
If you don't want to bother with changing your outfit, you can toggle these
sections off from the Your Details screen (click "Info" on the right to find
it).
Tutorial
Turning off the dress up sections means what layers you choose to take off and
keep wearing when you get to school will be your preference for what you wear
indoors for the rest of Step 1 (or until you turn on dress up sections again).
Tutorial
Would you like to see the dress up sections in the future?
Choice: I want to pick out my outfit

Choice: I don't want to see these dress up sections
Player chose: I want to pick out my outfit
Tutorial
Have fun!
But your second day had only {i}just{/i} arrived. Only one corner of the world
outside the window had any sunlight - the rest was all shadows.
The lights in the house had to be turned on for you to see your own hands.
Choice: You loved when it was that early.

Choice: Your [opal.term!l] had to work really hard to get you up.
Choice: You didn't mind that.
Choice: You thought it should be criminal to make people have to be awake this
early.
Player chose: You didn't mind that.
At least you got to rest a little more.

The unpacking wouldn't be started again until a lot later - that's what your
ma said when you were brushing your teeth. For now, you both only had what was
already out.
The food around to eat was still the same stuff from yesterday. It was what
you had for breakfast already, and you could see your ma packing it into a
brown paper bag for lunch, too.
That was the last of the preparation she had to do for your school, you were
pretty sure. Your ma really wanted to be the one to get your supplies for the
day together.
She'd put stacks of stapled papers, a notebook, your pencil case, a ruler, and
more into your backpack.
Ma had kept the pack on the middle seat of the car to make sure it would be
right there when it was time to use it for class.
If it had gone missing maybe you would've had to carry your school stuff in a
cardboard box, the same way you had to bring everything else you owned to this
place in big boxes.
You watched her from your comfy spot on your sleeping bag. You'd already
gotten dressed for the day, but that didn't mean you couldn't sit in bed
again. There wasn't anywhere else to.
Soon you'd be leaving the new-old house, and the neighborhood, and all the
parts of Golden Grove you'd gotten to see so far. The next stop into the
unknown was North Acres Elementary School.
You tried to imagine what it might be like.
But school thoughts were shaken out of your head when a muffled thumping sound
filled up the air.
Ma slowly lowered her full hands down to the counter, and at the same time her
head and eyebrows went up.
Ma
Guests? Already- at this hour?
Your ma left your lunch bag incomplete on the tabletop and went to investigate
the knocking.
Choice: You got up to go see, too.

Choice: You ran to stick by your [opal.term!l]'s side.
Choice: You dashed forward to beat your [opal.term!l] to opening the door.
Choice: You stayed sitting on your sleeping bag.
Choice: You got to your feet while calling your [opal.term!l]:
"[opal.name!cl]? Can I answer it?"
Player chose: You got up to go see, too.
You pressed your hands into the shiny, stuffed bedding underneath you as you
leaned onto your feet to get off the floor.
You were able to join Ma before she opened the door.
She pushed the long handle down with a click and tugged the door forward. It
squeaked open.
You glanced ahead, squinting your eyes to adjust from the complete brightness
inside to the pale dawn outside.
Standing tall on the welcome mat, seeming totally at home at your home, was
the new friend you had met the day before- Mr. Qiu Lin.
Though, he said he was also called "Autumn".
Choice: You were going to try using the nickname sometimes.

Choice: But you just called him by his actual name.
Player chose: You were going to try using the nickname sometimes.
Autumn's fluffy hood was tucked snuggly around his head. He didn't usually do
that; at least based on how much you knew was "usual" for him.
Maybe it was because the air was somehow even more skin-prickling cold in the
morning than it was during the day or evening. You shuddered just from the
wind coming in through the opening.
When he caught sight of you there, a plucky grin took over his face.
He popped onto the balls of his feet, getting even taller, and cheered a
greeting.
Qiu
Good morning!
Seeing who it was, you-
Choice: Scooted past your [opal.term!l] to stand by Qiu on the porch.

Choice: Enthusiastically shoved past your [opal.term!l] to stand by Qiu on the
porch.
Choice: Nervously shifted behind your [opal.term!l].
Choice: Started in place, then dove to hide behind your [opal.term!l]'s legs.
Choice: Stayed there to greet the guest.
Choice: Stood in place, wondering if it was too late to go back to the living
room.

porch.
room.
Player chose: Scooted past your [opal.term!l] to stand by Qiu on the porch.

porch.
room.

porch.
room.
Player chose: Stayed there to greet the guest.
Qiu's smile was as bold as ever as he took a full step to the side, so he was
directly in front of you instead of Ma.
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Um, hello..."
Choice: "Good morning to you!"
Choice: "You're visiting me?" you said, confused.
Choice: "Thanks for coming to my house."
Choice: "What are you doing here?" you asked accusingly.
Choice: "What are you doing here?" you asked curiously.
Choice: You waved excitedly.
Choice: You waved shyly.
Choice: You quietly waited there for an explanation.
Player chose: "Hi."
Qiu stayed put in the new place he took but angled his head up and over to
give his focus to your ma.
Qiu
I'm Mr. Qiu Lin. I'm your neighbor, and the same age as Ms. Mariya Karu. The
two of us met yesterday.
Ma
Ah yes, I've heard. I'd been anticipating getting to meet you. And those
feelings were well-placed. You're so polite.
Qiu straightened out the line of his bandana with both hands, giggling
cheekily, as he made direct eye contact with you.
Qiu straightened out the line of his bandana with both hands, giggling
cheekily, as he made direct eye contact with you.
Qiu
Well, if {i}somebody{/i} has been talking about me, I hope it was the good
stuff.
Ma
Mm. Now, I should introduce myself as well. I'm Ms. Karu, Mariya's mother.
Qiu
It's nice to meet you! May I speak with Mariya, Ms. Karu? There's something I
wanted to talk to her about.
Thoughtfully, your ma's glance drifted down to you. Without looking back at
him, your ma replied.
Ma
That would be fine. I'll finish getting your bag ready, Mariya. You two can
chat.
Qiu clasped his hands together primly.
Qiu
Thank you very much.
Ma let a content smile rest on her face as she walked back inside the house,
leaving you alone with Qiu.
You looked back at him eagerly. It was only the morning, and something good
was already happening.
Mariya
What did you want to say?
Autumn didn't beat around the bush with you; he probably didn't with anyone.
He came right out with what he had in mind.
Qiu
Wanna walk to school together? It's the first day.
He squared his shoulders and held out a hand, counting off points on his
fingers.
Qiu
We're going to the same place, in the same grade, there's a good chance we'll
even be in the same class! Going together would make everything so easy.
Choice: "Yeah!"
Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "Thank you. You're so nice."
Choice: "Only if you're sure..."
Choice: You gave a nod of agreement.
Choice: "No!"
Choice: "No thanks."
Choice: "I'm sorry..."
Choice: You shook your head in disagreement.
Choice: "But that's just easier for me. What's in it for you?"
Choice: "I don't need your help."
Choice: "You don't have to help me."
Choice: You stared at him with wide eyes.
Player chose: "Yeah!"
Qiu
Alright!
He popped an enthusiastic double-thumbs-up.
Qiu
Aaand- guess what else is a reason for why we should walk together?
Mariya
What?
His gaze got sharper, but it didn't feel scary at all. The glance was like a
fancy cut jewel rather than a pointy weapon.
Qiu
It's 'cause I want you to be there.
Qiu
So, yep, I think it makes a lot of sense that we'd go together.
With his hands in his pockets, Qiu shifted the whole top half of his body
diagonally over to one side. The tilt of his head really showed off the bend
in his self-pleased smile.
Qiu
Oh-
He flung an arm back out and arched the fingers across the air in front of
both your faces.
It might've been to stop you before you could say anything, or to keep himself
from forgetting whatever else he wanted to talk about.
Qiu
And it wouldn't be just us! I'm gonna keep going down the cul-de-sac to
granny's house so I can ask Tamarack next.
Qiu
So, that's it. What do you think about all three of us walking together? It's
a good plan, right?
Choice: "Yeah, that does make sense. I'll come."

Choice: "It's a great idea. I want to go."
Choice: "I'll come. It's a shock you have smart ideas sometimes," you said
teasingly.
Choice: "Sure, I guess."
Choice: "I guess..." Though, you wished you could've gone alone with Qiu.
Choice: "No." You had changed your mind.
Choice: You shook your head. You had changed your mind.
Player chose: "Yeah, that does make sense. I'll come."
You swung your hands behind you and spoke out again.
Mariya
I'll get my backpack and tell my ma we're going!
Mariya
I'll get my backpack and tell my ma we're going!
Qiu
Cool! I'll wait here for you.
You parted with Autumn for a second but didn't bother closing the door.
The sound of your feet against the floor was the only noise in the huge house.
You couldn't have snuck up on Ma if you tried.
Each step you took brought you closer and it made the smile on her face grow
larger, but she didn't get distracted from her job. Her gaze stayed stuck to
the counter.
Ma placed one more paper into your backpack and snapped the plastic clasp on
the top flap closed. With that secured, she promptly picked the bag up by the
loop handle.
She lowered herself down to your height by bending her knees low. Then, she
offered the backpack over to you.
Ma
Exceptional timing, dear. Here, you're set to go.
It was nice and light when you took the pack from her. That wouldn't last;
soon you'd have actual schoolbooks to bring around with you.
Ma
Exceptional timing, dear. Here, you're set to go.
It was nice and light when you took the pack from her. That wouldn't last;
soon you'd have actual schoolbooks to bring around with you.
Ma
What happened with our guest? Did he leave?
You answered the question while looping one arm after the other into the wide
openings of your backpack straps.
Mariya
He's out there still. Qiu wants me to walk to school with him.
Mariya
Can I go?
You shifted your grip to the dangly ends of the arm bands, then gave them a
swift tug to tighten the straps, fully securing the bag against you.
Ma
He came over to ask you that? Talk about convenient. The young Mr. Lin must
know the way far better than I do.
Ma
You certainly can walk together.
That was exactly what you thought she'd say. You could count on her to
understand.
As she smiled, her face lit up softly like the early morning sunshine outside.
Ma pinched the tip of your chin between her thumb and her pointer finger.
Ma
Enjoy your first day; there's only one of them per year.
She was right. This was your school year in a brand-new town. Anything could
happen for all you knew. It was an adventure, and you would be ready for it.
Through the open door you could see Autumn waiting patiently on your porch
still. He'd turned his back to the house, instead looking around the
neighborhood.
You came to his side, and that caught his attention.
But his gaze didn't go to yours; it went right to the backpack you had on.
Autumn grinned hopefully.
Mariya
I told Ma. It's okay.
He smacked his hands together enthusiastically.
Qiu
Alright! Time to go.
Qiu
You know Mari, it's been forever since I've gotten to walk to school with a
friend.
You perked your ears, going super-alert.
He called you Mari! And he said you were friends!
You thought you were, but it was totally different to have him talk about it
just like that.
Choice: "I'm glad we're friends."

Choice: "Me too, [qiu.nickname]! This is great."
Choice: "You really think we're friends?"
Choice: "Qiu? Thanks for being my friend."
Choice: "Qiu? Thanks for using my nickname."
Choice: "Qiu? Could you call me [p.name]?"
Choice: "I knew you liked me," you joked.
Choice: You didn't know what to say.
Player chose: "Me too, [qiu.nickname]! This is great."
He grinned ear-to-ear. Autumn was full of certainty.
Qiu
Mhm.
Qiu easily swiveled all the way around on his heels. He firmly planted his
feet into the floorboards of the porch to close out his move.
Then he confidently strode forward and leapt over the little steps to get onto
the ground. Autumn had places to be and nothing was gonna stand in his way.
Happily, you went along with him down the stone path, past the fence, and onto
the neighborhood sidewalk...
It took less than a minute to go around the bendy curve of your neighborhood
that led to the least pointy, least colorful home on the street.
Tamarack's house. Also, her omi and opa's house. Qiu and you wandered right
into the uncharted territory of their porch.
Choice: Qiu tapped out a rhythmic set of knocks.
Choice: You reached forward to knock.
Choice: You pressed their doorbell button.
Choice: "Are you ready?"
Player chose: Qiu tapped out a rhythmic set of knocks.
Qiu brought his arms to his side, shook his head to readjust the way his hair
fell around his shoulders, and positioned himself squarely in the center of
the entryway.
The old door began to jiggle in its frame like it was shivering cold from
being outside this early, too. But someone was fiddling with the doorknob on
the other side.
And then the door swung wide open with a clattering yank and a gust of flowery
perfumed air coming out from deep inside the house.
Still clasping the handle and leaning her head against the wood, Tamarack was
there to greet you. She had her bag and scarf on for the day already.
Tamarack
Hello!
Qiu
Good morning, Tamarack!
Her eyes popped open. She hadn't looked to see who was at her door before
saying "hello", but she could tell who it was from that answer.
Tamarack's tone of voice lightened even more.
Tamarack
Qiu? {i}And Mariya?{/i}
She'd used your name, not your nickname like Autumn had. Maybe she would use
it later, or maybe she forgot. Tamarack kept talking without giving a reason
for why she called you that.
Tamarack
You're both here? Hi!
Choice: "Hey."
Choice: "Good morning, Tamarack."
Choice: "That's right. We came to ask you to go to school with us."
Choice: You waved at her.
Choice: You lowered your gaze shyly.
Choice: "Wanna walk to school together?"
Player chose: "That's right. We came to ask you to go to school with us."
Qiu followed your invitation with a nod.
Qiu
We're all going that way; it'd be cool to walk as a group.
Qiu
We're all going that way; it'd be cool to walk as a group.
Mariya
Please? I don't want you to go all by yourself.
Mariya
Please? I don't want you to go all by yourself.
She blinked rapidly, many times and all in a row. In the soft pink light, her
eyelashes looked almost like shimmering dragonfly wings.
Tamarack
Wow, okay! I wanna come.
She twisted almost the whole way around, turning her back to you. You could
just barely glimpse the darkened hall beyond her. Tamarack then leaned over,
bending her knees and powerfully shouted into the depths of the gray house.
Tamarack
I'm going to school now!
Her loud, high-pitched call echoed through the hallway.
???
Have a good day, young lady!
Tamarack hopped forward. It was small, but that was all it took to go from
being in her house to being in the outside world. She tugged the doorknob with
her to slam the door shut.
Tamarack
I'm ready.
The quickness of all that was too much, and Qiu needed a second to catch up
with it. But when he did, he chuckled.
Qiu
Perfect.
Qiu
And by the way Tamarack, I told Mariya already, but people don't always call
me "Qiu". Especially at school.
Qiu
I've got a nickname, it's "Autumn".
Tamarack
Oooh okay. I like "Qiu".
Qiu
You do? Thanks!
Autumn lazily settled his hands on his hips and his eyes moved way off to the
side, even though there was nothing special to see that way.
Qiu
Guess we've actually gotta go to class.
Tamarack
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
She pumped her fists up and down in the air in a pattern that matched the pace
of her "yeahs".
Choice: "Here we go."

Choice: "I hope we're not gonna be late."
Choice: "You sound really excited, Qiu," you joked.
Choice: "I'm glad you're coming, Tamarack."
Choice: "Yeah..." You sighed.
Choice: "Yeah!" you cheered along with Tamarack.
Choice: You smiled wide.
Choice: "Or we could not go," you teased.
Choice: "Or we could not go," you said plainly.
Player chose: "Here we go."
Tamarack
Yeah!
All clustered together, you, Qiu, and Tamarack tramped off the white wooden
porch.
The full set of cul-de-sac kids hit the road again.
The trip was almost the opposite of last time. The sun was coming up instead
of going down and you were leaving the neighborhood instead of going back to
it.
But that wasn't what really stood out to you. It was a little bit amazing you
already {i}could{/i} compare it to a "last time".
And you could guess that this journey with them wasn't gonna be the actual
"last time" it ever happened, it'd just become the "last time" it happened
before the new "next time"...
And you could guess that this journey with them wasn't gonna be the actual
"last time" it ever happened, it'd just become the "last time" it happened
before the new "next time"...
The first part of the school trip wasn't hard. There was only one way out of
your neighborhood unless someone hiked out into wherever the woods went.
That would be cool. Maybe you'd be able to do that someday.
Your actual path forward had you brush past the forest fork that originally
led you to meeting Qiu and Tamarack.
But you weren't stuck with the same limits as before. This morning you moved
right on by without even stopping to check what might be hidden away back
there.
Now, you travelled even further.
The woods crowded in closer and closer around the one road that led out.
Until, suddenly, structures began to appear in between the bushes. The thick
overhang of leaves pulled apart to show the sky. The world unfolded ahead of
you.
Sunshine climbed mountains to just barely tickle your cheeks while the stars
still clustered against your back.
You were right in the center of a windy mountain path. It flowed over the
uneven ground blanketing every small bump and bend like a black river.
Along the street, huge wooden poles rose into the sky in a row that rivalled
the trees. Stretching phone lines and reaching branches wove the whole town
together.
Along the street, huge wooden poles rose into the sky in a row that rivalled
the trees. Stretching phone lines and reaching branches wove the whole town
together.
Even though Golden Grove was a lived-in place with manmade things, the vast
wilderness was as much a neighbor to the residents as their real-people-
neighbors.
Tamarack tramped over the grass, swooshing her arms in full-length swings in
front of her. She didn't get anywhere near the tarmac.
Qiu's stride was a lot breezier. He took the spot in the line closest to the
road and didn't even check for cars. His eyes were aimed at the now-viewable
sky.
You ended up somewhere in between them.
If Tamarack was a swoosh, and Qiu was a breeze, you were a whirlwind.
You rushed about, twisting the angle of your head and taking in every new
thing that surrounded you.
All that air went out the window when Qiu started moving his hands around even
more than Tamarack.
He frantically stuck his fingers in and out of each one of his pockets, while
poking his tongue out at the corner of his mouth.
It was kind of worrying to you. What if he'd forgotten something important?

Maybe then you could lend him whatever he was looking for.
Qiu
Ah-hah-
And it was paper. But it wasn't his special tan pages; the thing Qiu grabbed
was a thick, folded packet of white printer paper that was covered all over in
tiny ink words.
You could instantly tell what it was. That many papers stapled together with
that many little words on them only ever came from one place: school.
And it was paper. But it wasn't his special tan pages; the thing Qiu grabbed
was a thick, folded packet of white printer paper that was covered all over in
tiny ink words.
You could instantly tell what it was. That many papers stapled together with
that many little words on them only ever came from one place: school.
Qiu held it close to his face. He had his nose completely in what was
basically a book, but for some reason he started to talk to you and Tamarack.
Qiu
Which room did you get?
For a second Qiu peeked over the pages to look at the both of you.
Qiu
Who's your teacher?
Tamarack
Mmm...
Tamarack thought hard, but she didn't find an answer in her head.
She squished her hand under the flap of her bag without unbuckling it. She had
to find her own papers.
Choice: "I remember; my [opal.term!l] told me."

Choice: "I remember; I read it earlier."
Choice: "Uh, I'm gonna check."
Choice: "[opal.name!cl] told me, but I forgot."
Choice: "Oh, I know that."
Choice: You quietly moved to check your school stuff, too.
Choice: You thought about it, and before long you knew the answer.
Player chose: "I remember; I read it earlier."
Choice: "I'm in Room 24 with Mrs. Murray."

Choice: "The room is number 24! I think the teacher's name was Murray."
Choice: "It's, um, 24. The room. My teacher's name is Mrs. M... Murray?"
Choice: But you didn't tell them. You waited to see what they were going to
say.
Player chose: "The room is number 24! I think the teacher's name was Murray."
Qiu used his thumbs to bend the papers down. They stopped hiding his face and
you could see he was smiling.
Qiu
Wait, that's my room too!
Tamarack waved her packet in the air in a crinkly flurry.
Tamarack
Me three!
Choice: "We're all in the same class!" you cheered.

Choice: "We're gonna be stuck together forever," you joked.
Choice: "{i}We're gonna be stuck together forever{/i}," you groaned.
Choice: You closed your eyes and smiled.
Choice: You were happy you'd get to share a class with Qiu.
Choice: You were happy you'd get to share a class with Tamarack.
Choice: You were happy you'd get to share a class with Qiu and Tamarack.
Player chose: "We're all in the same class!" you cheered.
Your ma had given you the papers, Qiu probably got his from his mom and dad,
and Tamarack from her omi and opa. Despite being kind of different, the papers
were all the same.
A smirk settled in its regular spot on Qiu's face. All according to plan if he
somehow could've planned it.
Qiu
We're roommates.
He didn't need the packet for anything else, so he stuffed it into his pant
pocket with a shrug of one shoulder.
Qiu
There's only three fifth grade classes we could've been in.
When Qiu made sure it was deep enough to not just fall out, he brought both
his arms into an even bigger shrug and chuckled, too.
Qiu
But Mrs. Murray? I almost made it without her being my teacher. It was close.
Tamarack peered into his face with wide-eyes, leaning over so much that you
almost walked into her.
She didn't have to say what her question was with words. Qiu got it.
Qiu
Don't worry, she's nice. She's the best teacher for you two!
Qiu made a very serious and reassuring okay-sign with his fingers. But in an
instant, it snapped into a pointing gesture.
Qiu
And, you're probably gonna be shocked, but Mrs. Murray isn't just a teacher-
she's a mom! She has kids that are just her kids, not students.
Qiu
And, you're probably gonna be shocked, but Mrs. Murray isn't just a teacher-
she's a mom! She has kids that are just her kids, not students.
Tamarack
Wow!
Choice: "That's weird."

Choice: "Why would that be weird?"
Choice: "I think you're weird, Qiu," you joked.
Choice: "I think you're weird, Qiu," you said bluntly.
Choice: "I'd never want a teacher as my parent."
Choice: "It'd be kind of fun to have a parent who was a teacher."
Choice: You stared in amazement.
Choice: You stared at the two of them for how big a deal they made it.
Choice: You just watched the two talk.
Choice: "Okay."
Player chose: You stared in amazement.
Tamarack
I didn't know a teacher could have a kid!
Qiu
Well, they can.
Qiu
But now I know where we're {b}really{/b} going. I can bring us right to the
door!
The extra burst of confidence got Qiu to take a few long strides ahead of you
and Tamarack, keeping his chin high.
Tamarack bounced across the grass, kicking her knees high to catch up. She
didn't let him keep the lead he took.
Choice: You shyly caught up.

Choice: You happily went up to them.
Choice: You hung back.
Player chose: You happily went up to them.
You ran forward to get back in the middle of the row. You were greeted with
grins from both of them.
Your steps came back into a steady rhythm between the three of you.
Choice: "Tamarack? Are you worried about going to a new school?"

Choice: "Qiu? Why didn't you want Mrs. Murray for your teacher?"
Choice: "Tamarack? Does your omi or opa know anything about my house from
before I moved there?"
Choice: "Qiu? Do you know anything about my house from before I moved there?"
Choice: You walked along quietly.
Player chose: "Qiu? Why didn't you want Mrs. Murray for your teacher?"
Qiu
'Cuz she knows me! Not like how all the teachers have met me 'cause I go to
that school.
His dark brown eyes stretched open as wide as they could. His whispered words
were pulled out just as long. It was a deep, secret confession.
Qiu
She {i}really{/i} knows me. {i}Outside of school and everything{/i}.
The seriousness of it only lasted a second. Autumn laughed at it instead.
Qiu
It's gonna be tough to get away with stuff now.
Instead, Tamarack put on the shocked expression Qiu had just put away.
Tamarack
Whoa. I've never seen a teacher outside of a school. When do they leave?
Qiu
Pretty late, usually. But they do go home and do errands and stuff. I've
experienced it.
Mariya
Oh.
That was interesting. You'd learned something new.
The longer the walk went on, the more Tamarack's gaze was pulled to the forest
edge along the road instead of what was right in front of her. Her steps
drifted unevenly.
The longer the walk went on, the more Tamarack's gaze was pulled to the forest
edge along the road instead of what was right in front of her. Her steps
drifted unevenly.
You couldn't blame her. You had done the same during the trip a few times.
But you weren't the only one who noticed her focus.
Qiu
Hey, so, it's kind of funny how both of you like the woods that much.
Tamarack
It's the only nice place I've seen here so far.
She said it in the plainest way possible and the words still made Qiu gasp
hard enough to cough.
Qiu
Have you {i}been{/i} places other than the forest?
Tamarack
Yeah, lots. They're not good.
Qiu
I can't believe it.
Choice: "It's not that big a deal."

Choice: "I think Tamarack's probably right; the town's not gonna be better."
Choice: "Hey, both places can be good. They're just different."
Choice: "You shouldn't try to make Tamarack change her mind on what she likes,
Qiu."
Choice: "It's mean to say the woods are the only good place, Tamarack."
Choice: "Look on the bright side: that's more forest for her and more
neighborhood for you."
Choice: You didn't say anything about that.
Player chose: "I think Tamarack's probably right; the town's not gonna be
better."
Qiu shook off the shock Tamarack's statement hit him with. He turned his cheek
to the front as he rolled his shoulder. He was winding up for a comeback.
Qiu
I guess I can give you one thing. There is a pretty special kind of fun that,
in all my years of living here, you can only ever have out in these very
woods. Nowhere else.
Tamarack
Really? What is it?
He'd cast a reel and Tamarack was hooked on it. She instantly became invested
in whatever mystery Qiu had up his line.
Qiu
I'm not gonna tell you.
Tamarack
WHAT?!
Tamarack shrieked in a tone so high it scared away a bird who was minding its
own business in the tree above. It was hook, line, and sinker.
The beat of its wings fluttering through the air matched Qiu's giggling. He
brought a hand to his chin and leveled a mischievous glance at Tamarack.
Qiu
One day you'll understand...
Qiu
{b}Probably{/b}.
And that was really it. He closed up his lips, folded his arms, and settled in
to not explaining for the rest of the walk.
Tamarack couldn't accept that, or couldn't get the hint. She pestered him with
the passion in her words getting stronger every time she repeated them.
Tamarack
Tell me, tell me, tell me, tell me the thing, tell me the special thing- Qiu!
{i}Tell me the special thing!{/i}
Choice: It was too funny.

Choice: "That's not fair, Qiu."
Choice: "We can figure it out for sure, Tamarack."
Choice: You stayed out of that.
Choice: A mysterious place deep in the woods? The thought of it was so
exciting.
Choice: "Please tell us?"
Choice: "Sorry Tamarack, you'll have to wait and see."
Choice: You silently fumed.
Choice: "Who wants to bet she never finds out?" you teased.
Choice: "Come on, Qiu. You've gotta say more than that!"
Player chose: "We can figure it out for sure, Tamarack."
Qiu didn't disagree, but he still didn't give any more clues.
The "conversation" of Tamarack's attempts to squeeze Qiu for info, your

comments on it, and the snickers that escaped from Qiu continued while you
headed towards your goal.
Down that road some more, over a crosswalk, past the main street, taking a
turn at the corner...
That was when the widest building you'd seen so far came into view.
There had been taller ones, 'cause that one only had two floors, but there was
{i}a lot{/i} of those floors.
North Acres Elementary School. The name made sense. You wondered exactly how
many acres it was.
Dozens of other kids were pouring out from a few different paths and mixing
together under the front arches above the giant door.
You tried to stand up straight, wanting to do things right.
Then you went through the door together. Qiu and Tamarack stayed even closer
to you than on the walk there.
Inside was a long hall with different doors and a staircase on the side. It
was shiny and dull, like it'd been cleaned so hard for so long it made
everything even more worn down than normal.
Poster boards with a bunch of paper sheets tacked on lined the walls. Nobody
was even looking at them. The messages they had might never have been read.
The floors had a checkered tile pattern. Some of the kids around made sure to
only walk on one of the colors and avoid the other.
And it was loud. There was too much sound from the crowds for the hall to
hold. It echoed around, which made it even louder.
This place was your school now.
Qiu tapped your shoulder and pointed with his other hand. You figured that was
his way to say you had to keep going without having to yell so you could hear.
The three of you pressed past the other students, making sure you didn't get
separated. Step by step, you climbed upwards and forwards.
Autumn waved a hand towards the right door when you'd reached the top.
You'd arrived for the first day of class right on time...
Autumn waved a hand towards the right door when you'd reached the top.
You'd arrived for the first day of class right on time...
The little bit of cold you'd brought inside the school on the tip of your nose
and over your cheeks had finally drifted off your face. It was nice and warm
when you went into the room.
Your brand-new class, fifth grade room #24, smelled like people hard at work-
cut construction paper, crayons, glue. Anything could be made with that.
There were tons of leaves stuck to the different colored walls, climbing
around the windows, hanging from shelves, and sneaking out from behind boards,
where some of those things could be made.
Kids sat together in close groups. The desks were pushed up to make bigger
tables. There was just one chair by itself, right at the front. Or the back if
the way in was the front door.
Kids sat together in close groups. The desks were pushed up to make bigger
tables. There was just one chair by itself, right at the front. Or the back if
the way in was the front door.
Tamarack took in a loud breath of waxy air.
Tamarack
Wow! I thought it was gonna be ugly.
Choice: "Me too, but this is cool."

Choice: "It {i}is{/i} ugly."
Choice: "Tamarack! Why would you think that?"
Choice: "My old school was better."
Choice: "It's good you were surprised, huh?"
Choice: "It reminds me of you- adorable!"
Choice: "I guess it's not as bad as my last school..."
Choice: "This looks like my old kindergarten class," you said, so confused.
Choice: "This looks like kindergarten," you said, excited.
Choice: "Wow. This is WAY better than my old school."
Choice: You were quietly amazed by how pretty all the decorations were.
Choice: It was okay; just a classroom.
Choice: You frowned. It was worse than you had thought.
Player chose: "Me too, but this is cool."
Tamarack
Yeah!
Autumn shrugged his backpack off to the floor. When it hit the ground a puff
of air came out the not-totally-zipped top.
Nothing in the place caught his eye, in a good way or a bad one. It was like
nothing around him existed. Qiu just watched you and Tamarack look. He
chuckled at the faces you both made.
Qiu
The classes look the same for every room, in every grade, every year.
Oh, it wasn't that he couldn't see what you did, it was that he'd already seen
it a hundred and ten times or more. Qiu knew school as well as he knew
everything else in Golden Grove.
He kicked his backpack behind him to be up against the wall, never glancing
down. There was already a bunch of other bags there, sat one by one along the
far side of the room.
They were almost completely hidden under a row of hooks that had coats and
jackets and stuff cluttered over them in stacked piles. There weren't enough
holders for all the layers people brought.
Qiu
You're pretty lucky. This is your first time here, but you're only gonna have
to do it once! We're gonna graduate and go to a different school next year.
We'll all be new kids then.
He talked while he pulled his arms out of the jacket you'd always seen him
wear so far. He tossed it on the top of a rounded lump of other coats with a
hook somewhere below it all.
Tamarack waited, watched, and then she tugged at the end of her scarf to undo
the knot it was wrapped in. She talked, too.
Tamarack
I told you this place was weird and never changed.
That made Qiu "pfft" at her. The sound was almost exactly like the noise his
backpack made a minute ago.
Qiu
School is different than the entire town, Tamarack!
Tamarack didn't say more words against that. She just got on her tiptoes to
sling her untied scarf over Qiu's jacket, building the mountain of stuff on
the one little hook even higher.
Qiu shoved his bandana deep into one of his pockets and lifted up his other
shoulder.
Qiu
You're right that class is always the same.
Seeing Autumn without his fluffy jacket felt like seeing a lion without its
mane. He folded his arms high across his chest and gazed upon what you were
starting to get was his kingdom.
He had all the pride of a lion even without the jacket.
Though Qiu acted like that was it for getting ready, he hadn't taken his
gloves off. Was he gonna wear those to class?
Tamarack held tight to the strap of her bag. It for sure wasn't going with the
rest of the packs. That meant she was definitely already done with the
"putting your stuff away" part of getting to school.
Tamarack's overalls were the most "over" clothes she had once the scarf was
off. No coat or a cool poncho or anything.
The overalls were kind of short, too. They didn't cover her whole legs.
Her ankles had long socks and yellow rubber rainboots to keep them warm, but
you had to wonder if she didn't feel cold the same way most people did.
Choice: You took off your [p.over_layer], too.

Choice: You took off your [p.headwear].
Choice: You took off all your stuff too.
Choice: You left your stuff on.
Player chose: You took off all your stuff too.
You scratched a finger into your head when you put your earmuffs up on the
wall with everything else.
Not having your scarf on made you feel different. You weren't coming or going
anywhere anymore. You were really staying there in that place for a lot of
hours.
But all you could do was find a hook-pile to leave it behind on until later.
???
Good morning, and welcome students.
You glanced over your shoulder.
In the open doorway was another new person for you to have to know.
Her braids did match a few of the kids there, but she wasn't gonna be sitting
in the desks with them. She was twice as tall as everybody else in the room.
That had to be the teacher, Mrs. Murray.
Her soft brown eyes looked down over you and your neighbors while she tapped a
finger against her freckle speckled face.
The pattern on her skin was almost like stars, if the sky was light at night
and the stars were the darker part.
Her rosy, pink lips parted into a smile. She inclined her chin towards Qiu.
Mrs. Murray
Nice to see you here, Mr. Qiu Lin. This will be a good year.
Qiu
Yeeaah...
Qiu stretched the word out as far as it could go and at the same time he
opened his arms wide. He turned his head away, too.
He had the kind of tone your ma would have when she had old work friends over
and they'd ask if they could set her up on a blind date.
Squeakily cheerful, and not real. He was trying to be nice but wasn't trying
{i}that{/i} hard.
Though, when his eyes were rolling away, his gaze passed over you and got
stuck there.
A mischievous grin tugged the corners of his mouth as the sound of his voice
went from off-key to chiming.
Qiu
Maybe!
Mrs. Murray's pencil-pointy eyebrows lifted.
She blinked one time and then her own smile grew. It was shared with you and
Tamarack next.
Mrs. Murray
Hello. I'm your teacher, Mrs. Murray.
Mrs. Murray
Am I right to say that you're Tamarack Baumann and Mariya Karu?
Choice: "Yes, teacher."

Choice: "I'm [p.name]!"
Choice: "Yes. I'm [p.Mx] [p.name] [p.last_name]."
Choice: "Nice to meet you, Mrs. Murray. I'm [p.name]."
Choice: "Uh-huh, I'm Tamarack Baumann," you joked.
Choice: You nodded. She'd guessed right.
Choice: You just stared at the grownup talking to you.
Choice: You looked at the ground without a word.
Player chose: "Yes, teacher."
Tamarack bopped her hands in the air and twisted in place to swing her bag so
that it hung behind her back.
Tamarack
I'm Tamarack!
Mrs. Murray
That is so great.

Mrs. Murray
Am I right to say that you're Tamarack Baumann and Mariya Karu?

Player chose: "I'm [p.name]!"
Tamarack bopped her hands in the air and twisted in place to swing her bag so
that it hung behind her back.
Tamarack
And I'm Tamarack!
Mrs. Murray
That is so great.
Mrs. Murray spoke sweetly in a way that was just nice- it wasn't surprised or
relieved to find out the answer. She probably didn't need to ask to know who
you were. Teachers knew a lot.
Mrs. Murray
If you'd be so kind, would you mind coming over to my desk over there in the
far corner? I'd like to talk to you two before class begins.
Tamarack
Okay.
Tamarack finally lowered her hands back down to her sides. She still bumped
her bag around by pushing it up and down with her butt. It clattered loudly
and Mrs. Murray pretended not to hear.

Choice: "What do you wanna talk to us about?"
Choice: "Well, don't take too long."
Choice: "Did we do something wrong already?"
Choice: "I can go too."
Choice: "What about Qiu?"
Choice: You grabbed the side of Tamarack's overalls shyly.
Choice: "Is it important?"
Choice: You took a step closer, curious.
Choice: You took a step away, nervous.
Player chose: "What do you wanna talk to us about?"
Mrs. Murray
I want to see if I can help you a bit. Does that work?
Mariya
Alright.
Mrs. Murray
Thank you, both of you.
She gestured lightly with her hand for you to come and left the doorway.
Qiu turned his head to follow the teacher. More and more of his dark hair
eclipsed your view of the rest of him as she walked away. When you lost sight
of his face, there had been a frown on it.
After she was really gone, he swung back towards you and Tamarack. Autumn was
smirking then.
Qiu
Good luck out there.
He tipped over on one foot and bent his body way down, his other leg kicked
into the air. He could balance better than a flamingo.
Autumn slipped a hand under his jacket on the hook, and also under Tamarack's
scarf which was still on top of it, and dug around in the fabric.
He didn't come out empty-handed; he'd gotten ahold of his favorite notebook
and a pencil. Qiu slowly lifted his chest up and brought his one hovering foot
down to earth again.
That whole thing was graceful, but he followed it by wildly waving his
notebook goodbye at you.
That whole thing was graceful, but he followed it by wildly waving his
notebook goodbye at you.
And... {i}A paper fell out when he did it!{/i}
Tamarack
Ah-
Tamarack squealed, trying to talk but too fast so none of it was real words.
She reached her arms to Qiu graspingly, like she could pick him up and plant
him back where he'd dropped his thing.
That didn't work either. He stepped away on light feet, carefree, and joined
up with one of the groups at the desks. They all raised their heads and waved
when he arrived.
He was gone, and the teacher was waiting.
Tamarack squinted her dark red eyes tightly. She directed her gaze towards you
because it wasn't like anyone else in the room could understand her. You gave
her a look back.
Choice: "Qiu," you said with a smirk.

Choice: "Qiu," you said with a sigh.
Choice: "Not again..."
Choice: "Scatterbrain," you said with a grin.
Choice: "Scatterbrain," you said with a grimace.
Choice: "Isn't he so funny?"
Choice: "Isn't he so great?"
Choice: "I've always gotta worry about him."
Choice: You stared at Tamarack in disbelief over that guy.
Choice: You shook your head with a frown.
Player chose: "I've always gotta worry about him."
Choice: "Qiu," you said with a smirk.

Choice: "Qiu," you said with a sigh.
Choice: "Not again..."
Choice: "Scatterbrain," you said with a grin.
Choice: "Scatterbrain," you said with a grimace.
Choice: "Isn't he so funny?"
Choice: "Isn't he so great?"
Choice: "I've always gotta worry about him."
Choice: You stared at Tamarack in disbelief over that guy.
Choice: You shook your head with a frown.
Player chose: "Not again..."
Tamarack
This is gonna be a long however-long-it-is.
Choice: You picked up the paper and peeked at what it said.

Choice: You picked up the paper and put it in your pocket without looking.
Choice: You left it on the ground.
Player chose: You picked up the paper and put it in your pocket without
looking.

Player chose: You picked up the paper and peeked at what it said.

Player chose: You picked up the paper and put it in your pocket without
looking.
You made a beeline to the tan page on the dark blue carpet and snatched it off
the ground before somebody could step on it or it could blow away and get lost
in the middle of a forest.
You simply tucked it away.
That was taken care of.
Tamarack pretended to be a jack-in-the-box like she did yesterday. This time

it was by bending on her knees before bouncing straight. Her fluffy locks of
hair shook around her round cheeks.
Tamarack
Come on, Mariya.
She skipped off to the teacher's desk, all smiles.
You caught up to her in no time and walked the rest of the way side-by-side.
Off in the corner on the other side of the room was the teacher's old, dark
brown desk.
At least the very top of the wood was dark. The inner part was a lot lighter.
You could see that from all the tiny cuts and scratches over the surface.
It was as far away from the desks as it could be. You guessed that was so she
could have these kinds of talks without everybody else hearing the whole
thing.
Mrs. Murray didn't sit in the cool rolling chair that went behind the desk.
She stayed in front and only leaned her back against the top edge.
She got to talk to you and Tamarack gently 'cause she didn't have to push her
voice across a piece of furniture that separated students and teachers.
Mrs. Murray
I appreciate you coming to this meeting. I wanted to let you know a little
about today- what you can expect from your first day.
Tamarack
Why?
Mrs. Murray
Well, this class has a unique arrangement of the students, but you're the only
two who have never attended this school before. Everyone else is simply
returning after a summer break.
Mrs. Murray
I'd like to introduce you during roll call later. I want all the other kids to
know who you are.
Tamarack
Oh.
Tamarack flicked at the buckles on her bag. They made a clinking sound when
she hit them up and a thump when they landed back down.
Her gaze moved around, too. The meeting wasn't exciting anymore.
Choice: You were with Tamarack- that wasn't a big deal.

Choice: Your teacher was definitely smart. That would help a lot.
Choice: You thought you were ready for school, but you weren't sure anymore.
Choice: Having your own introduction made you feel special.
Choice: It was gonna be so awkward. You knew it.
Choice: You were just relieved it wasn't only you; Tamarack was getting it,
too.
Player chose: You were with Tamarack- that wasn't a big deal.
Most schools did things like that.
Mrs. Murray smiled approvingly at how you and Tamarack handled that first
assignment.
Mrs. Murray
I'll make sure it goes well.
The teacher slid her hands across the desktop behind her and spread her
fingers out wide.
Mrs. Murray
In a couple minutes, I'll be telling the class to take their assigned seats.
You'll have those spots for the rest of the year.
Mrs. Murray
I made a seating plan already, {i}but{/i} there is a bit of wiggle room to
help you get comfortable, if you'd like.
Tamarack's hands flew from her bag to her cheeks. That sounded like a smack.
Tamarack
Does that mean me and Mariya get to sit together 'cause we're neighbors and
friends?!
Was she right? You held your breath and balled up your hands into fists,
waiting to know if you'd get to be with Tamarack the whole year or not.
A twinkle was in Mrs. Murray's eyes when she finally said what you were hoping
for. You thought she might've paused on purpose to make it more dramatic.
Mrs. Murray
Yes, I can put you next to each other.
Tamarack
Ah!
It made Tamarack explode in celebration. She sprung over so close to your

face, you leaned back without even thinking about it. Even with that, her nose
almost poked yours.
Tamarack
Mariya, we're gonna sit together.
Mariya
Yeah.
Mariya
Yeah.
Mrs. Murray
We've got something then. Anything else?
Choice: "Any seat is okay."

Choice: "Can Tamarack and I sit with Qiu?"
Choice: "Can I sit close to the front?"
Choice: "Can I sit in the back of the class?"
Choice: "Can I sit by a window?"
Choice: "Can I sit away from the wall?"
Choice: "I don't care what seat I have!"
Choice: You couldn't think of anything to say.
Player chose: "Any seat is okay."
Mrs. Murray
That's fine. Only checking.
Tamarack
Oh, is Qiu next to us too? He's our neighbor.
Mrs. Murray was a really proper lady from what you'd seen. She didn't have one
wrinkle on her fancy suit. But creases suddenly appeared around her eyes and
mouth after she heard that.
The lines spelled "not again".
Mrs. Murray
No, I'm sorry. I'm glad you're getting along with Qiu, but there were students
who wanted to sit next to him last year and didn't get to. It's their turn
now.
Your eyebrows went up so high you almost could've lost them. That many people
wanted to sit by Qiu?
It was kinda rude to the teacher, but you had to turn your head right around
to look at the guy you'd been talking about.
He was leaning over the bunch of desks from before and still talking to those
other kids you didn't know. There was a big smile on every face.
You tilted your head back where it came, but not all the way. You only moved
it enough to be looking to the side instead- at Tamarack.
Her gaze was directed straight at you, too. She gripped the strap of her bag
that was weighing against her chest.
Since the day you moved in, it had been just the three of you in your cul-de-
sac, even if the day you moved in was yesterday. It was the same group; you,
Tamarack, and Qiu. Neighbors.
But you weren't in your neighborhood anymore. On the outside of that street,
Tamarack was exactly like you were and Qiu wasn't.
You and her were strangers in Golden Grove now; you didn't know people and
they didn't know you. Qiu had been there forever.
And it wasn't only that. You'd already learned something on your first day of
school- Qiu was {i}popular{/i}.
Choice: You were glad to have a friend like Tamarack even more.
Choice: Someday you were going to be popular, too.
Choice: It didn't matter how many other kids liked him; Qiu was your friend,
too.
Choice: You weren't gonna let that change things. The three of you were still
friends.
Choice: That was too weird.
Choice: Realizing that made you sad.
Choice: You wondered how you would fit in when you met everyone else.
Player chose: You wondered how you would fit in when you met everyone else.
Hopefully the whole class wouldn't hate you.
Not looking at her didn't stop your teacher from trying to talk to you.
Mrs. Murray
So-
Mrs. Murray
So-
Hopefully the whole class wouldn't hate you.
Not looking at her didn't stop your teacher from trying to talk to you.
Mrs. Murray
So-
Mrs. Murray
So-
Mrs. Murray had to wait for you and Tamarack to stop your shared stares of
surprise, and then she pointed across the floor to a couple of desks near the
back that were side by side.
Mrs. Murray
Those are yours. Tamarack's is the closest to the wall and Mariya, yours is
the one next to that.
Tamarack
Window seat, window seat, gonna sit at the window seat.
Tamarack happily sung herself a simple song about her brand-new desk.
Mrs. Murray
Besides the roll call, there won't be any surprises. It will be a regular,
easy first day of class.
Mrs. Murray
Thank you for having a chat with me. You can take your seats.
Tamarack's cheeks inflated and she pushed a smile between the two balls of
air.
Tamarack
Okay. Let's go, Mariya.
Mariya
Bye.
The teacher stayed resting up against her desk while you and Tamarack went
towards your own seats.
Tamarack sent quick, excited glances from the desks then back to you over and
over as you walked towards them.
She chattered about how it was gonna be so fun being right next to each other
and all the things you could do during the year.
She beamed so bright it was like her sparkly, golden hair made the sunshine
that filled the room.
Tamarack skipped along with her rosy cheeks and every time she giggled over
getting to sit by you, you definitely felt as warm as being in the sun.
But the grin you had on your face had to be as gleaming. The two of you might
burn the place down.
A clap and a call came from where you'd just left.
Mrs. Murray
Attention students, class is starting. Take your seats.
Just like she said she would, Mrs. Murray was beginning the lesson.
You were right in front of your assigned group of desks when she said it. The
red plastic chair Mrs. Murray had pointed out before was probably really old,
but it was brand-new to you.
You pulled it out from the tables and gave sitting in it a try. Hard, cold,
and slippery smooth. And the back part wasn't straight; it bent away from the
bottom seat part.
It felt like leaning against the top of a shiny slide on the playground. If
you weren't paying attention, you might fall right off. Maybe that was the
point. That was a way to keep kids focused.
Tamarack was right there next your left side, by the wall and the window just
like she wanted.
Tamarack was right there next your left side, by the wall and the window just
like she wanted.
Past her, you could see the rustling treetops outside. With their golden fall
leaves all bunched together, they kinda looked like Tamarack's puffy hair, but
not as sparkly.
She plopped her huge, jingling pack on the desk. The actual bag barely fit and
she had to bundle up the strap on top so that it wasn't sneaking over into
someone else's workspace.
The tips of her rain boots were pressed against the dark blue carpet, and she
tapped her heels together. It made the shoes squeak. She was excited for her
own little place in the room.
Tamarack
Mariya, we're gonna be right here for the rest of the year!
Mariya
Yep. I've got the best seat neighbor.
Tamarack patted her hands against the thick fabric of the bag and giggled in
time with the hits. She stayed pretty busy making a beat.
You glanced out at the room ahead of you, where the important boards and
teacher were. Qiu was there too, in the very first row of seats.
It wasn't the same spot he'd been in before when you saw him talking to some
people. But those other classmates he was sitting with were just as happy to
have him there.
He was hanging one of his arms across the top edge of his chair and was
settled in so snuggly he looked like a heavy blanket that had been thrown over
it.
He moved his head to the side to rest his cheek against his stretched-out
shoulder. Qiu somehow made himself sit even more relaxedly.
When that happened, he noticed you behind him.
Autumn firmly pressed down his eyebrows and pushed his mouth open a little. He
wasn't there when you learned you and Tamarack would be together, and he
wouldn't be there with you; now he found out.
He only looked that way long enough for him to notice that you had noticed his
expression.
Then your friend, house-neighbor, and not seat-neighbor lifted the corner of
his mouth and sneakily waved the hand draped on the seat at you.
Qiu's deep brown-eyed gaze darted over to Mrs. Murray, directing your
attention to her. His eyes kept moving right into a dramatic roll that went
all the way around.
It wasn't hard to imagine him saying, "Teachers, huh?" or something like that.
For a minute, you could picture what it would've been like if he had been
right next to you.
It wasn't hard to imagine him saying, "Teachers, huh?" or something like that.
For a minute, you could picture what it would've been like if he had been
right next to you.
But he couldn't face you forever; it was class time, and you were left staring
at the tiny ponytail on the back of his head again.
It was okay. You were close enough.
Mrs. Murray patiently waited for people to get settled. Every seat had a kid
in it, and final words were said before the room faded into a short silence.
That's when things changed from you being just someone in some room to a
student who had to listen to a lesson.
Mrs. Murray
Hello class! Thank you all for being here today. Welcome to your first day of
fifth grade!
She gave a round of applause. Normally the people sitting and watching were
the ones who clapped for the person standing in the front, but you guessed
Mrs. Murray did things differently.
Mrs. Murray
We're going to have a lot of fun this year, and you'll learn a lot too.
Mrs. Murray
But also, you're the big kids on campus now, so I'm counting on you to set a
good example for the rest of the students here. Alright?
Class
Yes, Mrs. Murray!
Around half of the class answered her; part was in a loud cheer and others
were bored grumbles. The teacher accepted both moods warmly.
Mrs. Murray
Thank you. Let's start with roll call then.
She crossed past the desks to get a folder off the little cubbies in the
corner. She got that and left her stiff brown jacket behind.
The teacher flipped the folder open as she stepped back into the center spot.
The cozy sweater made everything about her seem softer.
Mrs. Murray
Thank you. Let's start with roll call then.
She crossed past the desks to get a folder off the little cubbies in the
corner. She got that and left her stiff brown jacket behind.
The teacher flipped the folder open as she stepped back into the center spot.
The cozy sweater made everything about her seem softer.
Mrs. Murray
You know the story. I'm going to shout out everyone's name in alphabetical
order, first name first.
Mrs. Murray
When I call your name, raise your hand and say "Here Mrs. Murray. I am so
excited and happy to be at school with you today".
That time almost the whole class started to chatter. There were snickers
shared between friends, whiny outcries of "We can't do that", and somebody
even booed.
Mrs. Murray
Okay, just "Here" will work. And now I know you're listening.
Her soft voice had a jovial kick. She had fun with her job.
Mrs. Murray
Let's begin.
Your first name started with "M". It probably would be a while before she'd
call you.
That was kind of cool. You didn't have to go right away but wouldn't have to
wait forever either.
Mrs. Murray went through each of the "A" kids, and it just kept going from
there...
And then you were next. You knew not just 'cause she was on your first name
letter, but because her keen eyes were on you before she even said anything.
Mrs. Murray
Mariya Karu?
Choice: "Here."
Choice: "I'm here, Mrs. Murray!"
Choice: "Hi. Um. I'm [p.name_always]. I just moved here with my [opal.term!l]
into a new house and-" you went on like that for a minute.
Choice: "I'm not here, Mrs. Murray!"
Choice: "Here, Mrs. Murray. I am so excited and happy to be at school with you
today."
Choice: "Yes, teacher. I'm here."
Choice: "H-He-Here..."
Choice: You shyly, shakily raised your hand.
Choice: You put your hand up without talking.
Choice: You folded your arms and said nothing.
Choice: You sunk lower in your chair and tried to pretend you didn't hear.
Choice: You froze from the pressure.
Player chose: "Here."
Hushed words spread through the clusters of other kids. Before you'd announced
yourself, they had no idea you were a person who existed in the world. Now
they did.
The teacher gave her approval with a nod.
You sat up tall in your seat after a job well done.
The roll call rolled on after your turn...
Mrs. Murray
Qiu Lin?
Mr. Qiu Lin didn't really raise his hand. He just popped a thumbs up from his
laid-back lean.
Qiu
Here, Mrs. Murray.
That worked, though, and your teacher moved on.
Mrs. Murray
Tamarack Baumann?
Tamarack's arm shot up in record time. It had already been wound up and ready
for that moment.
Tamarack
I'm Tamarack! That's me!
It wasn't exactly what she was supposed to say, but Tamarack got an A for
effort. Mrs. Murray continued with the last of the names.
Once every person in a stiff red seat had a turn to say they were there, Mrs.
Murray gave you and Tamarack a real introduction to the class, the one she had
warned you would be coming.
It wasn't exactly what she was supposed to say, but Tamarack got an A for
effort. Mrs. Murray continued with the last of the names.
It talked about how you just moved to town and what people were supposed to
call you and everything. Mrs. Murray must've asked your ma and Tamarack's Omi
and Opa to know all that.
You appreciated that she went to all that work so the other kids would know
you.
That was the end of the "not really teaching us anything except names" part of
class. Mrs. Murray took a paper in the folder out of the flap and moved it
over to the other side.
Mrs. Murray
Please take out your pencils and notebooks now. I'll be going over our plans
for the year and what will be expected of all my students.
Your ma had packed a fresh notebook with perfectly smooth pages that didn't
have a single smudge for you to use.
You had grabbed something to mark it up if you needed to. It was a...
Choice: Plain old pencil.

