Disclaimer : All characters in this story are pre-made sims in Sunset Valley, Sims 3. None of the custom content featured here are my creations. Thank you.
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I am one of those few people who love Monday mornings. Yes, I seriously love school. And no, I'm not a nerd. I'm a somewhat quiet addition to the 'in-crowd', but the nerds don't hate me either. In fact, I wish I am a nerd. With college looming up in the next year, my mother isn't too pleased with my average B.
School is much much more pleasanter than being stuck at home with only Yumi for company. Not to mention the occassional nightmares I get after reading James Hadley Chase. My favourite is of the Landgraabs murdering me.
So, I love Mondays.
But, not this Monday.
And it was all because I was supposed to be prepared for the dress rehearsal Mother's first ever campaign fundraiser.
The issue was that I hadn't practiced the 'small talks' I was supposed to have with the guests! Mother had set aside one hour every other day to coach me the last week and I was supposed to be perfectly prepared today.
I had been forewarned, but somehow the allure of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was greater than Mother's word of reproach.And, I reasoned, the campaign fundraiser was a good three weeks away.
At that moment, I thoroughly regretted the slack. The only option was to cut class, something I might as well manage to pull it off.
But, not this Monday.
And it was all because I was supposed to be prepared for the dress rehearsal Mother's first ever campaign fundraiser.
The issue was that I hadn't practiced the 'small talks' I was supposed to have with the guests! Mother had set aside one hour every other day to coach me the last week and I was supposed to be perfectly prepared today.
I had been forewarned, but somehow the allure of The Girl with the Dragon Tatoo was greater than Mother's word of reproach.And, I reasoned, the campaign fundraiser was a good three weeks away.
At that moment, I thoroughly regretted the slack. The only option was to cut class, something I might as well manage to pull it off.
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It was seven when I dressed and went to the kitchen. Mom had already left for work and Dad was busy devouring a hearty meal of bacon and eggs while reading the newspaper.
"What would you like, Miss Holly?" Yumi asked me. As per Mother's policy we didn't have a whole host of maids like the Landgraabs. Just Yumi, our housekeeper and a regular maid.
"Just some waffles, no eggs please.' I said, sitting down opposite Dad. "Good morning Dad!"
"You and your vegetarianism. Trying to save the planet by not eating half a chicken." he said gruffly.
I merely nodded. Arguing, or even talking to Dad, was pointless.
He was unperturbed by my silence. "Damn you are such a goody-shoes, Holly." He laughed heartily. "I'm surprised you are my daughter."
It was something I myself was surprised at. I had light brown hair and fair colouring, while both Dad and Mother took after their Italian forefathers. As a child, I had wondered whether I had been adopted till i had met my Aunt Isabella. She had looked just like me. She was a nun because, in Mother's words, no man wanted to marry her.
There were times I wondered whether I'd run away to a nunnery too. Romantic images of the beautiful Italian countryside conjured up in my mind.
Dad interrupted my pleasant reverie.
"Montgomery is falling behind in the polls." He said looking extremely pleased. "I always told your mother there was nothing to be worried about, but she just wouldn't listen."
I agreed with Dad. Mrs.Montgomery had been the school Vice Principal while I was a fresher. She had been a nice soul, and very popular. But I doubted she knew much about politics.
"You lost a good teacher." Dad continued. "