Choice: Pencil with a cute eraser on the end.
Choice: Pencil with a cool eraser on the end.
Choice: Colored pencil.
Choice: Pen.
Choice: Gel pen.
Choice: Glitter pen.
Choice: Crayon.
Choice: Marker.
Player chose: Pen.
You gripped it tight in your left hand.
Tamarack leaned over her bag to be as close as possible. Her eyes were
squinted and set right on Mrs. Murray. She started clicking her shoes together
again, even faster than before.
If her legs beat any quicker, she might turn into a one-girl-powered motor and
drive the desk around the room.
Tamarack was definitely eager to get the information being told, but there
wasn't a single piece of paper or pencil anywhere on her desk to take notes.
Maybe she only had to listen to know.
Over at the other group of tables, Qiu's face was pressed against his right
fist that he had propped up against the desk.
He was writing slow, lazy lines with his left hand in a plain spiral notebook.
It wasn't his special one.
That was your neighbors. And then there was you.
Choice: Class was easy stuff, and you went along with it.
Choice: School was so simple; you didn't need to even really think about it.
Choice: You did your best to keep up as much as possible.
Choice: You tried to follow along, but it was hard and didn't go that well.
Choice: You didn't pay attention to the teacher; it was all dumb.
Choice: You didn't pay attention to the teacher; you knew you couldn't do it
anyway.
Player chose: Class was easy stuff, and you went along with it.
Mrs. Murray talked about the subjects she'd be covering, upcoming holidays and
activities, the ways students would get graded, school rules, and even more.
You weren't sure she'd ever stop having new things to tell everyone about
until she cut herself off.
She said something about when parent-teacher conferences might happen and
paused there.
Mrs. Murray
Qiu?
Qiu? You snuck a glance away from the front to him; you couldn't help it.
He'd totally lost that droopy pose. Instead, Autumn was hunched over a page,
and it was from his special notebook then, and he was scribbling in a hurry.
Qiu
Yeah?
The answer was as breezy as ever. He didn't try to sound like a student being
called out by a teacher. He was polite enough to pull himself up to look at
the person speaking to him.
Mrs. Murray
Am I going too fast? Or is there anything else I can do differently? You've
been very uncomfortable.
Qiu
Oh, uh-
The pencil dropped and clattered on the desk. Both Qiu's hands hovered over
the piece of paper. He stared at it unsurely, as if he didn't know if it was
suddenly too hot to touch or not.
For a minute Qiu didn't know what to do. He blinked and then he started to
talk again, slowly, thoughtfully.
Qiu
No... it's alright.
He leaned fully against his chair again and threaded his fingers together
primly while placing them over the page.
From your spot in the back, you could see the edge of an easy smile on the
side of his face. And even if you couldn't, you would've been able to hear the
smirk in his voice.
Qiu
I wasn't writing down what you were talking about. I'll get to that later,
don't worry over it.
Eyes went wide at his boldness and a few kids were brave enough themselves to
giggle at Qiu's comeback. Mrs. Murray's usual smile was faint, but it was
there.
Mrs. Murray
Well, let me know if you change your mind.
Qiu
I will. Thanks.
She stopped the little break there and tapped her folder with the back of her
hand to get the students' attention once more.
Nothing but normal school stuff happened for the rest of the time. It was a
lot like your old classes in other places.
Golden Grove didn't have a secret way of teaching kids that the rest of the
country had never heard of.
You figured it would be that way, but seeing a regular lesson happen made it
clear what you'd be dealing with.
And like all the classes you'd had before, that one was over eventually...
But before the teacher let anybody get up, Mrs. Murray went all around the
room to drop piles of papers on the few different groups of desks.
She explained how they were stacks of homework sheets and everyone had to take
one packet with them and bring it back finished tomorrow.
Then she said bye to the students, and it was okay to leave.
Choice: It sounded like it wasn't gonna be hard, so you didn't care that much.
Choice: She was your new nemesis.
Choice: Mrs. Murray was pretty and smart. You liked her a lot.
Choice: Out of all the teachers you'd had, she was the best so far.
Choice: Out of all the teachers you'd had, she was the worst so far.
Choice: Teachers all seemed the same to you.
Choice: You were just glad to be out of class.
Choice: She seemed all right. Maybe you had to warm up to her.
Player chose: It sounded like it wasn't gonna be hard, so you didn't care that
much.
School meant homework, that was just how the world worked.
School meant homework, that was just how the world worked.
Right next to you, the spell that kept Tamarack totally locked on to Mrs.
Murray during class broke. The teacher went over to her desk and Tamarack
turned to you.
She stared at the pen in your hand. Actually, it was the opposite, she was
looking at the hand that was holding the pen.
Tamarack
Hmm...
And she kept staring. The way you had it was really interesting to her, but
she couldn't tell why at first. It was tougher to figure out than anything in
class had been for her.
She used all her brain power and it clicked on a light inside her head.
And she kept staring. The way you had it was really interesting to her, but
she couldn't tell why at first. It was tougher to figure out than anything in
class had been for her.
She used all her brain power and it clicked on a light inside her head.
Tamarack
Oh, that's your other hand! The left one. I use my right hand.
Her open right palm was suddenly only a tiny bit from the tip of your nose.
You almost had to cross your eyes to focus on it.
Tamarack
My Omi and Opa and Mom and Dad use their right too. But you don't. That's
amazing.
Choice: "Thanks."
Choice: "I saw Qiu using his left hand."
Choice: You gave a thumbs up with your [p.writing_hand] hand.
Choice: "It doesn't matter, you know."
Choice: You just shrugged.
Player chose: You gave a thumbs up with your [p.writing_hand] hand.
You put your hand to good use and made Tamarack giggle sweetly.
Tamarack started to hum and got to work unbuckling the two front straps of her
bag.
Choice: "Hey, how come you didn't write stuff down in class?"
Choice: "You were really listening hard in class."
Choice: "You're probably gonna forget things since you didn't take notes."
Choice: You quietly unzipped your own pack.
Player chose: You quietly unzipped your own pack.
The clasp she'd been tugging clicked open satisfyingly.

She flipped the top flap over and in went one of the homework packets. Closing
it all back up followed right after.
That was all she had to put away 'cause she hadn't taken anything out of the
bag for the whole class.
She pulled the bag closer to her and wiggled herself under the strap. There
was only one thing left before she was set.
Tamarack bounced out of her chair and the heavy bag settled across her
shoulder with a rattle.
Tamarack
Come on, Mariya!
She made a dash to the coat rack where her pink scarf was waiting.
Before leaving, you remembered to take the homework packet and tucked it away
in the inner pocket of your bag.
Nothing else was forgotten either; you put all your things back where you'd
taken them from.
You even brushed off the stray pencil shavings and eraser bits that had gotten
on your side thanks to the other kids in your table group.
The desk was all nice and clean when you finished.
But as soon as you got up to leave, you couldn't 'cause someone called for
you.
Qiu
Hey Mari!
You checked behind you and there was Qiu, coming up from the front of the
class. He was waving with a piece of tan, brown-lined paper in his hand.
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Hiya Qiu!"
Choice: "What's the paper for?"
Choice: "Did you drop a paper {i}again{/i}?" you teased.
Choice: You glared unwelcomingly.
Choice: You gave a wave.
Choice: You watched him walk over.
Player chose: "Hiya Qiu!"
Qiu
It's good you're here. I've got stuff to say.
Qiu
Though, I guess I could've told you even if you had gone.
Qiu
We live in the same neighborhood!
It sounded like even Qiu struggled to wrap his head around the idea that the
two of you were strangers about a day ago and now were people who were gonna
be seeing each other all the time.
There was a soft crinkle as Qiu tapped the edge of his special paper against
his right palm again and again. You stopped being able to hear it when Qiu
started to ramble, though he kept doing it.
Qiu
Okay, so, this paper. Here's what happened: I was talking to my mom and dad
about it yesterday, back when it was still yesterday, and I realized
something!
He flapped both his arms out wide. Autumn was acting as blown away as he
must've been when he first learned the thing he was trying to explain.
Qiu
Tamarack finding my paper and sending it to you wasn't just some unexpected,
unexplainable thing that we wondered about- it was sucky!
Mariya
What, it was?
Qiu
Yes!
With drama and emotion, Qiu whipped his arms up and down in rapid gestures. He
needed you to feel what he was feeling, which turned out to be what he
imagined you had been feeling before.
Qiu
You got a paper airplane with a message that had your name and everything -
that's exciting. It {b}had{/b} to mean something.
Qiu
But then it wasn't a message for you! It was an accident? Whoa, that's the
biggest letdown I can even imagine.
He had been flying the page around like it was another paper airplane, but he
finally let it rest for a second when his arms dropped. All his bluster became
only a sigh.
Qiu
If you were gonna get a note from me, it should've had something to say to
you... That's what I thought of when I thought about it more.
Mariya
Oh. Now I get it.
Qiu
Mhm.
That wasn't the end of the story, though. It was a prologue. Autumn sprung
back into action and raised his left arm with the page pressed between his
thumb and the rest of his outstretched fingers.
Qiu
And so! {i}I've got something for you.{/i}
He shook the paper in his hand, grinning cheekily. There was no way not to get
what he meant, and what was supposed to be for you.
Mariya
You wrote me a note?
Qiu
That's right!
Autumn swished his paper one more time to bring it down low enough for you to
take.
You excitedly seized the note from his hand.
The page in your fingers was exactly like what you'd remembered from the plane
one, somehow tougher and softer than regular paper, and that same light brown
color.
But when you read the message, the words scribbled on it were all different
than the first time.
"Welcome to the neighborhood"
"From Qiu Lin this time actually"
That's what was written in big, clear letters. Stars and a smiley face crowded
out any plain spots the words hadn't covered.
It was careful work. The little extra line on the "Q" was a fancy curve and he
didn't even draw the stars from corner to corner - there weren't lines through
the middle of them.
The difference between a note Qiu wanted somebody to see and the one you got
by accident was huge.
Some blurry thing came up past the top edge of the paper. You blinked,
distracted, then squinted over the page to figure out what was going on in the
room.
It was Qiu, high on his tiptoes. He was watching you read the note, smirking,
hands tucked behind his back, and all around very pleased with himself.
Qiu
It's pretty good, huh?
Choice: "Yeah. Thank you, a lot."

Choice: "No, it's great!"
Choice: "Uh, okay."
Choice: "I, well, oh, thanks..." you stammered shyly.
Choice: "You couldn't have come up with something better?" you teased.
Choice: "I'll keep this forever."
Choice: You silently vowed to treasure it.
Choice: You smiled at him.
Choice: "You're really thoughtful, [qiu.nickname]."
Choice: "I don't want it."
Choice: "This is the best thing I've ever gotten."
Choice: "This is a masterpiece. The drawings are so good."
Choice: You stared blankly.
Player chose: "Yeah. Thank you, a lot."

Qiu was already standing as tall as he could, but what you said still uplifted
him even more through his eyebrows and the corners of his mouth.
That lopsided smile grew until it was full to bursting.
Qiu
You're welcome.
You gave one more glance at the message Qiu had written for you. It was still
there, welcoming you to your new neighborhood every time you saw it.
When you looked at Qiu himself again, he'd finally dropped his feet and hands
back to where they normally were. He waited there to see if you were gonna do
anything else.
Choice: "Is this what you were writing down in class?"

Choice: "You've really gotta focus on class stuff during class, even though
notes are cool."
Choice: "Qiu? Were you okay before, when the teacher picked on you?"
Choice: "I hate that teachers call out people in front of the whole class,
like what Mrs. Murray did to you."
Choice: "Uh, I've been wondering. Why do you wear your gloves inside the
classroom?"
Choice: But you stood there quietly.
Player chose: "Uh, I've been wondering. Why do you wear your gloves inside the
classroom?"
Qiu
'Cause it's cool!
Qiu proudly gave two gloved thumbs up for that logic.
Qiu
Besides-
All ten of his fingers popped open.
Qiu
They're fingerless gloves. I don't need to take them off to touch stuff or
hold things really well.
Choice: "Yeah. I like your gloves."

Choice: "Okay, I get it."
Choice: "It is cool..."
Choice: You giggled.
Choice: You rolled your eyes.
Player chose: "Okay, I get it."
Qiu
Yep.
Even though Qiu was the last one talking, he abruptly sliced a hand through
the air to get what was the conversation out of the way and have it be about
something else.
Qiu
But! Wait, before I forget, I gotta tell you, I'm impressed, Mariya. The first
day's gotta be the hardest when you're new, and you didn't even break a sweat
in class.
His hands were on his hips in a commanding pose as he talked energetically.

Nothing was held back.
You didn't feel smaller next to his bright presence, and you don't think
that's what he was trying to do.
Qiu was starting to know you better, and it was making him look at you
differently. You could handle it.
Choice: "Thanks."
Choice: "What did you think would happen?" you asked, confused.
Choice: "What did you think would happen? I'd die?" you joked.
Choice: "I'm glad you were here."
Choice: "I've been to school before. It's no big deal."
Choice: "I did my best."
Choice: You held up a confident "okay" sign.
Choice: You pressed your mouth into a line, uninterested.
Player chose: "Thanks."
Qiu
I didn't do anything, it was you.
He closed his eyes and snickered. While thinking some kind of thought, he
stretched and curled his fingers to feel out the way his gloves were fitting.
Qiu pinched at the edges to straighten them out better.
Qiu
Anyway, you and Tamarack are in the back next to each other, huh? Mrs. Murray
is smart, just sometimes too smart for me.
Choice: "Qiu? Are you popular?"

Choice: "It's so great that we're seat-neighbors!"
Choice: "It's pretty nice."
Choice: "The teacher said a bunch of people wanted to sit by you."
Choice: You nodded along.
Choice: You didn't have anything to say about that.
Player chose: "It's pretty nice."
Qiu
Yeah.
The paper crinkled in your hand. You'd been gripping it the whole time.
You twisted away to pull the zip on your bag. The welcome message you got from
Qiu went right next to the packet of homework Mrs. Murray had given you.
Qiu giving you a paper reminded you that you had one you could give to him
too.
Choice: You gave him the paper he dropped before class.

Choice: But you didn't think right then was a good time to do it.
Player chose: You gave him the paper he dropped before class.
Your bag was already open from putting away the newest paper, so you just
stuck your hand into it again.
The backpack couldn't be unzipped all the way, or everything would fall out.
You only made a hole big enough for reaching around inside.
Luckily, the paper from Qiu's special notebook wasn't anything like the
homework from Mrs. Murray. You didn't have to look to know it, you could tell
just by touching.
But you did have to worry about mixing up the page that was yours to keep and
the one that wasn't.
You had to stick your face against the cold, bumpy zipper track to read which
cotton-y paper you had before you were sure you'd gotten it right.
Then you looked at Qiu again.
Choice: "You dropped this."

Choice: You held the paper out to him.
Player chose: "You dropped this."
That's what you said when you held the paper out to him.
It worked like a ticket to a time machine 'cause you saw the exact same thing
you did yesterday, with Qiu gasping, flailing his hands, and all of it.
Qiu
That's- it's- you... you...
Both his hands smacked against his chest, pressing it back, while his head,
shoulders, and eyes jutted out in total shock.
Qiu
You've got another one?!
He squished himself so much that the next question could only come out as a
bashful peep.
Qiu
That's... the paper from yesterday, right? The one Tamarack found.
Qiu
That's... the paper from yesterday, right? The one Tamarack found.
You glanced at the paper for a second and then back at Qiu. The side with the
words was the one you had up. He could read at least some of the message, even
if it was a little bent in your hand.
But you guessed it was still a shot, and Qiu didn't wanna miss the tiny chance
he hadn't been caught losing another piece of the notebook. That was exactly
what had happened, though.
Mariya
No, it's a different one.
Qiu
Yeah, looks like it...
Then his stiffness melted away and Qiu stood evenly with his head high again.
A grin grew too, same as a flower after winter.
Qiu
You know Mari, your sorcery amazes me!
You and him broke out into laughter together. Qiu losing his papers over and
over definitely was not the work of a sorcerer, but it was a lot more fun for
both of you that way.
Mariya
Told you I was magic.
Qiu swept his left palm up towards you, kinda like how somebody might ask for
a dance in a movie.
He did fancy moves like that a lot.
You placed the page right there like the paper was giving him a low-five.
Qiu crossed his right arm over to reach into the left pocket of his pants. Out
came his well-worn notebook with the pages that barely stayed stuck inside.
He flipped it open with his thumb and positioned the missing paper squarely on
top of the rest of the set.
He ran his now-empty fingers over the tattered sides of the book, pressing the
corners and edges that'd been sticking out mostly back into straight lines.
Then Autumn flicked his wrist to close the notebook, dropped it back in his
pocket, and patted the side of his pants fondly.
Qiu
That's that.
You did it. The page made it home.
Qiu didn't have anything else to say then; you could tell since he wasn't
looking at you anymore. His gaze was on the move.
He'd already seen everything there was to see in the class that looked like
all the other classes - at least you thought so. But he did find something
that needed his attention, in his mind anyway.
He'd already seen everything there was to see in the class that looked like
all the other classes - at least you thought so. But he did find something
that needed his attention, in his mind anyway.
Qiu
Oh! She hasn't left either.
Qiu
Wait right there, I've got another thing to do.
After cupping his hands around his mouth, Qiu called out past you all the way
to the other side of the room.
Qiu
Hey Tamarack! Get over here, you've gotta see this!
Tamarack
What is it?! What is it?!
Qiu
You have to look!
Tamarack bounded across the room faster than an Olympic athlete, probably. It
would be close at least 'cause she was really speedy.
She did a skipping leap for the last foot before reaching you and Qiu and
tossed her arms straight up as she stuck the landing.
The fringed strands of her pink scarf, which she had securely wrapped around
her neck again, had flown up and almost tickled your nose.
Tamarack
I'm here!
Qiu
Good. Check it out.
Qiu waved urgently for her to come closer with one hand and reached in his
right pocket with the other. That wasn't the side he kept the notebook in. He
was going for something else.
The two leaned in, having a one-on-one huddle. You weren't a part of it. But
you could tell what he had, by the little glimpse you could catch over his
hunched shoulders and the sound of it.
It rustled and crinkled, not in a sharp way like leaves but in a soft, squishy
way. Qiu was holding a wadded-up bag, probably from whatever grocery store
Golden Grove had.
He kept the bag tightly closed, gripping two sides of the top and keeping his
fists pressed together. Then he suspiciously looked side to side. No one else
would be allowed to see the treasures hidden inside.
Tamarack did it too after him, either to double-check or to not be left out,
or maybe because she didn't wanna miss what he might be spotting.
Qiu
Alright... this is it.
Suspense pulled in your two neighbors. Tamarack bit the nail of her thumb and
totally stopped breathing.
There was nothing in the world for them right then except the bag and whatever
it held.
And finally, before Tamarack could fall over from no air, Qiu parted his hands
and stretched open his unusual gift wrapping.
Mouth open, eyes wide, Tamarack gawked down into the bag.
Qiu
Alright... this is it.
Suspense pulled in your two neighbors. Tamarack bit the nail of her thumb and
totally stopped breathing.
There was nothing in the world for them right then except the bag and whatever
it held.
And finally, before Tamarack could fall over from no air, Qiu parted his hands
and stretched open his unusual gift wrapping.
Mouth open, eyes wide, Tamarack gawked down into the bag.
You figured she'd go "wow" or something, but she just scanned whatever it was
up and down with the same eager expression.
It was possible she was so blown away her face had gotten stuck like that.
That turned out not to be true, 'cause she eventually saw enough for a
reaction to slowly begin rumbling inside.
First it was with the edges of her lips wobbling, then her eyelashes
trembling, and finally her brows pinching fiercely.
Tamarack snapped her head up and glared straight into Qiu's awaiting smirk.
Tamarack
That's trash!
Choice: "Come on, it's not trash."

Choice: "Huh? What's in that bag?"
Choice: "Qiu! What did you show to Tamarack?"
Choice: "Tamarack! That's so mean to say about Qiu's stuff."
Choice: "Really?!"
Choice: "Oh boy, Qiu's up to something."
Choice: You sighed.
Choice: You tried to get a peek at what was inside.
Player chose: "Huh? What's in that bag?"

Choice: "Really?!"
Choice: You sighed.
Player chose: "Huh? What's in that bag?"
A tiny bubble of a snicker popped out from Qiu's mouth, then there was another
even louder one.
The laughs kept bursting bigger and bigger until he was shaking so bad that
whatever was in the bag almost bounced out.
Qiu
{i}It's trash!{/i}
Mariya
What?!
Mariya
What?!
Tamarack
Yeah, it is. I said so!

Choice: "Really?!"
Choice: You sighed.
Player chose: "Really?!"
A tiny bubble of a snicker popped out from Qiu's mouth, then there was another
even louder one.
The laughs kept bursting bigger and bigger until he was shaking so bad that
whatever was in the bag almost bounced out.
Qiu
That's right! It's trash!
Mariya
What?!
Tamarack
Yeah, it is. I said so!
Being heard over Qiu's giggling fit could've been a problem, but Tamarack was
entirely okay with shouting.
Mrs. Murray looked over at the commotion from her fancy teacher's chair. She
still had that folder with the roll call paper and class schedule open.
Maybe there were no rules once class was out, or maybe this kinda thing was
normal with her students because she didn't tell any of you to quiet down. She
just went back to her job stuff.
By the time you focused on your neighbors again, Qiu had started to calm down.
Autumn shook his head and wiped a tear from the corner of his eye, then
through heavy breaths he gave a wisecracking answer.
Qiu
I didn't say this was something you'd wanna have, just that you should
{b}see{/b} it.
Tamarack
Why would I wanna see your trash?
She asked him crossly while crossing her arms to go with it.
Qiu gathered the handles into one hand and swung that arm up near his chest so
the bag hung over his shoulder.
The pose would've fit best for someone modelling a purse five times more
expensive than any your ma owned, and she had really nice ones for work, not a
plastic bag full of garbage.
Qiu
I have reasons. I've always got reasons.
Tamarack
What are they?
The question was cautious, wary of any other tricks Qiu might pull, but the
curiosity was clear in her voice. Being presented a bag of garbage was okay as
long as it had some kind of secret.
Qiu
Well-
He paused to rearrange his face into something more serious and nodded
thoughtfully.
Qiu
Even though me losing that paper was an unexplainable mystery, I was thinking
about how you just got to this town and are already having to pick up after
other people to keep the forest clean.
Qiu
That's not fair.
Still speaking as a wise mentor, Qiu used his other hand to gesture tellingly
at the windows.
Qiu
So, I decided to go back outside yesterday and checked the forest for litter.
This is all the stuff I got so far.
He really did have his reasons, and it was exactly like he'd done with you and
the note.
Qiu imagined what Tamarack had probably thought or felt from what happened
yesterday, and when it seemed like it could be sad, he did something about it.
Tamarack sucked in a gasp of air and let it out as a squeal.
Tamarack
Really?! You cleaned the woods?
Qiu
I did. All of this went from being on the ground into my trash bag.
Tamarack
Wow! That's so nice!
She did "wow" about it after all. And she also kicked her feet out one after
the other in a happy little dance. Her bag jostled along with her moves like a
partner.
Qiu
It was your good idea first.
That could've been humble, but he cocked his chin and grinned so pleased with
himself that it wasn't really anymore. Tamarack was too giddy to care, or
notice.
Tamarack
Thanks, Qiu.
Choice: "Yeah. Thanks, Qiu."

Choice: "Doesn't everyone pick up trash when they see it?"
Choice: "That was funny and helpful. Good job."
Choice: "It was still really rude to do that."
Choice: You were glad he treated her well, but you wanted to impress Tamarack,
too.
Choice: Qiu was nice to you, but also to everybody all the time; it made you
feel a little bad.
Choice: "Why did you act like it was a huge deal if you knew it was trash?"
Choice: "I can pick up trash too!" you said to Tamarack.
Choice: "I can pick up trash too!" you said to Qiu.
Choice: "I can pick up trash too!" you said to both your neighbors.
Choice: You smiled along with them.
Player chose: "Yeah. Thanks, Qiu."
Qiu
It's cool.
The little trio of you, Tamarack, and Qiu stayed together, reunited over by
the desks, while the room became more and more empty of anybody else.
After a while, besides you three, there was only the teacher left in class.
It was empty enough and quiet enough you could hear the doorknob twist and
click. That was all that happened, though. You'd figured someone would come
in.
You checked behind you. The door was open a crack, and a person peeked
through.
From the teeny bit you could see, the person was a kid, or maybe a short
grownup? They were only half as tall as the door they were hiding behind. It
definitely wasn't your ma coming to get you.
Mrs. Murray was still flipping through a million papers, but she called out
from her desk.
Mrs. Murray
It's okay, you can come in! Class is over.
Then the door got shoved all the way open and bumped into the wall. After
trying not to get noticed, being called out that way made whoever it was
confident.
They stood in the doorway and put their hands on their hips. The hair on their
head was a helmet of sunshine: orange, shining, and flaming out in rays
everywhere.
The person walked right in without looking at what they were seeing. It wasn't
the way you or Tamarack came into class - it was the way Qiu had. The way
someone who had been there before had.
But this wasn't their classroom. None of the students you saw the whole day
were this person. In a new school, in a whole new town, you would've been more
amazed it was somebody you did know.
Even though that was true, you almost thought you {i}had{/i} met the stranger.
The kid's soft brown eyes itched at your brain. You were sure you'd seen those
exact kinda eyes somewhere else...
It was especially hard to figure it out when their gaze wasn't aimed at you -
it'd gone to the front, where the teacher was.
Oh. You remembered.
Seeing the new kid and Mrs. Murray made you think of the matching card games
you had to play in school when you were little. You'd just won by flipping
over four identical chestnuts.
The person with eyes like Mrs. Murray ran to her past the counting carpet and
behind the desk. They threw their arms around her legs in a hug, squeezing her
knees together.
Your teacher gently brushed those sunbeam strands, until the kid tilted their
head back to smile up at Mrs. Murray with a toothy grin.
???
Hi.
Mrs. Murray
Hello Sir Seventh Grade. Did you have a good first day?
Qiu
Darren!
"Sir Seventh Grade", or "Darren", or both, gasped and let go, before smiling
even wider.
Darren
Qiu?!
He darted out from the desk just like that. Mrs. Murray watched him go,
rubbing at the spots on her pants that got squished.
Mrs. Murray
Hello Sir Seventh Grade. Did you have a good first day?
Qiu
Darren!
"Sir Seventh Grade", or "Darren", or both, gasped and let go, before smiling
even wider.
Darren
Qiu?!
He darted out from the desk just like that. Mrs. Murray watched him go,
rubbing at the spots on her pants that got squished.
She was for sure his mom. Not only 'cause they hugged or because of their
eyes; Mrs. Murray wouldn't have let a normal student get away with not
answering her questions.
And you were right.
Darren
{i}My mom{/i} is your teacher?!
Darren's voice came out bright and loud and with a big laugh. Though the sound
was kinda crackly, too. He had so much to express to the world, words could
barely keep it all together.
Qiu's own sparkling giggles joined in. He opened his arms all the way out, not
holding anything back.
Qiu
I know!
When Darren crossed the room, he stuck his own hand straight ahead, palm up.
Qiu flipped his arm down and over to land a low-five smack.
When Darren crossed the room, he stuck his own hand straight ahead, palm up.
Qiu flipped his arm down and over to land a low-five smack.
It was a powerful hit, but they were both protected by gloves. Qiu shrugged
again, not feeling the sting.
Qiu
This year is gonna be {b}tough{/b}.
Mrs. Murray
Boys? Inside voices, please. And personally, I'd say my lessons are fair.
Qiu
Riight, yeah. Sorry, Mrs. Murray!
Darren
Sorry, Mom.
Darren lifted his fuzzy black earmuffs off his head using hands covered in
fuzzy black gloves. He was in this classroom to stay, and he'd be able to hear
quieter words better without that too.
Darren
Um...
For the first time, Darren noticed there were two more people in the room.
That made his smile flatten.
You'd expected you would see new kids today; Darren didn't think about that.
He tried to figure out what to do or think or feel now that it had happened.
Tamarack skipped saying who she was so she could jump right into Darren's face
on her tiptoes. As far as kids went, Darren was as tall as Tamarack was short.
Tamarack
'Mom'?! You said she's your {i}mom?!{/i} A teacher is your mom?
It didn't matter that Qiu talked about Mrs. Murray having kids before you got
there or that a lot happened to show that Darren was definitely her son.
Having the kid of a teacher in front of her was too unbelievable for Tamarack.
And that made Darren decide what to think about this meeting- he didn't like
it. At all.
His face soured, and he backed away from Tamarack without thinking, like a
giant fluffy bumblebee was coming to get him. Tamarack didn't let him get far
from her.
Choice: "Tamarack thinks it's weird that teachers can have kids."
Choice: "Yeah, Tamarack. She's his mom."
Choice: "Tamarack, that's not really nice to say."
Choice: It was funny to watch.
Choice: You were uneasy. This wasn't good.
Choice: "Hey, leave him alone."
Choice: Darren seemed kind of shy. She was just asking a question.
Choice: Darren had to be shy. Tamarack shouldn't force him.
Choice: You couldn't get why he had a problem. Tamarack was just talking to
him!
Player chose: You couldn't get why he had a problem. Tamarack was just talking
to him!
It was fun whenever Tamarack talked to you.
Qiu
Don't follow Darren like that.
Qiu was totally serious with the idea. It wasn't a rule, it was a law.
Tamarack listened to it better than if it came from an actual teacher.
Tamarack
Oh.
Tamarack deflated to stand like normal again and stopped scurrying towards
Darren.
He still didn't stop staring at her; Darren was too afraid of what she might
do next to look away.
The whole thing made Qiu sigh. It was an accident, though, 'cause he sucked in
another breath super-fast after.
Then he smiled again like it never happened.
Qiu
Oh, oh, hey. Everybody's got to meet each other for real now!
Tamarack
We do?
Qiu
Yeah, {i}we do.{/i}
He used his own tiptoes and smoothly twirled around to shift from Tamarack's
side to Darren's.
Qiu
This is Mr. Darren Murray.
Qiu hooked an arm around Darren's stiff shoulders. The warm embrace got Darren
all soft. He melted over Autumn and their heads bumped together. The two were
as close as could be.
Qiu
He's my friend! And twelve- {i}two{/i} years older than us.
Autumn proudly put up a peace sign that probably just meant 'two'.
Qiu
Remember that road right out from our cul-de-sac? Darren lives there. His
house is the yellow one with a dark brown fence. We're almost neighbors.
That's how we know each other.
Qiu
Remember that road right out from our cul-de-sac? Darren lives there. His
house is the yellow one with a dark brown fence. We're almost neighbors.
That's how we know each other.
Mariya
Yeah, the big hill. I know that.
You'd passed a lot of homes on your way to school. You guessed people had to
live in them, but you always figured you would meet a person before seeing
where they lived.
It was kind of weird thinking you'd gone by his place before you ever knew who
Mr. Darren Murray was.
Qiu tilted his face so he was nose to nose with the boy down the street.
Qiu
That's what I've gotta tell you. These are my new neighbors!
Darren
Wha- Both of them?! I thought only one kid was coming.
The poor boy was more confused than ever. Tamarack could shock people even
when she didn't try to.
Qiu came to the rescue. His arm slid off Darren's shoulders to pat him
soothingly on the back instead.
Qiu
Mhm, both of them.
Autumn used his other hand to nudge a finger towards the girl of many
surprises.
Qiu
That one is Ms. Tamarack Baumann - Granny is her {b}actual{/b} grandma. She
lives in the gray house now.
It was easy for Qiu to explain what happened now. If Darren had been there
yesterday, he could've seen Qiu's flurry when he'd found out Tamarack was
there.
Is that what you had to do to sound smart? Act like you always knew something
to people who couldn't tell the difference.
Maybe it was just a Qiu thing. It did work for him.
Darren listened to his friend's wisdom, amazed.
Qiu
And that-
Like a tiny showman in front of an audience with one person in it, Qiu
uncurled his fingers and held his open palm out towards you.
Qiu
Is Ms. Mariya Karu.
Qiu
She's just a kid.
Qiu
{i}She{/i} is the one who moved into that empty middle house with her mom.
Qiu
We all met yesterday.
In the real world, Darren had to look down to see Qiu. It was a plain fact.
He had to look down on every kid in your grade.
But in the shine of his dipped eyes, you could be tricked into thinking Darren
was looking up at Autumn. That's how much the older boy admired the younger
one.
He had to look down on every kid in your grade.
But in the shine of his dipped eyes, you could be tricked into thinking Darren
was looking up at Autumn. That's how much the older boy admired the younger
one.
The light went away when Darren glanced over the two people Qiu had
introduced. All that was there then was uncomfortable skepticism.
Choice: "Hi, Darren."

Choice: "Um, hi..."
Choice: "That's right! I'm [p.name]."
Choice: "You can call me [p.nickname]."
Choice: "Nice to meet you."
Choice: "I think you're cute!"
Choice: You gave a wave.
Choice: You stared at the two boys.
Choice: You shuffled to Qiu's opposite side from Darren, hiding from him.
Choice: You hid from the strange boy behind Tamarack.
Player chose: "Nice to meet you."

Darren put on a mellow smile. It fit really well. You thought that maybe that
was how Darren normally was, when you knew him and weren't a stranger.
Darren
Hi.
Tamarack flapped a hand fast in a wave. It beat like the buzzing wing of a
bee. She kept being like that around Darren, but you didn't think it was on
purpose.
Tamarack
Hi, Darren!
His face squished.
The awkward way Darren was with her still didn't get Tamarack to back off, or
even slow down. She had thoughts that needed to be said.
Tamarack
You're both wearing orange sweaters.
Tamarack stopped her fluttering by clasping her hands together over this
important revelation.
Darren curled his fingers too, gripping tight around the earmuffs he was still
holding. She hadn't said it teasingly, not even the silly kind of teasing Qiu
did, but he was bothered by it for some reason.
Darren
Yeah... We both like orange.
It was a short answer, and a very serious one.
The whole time Darren hadn't said one word in response to Tamarack until now.
Not when she asked about his mom or said hi. Talking about same-colored
clothes, though, couldn't be ignored.
Qiu
Uh-huh. Orange is good- one of the top colors!
Qiu cut into whatever was going on, nodding wisely.
Qiu
But do you know what my favorite-favorite color is?
Tamarack
How would I know that?
Qiu
'Cause I think it's pretty obvious!
For the second time, he gestured over at Tamarack. But not just any part of
her - Autumn pointed toward her mop of sparkly hair.
Qiu
It's golden. That's the best color there is.
Choice: It was cool to learn Qiu's favorite color.

Choice: You didn't care that much, and weren't paying a lot of attention.
Choice: No! He couldn't say that. You were the one who thought Tamarack was
pretty.
Choice: Tamarack's hair wasn't that nice...
Choice: Qiu was right. Tamarack had nice hair, whether it was gold or not.
Choice: Good thing he said so. Knowing your friends' favorite color was
important.
Choice: Gold was his favorite color? That was exactly like Qiu.
Player chose: It was cool to learn Qiu's favorite color.
You were getting to know each other.
Tamarack
Ooooh.
Tamarack
My favorite colors are purple, pink, red, yellow, and orange!
Qiu
That's a lot of favorites. It's probably about half the colors there are, but
alright.
Tamarack
Wait, and also! Every color Mariya likes is my favorite too.
Qiu
Pff-
Choice: Tamarack had good opinions on colors.

Choice: That was going too far. Your favorites were yours.
Choice: Sharing favorites was an amazing idea.
Choice: Tamarack was so sweet. She'd appreciate you no matter what.
Choice: Of course Tamarack wouldn't be able to pick one favorite.
Choice: You kind of wished she did have one favorite. It'd be easier to make
her happy with that.
Choice: Now you knew what both of them liked!
Choice: You were glad she said that. Knowing your friends' favorite colors was
important.
Player chose: Now you knew what both of them liked!
That was perfect.
Compared to Tamarack's shouting, Darren responded with a peep. He still didn't

want to talk to her, but misunderstandings about color ranking couldn't be
made either.
Darren
Red is my real favorite; orange still is cool.
At that point everybody had talked about colors they liked except for you.
Choice: "I've got a favorite color, too."

Choice: "I've got favorite colors, too."
Choice: "Mhm, you're supposed to have only one favorite color. I have that."
Choice: "I've got favorite colors, too. You can't pick only one."
Choice: "Listen to my favorite, too!"
Choice: "Listen to my favorites, too!"
Choice: You didn't think any color was better than any other.
Choice: Every color was great to you.
Choice: "Colors are just colors. There aren't better ones or worse ones."
Choice: "I like all colors."
Choice: You had a color you thought was best, too.
Choice: You had colors you thought were best, too.
Player chose: You had a color you thought was best, too.
Choice: "I've got a favorite color, too."

Choice: "I've got favorite colors, too."
Choice: "Mhm, you're supposed to have only one favorite color. I have that."
Choice: "I've got favorite colors, too. You can't pick only one."
Choice: "Listen to my favorite, too!"
Choice: "Listen to my favorites, too!"
Choice: You didn't think any color was better than any other.
Choice: Every color was great to you.
Choice: "Colors are just colors. There aren't better ones or worse ones."
Choice: "I like all colors."
Choice: You had a color you thought was best, too.
Choice: You had colors you thought were best, too.
Player chose: You had a color you thought was best, too.
It was...
Choice: Red.
Choice: Orange.
Choice: Yellow.
Choice: Green.
Choice: Blue.
Choice: Purple.
Choice: Pink.
Choice: Gold.
Choice: Silver.
Choice: Bronze.
Choice: Black.
Choice: White.
Choice: Brown.
Choice: Rainbow.
Choice: Cranberry.
Player chose: Purple.
Qiu took his trusty notebook out of his pocket. A pencil came with it. He
flicked the pages open and began to scribble right there in the middle of the
room during a conversation with people.
Tamarack
Why are you doing that? School is over.
Qiu
I'm writing down your favorite colors. I wanna remember that.
The question was answered, and it completely confused her. It made sense to
you that she didn't get it. Tamarack didn't write stuff down even when class
was happening.
Tamarack
Oka-
A yelp cut off her own planned reaction. Confused by normal things and
confusing to normal people, that was Tamarack.
Tamarack
You're using your other hand!
Qiu
The left one? Yep. That's my good hand.
Tamarack
Wow.
Tamarack
Mariya is the same!
Qiu
Cool! Lefties.
Tamarack ran out of words to blurt out. And Darren didn't wanna do anything on
his own, and not with you either. It had to be Qiu.
So, the three of you waited there as the scritchy-scratchy sound of Qiu's
writing went on. The more letters Qiu added to his notebook, the more his
friend shifted uncomfortably.
Darren
Hey, Autumn...? You're coming to my house today, right?
Qiu
Yeah, I am.
That was the third quick and direct answer Qiu gave while busy with his task,
but it had a big impact on Darren.
He smiled, relieved. The promise made up for all the stuff Darren hadn't
enjoyed since he walked into the classroom and had two new people become a
little part of his life.
Making a long dash across the paper, probably to underline something, Qiu
finished off his note to himself and his reply to Darren.
Qiu
Now that Mari and Tamarack are here, I've gotta make sure they get to the
neighborhood, but I can do that and go to your house.
The worn, brown book and pencil were tucked into Qiu's pocket. He didn't watch
what he was doing. You did, and this time no papers fell out.
It was good to see him not have any problems. You'd been a little bit worried
it'd happen again.
Qiu
It's not just gonna be me and Darren, you know. One more is coming, too. We've
got plans. It's been worked out for weeks that we'd get together after the
first day of school.
For a kid, Qiu sure made himself busy all the time.
Qiu
And 'cause of that, Darren? Can you go get that guy? He's gonna be standing
around outside not knowing where to go. You can bring him right to the room!
Darren sunk his neck deeper into the tall collar that surrounded it, trying
not to be called on in class after it was already too late.
Darren
I don't wanna.
His voice had gotten even more raspy when he spoke then. Every bit of Darren
protested the idea.
Qiu
Aw, come on. You're the fastest out of everybody!
Qiu, on the other hand, was bold and brave. He sincerely sung Darren's praises
to encourage his friend, though, more quietly, added a verse of his own
success.
Qiu
With running anyway. On bikes I'm the best.
Qiu
Did you know? I've got a mountain bike. It has silver paint splatters, and the
tires have these big treads. It's so fast. You'd be amazed.
Qiu
But besides, we can't both go! Tamarack and Mariya are here.
Qiu
Do {i}you{/i} wanna stay with them, by yourself, while I get him?
Darren's eyes closed, and he grimaced. If he was looking, he wouldn't have

been able to stop himself from glancing at Tamarack. You could tell since
that's where his not-seeing face turned.
And he didn't wanna do that either.
If he couldn't even handle seeing her too closely, staying alone with Tamarack
didn't seem achievable for Darren. Qiu knew it.
Darren
I'll go.
He placed the earmuffs back on his head as if he was donning armor before a
battle: resigned, but resolute.
Qiu
Cool! See you.
Darren
Yeah, bye.
Tamarack
Bye!
As Darren sprinted through the door, you doubted he'd be following the 'no
running in the hall' rule.
Mrs. Murray was still reading over her teacher stuff, so she didn't put a stop
to it. But Darren should've followed them even if no one was watching.
Tamarack's focus was set on the action. When that was over and even Darren's
bright white vest couldn't be seen, she snapped her gaze towards Qiu.
She was eager, ready to learn more about the boy whose name hadn't even been
said yet. In school, in friends, in everything, Tamarack wanted answers.
Choice: You wondered about it, too.

Choice: You weren't that interested.
Choice: You were excited. Another kid! Maybe you'd be friends.
Choice: You were nervous. When would you be done having to meet more people?
Choice: You were annoyed. When would you be done having to meet more people?
Choice: If you didn't have to wait for your [opal.term!l] to get you, you
would've left.
Player chose: You wondered about it, too.
Qiu began to tell you about his friend, even though no one asked anything
about him.
Your and Tamarack's faces had been enough to get Qiu going on it.
Qiu
This kid you're gonna meet isn't like other kids.
Qiu
He's {b}mature{/b}.
'Mature' rolled off of Qiu's tongue slowly, importantly, and with a fake
accent. You didn't know what kind. But when he thought a little longer, Qiu
much more quickly added some more details.
Qiu
And, uh, not mature, actually. About some stuff. Not everybody likes him, but
I do and you might too!
Qiu
Oh, guess what? He doesn't go to our school or Darren's school. He goes to a
totally different one that costs {i}money{/i} 'cause it's for {i}rich
people.{/i} Those are actually real!
You figured out what accent Qiu had been doing- a wealthy person's accent like
from one of those movies with millionaires.
Tamarack
What?!
Choice: "Really? Does he have to wear a uniform?"

Choice: "I wish I could go to a school like that."
Choice: "He goes to a private school?! Unfair."
Choice: You quietly nodded at Qiu's chatting.
Choice: "That sounds terrible."
Choice: "Then how come he's coming here? He could've gone to Darren's house."
Choice: You rolled your eyes. So dumb.
Player chose: "Really? Does he have to wear a uniform?"

Qiu
No- but! They have a {i}strict{/i} dress code. He's gotta wear button collared
shirts and stuff.
Tamarack
Eeew!
Neither Qiu or Tamarack were sure what to say next. You were the same. The
three of you glanced from one face to the other. Expressions flitted between
encouraging smiles and curious peering.
Until eventually, the door was flung open. Darren hadn't stopped to check if
it was okay that time. He had a job to do, and it had been a job well-done.
Darren wasn't alone.
Their entrance was a funny scene. Behind Darren's striking colors and intent
steps was the new boy. The stranger came along unconcerned, dressed in muted
tones.
His hair color almost could've been called black, though "dark gray" was
probably more right. He had black pants that didn't match perfectly with the
shade on his head.
But there was something about him that made a strong impression.
Tamarack, Qiu, and Darren too, had lots of energy that radiated out all around
them. This boy didn't have spirit in his hands, or legs, or body.
His fire was concentrated all in his dark brown eyes. Whatever he looked at
came against the total force of his being. It made him unignorable.
And that part of him was so noticeable that it took you a minute to see he had
a birthmark on his neck and that his "smile" was actually a smirk.
From a full class, to only three students left, to four people, and now you
were up to a group of five. People kept going and coming that afternoon, and
you didn't know what to think.
All your thinking was cut-off by a shout from Autumn. Along with that, he
punched a fist in the air to welcome his returning champion and the found
prince.
Qiu
Yeah! You made it.
Darren and the boy he brought had given the impression of opposites when they
first came in. What they had in common became clear when they smiled the very
same way at the reunion.
They both liked the other one of them, and they both liked Qiu. That's all
that mattered.
The two went straight to Qiu's sides. Darren on his left and the other on his
right. The formation of the trio was perfectly smooth. All of them were
already aware of where they stood in the group.
Qiu
So, this is my friend. He's cool- as long as you tell him when he's being
dumb!
The boy had been the most collected person you'd seen in town, besides your
teacher, and Qiu just called him dumb as soon as he got there. That was kind
of incredible.
But Qiu didn't mean it in a mean way, and the new arrival hadn't even blinked
when Qiu said it. They were friends, and the insult expressed as much
affection as the hug Qiu and Darren shared earlier.
Baxter
Hello, it's nice to meet you. My name is Baxter.
"Baxter" greeted you and Tamarack casually. It was effortless for him to say
polite words, though they didn't come with a lot of meaning behind them.
"Baxter" greeted you and Tamarack casually. It was effortless for him to say
polite words, though they didn't come with a lot of meaning behind them.
Darren was twelve. And he was tall, taller than all his friends, but you
could've believed he wasn't that old until Qiu said so. Nobody needed to tell
you Baxter was older than you.
No one {i}had{/i} told you, but you still knew.
More than any kid, Baxter reminded you of teenagers. Ones who thought they
were smarter than not only anyone younger, but adults too. He had that kind of
unquestioned confidence.
Even the way he stood there looked more grownup than everyone else!
Qiu
That's right-
Qiu put on his snooty voice again and did a curtsy to show his mock respect to
whoever the boy was that he was about to introduce.
Qiu
He is Mr. Baxter Ward, the oldest one out of all of us!
You knew it. Meanwhile, Qiu dropped the accent 'cause he wasn't talking about
Baxter anymore.
Qiu
And this is Ms. Mariya Karu and Ms. Tamarack Baumann.
Choice: "Hello!"
Choice: "Hi. It's okay if you call me [p.nickname]."
Choice: "Um, hi..."
Choice: "Hi- what's your favorite color?"
Choice: You didn't do or say anything.
Choice: You gave him a wave.
Choice: You hid from the second strange boy behind Tamarack.
Choice: "You've got such cool friends, [qiu.nickname]."
Choice: Baxter was really handsome...
Choice: You wished you could hide behind Qiu, but he was surrounded.
Choice: You didn't like Baxter already. He took up too much space with Qiu.
Choice: "You're a handsome guy."
Player chose: "Hello!"
Choice: "Hello!"
Choice: "Hi. It's okay if you call me [p.nickname]."
Choice: "Um, hi..."
Choice: "Hi- what's your favorite color?"
Choice: You didn't do or say anything.
Choice: You gave him a wave.
Choice: You hid from the second strange boy behind Tamarack.
Choice: "You've got such cool friends, [qiu.nickname]."
Choice: Baxter was really handsome...
Choice: You wished you could hide behind Qiu, but he was surrounded.
Choice: You didn't like Baxter already. He took up too much space with Qiu.
Choice: "You're a handsome guy."
Player chose: "Hello!"
One corner of Baxter's mouth was already up, it had always been up, but he
lifted the other end too so he could properly smile at you.
Baxter
Mariya? That's a nice birthmark. You're lucky to have one.
You thought no one had more random compliments than Tamarack. Baxter might
change your mind.
Choice: "Thanks! I think so too."

Choice: "You shouldn't talk about [prologue.birthmark_those]..."
Choice: "Don't say anything about [prologue.birthmark_those]!"
Choice: "Uh, okay?"
Choice: "I'm not lucky."
Choice: "Oh. It's... nice of you to say that." You didn't like
[prologue.birthmark_them], but at least he did.
Choice: "Oh. It's... nice of you to say that." You liked
[prologue.birthmark_them] but thought others didn't.
Choice: "Thanks! I like yours too."
Choice: You beamed, being quite proud of [prologue.birthmark_them].
Choice: You hated [prologue.birthmark_them]. He didn't need to know that.
Choice: You shrugged, not getting why he cared.
You thought no one had more random compliments than Tamarack. Baxter might
change your mind.
Choice: "Thanks! I think so too."

Choice: "You shouldn't talk about [prologue.birthmark_those]..."
Choice: "Don't say anything about [prologue.birthmark_those]!"
Choice: "Uh, okay?"
Choice: "I'm not lucky."
Choice: "Oh. It's... nice of you to say that." You didn't like
[prologue.birthmark_them], but at least he did.
Choice: "Oh. It's... nice of you to say that." You liked
[prologue.birthmark_them] but thought others didn't.
Choice: "Thanks! I like yours too."
Choice: You beamed, being quite proud of [prologue.birthmark_them].
Choice: You hated [prologue.birthmark_them]. He didn't need to know that.
Choice: You shrugged, not getting why he cared.
Player chose: "Thanks! I like yours too."

Baxter's lazy stance perked up across the line of his shoulder; they were
straight instead of slack, and he dipped his head in acceptance of the praise.
Baxter
Thank you.
For a second, you admired the little spot on his neck as he appreciated the
one on you in a show of mutual birthmark owner respect.
Tamarack
Hi!
Tamarack's normal bubbliness popped right after she said hello.
Tamarack
Are you actually rich?
She said it doubtfully, with her hands on her hips and her face tilted
intently.
It added more to her wondering than what she actually said. What would a rich
person be doing there? Shouldn't he be doing something else? Something kids
like you and her weren't doing?
You tried to imagine what that other thing might be. Maybe sitting at the head
of a table longer than this whole room or dancing in a shining ballroom wider
than your house.
Darren's face twisted in the center and tightened around the edges. He wanted
to laugh, and he wanted to stop himself from doing just that.
Baxter
Yes.
Baxter said he was a rich kid as plainly as if you asked if it was Monday or
if he had a hat on his head.
Qiu
He can prove it too. Baxter lives in a huuuuge mansion high on the mountain.
Mariya
He does?
Qiu
He does!
Suddenly the table and ballroom of your fantasy felt a little more real.
Having the "huuuge mansion" come up without him needing to say so curved
Baxter's smile more than it already was.
He didn't have to brag; his house spoke for itself. Or, rather, the house got
Autumn to speak for it, and that was the best brag of them all.
Baxter
If I like the two of you, {i}maybe you'll get to visit.{/i}
Qiu
"If I like you"?!
Qiu's words had shot up in pitch and rang with humor. He threw his hands out
in disbelief and had to be careful not to hit one of the multiple people
hanging around him.
Qiu
Baxter, you show it to anybody who'll come by!
Qiu knocked Baxter's arm with his elbow, but that was on purpose. A friendly
nudge to go along with the rest of his lighthearted jabbing.
His smile beaming at Baxter, his eyes dancing over towards you and Tamarack,
Qiu declared in his stuffiest voice a reply that was, to Qiu, a more accurate
picture.
Qiu
"Please come see my big, cool house! Why would I even have it if no one was
gonna see it and think it's big and cool?" That's him.
Autumn needed a pause to steady himself before he finished what he was talking
about.
Qiu
But- it {i}is{/i} a really cool house. I would show it off if it was mine.
Qiu had to be honest about his friends and himself, when it was flattering and
when it wasn't, and ended his show generously.
Baxter said nothing, and he didn't laugh. He just glided a knuckle along the
edge of his swoopy bangs. The strands curved with the motion then slipped
right back into their normal resting spots.
His smirk didn't drop out of place either. With so much not being different,
it was easy to tell that his cheeks turned pinker.
Qiu had sorta made fun of Baxter. Even if it was a joke, if Baxter was gonna
blush you would've thought he was embarrassed 'cause of the teasing.
But no matter how you looked at it, nothing about the older kid's expression
was shy or uncomfortable. He was as calm as ever, maybe even a little happier
than before it happened.
Qiu
Anyway-
Baxter's introduction was over; Qiu had decided it.
Qiu
Now that everybody is here, I've got something very important to say.
Though he said "everybody", Qiu's attention was squarely on you and Tamarack.
There was a pause for dramatic effect as Qiu smiled knowingly.
Qiu
Mariya and Tamarack, I hereby invite you to join our club.
Qiu
Mariya and Tamarack, I hereby invite you to join our club.
Darren
WHAT?!
Darren shouted out like Qiu just announced he was getting married next week at
ten-years-old.
Mrs. Murray
Not so loud, please.
That gentle scolding was WAY more startling than Darren's yelp. You'd
forgotten Mrs. Murray was still at her desk.
She was so quiet and so much like a teacher, she fit as naturally in a
classroom as the whiteboard or globe. Things that were there and should be
there, but you didn't think about.
While you got a reminder, Baxter had never even known.
Baxter
Oh. Hello, Mrs. Murray.
Mrs. Murray
Nice to see you, Baxter.
Darren zipped his lips. He had to settle for silently pinching his brows and
pouting.
Qiu, who was definitely the leader of that pack, wasn't gonna let his word on
this decision be questioned. He folded his arms in disapproval.
First his mom, then his friend; Darren wasn't having the best moment.
Autumn couldn't stay firm for long, though. Instead, he thought of his club
and smiled.
Qiu
Me, Baxter, and Darren are a group - we go all around having fun. We're
practically famous in this town.
Darren
Yeah. Me, you, and Baxter do.
Quietly, firmly, not yelling, Darren pointed out the members again as if it
meant something.
Darren
Mariya is one thing, but...
Darren's glance flicked to Tamarack for a single second.
Darren
She's a {i}girl.{/i}
So, it did mean something to him. After this whole time, with Darren acting so
weird with Tamarack, you heard why. He was a boy who didn't play with girls.
Qiu
Mariya isn't a boy either. Not being a girl doesn't mean she's a boy.
Qiu
Mariya isn't a boy either. Not being a girl doesn't mean she's a boy.
Darren
Well, uh- then it doesn't make sense for either of them. We're boys and they
aren't.
Unfortunately for that boy, Qiu made extra efforts to include the two of you.
He freely giggled at the "problem" he was being presented.
Darren
It's a {b}{i}boys' club.{/i}{/b}
Darren gestured around the semi-circle of kids to bring attention to the "boy-
ness" of the collection.
Darren
How can we be a boys' club if we're not all boys?
He whined in a whisper. Even if you and Tamarack and Baxter were right there,
Darren was trying to keep the conversation between him and Qiu alone.
Unfortunately, it was Autumn he was talking to, and Qiu made extra efforts to
include the two of you. He freely giggled at the "problem" he'd been
presented.
Qiu
Pff, pff Darren. Your mom's a teacher. And guess what?
Qiu gave a lidded look over his shoulders towards his possible new groupmates.
Qiu
His dad? He's also a teacher! At a different school!
With a slow shake of his head, Qiu smugly chided his friend.
Qiu
And you don't even know problem-solving.
Qiu
Listen, okay, so, I'm a boy and it's my club, that means it's a {i}boy's{/i}
{b}club{/b}. What's the issue with that?
He didn't get an answer, though Qiu didn't expect to. Darren could only gawk
as if he'd witnessed a magic trick.
Qiu had taken a black heart card from Darren into his fingerless gloved hand
and when he revealed it again, it had transformed into a red king.
You wondered if Qiu was a sorcerer all along and he only said you were one to
cover for himself. He had a way with words, and with people.
You and Tamarack being new there wasn't what gave Qiu an advantage; he was
like that no matter what.
Baxter chuckled, a pleased audience member of the event. And then he shrugged
with his hands in his pockets.
Baxter
I don't mind if they tag along, as long as they can keep up.
Qiu
Great!
Baxter's agreement was given directly, and Qiu took Darren's acceptance of his
idea as a sure thing even if he hadn't exactly gotten there yet.
He expected you and Tamarack to see it too and put the choice in your hands.
That was the only question.
Qiu
So? What do you think?
Tamarack
Mmm... No thanks. I don't want to.
For all of Qiu's feats of conversation wizardry, it was equally amazing how
simply Tamarack could defeat them simply by not taking an interest and saying
so.
That was actually the second time Qiu invited her to play with him and his
friends. Yesterday she had said "maybe", today she said "no".
Darren suddenly frowned more. He never wanted her but was offended she didn't
want him to!
Baxter only smirked harder. He already had friends; being turned away by a
stranger didn't make a difference.
Qiu was disappointed - by Tamarack not considering it, and by his friends'
unwelcoming attitudes. No one seemed to care like he cared, even when he tried
his best to get everyone to get along.
His expression was unhappy enough for Tamarack to realize, with shock, the
impact she'd had.
Tamarack
Thanks for inviting me! I like you, Qiu. I'm not sure I like those other kids.
Two bewildered snorts and one laugh followed that attempt at comfort. Baxter
was the one who laughed.
Choice: "I can probably play with you guys sometimes."

Choice: "I wanna be in the club!"
Choice: "It's okay Qiu, I'll join your club. I think that's nice."
Choice: "Yeah, I don't wanna be in your club either."
Choice: "We should both join the club. Please, Tamarack?"
Choice: "It sounds stupid to me."
Choice: "I don't like boys who don't like girls."
Choice: "Wow, Qiu. She turned you down so fast," you teased.
Choice: "If she's not joining, then I'm not joining."
Choice: "Why would anybody join? Darren is a jerk!"
Choice: You nodded your head at Qiu's invitation.
Choice: You shook your head at that offer.
Choice: You huffed at that offer. No way.
Choice: You pressed your lips, unsure of what to do.
Choice: You wanted to be in Qiu's club, but how could you say that when
Tamarack didn't?
Player chose: "I can probably play with you guys sometimes."
Qiu
Thanks Mariya...
That was all it took to begin turning things around. Qiu's smile grew as
Baxter's shrunk to a friendlier size.
Even Tamarack seemed to second guess her answer now that you were gonna be in
the fold.
Qiu
That's one new member!
Qiu
And it's alright if you don't wanna join, Tamarack. But you'll probably regret
it for the rest of your life if you don't. It's the coolest club there is.
Qiu
And Tamarack? Don't listen to Darren. I'm sorry he said that, about you being
a girl in our group and that being bad.
Darren
I-
Darren's gaze fell, guiltily, and he didn't finish whatever he was gonna say.
He may not have wanted Tamarack to join, but Qiu did. Being the reason it
didn't work out was an unintended betrayal of his friendship.
Qiu
Darren {i}does not{/i} know how to talk to girls, or how to act around them!
Qiu
I think the only ladies he can say ten words to are his mom and Tamarack's
granny.
Darren
Qiu!
Autumn tossed his hands up completely unapologetically. You thought of a

phrase you heard your ma use before: "Don't shoot the messenger".
Qiu
I don't know. That's what I noticed. But it doesn't matter anyway - you can't
live your life like this. You're a big kid, Darren.
Qiu
What if Tamarack looks up to you 'cause you're so much older and wiser? Are
you not even gonna be able to say "hi" to her?
Darren
I said "hi"! Didn't I?
Qiu
You said "hi" to Mariya, not to Tamarack. {i}She{/i} greeted {i}you.{/i}
Darren
But she was- she was...
Qiu
She was too close, I know.
Qiu
How about you say hello right now! It's not too late.
Tamarack
Yeah!
Tamarack was instantly in for that idea. She glanced upwards into Darren's
eyes, grinning expectantly, and swishing her shoulders side to side.
Tamarack
Say "hi".
It was hard to tell if she didn't realize she was giving Darren a hard time,
that it was more to him than a normal "hello", or if that was the whole plan.
But either way, Darren could do nothing except stare hard at Tamarack's smooth
jig.
Darren
Qiu, this is embarrassing...
Qiu
Yeah it is, {i}for you.{/i} You can't treat girls like that just 'cause
they're girls.
Darren groaned through clenched teeth. Qiu, Darren, and Tamarack - not one of
them were budging.
Until a low voice came from the area around Darren. It wasn't actually him; it
was behind him.
Not Darren
Hello. I think your scarf is so nice, Tamarack.
Not Darren
Hello. I think your scarf is so nice, Tamarack.
Not Darren
Also, those are such great shoes, Mariya.
Darren
What?!
Darren couldn't stay quiet for long. His mom had given up on reminding him.
Not Darren
I hope you like my earmuffs too.
Darren spun around in a flurry, but the perpetrator had already breezed back
to Qiu's other side.
Baxter stood there, self-satisfied and silent like he had been the whole
conversation.
He may not have seen it with his own eyes, but Darren knew it was Baxter. He
had a pretty distinct voice, and it wasn't as if anyone else could've done it.
It was a pleasing answer to Tamarack's ears, no matter who said it. She
giggled as she toyed with her "nice" scarf.
Tamarack
Do you really think that?
The real Darren turned away, uncomfortable, and with a face pinker than the
accessory in question.
Choice: "I like your earmuffs."

Choice: "That's not funny! Leave Darren alone."
Choice: "And do you really like my [prologue.not_darren_item]?" you asked
earnestly.
Choice: "And you really like my [prologue.not_darren_item], too right?" you
teased.
Choice: "Baxter, you're hilarious."
Choice: "I'm impressed Darren, you're a ventriloquist!"
Choice: You glared at Baxter for that. It wasn't funny.
Choice: You laughed along with Tamarack. Things were so much fun.
Choice: You put a hand across your forehead. They were all babies.
Player chose: You laughed along with Tamarack. Things were so much fun.

earnestly.
teased.
Player chose: "I like your earmuffs."
Tamarack
Me too!

earnestly.
teased.
Player chose: You laughed along with Tamarack. Things were so much fun.
Qiu
You guys...
Qiu had lost hold of the situation. He viewed it from the outside the same as
he might've done while watching toddlers tumble around a playground.

earnestly.
teased.
Player chose: "I like your earmuffs."
Tamarack
Me too!
Darren tucked his head into his vest as much as he could.
The main part of his face that you could still see were his eyes, which had
gotten huge and gone from defiant to shy, and maybe a little hopeful.
It reminded you of a baby turtle peeking out of its shell for the first time.
Qiu
You guys...
Qiu
You know I don't invite just anybody to the group.
That reminder was meant for Darren. He sent an explanation your and Tamarack's
way next.
Qiu
Before, it was me and Darren since we were babies, and then a couple years ago
there was Baxter. It's been only the three of us since then until right now.
Darren
Yeah, it has been. So why do they have to be part of the club?
Qiu
It's good you asked.
Qiu
Mariya broke into my backyard, accidentally, and took me on a crazy
investigation about a paper airplane.
Qiu
And she got here a day ago and she's already looking out for me. Normally, I'm
the one doing that.
Qiu
And Tamarack was the one who made a paper airplane for a stranger 'cause it
would be fun.
Qiu
She's the type of kid who hides for who knows how long in a pile of leaves so
she can jump out to spook you.
Qiu
What's not to like about that?
Qiu
Lastly, the three of us are all neighbors! That's gotta count for something.
Qiu
Even if it doesn't, what were you thinking we'd do? Run away from them when
me, and you, and Baxter are in the cul-de-sac? Try to make Tamarack and Mariya
leave their own street?
Qiu
No, we should be friends and hang out together. It makes no sense {b}not{/b}
to let them join the club.
Qiu's debate speech roused Tamarack. Her fists were clenched, and her
expression was full of vigor. But you were sure she wasn't inspired to join
Qiu's club.
It strengthened your bond as neighbors and only made her flimsy connection to
Darren and Baxter more obvious.
Darren wordlessly put extra space between him and the shaking girl. Baxter
smiled at Qiu, supporting his friend while being totally indifferent to the
results of the effort.
When it came to yourself, Qiu's description of why he thought you should be a

member...
Choice: Made you smile.

Choice: Made you smirk.
Choice: Left you confused.
Choice: Made your cheeks hot from embarrassment.
Choice: Got a thumbs up!
Choice: Made you glad you accepted his invitation.
Choice: Got you rolling your eyes.
Player chose: Made you smile.
He was always nice to you.
Qiu got the sense of his audience's mixed reactions. Instead of a full house
roaring with applause, it was more like seeing a mostly empty theater with one
person clapping in the back row.
He worked with it.
Qiu
Well, they haven't been here long, and I know them better than you two guys
know them. And the same goes for Mariya and Tamarack - they know me better
than either of you.
Qiu
It's different for me. I like all four of you.
Qiu
Tamarack can join later. And you don't have to be an official member to do
stuff with us!
Qiu
I'm just letting you know what's up.
A lot of things bothered Darren, and he showed it. Baxter, so far, took
everything like it was nothing. Qiu went up and he went down, but always tried
to get back up by the end.
That was the "boy's club".
Qiu was still Qiu, and...
Choice: You decided that Darren was cute.

Choice: Darren was pretty funny.
Choice: Darren wasn't very nice.
Choice: You didn't get Darren at all.
Choice: You liked Darren a lot!
Choice: That Darren kid was okay.
Choice: Darren was terrible.
Player chose: That Darren kid was okay.
Also...
Choice: Baxter was kinda mysterious. That was so cool.

Choice: Baxter was kinda mysterious. It made you uncomfortable.
Choice: Baxter seemed super weird to you.
Choice: You thought Baxter was sort of stuck-up.
Choice: Baxter was great!
Choice: You didn't even know what to think about the Baxter guy.
Choice: Baxter made you nervous. He was so grown-up.
Choice: That Baxter guy was a snooty rich boy. You did not like him.
Choice: Baxter wasn't too bad, but not too good either.
Player chose: Baxter was kinda mysterious. That was so cool.
And now you were, mostly, part of that club. Qiu wanted you to be, you wanted
to be, and that was the main deciding factor.
A tap-tap sound marked the end of the meeting. It made you think of a hammer
hitting a podium in very important and official gatherings.
But it was actually Mrs. Murray as she straightened papers against her
desktop. Your teacher placed them down in a neat pile as she rose to her feet.
Mrs. Murray
It's time to go, everyone. I'm leaving, and I can't let you stay here alone.
Am I giving anyone here a ride?
Her gaze was squarely on Qiu and Baxter with that question.
Mrs. Murray
Or would you like me to call your families?
It was you and Tamarack who got a look with that one.
The first kid ready with an answer was Tamarack. She yelled out with no
hesitation.
Tamarack
I'm okay!
Following after Tamarack, though definitely not talking to her, piped Darren.
He and his friends already had plans, but he sheepishly looked to his mom for
permission to go through with it.
Darren
Qiu and Baxter can come with us, can't they?
Right off, she nodded, and her son smiled, relaxed. Mrs. Murray held up one
finger and added a note before anyone got ahead of themselves.
Mrs. Murray
They can't stay all night; I'll need to take both of them home before dinner.
Darren
Alright.
Baxter
Thank you for letting us visit.
Qiu
Yeah, thanks. What about you, Mariya?
Choice: "My [opal.term!l] is coming to get me."

Choice: "I'm fine."
Choice: "Who knows?" you said, not wanting to give a real answer.
Choice: You smiled, showing you were alright.
Choice: You glanced at the carpet, uncomfortable with the questioning.
Player chose: "I'm fine."
Mrs. Murray
That's good.
Tamarack
Mariya! Come to my house!
Tamarack pumped her arms like the dark blue carpet was water underfoot and she
needed to row through the indoor pond.
Tamarack
We can walk back together.
Mrs. Murray
On your own?
Tamarack
No. Together!
Tamarack
And you can meet Omi and Opa when we get there.
Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "That would be so cool!"
Choice: "Really? Thanks..."
Choice: "Um, I don't know..."
Choice: "I have to ask my [opal.term!l]."
Choice: "I don't wanna do that."
Choice: You nodded at her offer.
Choice: You shook your head over the idea.
Choice: You just stared at her.
Player chose: "Really? Thanks..."
Tamarack
THANK YOU!
Mrs. Murray
Alright.
Mrs. Murray
Well, how about we finish packing now?
Qiu
On it!
At your teacher's suggestion, gathering outdoor clothes, checking inside and

under desks, and looking through bags to see if the most important possessions
were still there was all done.
Not a single glove would be missing or one pencil out of place if Mrs. Murray
could help it.
During the final sweep of the room, there was an eager knock on the door.
Mrs. Murray
Who's this?
Mrs. Murray took long strides, reaching the door far sooner than any of her
students could. When it was opened, you saw your ma framed by dozens of
colored paper leaves taped around the frame.
It was great. She could see your new teacher and class and everything.
Ma
Hi. I'm going to assume that you are Mrs. Murray.
Mrs. Murray
Yes, but Shannon is fine. And you are Ms. Karu?
Ma
Right as well. I'm Opal; Mariya is my child. It's a pleasure to meet you.
Mrs. Murray
Thank you for coming to pick up Mariya, I...
You stopped listening in on their conversation as the two grownups chatted

about each other and a little of you.
Darren wasn't as polite. He sighed at the continuation of their adult

greetings. Maybe he thought that was boring stuff.
Qiu snickered softly while giving Darren a small shove with his shoulder. It
brought some liveliness back and got Darren to smile.
Ma noticed the cluster of kids then. Her eyes fell on you and her conversation
with the teacher stopped.
Ma
Mariya, I made it. And hello again, Qiu.
Mariya
Hi, Ma.
Qiu
Hi!
She strolled further into the room to join you. Mrs. Murray stayed by the
door.
Ma
Who is the rest of this fun bunch?
Ma asked wonderingly, glancing across the faces of the three other kids still
there.
Class was long over, and you were too closely gathered for it to be random
people who happened to be in the same place. Why you'd all come together was
of great interest to your ma.
Two of those people were Qiu's friends, one was your seatmate and your
neighbor and your... friend.
And it was her, as usual, who first shot out a reply. Tamarack never took long
to think about what she'd say, that's why she was always so far ahead of
everyone with words.
Tamarack
You're Mariya's ma? Wow!
Tamarack
You look like her ma.
Tamarack
You look like her ma.
Ma
Thank you. Some bits of me did end up in there.
Choice: "Yeah, thanks!"

Choice: "I wish she didn't..."
Choice: "We don't look that much alike."
Choice: "Tamarack!" you blurted out, embarrassed.
Choice: "Tamarack!" you yelled furiously.
Choice: "That's so rude to say like that, Tamarack."
Choice: You stood taller, proud to be like your [opal.term!l].
Choice: You shrunk into yourself, feeling bad about Tamarack's observation.
Player chose: "Yeah, thanks!"
A playful smile tugged at your ma's mouth. Tamarack felt inspired to have more
curiosities satisfied.
Tamarack
Does your dad look the same, too?
Ma
Mariya is like him, in certain ways.
Her smile dropped, but Ma had a reply for that question ready before you had
even fully heard it.
Ma
But our family is me and her. It always has been. He won't come by to visit.
Ma
But our family is me and her. It always has been. He won't come by to visit.
She was telling Tamarack the truth. Tamarack wasn't gonna see him. {i}You{/i}
hadn't even met him.
You'd only been {b}told{/b} stuff about him. When you were younger, Ma said
what his race and "nationality" were, and hers too, so that way you could know
your own history.
Choice: You were {input=race}-

Choice: You didn't remember, though.
Choice: You didn't care, though.


Player chose: You were {input=race}-
Choice: And had {input=nationality} heritage.

Choice: And that's all you remembered.
Choice: And that's all you cared about.
Choice: And had {input=nationality} heritage.

Choice: And that's all you remembered.
Choice: And that's all you cared about.
Player chose: And had {input=nationality} heritage.
At that same time, your ma explained how having you in first place worked.
She didn't have a husband or boyfriend or anything, but she wanted a kid. So,
she had you.
Ma talked about how you didn't need an entire other person to have a baby. It
only took a small part; she was able to go get that from a special hospital.
It was kind of confusing. But you were able to understand that whoever your
dad was, he wasn't your parent. He was a guy Ma didn't know, and you didn't
know.
Choice: You liked that it was just the two of you.

Choice: You were happy with the life you got, but did hope you could see him
somehow.
Choice: It made you sad to think you'd never have a dad.
Choice: You were mad at him for having kids and not caring.
Choice: You were mad at your mom for picking a dad like that for you.
Choice: It was weird to think about.
Choice: You didn't care about him, but you worried it'd change how other
people thought of you.
Player chose: You liked that it was just the two of you.
Someone else would've gotten in the way of everything.
Your ma was already the best.
Tamarack
Oh, okay. Sorry.
Frowning, Tamarack pinched and pulled at the frayed edge of her sweater
sleeve. One finger slipped through a tiny hole on the cuff.
It was gonna rip even more doing that. That might've been why it was torn in
the first place.
Ma
It's fine; you didn't know. Now you do.
There was a lot of "not knowing" for her and you, but you did recognize the
tone your ma was using on Tamarack.
A low voice with an extra emphasized bend to the words. It meant "I'm not mad
this time, 'cause it won't happen again, isn't that right?"
Tamarack gave a tiny nod, stretching the striped sleeve all the way past the
tips of her fingers on her free hand.
The conversation had been dominated by Tamarack, but still hanging around was
the boy's club. They could hear everything said about your family. You tried
to figure out their reaction.
Qiu was still, besides shifting a narrowed gaze between the friend on his left
and the one on his right.
Suddenly, he seemed like the teacher of the classroom, keeping a stern eye on
the students for any sign of trouble. The two of them were on their best
behavior, quiet and blank-faced.
When Qiu realized you were watching, he became regular old Autumn again,
grinning wide.
Ma
Well-
Ma
It's good to meet you, Tamarack.
That dropped Tamarack's jaw. She was certain she hadn't said her name yet.
Tamarack
You knew me?!
Ma
Not for sure. But... I thought you looked like you'd be our neighbor Tamarack.
Now bashful, Tamarack hid her face with her hands. The sweater was finally
released from her squeezing grip.
While she wasn't looking, Ma gave you a sneaky wink. You'd told her enough
about yesterday for her to figure it out.
Ma
What about everyone else?
The question was kinda forced. There was still an awkward feeling left behind
after... Tamarack bringing up your dad that you never met.
But that was something they were gonna figure out sooner or later, so, after
all, it was kind of good it got settled with everybody at once.
And Baxter took the initiative, properly introducing himself.
Baxter
My name is Baxter. I don't go to this school. I attend Jarrett-Whitt Academy.
Ma
You do? That's quite impressive.
Baxter
Thank you.
You were starting to think he couldn't feel uncomfortable even if he wanted

to. He was a cool cucumber so much he got stuck that way. Like if you made a
weird face for too long.
Except you were pretty sure adults were lying when they said that could
happen.
He got the conversation to change though. Your ma was more at ease and gave a
purposeful look at the only kid who hadn't spoken yet.
Ma
And you are?
Darren
I'm Darren. That's my mom.
Darren couldn't meet her eyes. Instead, he stared at his shoes and limply
lifted an arm towards the door. Mrs. Murray was leaning against the wall
there; her arms were patiently folded.
Ma shifted her gaze between the group of students and the teacher with a big
smile. As a ma, she liked seeing other parents with their kids. It was fun for
her, you guessed.
Ma
It's nice to meet you, too, Darren.
His cheeks puffed out frog-like. It was so fast and unexpected Ma laughed. She
usually did not like laughing at other people's kids. Or other adults. Not
unless they were telling a joke.
She laughed at everyone's jokes, even ones that weren't funny.
Your ma pressed her palm against her chest and breathed in through her nose to
steady herself.
Ma
You've barely been here two days and I already need almost a full hand to
count all of the acquaintances you have. You work fast.
She tilted a grin your way, raising one brow higher.
Ma
Are you ready to go?
Mariya
Ma? Me and Tamarack were wondering if she could come with us.
Ma
Certainly. I'd be happy to bring her back.
Ma stayed put despite that agreement. She was unsure, not about you or
Tamarack, but the three other kids who were left.
That was when Mrs. Murray got off her perch and came to stand by her son.
Mrs. Murray
I'm driving Darren, Qiu, and Baxter to my house. I'll call the boys' parents
to let them know.
Ma
It seems you've all arranged everything.
Ma
You got your bags already, too. We should really be going then.
Ma
Have a good day, boys.
With a parting smile and a gesture of her hand to follow, Ma turned and walked
away.
Choice: "Bye!"
Choice: "See you, everybody!"
Choice: "See you around, you dorks! I'm out of here," you joked.
Choice: "Goodbye..."
Choice: "Be safe, okay?"
Choice: "Finally, I'm free," you said with a dramatic sigh.
Choice: You stuck your tongue out at the boys while her back was turned.
Choice: You waved behind you.
Choice: You waved with both hands over your head.
Choice: You silently went after [opal.name!cl].
Player chose: "Bye!"
Qiu and Baxter said "bye" as the three of you were leaving; all of them waved,
though. Darren's movement was way stiffer than the other guys'.
Tamarack
Bye Qiu, bye Darren, bye Baxter, bye Teacher!
She shouted over her shoulder, while sticking close to you and Ma. And after
that yell, Tamarack whispered just to you.
Tamarack
Sorry again.
Mariya
You don't have to feel bad.
Ma held the door open for you and Tamarack to trot by. Then she followed you
out.
Your first day of school was over.
You took the same exact path out as you had come in, just going the opposite
way. Down the stairs, through the checkered hall, and out the big double doors
at the front.
But when you were outside, the way home changed. You had to go through the
almost empty parking lot at the side of the school building. Ma had brought
the car to come get you.
But when you were outside, the way home changed. You had to go through the
almost empty parking lot at the side of the school building. Ma had brought
the car to come get you.
Wispy clouds hung over your group of three. Nobody else was out; they'd
already gone home or were probably teachers who were still in the classroom.
Tamarack ran freely across the tarmac. It was easy to figure out which car to
go to when nobody else was parked anywhere close by.
You and your ma strolled side by side until you rejoined Tamarack by the
vehicle.
Once she unlocked it, Ma opened the backside door. You were too little to sit
in the front, according to her.
That meant Tamarack would be too small too; you were taller than her.
But you found out that Tamarack didn't want to sit there; she liked the
middle. It was funny how round and weird it was. She also liked being able to
see up to the front easily.
While you both buckled in and Ma got into the driver's seat, Tamarack told you
about how she'd poke her Omi or Opa from that spot all the time.
Even though neither of them were in that car, she was happy to choose the
middle anyway.
Choice: You liked the window seats.

Choice: All you wanted was to sit in the front...
Choice: She was crazy for liking such a bad spot!
Choice: You never wanted the middle, so it was good she'd take it.
Choice: It didn't make a difference wherever you sat.
Choice: The middle seat was your favorite, too.
Player chose: You liked the window seats.
After Ma double checked that everyone had their seatbelts on, she pulled out
of the school lot.
You jiggled in the firm cushion 'cause of all the vibrations of the car. The
seatbelt wasn't just good for crashes, it also could stop you from slipping
out of your seat on the bumpy roads.
It was quiet, besides the humming sound that also came from the way the car
moved.
The world looked different from the back seat of a car. A blur of golds,
browns, and reds flitted out of the corner of your eye.
From what you could see ahead, there was an endless stream of blue coming at
you.
And then it all sloooowed down. You could see individual trees and each of
their branches and the leaves that hadn't fallen. And the sky seemed more
solid.
Your neighborhood was already in reach.
It had been a whole journey in the morning, walking with Qiu and Tamarack.
That trip only took a few minutes driving with Ma, and Tamarack again.
Ma parked at the end of the road right in front of your house. There wasn't a
garage to use, but it didn't really matter if you parked on the street. You
couldn't block the path if it didn't go anywhere else.
You, her, and Tamarack got up and stood around together on the sidewalk.
Tamarack
Thanks for driving, Mariya's ma.
You, her, and Tamarack got up and stood around together on the sidewalk.
Tamarack
Thanks for driving, Mariya's ma.
Tamarack
You can come to my house now!
A lot had happened since she talked about that in the classroom. Still,
Tamarack hadn't forgotten the plan she made.
Ma
Hm, a visit to the Baumann household? Am I invited, too?
That's right. Your ma hadn't been there when Tamarack had come up with what
you'd do after school.
It was funny seeing Ma ask permission to go over to somebody's place. She was
the person who was supposed to decide if it was okay to do something or not.
But your ma was nice.
Tamarack
Yeah!
Ma
Thank you. I had been hoping to meet the rest of our neighbors, but I waited
for Mariya to be here before making the rounds.
Ma
Lead the way, Tamarack.
Tamarack would've tried to do that even if Ma didn't ask her to.
The now-leader spun around to change direction and marched down the sidewalk
towards the big gray house next to yours. There was no way you'd get left
behind. You stuck right by her, while your ma went along after you both.
As Tamarack got closer, her pace got faster. The steady strut had turned into
a speedy skip by the time she'd reached the porch.
She was eager to get home, or she wanted to make sure she arrived there first.
She was eager to get home, or she wanted to make sure she arrived there first.
Tamarack smacked the doorbell and held it all the way down with her whole
hand.
It wasn't the kind of doorbell you had to press over and over to get it to
work. As long as she pushed it in, a deep chime rung through the walls.
Ding-dong, ding-dong, on and on. Tamarack squeezed the doorbell under her tiny
hand. It wasn't gonna stop.
Your ma acted like the parent she was and spoke down to the other kid here in
a reassuring voice.
Ma
I think it's okay; you can let go.
Ma understood 'appropriate behavior' in the grown-up world better than any

elementary schooler could, and that wasn't it. But all the suggestion got was
the same knowing assurance right back.
Tamarack
No, it's okay. What if Omi is asleep? We'd be trapped outside forever.
Tamarack wasn't an adult, but it was her house; she knew the rules. And for
all you knew, she might've gotten to make up the rules herself.
She was so amazing.

Ma
Maybe, but...
While your ma softly tried to urge Tamarack to free the crushed button, the
bell kept going, and the door opened.
Your nose realized it had happened before even your eyes could. It had gotten
blasted with a perfume-y smell so fast, like a human-sized spray of air
freshener went off.
The person who answered the nonstop call of the bell was a lady with long,
pale blonde hair going almost all the way down her back.
Her nose was tiny. That must've been how she lived with the smelliness.
She was smiling gently. Just about every part of her looked flowy and
delicate. Only one thing was different: her necklace. That was big and gold
and seemed like it'd be pretty heavy.
Maybe she needed an anchor to stop herself from blowing away in the wind.
Mrs. Baumann
I'm here, I'm here. Welcome back, young lady.
Mrs. Baumann
My, and you've brought guests. Hello!
Tamarack finally slipped her hand off the button. She needed it to wave.
Tamarack
Hi, Omi!
Ma
Hello. Good to meet you, I'm Opal Karu. This is my child, Mariya. The two of
us recently moved in. We arrived only yesterday.
Mrs. Baumann
Ah!
Her voice, which was another fragile thing about her, strained in a high-
pitched exclamation.
Mrs. Baumann
I thought that was you. I'd heard you were coming, after all. That's why I
swept up the porch and left the welcome mat.
Ma
Oh, that was you? I appreciate the gesture.
Mrs. Baumann
Yes, yes. It was my little way of greeting the newcomers to our quiet street.
You had known that mat was out of place in front of the worn house. Another
mystery was solved; this time the culprit was Tamarack's family member rather
than Tamarack herself.
Mrs. Baumann chattered on like leaving people unexpected stuff was nothing and
normal.
Mrs. Baumann
My name is Dorothea. Tamarack is my only granddaughter; her father is my only
son.
Mrs. Baumann
My name is Dorothea. Tamarack is my only granddaughter; her father is my only
son.
Mrs. Baumann
And I do have a husband, Ernst. He's still alive. But I ought to introduce him
to you myself. Lord knows he won't do it on his own.
She pressed the top of her hand to her forehead, craning back. The dangles on
her necklace clinked against each other. Mrs. Baumann acted very tired.
And it probably was an act - you had to think so, since she sounded amused. It
was like having a hard time was how she had a good time.
Mrs. Baumann
If you see a crotchety old man wandering about, that's him. Don't you worry,
he's not mean- even if he looks it. Just remember that Mr. Baumann is more
afraid of you than you are of him.
Mrs. Baumann
It is good to meet the both of you, Opal and Mariya.
The last part of her introduction wasn't for you {i}and{/i} Ma. It was just
towards you.
Mrs. Baumann
You can call me Granny.
Choice: "Yeah, okay."

Choice: "Alright, Granny!"
Choice: "Hi, Mrs. Baumann."
Choice: "Nice to meet you, Granny."
Choice: "'Omi' is German."
Choice: "I don't wanna..."
Choice: "How come you're Granny to some people and 'Omi' to Tamarack?"
Choice: "I won't do that. You're not my grandma."
Choice: You stared up at her blankly.
Choice: You smiled and nodded.
Choice: You shook your head unhappily.
Player chose: "Alright, Granny!"
She smiled at you, wide and welcoming. Meeting you meant getting a new
grandchild.
She smiled at you, wide and welcoming. Meeting you meant getting a new
grandchild.
Tamarack
Omi!
Tamarack chimed in with a cheery, songful voice. She flapped both of her too-
long sleeves to draw even more attention.
Tamarack
Mariya is my favorite!
Tamarack
Mariya is my favorite!
That announcement caught everyone by surprise- including you, the person it

was about.
Mrs Baumann's eyes got way bigger than you'd thought they could with how they
looked normally.
Granny
I didn't know that! When did that happen?
Tamarack
Yesterday.
She said so giggling, ruby eyes sparkling and rosy cheeks extra pink.
Tamarack really thought you were her favorite?
Choice: Tamarack was so nice.

Choice: That was the best thing ever!
Choice: Why would she?
Choice: You couldn't believe it...
Choice: That didn't make any sense.
Choice: Tamarack was your friend, but you weren't sure she was the favorite
one.
Choice: That was what you thought about her, too!
Choice: You didn't think you deserved that...
Player chose: Tamarack was so nice.
You didn't even know what to do. Though, you did notice the way your ma was
watching the matching happy expressions on Tamarack's and your faces.
Mrs. Baumann was as enthused as her granddaughter and her favorite friend.
Granny
Oh, please, come inside. I insist. We need to get acquainted.
No one had ever {i}insisted{/i} you see their house before. Unless what
Tamarack said at school counted.
You guessed that's why Tamarack was that confident about saying you could come
over, and why she {i}told{/i} you to do it instead of asked; her granny had
the same attitude about people visiting.
Ma
That would be lovely.
Mrs. Baumann went deeper into her home, footsteps already echoing in the
closed-off space. Tamarack bounded after her.
Ma
Let's go, Mariya.
You and Ma were following behind Tamarack again, though this time it was her
grandma who got to lead everyone.
Ma shut the door after herself. The outside cold wasn't invited.
It didn't only smell like old people inside the house; the air was stiff like
it had gotten old, too.
A staircase went up and a narrow hallway went deeper inside. Huge flowers
patterned the paper plastered over the walls. When you could see the walls,
anyway.
The hall was crowded with shelves and tables, and those were cluttered with
more things.
It was sort of like walking through a museum, with all the fancy pieces to
see, but it also reminded you of a storage closet that was stuffed with things
you have nowhere else to put.
So maybe a closet in a museum?
Though you didn't know any museum or closet that had colorful candies sitting
in a worn silver dish the way this house did.
There were two kinds: bright see-through hard candies in see-through plastic
wrappers, and pale taffies you couldn't see through that were twisted up in
waxy paper.
Ma passed by you, not even looking at the candy bowl. The side table it sat on
was much closer to your height than hers. It was right in front of your face.
Choice: "[opal.name]? Mrs. Baumann? Can I have candy?"

Choice: "Wait, I want some candy!"
Choice: You tugged on your [opal.term!l]'s cardigan to get her attention and
pointed at the candy.
Choice: "Um, excuse me? Would it be okay if I have a candy?"
Choice: You sneakily obtained candy, not caring if you were supposed to or
not.
Choice: You took candy 'cause it had to be there for guests, and you were a
guest.
Choice: You wanted the candy, but no one mentioned it being okay, so you gave
up.
Choice: Candy was tasty but you didn't feel like having it then.
Choice: You didn't want any of either. That was the worst type of candy.
Choice: You didn't want any of either. Candy wasn't good.
Ma passed by you, not even looking at the candy bowl. The side table it sat on
was much closer to your height than hers. It was right in front of your face.
Choice: "[opal.name]? Mrs. Baumann? Can I have candy?"

Choice: "Wait, I want some candy!"
Choice: You tugged on your [opal.term!l]'s cardigan to get her attention and
pointed at the candy.
Choice: "Um, excuse me? Would it be okay if I have a candy?"
Choice: You sneakily obtained candy, not caring if you were supposed to or
not.
Choice: You took candy 'cause it had to be there for guests, and you were a
guest.
Choice: You wanted the candy, but no one mentioned it being okay, so you gave
up.
Choice: Candy was tasty but you didn't feel like having it then.
Choice: You didn't want any of either. That was the worst type of candy.
Choice: You didn't want any of either. Candy wasn't good.
Player chose: You wanted the candy, but no one mentioned it being okay, so you
gave up.
You kept walking behind your ma.
Tamarack's granny showed the way down a hall and through a big opening in the
wall. Past that was the living room.
Or not. When Granny crossed the rug that was also flowered and sat down on a
smooth green chair, she didn't call it that.
Granny
This is the drawing room. I come here and I sit on my throne and entertain our
guests.
Granny
You can take a seat, but do be careful. These are antiques.
Tamarack just hovered around the table. Hearing adults talk was one thing, but
sitting down and doing nothing while listening to it was asking for too much.
Choice: You sat on the couch very carefully.

Choice: You took a seat on the chair.
Choice: You took a seat on the couch.
Choice: You excitedly climbed onto the other chair in the room.
Choice: You didn't want to even try sitting after hearing that. It was too
much pressure.
Choice: You didn't wanna sit down. You'd rather keep looking around.
Choice: "Then where's all your pencils and paper for drawing?" you joked.
Choice: "Then where are the drawing things? Like paper and pencils?" you
wondered earnestly.
Tamarack just hovered around the table. Hearing adults talk was one thing, but
sitting down and doing nothing while listening to it was asking for too much.
Choice: You sat on the couch very carefully.

Choice: You took a seat on the chair.
Choice: You took a seat on the couch.
Choice: You excitedly climbed onto the other chair in the room.
Choice: You didn't want to even try sitting after hearing that. It was too
much pressure.
Choice: You didn't wanna sit down. You'd rather keep looking around.
Choice: "Then where's all your pencils and paper for drawing?" you joked.
Choice: "Then where are the drawing things? Like paper and pencils?" you
wondered earnestly.
Player chose: You sat on the couch very carefully.
It looked like the sturdiest option. You positioned your butt right along the
edge with your back straight, touching the furniture as little as possible.
Ma settled into the couch cushion next to you and leaned against the arm rest
to get even cozier.
You and Granny were the only ones taking the antiques seriously.
Mrs. Baumann didn't say anything over that. Though she did go on to say many
other things. The two ladies talked about each other and their kid and
grandkid.
Tamarack's grandma was retired, you found out.
Her husband was {i}supposed{/i} to be too, she said with a strong opinion on
that matter. Mrs. Baumann explained to your ma how he was constantly taking on
temporary consulting jobs.
And if not that, then he was being taken out for dinner or lunch or something
else so people could pick his brain for advice casually even if he couldn't be
an actual employee.
You had no idea why anyone would say something like 'picking brains'. It
sounded so gross.
It was because of that that you started paying attention to the words shared
between grownups more closely. Mrs. Baumann and Ma were still talking.
Granny
It's as if these people think half the town will fall apart without him.
Granny
Oh, he was in construction work, remodeling, refurbishing, repairs.
Ma
I see. A very apt comparison, then.
They both laughed, though Ma's polite chuckle didn't compare to Granny's
hearty cackle.
Granny
Now it's true that there's always something or another going wrong somewhere.
Golden Grove isn't as young as it used to be.
Granny
But there's only so much he can do when he's as aged as those derelict
buildings themselves!
The opening and slamming of a door followed her declaration.
For a second everyone stopped. Did Granny's description insult the house
itself?
No.
Heavy steps came after the bang and then a man you'd never seen passed by the
opening in the hall.
Granny
Opa!
One hand gripping the arm rest and the other swinging out towards your ma,
Mrs. Baumann lifted herself off the swirly patterned cushion.
Granny
That's him right now!
Granny abruptly called out as if she'd caught sight of a rare animal in the
wild and needed the rest of the team to get over there while they had the
chance.
Though, that wasn't right. Yelling would only scare the peaceful animal away.
Instead, maybe she was trying to catch a shooting star before it disappeared
for good.
Except that one didn't work either 'cause Mrs. Baumann was able to make the
meteor still. Mr. Baumann stood suspended in space, silently staring through
the wall-hole into the 'drawing room'.
Tamarack's Opa was very gray; his full suit, his dull shoes, and his short
hair.
What was mysterious were his eyes. They might've been gray too or maybe you
were tricked by all the other grayness, and they were actually blue.
He pushed his hat higher up on his forehead with a large hand, slow and
steady.
Mr. Baumann
Afternoon.
Hearing his voice cemented an impression that had started to build in you. It
was a low grumbling noise. The tone sounded the way his scratchy beard and
bushy eyebrows must've felt.
The sturdy older man, colorless and rough, was basically a stone statue that
had come to life somehow. And was the absolute total opposite of Mrs. Baumann.
Tamarack
Hi, Opa! This is Mariya and her ma. They're the people in the other house!
Mr. Baumann
Mm. The neighbors.
Mr. Baumann mumbled briefly in response and his eyes shifted away from the
seating area. He wasn't {i}talking{/i} about the news, but you got the
impression he was {i}thinking{/i} about it.
Mr. Baumann
Good day.
He turned his body to match the new direction of his gaze.
Granny
Fine, go hide in your cave. We'll be here if you decide to join us after all.
Mrs. Baumann showed her surrender and creakily lowered herself into the chair
again.
Granny
Dinner will be ready in a couple hours! You at least can't miss that.
Mr. Baumann made his escape without looking back. He probably {i}could{/i}
miss that, if he tried.
Granny
Where were we...? I remember-
Tamarack's grandpa had only said a few real words. You could count them on one
hand. Her granny had to have said a hundred-thousand times more than that and
still had more to go.
But your ma was talking too, and you could tell she wasn't ready to be done.
She had her listening face on, not her 'how soon can I get it to stop?'
expression.
Choice: You tapped your feet and fidgeted in place.

Choice: You just sat there quietly.
Choice: You coughed from being stuck in the flowery air of the flowery house.
Choice: You groaned loudly, so bored of being there.
Choice: You sniffed around, wondering where the perfume smell came from. It
was nice.
Choice: You yawned, getting sleepy from everything.
Choice: You perked your ears, curious about what else you'd find out.
Choice: "[opal.name!cl]? How much longer are we gonna be here?"
Choice: "[opal.name!cl], you can't keep talking forever! It's boring."
Player chose: You just sat there quietly.
Suddenly, for the first time in ages, Ma looked at you instead of one of the
three Baumanns. She hadn't forgotten you were there, too.
Ma
Oh, Mariya? Are you fine staying longer?
Ma
There's a couple things I'd like to discuss with Mrs. Baumann while I can.
As little of an impact as you had on the adults, Tamarack still did enough to
distract them all.
Since her grandpa left, she'd been staring at the window and doing that thing
where she bumped her bag around. She used her hip instead of her butt this
time.
Granny
Hm.
With the way Granny daintily placed her hands in her lap, she really did look
like a queen on her throne. You had to wonder, was she a kind queen or an evil
queen?
Granny
Why don't we let the two young friends play in the backyard while us old folk
stay here to talk?
Granny
You wouldn't go far would you, Tamarack and Mariya? And we'd come get you when
it's time to leave. Would that be acceptable, Opal?
It was weird to have somebody call Ma by her name, even if it was her name.
She was Ma.
Ma
That would be great. Excellent suggestion.
Tamarack's bag stopped jingling. That was the only reason you heard her intent
whisper.
Tamarack
Come on, Mariya.
Neither of you had officially been given permission to leave before she zoomed
out the room and around the corner in the same direction her Opa had vanished
to.
He hadn't been the only one who wanted to get away.
Granny
Don't run in the hall, please!
Knowing well that the warning wasn't gonna change anything, Mrs. Baumann
sighed in resignation.
Granny
Ah, fine, no one listens to a word I say.
Meanwhile, you hadn't moved an inch. Ma gave you the coaxing you needed.
Ma
It's alright, you should go play, too. I'll see you soon.
You went after Tamarack, stepping carefully through the unfamiliar house.
Though, there wasn't anything in your way. The furniture and knickknacks were
all pushed against the walls. The only place that was clear of clutter was the
center of the hall.
Past the living room there were doors to unknown places and another hole in
the wall that went to a kitchen.
You spotted Tamarack at the very end of the house. She yanked open a backdoor
and bounded through. She left it wide open, a portal of light and gold
inviting you through the dark.
When you came to stand at the edge, you found out Tamarack had waited for you
to catch up at the bottom of a couple uneven wooden steps.
They were bent inward, like after being pressed down so many times they stayed
sunk. It was your turn to leave a mark on that impression. One step, then
another, and the both of you were outside.
Invisible ribbons of perfume melted off your clothes, unable to live out in
the fresh, freezing air.
Just like Qiu's backyard, Tamarack's house had no fence around it. There was
no way to tell when the yard stopped, and the forest began. It was even more
impossible to see where the forest ended.
It might go for forever.
That was all that was the same for the two places, though.
Instead of Qiu's secret hideout, there was a fancy table with two chairs. That
looked like it was there for Tamarack's grandparents.
And hanging from a thick branch was a rope-strung tire swing. That part of the
place had to be for their granddaughter.
Tamarack
Woooo!
Tamarack hollered a cry of freedom and skipped down the small stone path,
never touching a blade of grass.
She hefted the messenger bag over her shoulders, chucked it aside with a
'thunk', and flung herself through the hole of the tire.
All you could see of Tamarack then were her little legs kicking up in the air
and her arms spread out past the width of the tire, so she was floating.
The swing slowly twisted on its rope until it brought her eager face around.
Tamarack
Hi, Mariya!
You grinned at her and went over.
Tamarack's upright legs snapped down and she plunged the tips of her boots
into the soft earth below.
It was supposed to stop the tire from doing another spin, except she couldn't
stop it all the way. The turning swing twisted her to the side. Tamarack held
firm, jerking futilely in the tire to center it again.
But none of that meant she couldn't keep talking to you. She happily explained
how it all came to be.
Tamarack
Omi and Opa got this just for me. They're too old to use a tire swing!
Choice: "That's so nice!"

Choice: "It'd be funny to see them try to."
Choice: "I wonder what's in my backyard."
Choice: "Your backyard is way better than Qiu's."
Choice: "Qiu's fort is cooler."
Choice: "You and Qiu have the best backyards."
Choice: "I love it."
Choice: "I knew it. That was so obvious."
Choice: You stared at her, amazed.
Choice: You shrugged, not really impressed.
Choice: You frowned. Your house probably didn't have a tire swing.
Player chose: "That's so nice!"
Tamarack
Thanks!
The praise puffed her up proudly. If she got too much bigger, she might not
fit inside the tire.
But then she wiggled her body and dug her shoes in even harder, trying to get
out.
Tamarack
Let's play something.
Choice: "Wait, I can get in, too."

Choice: "Wait, I can sit on top."
Choice: "Wait, I can push you."
Choice: "Could I try using the tire swing?"
Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "Yes!"
Choice: "You don't have to..."
Choice: "I don't wanna play anything."
Choice: Before she could, you started to squish in with her!
Choice: Before she could, you started to climb up on the tire!
Choice: Before she could, you started to push the tire!
Choice: You stepped back to give her more room.
Choice: You just looked at her.
Player chose: "Wait, I can push you."
Tamarack
Wow! Yeah!
Choice: You firmly knocked the swing.

Choice: You got a running start and gave it a huge shove.
Choice: You grabbed the tire and walked back to pull it high.
Player chose: You firmly knocked the swing.

Player chose: You got a running start and gave it a huge shove.

Tamarack
Wow! Yeah!

Player chose: You grabbed the tire and walked back to pull it high.

Player chose: You firmly knocked the swing.
She screeched giddily at the first rock and her legs went up again.
There was no reason to stop the swing from going somewhere.

You chased after the tire to keep pushing it, so you never stopped seeing her
face no matter how it moved.
You chased after the tire to keep pushing it, so you never stopped seeing her
face no matter how it moved.
The two of you giggled as Tamarack swung back and forth.
The excitement of the swing eventually settled.
You breathed in deeply through your nose. The air stung just a little, but
mostly was nice.
Tamarack wasn't talking, or laughing, or squealing, like she normally was, and
the two of you were alone together. That also didn't happen a lot.
If you wanted, you could ask her something you'd been wondering about.
Choice: "How come you don't ever call me [p.nickname] like my other friends?"
Choice: "Um, Tamarack? I was wondering why you never call me [p.nickname]."
Choice: "Hey, Tamarack? Are we really friends? You don't call me
[p.nickname]."
Choice: You decided not to.
Player chose: "Um, Tamarack? I was wondering why you never call me
[p.nickname]."
You and Tamarack had known each other for almost two whole days. She'd said
your name lots of times by then.
You just couldn't figure out why she didn't ever say 'Mari'.
Mariya
It's okay if you use it. My ma doesn't, but that's different.
Mariya
Maybe you didn't remember.
Tamarack
I remembered. But you told me your name-name first. That seemed like the most
important one!
Tamarack
Omi is omi, opa is opa, Qiu is Qiu, and Mariya is Mariya.
Tamarack
If there's a best name, why would I say something that's {i}not{/i} the best?
Tamarack
I can use your nickname, too, if it is just as good.
Choice: "That's so silly! It's just a nickname. I wouldn't have it if nobody

should say it."
Choice: "Whoa, you're right. You can keep using my name."
Choice: "Thanks for being okay with my nickname. Both are good to me."
Choice: "Thank you. You're nice to wanna do that. Use my name then."
Choice: "Um, if that's how it is... you can use my name."
Choice: "I do kinda want you to use the nickname, though."
Choice: "Uh, would you mind using my nickname anyway? I like that, too..."
Choice: "[p.nickname] isn't terrible, is it?"
Choice: "I like [p.nickname] more than [p.name]."
Player chose: "Whoa, you're right. You can keep using my name."
Tamarack
Okay, Mariya.
She said your name brightly with special attention to extra-prove she was good
with what you wanted.
You felt all warm and fuzzy having her call you Mariya and do it like that.
Then Tamarack wriggled around again.
She plopped out the backside and landed in the grass on her butt. But Tamarack
immediately sprung to her feet and began to move further away from the swing.
Something was happening- or was about to happen.
You went off the path to go after her.
She pressed her fisted hands into her hips and spoke without turning around.
Tamarack's hair fluttered animatedly with each word 'cause she nodded while
talking. That made it look like a fluffy gold sheep was the one saying it.
Tamarack
We'd better start soon - it's gonna get dark.
Mariya
Start what?
Mariya
Start what?
Tamarack
Finding some good stuff!
Tamarack
There's a lot of it out there, you know.
She reached down to collect her big bag, hooking it around her shoulder like
normal. That's when she turned around and you were faced with Tamarack herself
instead of the sparkly lamb side of her.
Tamarack
Have you been to this place before?
Mariya
Not to this town.
Mariya
I only came here when I moved yesterday.
Choice: "But I'm from {input=hometown}. It's not far at all."

Choice: "But I'm from {input=hometown}. That's pretty close."
Choice: "But I'm from {input=hometown}. So, it's not nearby."
Choice: "But I'm from {input=hometown}. It's really, really far away."
Choice: Though {input=hometown}, where you used to live, wasn't far at all,
you thought.
Choice: Though {input=hometown}, where you used to live, was pretty close, you
thought.
Choice: {input=hometown}, where you used to live, wasn't nearby, you thought.
Choice: {input=hometown}, where you used to live, was really, really far away,
you thought.
Choice: "But the place I used to live wasn't far at all."
Choice: "But the place I used to live was pretty close."
Choice: "The place I used to live wasn't nearby."
Choice: "The place I used to live was really, really far away."
Choice: Though where you used to live wasn't far at all, you thought.
Choice: Though where you used to live was pretty close, you thought.
Choice: Where you used to live wasn't nearby, you thought.
Choice: Where you used to live was really, really far away, you thought.
Mariya
I only came here when I moved yesterday.

you thought.
thought.
you thought.

you thought.
thought.
you thought.
Player chose: {input=hometown}, where you used to live, was really, really far
away, you thought.

you thought.
thought.
you thought.

you thought.
thought.
you thought.
Player chose: "But I'm from {input=hometown}. It's really, really far away."
Tamarack
Really?! That's amazing. And we're the same again. I haven't been here a long
time either.
Tamarack
But I've learned a lot already- about outside and everything.
Tamarack
All the forests in the world are different, and some places don't even have
forests.
Tamarack
This one is great 'cause there's mushrooms and rosehips and acorns and great
rocks and more.
Tamarack
I can show you good spots to find things since you're newer to this forest
than me.
Choice: "Wow, thanks."

Choice: "I don't want any of that."
Choice: "I'm never gonna find anything..."
Choice: "I don't need your help. I'll get it myself."
Choice: "Alright."
Choice: You gave her a thumbs up, wanting to search.
Choice: You shook your head, not interested.
Choice: You simply looked at her blankly.
Choice: "I bet you and me could find everything cool on the whole mountain."
Choice: "It'd be really great if you did help me. I don't know anything about
that."
Choice: "You're smart and nice!"
Player chose: "Wow, thanks."
Tamarack
You're welcome.
Tamarack
Let's get looking right now!
Mariya
Yeah.
Together, you and Tamarack began your treasure hunt at the edge of the forest.
In bushes, at the base of trees, under rocks, across low hanging branches,
around fallen logs; nothing was left unexamined.
When Tamarack found something worth saving, she placed it on the widest,
flattest stone in the path. That was to keep her fingers free to do more
collecting.
When you discovered something you wanted to take with you, you placed it on
the table instead.
Your piles grew rapidly as the two of you dashed back and forth from the
clearing near the house and the wilderness a few feet away.
Just like in class, Tamarack was fully focused and squinting hard.
She only ever stopped snooping to rub her tattered sleeve ends into her
eyelids, then kept going.
Maybe dirt was getting in her eyes with how close she kept getting to the
ground. And maybe bits of twigs too since she wasn't afraid to shove her head
into the brush.
Leaves did get stuck in her hair, same as the first time you'd ever seen her.
As time passed by, a shadow crept over the yard; an obscuring sweater pulled
over the body of the earth as it got colder.
Like Tamarack's own sweater, it had a few holes here and there that were
easier to see through.
You and Tamarack were forced to limit your search to those rare spotlights. It
wouldn't be possible to keep doing it for much longer. You glanced over at
her.
As time passed by, a shadow crept over the yard; an obscuring sweater pulled
over the body of the earth as it got colder.
Like Tamarack's own sweater, it had a few holes here and there that were
easier to see through.
You and Tamarack were forced to limit your search to those rare spotlights. It
wouldn't be possible to keep doing it for much longer. You glanced over at
her.
Tamarack crouched in the grass, encircled by darkness and trees. She shone
under a stream of pale evening sun. A few strong rays hit her back, giving the
illusion of golden fairy wings.
Something about the sight of her like that was... something. You kept looking
at her as she carefully dug out a mushroom to get it whole.
You watched so closely you didn't blink even one time.
When the mushroom was plucked, the spell was broken, and you could finally
close your eyes. Though you knew the magic wasn't really gone. You could still
feel its warmth deep inside you.
When Tamarack officially announced the end of her hunt, the day was reaching
its end, too. That was probably the only reason why she was stopping.
You didn't mind stopping either. Your treasure pile was already big and
varied.
All that was left to do was gather it up. That was easier to think than to do.
You struggled to get each one of the small, mostly round, valuables into your
grasp.
Tamarack couldn't scoop everything in her hands at one time. Pebbles and
rosehips rolled out of her grasp and off the stepping stone.
That was close enough for an impatient kid. Tamarack rushed over to show you
what she managed to find- and carry.
Tamarack
This is what I got!
She nudged her hands full to bursting with wonderful things even nearer. An
acorn dropped to the ground.
Tamarack
Here, take whatever you want.
Mariya
But that's yours and I already have a lot of that.
Mariya
But that's yours and I already have a lot of that.
Tamarack
I know. You have your own for yourself. You can take part of mine so you
{i}also{/i} have things to give away.
Tamarack
Or, maybe, you'd wanna share what you got and keep the ones I give you?
Something like that.
Tamarack
You can share with your ma, or my Omi and Opa, or anybody! That's the most fun
part.
Mariya
Oh!
That was the answer to a puzzle you hadn't realized you were confused by.
Tamarack said she went out in the woods all the time. She must've found enough
things to fill her grandparents' entire house.
Her granny would definitely not like that. She needed room for her own
clutter.
That was never a problem because Tamarack didn't hold on to the collection
herself - she spread it out to everybody.
Choice: "Thanks, Tamarack."

Choice: "I think so too; it's nice to give people presents."
Choice: "You're wonderful!"
Choice: "That's kinda weird..."
Choice: "I'll take some of yours, but only if you take some of mine, too."
Choice: "Okay, but... would you want anything I have?"
Choice: "I wanna share with you too!"
Choice: "I still don't want any of yours."
Choice: "You can give that to somebody else."
Choice: "It's okay, I don't need it."
Choice: You folded your arms, certain you didn't want it.
Choice: You brought your hands towards her too, ready to accept the gift.
Player chose: "I'll take some of yours, but only if you take some of mine,
too."
The exchange couldn't be done smoothly; neither of you had free hands to pass
or pick up the presents.
Tamarack settled for dumping part of her pile over the stuff already in your
right hand. Then you shook some of the finds in your left hand into her palms.
When the trade finished you had almost exactly the same amount of goods. But
it didn't {i}feel{/i} the same.
You knew that in one hand you held the treasures you'd found with your own
effort, and in the other hand were gifts from your friend. Both were important
for different reasons.
Still grasping a loose collection of forest finds, Tamarack marched off to the
side, out of her backyard and into yours.
Choice: You went after her curiously.
Choice: You went after her unsurely.
Choice: You went after her frustratedly.
Choice: "Where are you going?"
Choice: "Wait for me!"
Choice: "Tamarack! We can't go far!"
Choice: "Hey, that's my backyard. You can't go there."
Choice: You watched her go, worried.
Choice: You watched her go, unconcerned.
Player chose: You went after her curiously.
Tamarack
I'm going to Qiu's house. He's gonna be surprised.
Choice: "Oh, yeah. That's a great idea."

Choice: "Um, well... that's probably okay."
Choice: "Hmm, alright."
Choice: "Ooooh, I know exactly what you're gonna do."
Choice: You kept going, but more nervous now.
Choice: You kept going, more excited than before.
Choice: You kept going, but regretted that you were doing it.
Choice: "What? I don't wanna go to Qiu's house."
Choice: "You can't go into Qiu's backyard without asking!"
Choice: You stopped moving.
Player chose: "Oh, yeah. That's a great idea."
You and Tamarack crunched through the long grass and a million leaves.
The sidewalk in front of the houses was a big half circle, and the back of
them curved like that, too. When you got more around the bend, you could see
your whole entire yard.
It was empty and growing wild. There was no fort, or tire swing, no table with
chairs, not even one little lantern with a burned-out bulb.
If you faced away from the house, you'd think you were in the heart of the
woods.
Choice: That was incredible.

Choice: That was kinda cool.
Choice: That made sense.
Choice: That was disappointing.
Choice: That was annoying.
Player chose: That was incredible.
Your backyard was the forest itself!
At the other end of the field, Qiu's fort could be seen towering in the
distance.
It encouraged Tamarack to shuffle ahead faster. The quicker steps jiggled her
hands, and that caused a few more pieces of her collection to rain down around
her.
Since it all came from the outside anyway, that wasn't littering.
That structure wasn't only a sign you were almost there; it was her
destination. Tamarack went straight to the hideout.
There she arranged the entire collection in a new pile at the base of the
climbing wall.
Tamarack poked through the heap, pinching up an acorn there and a rosehip
here, tucking each into her overall pockets without taking her eyes off her
work.
It took you a second to be sure, but she was gathering the things you'd given
her.
She had a good memory if she could remember what those looked like, though
what probably was happening was she guessed what came from you by choosing
things she didn't find herself.
When her hands were free, she brushed them together. Her job was done.
Choice: You left Qiu part of the treasures you found.

Choice: You left Qiu all of the treasures you found.
Choice: You left Qiu all of the treasures you found and the ones Tamarack
shared.
Choice: You left Qiu part of the treasures you found and the ones Tamarack
shared.
Choice: You held tight to your stuff.

shared.
shared.
She had a good memory if she could remember what those looked like, though
what probably was happening was she guessed what came from you by choosing
things she didn't find herself.

shared.
shared.
Player chose: You left Qiu part of the treasures you found.
The presents you left for Qiu were carefully selected.
You added each one to the group, making the collection seem even grander.
What was left got stuffed into your bag for safekeeping.
There was nothing left to do then. And that's when Tamarack spoke for the
first time since you'd gotten to Qiu's yard.
Tamarack
Let's go. Qiu is gonna be home before dinner. He could catch us.
Tamarack
Or his parents might see us! I've never talked to them. Who knows what they'd
do?
A thrill tingled over you, and you nodded.
Mariya
Right.
You fled the scene of the crime.
Or- was it a crime if you leave new things instead of taking their stuff? It
didn't matter. You weren't gonna find out.
The two of you went around the bend in a sprint, kicking up a whirl of leaves
behind you. Not you or her looked back.
Tamarack got past the stone pathway like it was the finish line to a race and
crumpled into the grass, laughing.
But the giggles turned into achy yips once she landed all the way down.
Tamarack
Ow-ow-ow- I fell on the rocks in my pocket!
She laughed some more, and ow-ed more too, each one taking its fair turn.
Mariya
Are you okay?
Tamarack
Mhm.
Tamarack rolled off her side to settle on her tummy. She squished her big
cheeks against her little fists, and she kicked her feet in the air. The
rubber boots flopped around on her feet.
She looked up at you. Her smile puffed at the sides like it did a lot.
It was an invitation to join her below. You did, sitting carefully on the cool
lawn in front of her.
Tamarack
Qiu cleaned up trash, and now he's gonna get a surprise from the forest thanks
to us!
Even though the two of you were on the ground, your moods were as high as the
sky.
It was so cool, and weird, that you were playing in a friend's backyard. When
did that happen? How did it happen?
You moved into this town, Tamarack sprung out at you, and you'd pretty much
been together since.
Even your brains had gotten in sync 'cause Tamarack started talking about the
same thing.
Tamarack
Mariya, out of all the kids I know here, you're my favorite.
It still surprised you that she said that. You'd heard it before, a long time
ago, when you first came to her house.
If she was gonna say it again, you figured it would've happened way before.
But she wanted to do it then. She kept going.
Tamarack
We came to the same exact neighborhood, almost at the same time, and are the
same age.
Tamarack
You have fun outside, and I do too.
Tamarack
We've both got scarves!
Tamarack
I've never, ever met a kid who was just like me. That's important. That's
serious!
Tamarack had started shouting, then sucked in the loudness with a breath and
what came out next was low. You had to really listen to know.
Tamarack
You and me are gonna be friends forever.
Those words were something more than a regular promise, more than a pinky
promise, too. It was a swear.
Not the bad kind of swear, though.
Choice: "Does that mean we're best friends?"

Choice: "We're not just friends- we're best friends!"
Choice: It made you way too nervous to think of her that way. But that was
nice of Tamarack.
Choice: Tamarack and Qiu were both your very important friends. It was great!
Choice: "Yeah. And Qiu, too. He's also the best."
Choice: "Um, is it okay if Qiu is my friend forever, too?"
Choice: "You're my favorite friend, too!"
Choice: "Thanks, Tamarack. You're really nice."
Choice: "I hope so."
Choice: "Um..."
Choice: You nodded slowly. She was right. It was true and very important.
Choice: You bobbed your head joyfully. You thought so too. You were the same
again.
Choice: You weren't sure about going that far, but it was nice she liked you.
Choice: You didn't know what to say or even do.
Player chose: Tamarack and Qiu were both your very important friends. It was
great!
nice of Tamarack.
Choice: "Um..."
again.
Player chose: "You're my favorite friend, too!"

nice of Tamarack.
Choice: "Um..."
again.

nice of Tamarack.
Choice: "Um..."
again.
Player chose: "Yeah. And Qiu, too. He's also the best."
Tamarack
Mhm. Qiu is good.

nice of Tamarack.
Choice: "Um..."
again.
Her dark red eyes were two perfectly round apples hanging in a bushy tree of
golden leaves. They shone.
The swing, the searching, the secret trip to Qiu's house. Each were complete,
and at that point you were pretty sure Tamarack's final plan was to stay right
there until grass grew around her.
It was that moment when a door creaked open and two smiling faces looked over
the yard. Your ma and Tamarack's grandma came to get you.
It was hard to imagine they really spent that whole time sitting in the living
room.
Ma
Hi, Mariya! I'm sorry to interrupt, but we've got to get going.
Tamarack
Aw, bye Mariya.
Tamarack
I'm gonna stay outside.
Sending a smile to Ma, you pushed yourself to your feet.
Mariya
Bye, Tamarack!
Mrs. Baumann didn't even question Tamarack remaining laid out in the grass.
She left her granddaughter there and guided her guests in through the backdoor
and up to the front one.
Why couldn't you have gone around the house instead of through it? It was too
late to tell them that 'cause it was already done when you'd realized it.
Mrs. Baumann stopped at the entryway, opening the door and fitting herself
into a rare opening between the furniture to clear the path. Your ma kept
going past her nice and orderly.
On the porch, Ma halted and turned. The hostess had moved to stand in the
doorway so they were face to face.
Granny
It was so good to meet you two. I'm sure we'll be seeing each other often.
Good day.
Ma
Of course. Goodbye, and thanks for the talk.
Mrs. Baumann nodded kindly and slowly pressed the door forward.
Ma waved until she was doing it to a plank of wood. The door was shut. Then
she let her hand drop and talked to you.
Ma
Busy day, huh? But that was good.
The words went high, a sound of relief, instead of low, which would've been
real contentment.
Instead of just something good happening, it was more like when you avoid
something bad happening. That was still good, but in a different way than if
nothing had been at stake.
Ma
Time to go.
Except, before you left the Baumann porch, something made you stop in your
tracks. There was a stranger strolling into the cul-de-sac, rolling a bike
along with them. It was almost as long as the person was tall.
The sight had a totally different impact on your ma; it pulled her forward.
Ma
Oh, it's Mr. Lin!
Mr. Lin? Like {i}"Mr. Q-i-u L-i-n"?{/i} That was Qiu's dad! Probably. It could
be an uncle, or a way older sibling.
He wore a pale green sporty jacket and also nice black dress pants. His hair
was super neat, but styled in a fun way that most grownups didn't have.
That kind of introduced him to you without needing to say a word. Mr. Lin,
whoever he was, was a real professional, but not all strict about it.
Though, wait, why did your ma already know that?
Mariya
How do you know him?
Ma
What? We've talked about him many times. And you know Qiu. That's his father.
Okay, Qiu's dad it was. That didn't answer your real question. You racked your
brain for the past conversations your ma was talking about. Nothing came up.
Mariya
Yeah, I know Qiu. But I've never heard anything about his dad.
Confusion screwed up her face. She was as convinced that you knew as much as
you were sure that you didn't.
Ma
Wait, that's right-
Suddenly, she laughed and pressed a hand to her cheek.
Ma
I never called him by his name to you. It's the "real estate person" who
helped us find our house!
Mariya
{i}Oh.{/i}
Memories of Ma pacing around in your old apartment, getting excited whenever

the real estate person would call with news, played behind your eyes.
That was Qiu's dad on the other line the whole time.
Ma
I've seen his picture- he has a website- and we've chatted over the phone.
Yesterday was the first time we met in person. That's who I was waiting for to
get our keys from.
Ma
We'd arrived extra-early, and he couldn't break away from some other
appointments until the evening.
You glanced away from your own parent to Qiu's.
It was easy to see how the two were related. They both looked really pleased
with themselves and the whole world even when nothing was happening.
Qiu and Mr. Lin both liked bikes, too.
When you turned back to Ma, she had a huge, encouraging smile on her face.
Ma
Let's see him over there. It'd be hard to move the bike for him to come to us.
Ma's attention was split between gesturing for Mr. Lin to stop and getting you
to go with her. One of her hands went up, the other went down.
Ma
Hello!
Qiu's dad reined in the moving bike and stood in place. Next, he waved.
Mr. Lin
Hello, Ms. Karu! What a coincidence running into you out here. Good seeing you
again.
Ma
It's nice to see you, too. This is my child, Mariya.
Mr. Lin
So she's the one? Hi, Mariya.
Your real estate agent folded his arms and tilted his head down. The hair in
front of his face fell away, letting you see him clearly.
Mr. Lin
This is a big moment. I can finally introduce myself after hearing so much
about you. From your ma, of course, but Qiu had his own contributions. It
feels like meeting a celebrity in person.
Oh yeah. Qiu told you himself, he'd talked to his parents about what happened
yesterday. Mr. Lin knew things about you from two different people.
Choice: "Hello, Mr. Lin."

Choice: "Hi!"
Choice: "Hey. Are you the real estate person?"
Choice: "I am famous in this town. Everybody is amazed to meet me."
Choice: "It's not that big a deal..."
Choice: "What did Qiu tell you about me?" you asked eagerly.
Choice: {i}"What did Qiu say?"{/i} you asked suspiciously.
Choice: "My [opal.term!l] told you about me?"
Choice: "How come Qiu never told me his dad was our house buying person?"
Choice: "You're really nice," you giggled.
Choice: You waved 'hello'.
Choice: "Whatever they said, it isn't true."
Choice: You silently stared.
Choice: You grabbed your [opal.term!l]'s shirt for security.
Choice: You gave him a friendly smile.
Choice: You looked away shyly.
Player chose: "Hello, Mr. Lin."
Mr. Lin
You're so polite.
Then Mr. Lin adjusted his glasses and the topic of conversation.
Mr. Lin
Welcome officially to the neighborhood!
Mr. Lin
I wanted to come by, see how you were settling in, but I wasn't sure when
would be a good time. I hoped to catch both of you.
Mr. Lin
There's an unfamiliar car in the road, I'm guessing that's yours? But the
house is dark. Neither of you looked to be around.
Ma
Yes, yes, that's ours. I'm sorry you missed us. We were meeting the neighbors
to the right.
Ma
Tamarack kindly invited Mariya and me to her home. Dorothea and we had a talk,
and we - very briefly - saw Ernst passing by.
Mr. Lin
Don't apologize. That's perfect. If you get the chance to visit the Baumann
house, I'd say take it.
Mr. Lin
And now you can come meet the other neighbors! Well, {i}one{/i} other. You're
already well acquainted with Qiu, and we've said our hellos here.
Mr. Lin
Do you have time to swing by?
Ma
Personally, I'd love to introduce myself to Mrs. Lin.
She was really only answering for herself. Your ma asked for your thoughts
before deciding on another meet-and-greet.
Ma
Can we go see Qiu's mom, Mariya?
Mariya
Okay.
Ma
Thank you. We can stop by now.
Mr. Lin
That's great. Give me just a minute.
Mr. Lin patted the handle of the bike, bringing attention to it. That was
something he needed to deal with.
He coaxed the set of wheels to move with an expert hand. He got it across the
road, up the curb, over the grass, and onto Qiu's - also his - entryway.
Ma gradually made the same trip. She kept a lot of distance between her and
the real estate man, not wanting to risk even a slim chance of getting in the
way.
You went along at Ma's pace so you stayed together.
Mr. Lin rapped his knuckles on the white door of the red house.
He busied himself during the wait by tapping the bike handle instead and
humming a soft tune.
Someone, though it was probably Qiu's mom, opened it halfway to attend to a

guest.
The door was thrown open all the way the second the person realized who was
there.
Mr. Lin
Hello, honey.
???
Hong? Did you lose your key?
With an unapologetic laugh, Mr. Lin stretched past the bike's front wheel to
greet his wife by kissing her cheek.
Mr. Lin
No. I wanted you to come over. I figured this would be the quickest way. Our
new neighbors are here!
Mrs. Lin
Hm?
Mrs. Lin peered further on. And there were the neighbors: you and Ma.
Still staring ahead, Mrs. Lin stepped forward just in time to bump into her
husband. He'd made a move to get into the fenced area of the porch. Mrs. Lin
gasped, and the bike shuttered a metallic cry.
Mrs. Lin hastily grabbed the seat cushion to steady it.
She leaned to the right for her next attempt to pass; so did Mr. Lin.
Mrs. Lin
Ah, um.
Mr. Lin settled on pressing his back to the little wall by the door while
holding up the bike against himself. Mrs. Lin finally managed to shuffle by
and reach the sidewalk. But not before muttering bashfully.
Mrs. Lin
Sorry, sweetheart.
Mr. Lin
It's no trouble. Go on.
Mrs. Lin let out a breath to recompose her normal self after the unintentional
dance with her husband, and her husband's bike.
Her clothes were light blue. Her hair was blue, too. Way, way darker though.
Whenever she lifted her legs to walk, the creases in her dress moved like
flower petals in a breeze.
There was something so peaceful about it. Even her voice drifted along gently.
Mrs. Lin
I'm Mrs. Yi Lin. If you're the new neighbors, you must be Ms. Opal and Mariya
Karu. Is that true?
Ma
Yes, precisely.
Ma reached forward, offering a shake.
Mrs. Lin grasped your ma's hand with one of her own and covered the top of it
with her other hand.
The two didn't exactly shake. Really, they squeezed each other for a second.
They were hugging, but with hands.
After Mrs. Lin carefully unwrapped her fingers from Ma, her gaze drifted
downwards.
Mrs. Lin curled into a blueberry-ball, bringing her chin to her knees. The
edge of her spotless dress brushed the grass, but it brought her to eye level
with you.
Mrs. Lin
Hi.
She held up her hand for you to take, too. You never would've guessed that was
gonna happen.
Most adults didn't act like you were a grownup - or that kids could be treated
the same way as a grownup was.
Choice: You happily shook.

Choice: You grabbed her hand and wiggled your arm like a worm.
Choice: You held onto her hand.
Choice: You waved at her instead.
Choice: You clapped her hand in a side-five.
Choice: You turned your face away, too nervous to do it.
Choice: You folded your arms, tired of meeting all these people.
Choice: You used your hands to cover your face. It was too much attention.
Choice: You stepped away.
She held up her hand for you to take, too. You never would've guessed that was
gonna happen.
Most adults didn't act like you were a grownup - or that kids could be treated
the same way as a grownup was.
Choice: You happily shook.

Choice: You grabbed her hand and wiggled your arm like a worm.
Choice: You held onto her hand.
Choice: You waved at her instead.
Choice: You clapped her hand in a side-five.
Choice: You turned your face away, too nervous to do it.
Choice: You folded your arms, tired of meeting all these people.
Choice: You used your hands to cover your face. It was too much attention.
Choice: You stepped away.
Player chose: You happily shook.
She didn't hold you in place and moved up and down with your motion.
Mrs. Lin
It is nice to meet you, Mariya.
Then she pushed off the ground to stand up perfectly straight in one fluid
motion.
You'd seen how much Qiu and his dad were alike 'cause of their matching
confidence.
It was the same thing with his mom, except you needed a little imagination to
make the connection.
If Mrs. Lin was put on super, ultra fast-forward, it'd look a lot like how Qiu
treated people.
But now you'd seen everybody who lived on the street, plus some extras.
All the other kids were about your age or two or three years older.
For the adults, it was a lot trickier to put together ages. Except for
Tamarack's grandparents. They were absolutely the most old.
But when it came to non-grandparent grownups, two of them could be one year
apart or have a ten-year difference with almost no way to tell.
Ten years was the length of your entire life. It was impossible to imagine
having that much time just being an adult.
Your best conclusion was that Mrs. Murray would probably be the 'youngest'
grown person, and your ma and Qiu's parents were somewhere in the middle.
You wondered how your ma felt finding out there were two people around her
age, maybe, in the neighborhood. Was that a big deal to adults, too?
Was she gonna make friends with them like you did with Qiu and Tamarack?
Could someone her age be friends with people who had been around as long as
Granny and Mr. Baumann, or did that not work?
Grandparents were double-adults; {i}super-adults.{/i} Ma kinda acted like they

were regular grown-ups, as respectful to them as kids had to treat her.
But one way or another, Ma was gonna have to make a life in Golden Grove along
with these people, too.
Mrs. Lin
I'm sorry to be the last one of my family who came to meet you in person.
Ma
Don't worry about that. Hong had a huge advantage, all things considered.
Your ma quirked her lips good-humoredly.
Ma
Although, Qiu also beat you to it, and that was a closer race.
Oh. A joke, a teasing one even. Ma made an attempt at being less

professionally polite. You watched on at this adult interaction, wondering how
it'd turn out.
Seemed to go pretty well, 'cause Mrs. Lin laughed.
Mrs. Lin
He was very excited. There's never been another child next door. Until now,
when two have come at the same time.
Ma
Well, I hope Mariya and I have lived up to expectations. I'd like to make a
good impression on the magnanimous Qiu Lin.
The other Mr. Lin came over and joined the conversation, showing off his now-
free hands with a shrug.
He had gotten the bulky bike into the porch jail behind the mailbox so he
could stop pulling it around for a second.
Mr. Lin
Qiu has been out with friends since school ended, so we've yet to hear about
what happened when he popped by your house in the morning.
Mr. Lin
But I'm certain the new neighbor Ms. Opal Karu will get a glowing report over
dinner.
Ma
Thank you. I'm usually the one giving performance reviews. Who knew it was so
nerve-wracking to be on the receiving end?
Mrs. Lin
Oh, yes. Terrifying.
That was the type of humor your ma liked. Dealing with people was her whole
job. She could play pretend that it was something challenging.
You didn't know Qiu's mom well enough to be sure if that was also a joke, or
if she meant it seriously.
But you guessed anyway. She sounded actually scared of the idea. Plus, Mr. Lin
went for an earnest answer instead of messing around; he had to know best.
Mr. Lin
You ladies have nothing to fear. No one is going to give you a failing mark.
Trust me.
Mr. Lin
And I {i}can{/i} already report that my son is entirely fond of your child.
Ma
Now that is wonderful news because my Mariya is just as attached to your boy.
Ma
Now that is wonderful news because my Mariya is just as attached to your boy.
That was right. Qiu and you were already great friends.
The final neighbor you met spoke sweetly, and on behalf of the entire family.
Mrs. Lin
We'll have to give them plenty of time to nurture their friendship.
Mrs. Lin slipped her arm around Mr. Lin's. They were unified physically and
legally and in this opinion.
Ma
I'm glad we're all on the same side here.
Qiu's parents were as cool as he was!
Ma
Now I need to apologize myself for cutting this introduction so short. We have
to get home. There's more unpacking to do before the day's over.
Ma
I absolutely do want to speak more another time, though.
Mrs. Lin
Oh, that's fine.
Mr. Lin
Yes, we understand completely. I imagine it's a big job. Getting a new house
in order always is, even when it hasn't been left to collect dust.
Ma
A bit. Luckily, it looks as if most of the furniture already there will be
worth keeping- after a good scrubbing and polishing.
Mr. Lin
Is that so? I thought that'd be the case. It was quite a perk of the property.
Mrs. Lin
Seems they had good advice picking a location...
That was said with a sly smile and a side-eye to her husband. Mrs. Lin had a
streak of charm, too.
Mr. Lin
Thanks, honey.
Mr. Lin put a hand on the back of his head and one on the corner of his
glasses before leaning back to laugh. He wanted to make sure nothing fell off,
you guessed.
Mr. Lin
But if you do need help with any heavy lifting, you're welcome to let me know.
Mr. Lin
I'll call Yi! She was a gymnast in college and can do more pull-ups than me.
Suddenly, Mrs. Lin's dark eyes went saucer wide. She couldn't get them back to
normal size, so Mrs. Lin slammed them shut instead. There wasn't a way to get
the rosiness off her cheeks.
That was the biggest reaction you'd seen from Qiu's mom so far. She was the
one who started the praising!
Mrs. Lin
Hong, please, we should both help, if it's needed.
Your ma got a chuckle out of the exchange, too.
Mr. Lin
There you have it; the Lins are at your service.
Ma
Thank you for the offer.
Mrs. Lin
Mm. Thank you for coming, Opal and Mariya. You're both welcome over anytime.
Goodbye.
Ma
Good evening.
Mariya
Bye Mr. and Mrs. Lin.
With a 'come along' gesture angled your way, Ma turned to leave.
The two of you followed the sidewalk around to the center of the street.
From there, you stared up at the grand old building you were allowed to live
in. It was yours and Ma's.
After walking down the road into town, attending the school, and visiting with
the neighbors, this place was where you were returning at the end of a long
day.
A thought struck your heart as much as your brain. You were going to be seeing
that view for a long time.
No matter how unfamiliar each sight, sound, and person in Golden Grove was
then, one day it was gonna be {i}normal{/i}.
That was exciting to picture. You could be like Qiu, someone who knew the ins
and outs of everything.
Someone who actually had memories and bonds with the place they lived in...
As if the world, or your ma, was trying to prove this would be a regular thing
for you, Ma didn't pause breathlessly at the welcome mat like she had the day
before.
She just took out the same black spiral keychain loop she'd always used and
picked one of the keys off it to unlock the door.
Ma put {i}that house key{/i} on the coil? Guess so.
Then she went in, not doubting that you'd do the same. You did.
She hit the lights.
For all your musing about normalness and regularity... when you glanced around
the living room, it was a bit {i}too familiar.{/i}
You'd been at school for hours, seen and done so much, while your mom was
supposed to be here unpacking. So why did it look exactly the same?
Almost exactly; the stuff you slept on had been put away.
Still, there was the same mountain of boxes piled unevenly in a corner, the
same sheets draped over the furniture.
The dust you wiped down the night before was the only hint that you hadn't
been transported back in time to when you first saw the place.
Choice: She must have had other important things to do.

Choice: That was weird. Oh well.
Choice: "[opal.name!cl], you didn't do any unpacking!" you laughed
lightheartedly.
Choice: "{i}[opal.name!cl],{/i} you didn't unpack," you scolded.
Choice: "How come our stuff is still packed?" you asked curiously.
Choice: "Okay [opal.name!cl], what were you doing this whole time?" you
questioned seriously.
Choice: "Um. What are we gonna do?"
Choice: "Let's get started!"
Choice: "Wow [opal.name!cl], you're really slow at this," you teased.
Player chose: She must have had other important things to do.
Ma
I've been busy, if you couldn't tell. And I bet you couldn't.
A sing-songy cadence carried her leading words.
Ma
It wasn't the {b}living room{/b} I spent the afternoon making livable. And
since it wasn't that, can you guess what it {i}is?{/i}
Choice: "The kitchen."

Choice: "The bathroom."
Choice: "Your room."
Choice: "My room."
Choice: "Tell me!" you cheered.
Choice: "Just say what it is," you huffed.
Choice: You pointed towards the hall to the kitchen.
Choice: You pointed towards the hall to the bathroom.
Choice: You pointed towards her. Was it [opal.name!cl]'s room?
Choice: You pointed towards yourself. Was it your room?
Choice: You shrugged, at a loss.
Player chose: "Tell me!" you cheered.
Ma
Your new room is ready for you! It's clean and dust free and I've already
filled in some of the shelves.
Ma
All you'll need to do is put out your bedding, make sure I didn't miss any of
your things, and enjoy.
Your room?! Your room was there and waiting for you?
Ma was the best!
The amazement was clear on your face. Your mouth was wide open, after all. It
made your ma grin widely.
Ma
Go check it out.
Ma
I'll be in my own new room. I've gotten a couple hours of work into dressing
that up, but it's not ready quite yet.
Ma's pair of cranberry eyes wandered around, taking in the current state of
the first floor.
Ma
Ideally neither of us will have to sleep in the living room tonight.
Mariya
Okay, Ma.
You and ma kept walking together up the stairs. In the hall, your paths parted
ways.
Your room was the one closest to the stairs. The master bedroom was farthest
away. The room in between those remained a mystery.
You'd never lived in a house with extra space before. The apartments from
before barely fit the two of you. Anything was possible now.
Grasping the cool, metal handle, you pressed down. The knob twisted until it
was pointing straight to the floor. And...
It was kinda stuck. You had to give the door a real push to get it free from
the frame. Once it had gotten past the initial jam, it moved with ease.
So, you watched the tall door swing open and then stepped inside.
Tutorial
Hello! You're about to enter the room decorating screen.
Tutorial
Hello! You're about to enter the room decorating screen.
Tutorial
At the start of every Step, except for Step 4, you'll be able to add personal
touches to your bedroom. The older you get, the more control you'll have over
your space.
Tutorial
As a kid in Step 1, you can choose between different beddings and some smaller
possessions like toys and decorations.
Tutorial
The furniture, overall arrangement, wallpaper, and so on can't be altered in
this Step.
Tutorial
To choose between options, you select one of the four areas, then choose the
elements you want to have for that area.
Tutorial
After that, go back and you can choose a different area to customize, or end
the decorating session.
Tutorial
We hope you'll enjoy settling in and making the space your own!
And done.
Choice: Wow. Your room was something any kid could be proud of.
Choice: It was wonderful... You were so happy it almost made you sad!
Choice: That would do.
Choice: You did the best you could with what you had.
Choice: Well, it wasn't great.
Choice: This place had your favorite things. That made it good no matter what.
Choice: The room was... alright? Maybe it'd grow on you. Maybe you'd hate it
in a few days.
Choice: It was completely terrible.
Player chose: Wow. Your room was something any kid could be proud of.
It had taken until nighttime to get your things just how you wanted them. You
stepped into a corner to admire your handiwork.
The floor space of the room was bigger than your last one. The ceiling was a
lot lower, though. It sloped with the roof of the house, and the windows were
angled towards the treetops and sky.
You'd never even {i}seen{/i} a room shaped like that before. It was weird.
And then there was a knock and a voice. The tilting roof caught the sounds and
directed them straight down into your ears.
Ma
Mariya? Can I come in?
Mariya
Yes.
The handle jiggled and jerked. The door was resistant to Ma opening it, too.
She figured it out, though, and let herself in.
Ma
Hello, dear.
Not-so-discreetly, Ma surveyed your efforts at decorating.
Arching your back and holding your breath, you braced yourself for a second
opinion.
And done.
in a few days.
Player chose: Well, it wasn't great.
You'd been there so long it was nighttime. You trudged towards a wall and
slumped against it, tired and unhappy.
Ma
Mariya
Yes.
Ma
Hello, dear.
But there was none to be found.
Ma
Oh great, I thought I had gotten everything put out already.
What an exaggeration.
And done.
Choice: This place had your favorite things. That made it good no matter what.
in a few days.
Player chose: Wow. Your room was something any kid could be proud of.
It had taken until nighttime to get your things just how you wanted them. You
stepped into a corner to admire your handiwork.
Ma
Mariya
Yes.
Ma
Hello, dear.
Arching your back and holding your breath, you braced yourself for a second
opinion.
Ma
I left you alone in here for an hour, and it's already getting messy. But you
did unpack and make it your own. The room is great, Mariya.
Air flew out of you like one of the windows had burst open. You'd been so
pleased with the space, it would've been terrible if someone came in and said
it was no good.
Ma
I'm pretty much finished myself, but it's late. Let's take a break from that
and chat. It's been a long day all around, and back and forth.
Mariya
Sure, Ma.
Ma
Okay, here it goes. We're still not {i}entirely{/i} done, even now.
Your ma pulled her folded arms in even more and her mouth pinched, too.
Ma
We should talk about how things will be once I'm back to work. I won't be able
to drop you off or pick you up from school most days. I'm sorry.
Ma
It does seem common for kids in this town to walk or ride bikes to class, at
least.
Choice: You had a bike.

Choice: You had a bike with training wheels.
Choice: You owned a skateboard, not a bike.
Choice: You had a scooter instead of a bike.
Choice: You had roller skates. You weren't a bike rider.
Choice: You didn't have anything you could ride.
Player chose: You had roller skates. You weren't a bike rider.
That was another thing Ma made extra sure got moved to the house, along with
your backpack. She must've known it could come in handy.
Ma
It'll be up to you if you'd rather go on foot or use your roller skates.
Ma
I'm sure your roller skates will work just as well as a bike.
Ma
You got to see the way there, and you shouldn't ever be the only one on the
path.
You weren't scared to do stuff without her, but you liked spending time with
Ma. It would've been fun to go together at least sometimes.
Well, she had to do her job. You'd just have different kinds of fun.
Accepting the inevitable, you nodded.

Ma
Alright, that's one matter attended to. Here's part two: what to do
{i}after{/i} you make it back from school. You'll be done with your class a
good few hours before I'm off the clock.
Ma
Mrs. Baumann and I were talking while you were outside with Tamarack. She
offered to keep an eye on you when I'm away. She's retired and insisted it'd
be no trouble.
Ma
That can mean you go to Tamarack's house for the afternoon, or it can be Mrs.
Baumann popping in every now and then to check on you if you're playing at
home or outside.
Ma
Tamarack already adores you, so it's not as if she'd mind you being around
regularly.
Ma held up one finger and kept on with the explanation.
Ma
Of course, that's not the only choice. We've got options.
Ma
While I didn't get a chance to officially ask, I'd bet the Lins would be
equally fine if you wanted to hang out at their place. They're good people; I
know Mr. Lin decently well at this point.
Ma
Plus, their son would certainly extend an invitation to visit whenever you
wanted. He's sociable and even I can see you're 'in' with him.
Ma
I can also look into the lessons and extra-curriculars being offered in town.
You could do that some days instead of staying in the neighborhood.
Ma
Maybe you'd want to take up an instrument or learn how to dance. And I would
be able to come get you from there when it was done.
The hand finally came down. That must've been all the possibilities she could
think of.
Choice: "I like those ideas!"

Choice: "Um, okay."
Choice: "It all sounds fun to me."
Choice: "Sure, I can do stuff without you."
Choice: After school just got way more exciting. You grinned to yourself.
Choice: There were worse things, you concluded.
Choice: Your days just got way more difficult. You grimaced inwardly.
Choice: "Whatever, [opal.name!cl]."
Choice: "I didn't think you'd be around anyway," you murmured.
Choice: "That's way better than having nothing to do like before."
Choice: "Why do I need anybody to look after me? {i}I'm in the fifth-grade
now."{/i}
Player chose: "It all sounds fun to me."

Choice: "I like those ideas!"
Choice: "Um, okay."
Choice: "It all sounds fun to me."
Choice: "Sure, I can do stuff without you."
Choice: After school just got way more exciting. You grinned to yourself.
Choice: There were worse things, you concluded.
Choice: Your days just got way more difficult. You grimaced inwardly.
Choice: "Whatever, [opal.name!cl]."
Choice: "I didn't think you'd be around anyway," you murmured.
Choice: "That's way better than having nothing to do like before."
Choice: "Why do I need anybody to look after me? {i}I'm in the fifth-grade
now."{/i}
Player chose: "I like those ideas!"
Ma
Mm. Looks like I don't need to worry.
Ma stopped squeezing herself as much then.
Ma
Still, there's no reason to plan out the rest of our lives tonight. The two of
us will figure it out.
That was something you'd heard a lot. No matter what you went through, your ma
never stopped believing you and her would manage.
For a moment, she gazed past you, at nothing in particular.
Sometimes it felt strange, remembering how you were actually {b}there.{/b}

When all the stuff you had to keep up with stopped and you could just think.
Maybe your ma felt that, too.
She blinked and her eyes fell back on you. Ma smiled.
Ma
But our neighbors are certainly nice, huh? All six of them. We had a lot of
luck here.
'Lucky' couldn't even describe the incredibleness of what moving here brought.
No words were needed for her to understand your thoughts on it; your face said
enough.
With a grin, Ma stuck her hands over her jeans.
Ma
Now, if you don't mind me changing the subject to an entirely different
matter, let me just say- it's dinnertime!
Ma
As a reward for how much we've done, and because the loaf of bread is out at
this point, and also because even if it wasn't, I do not want another
sandwich-
Ma
As a reward for how much we've done, and because the loaf of bread is out at
this point, and also because even if it wasn't, I do not want another
sandwich-
Ma
I'm taking the two of us out!
Ma
I've heard that the local diner is a gem.
Choice: "Thank you, [opal.name!cl]."

Choice: "Yes!"
Choice: "WOO!"
Choice: "I hate boring diner food..."
Choice: "I don't waaaanna go there," you whined.
Choice: "Phew, I never want another sandwich again."
Choice: "Alright."
Choice: You jumped around gleefully.
Choice: You hugged her!
Choice: You nodded your head, smiling.
Choice: You gave two thumbs up!
Choice: You didn't really care that much; it was fine.
Choice: Your shoulders slumped and you pouted your lip. That sounded bad.
Choice: You frowned. You had to go some place you'd never been to again...
Choice: You stomped your foot in complaint.
Player chose: "Thank you, [opal.name!cl]."
Ma
Then there's nothing else to discuss. Food it is.
Choice: Wait. You had a huge realization: what about Qiu?

Choice: Wait. You had a huge realization: what about Tamarack?
Choice: Wait. You had a huge realization: what about Tamarack and Qiu?
Choice: Agreed. You were definitely hungry.
Player chose: Wait. You had a huge realization: what about Tamarack and Qiu?
Choice: You wanted your friend[temp_plural] to go with you!

Choice: [temp_they!cl]'d been nice to you. Maybe this was a chance to do
something back.
Choice: You kinda owed [temp_them] after everything that had happened.
Choice: The more the merrier, that's what you thought.
Player chose: You kinda owed [temp_them] after everything that had happened.
In the one day you'd known them, Tamarack and Qiu had done multiple things.
Tamarack sent you a paper airplane; Qiu wrote you a new note. Qiu also walked
you to school, and then Tamarack went with you after class and had you visit
her house. And other stuff too.
You only just got to this town. It was hard to do anything good when you
didn't know anything and almost everything you had was sealed away in a
cardboard box.
But having somebody take you out to dinner was an even bigger deal than all
that. How many kids could do it? Not many. {i}It cost money.{/i}
Though, Qiu went over to Darren's house, didn't he? But Mrs. Murray said he
had to be home by dinnertime!
That was right.
You swallowed those words hard. Hopefully you weren't gonna be bothering him
for nothing.
You grasped Ma's cotton cardigan. It felt as soft and familiar as your old
baby blanket.
She tilted her gently pointed chin downwards. You had her attention.
Ma
Yes, Mariya?
Choice: "Can [temp_who] come with us?"

Choice: "Um, I was wondering... what about [temp_who]? Can [temp_they] go?"
Choice: "Please let [temp_who] go to the diner too!!"
Choice: "I'm not gonna go with you if [temp_who] can't come too."
Choice: "We should invite [temp_who], don't you think?"
Choice: "I had a genius idea. [temp_who] could come for dinner!"
Player chose: "Can [temp_who] come with us?"
Ma
Oh, interesting.
Ma
I can't guarantee that both of them will get to do this on such short notice,
however I at least am not saying no.
Ma
Let me see what I can do.
That answer was both a relief and a new source of uncertainty. It was easy to
get your ma to listen. What happened next would be the real test.
Ma hunched over to reach around herself. She was never without her chunky
silver cellphone. It had lived in her back pocket for years.
The sheen of the paint had nearly worn away and one corner of the screen had a
snowflake shaped crack, but it only needed to work. According to your ma
anyway.
Ma managed to get the too-thick phone out of her too-thin pocket. She balanced
it in the palm of her hand confidently. With that, nothing could stop her.
Hopefully.
Ma
One of the other things that happened while you were outside with Tamarack is
that I got Mrs. Baumann's home and cell numbers. I'm nothing if not
productive.
Ma
I can call her up right now.
After a few quick taps, she brought the phone to her ear and waited.
And she kept waiting. And so did you...
How many times had it rung? How many times were left until it hung up? How
long did it take to answer a phone?
Finally, there was a sign of something. Ma's lips pulled into a polite smile,
and her eyes widened eagerly.
The biggest hint, though, was that she started talking to Tamarack's grandma.
Ma
Hello, Mrs. Baumann! I'm sorry for bothering you at this hour. I hope I'm not
interrupting anything... Uh-huh...
Your ma quieted down again. She was listening attentively. Nothing to do but
wait. It was the ringing phone all over. If only you could hear what was
happening, too.
Ma thought it was bad manners to share phone conversations unless the person
was already expecting that. Privacy was priceless.
Especially when breaches of trust could get a company sued.
Mrs. Baumann must have had a lot to say in a conversation she didn't know was
gonna happen, 'cause Ma stayed totally silent for a while.
A couple times her mouth began to open, like she was just about to say
something, but then she had to snap it back up and listen some more.
On her third attempt at speaking, your ma succeeded in getting the words out.
Ma
Well, since you haven't settled down for the night, I wanted to ask if
Tamarack might be able to come over for dinner?
Ma
Mariya and I are going to try out the local diner.
Ma
Mariya and I are going to try out the local diner.
Granny
Ah!
Ma's face had twisted into a wince. Even you caught how loudly Granny
exclaimed. You'd wanted to know what was being said, but not like that!
The shout wasn't enough to scare off your ma. She regained her poise and
pressed on.
Ma
Yes, that's the one. You're familiar with it, then... Uh-huh, mhm.
There was nodding and mhmming for another minute or something like that,
until-
Ma
Thank you; Mariya and I are grateful for that.
On saying your name, Ma made eye contact. A wordless understanding passed

between the two of you: mission accomplished.
Ma
We'll come by and get her in just a few minutes. Thank you again. Goodbye.
Ma jabbed her hand to the phone with gusto.
Ma
Tamarack can join us. Mrs. Baumann is a fan of the diner herself; she thought
it'd be a lovely way for you young ones to celebrate the first day of school.
Mariya
Wow, thanks Ma.
Ma
That's one down.
She winked.
Tutorial
Hello! Since the previous version of Our Life: Now & Forever, there have been
a few changes to how we handle pronouns and terms.
Tutorial
Since you're already past the character creator for this save, you can choose
to see part of the character creator again to update your terms, if needed.
Your preferences from the previous version have been adapted to the new
version as much as possible.
Tutorial
Do you want to update your terms? You won't be able to do so again until you
get to Step 2.
Choice: Yes, I want to update my terms.

Choice: No, I'll leave them as they are.
Player chose: Yes, I want to update my terms.
Tutorial
You can click on the "?" button in the top left corner of the screen to see an
explanation on how the new system works. When you're done, hit Confirm to
return to your save.
Tamarack
Me too!
Darren tucked his head into his vest as much as he could.
The main part of his face that you could still see were his eyes, which had
gotten huge and gone from defiant to shy, and maybe a little hopeful.
It reminded you of a baby turtle peeking out of its shell for the first time.
Qiu
You guys...
Qiu
You know I don't invite just anybody to the group.
That reminder was meant for Darren. He sent an explanation your and Tamarack's
way next.
Qiu
Before, it was me and Darren since we were babies, and then a couple years ago
there was Baxter. It's been only the three of us since then until right now.
Darren
Yeah, it has been. So why do they have to be part of the club?
Qiu
It's good you asked.
Qiu
Arlo broke into my backyard, accidentally, and took me on a crazy
investigation about a paper airplane.
Qiu
And they got here a day ago and they're already looking out for me. Normally,
I'm the one doing that.
Qiu
And Tamarack was the one who made a paper airplane for a stranger 'cause it
would be fun.
Qiu
She's the type of kid who hides for who knows how long in a pile of leaves so
she can jump out to spook you.
Qiu
What's not to like about that?
Qiu
Lastly, the three of us are all neighbors! That's gotta count for something.
Qiu
Even if it doesn't, what were you thinking we'd do? Run away from them when
me, and you, and Baxter are in the cul-de-sac? Try to make Tamarack and Arlo
leave their own street?
Qiu
No, we should be friends and hang out together. It makes no sense {b}not{/b}
to let them join the club.
Qiu's debate speech roused Tamarack. Her fists were clenched, and her
expression was full of vigor. But you were sure she wasn't inspired to join
Qiu's club.
It strengthened your bond as neighbors and only made her flimsy connection to
Darren and Baxter more obvious.
Darren wordlessly put extra space between him and the shaking girl. Baxter
smiled at Qiu, supporting his friend while being totally indifferent to the
results of the effort.
When it came to yourself, Qiu's description of why he thought you should be a

member...
Choice: Made you smile.
Choice: Made you smirk.
Choice: Left you confused.
Choice: Made your cheeks hot from embarrassment.
Choice: Got a thumbs up!
Choice: Made you glad you accepted his invitation.
Choice: Got you rolling your eyes.
Player chose: Made you smile.
He was always nice to you.
Qiu got the sense of his audience's mixed reactions. Instead of a full house
roaring with applause, it was more like seeing a mostly empty theater with one
person clapping in the back row.
He worked with it.
Qiu
Well, they haven't been here long, and I know them better than you two guys
know them. And the same goes for Arlo and Tamarack - they know me better than
either of you.
Qiu
It's different for me. I like all four of you.
Qiu
Tamarack can join later. And you don't have to be an official member to do
stuff with us!
Qiu
I'm just letting you know what's up.
That was the "boy's club".
Qiu was still Qiu, and...
Choice: You decided that Darren was cute.

Choice: Darren was pretty funny.
Choice: Darren wasn't very nice.
Choice: You didn't get Darren at all.
Choice: You liked Darren a lot!
Choice: That Darren kid was okay.
Choice: Darren was terrible.
Player chose: That Darren kid was okay.
Also...
Choice: Baxter was kinda mysterious. That was so cool.

Choice: Baxter was kinda mysterious. It made you uncomfortable.
Choice: Baxter seemed super weird to you.
Choice: You thought Baxter was sort of stuck-up.
Choice: Baxter was great!
Choice: You didn't even know what to think about the Baxter guy.
Choice: Baxter made you nervous. He was so grown-up.
Choice: That Baxter guy was a snooty rich boy. You did not like him.
Choice: Baxter wasn't too bad, but not too good either.
Player chose: Baxter was kinda mysterious. That was so cool.
And now you were, mostly, part of that club. Qiu wanted you to be, you wanted
to be, and that was the main deciding factor.
A tap-tap sound marked the end of the meeting. It made you think of a hammer
hitting a podium in very important and official gatherings.
But it was actually Mrs. Murray as she straightened papers against her
desktop. Your teacher placed them down in a neat pile as she rose to her feet.
Mrs. Murray
It's time to go, everyone. I'm leaving, and I can't let you stay here alone.
Am I giving anyone here a ride?
Her gaze was squarely on Qiu and Baxter with that question.
Mrs. Murray
Or would you like me to call your families?
It was you and Tamarack who got a look with that one.
The first kid ready with an answer was Tamarack. She yelled out with no
hesitation.
Tamarack
I'm okay!
Following after Tamarack, though definitely not talking to her, piped Darren.
He and his friends already had plans, but he sheepishly looked to his mom for
permission to go through with it.
Darren
Qiu and Baxter can come with us, can't they?
Right off, she nodded, and her son smiled, relaxed. Mrs. Murray held up one
finger and added a note before anyone got ahead of themselves.
Mrs. Murray
They can't stay all night; I'll need to take both of them home before dinner.
Darren
Alright.
Baxter
Thank you for letting us visit.
Qiu
Yeah, thanks. What about you, Arlo?
Choice: "My [opal.term!l] is coming to get me."

Choice: "I'm fine."
Choice: "Who knows?" you said, not wanting to give a real answer.
Choice: You smiled, showing you were alright.
Choice: You glanced at the carpet, uncomfortable with the questioning.
Player chose: "My [opal.term!l] is coming to get me."
Mrs. Murray
I look forward to seeing her.
Tamarack
Arlo! Come to my house!
Tamarack pumped her arms like the dark blue carpet was water underfoot and she
needed to row through the indoor pond.
Tamarack
I can wait for your ma too, then we can go.
Tamarack
And you can meet Omi and Opa when we get there.
Choice: "Okay."
Choice: "That would be so cool!"
Choice: "Really? Thanks..."
Choice: "Um, I don't know..."
Choice: "I have to ask my [opal.term!l]."
Choice: "I don't wanna do that."
Choice: You nodded at her offer.
Choice: You shook your head over the idea.
Choice: You just stared at her.
Ma
That's one down.
She winked.
Ma
Luckily, I've had Mr. Lin's number for quite a while now. He shouldn't be
surprised by a call from me. I'll check if he's free to talk.
Ma clicked along the phone to find the next contact. Then it went straight to
the side of her head again.
Shocking to you and her, Ma got a response in a matter of seconds.
Ma
Ah, hello Mr. Lin! Good evening to you. I'm sorry if this is a bad time. Mhm.
No, no. Everything is completely fine.
Then the rapid conversation came to a pause on Ma's end. Her lips pressed
together in silence.
It didn't last long. She was smiling again in less time than it took to tie
your shoes, if you were good at doing that.
Ma
That's wonderful. Oh but, the reason I called is that we were curious if Qiu
might be able to join us for dinner tonight?
Ma
I'm taking Mariya and Tamarack out to the local diner. It'd be my treat.
Another tiny pause happened, and her grin grew more over the space of it. She
even laughed at something.
Ma
Yes, yes, I can imagine.
The pair of parents 'mm'ed and chuckled a couple times more - at least you
assumed Mr. Lin was in a good mood - it'd be weird if Ma was amused by him
being mad - and then the call wrapped up.
Ma
Thank you. Alright. Goodbye.
With a sense of finality, your ma stuck her phone into its home in her jeans.
Ma
Two for two.
Ma
Mr. and Mrs. Lin are apparently entirely used to these kinds of requests. He
had joked that whenever he gets a call on his own phone, there's at least a
fifty percent chance it's actually for Qiu.
Was that why he finished the conversation so fast? Maybe it had to do with his
job. Either way, Qiu's dad got stuff done.
Ma
I'm sorry for Mr. Lin having to lobby that many queries, but it works out for
us. That means Qiu can come along!
A dinner with your ma and you. It happened basically every single day of your
life. A dinner at a diner you'd never been to before didn't happen much.
But a dinner with Tamarack and Qiu had never happened before.
Mariya
Thank you for asking, Ma.
Ma
Of course.
Ma smiled as you did.
Ma
We shouldn't keep them waiting.
Ma
We shouldn't keep them waiting.
Ma
Put on your earmuffs and scarf. I'll get my scarf.
Ma
It'll be chilly out there, and I'm starving.
Same for you. Your stomach was a huge, empty pit. If you didn't eat soon, it
might suck you in.
You did everything you could think of doing before leaving as fast as you
could do it. Then you were braving the unknown in search of sustenance.
And your friends.
Mariya
Oh.
You were outside {i}at night.{/i} That was {b}not{/b} the same as walking
around during daytime.
The orange-hued streetlamps glowed like torches, the formerly orange trees
turned an unnatural purple, and the tarmac expanse of the cul-de-sac could
easily be a perfectly still, endlessly deep lake.
If you tripped you could fall in and disappear forever.
That kinda sounded like the start of a story. Ideas of what might happen on
such a perilous adventure were already filling your head.
But Ma wouldn't let you play in the dark...
You shook off the daydream - nightdream? Or would a night dream be a normal
dream? Either way, you focused on not being left behind.
You and your ma passed through the gate around your yard, then approached the
rectangular gray house for the second time that day.
Even in the limited light, a pop of sparkling color stood out. Tamarack was
already there! She'd elected to wait outside with her scarf and bag in tow.
You made eye contact across the grassy patch between your home and hers.
Tamarack
Mariya!!
Flinging her hands in the air, she zoomed out from the porch to meet you.
Tamarack went so fast her floppy boots threatened to slide off her feet.
Choice: "TAMARACK!"
Choice: You ran to meet her partway.
Choice: You ran over and barreled into a hug.
Choice: You held your arms open for her.
Choice: "Hi, Tamarack."
Choice: "Go! Go! Go!"
Choice: "You could've waited inside. It's cold..."
Choice: "Why are you running?"
Choice: Well, there she was.
Choice: You sighed at how wild she was being already.
Choice: You applauded her speed.
Choice: "Heya! This is gonna be amazing."
Choice: You waved at the rapidly nearing girl.
Choice: "Slow down! You're gonna fall over."
Player chose: You ran to meet her partway.
Choice: "TAMARACK!"
Choice: "Hi, Tamarack."
Choice: "You could've waited inside. It's cold..."
Choice: "Heya! This is gonna be amazing."
Choice: You grinned at her.
Player chose: "Hi, Tamarack."
Ma trailed behind, letting out a noise that was part laugh and part huff.
Ma
I hadn't realized how urgent this reunion was.
Tamarack
It is!
Tamarack
Hi Mariya and your ma. Thank you for letting me come!
Ma
You're very welcome, Tamarack. We're happy to have you join us.
Mariya
We're going to get Qiu, too.
Tamarack
Yeah! We've all gotta go.
Now a trio, you strolled down the sidewalk until you went completely around to
the opposite side of the curve.
Ma tapped the doorbell a single time. The sound of it was a speedy 'ding-
dong', and then it was done. Even the Lin's house got straight to the point.
You were left huddled on the dark porch for less than a minute.
The one who answered wasn't Mrs. Lin; it wasn't either of the adults, it was
Qiu himself. Standing in the open doorway, he was all lit up from behind. That
cast harsh shadows over his features.
Autumn's face was still beaming on its own.
Qiu
Hey!
Qiu
I haven't seen you two in forever. We missed the whole best part of the day.
Tamarack
Hi Qiu!
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Hey! It's so great we can go to the diner!"
Choice: "Well I'm here now."
Choice: "It's your fault you were gone!" you snickered at him.
Choice: "Yeah, way too long."
Choice: "We did a lot of cool stuff without you."
Choice: "I wish you hadn't been gone before."
Choice: You waved hello.
Choice: You shuffled in place.
Choice: You hugged him with both arms.
Choice: You put an arm over his shoulder.
Choice: You lifted a hand for a high five.
Player chose: "Hi."
Choice: You shuffled in place.

Choice: You hugged him with both arms.
Choice: You put an arm over his shoulder.
Choice: You lifted a hand for a high five.
Player chose: You shuffled in place.
His gaze lifted high so he could greet your ma too.
Qiu
Thanks for getting me dinner, Ms. Karu.
Ma
Thank you for coming on such short notice.
Qiu
That's nothing. I've got lots of time. I can come over whenever!
Ma
Good to know.
And so, everybody invited to dinner was there. Together, you went to the
center of the street again. Ma unlocked her car.
Tamarack asked for the middle again, and she got it.
Qiu scratched his head over that one. It was kinda mysterious without her
explanation. Tamarack only wanted a window seat in school.
He was cool with not being stuck in the middle himself, though.
Rapidly, the car rolled into motion. Tree after street post after tree flew
past. You couldn't see anything else.
Unfortunately, Ma also wasn't sure what she was looking at. She had trouble
figuring out exactly where the local diner was.
The radio had to stay off. This required the utmost focus.
That didn't mean it was a silent drive.
It was loud, actually.
Sitting tall at the edge of his seat and gesturing wildly, Qiu offered his
best advice on which road to take and when.
At the same time, Tamarack was bouncing in her seat and shouting out stuff she
remembered seeing on the way to the diner the first time she'd been there.
Neither of them could give directions very well. It was wrong or entirely
impossible to understand unless you were within their own heads.
Ma was patient, though. She never gave up.
In the end, on the outskirts of Golden Grove, you found the place.
Cheers, foot stomps, and hand claps filled the car when Qiu and Tamarack
spotted a massive lit-up sign saying "The Diner Table". It had to be what you
were looking for.
"Diner" was in the name! Ma noticed that too.
She wound the steering wheel to turn into the parking lot, a wry smile playing
on her face.
Ma
{i}"The Diner Table"{/i}? Not "The {b}Dinner{/b} Table"? Someone didn't get an
A on their spelling test.
Choice: "I like it."

Choice: "[opal.name!cl], it's a joke!" you giggled.
Choice: "Come on, [opal.name!cl]. It's obviously supposed to be a joke," you
said, unimpressed.
Choice: "What a dumb name! It's great."
Choice: "That name is so stupid," you said flatly.
Choice: "I bet they got an F," you joked along with her.
Choice: The name had you laughing.
Choice: [opal.name!cl]'s silliness had you laughing.
Choice: "It's the perfect name for a diner."
Choice: "Yeah, that's wrong. They forgot an 'n'."
Choice: You joined the cheer.
Choice: You stared, wide-eyed. That was it.
Choice: You dropped your head against the seat and groaned.
Choice: You gripped your seatbelt tight. That was it.
She wound the steering wheel to turn into the parking lot, a wry smile playing
on her face.
Ma
{i}"The Diner Table"{/i}? Not "The {b}Dinner{/b} Table"? Someone didn't get an
A on their spelling test.
Choice: "I like it."

Choice: "[opal.name!cl], it's a joke!" you giggled.
Choice: "Come on, [opal.name!cl]. It's obviously supposed to be a joke," you
said, unimpressed.
Choice: "What a dumb name! It's great."
Choice: "That name is so stupid," you said flatly.
Choice: "I bet they got an F," you joked along with her.
Choice: The name had you laughing.
Choice: [opal.name!cl]'s silliness had you laughing.
Choice: "It's the perfect name for a diner."
Choice: "Yeah, that's wrong. They forgot an 'n'."
Choice: You joined the cheer.
Choice: You stared, wide-eyed. That was it.
Choice: You dropped your head against the seat and groaned.
Choice: You gripped your seatbelt tight. That was it.
Player chose: You joined the cheer.
Qiu
It's always been named that.
Ma
That doesn't mean it wasn't an accident originally... But it's memorable, at
least.
The car came to a stop under the glow of the building. There were no lamps in
the parking lot, but that only made the area more noticeable.
Light poured from front windows larger than you were. It was a beacon of
hospitality deep in the forest and high on a mountain.
After a quick head count, all four of you went out.
Ma led the way to the entrance. She held the door open and swept out her other
hand as if to say "after you".
Autumn nights in Golden Grove had such a bite, you felt a comfortable shiver
going from the outside of the diner to the inside. It was warm and toasty
there, and even smelled warm.
The inviting scent of hot food hit you first, with a whiff of smoke
underneath. You could picture the grill with charred steaks and hamburgers
sizzling.
And there was coffee, too, which somehow always smelled burnt even though it
was mostly liquid.
Maybe that was why coffee was so dark. Someone found a way to overcook water
and other people decided to drink it. Including your ma, who never had a
morning without it.
Rubbing your stiff hands up and down your goosebump-covered arms, you glanced
around more.
Who else decided to be there at "The Diner Table" on a chilly Monday?
Maybe that was why coffee was so dark. Someone found a way to overcook water
and other people decided to drink it. Including your ma, who never had a
morning without it.
Rubbing your stiff hands up and down your goosebump-covered arms, you glanced
around more.
Who else decided to be there at "The Diner Table" on a chilly Monday?
A man in a trucker hat jabbing a knife into a thick cut of ham, three sweater-
clad women each with a mug in hand, and some teenagers huddled in a back booth
and splitting a stack of pancakes.
Mostly, though, it was nobody. Ten times more people could fit, maybe twenty
times. So, you had a clear view of the room.
The Diner Table was full of different colors. You could list off greens,
oranges, blues, yellowish ones. But all of them were dark or faded so it
didn't {i}feel{/i} colorful.
Kind of like if your classroom had grown up and gotten old and sleepy.
Choice: You didn't mind that. Nothing could always be new.

Choice: Weird.
Choice: Awesome!
Choice: It was hideous in a cool way.
Choice: That was no 'gem'- it was a dirt clump.
Choice: It was exactly what you'd imagined when [opal.name!cl] said you'd be
going to the town's diner.
Choice: How disappointing...
Choice: You'd been right to wanna have dinner there.
Choice: You weren't sure about the place.
Choice: The dark emptiness made it feel creepy.
Player chose: You didn't mind that. Nothing could always be new.
To your left, Tamarack had settled, a little, from her frenzy in the car. As
thrilling as it was to visit a restaurant, you could only do it if you
behaved.
At least that was your guess. You knew Ma would want you to act appropriately.
On your right, Qiu stood nonchalantly, slowly shifting his weight from one
foot to the other. There was nothing interesting to see there for a boy like
him.
On your right, Qiu stood nonchalantly, slowly shifting his weight from one
foot to the other. There was nothing interesting to see there for a boy like
him.
Except for you. He kept smirking whenever he noticed you looking.
Soon, a tall lady with tall hair came over from the kitchen to the main
counter. She said she was the hostess and would show you to a table.
Your ma negotiated for a booth instead. Plenty were open, after all. The woman
agreed to those terms and grabbed some menus off the stand.
Ma
Thank you.
Ma let the employee lead from there. For her, the biggest treat of going out
to eat wasn't the food, it was that once she was at the restaurant, her work
was done.
No cooking or cleaning for a change. She didn't have a ma or dad or

grandparents around to do that for her, so letting strangers she had to pay to
do it was the best she could get.
The hostess took you further into the restaurant, past the sweater gals but
not as far back as the pancake pals.
She left the pile of menus on the table, thanked you for stopping in, promised
your server would be there to help soon, and walked away in a matter of
seconds.
Ma
Well, let's get comfortable. Me and Mariya will sit together. That leaves the
other one for the two of you.
Tamarack
Okay.
Qiu
Yes, Ms Karu.
Yeah, you and mom could be right together and you'd be able to look at
Tamarack and Qiu really easily.
Tamarack was the first to clamber into a bench. She went to the very end of it
and dumped her bag onto the cushion. Qiu took off his jacket before fitting
himself beside her.
Yeah, you and mom could be right together and you'd be able to look at
Tamarack and Qiu really easily.
Tamarack was the first to clamber into a bench. She went to the very end of it
and dumped her bag onto the cushion. Qiu took off his jacket before fitting
himself beside her.
Ma slid into the muted red seat with a multi-colored geometric pattern across
the top. Then she patted the outer spot for you to take.
You got into the booth next to her.
Tamarack busied herself by investigating the area in front of her. She had the
same precision as searching through the forest.
She managed to discover a soup spoon and began fiddling with it.
Qiu rested his threaded hands on the tabletop. He leaned forward very
slightly. A little bit like an interview.
Was he gonna be asking you questions? Or maybe he was preparing himself for
your ma to evaluate his behavior?
That was her job, but Qiu didn't know that.
Ma
This is nice.
She spoke quietly while perusing her options. The Diner Table had unwieldy
menus, as long as your entire arm.
Ma didn't bother holding it upright; instead she flipped through the laminated
pages with the menu lying flat.
There was a lamp directly above your booth. It reflected blindingly off the
plastic. But between the glare you caught glimpses of colorful pictures dotted
in between the text.
Eggs and sausage, French toast dusted with powdered sugar, a basket of chicken
strips, steak and mashed potatoes, a bright green salad, and more. Diner food
in its purest form.
Your curiosity was piqued. There were a lot of options...
Ma
Look, there's a kid's section. That'd be a good place to check. Though, since
it's a special occasion it is okay to get any meal, even the pricier ones.
Mariya
What?
Mariya
What?
You were almost never allowed to do that!
Ma
That goes for the two of you as well.
Ma
Don't worry about anything and get whatever food you prefer.
Qiu
Thank you.
Tamarack
Yay!
{i}Any food and treating other kids?{/i}
Ma really was in a good mood. Did she get a big bonus for moving or something?
You could only imagine.
But not for long because another person approached your table.
Yusuf
Hello, I'm Yusuf. I'll be your waiter tonight. Thank you for coming.
Ma
Great. Hi.
"Yusuf" had warm brown skin and warmer brown eyes, though his hair was a cool
black. He kept it up in a neat ponytail.
A heavy, buckle-strapped apron with a checkered pattern hid his normal

clothes. And a short beard covered much of his facial features. It didn't hide
his welcoming smile.
He held a generic notepad and pressed a pen to it, poised for taking notes.
That made you think of Autumn right away.
You only realized you'd started staring at him when a smile curled up Qiu's
face. He probably got why you were looking without you needing to say so.
You'd been thinking of him, and he knew it. That was only fair. Qiu thought a
lot about you, too.
The secret joke passed, and Qiu turned away from you to address the server.
Qiu
Hey.
Huh? Since when was he that casual with adults he didn't know? From the way
Qiu was with your ma, the one-word greeting came as a complete shock.
Only to you, though, Yusuf responded in an even less expected way.
Yusuf
Hey. This is not the usual company for you.
Qiu
That's right. Things are changing around here.
You'd forgotten for a second that Qiu knew everybody and everything, even the
random waiter at the diner.
Yusuf
Are they?
Yusuf's eyes narrowed in consideration for a second.
Next, Ma got special interest from him, though a different kind. Instead of
looking sharply, his expression opened up in wonder.
Yusuf
How do you know Qiu, if I may ask?
Ma
You may. We're his new neighbors.
Ma said with a pleased tap on the menu in front of her.
Ma
We moved into Golden Grove. Just yesterday actually.
Immediately, Ma added a clarification. She batted her hand in the air between
herself and you.
Ma
Yesterday for me and her.
Ma
She-
Then pointing to Tamarack on the opposite side, your ma continued.
Ma
-moved in a bit before us. She's not mine.
Ma
Neither is Qiu, of course. I did get permission to take them out to dinner,
however. It's all above board.
Tamarack smooshed the silver spoon into her cheek. She grinned at Yusuf as
best she could with a utensil pressing her cheek down.
There was an immediate shift in the man's attitude. He took the pen from paper
to instead fold his broad arms.
Talking to a server or someone behind a counter was really different than

talking to them when they weren't working.
Probably because when a person was doing a job, everything they were meant to
say was decided by a boss or a whole giant company.
And all of a sudden it seemed like "Mr. Yusuf the waiter" had clocked out.
Yusuf
Welcome to town. Can I ask your names?
Ma
Ah. Sure. I'm Opal Karu. This is my child, Mariya.
Tamarack
I'm Tamarack! I saw you before with my Omi and Opa.
Tamarack
Opa liked your beard.
Yusuf
I thought that might have been you. Give your Opa my thanks. His beard is nice
as well.
Yusuf
{i}I am Mr. Kiyan Yusuf.{/i} I also live in Golden Grove.
He recited an introduction exactly the way Qiu would've wanted him to. Well,
besides spelling it out.
Mr. Kiyan Yusuf might've questioned how you knew Qiu first, but you were
wondering the same thing about him.
He lifted the notepad in front of his chest, returning to being a waiter.
Yusuf
Can I get you anything to drink?
Ma
Just water is fine.
Yeah. You could've said that for her. It didn't matter how big an occasion it
was, paying for drinks at a restaurant was still going too far.
Yusuf
Hm. Then let me rephrase. What I mean to say is, please get a drink. It will
be on the house.
Yusuf
Hm. Then let me rephrase. What I mean to say is, please get a drink. It will
be on the house.
Ma
Oh, no- You don't need to do that.
Yusuf
I know. But I would {i}like{/i} to do it. I'm only filling in as a server
tonight. I am allowed to make those decisions.
Even when insisting on something, Mr. Yusuf had a gentle way of putting his
words. He could've been the narrator for a story book no problem.
Yusuf
We are all neighbors in a town this small.
Qiu nodded along and even gave a thumbs up. They were in cahoots. Was there
some kind of secret welcome committee in Golden Grove? And was everybody part
of it?
Yusuf
What harm is there in being hospitable to those you'll be seeing often? If you
want to return the favor, come back another day.
Ma
Well, you make a good point, Yusuf...
She was being honest. Your ma would've told him if he was saying nonsense.
Only reasonable arguments could be tolerated. And Ma was practical, not a

stickler.
Ma
If you're sure, I'll have a cup of water and, mm, a root beer. Extra ice.
Ma
I haven't had that in years, and I feel festive.
Ma's newly chipper mood was contagious, and Yusuf gave a rumbly chuckle.
Yusuf
It's a festive day, is it? Ah. I imagine you're celebrating your new home.
Yusuf
I could add a scoop of ice cream to that.
She boggled at Yusuf and his many sweet suggestions, though it was with a
smile.
There was no reason to go through the process of accepting a kind gesture

again. Ma embraced it whole-heartedly.
Ma
A root beer float it is.
Yusuf
Root. Beer. Float.
He repeated her words as he wrote them down, speaking even more softly than
before.
Whoa. Your ma, a person who never ordered anything more exciting than water
with a slice of lemon for your entire life, was gonna get a root beer float.
Having it confirmed that drinks would be free brought new life to Mr. Qiu Lin.
Whoa. Your ma, a person who never ordered anything more exciting than water
with a slice of lemon for your entire life, was gonna get a root beer float.
Having it confirmed that drinks would be free brought new life to Mr. Qiu Lin.
He continued to put Yusuf in a separate category from other adults; no best

behavior required. The gloves were completely off now, just not literally.
He leaned over on one elbow and put on that accented voice he used whenever he
talked about Baxter.
Qiu
Waiter, get me a hot chocolate. And I want whipped cream and chocolate syrup
on top!
Qiu
Waiter, get me a hot chocolate. And I want whipped cream and chocolate syrup
on top!
After how indulgent Yusuf had been with Ma, Qiu's request was met with a flat
skepticism.
Qiu returned Yusuf's stare with a million-dollar smile. It was easy to act
like you were a rich person when nothing had to be paid for.
Mr. Yusuf put a hand to the table and lowered himself towards the younger boy,
like it was some kind of a negotiation. And in a way, it was.
Yusuf
I will give it to you, but the powder will be stirred into water.
Ma
Water? Is he lactose intolerant?
Ma
Water? Is he lactose intolerant?
Your ma blinked and stammered. That was news to her. It was news to you, too.
Yusuf stood tall once again. He told the facts straight.
Yusuf
He is. Mr. and Mrs. Lin only let him have hot chocolate occasionally because
of that, and only when it's made with water.
Choice: You were lactose intolerant, too.

Choice: Not being able to have milk must've been tough.
Player chose: Not being able to have milk must've been tough.
You'd never forget that Qiu couldn't have milk. That was an important thing to
know.
Yusuf
They may not be here in person, but I will still follow their wishes.
Qiu
Fiiine. You can make it with water.
You'd just witnessed an incredible downside of being so well-known: everybody

was aware of what you weren't supposed to be doing and could call you out on
it.
Though, Qiu was a compromiser, not a quitter.
Qiu
Can I still have the whipped cream? That's the most important part.
Qiu squeezed his hands together. The "person at an interview" pose morphed
into a pitiful beggar act.
His big-shot-rich-guy-attitude sure hadn't lasted long.
Yusuf remained calm in the face of such pleading, merely scratching his hairy
chin.
Yusuf
Because I respect your parents, I won't give their son a full cup of milk. But
because I'm not your parent, I can look past a bit of whipped cream today.
Qiu
Yeah! Thanks, Uncle!
Hot chocolate secured, Qiu smoothly transferred his tilt from his right elbow,
out towards the world, to the left, the one inward to the table.
Qiu
He's not my real uncle, kids he knows just get to call him that. Like how
Tamarack's Omi is everybody's granny.
Tamarack
Ooooh. Wow.
Mariya
Really?
Qiu
Mhm.
You'd gotten a new granny, and now you might have an uncle too?! He was
already offering presents.
Your small family of Ma and you was getting a whole lot bigger.
Your small family of Ma and you was getting a whole lot bigger.
Tamarack couldn't remain quiet any longer. You were honestly surprised she'd
waited as long as she did.
Wide-eyed and rambling, Tamarack went through the process of requesting a

special drink.
Tamarack
Do you have tea?
Yusuf
Yes. Of various types.
Tamarack
Then - I want chamomile or apple cinnamon, please!
Yusuf
Okay.
Tamarack
And it has to have sugar and milk in it.
Yusuf
Of course.
Tamarack
Do you have honey?!
Yusuf added notes one after another. Keeping track of what she didn't want
likely would've been easier. He laughed about it.
Yusuf
Yes. I will bring out everything we have for teas to you.
The young lady swished her spoon around like a conductor's baton and the drink
order had been a grand opera.
Tamarack
Woo!
Ma
Wonderful. You should get something fun. It is the first day of school. That's
its own reason to celebrate.
Ma
Now what do you want, Mariya?
Choice: You told the waiter what you were thinking yourself.
Choice: You whispered an answer to [opal.name!cl].
Choice: You pointed on the menu at what you wanted.
Choice: You shook your head, not wanting to do this at all.
Player chose: You shook your head, not wanting to do this at all.
Choice: You told the waiter what you were thinking yourself.
Choice: You whispered an answer to [opal.name!cl].
Choice: You pointed on the menu at what you wanted.
Choice: You shook your head, not wanting to do this at all.
Player chose: You told the waiter what you were thinking yourself.
And what you said was...
Choice: "I just want water."

Choice: "A glass of cola."
Choice: "I want a cup of orange soda."
Choice: "I'll have a lemon-lime soda."
Choice: "Can I get ginger ale?"
Choice: "Do you have apple cider? The cold kind."
Choice: "Do you have hot apple cider?"
Choice: "I'd like a glass of milk."
Choice: "I'll have hot tea, too."
Choice: "Just normal root beer."
Choice: "I want a root beer float, too."
Choice: "A glass of lemonade."
Choice: "Do you have Shirley Temples?"
Choice: "A milkshake."
Choice: "I'd like some hot chocolate."
Choice: "Coffee."
Player chose: "Just normal root beer."
Yusuf
A root beer.
After a nod, Yusuf transferred the pen to the same hand that held the notepad.
He lowered them both.

Choice: "Coffee."
Player chose: "A milkshake."
Ma
Oh. That is technically a drink, even if it is a dessert in liquid form. And
I'm getting a root beer float. It'd be hypocritical to draw the line there.
Alright.
Yusuf
A milkshake.

Choice: "Coffee."
Player chose: "Do you have Shirley Temples?"
Yusuf
A Shirley Temple.
Yusuf
I'll return shortly with your drinks. Please take a minute to browse the menu.

Choice: "Coffee."
Player chose: "Do you have Shirley Temples?"
Yusuf
A Shirley Temple.
Yusuf
I'll return shortly with your drinks. Please take a minute to browse the menu.
He left you there, leaving with wide, purposeful strides. Ma watched him walk
away.
Ma
Small-town hospitality is a real treat, isn't it?
Mariya
Yeah.
You quietly glanced through the meal options. During that time the man who had
the ham and the hat left. The ham was gone, he still had the hat.
Then Yusuf reappeared to serve a round of drinks. You put in the dinner order
before he left you to enjoy his gift.
And enjoy it you did. From the very first sip it was so yummy.
And enjoy it you did. From the very first sip it was so yummy.
Qiu knocked backed his mug of hot chocolate with gusto and got a whipped cream
moustache for his effort.
Tamarack poured in so much milk, sugar, and honey that her tea spilled over
the top of the cup.
She got the level back down by bringing her face near to the table and sucking
up the drink without touching the glass.
Finally, she made use of that spoon she'd been cradling the entire time to mix
the sweet slurry. A little more dripped down the sides.
Your ma savored the once-in-a-decade root beer float as slowly as possible.

She didn't care if the ice cream melted.
Nothing was loud or fast or busy at The Diner Table. A person pretty much had
to take it easy in a place like that. There was no other way to be.
When it arrived, the main course tasted okay. Food was food and you'd rather
not be hungry.
Tamarack and Qiu stuck to grown-up-appropriate conversations over dinner, like

what you learned in class.
Tamarack and Qiu stuck to grown-up-appropriate conversations over dinner, like

what you learned in class.
There were a lot of things kids could only talk about with each other.
Ma shared all about her day, including a horrifying story about how she
thought there was a mouse in the master bedroom.
But after "catching" it underneath one of the moving boxes, it turned out to
be a larger than normal heap of dust. She insisted the bad lighting in there
could've fooled anyone.
And then the food was gone. Sort of.
Choice: You weren't able to finish everything. It was too much.

Choice: You were able to finish every bite. Your [opal.term!l] didn't.
Player chose: You were able to finish every bite. Your [opal.term!l] didn't.
Ma hardly touched half of the sides that came with her homestyle meatloaf. She
planned to take them home to add to her lunch tomorrow.
In a rare event, Qiu and Tamarack and you were all a total match. They left
not one crumb nor a single drop either.
The plates that were empty got stacked and used napkins were piled on top.
Your ma made sure the table was as neat as a mess of dirty stuff could be.
That tower of dishes caught your waiter's attention, and Yusuf approached your
booth once more.
He always had something in hand when he stopped by. This time it was a frayed
faux-leather folder.
Yusuf placed it on the table. You got a better look then. In gold letters
across the top, it said "Thank you". He'd brought the check before Ma needed
to ask for it.
Yusuf
Hello. I hope you enjoyed your meals?
Ma
They were wonderful. Thank you for asking. And thank you again for the drinks.
Ma's praise brought a grin to Yusuf's face. The local waiter toyed with a
buckle on his apron, straightening it like it was a medal of honor pinned to
his chest.
He'd served his customers well that night.
Yusuf
Thanks for coming in. You pay at the front.
Ma
Sure, I'll handle it. Oh, and can we get a couple to-go boxes?
Yusuf
Yes.
Ma
That's great. One more question-
Ma lowered her voice into an exaggeratedly strained whisper as though the

people in the next booth over were secretly listening to the conversation.
Ma
{i}The Diner Table?{/i}
She had seriously not let that go.
Ma
Is the pun on purpose or did someone miss an 'n'?
Grimacing, Yusuf glanced over his shoulder. He shared her pain, and her
concerns about being heard.
Yusuf
{i}I{/i} would not have chosen that, if it had been up to me, but, yes, that
is the intended name.
Ma
Huh. There you have it.
Ma
That's all. Thank you for your gracious help tonight, Yusuf. We feel extremely
welcomed.
Yusuf
Glad to hear it. Goodnight, everyone.
Choice: "Bye."
Choice: "Bye! Thank you."
Choice: "Goodnight."
Choice: "Nice meeting you."
Choice: "You better leave him a good tip, [opal.name!cl]!"
Choice: "Um, bye... And thanks."
Choice: You gave him a big grin.
Choice: You waved farewell.
Choice: You sighed impatiently.
Choice: You just sat there silently until he was gone.
Player chose: "Bye! Thank you."

Yusuf offered one last friendly smile, then took the pile of dishes and two
cups off to the kitchen.
Ma
Could you stand up for a minute, dear? I need to get past.
You scooted out of your seat as she asked.
Ma had a few words as she got to her feet.
Ma
Stay in the booth while I'm gone. I'll come right back, then we'll pack up the
leftovers and head home. Okay?
Mariya
Yep.
She left in the opposite direction Yusuf had gone. Her footsteps were muted
thumps against the thin carpet. You had the booth to yourself then.
None of the grown-ups were left.
When Qiu was sure of that, he abruptly stretched himself farther across the
table, poised like he was ready to pounce.
Qiu
I found the stuff.
And that was as long as he could hold a straight face. Qiu erupted with
laughter.
Qiu
I can't believe you broke into my backyard {b}again{/b}!
Tamarack
How did you know I've gone in there before?!
Qiu
You have?! I was talking about Mariya.
Tamarack
Oooh.
Tamarack
Yeah. I've gone through there lots of times. Whenever I wanna get to the path.
Choice: "We wanted you to have a surprise."

Choice: "You deserved something nice."
Choice: "Did you like it?"
Choice: "Woo-hoo! Success!"
Choice: "If you wanna keep people out so much, get a fence!" you teased.
Choice: "Sorry. Are you mad?"
Choice: You joined in with the giggling.
Choice: You shrugged, unapologetic.
Choice: You froze in embarrassment. He actually saw it.
Player chose: "If you wanna keep people out so much, get a fence!" you teased.
Choice: "We wanted you to have a surprise."
Choice: "You deserved something nice."
Choice: "Did you like it?"
Choice: "Woo-hoo! Success!"
Choice: "If you wanna keep people out so much, get a fence!" you teased.
Choice: "Sorry. Are you mad?"
Choice: You joined in with the giggling.
Choice: You shrugged, unapologetic.
Choice: You froze in embarrassment. He actually saw it.
Player chose: You joined in with the giggling.
Qiu
It was pretty cool. Thanks.
Tamarack was brimming with pride over the results of her adventure.
Qiu sighed softly, and the patting stopped. He had returned to peace.
And then Tamarack gave a big stretch. You could watch her reach up her arms-
and the spoon- and you could sense the movement of her legs under the table.
Tamarack
Omi and Opa might really be asleep when I get home this time.
Choice: "Oh no."

Choice: "Are you gonna hold down the doorbell for five whole minutes?" you
joked.
Choice: "I'll help you bang on the door!"
Choice: "Old people are funny."
Choice: "Really? My [opal.term!l] stays up way later than this."
Choice: "We'll figure something out. I promise."
Choice: "[opal.name!cl] can call them. They'd probably hear the phone ring."
Choice: "What are you gonna do?"
Choice: "Do you have a key?"
Choice: You looked at her questioningly.
Choice: You quietly listened.
Choice: You gasped!
Player chose: "Do you have a key?"
Tamarack
Nope.
Choice: "Oh no."

joked.
Choice: You gasped!
Tamarack
Choice: "Oh no."

joked.
Choice: You gasped!
Player chose: "What are you gonna do?"
Tamarack
Maybe I'll have to sleep outside! I'll hide under a bush in my backyard.
Choice: "Oh no."

joked.
Choice: You gasped!
Qiu sighed softly, and the patting stopped. He had returned to peace.
And then Tamarack gave a big stretch. You could watch her reach up her arms-
and the spoon- and you could sense the movement of her legs under the table.
Tamarack
Choice: "Oh no."

joked.
Choice: You gasped!
Player chose: "Do you have a key?"
Tamarack
Nope.
Choice: "Oh no."

joked.
Choice: You gasped!
Player chose: "What are you gonna do?"
Tamarack
Maybe I'll have to sleep outside! I'll hide under a bush in my backyard.
Qiu
WHAT?!
Tamarack
Not really. They'll get up.
Qiu
Sheesh, Tamaraaack.
That was all she wanted to say about it, and Tamarack started to talk about a
totally different thing. She chattered while tapping her heels against the
back support of the booth.
Tamarack
I came to this diner place a few days ago. Before that I'd never seen it.
Qiu
Cool. I've been here tons of times. Me and my mom and dad are regulars!
Tamarack
Wow... I've never been regular anywhere.
Qiu
I bet you could be now. Two down, eight to go for Tamarack. One down, nine to
go for Mari.
Qiu
Or something. It could be a dozen visits that makes somebody a regular. Or
twenty?
Qiu's attempt at giving "regular" advice tapered into nothing. He might've
been one, but putting a number to what made somebody normal somewhere wasn't
easy.
Tamarack
Mmm.
Tamarack
Oh, guess what, Mariya?
That question came with a low chuckle.
Tamarack
Omi and Opa weren't gonna let me come again for weeks! Because of you they
were wrong.
That question came with a low chuckle.
Tamarack
Omi and Opa weren't gonna let me come again for weeks! Because of you they
were wrong.
Tamarack
Thanks for bringing me, Mariya.
Mariya
You're welcome.
Her bright eyes fluttered closed. The pattering of her feet kept going. It was
the only sound left.
Full and warm and sleepy, you felt every second of what you'd been through
lately.
You'd done {b}so much{/b} and met {i}a lot{/i} of people. How did that much
happen in only two days? It was unbelievable!
Against your will, your body slid lower in the booth. Gravity was suddenly a
lot harder to resist. Sitting tall was no longer an option.
Your drowsy gaze wandered towards the window and the dark night beyond.
There'd been nothing in the parking lot besides the diner, not even lampposts.
You hadn't expected to look at anything in particular, but...
It was raining.
That, you could see. Water streamed down the glass pane. Some point between
when you'd walked from the car into The Diner Table, the first sprinkle of
fall began.
Inside, you couldn't hear it happening even a little. The thump, thump, thump
of Tamarack's boots was a close match, though.
Choice: You'd always loved the rain. It was never too much.
Choice: You'd always loved the rain, especially when it was really stormy.
Choice: Regular rain just got in the way, but real storms were exciting.
Choice: The rain could be nice sometimes. Some days you wished it'd go away.
Choice: The rain could be nice. It was best when it was stormier, though.
Choice: Rain had to happen sometime. It wasn't a good thing or a bad thing to
you.
Choice: You hated when it rained... It made you feel sad.
Choice: You hated when it rained. Why would you wanna get drenched?
Choice: Normal rain was nice. But it was scary if thunder and lightning
happened.
Choice: Rain wasn't good ever. But it was even more terrible when there was
thunder and lightning!
Player chose: The rain could be nice sometimes. Some days you wished it'd go
away.
Relaxing even more, you stared absent-mindedly at the black panel.
Each time you opened your eyes after a slow, heavy blink, the pattern of
droplets clinging to the window changed.
There were endless orange and red and yellow and gold leaves in the grove, but
that wasn't everything striking about the current season.
The weather, with thick gray clouds that showered the world, was just as
important to the core "autumn-ness" of a place.
When you thought of "fall", the picture in your head was of leaves and drops
of water {i}falling.{/i}
And it had arrived.
You'd arrived, too.
Relaxing even more, you stared absent-mindedly at the black panel.
Each time you opened your eyes after a slow, heavy blink, the pattern of
droplets clinging to the window changed.
There were endless orange and red and yellow and gold leaves in the grove, but
that wasn't everything striking about the current season.
The weather, with thick gray clouds that showered the world, was just as
important to the core "autumn-ness" of a place.
When you thought of "fall", the picture in your head was of leaves and drops
of water {i}falling.{/i}
And it had arrived.
You'd arrived, too.
When your family wanted to go out to eat, you went to the local diner and the
waiter there treated you special 'cause you {i}were{/i} a local.
When you needed to leave, you had a house with a room that was all set up and
waiting for you to go back to.
When tomorrow came, you'd continue your studies as a student at North Acre
Elementary school. You were in Room #24 with Mrs. Murray for the teacher.
When you saw your neighbors, you'd know who they all were.
And you had friends.
You were gonna be in that place for the rest of autumn. You'd be there still
for winter and when the new year came.
Seasons would be coming and going with you in Golden Grove for you-
weren't-sure how long.
What you did know was that this, every moment of it, was now your life...
What you did know was that this, every moment of it, was now your life...
Tutorial
Now that you're beginning your life in Golden Grove, you may want to check
back on the details of your character, or update them.
Tutorial
The "Info" button on the right side of the screen will bring up a menu with
several options.
Tutorial
The first option is "Your Details". Here, you can change your sticker, swap
between multiple sets of pronouns (if applicable), toggle dress up sections on
and off, and update your nickname preferences.
Tutorial
By default, most characters will obey your general nickname preferences unless
you manually sort them into one of the provided categories.
Tutorial
However, if you tell someone in the game to use or stop using your nickname,
they will automatically change categories.
Tutorial
New characters will be added to this screen as you meet them.
Tutorial
You can also check your relationship with Qiu and Tamarack with the "Qiu
Relationship" and "Tamarack Relationship" buttons on the left.
Tutorial
Enjoy your time in Golden Grove!
Tutorial
Hello again! We mentioned it earlier, but occasionally you will get the
opportunity to change what you're wearing during the game.
Tutorial
You may also be able to take off accessories like hats and scarves during
certain in-game moments.
Tutorial
If you don't want to bother with changing your outfit, you can toggle these
sections off from the Your Details screen (click "Info" on the right to find
it).
Tutorial
Tutorial
Tutorial
Would you like to see the dress up sections in the future?
Choice: I want to pick out my outfit

Choice: I don't want to see these dress up sections
Player chose: I want to pick out my outfit
Tutorial
Have fun!
Tutorial
Hello again! We have another brief tutorial for you. It's time to explain the
concept of "linked Moments".
Tutorial
All the scenes in the game have bits and pieces and certain choices that will
end up impacting later parts of the story. However, there are some sections
that are especially tied together.
Tutorial
The Moment "Walks" and the Moment "Wheels" are an example of that. They're
linked Moments.
Tutorial
Even though you chose Walks, you can still pivot to the Wheels Moment.
Tutorial
That's because the two stories share an introduction. If you'd chosen Wheels
first instead, the opening scene would be the same.
Tutorial
In this linked opening scene, Qiu and Tamarack have different ideas of how to
spend a weekend. You can be a tiebreaker or leave it up to them.
Tutorial
But either way, the group will plan to do the other suggestion on another
Saturday.
Tutorial
When, or if, you choose to do the second Moment in the pair, the game will
acknowledge how it was already a set plan you'd made in advance.
Tutorial
If you replay the game, it's definitely suggested to switch up the order you
do Moments to see how things change.
Tutorial
There aren't any other linked Moments in Step 1, though there will be more in
Steps 2 and 3.
It was Saturday.
One of the two days in the week when there was {i}no school.{/i} At all.
That was too bad. You were excited for Monday already!
You'd had lunch at home with Ma a little bit ago. When she tackled the after-
meal clean-up, your ma encouraged you to go outside while the weather was
good.
There was only a seventeen percent chance of rain, she'd told you!
And then she went on to ramble about how it seemed, in this town, anything
over twenty percent was essentially a guarantee of at least some drizzling.
The talk about weather had gone on for another minute before she remembered
you were standing there listening. Ma urged you again to leave her to the
dishes and go enjoy the weekend.
It was under those circumstances that Mr. Qiu Lin had gathered both yourself
and Tamarack Baumann in the center of the cul-de-sac for a neighborhood
meeting.
He had something he wanted to ask...
Qiu
Do you have bikes?
Tamarack
No.
She came out with a reply immediately.
Qiu
What?!
Qiu's shouted reaction was even more instant, somehow. His brain hadn't been
prepared for anything other than a 'yes'.
Qiu
How do you live without a bike?
Tamarack
{i}Like this.{/i}
The golden-haired girl did a little jig to show how great she was at living
with no bike. She tapped her toes and waved her hands in the air. Qiu leaned
his face away from the show.
Qiu
Alright, okay. What about something else? Anything with wheels?
Just like that, her limbs flopped down again. Tamarack squished her lips from
one side of her face to the other, thinking.
Tamarack
I've got a scooter from my mom and dad in one of the closets.
Qiu
That works.
Qiu rolled with the change in expectations, then he glanced at you.
Qiu
Mariya?
Choice: "Yeah, I've got my [prologue.ride]."

Choice: "Yep."
Choice: You gave Qiu the answer he was looking for with a nod.
Choice: "Why do you wanna know?"
Choice: You just stared at him.
Choice: You lowered your eyes shyly to the tarmac.
Player chose: "Yeah, I've got my [prologue.ride]."
Tamarack
Oooh!
Tamarack started the bike-less dance up again.
Qiu 'phew-ed' in relief.
Finally, Qiu revealed the reason he'd been so keen on all this wheel-talk.
Qiu
You know, I'm meeting with the club today.
Tamarack
Oh.
Qiu's "boys' club" or {i}"boy's club".{/i} Whatever they decided to call it.
Him and those two older kids.
Baxter the mysterious boy, and the one you weren't sure about.
Qiu
I want you to hang out too.
Qiu
This could be our inarguable- inagru-ah-al?
Attempting an extra-complicated word did not work out. He tripped over his own
tongue. But Qiu bounced back quick before anyone could ask about it, or
correct him.
Qiu
The first time we officially get together with our brand-new member!
Qiu
And Tamarack too.
Qiu
I {i}thought{/i} we could go on a ride together and everybody would like it...
Qiu scratched the back of his head with his left hand. Were you and Tamarack
the only kids in Oregon who didn't have a bike?
All of Qiu's friends must've, so maybe?
Qiu
It'll be okay if we go on foot. We've still got the whole afternoon and the
whole group.
Tamarack
I don't wanna go to the stinky town. Sorry.
Calling Golden Grove 'the stinky town' got a stunned chuckle from Qiu, but
Tamarack was totally serious.
Tamarack
Why can't we ride things in the neighborhood?
Qiu
'Cause we live here? We always stay in the neighborhood. It'd be cool to leave
while we can.
Qiu
I bet even you'd like where we go 'cause it's a park! There's plenty of trees
and stuff around.
Qiu
Have you seen that, huh? It's on the opposite side of town from us, back where
the high school is. The park is the best place to ride for speed and tricks.
There's no cars or hills!
Qiu
But just walking around is good too.
Tamarack
Mmm.
Tamarack narrowed her eyes in silence. That itself was an obvious answer to
Qiu's question; she had not seen the park.
Tamarack
Wait...
You did. So did Qiu. The neighbor on the right was thinking hard.
Then she let out a sharp gasp as she hopped into the air, like a tire popping.
Tamarack
{b}Is that the special thing{/b}?!
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Mmm.
Tamarack
Wait...
Tamarack
Qiu
Whoa-
Laughing and shaking his head, Qiu barely managed to give Tamarack a straight
answer.
Qiu
No, it's not the park. {i}That thing{/i} is totally in the forest.
His snickers and voice got quieter the more they went on until you could
hardly hear him.
Qiu
I didn't remember I said that. I should've written it down before school.
After the total swerve Tamarack had managed to pull, Qiu took control over the
situation again.
Qiu
Yeah, I {i}could{/i} show you that. If you wanna do it.
It was happening! You might really find out what the 'special thing' was.
Qiu was totally unfazed by your reaction; he was too committed in going on
with his own explanations.
Qiu
The rest of the club would come with us, too. We'd have to give up on riding
through town and seeing the park, though.
For someone talking about not doing what he wanted to do, Qiu's voice was
light and carefree.
Tamarack
Okay! I wanna do the special thing.
Qiu
Cool.
Choice: "Me too. We've gotta see the special thing."

Choice: The possibility of going off into the woods brightened your mood.
Choice: "Can we ride stuff {i}to{/i} the special place? Then we could do both
ideas."
Choice: "We couldn't go on a ride anymore? I wanted to do that."
Choice: Qiu saying the original plan couldn't happen made your shoulders
slump.
Choice: "I'd rather see the park than whatever's in the forest."
Choice: "You know, there's more days than today. There's time to do everything
we want."
Choice: Those two were talking just to themselves. You had nothing to do with
all that.
Choice: You glanced back and forth between the kids, too shy to participate in
the planning.
Choice: None of that sounded any good to you.
Player chose: "Me too. We've gotta see the special thing."
Tamarack began to clap and chant in time, as if she was casting a spell to
make your wishes come true.
Tamarack
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Show us the special thing, show us the special thing.
Stuffing his hands into his pockets, Qiu tilted his chin to one side. The
smile decorating his face was way too big to come across as nonchalant as he
was posing.
Qiu
All we've gotta do to make this work is promise to hang out again!
Qiu
We can go to one place this time and next time we'll do the other thing.
Everybody will get everything, and nobody will miss out on anything cool.
Tamarack
Ah! That fixes it.
It looked like Tamarack wasn't committed to playing without the boy's club
after all. She just agreed to spend two weekend days doing so without
blinking.
In fact, she was super perky about it! The roundabout trip of words Qiu laid
out had taken Tamarack from a point of complete disinterest to feeling like
boy's club activities were pure genius.
At some point Qiu had shifted his hands behind his back. He kept that wide 'I
can't believe it's all coming together' grin as he popped up and down on the
balls of his feet.
The thing was, Tamarack would've gotten over that without Qiu's fancy
footwork; you were certain of it. He didn't need to try that hard.
Qiu was crazily over-the-top with how he got along with people, but Tamarack
was extra straightforward.
Qiu
Since both of you wanted to see the special thing, I'd say it makes sense to
do that idea first.
Qiu
Baxter and Darren don't know the plan. And anyways, they're not gonna care if
it's riding to the park or going to that forest place, especially if we're
gonna do both of them on different days.
Qiu
What do you think?
He asked with great eagerness. This was the final step of the perfect path Qiu
had laid out.
Choice: But he didn't have to question it. You'd been ready for this all
along!
Choice: Honestly, you were curious about what might happen.
Choice: Truthfully, you'd be happy to hang out with Qiu and Tamarack no matter
what you were doing.
Choice: Overall, it didn't sound great, but you weren't gonna be left behind.
Choice: Well, there were worse things you could do.
Choice: Tamarack was already joining, so you would, too.
Choice: It was spending time with Qiu - obviously you were gonna join.
Choice: Though, why wouldn't you? Qiu and Tamarack were the people you wanted
to be around.
Choice: But you didn't want anything to do with that.
Choice: Still... you couldn't do it.
Player chose: But he didn't have to question it. You'd been ready for this all
along!
Mariya
Yeah. We can all go to the special place.
Tamarack
It's a promise.
It was. You and your friends had a promise.
Qiu
Oh-
He started suddenly from a thought in his own head, eyes opening wide.
Qiu
We're not going riding! I gotta call the guys so they don't bring bikes. Be
back in a second!
along!
to be around.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "Can we ride stuff {i}to{/i} the special place? Then we could do
both ideas."
Qiu
Mmm, that'd be tough. There's no place to lock up the bikes and stuff nearby.
Qiu
Mari could carry her wheels. But the rest of us couldn't.
Qiu
And once we make it to the forest, the path would be too rocky and covered in
weeds for Tamarack's scooter to ride over.
That revelation deflated Tamarack's enthusiasm from one hundred percent to

maybe sixty percent.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Qiu
Cool.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "Me too. We've gotta see the special thing."
Tamarack
Yeah, yeah, yeah. Show us the special thing, show us the special thing.
was posing.
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Ah! That fixes it.
blinking.
balls of his feet.
Qiu
Since both of you wanted to see the special thing, I'd say it makes sense to
do that idea first.
Qiu
Qiu
What do you think?
had laid out.
along!
to be around.
along!
Mariya
Yeah. We can all go to the special place.
Tamarack
It's a promise.
Qiu
Oh-
Qiu
back in a second!
Qiu gave a thumbs up and dashed away before anybody could say anything about
it.
Tamarack kept her eyes fixed on the retreating boy, as if he might be trying
to escape and not show her the special place after all.
Qiu shut his house's door behind him, and the neighborhood went completely
silent.
A realization came to you too in Qiu's wake. If you were leaving the
neighborhood, your ma was gonna need to know about it.
Ma didn't stop you from doing stuff, she just liked to be aware of what was
going on.
Mariya
Tamarack? I'm gonna tell my ma what we're doing.
Tamarack
Okay. I'm gonna stay right here.
Yeah. She was determined not to let Qiu get away from this.
With that, you left.
You found Ma in the kitchen, explained what was going on, and went outside
without any problems.
Tamarack waved from her spot in the road. She hadn't moved an inch and was the
only one there. Qiu's job wasn't done yet.
It took a long time of standing there - probably ten minutes - before Qiu came
back.
Eventually, though, he burst through the white door, yelling ahead of himself.
He must've agreed that it took forever 'cause he wasn't wasting even a second
then.
Qiu
It's all good!
When Autumn arrived at the center of the cul-de-sac he wiped his forehead with
a gloved hand, then talked some more.
Qiu
Everybody ready?
Tamarack
Yes.
Tamarack's voice was low and {b}serious.{/b}
Tamarack
{i}I am very ready.{/i}
Mariya
I'm ready too!
And so, you and your two neighbors set out for places unknown.
Well, unknown to most of you.
The first leg of the journey took you down the hilly road. It was the only
path out of your neighborhood. You had to follow it even to get to a super-
secret location.
Your small group marched along until you'd arrived at the heart of town.
You had to crane your neck to take in the full view of the swirling arch
marked "Golden Grove". It towered over main street and all the people in it.
But it didn't distract you for long. You scurried out of the road before a car
could come by. Qiu and Tamarack were right behind you.
That was the first time you'd gotten to go around town just... 'cause. For
fun, and because you could.
You had to pass through part of Golden Grove on the way to school. But you'd
never been on the main street.
Tamarack silently came up to your side.
She made a squashed face out of sight of the local boy, conveying that she for
sure still didn't like the 'stinky' town.
Choice: You did not agree. It was so cool!

Choice: She was being silly. The more you saw of the town, the nicer it was.
Choice: It was mean. You'd come to realize Golden Grove was a good place.
Choice: You found it to be better than you'd been expecting.
Choice: And you remained in agreement. You didn't like that place.
Choice: Personally, you lost your original dislike and just thought of it as
normal.
Player chose: You did not agree. It was so cool!
Qiu couldn't stay out of even a wordless exchange for long. He began to list
out what exactly the buildings were.
You know, in case you or Tamarack couldn't tell by looking, or reading the
signs.
Qiu
There's a barber store, clothing place, a library, an antique shop, thrift
store-
At that he paused the bullet points to fit in a sly joke.
Qiu
{i}Though not like you can tell the difference between those two.{/i} They're
both selling old junk no one wants anymore.
Qiu and Tamarack snickered together. Not even Golden Grove itself was safe
from Qiu's teasing ways.
Tamarack
My Omi loves antique shops and thrift stores.
Qiu
Yeah, she does.
Qiu
Oh, and down there on the corner is... the corner store!
Qiu
You've never been in, right?
Qiu
It's a great place. Tons of stuff, and it usually only costs a few dollars or
less!
Qiu
I've gotta say something about it, but let's wait for the club.
And that's what he did. Qiu zipped his lips and folded his arms. You guessed
he wasn't tired of keeping people in suspense, even if he was revealing one
mystery.
Tamarack let out a sputter-y, putter-y breath and slumped against the brick
wall behind you.
Tamarack
Okaaay. We can wait agaaiin.
You, Tamarack, and Qiu held down the meet up spot.
Random adults passed by every once in a while. A lot of them said hello to
Qiu; they knew him. Tamarack said "hi" to all of them. She didn't know those
people.
It took even longer than it did for Qiu to make those calls.
But then Tamarack flung her arm towards the other side of the street. She
sounded the alarm and brought an end to the watch.
Tamarack
There!
You followed her guideline. A pair of figures were speeding around a corner.
Qiu
Woo! Darren! Baxter!
Qiu sprang to the curb of the sidewalk. He waved the two over with both arms.
The missing members of his club joined the group, settling exactly into place
at Qiu's sides like the gloves he wore on each hand.
Darren
Hi.
Baxter
Hey.
Darren beamed at Qiu's enthusiasm for a second. It faded fast when he glanced
at who else was there. Looking was all he did, though.
He wasn't gonna point out the obvious again. Darren had resigned himself to
hanging out with more than the usual "boy's only trio".
That was better than loudly being against it.
Baxter's expression wasn't exactly happy either, even though he was smiling.
That's 'cause a smirk didn't count as being friendly.
Tamarack
Hi.
And Tamarack's greeting was exactly the same as the ones given to the total
strangers who happened to cross her path.
This was the first time you'd all gotten together to do something, and it sure
was obvious.
Qiu
Alright people, we're here, we know the plan-
Tamarack
Special place.
Tamarack whispered those two words into her scarf, anticipation sharpening the
tone.
Qiu
Yeah. But before we leave town, let's get supplies! The corner shop is right
there.
So, that's what he'd meant before. Qiu had been planning a detour to the
store.
Darren
Don't go into the woods unprepared, 'cause the things in the woods are
prepared for you.
Qiu
Exactly.
Qiu could count on his club following his lead and instead looked to the
biggest possible source of disagreement: Tamarack.
Qiu
Come on, we can pick out some stuff. It's gonna be great.
Tamarack's eyes narrowed, almost like Qiu'd given her a dare. And she was
gonna beat it.
Then... she went for her messenger bag.
From its depths Tamarack revealed a plastic bag jampacked with cashews. And it
wasn't a snack-sized baggie, it was the sandwich-sized one.
Tamarack
I've already got food! This isn't even all, and I didn't have to pay anything.
Darren brought a hand to his face, astounded. Qiu scratched his head, at a
loss. Baxter couldn't care less. He was not involved in the happenings.
Darren
She actually is prepared...
Qiu
Huh. Yeah, guess you don't have to do that.
Your neighbors being on the same page about the plan hadn't lasted long.

normal.
Tamarack
Yes.
Tamarack
Mariya
I'm ready too!
along!
to be around.
Qiu
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Ah! That fixes it.
blinking.
balls of his feet.
Qiu
It was Saturday.
good.
meeting.
Qiu
Do you have bikes?
Tamarack
No.
Qiu
What?!
Qiu
Tamarack
{i}Like this.{/i}
Qiu
Tamarack
Qiu
That works.
Qiu
Mariya?

Choice: "Yep."

Tamarack
Oooh!
Qiu
Tamarack
Oh.
Qiu
Qiu
correct him.
Qiu
Qiu
And Tamarack too.
Qiu
Qiu
whole group.
Tamarack
Tamarack
Qiu
while we can.
Qiu
and stuff around.
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Mmm.
Tamarack
Wait...
Tamarack
Qiu
Whoa-
answer.
Qiu
hardly hear him.
Qiu
situation again.
Qiu
Qiu
light and carefree.
Tamarack
Qiu
Cool.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.

Choice: "Yep."
It was Saturday.
good.
meeting.

Qiu
Do you have bikes?
Tamarack
No.
Qiu
What?!
Qiu
Tamarack
{i}Like this.{/i}
Qiu
Tamarack
Qiu
That works.
Qiu
Mariya?

Choice: "Yep."
Tamarack
Oooh!
Qiu
Tamarack
Oh.
Qiu
Qiu
correct him.
Qiu
Qiu
And Tamarack too.
Qiu
Qiu
whole group.
Tamarack
Tamarack
Qiu
while we can.
Qiu
and stuff around.
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Mmm.
Tamarack
Wait...
Tamarack
Qiu
Whoa-
answer.
Qiu
hardly hear him.
Qiu
situation again.
Qiu
Qiu
light and carefree.
Tamarack
Qiu
Cool.
ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: The possibility of going off into the woods brightened your
mood.
Tamarack
Show us the special thing, show us the special thing.
was posing.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "Can we ride stuff {i}to{/i} the special place? Then we could do
both ideas."

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Qiu
Cool.

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "We couldn't go on a ride anymore? I wanted to do that."

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "I'd rather see the park than whatever's in the forest."

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "You know, there's more days than today. There's time to do
everything we want."

ideas."
slump.
we want."
all that.
the planning.
Player chose: "You know, there's more days than today. There's time to do
everything we want."
Qiu
Mari, your sorcerer magic is at work again.
Sticking his hands on his hips, Qiu leaned towards you. The smile decorating
his face was way too big to come across as nonchalant as he made his voice.
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Ah! That fixes it.
blinking.
balls of his feet.
Tamarack
Mariya! You're the tiebreaker.
Tamarack
I wanna see the special thing and Qiu wanted to do the other thing.
Qiu
Yeah. We need you to vote.
Qiu
Qiu
What do you think?
had laid out.
along!
to be around.
along!
Choice: "Yeah. We should go to the special place today and the park another
time."
Choice: "Yeah. We should go to the park today and the special place another
time."
Choice: "I wanna go to the special place now!"
Choice: "I wanna go to the park now!"
Choice: "I'll come... uh, could we do the special place first?"
Choice: "I'll come... uh, could we do the park first?"
Choice: You nodded.
Choice: You sighed and shrugged.
Choice: "Uh-huh, okay, whatever you guys want."
Choice: You shot him a thumbs up.
Choice: "Um, I'll go."
Player chose: "Yeah. We should go to the park today and the special place
another time."
time."
time."
Choice: You nodded.
Player chose: "Yeah. We should go to the park today and the special place
another time."
Qiu
Alright!
A successful resolution was reached. Qiu looked ready to do a victory lap

around the cul-de-sac.
Tamarack
Woo!
And Tamarack was ready to follow him.
Or considering it was Tamarack, she was ready to turn it into a race and win
the victory lap somehow.
Tamarack
It's a promise.
Tamarack
It's a promise.
--- Thu Dec 28 17:56:05 2023
time."
time."
Choice: You nodded.
Player chose: "Yeah. We should go to the special place today and the park
another time."
Qiu
Alright!
A successful resolution was reached. Qiu looked ready to do a victory lap

around the cul-de-sac.
Tamarack
Woo!
And Tamarack was ready to follow him.
Or considering it was Tamarack, she was ready to turn it into a race and win
the victory lap somehow.
Tamarack
It's a promise.
Qiu
Oh-
Qiu
back in a second!
Qiu gave a thumbs up and dashed away before anybody could say anything about
it.
Tamarack kept her eyes fixed on the retreating boy, as if he might be trying
to escape and not show her the special place after all.
Qiu shut his house's door behind him, and the neighborhood went completely
silent.
A realization came to you too in Qiu's wake. If you were leaving the
neighborhood, your ma was gonna need to know about it.
Ma didn't stop you from doing stuff, she just liked to be aware of what was
going on.
Mariya
Tamarack? I'm gonna tell my ma what we're doing.
Tamarack
Okay. I'm gonna stay right here.
Yeah. She was determined not to let Qiu get away from this.
With that, you left.
You found Ma in the kitchen, explained what was going on, and went outside
without any problems.
Tamarack waved from her spot in the road. She hadn't moved an inch and was the
only one there. Qiu's job wasn't done yet.
It took a long time of standing there - probably ten minutes - before Qiu came
back.
Eventually, though, he burst through the white door, yelling ahead of himself.
He must've agreed that it took forever 'cause he wasn't wasting even a second
then.
Qiu
It's all good!
When Autumn arrived at the center of the cul-de-sac he wiped his forehead with
a gloved hand, then talked some more.
Qiu
Everybody ready?
Tamarack
Yes.
Tamarack
Mariya
I'm ready too!
And so, you and your two neighbors set out for places unknown.
Well, unknown to most of you.
The first leg of the journey took you down the hilly road. It was the only
path out of your neighborhood. You had to follow it even to get to a super-
secret location.
Your small group marched along until you'd arrived at the heart of town.
You had to crane your neck to take in the full view of the swirling arch
marked "Golden Grove". It towered over main street and all the people in it.
But it didn't distract you for long. You scurried out of the road before a car
could come by. Qiu and Tamarack were right behind you.
That was the first time you'd gotten to go around town just... 'cause. For
fun, and because you could.
You had to pass through part of Golden Grove on the way to school. But you'd
never been on the main street.
Tamarack silently came up to your side.
She made a squashed face out of sight of the local boy, conveying that she for
sure still didn't like the 'stinky' town.

normal.
Player chose: You found it to be better than you'd been expecting.
Qiu couldn't stay out of even a wordless exchange for long. He began to list
out what exactly the buildings were.
You know, in case you or Tamarack couldn't tell by looking, or reading the
signs.
Qiu
There's a barber store, clothing place, a library, an antique shop, thrift
store-
At that he paused the bullet points to fit in a sly joke.
Qiu
{i}Though not like you can tell the difference between those two.{/i} They're
both selling old junk no one wants anymore.
Qiu and Tamarack snickered together. Not even Golden Grove itself was safe
from Qiu's teasing ways.
Tamarack
My Omi loves antique shops and thrift stores.
Qiu
Yeah, she does.
Qiu
Oh, and down there on the corner is... the corner store!
Qiu
You've never been in, right?
Qiu
It's a great place. Tons of stuff, and it usually only costs a few dollars or
less!
Qiu
I've gotta say something about it, but let's wait for the club.
And that's what he did. Qiu zipped his lips and folded his arms. You guessed
he wasn't tired of keeping people in suspense, even if he was revealing one
mystery.
Tamarack let out a sputter-y, putter-y breath and slumped against the brick
wall behind you.
Tamarack
Okaaay. We can wait agaaiin.
You, Tamarack, and Qiu held down the meet up spot.
Random adults passed by every once in a while. A lot of them said hello to
Qiu; they knew him. Tamarack said "hi" to all of them. She didn't know those
people.
It took even longer than it did for Qiu to make those calls.
But then Tamarack flung her arm towards the other side of the street. She
sounded the alarm and brought an end to the watch.
Tamarack
There!
You followed her guideline. A pair of figures were speeding around a corner.
Qiu
Woo! Darren! Baxter!
Qiu sprang to the curb of the sidewalk. He waved the two over with both arms.
The missing members of his club joined the group, settling exactly into place
at Qiu's sides like the gloves he wore on each hand.
Darren
Hi.
Baxter
Hey.
Darren beamed at Qiu's enthusiasm for a second. It faded fast when he glanced
at who else was there. Looking was all he did, though.
He wasn't gonna point out the obvious again. Darren had resigned himself to
hanging out with more than the usual "boy's only trio".
That was better than loudly being against it.
Baxter's expression wasn't exactly happy either, even though he was smiling.
That's 'cause a smirk didn't count as being friendly.
Tamarack
Hi.
And Tamarack's greeting was exactly the same as the ones given to the total
strangers who happened to cross her path.
This was the first time you'd all gotten together to do something, and it sure
was obvious.
Qiu
Alright people, we're here, we know the plan-
Tamarack
Special place.
Tamarack whispered those two words into her scarf, anticipation sharpening the
tone.
Qiu
Yeah. But before we leave town, let's get supplies! The corner shop is right
there.
So, that's what he'd meant before. Qiu had been planning a detour to the
store.
Darren
Don't go into the woods unprepared, 'cause the things in the woods are
prepared for you.
Qiu
Exactly.
Qiu could count on his club following his lead and instead looked to the
biggest possible source of disagreement: Tamarack.
Qiu
Come on, we can pick out some stuff. It's gonna be great.
Tamarack's eyes narrowed, almost like Qiu'd given her a dare. And she was
gonna beat it.
Then... she went for her messenger bag.
From its depths Tamarack revealed a plastic bag jampacked with cashews. And it
wasn't a snack-sized baggie, it was the sandwich-sized one.
Tamarack
I've already got food! This isn't even all, and I didn't have to pay anything.
Darren brought a hand to his face, astounded. Qiu scratched his head, at a
loss. Baxter couldn't care less. He was not involved in the happenings.
Darren
She actually is prepared...
Qiu
Huh. Yeah, guess you don't have to do that.
Your neighbors being on the same page about the plan hadn't lasted long.
Qiu liked to ride places, Tamarack would rather walk. Tamarack brought her own
treats, Qiu preferred to buy snacks on the way.
They lived on opposite sides of the cul-de-sac and lived opposite lives, and
you were in the middle of it.
Qiu
Me, Darren, and Baxter have still gotta stock up. Mariya too, maybe. And it's
fun to look around, you know.
Tamarack crammed her bag of cashews into her bigger pack once more. Her face
of pride had fallen into a frown.
Tamarack
Fine, but after that we have to go to the special place!
Qiu
Thanks. Mariya?
Mariya
Sure, we can go in.
Qiu
Awesome.
The now-complete group's first order of business commenced. You crowded your
way through the door at the end of the sidewalk.
Having to exist on a single corner really didn't allow for much space for the
"store" part of the corner store. The entire place was probably smaller than
your classroom.
It was warmer inside and the air was stiller.
Wooden panels covered the ground, thick wood beams crossed the ceilings, and
shelves tightly packed with familiar snacks were fit in wherever possible.
Instead of being inside an extra-small shop, it was more like being inside a
gigantic treasure chest.
You checked out the things closest to the front. Qiu wasn't kidding when he
said it had a lot of stuff.
Your light steps still clacked against the hard floor. They resounded above
the slight hum coming from a fridge in the back.
Nearby, Tamarack swished her head this way and that to grasp everything in the
new environment as rapidly as possible.
On one twist her eyes met with yours. She didn't keep going from there.
Tamarack continued to look at you.
She grinned. It was easy for you to know what was on Tamarack's mind: you and
her were the same again. It was both of your first times being in this place.
After everything you'd already done, you were still newcomers in this town.
Meanwhile Qiu and his crew moved into the store as if it was their own living
room. They navigated to the chip and cracker aisle without a thought.
Left to confront the hundreds, or thousands, of things there to be bought, you

unconsciously patted at the pockets of your clothes.
Choice: You had a little more than four dollars in bills and some change.
Choice: You had around three dollars of cash and coins.
Choice: You had one dollar bill and enough change to be over two dollars in
total.
Choice: You only had coins, about one dollar's worth.
Choice: You had a single dime.
Choice: ...All your money was at home.
Choice: You didn't have money! Why would you have any?

total.
Player chose: You had a single dime.
total.
Player chose: ...All your money was at home.
total.
Player chose: You didn't have money! Why would you have any?
total.

total.
Player chose: You had a little more than four dollars in bills and some
change.
Thoughts on your personal savings were interrupted when your ears caught onto
a peculiar conversation. The trio of boys had started chatting about...
something while wandering the aisles.
Qiu
Who did it before? I don't remember!
Baxter
I can do it.
That solution(?) did not satisfy Mr. Qiu Lin. He groaned dramatically.
Qiu
You're probably the one who handled it last time.
Baxter
You don't remember that, {i}remember?{/i}
Qiu
I know that much!
Qiu
Who was {i}before{/i} the last time? Me or you?
Qiu definitively jabbed a finger into Darren's shoulder. Baxter was out of the
equation, for whatever that was.
Darren
Mmm. It's been a while since then. It could've been either of us.
Refusing to accept a situation so obvious he could see it from a distance,

Baxter offered another suggestion.
Baxter
Hey, we could play rock-paper-scissors.
Though, he knew what he was doing. Every inch of Baxter's face and note of his
voice expressed amusement.
It wasn't only Autumn who was unimpressed then. Darren and Qiu heaved sighs in
unison, dipping their heads low before smiling playfully at one another.
Qiu
You know, that {b}is{/b} a good idea, right Darren?
Darren
Yeah. It'll settle this perfectly.
The tallest of the group pulled himself up even higher.
Darren
Ready to test your luck, Autumn?
Qiu
Nah. I don't need luck.
Darren
It's rock-paper-scissors...
And then you heard something different. It was Tamarack, speaking specifically
to you but loud enough that it could be heard halfway across the store.
Tamarack
What are they talking about?!
Each boy in the club turned to stare back at her, and the person next to her-
you.
Darren stuck his hands into the pockets of his vest and did that thing where
he retracted his neck inward so he didn't have to face people all the way.
Darren
We're figuring out whose turn it is to buy food.
Qiu
Mhm. Instead of everybody buying a snack for themselves, our club takes turns
having one person get {i}all the supplies for the whole group to share.{/i}
Tamarack
Why?
Her big eyes were clear of any taunting. It honestly didn't make sense in
Tamarack's mind.
Tamarack
You pay a lot sometimes or pay a little every time. That's not gonna make it
different.
Baxter
It's less boring.
Tamarack
Oooh.
That simple line had actually kind of convinced her of the concept. For once,
Baxter's contribution was accepted easily.
Tamarack didn't have an interest in teasing him, and anything Baxter might've
been up to didn't interest her beyond its face value.
Qiu
Right, this makes things fun.
Choice: "That is fun. I'd wanna do it."

Choice: "Let me play! Let me play!"
Choice: "Could I do it too? I have money."
Choice: "I'll just buy them for you guys."
Choice: "Um, I could get snacks for you."
Choice: You took out your money and offered it to get their snacks.
Choice: You raised your hand to volunteer for the game.
Choice: You shyly tugged on Qiu's sleeve to get his attention. You wanted to
play, too.
Choice: "Good luck, you guys."
Choice: "This is gonna be funny."
Choice: "That's a dumb plan."
Choice: You keenly watched the exchange, curious to find out how the game
would go.
Choice: There was no way you'd risk having to pay for other people's snacks.
Choice: Some people had weird ideas of "fun".
Player chose: You keenly watched the exchange, curious to find out how the
game would go.
Qiu
And it's okay if you and Mari wanna eat from the pile too. We almost never
finish it anyway.
Tamarack
Thanks! I'll share my stuff too.

play, too.
would go.
Player chose: There was no way you'd risk having to pay for other people's
snacks.

play, too.
would go.
Player chose: You raised your hand to volunteer for the game.

play, too.
would go.
Player chose: "I'll just buy them for you guys."

play, too.
would go.
Qiu
Ah!

play, too.
would go.

play, too.
would go.
Qiu

play, too.
would go.
Qiu
Ah!
Qiu
Ah!

play, too.
would go.
Qiu

play, too.
would go.
Qiu
Ah!
Darren and Baxter were stunned into silence. But their leader jumped in right
away to reject the offer on the club's behalf.
Qiu
You don't have to do that! It's really nice of you and stuff, but you could at
least join the game. That's way more fair.
Qiu
You don't have to do that! It's really nice of you and stuff, but you could at
least join the game. That's way more fair.

play, too.
would go.
Tamarack
different.
Baxter
It's less boring.
Tamarack
Oooh.
Qiu

play, too.
would go.
Qiu, Darren, and Baxter shifted their attention to the new challenger. They
were intrigued.
Qiu
You're sure? If you lose, you're gonna have to put your money where your mouth
is.
The leader's left-hand man doubled down on that point.

play, too.
would go.
total.
Qiu
Awesome.
The now-complete group's first order of business commenced. You crowded your
way through the door at the end of the sidewalk.
Having to exist on a single corner really didn't allow for much space for the
"store" part of the corner store. The entire place was probably smaller than
your classroom.
It was warmer inside and the air was stiller.
Wooden panels covered the ground, thick wood beams crossed the ceilings, and
shelves tightly packed with familiar snacks were fit in wherever possible.
Instead of being inside an extra-small shop, it was more like being inside a
gigantic treasure chest.
You checked out the things closest to the front. Qiu wasn't kidding when he
said it had a lot of stuff.
Your light steps still clacked against the hard floor. They resounded above
the slight hum coming from a fridge in the back.
Nearby, Tamarack swished her head this way and that to grasp everything in the
new environment as rapidly as possible.
On one twist her eyes met with yours. She didn't keep going from there.
Tamarack continued to look at you.
She grinned. It was easy for you to know what was on Tamarack's mind: you and
her were the same again. It was both of your first times being in this place.
After everything you'd already done, you were still newcomers in this town.

total.
Player chose: You didn't have money! Why would you have any?
Qiu
Baxter
I can do it.
Qiu
Baxter
Qiu
I know that much!
Qiu
Darren

Baxter
Qiu
Darren
Darren
Qiu
Darren
Tamarack
you.
Darren
Qiu
Tamarack
Why?
Tamarack's mind.
Tamarack
different.
Baxter
It's less boring.
Tamarack
Oooh.
Qiu
Fun or not, how much pocket money did those boys have?
You couldn't afford a single gumball!

would go.
total.

total.
Player chose: You had a little more than four dollars in bills and some
change.
Qiu
Baxter
I can do it.
Qiu
Baxter
Qiu
I know that much!
Qiu
Darren

Baxter
Qiu
Darren
Darren
Qiu
Darren
Tamarack
you.
Darren
Qiu
Tamarack
Why?
Tamarack's mind.
Tamarack
different.
Baxter
It's less boring.
Tamarack
Oooh.
Qiu

play, too.
would go.
Qiu

play, too.
would go.
Qiu, Darren, and Baxter shifted their attention to the new challenger. They
were intrigued.
Qiu
You're sure? If you lose, you're gonna have to put your money where your mouth
is.
The leader's left-hand man doubled down on that point.
Darren
No take backs. That's the rule.
And Qiu tag-teamed in again to finish off the warning.
Qiu
Also, we're all gonna be sharing these snacks. Tamarack can eat them too, even
if you're the one who bought them.
And Qiu tag-teamed in again to finish off the warning.
Qiu
Also, we're all gonna be sharing these snacks. Tamarack can eat them too, even
if you're the one who bought them.
Tamarack
Wow, thank you!
The boy's club was serious business about snacks and games, and probably
everything.
But you were serious too.
Mariya
I'm sure.
Baxter
This got even better.
Qiu
Mariya, you're a wild card.
Qiu breezily moved the event forward.
Qiu
Well, there's more of us in the game, so here's the rules-
Qiu
If all three things get used between the four of us, only the person going
against two will be the loser. If it's two and two, the people with a losing
thing both lose.
Tamarack
What if everybody chooses the same thing?
Qiu
That's not gonna happen. But if it did, we'd just play again.
Tamarack
But what if one person has a winning thing and everybody else has the losing
thing?
Tamarack was an invested spectator. She was more interested in the match-ups
than some of the people actually playing the game.
Qiu
Winner still wins, even if they're knocking out three people in a single
swoop! Alright?
He leaned his weight into one foot, sticking out a hip, and leveled a glance
at his club.
Qiu
And whoever wins gets to be the snack, uh, {i}master,{/i} and the snack master
has to pay.
Darren and Baxter both nodded. Though only one of them did it with any concern
for the possibility. Darren was the worrier.
You followed them up with a tilt of your own head.
Qiu
Rock-paper-scissors!
Darren
Baxter
Mariya
Qiu
Darren
Baxter
You followed them up with a tilt of your own head.
Qiu
Darren
Baxter
Mariya
The four of you chanted the three words, bouncing your fists to the beat. On
the final point you and them each made a move.
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Choice: Thumbs up!
Player chose: Scissors!
Baxter had a rock that could've crushed you. But Qiu and Darren had him
covered with matching papers. That meant he was the loser.
Which, in that case, was a win. He wouldn't have to buy the snacks. You were
still in the running.
Qiu
You did it, Mari!
Qiu
Baxter, get out.
Baxter
Fine.
Baxter lifted his hands in defeat, eyes closed. For a second it seemed like he
would take his bow without any smug-y business. Except-
Baxter
That was nice of you.
He had one last line, given with a sneaky smirk.
While you understood Baxter was being snooty, you didn't get exactly how. Qiu
could only shake his head.
Qiu
I probably should've said something before. I'll let you know anyway since
you're gonna be living here from now on-
Qiu
Baxter only uses rock.
Qiu
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Choice: Thumbs up!
The four of you chanted the three words, bouncing your fists to the beat. On
the final point you and them each made a move.
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Choice: Thumbs up!
Player chose: Scissors!
Baxter had a rock that could've crushed you. But Qiu and Darren had him
covered with matching papers. That meant he was the loser.
Which, in that case, was a win. He wouldn't have to buy the snacks. You were
still in the running.
Qiu
You did it, Mari!
Qiu
Baxter, get out.
Baxter
Fine.
Baxter lifted his hands in defeat, eyes closed. For a second it seemed like he
would take his bow without any smug-y business. Except-
Baxter

Baxter
While you understood Baxter was being snooty, you didn't get exactly how. Qiu
could only shake his head.
Qiu
I probably should've said something before. I'll let you know anyway since
you're gonna be living here from now on-
Qiu
Tamarack
What?!
Tamarack went from dead silent to releasing a high-pitched yelp. The volume
was enough to cover the entire store that time.
Qiu
Yep. He's never picked anything else in his whole life, I'm pretty sure. He
hasn't for as long as I've known him. Which is like {i}two years.{/i}
Choice: "Why?"
Choice: "But that'd mean he'd always lose."
Choice: "What an idiot!"
Choice: "That's genius."
Choice: You stared, completely confused.
Choice: The boldness of the strategy made you gasp.
Choice: "If he always does the same thing, then what's the point of doing it?"
Choice: Strange. But you didn't really care.
Choice: You shrugged. That made sense to you.
Player chose: "But that'd mean he'd always lose."
Qiu
Not really.
His eyes squinted along the bottom edge from the nervous smile that pulled at
his lips.
Qiu
Baxter is kinda diabolical.
But true distress soon colored Qiu's face. He threw out his arms to physically
get the emotions across.
Qiu
Doesn't it feel like cheating to beat him when you already know what he's
gonna do? Me and Darren can almost never play paper when he's in a game!
The kid in question merely smiled with a lift of his chin. He saw no reason to
explain or defend his devious behavior.
Despite basically doing nothing, or maybe because of that, Baxter earned

himself a friendly shove from Qiu.
Qiu finished ribbing Baxter so he could sharpen his focus towards the real
threats.
Qiu
But you got past his blockheaded plan.
Qiu
Let's keep going.
Darren
Yeah. Next round.
Qiu
Darren
Mariya
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Player chose: Rock!
Shockingly, the result was a perfect set. Darren went for scissors, Qiu had
paper, and you were rock.
Tamarack
I told you that could happen!
Qiu
Ah, forget that one, try again!
Qiu
Darren
Mariya
With extra speed and strength in the motions, the game was repeated. You put
your hope into-
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Player chose: Rock!
And you were left staring at an identical pair of scissors.
Darren
{b}Oh-{/b}
The rules Tamarack had been set on learning echoed in your ears: winner still
wins. Your rock took down Darren and Qiu with one blow!
Darren
We lost...
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Player chose: Paper!
Choice: Rock!
Choice: Paper!
Choice: Scissors!
Player chose: Rock!
Darren
{b}Oh-{/b}
The rules Tamarack had been set on learning echoed in your ears: winner still
wins. Your rock took down Darren and Qiu with one blow!
Darren
We lost...
Qiu cupped his cheek in a palm and stared at you with huge brown eyes. This
was unbelievable.
Qiu
Whoa. You won your very first time, Mariya.
Qiu
{i}Congrats to the new snack master!{/i}
The full force of that conclusion caught up with him after saying it aloud,
and he doubled over in riotous laughter.
Meanwhile Darren was smiling larger than you'd ever seen. Everybody's faces
were so big over this.
Baxter
Now that was a good game.
Choice: "Yes, all hail me!"

Choice: You took a grand bow.
Choice: "Whatever."
Choice: "Are you sure I can't change my mind about doing this?"
Choice: "I'm never gonna play this dumb game with your dumb club again."
Choice: You silently fumed. Being the snack [walks.snack_title] sucked!
Choice: You laughed along with the boys. It was fun.
Choice: You tapped your foot, waiting for them to be finished celebrating.
Player chose: You laughed along with the boys. It was fun.
Tamarack
Hooray! Thank you for the treats, snack master!
With his normal smirk, Baxter stretched an arm around Darren's shoulders. The
older boys walked ahead, chatting amongst each other.
Baxter
So Darren, what are you gonna get for your free snack?
Darren
Hmm, let me think!
Your eyes wandered along the rows of brightly colored packages. There was no
way you could afford a snack for yourself, not when you were paying for those
three boys.
But you wanted to get them stuff more than you wanted to get your own thing.
Qiu
Phew!
Qiu let out a big breath as his shoulders slumped.
Qiu
That was way more nerve-wracking than usual...
He played it cool as he waited for his friends to be a good few rows down.
Then he twisted around towards you and Tamarack.
He whispered through his teeth, beckoning you closer, all while glancing over
his shoulder to keep watch.
Tamarack took a hop forward then looked back and forth. When the coast seemed
clear, she leaned in to hear whatever message Qiu was going to deliver.
It wasn't super polite to talk behind your friends' backs. But you were
willing to hear what it was actually about.
Qiu
I've got another secret for you. Darren doesn't like to play the same thing
twice in a row, and he doesn't usually go for Baxter's move either.
Qiu
So most of the time after a round with Baxter and his rock, Darren ends up
going for scissors.
Qiu
Paper then rock is {i}my{/i} strategy. Unless I want Baxter or Darren to win,
then I do scissors first or paper twice.
Qiu
But it didn't matter this round 'cause someone else got the crown.
Qiu
You joining in made everything different, Mari. It's so cool.
Qiu
Same for you, Tamarack. Having more kids around has been great! I'm always on
my toes.
You guessed Tamarack and Qiu never wanting to do the same thing wasn't always
a bad thing.
Though, right after thinking that, they found their way to the same idea.
Tamarack
We can get the snacks now-
Qiu
But we better hurry and get some snacks-
Tamarack
Oh!
Tamarack squished her hands over her mouth. You could still hear her giggling.
Qiu
Right. Good plan.
Qiu strolled off to join Darren and Baxter again. Tamarack stayed hot on the
boy's club's heels. She wouldn't be left behind whether she needed to go
shopping or not.
There was nothing to do except let the boys browse.
Eventually, everyone getting something had their choice, and the five of you
had gathered at the back of the store.
Qiu was in high spirits over the conclusion. He'd picked up a little pack of
trail mix. Baxter got sour gummies. And Darren simply grabbed a pack of
classic bubble gum.
The club had shown mercy on you and went for the cheap stuff. You'd have just
barely enough to cover it.
Now you had to go to the register and actually pay for everything.
You stepped up to the counter that was almost as high as you and piled up your
money.
The exchange made you think of Ma. You remembered her telling you about Oregon
when it was a sure thing you'd be moving there. She talked about how there was
no sales tax.
The price on the sticker was the real amount you'd pay! Most of the time.
The exchange made you think of Ma. You remembered her telling you about Oregon
when it was a sure thing you'd be moving there. She talked about how there was
no sales tax.
The price on the sticker was the real amount you'd pay! Most of the time.
You appreciated that then more than ever. If more money had been added to the
cost at check-out, you would've been in hot water.
Then the tax-free sale was done.
Qiu
Alright Mari, you wanna hand the bag over?
Mariya
What?
Qiu
I think you've done enough in your role as snack master. It's time to let it
go already.
Baxter
Really?
Tamarack
Yeah! Mariya had to pay for them; she shouldn't have to carry them too.
Choice: "You're sure? Thank you, Qiu."

Choice: "Cool! Thanks."
Choice: "Go ahead."
Choice: "Yes! I hate this."
Choice: You shook your head and held the bag closer.
Choice: You nodded, holding out the bag for him.
Choice: You just stared at the ground, not able to answer him.
Choice: "No thanks. I've got this."
Choice: You secured your hold on the bag. It was your job to take it.
Player chose: "Go ahead."
Qiu bent over far more than needed to reach over and take the bag, making a
grand gesture. He couldn't accept the responsibility of managing the group's
supplies and not be cheeky about it.
Qiu
You're welcome, Mariya.
After a pitstop far more eventful than going shopping for snacks sounded like
it'd be, the crew of kids left the corner store behind.
Qiu
We're gonna go to the place now.
Qiu made the announcement as he took the head of the pack.
Tamarack was so fluffed-up and excited about FINALLY going to the special
place, she didn't try to get in front of Qiu. Or it could've been because she
didn't know where he was heading.
Tamarack
Special place, special place.
The big group surrounding you and the brimming sense of eagerness kept the
fall chill away.
You continued down Main Street for a few blocks, but soon had to turn down a
side road.
Whatever the special place was, it took longer to get there than the town and
your school. It was beyond Golden Grove.
The farther you went, the more the forest took control of the land again.
People-made structures retreated among vibrant leaves, becoming fewer and
fewer in number.
Actually, it was a similar-looking path to the one that led into your own
neighborhood.
Part of you wondered if all this was a huge prank by Qiu and you'd end up
right where you started. But most of you was just joking yourself.
Instead of opening into a hidden neighborhood, the road you'd taken came to a
sun-bleached parking lot. The only building left in sight was... "The Diner
Table" diner.
Oh! That's why it was so familiar to you. You hadn't only been through streets
that were {i}similar,{/i} you'd gone down that {i}exact way{/i} before. But in
a car and at night.
And now you were there again.
On your own two feet you'd gone to the very outskirts of human civilization.
The end of that being an old-fashioned, and just plain old, American-food
restaurant.
In the entire giant lot, you had more fingers on one hand than there were cars
parked. All three of the vehicles were clustered together in a single section
out of the way.
Qiu took a few more steps forward, splitting off from the group gathered at
the edge of the lot.
Qiu
There's a trail a little bit past here. It leads aaall the way up into the
mountains.
His words projected loud through the wide, open space, and he raised his arms,
plus the snack sack, up with the sound.
A wall of rustling branches in the distance framed the silhouette of Qiu's

back.
The forest looked impossibly thick that far from town. If you hadn't just been
told there was a way through, you would've thought no one could go further.
Darren
The Red Fox Ridge Trail. That's its name. Me and my brother and our mom and
dad go hiking there sometimes.
Qiu twisted his head over one shoulder, showing the edge of a bright grin.
Qiu
There's biking trails too. Though, I'm not allowed to go ride them yet. I've
gotta be older.
He flapped a thumb and the rest of his fingers up and down against each other
in a mocking imitation of his parents' past admonishment.
Qiu
"It's too dangerous for a kid! What if you crashed? What if no one found you?
The mountain isn't a joke."
Ironically, he was making a joke out of the "not a joke" warning. Qiu's
yakety-yak hand-puppet shifted into a single-arm shrug.
Qiu
At least we can walk.
Choice: "That sounds cool."

Choice: "Is the trail the special thing?"
Choice: "It sounds scary..."
Choice: "You've gotta be crazy to go riding down an entire mountain."
Choice: "Let's go see it!"
Choice: "You go hiking?"
Choice: "You have a brother?"
Choice: "Our teacher goes into the woods to climb mountains?"
Choice: That was interesting. You'd remember what you heard.
Choice: You weren't really listening. Trail, mountain, whatever.
Choice: Qiu's brief parody of Mr. and Mrs. Lin made you crack a smile.
Choice: What had you gotten yourself into? Your stomach was starting to hurt.
Player chose: "Is the trail the special thing?"
Qiu
No,
Qiu
Well, mostly no.
What did that mean?
Qiu's eyes started to wander then. He slowly turned his head to look out
across the lot.
Qiu
You know, it's too bad Uncle probably isn't working. He does the late shift.
We could've said "hi".
Qiu
And maybe gotten more free drinks!
Qiu
You know, it's too bad Uncle probably isn't working. He does the late shift.
We could've said "hi".
Qiu
And maybe gotten more free drinks!
Qiu
If he was here, we wouldn't have a choice but to say "hi". Uncle keeps a close
eye on what happens in his turf. Nothing gets past him.
Qiu
He'd have come out by now to talk to us himself.
Qiu twirled around to face the four of you properly. It swooshed the plastic
bag out to the side.
Incredibly, he didn't drop anything out of it.
He ended the spin by firmly planting his foot on the ground. If attention
wasn't entirely on him before, it was then.
After gaining an attentive audience, Qiu launched into a dramatic - according

to him - tale.
Qiu
One time, a few papers from my notebook fell into the parking lot or
something.
Wow. You had just thought of that possibility. You were good.
Qiu
I know that 'cause when I was passing by a different time, Uncle called me
over to give them back to me! That {i}never happens.{/i}
He stated that definitively, {i}insistently.{/i}
Only to immediately lighten up on the guarantee.
Qiu
Except for around Mari and Tamarack. You two always make them appear out of
thin air.
Darren and Baxter shared a look out of the corners of their eyes. Qiu was much
too distracted by his own storytelling to catch it. Darren's mouth tensed;
Baxter's quirked up more.
You'd begun to wonder if Qiu's friends were simply too nice, or too nervous,
to point out how Qiu lost papers every other day.
Those two must've seen it happen a hundred times, and somehow Qiu remained
certain it was an impossibility. Maybe the other club members returned his
notes in secret.
Qiu
Oh well. We don't have time for conversations today anyway. The finish line is
right ahead!
He threw a rallying fist into the air.
You snickered to yourself. Qiu didn't know when he dropped things or when he
was the one using up all the time talking.
That was how the final stretch of your journey commenced. The Diner Table was
left behind, and so was Golden Grove entirely.
The road you followed out had no sidewalk. There was only a thin, rocky edge
that separated tarmac from wilderness.
The road you followed out had no sidewalk. There was only a thin, rocky edge
that separated tarmac from wilderness.
Luckily, it was as devoid of cars as the parking lot had been. The only people
passing through was a group of five kids.
You wandered along until a patch of dirt opened out on one side of the street.
There was a tilted sign with a fresh coat of dust declaring that this was the
head of Red Fox Ridge Trail: 6.8 miles and 1,456 feet of elevation gain.
You spied a narrow path curling through bushes and tree trunks. It soon
disappeared past where you could see.
The way it unfolded made a streak of pebbles feel playful, like the red fox of
the ridge had left it behind only minutes ago and was daring you to chase
after its route.
after its route.
There was a tilted sign with a fresh coat of dust declaring that this was the
head of Red Fox Ridge Trail: 6.8 miles and 1,456 feet of elevation gain.
You spied a narrow path curling through bushes and tree trunks. It soon
disappeared past where you could see.
after its route.
Darren
Through here.
Darren was suddenly in front of your eyes. It was a startling appearance to

come after your imaginations. His spikey blond hair and striking orange
sweater was oddly fox-like.
The red fox boy screwed up his face in confusion. Darren almost asked what
that was about, but didn't. He kept going.
You all did. There was no going back now.
Advancing under a canopy dense enough to cover the entire sky, you made your
way through the forest.
No one spoke during that trip. Not Qiu to explain anything. Not Tamarack to
ask when you'd be there.
No one spoke during that trip. Not Qiu to explain anything. Not Tamarack to
ask when you'd be there.
Past the sounds of footsteps and snapping twigs, you could hear the bubbling
of water.
It became more and more clear, until...
The woods parted, smoothed away by an old stone bridge as though the earth was
wearing a barrette in its leafy hair.
A crumbling set of stairs led to a trickling stream below.
There was no mistaking it: this was the special thing.

Tamarack sucked in a whistling breath and did not let it out. Her cheeks fully
puffed out, and she stamped her feet as if she was revving up an engine.
And then she was gone. Tamarack shot ahead, leaping from step to step until
she was frolicking in the little valley below.
Qiu
Ah- Wait for us!
Qiu shouted after her, and then had the thought to move after her as well. He
and Darren darted for the way down together. Though, Qiu took a shortcut by
jumping off the stairs at the halfway point.
Baxter
{i}Watch your step{/i}.
Baxter whispered lightly to you. That was not a warning 'cause he was worried,
it was a big kid's test to see if it'd shake your nerves.
He danced down the stairwell right after without a care in the world.
You stayed right in the middle and took even steps, one by one. You reached
the ground completely fine.
Qiu
Hey people, I'm gonna leave the bag near the stairs.
He stashed the treats on the grass directly after making the announcement.
Qiu
We'll eat 'em later!
Qiu took huge strides down the slight hill, holding out his arms for balance.
He joined up with Tamarack, who'd crouched by the water.
Tamarack
Are there fish in there? Or frogs?!
Qiu
Maybe? I think I saw something moving in there before. But it's a great place,
huh?
Tamarack's rosy face went blank for a blink. {i}Was it a great place?{/i}
All the anticipation that had built up, all the joy from the incredible
realization of the answer burst forth in a grand cheer.
Tamarack
YES!! {b}It's a special thing!{/b}
Choice: "Mm, I like it."

Choice: "Yeah! It's amazing!"
Choice: "This place is beautiful, and incredible, and I cannot believe it!"
Choice: "I never wanna go home."
Choice: "How come this isn't your hideout, Qiu? It's more secret and better."
Choice: "Not bad. There's some neat stuff out here."
Choice: "I guess it's alright."
Choice: "It's just a bridge, you know."
Choice: You were smiling ear to ear.
Choice: You joyfully threw your hands in the air!
Choice: How disappointing. What was special about a bridge?
Choice: Well, it could've been worse.
Choice: This could not have been worse! What a horrible place.
Choice: You'd rather have stayed home.
Choice: That place was creepy! Old and abandoned and awful.
Player chose: "Yeah! It's amazing!"
Tamarack
So amazing!
You and Tamarack basked in a shared excitement no one but you and her could
feel. It wasn't new to anyone else; it wasn't that important to other people.
But the joy over it could be doubled because you had each other.
Then she sprung onto her rainboot-clad feet again. There was more yet to see.
Climbing over mossy stones and looking under them too, the group spread out to
explore.
The air there cooled you through. You could feel its chill against the roof of
your mouth and teeth with every breath, like the aftermath of eating a mint.
It wasn't only the autumn season, and the wind rushing across the valley.
Though those were two parts of why.
Being so close to water added a third layer to the unique type of cold you
experienced at the "special place".
It really was a land set apart from everything else.
While clambering about, Tamarack imagined a fairytale about a mysterious

creature that lived under the bridge.
She'd never set foot there until that day but was certain she was an expert on
its hidden history.
That was exactly like her.
Eventually, Tamarack made a different kind of explanation to the crowd.
Tamarack
I'm gonna cross the bridge now.
She had already begun inching that way.
Qiu
Yeah, check it out. I'll think about what to do while we're here. We could
play a game or something.
Qiu, Baxter and Darren stood as a unified front on that "come up with a plan"
plan, despite Qiu doing all the talking.
Tamarack
Okay, I'll come back later.
Choice: "That sounds fun, Tamarack. I'll come, too."
Choice: "Wait, I wanna cross the bridge too!"
Choice: "Can I come with you?"
Choice: "Hey, I'll go with you so you're not by yourself."
Choice: You followed after her, wanting to stick together.
Choice: Seeing the top of the bridge interested you. You moved to go too.
Choice: That was fine for her. You wanted to stick by Qiu.
Choice: You planned to stay where your club was.
Choice: Going across a bridge sounded boring. You'd hang out in the valley.
Choice: "See you later."
Choice: "Um, be careful."
Qiu
Yeah, check it out. I'll think about what to do while we're here. We could
play a game or something.
Qiu, Baxter and Darren stood as a unified front on that "come up with a plan"
plan, despite Qiu doing all the talking.
Tamarack
Okay, I'll come back later.
Choice: "That sounds fun, Tamarack. I'll come, too."

Choice: "Wait, I wanna cross the bridge too!"
Choice: "Can I come with you?"
Choice: "Hey, I'll go with you so you're not by yourself."
Choice: You followed after her, wanting to stick together.
Choice: Seeing the top of the bridge interested you. You moved to go too.
Choice: That was fine for her. You wanted to stick by Qiu.
Choice: You planned to stay where your club was.
Choice: Going across a bridge sounded boring. You'd hang out in the valley.
Choice: "See you later."
Choice: "Um, be careful."
Player chose: "See you later."
Tamarack
Bye!
The boys waved her off on the short trip. Tamarack skipped up the stairs by
herself.
Then they turned to one another, and you, again.
Qiu
Hey, wanna cross the stream? There's a really easy way to do it. One part is
so thin you can step over. You can see the other side of the valley.
Mariya
Sure, yeah.
Qiu
Alright.
Qiu
Guys?
Baxter
I'll go.
Darren
Sure.
So, the four of you made a trek across the water. Qiu found a couple things to
say while he stretched over the divide.
Qiu
It's kinda funny, Tamarack is crossing from up there and we're doing it from
down here.
One after another, kids transferred from the larger section of the valley to
the smaller side.
When everyone was settled on solid ground, Baxter was the first to speak.
Baxter
Here we are.
Darren
Now what?
Qiu
Now!
Qiu boldly faced the questioning words of his club.
Qiu
We go {i}back{/i} to thinking about what we're gonna do. Except on {b}this{/b}
side of the stream.
Little progress had been made by the team. Silent brainstorming continued.
All three boys put a hand to their chin, but funnily, it was in a different
pose for each one.
Darren squished the side of his chin into the top of a fist. Baxter pressed
three fingers into the front of his face. And Qiu cradled his chin with a
thumb and pointer finger.
Before any of their serious thinking could lead to a plan of action, a shout
echoed from above.
Tamarack
Mariya! And boys!
Their hands fell to their sides as the boy's club craned their necks to look
towards the sound.
Tamarack had stuck her head over the edge of the bridge. And that wasn't all.
She held a closed fist above your heads. Between her fingers was a baggie
of... something? It was too far to tell exactly what. Though, it was bumpy and
lumpy, and she shook it about.
Tamarack had a challenge.
Tamarack
If I throw these cashews from up here, do you think you could catch them?!
{i}She was going to drop cashews off the bridge?!{/i}
Every eye and mouth in her audience popped open wide in surprise.
And then the valley erupted around you! The boys reached their hands to the
sky, shouting in unison.
Baxter
YEAH!!
Darren
YEAH!!
Qiu
YEAH!!
Choice: You cheered along with them.

Choice: You covered your ears.
Choice: You flung up your hands at the same time.
Choice: You jumped around in excitement.
Choice: You laughed at their silly reaction.
Choice: You rolled your eyes at how childish it was.
Choice: You remained staring in shock.
Choice: You sighed. Loudly.
Player chose: You cheered along with them.
Mariya
YEAH!!
Qiu punched his left hand into his right palm, raring to go.
Qiu
This is gonna be good.
Baxter
Absolutely.
Choice: "Not a single cashew is gonna reach the ground between us."
Choice: "Wait! Tamarack! I wanna throw cashews!"
Choice: "Do you think Tamarack would let me drop them?"
Choice: "I'm gonna catch a bunch!"
Choice: "Tamarack is cool for doing this. It's gonna be fun catching."
Choice: "I'm not gonna play."
Choice: "Um, I'll just watch you guys."
Choice: You pointed behind you towards the stairs. You were gonna throw with
Tamarack.
Choice: You readied your focus. You were gonna catch some cashews.
Choice: You stepped back from the group. You didn't wanna play.
Qiu
This is gonna be good.
Baxter
Absolutely.
Choice: "Not a single cashew is gonna reach the ground between us."
Choice: "Wait! Tamarack! I wanna throw cashews!"
Choice: "Do you think Tamarack would let me drop them?"
Choice: "I'm gonna catch a bunch!"
Choice: "Tamarack is cool for doing this. It's gonna be fun catching."
Choice: "I'm not gonna play."
Choice: "Um, I'll just watch you guys."
Choice: You pointed behind you towards the stairs. You were gonna throw with
Tamarack.
Choice: You readied your focus. You were gonna catch some cashews.
Choice: You stepped back from the group. You didn't wanna play.
Player chose: "Not a single cashew is gonna reach the ground between us."
Qiu
That's the spirit.
Qiu
Tamarack! We're gonna move to the bigger side!
Qiu called out before leading the charge back over the small brook.
Tamarack
Okay!
Then Tamarack's face disappeared behind the railing. She was preparing her
arsenal.
The leader of this new game selected one single cashew off the top.
The leader of this new game selected one single cashew off the top.
She stretched out over the drop again. In two fingers Tamarack daintily
dangled the first prize. Paper airplanes and now cashews, Tamarack certainly
liked throwing things at people.
Tamarack
Ready?!
Another unanimous clamor rose from the boy's club.
Qiu
Ready!
Baxter
Ready!
Darren
Ready!
Mariya
Ready!
With a flick of her wrist, and no final warning, the nut sailed through the
air. Players scrambled to be wherever the cashew was gonna land.
You stayed more to the side where you could see what happened without getting
sucked into the gaggle of boys.
It went straight down, bounced against a stone, and rolled away, never to be
seen again. No one got close.
The gang's desperate fever fizzled. Awkward glances were sent about the field.
Qiu
That was just a test one!
Qiu's excuses amused the other kids, getting slight smiles to spread. But
there was truth in it.
The players had a much better idea of the landing zone. Maybe next time, or
the time after, somebody would get something.
Tamarack
Yep! Here we go!
Someone as enthusiastic as her wouldn't stick to that pace. It was only the
starting shot, after all.
She shoveled cashews into both her palms then shimmied her arms back and forth
above your heads. The nuts jiggled from her hold without pause. At least until
she had to reload.
The game was on.
The frenzy reached new heights as everyone went in dizzying circles, stumbling
over uneven ground and leaping for the golden-ish colored medals.
Baxter took the simplest method to catching stuff: he used his hands to snatch
at the falling snacks.
Qiu and Darren bent their necks to face towards the sky. They attempted to
sink a nut directly into their open mouths.
It was like a nest of baby birds when their mom came home with dinner.
Choice: You grabbed with your hands too.

Choice: You aimed to get it in your mouth too.
Choice: You had your mouth and palms open.
Player chose: You grabbed with your hands too.
That just made sense.
She might've been one girl, but the waves of cashews Tamarack sent down were
more than enough to keep the boy's club on their combined forty toes.
In the heat of the battle, you were shaken by a sudden, loud crash.
Qiu and Darren slammed directly into each other! The impact brought both
toppling over, directly into Baxter.
Keeping his eyes ahead didn't save him. Baxter went down with them.
The trio landed in a heap as helplessly as the cashews no one caught.

Darren
Oof-
Qiu
Ack-
Baxter
Ah-
Two boys rolled on their backs in the grass, holding their poor faces. The
third was flat out on his stomach, blinking in surprise.
Choice: "Are you guys alright?"

Choice: "Oh no! Are you hurt?!"
Choice: "That was awesome!"
Choice: You applauded the incredible collision.
Choice: The impact made you wince.
Choice: "What a bunch of crash-dummies!" you joked.
Choice: "That's why you're supposed to watch where you're going," you teased.
Choice: "You have got to be more careful," you scolded the pair.
Choice: "Qiu!"
Choice: You surveyed the accident from where you stood.
Choice: You rushed over to check their conditions.
Choice: You burst into giggles!
Choice: "Well there goes the game," you grumbled.
Choice: You glared at them. This could ruin all the fun.
Choice: It left you stunned in place.
Choice: That was horrible! But you were powerless to do anything.
Player chose: "What a bunch of crash-dummies!" you joked.

Choice: "Qiu!"
Player chose: You surveyed the accident from where you stood.
It didn't look that bad?
Tamarack cupped her hands together, stopping anymore cashews from falling.
Tamarack
Are your heads okay?!
From youngest to oldest, the group started climbing to their feet again.
They brushed off leaves and grass and a couple cashew pieces sticking to their
clothes. Baxter helpfully plucked debris off his buddies' backsides that they
couldn't reach.
Qiu inhaled deeply, tilted far enough back to drop his hood onto his
shoulders, and responded to the concern loud enough for all to hear.
Qiu
I'm good!
Baxter
Nobody's bleeding, that's something.
Qiu
Yeah, it's cool. That was mostly funny. But what about you guys? Still feeling
alright?
Baxter
I'm fine.
Baxter answered with total calm, slipping his hands into his pockets. Darren
huffed as he twisted his puffy vest to lay right again.
Darren
My butt hurts. But I'm good, too.
His friend laughed over the additional bit of info Darren decided to share.
Then Qiu shot off a thumbs up to Tamarack to let her know things were a-okay.
That was a relief. You didn't think you'd ever been happier to hear him laugh
something off.
It showed clear on your face. Enough for Qiu to try making {i}you{/i} feel
better.
Qiu
Don't worry, Mariya! It'll take way more than that to bring me down.
Qiu
No one mentioned how the collision had literally brought him down. It was
better left unsaid.
And so, the event resumed, more carefully this time.
Baxter caught another nut, then a good few more after. His palm gradually
filled with cashew chunks, which was not easy to pull off.
But then the unbelievable happened - one of the nuts dropped directly into
Darren's gaping mouth.
Darren was so surprised something hit his tongue that he coughed and spat the
cashew out.
That didn't dimmish the glory of the feat; in fact, it only proved for sure
that he'd done it!
All eyes were on Darren again, though for entirely different reasons than a
minute ago.
Baxter and Qiu crowded around the champ, slapping his shoulders and ruffling
his hair.
This was technically a competition against each other, but if one of them was
triumphant, it was a victory for the entire club.
Darren grinned at the attention, breathing hard from exertion. His cheeks and
the spot where Qiu's face had smacked into his chin were all red.
Still, Tamarack didn't declare it over. The bag wasn't empty yet.
This would be the last hurrah.
Choice: You caught even more than Baxter!

Choice: You were neck-and-neck with Baxter's number.
Choice: Baxter and Darren weren't the only ones. You caught a cashew!
Choice: Despite trying to catch the same way as Baxter, you didn't get a
single crumb.
Player chose: You were neck-and-neck with Baxter's number.
It was incredible. Baxter was the oldest person playing and you were keeping
up with him.
Tamarack
Go Mariya! Go!
Baxter
Shouldn't the thrower not be in favor of one of the players?
Qiu
What? Do you think Tamarack has Mariya-seeking cashews? You've just gotta play
better!
Soon a shout rang out that stamped out the excitement quicker than when the
first nut hit the ground.
Tamarack
That's all the cashews!
Qiu
Aw, it's over...
Qiu bent forward like a sagging bag of nuts. His head hung low, and his arms
dangled down in front of him. It couldn't have been a more exaggerated show of
disappointment.
Baxter
This had to stop sometime.
Your focus had been on Qiu's dramatics over the game ending. When you noticed
Baxter again, you were stunned.
Magically, his hair was smooth again and his pose was primly relaxed. Baxter
had returned to his usual nonchalant status faster than the eye could see.
It was as if he never was running around a valley trying to catch cashews, or

that at one point he'd fallen flat on the ground.
Baxter
We had a lot of chances.
Those were specially chosen words. Baxter followed them up by beginning to

munch on the pile of cashews he'd gathered throughout the game.
An awfully subtle brag, it was. His coy smirk with each bite gave the
intention away. You remembered how Qiu had described him: devious.
With amused disbelief at such gall, Qiu shook his head.
Qiu
Pff. I'm gonna go eat stuff our great snack master brought. {i}You guys have
been eating things.{/i}
Qiu directed his quip at Baxter, despite lumping Darren into it. The other guy
in the equation still had something to say.
Darren smooshed the back of his fuzzy glove around his mouth to wipe off the
crumbs lingering there.
Darren
I didn't eat it. I just caught it.
Qiu
Oh wow, thanks for reminding everybody, Darren.
Qiu poked his buddy's arm accusingly.
Qiu
That's close enough!
Darren
Not for eating anything, but I guess if you mean we had cashews and you
didn't- yeah. It is.
Qiu
Dang...
Qiu wasn't catching a single break.
Which made sense, since he didn't catch anything else.
He was mature enough to let the teasing become water under a bridge. He moved
on, calling to Tamarack.
Qiu
Hey! Meet us at the stairs!
Qiu stuck one arm towards the spot. He used his other hand to cup his mouth.
Qiu
We're gonna eat the other snacks!
Tamarack
Coming!
News of a new activity made Tamarack bounce in celebration. She was energized
for the next bit of fun.
The four of you walked slowly to the steps. Most players were still out of
breath. Cashews crunched under your shoes.
Then Qiu scooped up the corner store bag with the goods. He continued to be
responsible for them.
With treats at the ready, the entire group regathered on the steps nestled
into the hillside of the valley.
Three kids settled down; the shortest one at the highest point, going up in
size and down in level from there.
Tamarack had come from the top, so she didn't go too far towards the ground.
Qiu took the lead for his club and sat on the step directly under her. Darren
was on the spot behind Qiu.
Baxter, however, only leaned his shoulder against the cobblestone wall.
Choice: You sat on the exact same step as Tamarack.

Choice: You sat on the exact same step as Qiu.
Choice: You sat on the exact same step as Darren.
Choice: You sat on the step above Tamarack.
Choice: You sat on a step lower than Darren.
Choice: You stayed standing.
Player chose: You sat on a step lower than Darren.


Player chose: You sat on the exact same step as Tamarack.

Player chose: You sat on the exact same step as Tamarack.
Tamarack gleefully squeezed next to you on the mossy slab.
You sat together at school, and you'd sit together right there too!


Player chose: You sat on the exact same step as Qiu.
Qiu cheerily let you join him on the mossy slab.
You couldn't sit together at school, but no one could stop you from doing it
right there!
Your seat was a little damp and a whole lot hard. But it was great to finally
not be on your feet.

Player chose: You sat on the exact same step as Darren.

Player chose: You stayed standing.
It was much less crowded.

And dirty.
Baxter nodded over at you.
Qiu
I gotta say.
Qiu pointed a finger in the air, calling the latest meeting of his club.
Even though Tamarack still wasn't a member.


Player chose: You sat on a step lower than Darren.
It was secure and out of the way. Baxter nodded down at you.
You'd walked through the whole town, explored the special place, and were
running during the entire "cashews off the bridge" game.
It was secure and out of the way. Baxter nodded down at you.


Player chose: You sat on the step above Tamarack.
It was nice and freeing. Baxter nodded up at you.



Player chose: You sat on the exact same step as Darren.
Darren scooted over to give you space, though frowned about having to do so.
"Why not use one of the other many stairs?" was what his eyes told you.

right there!
Qiu casually hung his legs over the side of the stairs. Darren pulled a knee
up near his chest while the other leg was resting across the step.
Tamarack planted her feet onto your and Qiu's spot. She bumped both of you
playfully with her boots.
Qiu
I gotta say.
Qiu
You had a really good idea there, Tamarack.
Smiling sweetly with her hands in her lap, Tamarack sincerely appreciated the
praise.
Tamarack
Thanks, Qiu.
However, Mr. Qiu Lin might've initiated the discussion, but Tamarack brought
it down to business.
Tamarack
Who's the winner?
Qiu
We're all winners!
He offered the idea optimistically. Or maybe "hopefully" was the better word.
In the end, Qiu was the only one who never managed to get anything.
Tamarack
No.
His hopes were flatly denied.
Littering in the forest and soft-hearted ideas of not choosing a single winner
were two things Tamarack couldn't stand by.
Tamarack
Somebody has to win. But...
Tamarack
What counts as winning?
Qiu
Oh, huh. That's a tough call.
Qiu
Mariya or Baxter had the most, but Darren did something pretty crazy. That
should count for more than one catch.
Baxter
It's your game, Tamarack. Make up a point system.
Tamarack
Hmmmm.
She crossed her arms and squeezed her knees together, showing the serious
effort she was putting into thinking. Tamarack sat like a round nut waiting to
be cracked.
be cracked.
And what broke through was a devious smile. Baxter wasn't the only one who had
that skill.
Tamarack
If you caught it with your mouth, that's more points than catching a lot with
your hands.
Tamarack
But it doesn't count if you spit it out!
Darren's spine went rigidly straight in an instant, before scrunching down

more than ever. He croaked defeatedly.
Tamarack
your hands.
Tamarack
Tamarack

This had gotten him more ruffled than when he hacked up the cashew.
Tamarack
Darren loses!
Darren's fuzzy black gloves were balled into harmless looking fists. He
must've wanted to argue that his efforts should count for {i}something.{/i}
But he was unable to put those words together right to a girl's face. That had
to be exactly why Tamarack made the rules unfair against him.
Baxter chuckled under his breath.
Baxter
Clever.
Baxter
So Darren loses, that's easy. Now who actually wins? At the last minute I
think I managed to get more than Mariya.
Qiu
{i}Yeah?{/i} Is that what you think? Then show us.
Baxter shrugged, pressing his entire back into the wall. He held up his empty
palms. Oh no.
Baxter
I wish I could. I didn't know we'd be counting up points. You saw - {i}I ate
my cashews.{/i}
Baxter
We can never find out for real if I'm right or wrong about it.
He was {i}excessively{/i} smug. It made his everyday, all-the-time kind of

snootiness look downright humble.
Qiu
Pff! Shut up, Baxter. You tied and you know it.


single crumb.

Choice: "Qiu!"
Darren
Oof-
Qiu
Ack-

With a flick of her wrist, and no final warning, the nut sailed through the
air. Players scrambled to be wherever the cashew was gonna land.
You stayed more to the side where you could see what happened without getting
sucked into the gaggle of boys.
It went straight down, bounced against a stone, and rolled away, never to be
seen again. No one got close.
The gang's desperate fever fizzled. Awkward glances were sent about the field.
Qiu
That was just a test one!
Qiu's excuses amused the other kids, getting slight smiles to spread. But
there was truth in it.
The players had a much better idea of the landing zone. Maybe next time, or
the time after, somebody would get something.
Tamarack
Yep! Here we go!
Someone as enthusiastic as her wouldn't stick to that pace. It was only the
starting shot, after all.
She shoveled cashews into both her palms then shimmied her arms back and forth
above your heads. The nuts jiggled from her hold without pause. At least until
she had to reload.
The game was on.
The frenzy reached new heights as everyone went in dizzying circles, stumbling
over uneven ground and leaping for the golden-ish colored medals.
Baxter took the simplest method to catching stuff: he used his hands to snatch
at the falling snacks.
Qiu and Darren bent their necks to face towards the sky. They attempted to
sink a nut directly into their open mouths.
It was like a nest of baby birds when their mom came home with dinner.

Player chose: You grabbed with your hands too.
She might've been one girl, but the waves of cashews Tamarack sent down were
more than enough to keep the boy's club on their combined forty toes.
In the heat of the battle, you were shaken by a sudden, loud crash.
Qiu and Darren slammed directly into each other! The impact brought both
toppling over, directly into Baxter.
The trio landed in a heap as helplessly as the cashews no one caught.
Darren
Oof-
Qiu
Ack-
Baxter
Ah-
Two boys rolled on their backs in the grass, holding their poor faces. The
third was flat out on his stomach, blinking in surprise.

Choice: "Qiu!"
Player chose: You surveyed the accident from where you stood.
It didn't look that bad?
Tamarack cupped her hands together, stopping anymore cashews from falling.
Tamarack
Are your heads okay?!
From youngest to oldest, the group started climbing to their feet again.
They brushed off leaves and grass and a couple cashew pieces sticking to their
clothes. Baxter helpfully plucked debris off his buddies' backsides that they
couldn't reach.
Qiu inhaled deeply, tilted far enough back to drop his hood onto his
shoulders, and responded to the concern loud enough for all to hear.
Qiu
I'm good!
Baxter
Nobody's bleeding, that's something.
Qiu
Yeah, it's cool. That was mostly funny. But what about you guys? Still feeling
alright?
Baxter
I'm fine.
Baxter answered with total calm, slipping his hands into his pockets. Darren
huffed as he twisted his puffy vest to lay right again.
Darren
My butt hurts. But I'm good, too.
His friend laughed over the additional bit of info Darren decided to share.
Then Qiu shot off a thumbs up to Tamarack to let her know things were a-okay.
That was a relief. You didn't think you'd ever been happier to hear him laugh
something off.
It showed clear on your face. Enough for Qiu to try making {i}you{/i} feel
better.
Qiu
No one mentioned how the collision had literally brought him down. It was
better left unsaid.
And so, the event resumed, more carefully this time.
Baxter caught another nut, then a good few more after. His palm gradually
filled with cashew chunks, which was not easy to pull off.
But then the unbelievable happened - one of the nuts dropped directly into
Darren's gaping mouth.
Darren was so surprised something hit his tongue that he coughed and spat the
cashew out.
That didn't dimmish the glory of the feat; in fact, it only proved for sure
that he'd done it!
All eyes were on Darren again, though for entirely different reasons than a
minute ago.
Baxter and Qiu crowded around the champ, slapping his shoulders and ruffling
his hair.
This was technically a competition against each other, but if one of them was
triumphant, it was a victory for the entire club.

single crumb.
Player chose: Baxter and Darren weren't the only ones. You caught a cashew!
Baxter might've had more, and Darren might've done it in a harder way, but
that could never take away what you managed to do.
After dozens of misses, success was right in the palm of your hand.
Tamarack
Yay!

single crumb.

single crumb.
Player chose: You caught even more than Baxter!
Tamarack
WOOOOO!
Tamarack showering you in cashews felt more and more like victory confetti.
Qiu
Mariya is sweeping the competition! Way to show 'em what our cul-de-sac can
do!
Darren
You're good at this.
Baxter
Newbie's luck.
Mariya
Have you played this game before?
Baxter
Maybe.
He voiced "maybe", but the smirk that came after said "no".
Qiu
What a sore loser.
Qiu whispered to you with a snicker.
Tamarack
Qiu
Aw, it's over...
disappointment.
Baxter

Baxter


Baxter

Qiu
Darren
Qiu

Qiu
Darren
Qiu
Dang...
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Coming!


right there!
Qiu
I gotta say.
Qiu
praise.
Tamarack
Thanks, Qiu.
Tamarack
Who's the winner?
Qiu
We're all winners!
Tamarack
No.
Tamarack
Tamarack
Qiu
Qiu
Mariya had the most, but Darren did something pretty crazy. That should count
for more than one catch.
Baxter
Tamarack
Hmmmm.
be cracked.
that skill.
Tamarack
your hands.
Tamarack

Tamarack
Mariya wins!
Tamarack
your hands.
Tamarack

Tamarack
Mariya wins!
Baxter
But I'm not sure Mariya won. At the last minute I had about the same as her,
maybe even a little more.
Qiu
{i}Yeah?{/i} Is that what you think? Then show us.
Baxter shrugged, pressing his entire back into the wall. He held up his empty
palms. Oh no.
Baxter
I wish I could. I didn't know we'd be counting up points. You saw - {i}I ate
my cashews.{/i}
Baxter
We can never find out for real if I'm right or wrong about it.
He was {i}excessively{/i} smug. It made his everyday, all-the-time kind of

snootiness look downright humble.
Qiu
Pff! Shut up, Baxter. You lost and you know it.
Tamarack
Wait, I've got a new rule! Any cashews you ate don't count either.
Qiu
Oooh, looks like we solved the mystery after all.
Tamarack
Wait, I've got a new rule! Any cashews you ate don't count either.
Qiu
Oooh, looks like we solved the mystery after all.
Qiu
Congrats to Mariya!
Qiu
Big day. You won at rock-paper-scissors and this.
Tamarack literally sang your praises.
Tamarack
Mariya wins, Mariya wins, Mariya wins.

single crumb.

single crumb.

single crumb.
Player chose: Baxter and Darren weren't the only ones. You caught a cashew!
Baxter might've had more, and Darren might've done it in a harder way, but
that could never take away what you managed to do.
After dozens of misses, success was right in the palm of your hand.
Tamarack
Yay!
Qiu
Hey! You did it! Cool.
Tamarack
Qiu
Aw, it's over...
disappointment.
Baxter

Baxter
Qiu
Darren
Qiu
Qiu
Darren
Qiu
Dang...
Qiu
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack
Coming!

right there!
Qiu
I gotta say.
Qiu
I gotta say.

Qiu
praise.
Tamarack
Thanks, Qiu.
Tamarack
Who's the winner?
Qiu
We're all winners!
Tamarack
No.
Tamarack
Tamarack
Qiu
Qiu
Baxter had the most, but Darren did something pretty crazy. That should count
for more than one catch.
Baxter
Tamarack
Hmmmm.
be cracked.
that skill.
Tamarack
your hands.
Tamarack

Tamarack
Baxter wins.
Baxter
Clever.
So, the victor was crowned, and he gave his short acceptance.
Qiu
Congrats to Baxter!
Though, Baxter acted as if he didn't care a tiny cashew crumb if he won or

lost based on Tamarack's made-up rules that she had decided on after the game
was already over.
Qiu
Congrats to Baxter!
You win some and you lose some. It'd be silly to get upset over that.
Darren continued to pout in his nook the whole while. Thankfully for him, he
had a pal who never let things stay sad for long.
Qiu
At least we can all agree who got last! Me.
Qiu shifted from angling for a no-win situation to confidently accepting his
status at the bottom rung.
That plan succeeded where his nut catching strategies failed. It made Darren
faintly smile. Qiu gave a wink, not stopping there.
Qiu
You other guys are taller - that gave you the edge. Don't forget.
Mariya
What about me? I'm basically the same size as you.
Qiu swapped tactics again without missing a beat.
Qiu
Those two are way older!
Excuses, excuses.
Tamarack
Mariya wins, Mariya wins, Mariya wins.
Well, that time you'd been on the winning side. The nice thing about games was
you could enjoy when you did succeed, and you could have fun when you didn't,
too.
Darren continued to pout in his nook the whole while. Thankfully for him, he
had a pal who never let things stay sad for long.
Qiu
At least we can all agree who got last! Me.
Qiu shifted from angling for a no-win situation to confidently accepting his
status at the bottom rung.
That plan succeeded where his nut catching strategies failed. It made Darren
faintly smile. Qiu gave a wink, not stopping there.
Qiu
You other guys are taller - that gave you the edge. Don't forget.
Mariya
What about me? I'm basically the same size as you.
Qiu swapped tactics again without missing a beat.
Qiu
Those two are way older!
Excuses, excuses.
Qiu
Or maybe you are just {i}so good,{/i} it's unfair to the rest of the world?
Did you think of that one?
There was laughter and lighthearted smiles up and down and along the steps. It
was just one of those days where everything was funnier than it was
frustrating no matter what.
Qiu
Okay, snack master, enjoy your spoils. Snack master gets to pick first.
There were many unknown rules and regulations for the status of snack master.
You were learning a lot.
Qiu loudly stretched open the handles of the bag, holding its delicacies out
for you.
Choice: You took the gum Darren got.

Choice: You took the gummies Baxter got.
Choice: You took the trail mix Qiu got.
Choice: "Would it be alright if I wanted the gum?"
Choice: "Would it be alright if I wanted the gummies?"
Choice: "Would it be alright if I wanted the trail mix?"
Choice: "But I didn't get anything."
Choice: "No thank you."
Choice: "I don't want any right now."
Choice: You waved your hand, passing on the option.
Player chose: "No thank you."

Player chose: You took the trail mix Qiu got.
Qiu
Right? That's the good stuff. I want some too!

for you.

Player chose: You took the gummies Baxter got.
Baxter
Give me some of that, too.
You handed over a handful of the crystal-coated goodies.

Player chose: You took the gum Darren got.

Player chose: You took the gum Darren got.

for you.

Player chose: You took the trail mix Qiu got.
Qiu
Right? That's the good stuff. I want some too!
The trail mix filled up your hand and Qiu's with some still left over.
Qiu finished passing around the snacks and stuffed the corner store bag into a
crevice on his step before he ate.
You tossed a few pieces into your mouth and immediately felt rewarded for your
choices. It was great.
The group who planned the food detour easily settled into a snack-sharing-
semi-circle. Baxter had bent over the stairs to be closer to the ones sitting
down.
No boy was empty-handed, and none of them were limited to just the treat they
chose.
Qiu's and Darren's gloves got completely coated in powdery snack bits in
record time.
It was then that Tamarack rejoined the conversation. She'd been quietly
sifting through her fully stocked messenger bag while Qiu had been dividing up
treats.
Tamarack
Here's what I got.
treats.
Tamarack
Here's what I got.
treats.
Tamarack
Here's what I got.
And what she'd got was a yellow rectangle, the size of a large chocolate bar.
Though that wasn't chocolate.
The brightly colored block made Qiu giggle.
Qiu
We're lucky you didn't chuck that big thing at us!
Tamarack
Are you sure? It would've been easy to catch!
Qiu
I'm sure! I'm alright with not catching anything.
Darren couldn't help interrupting that back and forth with dubious curiosity.
Darren
What {i}is{/i} it?
Tamarack
Fig cookies.
Choice: You recognized them immediately. That was something you were very
familiar with.
Choice: Hold on... you knew what that was!
Choice: You'd never heard of such a cookie in your life.
Darren
What {i}is{/i} it?
Tamarack
Fig cookies.
familiar with.
Darren
What {i}is{/i} it?
Tamarack
Fig cookies.
familiar with.
Player chose: You'd never heard of such a cookie in your life.
Tamarack tore open the wrapper with gusto. Then she slid out a light tan,
couch-cushion-looking cookie. It was flat on the top and bottom with a dark
brown filling in the center.
Choice: "Wow, I wanna try that."

Choice: "Eww. Fig cookies sound gross."
Choice: {i}"Figs?{/i} Isn't that like {i}prunes?{/i} That's for old people."
Choice: "What kinda kid eats fig cookies?"
Choice: "I wouldn't have guessed you'd like fig cookies. It looks so plain."
Choice: "Sounds boring to me."
Choice: "Would you, um, would it be okay if I had a piece? I've never tried
it."
Choice: You stared at the new treat with big, hungry eyes.
Choice: You puckered your face in disgust. Nothing sounded worse than {i}fig
cookies.{/i}
Choice: You pointed at it eagerly! You were keen to give it a try.
Choice: That was fine. She could eat whatever thing she wanted.
Player chose: "Wow, I wanna try that."
Tamarack
Here, take a piece!
Tamarack
Here, take a piece!
Tamarack pinched the top and pressed it down. The cookie was the soft kind,
more like a snack cake. It smooshed and bent until a chunk separated without a
snap.
Then she placed it in your waiting palm.
Qiu
Mm.
Qiu looked up at the latest exchange of goods. He scratched his cheek.

Qiu
Could I try it, too?
Tamarack
Sure.
Qiu
Thank you!
Tamarack passed a small section of the spongy cookie on down to Qiu.
Baxter
I'd try a fig cookie.
Another simple request came in before she'd finished pulling her fingers away
from Qiu. Tamarack took a second to yank off a corner and stuff it into her
mouth before nodding.
She whittled the cookie away even more to share with Baxter. He tossed it in
his mouth just like that.
Only a one-inch square was left of the bar then. Her snack almost got finished
faster than any other.
Tamarack
You take it.
She hadn't said his name, but her eyes were set directly on Darren two steps
lower.
He didn't react. Apparently, if you didn't address something, it wasn't there.
Or he might not have even realized she was talking to him.
Darren had changed his sitting position to take on the appearance of a folded
chair. Not only were both his legs pulled up, but his arms were over his knees
and his face was lowered down into them.
Qiu gave the back of Darren's blond head a nudge.
Qiu
Anybody home?
Without a word, Darren tilted his neck like he had during the game. Tamarack
was already leaning over to dangle the last bit of cookie above his face.
He carefully reached out and plucked the gift from Tamarack's hold as if he
was picking a real fig off a branch.
It made sense in a way; Tamarack's name was a type of tree.
Darren
Thanks.
Darren curled his fingers closed around his new cookie. He kept staring
upwards at Tamarack. That had to be a record for the longest time he'd held
eye contact with her.
Without a word, Darren tilted his neck like he had during the game. Tamarack
was already leaning over to dangle the last bit of cookie above his face.
He carefully reached out and plucked the gift from Tamarack's hold as if he
was picking a real fig off a branch.
It made sense in a way; Tamarack's name was a type of tree.
Darren
Thanks.
Darren curled his fingers closed around his new cookie. He kept staring
upwards at Tamarack. That had to be a record for the longest time he'd held
eye contact with her.
Darren
You can have a piece of gum. Everybody can.
Tamarack
Thank you! But I don't want that.
Darren
Uh-
Tamarack
Oh!
Before that could get real awkward, Tamarack's attention sparked on a

different idea.
It worked out for Darren, though she hadn't done it to smooth her bluntness
over.
Before that could get real awkward, Tamarack's attention sparked on a

different idea.
It worked out for Darren, though she hadn't done it to smooth her bluntness
over.
Tamarack was like that. She had a lot of energy.
Tamarack
{i}I have something else too.{/i}
And the "something else too" was... the bare baggie of cashew dust taken from
her overalls.
Seeing her bring that out {i}now{/i} was more confusing than when she first
held it over the bridge.
Tamarack snickered at the loss she'd left the group at, and her own secret
scheming.
She poured the scraps into her hand and returned the now completely empty bag
into the pocket it came from.
Tamarack shot one of the tiny pieces right at Qiu!
Qiu's defensive instincts kicked in and he snatched it before it could hit his
face.
Qiu
What was {b}that{/b} about?
Tamarack was like that. She had a lot of energy.
Tamarack
{i}I have something else too.{/i}
And the "something else too" was... the bare baggie of cashew dust taken from
her overalls.
Seeing her bring that out {i}now{/i} was more confusing than when she first
held it over the bridge.
Tamarack snickered at the loss she'd left the group at, and her own secret
scheming.
She poured the scraps into her hand and returned the now completely empty bag
into the pocket it came from.
Tamarack shot one of the tiny pieces right at Qiu!
Qiu's defensive instincts kicked in and he snatched it before it could hit his
face.
Qiu
What was {b}that{/b} about?
Tamarack
You got one! A cashew that I threw.
Qiu gave a lopsided smile and ate the little piece.
Qiu
Guess I did. Thanks.
Tamarack was sweeter than any cookie.
Choice: "Okay, someone else give their snack now."

Choice: "Would it be alright if I ate more?"
Choice: You gestured at the boy's club. You wanted more of their snacks.
Choice: You went back to eating the food you got from [walks.whose_snack].
Choice: You were already full.
Player chose: You were already full.
The conversation took a turn when Qiu chirped up with a question.
Qiu
So! What do you think?
Tamarack
Of what?
Qiu
What else?
He gave Tamarack a slick smile. Her attention was what he'd been trying to
grab.
Qiu
So! What do you think?
Tamarack
Of what?
Qiu
What else?
grab.
Qiu
The club!
Tamarack
Oooh.
And she didn't say anything else. That was okay, Qiu continued on himself.
Qiu
You're glad you joined now, aren't you, Mariya?
Choice: "Yeah, I am glad."

Choice: "Yep, it was the best decision ever."
Choice: You bobbed your head in agreement.
Choice: You tapped your chin then gave an okay sign.
Choice: "Um, well, it's been nice..."
Choice: "No." Your voice was flat but not serious.
Choice: "It's terrible, don't do it," you teased.
Choice: "Come on, you've gotta stop asking her about that," you chuckled.
Choice: "Let it go, Qiu! Leave Tamarack alone."
Choice: You looked away awkwardly.
Choice: You stuck out your tongue.
Player chose: "Yeah, I am glad."

Qiu
What else?
grab.
Qiu
The club!
Tamarack
Oooh.
And she didn't say anything else. That was okay, Qiu continued on himself.
Qiu
You're glad you joined now, aren't you, Mariya?

Player chose: "Yep, it was the best decision ever."
Qiu was never more grateful for having you in the club than he was right then.
You'd had his back.
Qiu
See, Tamarack?
Qiu
You can still join, if you wanna.
Tamarack
Mm.
Tamarack thought longer about the question than she had the first time Qiu
invited her. She gave it real consideration.
But the answer wasn't different.
Tamarack
No thanks.
At least, mostly. There had been development over the afternoon you'd
experienced. Tamarack was quick to add it in.
Tamarack
I still like you, Qiu. And I like playing with Baxter and Darren!
Baxter
{i}Really?{/i} Thanks.
Darren
{b}You do?!{/b}
Qiu's left- and right-hand boys were amazed. Baxter in amused disbelief, and
Darren in that he didn't have a single clue what to do.
Choice: It was kind of the same for you. You liked Baxter more.
Choice: It was kind of the same for you. You liked Darren now.
Choice: That was a surprise for her. As for you, you felt the same about those
boys.
Tamarack
I still like you, Qiu. And I like playing with Baxter and Darren!
Baxter
{i}Really?{/i} Thanks.
Darren
{b}You do?!{/b}
boys.
Player chose: It was kind of the same for you. You liked Darren now.
boys.
boys.
Player chose: That was a surprise for her. As for you, you felt the same about
those boys.
boys.
boys.
Player chose: It was kind of the same for you. You liked Darren now.
Qiu became a calming force on the little crowd. A steady rock against the
winds of emotion, which was not usual for him.
Qiu
You know... that's cool.
Qiu
I think it makes sense for you. It's the Tamarack way.
That was the end of that for the day, and maybe forever. Qiu managed to be at
peace not having everybody he knew in his official club.
So, you were partially a club, and completely a group of friends hanging out
at the bridge.
Qiu took a turn trying to toss peanuts from the trail mix into Tamarack's
mouth. She squealed every time she missed and whooped whenever she didn't.
Baxter rested along the wall, watching the game with semi-interest. He batted
away shots that had misfired or bounced off of Tamarack.
Darren nibbled on the last of Baxter's sour gummies. He was keeping score
while Qiu and Tamarack kept their heads fully in the game.
It was kind of like a picnic. Except there was no blanket or basket, and it
was a lot colder than what you'd usually imagine for a picnic.
Choice: "Thanks for showing me this place, Qiu."

Choice: "Thanks for coming up with such a fun thing, Tamarack."
Choice: "Thanks for showing me this place, Qiu. And thanks for making it fun,
Tamarack."
Choice: "This wasn't so bad."
Choice: "I had a really good time doing this."
Choice: "What a great idea this was."
Choice: "Best Saturday ever!"
Choice: You stomped your feet and clapped at the game.
Choice: You were glad you did this.
Choice: You quietly stared at the cloudy sky.
Choice: You yawned, so sleepy after everything that had happened.
Choice: You were exhausted and hopefully could go home soon.
Player chose: You quietly stared at the cloudy sky.
The snack tossing continued on.
Darren
Four.
Tamarack
Ah- Wow! It's lucky I was throwing before. I would've gotten all the cashews.
Qiu
What?! It's way easier to catch stuff from here. I'm like one foot away.
Tamarack
Yeah, but I still think I'm good.
Tamarack cheered. There'd be no compromising on that.
Qiu
Fiiine.
Those two definitely did disagree on a lot of things, but it was equally
certain that they were friends in their own silly way.
And they were your friends too!
Those two definitely did disagree on a lot of things, but it was equally
certain that they were friends in their own silly way.
And they were your friends too!
Actually, the whole group got along if you thought about it. That was pretty
incredible.
Darren and Baxter probably wouldn't say you and Tamarack were their "friends",
but that didn't mean you weren't.
That day across the town, into the treasure chest store, up a mountain, and
across the bridge could only be described as an adventure, though it was the
kids you went with who made it a memory to hold onto...
Tutorial
Welcome back to the tutorial! The childhood portion of the Our Life: Now &
Forever demo has come to its end. You're heading into the grand land of
teenhood.
Tutorial
Before that happens, we need to note that the section of Step 2 included in
this build isn't nearly as complete as the prior Step 1 scenes.
Tutorial
What has been included was picked to give a general idea of the lead
characters and status of life in Step 2, but it's not how this time period
will start in the finished game.
Tutorial
It skips ahead a bit to avoid spoiling certain elements and to get to casual,
everyday conversations with Qiu and Tamarack sooner.
Tutorial
The scenes that are in this preview are also going to be expanded later in
development.
Tutorial
And some parts will be taken out of these scenes and added to other events in
the Step 2 prologue, so it flows more naturally. We had to include a lot of
set up in a limited section.
Tutorial
And some parts will be taken out of these scenes and added to other events in
the Step 2 prologue, so it flows more naturally. We had to include a lot of
set up in a limited section.
Tutorial
We hope you enjoy this brief glimpse into growing up in Golden Grove!
Fall settled over Golden Grove once again...

The storybook-esque depiction of autumn went to the very root of the forest
and the heart of the town, as the whole land glistened in its namesake color.
It'd been nearly four years to the day since you'd moved there, into the tan
house with the white picket fence at the center of the cul-de-sac.
The trees grew in taller and thicker, Ma got a chair for the porch, and the
mailbox had to be replaced after an... incident, but other than that not much
had changed with the outside of your home.
One might've said the building was worse for wear after nearly fifteen hundred
extra days of weathering the elements, but for how old it already was when you
got there, that was nothing.
Nothing for a house pushing forty, anyway.
{i}Four years of your life{/i} was closing in on a third of your existence,

and that first third you could scarcely remember, since you were a baby and
then a toddler for most of it.
So, it worked out that nearly half of the memories you'd made and kept were
from right here- in this house, in this neighborhood, in this town.
You'd lived in this one place longer than anywhere.
Choice: It was simply {b}normal.{/b} Nothing more, nothing less.

Choice: And you absolutely LOVED it!
Choice: It was hell on earth.
Choice: Circumstances had officially reached "mundane" status, but there were
worse things.
Choice: You were safe there, content. Life was good.
Choice: And you couldn't wait to get out.
Choice: Goddamn, it was awesome.
Choice: There was nothing you were more grateful for than that.
Choice: Things were honestly miserable...
Choice: You could tolerate it, you guessed.
Choice: Everything was soooo boring.
Choice: You weren't quite sure what to make of the place anymore.
Player chose: You were safe there, content. Life was good.
Having day after day of certainty couldn't be complained about. You didn't
want constant changes or to never know what would happen next. You wanted what
you had: peace and comfort.
You'd realized it even at ten-years-old. That feeling had settled over you
like a comfy blanket since the first fall. This place was home.
You'd been down each path and road, seen every bush and tree, entered all the
publicly accessible buildings hundreds of times.
There was something indescribably precious about that. It couldn't be

replicated.
Though, that didn't mean the world was static. There were shifts that rippled
out and impacted your experience, but each one felt natural.
The transition of seasons brought about an entirely different atmosphere.

There were sights and sounds and feelings that could only happen during a few
months, before they were gone for a year.
Other familiarities were lost to time for good, never to come back, but
instead for their absence to eventually become old in their own right.
You knew that acorns were beginning to fall along with the leaves, and that
Bob's Barber Shop on Main Street closed eight months ago, and that every day
there was a new rumor on what was going to replace it.
Nothing concrete had been announced yet, but any day now for sure.
Mrs. Baumann was stubbornly convinced it'd be a restaurant- {i}an Italian

restaurant.{/i} The town needed one of those, she would insist.
Mrs. Baumann was stubbornly convinced it'd be a restaurant- {i}an Italian

restaurant.{/i} The town needed one of those, she would insist.
Yeah, that was less about what she {i}thought{/i} would actually happen and
more what she {i}wished{/i} would come to be.
Circumstances were never as perfectly straightforward as stuff that was the

"same" and things that were "different", or what you could be "certain of" and
what you were "believing in".
You could have a piece of your world that had been ever-present, something
that hadn't gone away for a moment, yet right before your eyes it could stop
being what you'd originally known.
The example that came to your mind, that you had been imagining from the
beginning, was your left and right next-door neighbors.
Both Qiu and Tamarack were the same people you'd seen basically every day for
four years.
No single one of those days did you decide they weren't Tamarack or Qiu
anymore. Of course, they always were literally who they were.
But after everything they'd learned and seen and from the basic concept of
getting older, the two were pulled into certain... directions. Little by
little. It couldn't be caught looking back a week, or a month.
Still, if you paused to remember them from your first meetings and compared
that to who you expected to encounter that day, you could see it clearly-
starkly.
They had changed.
First, the companion of your youth, Mx. Q-I-U L-I-N. They didn't introduce
themselves like that to people anymore.
But after everything they'd learned and seen and from the basic concept of
getting older, the two were pulled into certain... directions. Little by
little. It couldn't be caught looking back a week, or a month.
Still, if you paused to remember them from your first meetings and compared
that to who you expected to encounter that day, you could see it clearly-
starkly.
They had changed.

First, the companion of your youth, Mx. Q-I-U L-I-N. They didn't introduce
themselves like that to people anymore.
Whether a person could spell their name or not wasn't their problem. If
someone didn't know that, then they didn't know Qiu, and why should they care
what a stranger believed about them?
The only part of themselves they made sure to spell out were their pronouns:
they/them.
Qiu was born and raised in Golden Grove, a local through-and-through.
And not merely any kid in town: they were the one to take center stage, the
one to reach out; Autumn made themselves ever-present in the minds and hearts
of the community.
No matter what Qiu said or did, each person they crossed paths with would be
as familiar with them as the gender they were assigned at birth.
Autumn wasn't sure about what they identified with, but they could say
definitively it wasn't that.
If they wanted to be free of that misconception, Qiu had no choice other than
to keep explaining. Again and again, person to person.
They hated it.
Going around introducing themselves in a way so people who wouldn't

immediately get it could still put things together was cute and everything
when they were in {i}elementary school.{/i}

They hated it.

As a ninth grader, it was embarrassing.
A lot of what Autumn believed in as a kid seemed to be just that now - kid-
stuff.
And at the tippy top of their list of childish ideals was the very concept of
"trying".
Qiu stopped putting in effort with their classes, they started skipping ballet
lessons, and they {b}{i}did not{/i}{/b} go out of their way to make others
feel welcome.
No, they rebuffed nearly anyone who dared wish for time in their presence. If
Qiu didn't already like someone, zero opportunities would be given for that
opinion to change.
Despite going from the most approachable face in town to completely

unavailable, Qiu remained exceedingly popular in school.
The chill that overtook their demeanor only made them cooler, apparently...
Tutorial
Starting from Step 2, you can now manually set Qiu and Tamarack's dynamic
towards you, as well as your own dynamic with each of them.
Tutorial
This includes the newly-available Jealousy meter, which will always begin as
Not Jealous and must be manually changed if you would like to add those
aspects to your playthrough.
Tutorial
You can also choose one character to be best friends with. Only one person can
be your best friend, but you can be platonic best friends or best friends
while crushing on one another.
Tutorial
Being best friends with one character signals you have a closer relationship
to them than the other character. It doesn't mean you can't be friends with or
crushing on the other character, though.
Tutorial
You can change best friends over the years, or even have no best friend at
all. It's up to you!
But so what? If Qiu didn't want to go above and beyond to be friends with
everyone in the world, that didn't make them a bad person.
Of course, the shift in their attitude hadn't changed how you felt. You and
Qiu had been close since you were ten. You still were.
Autumn had been there for you from the start and never stopped, even when it
didn't come as easily for them anymore.
You'd done the same in return. Autumn knew that they could rely on you. The
small circle of Qiu's fond familiarity encompassed you completely.
Though, definitely not in the way someone might've expected. Qiu wasn't merely
a "neighbor", and they weren't only a "friend", Qiu was your {b}best
friend.{/b}
While Autumn closed themselves off to other people more and more, a genuine
bond grew between you and them until no one else was there for you more than
they were.
Ironic, yeah, but you were grateful for it. And of course, you'd done the same
in return.
Qiu knew that they could rely on you; that they could {i}trust{/i} you. The
small circle of their fond familiarities had you at its very center.
Now second, the childhood playmate, Ms. Tamarack Baumann. She had become a
young lady.
Her reckless romps through the woods shifted into quiet nature walks. The neat
clothes she carefully selected weren't suited for that kind of exploring
anyway.
And she was not okay with them getting full of holes like she was as a kid.
She approached most things in life with great delicacy, like she was living in
a world of glass. Or less whimsically, as if she was always walking on
eggshells.
Tamarack joined the music program during middle school and had played the
cello ever since. A feat that required plenty of patience, and a ton of
sitting around.
But all those new opinions, priorities, and decisions didn't speak to any
level of decisiveness on her part.
It wasn't just the loss of pure wild abandon only someone too young to know
better could have; Tamarack didn't have a shred of the certainty she used to.
Some days in some ways she could come across more like her almost seventy-
year-old grandparents than a girl not even a quarter their age.
Then other moments she'd lean into typical teenage priorities more than anyone
else in her class.
And neither seemed to make her particularly confident.
What bits and pieces were truly "Tamarack"? Maybe all of them. Maybe none. She
hadn't managed to convince most people that there was a clear picture they
could accept and understand as "her".
Probably because she didn't understand herself either. Or she couldn't bring
herself to commit to what she did know.
So, four years on and she'd yet to blend into the harmony of this close-knit
community.
If Tamarack was in a room, odds were good she'd be the least acquainted person
there. Wherever she went, Ms. Baumann carried herself with the presence of a
"visitor", never a "regular"...
But one thing was certain at least: you'd be there for her. She'd be there for
you, too.
The people in town were wrong, Tamarack wasn't a nobody. She was special.
She'd... always been special. Especially to you.
She was the little girl who threw a paper airplane at you the first time she
ever caught sight of you. Tamarack and you went through being newcomers side
by side.
No matter how much the two of you grew up, your promise to care about each
other remained unbroken. You wouldn't abandon her through whatever future
unknowns you might face.
And...
She wasn't your number one closest confidant like she had been when you were
little. The world was more complicated than at ten-years-old.
Now that you were older, the things you felt were- well, it was as you
thought, {i}more complicated.{/i}
Of course, you'd still be there for her! Tamarack was special to you. And...
Choice: That was the whole story! Tamarack was a precious pal.
Choice: You might not be "friends" exactly, but she mattered to you in an
important way.
Choice: You'd only think such things deep down. It was {b}not{/b} how you
normally acted around her.
Choice: You had {i}such{/i} a crush on her. There was no pretending to
yourself!
Player chose: You had {i}such{/i} a crush on her. There was no pretending to
yourself!
Choice: That was the whole story! Tamarack was a precious pal.
Choice: You might not be "friends" exactly, but she mattered to you in an
important way.
Choice: You'd only think such things deep down. It was {b}not{/b} how you
normally acted around her.
yourself!
yourself!
That's why she was so {i}"special".{/i} You were over the moon for the gal.
Choice: You weren't one-hundred-percent sure what she thought about you,
though.
Choice: And you were convinced Tamarack liked you back.
Player chose: You weren't one-hundred-percent sure what she thought about you,
though.
Did she like you back? You could only imagine.
Choice: What made the differences with your friends even more noticeable was
the fact that you hadn't changed one bit.
Choice: The differences with your friends were easier to grasp, considering
how you'd changed too.
Player chose: The differences with your friends were easier to grasp,
considering how you'd changed too.
Choice: You used to be such a rule-follower; now you were the opposite.
Choice: Though, you were still a rule-follower.
Player chose: You used to be such a rule-follower; now you were the opposite.
Choice: You used to be such a rule-follower; now you were the opposite.
Choice: Though, you were still a rule-follower.
Player chose: You used to be such a rule-follower; now you were the opposite.
And...
Choice: You still chatted a lot.

Choice: You were more silent now.
Player chose: You still chatted a lot.
Choice: And you acted quite proper, like always.

Choice: And you behaved rowdily.
Player chose: And you behaved rowdily.
Typically, you were-
Choice: Mellow around Qiu.

Choice: Nervous around Qiu.
Choice: Surly to Qiu.
Choice: And you acted quite proper, like always.

Choice: And you behaved rowdily.
Player chose: And you acted quite proper, like always.
Typically, you were-
Choice: Mellow around Qiu.

Choice: Nervous around Qiu.
Choice: Surly to Qiu.
Player chose: Surly to Qiu.
And-
Choice: Mellow around Tamarack.

Choice: Nervous around Tamarack.
Choice: Surly to Tamarack.
Player chose: Mellow around Tamarack.
You were pretty-
Choice: Casual in general.

Choice: Shy in general.
Choice: Biting in general.
Player chose: Casual in general.
Choice: You still went by [p.nickname] among friends instead of [p.name].

Choice: You still went by [p.nickname] among friends sometimes.
Choice: Everyone still called you [p.nickname] instead of [p.name].
Choice: Everyone still called you [p.nickname] sometimes.
Player chose: Everyone still called you [p.nickname] sometimes.
Choice: And your [opal.term!l] called you [p.nickname] sometimes, too.

Choice: But your [opal.term!l] only ever called you [p.name].
Player chose: But your [opal.term!l] only ever called you [p.name].
Choice: Qiu always called you [p.nickname].
Choice: Qiu called you [p.nickname] sometimes.
Choice: But Qiu only ever called you [p.name].
Player chose: Qiu called you [p.nickname] sometimes.
Choice: Tamarack always called you [p.nickname].

Choice: Tamarack called you [p.nickname] sometimes.
Choice: But Tamarack only ever called you [p.name].
Player chose: But Tamarack only ever called you [p.name].
Anyways, that was sinking further into your psyche than you should be going,
you decided while shaking yourself out of a daze.
You kind of had other things to be focused on at the moment.
It was early morning on a school day. You'd finished getting changed in your
room and...
Choice: Stepped quietly down the stairs.

Choice: Noisily sprinted over the stairs.
Choice: Leapt downstairs, passing multiple steps at a time.
Choice: Dragged your heels across every step downstairs.
Choice: Sleepily wobbled to the lower floor, using the staircase banister for
support.
Choice: Simply went down to the living room.
Choice: Slammed your feet into each wooden step you trampled over.
Player chose: Sleepily wobbled to the lower floor, using the staircase
banister for support.

support.
It was early morning on a school day. You'd finished getting changed in your
room and...

support.
Player chose: Stepped quietly down the stairs.
Then you crossed the creaky board where the lighter floor panels switched to
darker wood. You'd officially entered the front room.
The place you lived was sort of the third member of the Karu family. It had
its own ways of being and long-time quirks, while still taking after the
parent and sibling it received.
In the time you'd lived there, you'd added a few of your own knicks and
scratches to the house.
Some of the old furniture was replaced with brand-new old furniture from the
local antique store and thrift shop.
The vase on the coffee table was from the former and the lamp was found at the
latter.
Qiu said once you couldn't tell the difference between what was sold in those
places: it was ancient either way. However, the gap in quality between the two
was easy for you to see.
You were alone there in the living room, and in the entire house.
Ma had left for work not long before then, right after you'd eaten breakfast.
She had a longer commute than you, and you didn't need your ma to be late in
order to see you off to school. Though, she would've been tardy if you had
wanted her there.
Thinking of her, you felt...
Choice: You were so lucky having a parent like [opal.name!cl]. You loved her!
Choice: She was your friend as much as a parent. Hanging out with
[opal.name!cl] was fun.
Choice: Things were good between you and her. You got along most days.
Choice: The relationship you had was fine. You could manage coexisting with
her.
Choice: Stuff was not great when it came to living with [opal.name!cl]. You
disagreed about most things.
Choice: Frustrated more often than not. Sharing a space with [opal.name!cl]
tested your patience every day.
Choice: Complicated. You loved [opal.name!cl] then couldn't stand her in
waves, and sometimes simultaneously.
Choice: Like the two of you were completely disconnected. It was sad, but you
couldn't talk to [opal.name!cl].
Choice: Your [opal.term!l] didn't get you, you didn't get her, and it was best
when you were apart.
Choice: That [opal.name!cl] flat-out sucked. Just looking at her ticked you
off.
Choice: That [opal.name!cl] flat-out sucked. Just looking at her pissed you
off.
Choice: Who knew what? Not you, that was for sure.
Player chose: Things were good between you and her. You got along most days.
You and her were still the Karu duo, taking life on as a team.
In fact, that had only gotten truer as time went by, since you'd gotten old
enough to be more of an actual help to her. It was cool.
You'd never jump to go on ma-child activities, but there was a mutual

understanding between you and her that kept the peace as much as possible.
And naturally, before Ma walked out the door, she hadn't forgotten to give her
annual reminder: "There's only one first day per year. Enjoy it".
You shook your head with a smile over Ma's typical Ma-ness, while fully
letting that little fact of reality sink in.
You shook your head with a smile over Ma's typical Ma-ness, while fully
letting that little fact of reality sink in.
It wasn't any normal day of school - it was the first day. And it wasn't a
normal start of a new year either - this was 9th grade.
You were a high school freshman.
Ma impressed upon you what an accomplishment it was. If the learning system

was a triathlon, you were out of the water, off a bike, and lining up to begin
the race.
Your ma wasn't especially sporty herself, so she offered as an alternative

that if this was a movie or book, the third act would be just beginning. That
was the best part.
For as much as Ma hyped it up, your transition into the highest level of
public schools wasn't as immense as it was for other fourteen-year-olds.
You'd been attending Riverview Peak since grade 6 already with its gold,
black, and navy official colors and beloved freshwater otter mascot.
The district of Golden Grove was small enough that middle school and high
school shared a building.
Choice: That was always a relief. You had your school, and you'd stick with it
until real graduation.
Choice: It was whatever. Riverview Peak could've been better, it could've been
worse.
Choice: You felt good about that. You were well-acquainted with those halls.
Choice: Heck yeah! That place was a part of who you were. Go otters!
Choice: Hell yeah! That place was a part of who you were. Go otters!
Choice: Was Riverview Peak awful? Yes. Did you wanna risk going somewhere
else? Nope.
Choice: Not as if it mattered either way. Going to any school was miserable.
Choice: This would've been a much better new year if you could've gone
somewhere else...
Player chose: You felt good about that. You were well-acquainted with those
halls.
Choice: You'd be walking there. Your two feet were the only means of
transportation in your possession.
Choice: You decided to walk rather than ride that day.
Choice: You'd use your ride to get there.
Player chose: You decided to walk rather than ride that day.
Your wheels of choice were...
Choice: A bike.
Choice: A skateboard.
Choice: Roller skates.
Choice: A scooter.
Player chose: A skateboard.
You'd long outgrown the roller skates you came to town with.
Your mind wandered as you bundled up in extra layers.
Choice: The plan was to head to school on your own, and you'd stick to it.
Choice: There was a chance you'd end up leaving at the same time as Tamarack.
Choice: There was a chance you'd end up leaving at the same time as Qiu.
Choice: There was a chance you'd end up leaving at the same time as Qiu or
Tamarack.
Choice: You'd find Tamarack first thing. You wanted to go together, and she
wouldn't leave without you.
Choice: You'd find Qiu first thing. You wanted to go together, and they
Choice: You'd find Tamarack and Qiu first thing. You wanted the group to go
together, and they wouldn't leave without you.
Player chose: There was a chance you'd end up leaving at the same time as Qiu.
Tamarack sometimes liked to walk by herself, and on those days it was easier
for you to go on your own. It wasn't a requirement that you always went to
school together.
You had different paces and processes of making the same trip. Still, there
were days when circumstances lined up and you'd go together.
Tamarack.
Tamarack.
Choice: A bike.
Choice: A scooter.
Choice: You'd be walking there. Your two feet were the only means of
transportation in your possession.
Choice: You decided to walk rather than ride that day.
Choice: You'd use your ride to get there.
Player chose: You decided to walk rather than ride that day.
Your wheels of choice were...
Choice: A bike.
Choice: A scooter.
Player chose: A skateboard.
Tamarack.
Player chose: You'd find Tamarack and Qiu first thing. You wanted the group to
go together, and they wouldn't leave without you.
It'd have to be up to you. Qiu only went out of their way to go with you if
you were the one who asked them. And Tamarack sometimes liked to walk by
herself. But for the first day, you were sure you could get all of you
together for the trip.
You packed a lunch, closed up your bag, and slipped it on over your shoulders.
Then you went to greet the freezing autumn dawn.
Aaand you were instantly slapped by a howling rush of wind that got into the
exposed slivers of your skin with what seemed to be heat seeking precision.
Mariya
Ack-
Sputtering and laughing, you fought to get the door that was shaking from the
same gust locked behind you.
Ma had honored you with a key on your twelfth birthday.
When you felt the telltale click, you backed away.

At the same time, you checked to make sure your ribbon hadn't flown away - or
at least, that it hadn't gotten all crooked.
Your nostrils filled with the distant scent of rain when you crossed over the
stone path.
Had it come and gone when you were sleeping or was it still gathering the
weight it needed to fall? It was impossible to tell.
You pushed open the gate separating your yard from the neighborhood at large.
As soon as you'd placed a foot into the cul-de-sac, you were hit with a bigger
shock to the system than the chilling breeze.
You pushed open the gate separating your yard from the neighborhood at large.
As soon as you'd placed a foot into the cul-de-sac, you were hit with a bigger
shock to the system than the chilling breeze.
Tamarack popped out from behind the bushy border of your house like it was
suddenly four years ago and you were meeting her for the very first time.
The main flaw with that comparison was that she hadn't done it on purpose.
Tamarack
Mariya?!
It should have been impossible for the jump scare to startle someone more than
you, but there Tamarack was.
Her eyes were wide, her arms taut at her sides, and her cheeks were a raw red.
Though, you doubted that color came from the cold.
Choice: Though that was definitely Tamarack Baumann, you also knew her by a
nickname.
Choice: There was no doubting it, that was Tamarack Baumann.
Player chose: Though that was definitely Tamarack Baumann, you also knew her
by a nickname.
Very few people got to do that. The nickname was...
Choice: Tam.
Choice: Tammy.
Choice: Tamma.
Choice: Tee.
Choice: {input=tam_nickname}.
Player chose: Tamma.
Tamarack
I didn't notice you'd come out until I heard the gate. It would've been
{b}more{/b} awkward if you caught me trying to {i}hide{/i} in a bush, so I had
to, you know-
Tamarack
Um, surprise?
Tamarack
Sorry...
Choice: You could only stand there, speechless.

Choice: You could only stand there, speechless. You'd gone from ice cold to
burning up.
Choice: You scowled at her. "Embarrassing" was right. "Annoying" fit, too.
Choice: You frowned at her. Surprises like that really bothered you.
Choice: It was too much, you laughed! What on earth?
Choice: "What were you doing?"
Choice: "Morning, [tam.term]!"
Choice: "'Sup."
Choice: "Come on, [tam.term], it's not that embarrassing," you said
encouragingly.
Choice: "Sheesh, you are too cute, [tam.term]!"
Choice: "Um, hi?"
Choice: You simply waved.
Choice: "Wow. We've gotta stop meeting like this!" you joked.
Choice: "{i}Wow,{/i} I sure wasn't expecting to see you like this," you said
sarcastically.
Choice: "Did you find any good treasures down there?"
Player chose: "Did you find any good treasures down there?"
Choice: You could only stand there, speechless.

Choice: You could only stand there, speechless. You'd gone from ice cold to
burning up.
Choice: You scowled at her. "Embarrassing" was right. "Annoying" fit, too.
Choice: You frowned at her. Surprises like that really bothered you.
Choice: It was too much, you laughed! What on earth?
Choice: "What were you doing?"
Choice: "Morning, [tam.term]!"
Choice: "'Sup."
Choice: "Come on, [tam.term], it's not that embarrassing," you said
encouragingly.
Choice: "Sheesh, you are too cute, [tam.term]!"
Choice: "Um, hi?"
Choice: You simply waved.
Choice: "Wow. We've gotta stop meeting like this!" you joked.
Choice: "{i}Wow,{/i} I sure wasn't expecting to see you like this," you said
sarcastically.
Choice: "Did you find any good treasures down there?"
Player chose: "Sheesh, you are too cute, [tam.term]!"
Tamarack anxiously toyed with the end of her braid before letting her hand
fall back down.
Tamarack
You're just nice.
Mariya
No, it's true!
Reacting completely casually to her floundering could've gone two ways:

diffusing the awkwardness or making the dynamic going on there even weirder.
Tamarack anxiously toyed with the end of her braid before letting her hand
fall back down.
Weirder it was.
You gave her a friendly grin.
Of all the good things you got to enjoy living in Golden Grove, she was high
on the list.
Tamarack Baumann couldn't be described as anything other than "a good thing".
It went quiet then, for a second too long to be normal...
Tamarack
A frog.
Mariya
What?
Tamarack
There's a frog. Right here. Under the hedge.
Her arms remained glued to her torso, but she pointed a finger towards the
ground.
Tamarack
It's so close to a road, I wanted to make sure it wouldn't {i}die{/i} or
anything. A lot of frogs have declining populations.
Choice: "You're serious?! Let me see!"

Choice: "Um... can I see the frog?"
Choice: "Hm. A frog you say? I better check this out myself to make sure."
Choice: "Cool, I wanna look."
Choice: "Ew! Frogs are nasty."
Choice: "Declining populations? Tamarack, you just wanted to look at a frog!"
Choice: "Declining populations? Tamarack, you just wanted to look at a frog! I
wanna see it too."
Choice: "That's nice of you."
Choice: "Okay then."
Choice: You nodded in understanding. It made perfect sense.
Choice: You stepped closer, angling towards the spot she singled out.
Choice: You darted closer, zeroing in on the spot she singled out.
Choice: Your face puckered at the thought of a slimy beast being so nearby.
Choice: "Don't worry, I get it."
Choice: "Riiight, that's all there is to it. I get you." You winked.
Player chose: "Riiight, that's all there is to it. I get you." You winked.
A steady exhale left Tamarack's mouth. She grasped at regaining some kind of
composure.
The even breathing lasted just long enough for her to inhale one more time.
Then Tamarack twisted her torso and head in opposite directions to check her
back, switching between glancing over the left side and right in a cycle.
She had to double-check that she didn't get dirty.
Tamarack
Oh.
Realizing how the compulsion might've looked, Tamarack stopped to defend
herself to you. She hadn't needed to, though.
Tamarack
I wouldn't wanna show up to class with something stuck on me or a stain, you
know?
Choice: "Tamarack, you're perfect."

Choice: "You look amazing."
Choice: "There's nothing there, trust me."
Choice: "I know. It's fine."
Choice: "It kinda looks like you're dancing," you snickered.
Choice: You giggled at her impromptu jig.
Choice: You shot her a thumbs up.
Choice: Seeing her worried made you frown, but you gave an okay sign.
Player chose: "Tamarack, you're perfect."
Tamarack
Am I really?
Mariya
Yeah, I mean it.
Tamarack
Okay, thanks...
Then...
Choice: You threw yourself around her! You'd been waiting for your hello hug.
Choice: You lifted your arms for her to bring it in, pretending to want to get
it over with.
Choice: You raised your arms, gesturing for a casual hug.
Choice: You worked up the nerve to offer her a hug, reaching out your arms.
Choice: You held up your hand for a high five.
Choice: You lifted your palm for a low five.
Choice: You put out your fist for a bump.
Choice: You shifted the bag on your back, thinking of what to do now.
Player chose: You raised your arms, gesturing for a casual hug.
Tamarack
Oh. Of course.
As you leaned in, she did the same. Your outstretched arms threaded together
into a cozy knot.
Tamarack's hold was soft and sweet, just like her. She rocked you both back
and forth. That made you giggle.
When it was over, Tamarack was grinning wide.
Ever since Tamarack had those braces put on, she almost never smiled with her
teeth.
Tamarack's hold was soft and sweet, just like her. She rocked you both back
and forth. That made you giggle.
When it was over, Tamarack was grinning wide.
Ever since Tamarack had those braces put on, she almost never smiled with her
teeth.
You knew how self-conscious she was about them. But that rule went away when
it was safely just you and her.
Tamarack
Happy first day of school.
It was a thoughtful attempt. Tamarack didn't have the acting skills to sell
you on the idea that she believed what she was saying, but she knew you
actually believed that.
Choice: "Oh, what if we end up in the same classes? I hope so."

Choice: "I'm gonna die if we don't have any classes together!"
Choice: "Hey, don't forget, there's always good old extra-curriculars."
Choice: "It is a happy day, [tam.nickname]."
Choice: "Hey, at least there's "only one first day of school per year"," you
said, rolling your eyes.
Choice: "Well, no matter what, there's only one first day of school," you said
encouragingly.
Choice: "Are you a little glad to officially be one of the high schoolers
now?"
Choice: But all you could do was nod at her words.
Choice: But you didn't do anything in response to that.
Choice: But you only scratched the grass with the tip of your shoe.
Player chose: "Oh, what if we end up in the same classes? I hope so."
Tamarack
Me too!
You and Tamma, ever a pair.
Finally, she was seeing the potential you could. Tamarack perked up even more
when an idea of her own came to mind.
Tamarack
And we could sit together at lunch and share our stuff and pretend like we're
on a picnic. I'm {i}so{/i} glad there's only one break hour.
Mariya
Yeah, that'd be fun.
You'd wanted this to be a good time, not only for you but for Tamarack, too.
And now that seemed like a reality.
The two of you would hopefully make the most of this new year's start!
You couldn't help but pause there and acknowledge how wonderful it was that
Tamarack {b}was{/b} still there.
Living with her Omi and Opa was meant to be temporary, and it had already been
nearly half a decade.
Her parents did keep in touch, and they visited. Sometimes more, sometimes
less. That inconsistency meant there was never a sense of normalcy around
them, no matter how many months went by.
As soon as things were calm enough that you thought Tamarack was gonna be in
Golden Grove forever, her parents would become so re-involved it was like
they'd be packing her bags any day.
You lived with a thorn stuck in your chest. One that dug in deeper with each
passing season no matter what, and every so often got jabbed by the
unexpected.
Maybe that had something to do with why Tamarack came across like an outsider.
People were holding their breath around her, bracing for when it wouldn't be a
false alarm.
Maybe that had something to do with why Tamarack came across like an outsider.
People were holding their breath around her, bracing for when it wouldn't be a
false alarm.
For when she'd be gone.
And you knew for sure that Tamarack struggled with seeing her own presence in
that light. She'd told you about it.
How much longer would Tamarack Baumann be living right next door...?
No, you stopped that line of thinking right there.
You didn't want to get upset. You still had to go to class.
Tamarack
Did you wanna walk together?
The question shot out hastily. She went for it as if she was running off a
diving board before a fear of heights could set it.
Tamarack
I wanted to ask. That's what I was actually doing coming over, before
everything with the frog and us talking and all of that.
Choice: "Of course we're walking together!"

Choice: "Do you even have to ask?"
Choice: "I'd never go without you."
Choice: "Really? I was coming out here to look for you."
Choice: "Sure. I'd like that."
Choice: "Yep. That was the plan."
Choice: "Thank you for asking. I can do that."
Choice: "Uh, duh. I would've been pissed if you left without me," you laughed.
Choice: "Uh, duh. I would've been so mad if you left without me," you laughed.
Choice: You bashfully shifted from side to side, giving a small nod.
Choice: You jumped for joy.
Choice: You sighed in relief, holding up an okay sign.
Choice: You switched your hand into a solid thumbs up.
Choice: You shrugged in acceptance, turning your face away from her.
Choice: "Um, sorry..."
Choice: "Eh, maybe some other time."
Choice: "I... don't think I can. Sorry."
Choice: You slowly shook your head.
Choice: You couldn't meet her wondering gaze. You weren't gonna walk with her.
Player chose: "Of course we're walking together!"
Tamarack
Great!
Having you by her side was everything she needed to enter the lion's den that
was high school.
Except, Tamarack's gaze began to wander. Past you, past your house, and
towards the red building beyond it.
Tamarack
Are you inviting Qiu? They'd come if you were the one asking.
Tamarack
Qiu likes you.
Tamarack
And it'd be kind of like the old days. How crazy would it be if all three of
us went to school together again?
Tamarack
I can't even remember the last time we did.
Tamarack
But...
Her voice faded into nothing, whatever she wanted to express never coming
through.
Despite Tamarack's quieter demeanor, she didn't make it easy for you to get
away with things. That hadn't changed. She was more than willing to take the
lead, whether you were ready to follow or not.
When it came to her other neighbor, though, Tamarack flipped back and forth.
Sometimes she didn't even want to try vocalizing her thoughts around them;
other days she was extra stubborn in making her preferences perfectly known to
Qiu.
That morning, it seemed she was going with the "giving up before making an
attempt" strategy.
Choice: "Of course we've gotta invite them- it's still a tradition!"
Choice: "Alright."
Choice: "Yeah, I want them to come."
Choice: "Definitely! We couldn't {b}not{/b} invite Qiu."
Choice: "Are you sure? I'm not..."
Choice: "If {i}you're{/i} okay with them coming, I am too."
Choice: "{i}I guess{/i} I can deal with that punk for {i}one morning,{/i}" you
teased.
Choice: "Fine, it makes sense to do it today, but let's not make that a
habit."
Choice: "Don't look so nervous, just leave Qiu to me."
Choice: "[tam.nickname], that's exactly what I was thinking!"
Choice: "Nah, let's give them some space. They probably want to be alone."
Choice: "That's a nice idea, but Qiu's not gonna go slow enough to come with
us."
Choice: You glanced down uncomfortably.
Choice: With a big sigh, you shrugged. Qiu could come if Tamarack felt like
it.
Choice: You nodded swiftly. That'd be perfect.
Choice: You simply gave an okay sign.
Player chose: "Of course we've gotta invite them- it's still a tradition!"
Tamarack
Okay. Yeah. We're doing it.
Tamarack
But we better hurry. I don't want to be late.
Mariya
Yeah.
Qiu wasn't gonna be springing out from the foliage anytime soon, but you did
have an idea where they might be hiding...
You and Tamma cut through the grassy aisle between your house and the Lin's.
It was the shortest path to where you needed to be.
The full group had to be reunited before beginning the trip to school.
You easily broke into your friend's fenceless backyard. Qiu's old hideout
stood tall among the actual trees that backed it.
It was creakier than it used to be, and you were more likely to wind up with a
splinter by climbing on it, but the fort hadn't been abandoned.
Though, {i}something{/i} around had been discarded.
Laying carelessly in a pile of leaves underneath the tower, you could spot a
black and yellow gym bag. A bandana was tied in a knot around the strap.
And on the top level of the structure laid the bag's owner in as much of a
heap.
Qiu was holed away in the child's play place they could barely fit in. From
the knee down, their legs hung lifelessly out of the entry hole.
Their dark gray jeans and matching colored sneakers made it look as if a sheet
of dark rain was pouring over the edge.
So much for the "hide" part of Qiu's "hideout".
Choice: Some people still called them "Autumn". You didn't.

Choice: Some people still called them "Autumn", including you.
Choice: Some people still called them "Autumn", but you had a different
nickname for them.
Choice: Some people still called them "Autumn", including you. Though, you had
your own nickname for them, too.
Player chose: Some people still called them "Autumn", but you had a different
nickname for them.

nickname for them.
Player chose: Some people still called them "Autumn". You didn't.
Their name was all you needed at this point.
You and Tamarack shared a side-eyed glance. Then simultaneously you moved your
silent stares to the motionless lump once more.
Choice: "Morning."
Choice: "Oh [qiu.term], guess who?"
Choice: "Hey, [qiu.term]. It's [p.nickname] and Tamarack."
Choice: "We've come to get you!"
Choice: "[qiu.term!cl]. I know you know we're down here."
Choice: "Seriously, you had to have heard us coming," you groaned.
Choice: "Come on, time to leave," you said, clapping your hands.
Choice: "Wow, how nice to see you, even if it is only the lower third," you
joked.
Choice: "So you're just skipping school, then?" you teased.
Choice: "What's up, [qiu.term]?"
Choice: You stood there powerlessly. Qiu was ignoring you two on purpose.
Choice: You went straight to the tower and gave it a swift kick.
Choice: You approached the tower and tugged on the rope, poised to climb if
need be.
Choice: You got closer and knocked on the tower wall.
Player chose: You got closer and knocked on the tower wall.
It was the proper way to announce your arrival as a visitor.
Qiu
No one's home.
Tamarack settled her hands on her hips with a sigh. Rather than being
dissuaded, Qiu's own stubbornness was feeding into hers.
You didn't like seeing how they shut themselves away from everything...
Clearly, Qiu needed further convincing.
Choice: "We can see you."

Choice: "If no one is home, who said "no one's home", huh?"
Choice: "Alright, goooodbyyye," you said while you feigned leaving.
Choice: "Don't make me come up there, Qiu. I'll do it!"
Choice: "Can't you come down and talk to us? Please?"
Choice: "Qiu-liet, please come down from your balcony!"
Choice: "Forget it, [tam.term]. We can go without them." You winked.
Choice: You shook the fort.
Choice: You lifted yourself onto the first rung up the wall.
Choice: You chucked a pebble at them.
Choice: You stayed planted there. You could wait in Qiu's backyard forever.
Choice: But oh well. You shrugged and noisily walked away.
Player chose: You lifted yourself onto the first rung up the wall.
They wiggled their legs at you in a pitiful defense of their tower.


Player chose: You stayed planted there. You could wait in Qiu's backyard
forever.
The Lin's spacious backyard went silent. That did not mean Qiu regained their
peace. You remained right under their nose, and they knew it.
Then a long, low grumble drifted from the top of the tower. This wasn't gonna
go their way no matter what.
Qiu
{i}Alright,{/i} you win. And wow, what a {b}prize{/b} it is.


Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "Morning."
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "Oh [qiu.term], guess who?"
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "Hey, [qiu.term]. It's [p.nickname] and Tamarack."
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "We've come to get you!"
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "[qiu.term!cl]. I know you know we're down here."
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "Come on, time to leave," you said, clapping your hands.
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Player chose: "Wow, how nice to see you, even if it is only the lower third,"
you joked.
Tamarack
Hi. Good morning.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Qiu
No one's home.

Player chose: "Alright, goooodbyyye," you said while you feigned leaving.
You stamped extra loud on the fallen leaves to really sell it.
Qiu lifted their head, unable to resist a peek. Had you truly meant to go? No.
What they saw was you grinning at them over your shoulder.
They instantly cut off the energy they'd expended to raise their head, and it
dropped down with a dull thud.

Player chose: "If no one is home, who said "no one's home", huh?"
No reply. A snort escaped you.
Mariya
Oh, {b}now{/b} you're pretending nobody can answer.

Qiu
No one's home.

Qiu
No one's home.

Player chose: "If no one is home, who said "no one's home", huh?"
No reply. A snort escaped you.
Mariya
Oh, {b}now{/b} you're pretending nobody can answer.
Qiu
Their words carried annoyance and self-derision. To them, all of you were, in
fact, losers in this endeavor.
But Qiu was wrong. It was a wonderful victory to earn their company.
Except Qiu didn't {i}climb{/i} down like a normal person, no. And they didn't
jump either.
They just sort of... let their body slip forward inch by inch until gravity
took over and they plummeted out the door-less entryway.
Qiu's feet hit the ground first; there was no attempt to catch the weight of
their own body. Their knees bent, their torso curled, and they landed in a
ball.
A rim of white faux fur hid their downturned face. Their hood was up.
Notebook pages fluttered through the air. Qiu's method of descent had
carelessly dragged the papers down with them. They'd already been discarded
across the floor of the fort.
When each one came to rest on the ground around them, Qiu slowly unfurled. In
the same motion, they tugged the hood off. They stood with perfect poise,
simply to show they could.
Despite their usual flopping around, Qiu was still a trained dancer.
But you'd gotten your first clear look at their face the whole day.
Having that aloof expression directed your way was another positive you could
point to about the place you lived in.
Qiu was your favorite person.
They lifted their hands vaguely towards the sky, closing their eyes.
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Choice: "Hello, and I think you misplaced some papers."
Choice: "Thanks, Qiu." You meant it.
Choice: "Took you long enough!"
Choice: You pointed straight at the papers on the grass.
Choice: {i}"Greeaat."{/i} You were being sarcastic, clearly.
Choice: "I'm glad. I missed you."
Choice: "Thank you for gracing us with your presence," you joked.
Choice: "You are {i}so{/i} dramatic."
Choice: "Already dropping papers, huh?"
Choice: "You are aware that's adorable, right?"
Choice: You applauded their grand arrival.
Choice: You rolled your eyes. Qiu could be so obnoxious.
Choice: "Uh, I think you lost something."
Choice: You waved at them.
Choice: Your gaze drifted to the papers around Qiu's feet.
Choice: Yeah, there they were...
Player chose: "I'm glad. I missed you."
In a tone crisper than the breeze, Qiu responded.
Qiu
We see each other every day, Mariya.
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."

Qiu
There was a brightness sparkling through their dark irises.
Choice: You stretched your arms nice and big for a "hello" hug.
Choice: You held up an arm, showing you were open to a hug.
Choice: You swallowed, then lifted your hands, vaguely gesturing for a hug.
Choice: You gave their shoulder a pat.
Choice: You gave them a playful smack on the arm.
Choice: You gave them a friendly shove.
Choice: You shot finger guns their way.
Choice: You motioned for a high-five.
Choice: You folded your arms casually.
Choice: You turned your face away.
Player chose: You gave their shoulder a pat.
Player chose: You stretched your arms nice and big for a "hello" hug.
Qiu clocked your offer and smiled, wide and leisurely.
{i}Slowly,{/i} they lifted onto their tiptoes and {i}gradually{/i} they began
to lean forward.
Oh no.
Then Qiu promptly toppled over into your awaiting embrace.
Mariya
Oof-
You caught the full weight of the ragdoll suddenly in your care, gripping
tight around their narrow frame.
Qiu's arms dangled idly instead of hugging back. Having their entire body
pressing into you was more than enough to bring them in close.
They rested their chest and cheek against your shoulder.
It was tough to handle. Qiu really didn't make things easy on you.
Soon, Qiu shrugged themselves off, the same way they might've done with their
oversized jacket. Except you'd been the one wearing them.
Tamarack
Um...
Tamarack chimed in with a strained noise. The poor girl had wound up a bit of
a third wheel in the wake of your and Qiu's antics.
Tamarack
Mariya and I are going to school together. You can come too if you go now.
While she might've begun uneasily, Tamarack found her footing by the end.
There was no doubt in her mind Qiu would accept; she could even give an
ultimatum.
Though, considering what happened a second ago, she had a solid base of
evidence for her theory.
For a moment, Qiu's gaze darted to you. Then they fixed a typical blank stare
towards Tamarack's rare bold one.
Leaning their weight onto one foot, they popped a hip out to the side.
Qiu
It's not like I would've said "no".
Finally.
It was done. Tamarack could breathe a subtle sigh of relief.
She'd acted tough because you were there; having someone she trusted on her
side was a confidence-booster.
But Qiu was autumn air: frosty and untouchable. You had to brace yourself for
it- or build up a tolerance.
And Tamarack was far more sensitive to the cold than she had been as a kid.
So, that was the status quo of things on Acorn Rd., Oregon, USA: distance,
uncertainty, and tension.
Tamarack Baumann and Qiu Lin were the same age, they went to the same school,
they lived on the same street, and they had the same favorite season- fall.
But they had different personalities, different interests, different

priorities, and different social circles.
Well, besides you.
An unspoken shift happened between them as Qiu and Tamarack changed

themselves. It was something only felt, only silently acknowledged in your own
mind.
Qiu and Tamarack weren't friends.
It'd been years since either of them called the other that, and the only time
they attempted to spend time together were odd occasions, like the first day
of school for example.
You couldn't pretend it wasn't true, regardless of if it hadn't been said

right to your face. The cul-de-sac kids, the first friend group you'd ever
made in Golden Grove, had broken up...
It was weird, for sure. The way their entire friendship disappeared, and
nobody even talked about it.

But life just kept going all the time. There never was a specific moment when
it made sense to say "Hey, I noticed you're not buddies with our other
neighbor anymore.".
Especially because you knew both of them well enough to understand why it was
the way it was.
Maybe one day you'd talk about the bond they used to have.
And even if you didn't, they could never be strangers. All of you were always
neighbors.
If worse came to worse, they'd be there for one another.
And for you, too.
Without another word, Qiu trudged around the support beams of the fort to
fetch their stuff.
They didn't so much as glance at the papers their movement kicked about, much
less pause to pick them up.
A familiar smell of earth tickled your nose when Qiu dug their gym bag out
from a pile of leaves. The scent of forest expeditions, treasure hunting, hide
and seek...
Nothing related to today's plans. Qiu simply slung the pack across their back
then returned to the front.
And again, the pages were ignored.
As a kid, Qiu earnestly never noticed when they'd lost something. As a

teenager that had become a selective ignorance.
That quirk was one more point of friction between the former friends. Gripping
the strap of her bag, Tamarack took on the thankless task of pointing it out.
Qiu had already done the unusual by agreeing to walk with her to school; maybe
she thought she'd have more luck today.
Tamarack
Qiu? The papers.
Qiu
Mhm. I dropped them. You've seen it before; you'll see it again.
Tamarack
{i}Yeah,{/i} but... it looks like a lot is written on those ones. What if
there's important reminders? You should keep them.
Qiu passed her by, physically dismissing her words.
Qiu
If the papers reminding me of something go away, then me remembering it wasn't
meant to be. I release myself from the burden of fighting against fate.
Qiu
Be free my children.
They added while flipping backwards to flutter their fingers in front of

Tamarack's face. She turned her cheek to them with a serious side-eye.
Tamarack
More like {i}"be litter".{/i}
Tamarack hissed. That was the last of the one-sided conversation. She wouldn't
try to reason with that logic. It seemed painfully pointless.
It seemed that way probably because it was.
Qiu wasn't gonna be moved by any argument Tamarack made. You knew it, she knew
it, Qiu knew it. They'd concluded months ago that they'd spent enough of their
life gathering lost pages already.
Choice: "I've got it."

Choice: "Don't worry about it. I can get them."
Choice: "Fine. I will pick them because I {b}care{/b} about keeping the forest
clean."
Choice: "You're way too irresponsible."
Choice: "Well, you tried."
Choice: "Please don't be mad at each other. I can get the papers."
Choice: "Be free!"
Choice: "Forget it, [tam.term]."
Choice: Sighing, you went to get the papers. You were getting real tired of
this...
Choice: "Alright, I'll go throw away that {i}garbage,{/i}" you teased.
Choice: It was fine. You'd get them.
Choice: You went to grab Qiu's notes. It was something you were happy to do
for them.
Choice: "Then they're mine now!" You went to snatch up the notes.
Choice: But that was something they could leave to you.
Choice: You grumbled under your breath as you picked up Qiu's trash.
Choice: You loudly repeated how much Qiu sucked while you got their dumb
papers.
Choice: You just let it be.
Choice: Shyly, you gathered the pages. What else could you do?
Player chose: But that was something they could leave to you.
And so, you went to the base of the fort.
Carefully, you plucked up each and every page. Not one got a wrinkle.
Naturally, in times like those, you thought back to your first meeting with
Qiu. You'd helped them pick up pages then, too.
Only then Qiu insisted they "never lose things". Yeah. They'd given up trying
to sell that one.
You stood, turned, and stalled.
Qiu's face was pointed away, looking towards their house. They had their right
hand on their hip, and the left was lifted. Their palm was open and waiting
for you to return their papers into it.
You hadn't even said anything yet.
Mariya
Screw you.
Now you had.
In a big, showy motion that flipped the ends of their hair, Qiu swept their
face towards you. They were smiling- extremely smugly.
However, it couldn't qualify as a true smirk. There was too much earnest
delight behind it.
Rather than carelessness, it spoke to the level of trust. You were willing to
go out of your way for Qiu, and they were willing to accept that.
It was something you'd come to understand about Qiu's life- how much of a
difference it made not to be bogged down by reminders you couldn't properly
keep a hold on.
What could seem like a minor inconvenience to an outsider was a constant

struggle for them.
It was why you never had and never would stop helping out, no matter how many
times you had to.
Qiu took the stack from your hands.
Qiu
Thanks, Mari.
{i}Now{/i} it was done.
Qiu
Let's get out of here.
Qiu was not getting their bike, then.
But they never did like pushing the bike around or even going at a leisurely
pace. It wasn't worth it to them with you and Tamarack walking.
Then...
Choice: You took [tam.nickname]'s hand in yours.

Choice: You silently offered a hand for [tam.nickname] to take.
Choice: You latched onto [tam.nickname]'s sleeve.
Choice: You scooched over to be right next to [tam.nickname].
Choice: You kept a good amount of space between you and Tamarack.
Choice: You put space between you and Tamarack, not wanting her to question
how closely you stuck to her.
Choice: You took hold of [qiu.nickname]'s hand.
Choice: You quietly held your hand out to [qiu.nickname].
Choice: You grabbed [qiu.nickname]'s extra-long sleeve.
Choice: You settled in right by [qiu.nickname]'s side.
Choice: You put distance between you and Qiu.
Choice: You took [tam.nickname]'s and [qiu.nickname]'s hands in yours.
Choice: You quietly offered your hands to [qiu.nickname] and [tam.nickname].
Choice: You latched onto [tam.nickname]'s and [qiu.nickname]'s sleeves.
Choice: You situated yourself perfectly in the center between [qiu.nickname]
and [tam.nickname].
Choice: You kept a good amount of space between you and them.
Choice: You were ready.
Player chose: You were ready.
It was then that together, you left the old neighborhood behind. Your first
day as a high schooler was waiting on the horizon...
--- Thu Dec 28 21:48:10 2023
Qiu
Finally.

Well, besides you.

mind.

neighbor anymore.".
the way it was.
neighbors.
And for you, too.
fetch their stuff.
and seek...

Tamarack
Qiu? The papers.
Qiu
Tamarack
Qiu
Qiu

Tamarack

clean."
Choice: "Be free!"
this...
for them.
papers.
to sell that one.
Mariya
Screw you.
Now you had.
delight behind it.
keep a hold on.

struggle for them.
times you had to.
Qiu
Thanks, Mari.
Qiu
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You took [tam.nickname]'s and [qiu.nickname]'s hands in yours.
Tamarack
Huh?

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You silently offered a hand for [tam.nickname] to take.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You took hold of [qiu.nickname]'s hand.

and [tam.nickname].
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You latched onto [tam.nickname]'s sleeve.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You grabbed [qiu.nickname]'s extra-long sleeve.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You kept a good amount of space between you and Tamarack.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You put space between you and Tamarack, not wanting her to
question how closely you stuck to her.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You took [tam.nickname]'s and [qiu.nickname]'s hands in yours.
Tamarack
Huh?
Qiu
Huh?
It was a bold choice, that was for sure. The shock and awe on their faces made
it perfectly clear.
Tamarack's warmth managed to come through even in the freezing weather. Qiu's
palm was icy; they must have been out in the cold for a long time.
Tamarack's smile strained. Qiu squeezed their eyes shut.
A kind of friction came from the way you tied the whole trio together.
Possibly in more ways than one.
But you weren't willing to go forward differently. Both of them were

important.
And it wasn't only because of your own feelings. You couldn't believe Qiu and
Tamarack hated one another, or even that they wanted things to be as uneasy in
the cul-de-sac as they were.
If one of you could help bring together the others, it was up to that person
to do it.
You held tight to Tamarack's snug hand and Qiu's chilly one.
Tamarack
Huh?

and [tam.nickname].
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You silently offered a hand for [tam.nickname] to take.
Tamarack
Oh-
What other way would you go to school together?
Tamarack was a demure girl, about some stuff anyway, and initially she kept
her arms down.
You didn't flinch. Her face went red over such boldness. But she eventually
slipped her hand into yours.

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You took hold of [qiu.nickname]'s hand.
Qiu was pretty sullen a lot of the time and didn't like to put in effort
basically all of the time; it was up to you to bridge the gap. So, you'd do
it!
it!
And you knew they were good with that as well, since one thing Qiu never put
up with was unwanted attention. They let you hold on with no explanations
needed.
Qiu weakly curled their fingers around yours then.
it!
And you knew they were good with that as well, since one thing Qiu never put
up with was unwanted attention. They let you hold on with no explanations
needed.
Qiu weakly curled their fingers around yours then.
Their hand was freezing. They must've been in their fort - in the cold - for a
long time before you'd gotten there.
Tamarack wrapped her hands behind her back. She looked to the sky as if she
might become one with it and disappear. She didn't wanna get in the way of
your {i}moment.{/i}
Qiu was unapologetic, or really, they went beyond that. They actively held you
tighter. The spiteful chill was palpable.

and [tam.nickname].
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You latched onto [tam.nickname]'s and [qiu.nickname]'s sleeves.
Tamarack
Huh?

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You situated yourself perfectly in the center between

[qiu.nickname] and [tam.nickname].
There. Everything was as it should be, with both your neighbors by your sides.
Well. Maybe it wasn't exactly perfect. A kind of friction came from the way
you fitted yourself in the middle of things. Possibly in more ways than one.
But you weren't willing to go forward differently. Both of them were

important.
--- Thu Dec 28 21:52:42 2023
--- Thu Dec 28 22:05:21 2023
Choice: "Of course we're walking together!"

Choice: "Do you even have to ask?"
Choice: "I'd never go without you."
Choice: "Really? I was coming out here to look for you."
Choice: "Sure. I'd like that."
Choice: "Yep. That was the plan."
Choice: "Thank you for asking. I can do that."
Choice: "Uh, duh. I would've been pissed if you left without me," you laughed.
Choice: "Uh, duh. I would've been so mad if you left without me," you laughed.
Choice: You bashfully shifted from side to side, giving a small nod.
Choice: You jumped for joy.
Choice: You sighed in relief, holding up an okay sign.
Choice: You switched your hand into a solid thumbs up.
Choice: You shrugged in acceptance, turning your face away from her.
Choice: "Um, sorry..."
Choice: "Eh, maybe some other time."
Choice: "I... don't think I can. Sorry."
Choice: You slowly shook your head.
Choice: You couldn't meet her wondering gaze. You weren't gonna walk with her.
Player chose: "Of course we're walking together!"
Tamarack
Great!
Having you by her side was everything she needed to enter the lion's den that
was high school.
Except, Tamarack's gaze began to wander. Past you, past your house, and
towards the red building beyond it.
Tamarack
Are you inviting Qiu? They'd come if you were the one asking.
Tamarack
Qiu likes you.
Tamarack
And it'd be kind of like the old days. How crazy would it be if all three of
us went to school together again?
Tamarack
I can't even remember the last time we did.
Tamarack
But...
Her voice faded into nothing, whatever she wanted to express never coming
through.
Despite Tamarack's quieter demeanor, she didn't make it easy for you to get
away with things. That hadn't changed. She was more than willing to take the
lead, whether you were ready to follow or not.
When it came to her other neighbor, though, Tamarack flipped back and forth.
Sometimes she didn't even want to try vocalizing her thoughts around them;
other days she was extra stubborn in making her preferences perfectly known to
Qiu.
That morning, it seemed she was going with the "giving up before making an
attempt" strategy.
Choice: "Of course we've gotta invite them- it's still a tradition!"
Choice: "Alright."
Choice: "Yeah, I want them to come."
Choice: "Definitely! We couldn't {b}not{/b} invite Qiu."
Choice: "Are you sure? I'm not..."
Choice: "If {i}you're{/i} okay with them coming, I am too."
Choice: "{i}I guess{/i} I can deal with that punk for {i}one morning,{/i}" you
teased.
Choice: "Fine, it makes sense to do it today, but let's not make that a
habit."
Choice: "Don't look so nervous, just leave Qiu to me."
Choice: "[tam.nickname], that's exactly what I was thinking!"
Choice: "Nah, let's give them some space. They probably want to be alone."
Choice: "That's a nice idea, but Qiu's not gonna go slow enough to come with
us."
Choice: You glanced down uncomfortably.
Choice: With a big sigh, you shrugged. Qiu could come if Tamarack felt like
it.
Choice: You nodded swiftly. That'd be perfect.
Choice: You simply gave an okay sign.
Player chose: "Of course we've gotta invite them- it's still a tradition!"
Tamarack
Okay. Yeah. We're doing it.
Tamarack
But we better hurry. I don't want to be late.
Mariya
Yeah.
Qiu wasn't gonna be springing out from the foliage anytime soon, but you did
have an idea where they might be hiding...
You and Tamma cut through the grassy aisle between your house and the Lin's.
It was the shortest path to where you needed to be.
The full group had to be reunited before beginning the trip to school.
You easily broke into your friend's fenceless backyard. Qiu's old hideout
stood tall among the actual trees that backed it.
It was creakier than it used to be, and you were more likely to wind up with a
splinter by climbing on it, but the fort hadn't been abandoned.
Though, {i}something{/i} around had been discarded.
Laying carelessly in a pile of leaves underneath the tower, you could spot a
black and yellow gym bag. A bandana was tied in a knot around the strap.
And on the top level of the structure laid the bag's owner in as much of a
heap.
Qiu was holed away in the child's play place they could barely fit in. From
the knee down, their legs hung lifelessly out of the entry hole.
Their dark gray jeans and matching colored sneakers made it look as if a sheet
of dark rain was pouring over the edge.
So much for the "hide" part of Qiu's "hideout".

nickname for them.
Player chose: Some people still called them "Autumn". You didn't.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.

Qiu
No one's home.


You stamped extra loud on the fallen leaves to really sell it.
Qiu lifted their head, unable to resist a peek. Had you truly meant to go? No.
What they saw was you grinning at them over your shoulder.
They instantly cut off the energy they'd expended to raise their head, and it
dropped down with a dull thud.
Qiu

Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Choice: "Morning."
joked.
need be.
Qiu
No one's home.

Player chose: "Qiu-liet, please come down from your balcony!"
Qiu's face lifted, and they were unable to stop themselves from laughing.

Player chose: "Qiu-liet, please come down from your balcony!"
But they instantly cut off the energy they'd expended to raise their head and
it dropped down with a dull thud.
Qiu
Their words carried annoyance and self-derision. To them, all of you were, in
fact, losers in this endeavor.
But Qiu was wrong. It was a wonderful victory to earn their company.
Except Qiu didn't {i}climb{/i} down like a normal person, no. And they didn't
jump either.
They just sort of... let their body slip forward inch by inch until gravity
took over and they plummeted out the door-less entryway.
Qiu's feet hit the ground first; there was no attempt to catch the weight of
their own body. Their knees bent, their torso curled, and they landed in a
ball.
A rim of white faux fur hid their downturned face. Their hood was up.
Notebook pages fluttered through the air. Qiu's method of descent had
carelessly dragged the papers down with them. They'd already been discarded
across the floor of the fort.
When each one came to rest on the ground around them, Qiu slowly unfurled. In
the same motion, they tugged the hood off. They stood with perfect poise,
simply to show they could.
Despite their usual flopping around, Qiu was still a trained dancer.
But you'd gotten your first clear look at their face the whole day.
Qiu was your favorite person.
They lifted their hands vaguely towards the sky, closing their eyes.
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Already dropping papers, huh?"
Qiu
Mhm.
Qiu dropped their hands to their sides again. Their mouth remained in a
neutral line; the absolute lowest effort expression possible.
to lean forward.
Oh no.
Mariya
Oof-
Tamarack
Um...
Tamarack
ultimatum.
Qiu
Finally.

Well, besides you.

mind.
neighbor anymore.".
the way it was.
neighbors.
And for you, too.
fetch their stuff.
and seek...

Tamarack
Qiu? The papers.
Qiu
Tamarack

Qiu
Qiu

Tamarack

clean."
Choice: "Be free!"
this...
for them.
papers.
Player chose: "Don't worry about it. I can get them."
Slowly and with your back completely turned to Qiu and Tamarack, you took each
page into your hands.
to sell that one.
Choice: The pages were returned to their owner.

Choice: You stuck the pages into your own bag. Qiu didn't want them.
Choice: You stuck the pages into your own bag. Finders keepers.
Player chose: The pages were returned to their owner.
Mariya
Screw you.
Now you had.
delight behind it.
keep a hold on.

struggle for them.
Choice: The pages were returned to their owner.

Choice: You stuck the pages into your own bag. Qiu didn't want them.
Choice: You stuck the pages into your own bag. Finders keepers.

clean."
Choice: "Be free!"
this...
for them.
papers.
And for you, too.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Thanks, Qiu." You meant it.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Hi."
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Took you long enough!"
In a tone drier than the leaves they crunched under their heels, Qiu
responded.
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Thank you for gracing us with your presence," you joked.
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Player chose: "Thank you for gracing us with your presence," you joked.
Qiu
You're welcome. That's why you bothered coming.
Qiu dropped their hands to their sides again. They were only willing to put in
the energy to quirk their lips into a faint smirk.
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
I am here.
Choice: "Hi."
Qiu
to lean forward.
Oh no.
Mariya
Oof-
Tamarack
Um...
Tamarack
ultimatum.
Qiu
Finally.

Well, besides you.

mind.

neighbor anymore.".
the way it was.
neighbors.
And for you, too.
fetch their stuff.
and seek...

Tamarack
Qiu? The papers.
Qiu
Tamarack
Qiu
Qiu
Tamarack

clean."
Choice: "Be free!"
this...
for them.
papers.
to sell that one.
Mariya
Screw you.
Mariya
Screw you.
Now you had.
delight behind it.
keep a hold on.

struggle for them.
times you had to.
Qiu
Thanks, Mari.
Qiu
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You settled in right by [qiu.nickname]'s side.

and [tam.nickname].

and [tam.nickname].
It'd be mortifying if she thought you were clingy or desperate.
Or even worse, if she started to wonder if you had a crush on her!

and [tam.nickname].
Then...

and [tam.nickname].
Player chose: You kept a good amount of space between you and them.
It was the easiest and most comfortable way to go.
As with their missing papers, Qiu elected not to notice. Tamarack smiled shyly
but let the distance stand.
--- Thu Dec 28 22:12:29 2023
--- Thu Dec 28 22:12:36 2023
But so what? If Qiu didn't want to go above and beyond to be friends with
everyone in the world, that didn't make them a bad person.
You'd done the same in return. Autumn knew that they could rely on you. The
small circle of Qiu's fond familiarity encompassed you completely.
Now second, the childhood best friend, Ms. Tamarack Baumann. She had become a
young lady.
Her reckless romps through the woods shifted into quiet nature walks. The neat
clothes she carefully selected weren't suited for that kind of exploring
anyway.
And she was not okay with them getting full of holes like she was as a kid.
She approached most things in life with great delicacy, like she was living in
a world of glass. Or less whimsically, as if she was always walking on
eggshells.
Tamarack joined the music program during middle school and had played the
cello ever since. A feat that required plenty of patience, and a ton of
sitting around.
But all those new opinions, priorities, and decisions didn't speak to any
level of decisiveness on her part.
It wasn't just the loss of pure wild abandon only someone too young to know
better could have; Tamarack didn't have a shred of the certainty she used to.
Some days in some ways she could come across more like her almost seventy-
year-old grandparents than a girl not even a quarter their age.
Then other moments she'd lean into typical teenage priorities more than anyone
else in her class.
And neither seemed to make her particularly confident.
What bits and pieces were truly "Tamarack"? Maybe all of them. Maybe none. She
hadn't managed to convince most people that there was a clear picture they
could accept and understand as "her".
Probably because she didn't understand herself either. Or she couldn't bring
herself to commit to what she did know.
So, four years on and she'd yet to blend into the harmony of this close-knit
community.
But there were some truths that no one doubted: she could count on you, and
you could do the same with her!
You didn't care what the town thought, Tamarack was the greatest friend you'd
had in your entire life.
She wasn't some nobody. Tamarack was... she was special. She'd always been
special. Especially to you.
She was the little girl who threw a paper airplane at you the first time she
ever caught sight of you. Tamarack and you went through being newcomers side
by side.
No matter how much time passed, no matter how much the two of you grew up, the
promise you made to always remain close would not be broken.
Together, you'd make it through whatever future unknowns you might face.
And...
Choice: That was the whole story! Tamarack was your best buddy.
yourself!
yourself!
That's why she was so {i}"special".{/i} You were over the moon for the gal.
Choice: You weren't one-hundred-percent sure what she thought about you,
though.
Choice: And you were convinced Tamarack liked you back.
Player chose: And you were convinced Tamarack liked you back.
Neither of you might have admitted it directly, but there was no way she
didn't feel the same.
Choice: What made the differences with your friends even more noticeable was
the fact that you hadn't changed one bit.
Choice: The differences with your friends were easier to grasp, considering
how you'd changed too.

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Our Life NF

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--- Sat Dec 23 23:39:56 2023

It looked like fall in Golden Grove.

It wasn't as bright either, as though it had gotten tired of sparkling by this

It {i}had{/i} been a picture book to you until this day.

Now, in that moment, you couldn't imagine being there forever...

Choice: It seemed okay to you.

Player chose: This would really be something, you thought.

Nothing was gonna be boring anymore.

You'd have so much fun together.

You wasted no time catching up in order to reunite with her.

Then you hopped up the tiny stairs to join your ma.

Choice: "I've seen worse junk."

Player chose: "It's beautiful!"

You hoped it wouldn't be a mistake; you didn't want your ma to be sad.

Choice: You perked right up at the suggestion.

Player chose: You perked right up at the suggestion.

Choice: "Yes, [opal.name!cl]."

Player chose: "Yes, [opal.name!cl]."

You'd be in the highest grade of the place.

Choice: Huh. You wondered what that was.

Player chose: Huh. You wondered what that was.

It was kind of weird.

Whoever sent this to you had to have gone that way...

It was true, the paper airplane had a message. Well, maybe.

You read over each tiny part from top to bottom.

And then in the bottom corner was...

Choice: This was too weird for you.

Player chose: This was a mystery worth solving!

Maybe the words were a code you had to break.

Choice: You had to tell your [opal.term!l] right now.

Player chose: You were going to get to the bottom of this.

Choice: Yes, I want to update my terms.

Player chose: Yes, I want to update my terms.

That was okay; you had other options.

Choice: You knew exactly which one you wanted.

Choice: You went down the walking path on the left.

And your quest continued.

Choice: You just stood there, looking.

Choice: Who were they? That's all you could wonder.

Oh. They {i}were{/i} in charge here.

Choice: "I'm [p.name]."

Player chose: "I'm looking for something."

Choice: "It's a secret."

Player chose: "I don't know."

They were confident and knew how to show it.

Choice: "Why would you do that?"

Player chose: "That was so cool!"

Choice: "My name's [p.name]."

Player chose: "I'm [p.Mx] [p.name] [p.last_name]."

Choice: "Oh, but people should call me [p.nickname]. Only my [opal.term!l]

Player chose: "Oh, but my friends sometimes call me [p.nickname]."

Choice: "I'm ten."

Player chose: "I'm ten."

Choice: "Yeah! This is great!"

Player chose: "Yeah! This is great!"

More ten-year-olds were better than less.

Choice: "That's right! I'm gonna steal all your stuff."

Player chose: "I'm a sorcerer and a thief!"

Just as you thought, when he removed his hand, he was grabbing on to

It was the paper from the airplane!

Choice: "You lost it, Qiu."

He said it absentmindedly, still not paying attention to the papers cluttered

Player chose: "Um, I think you might want to look down."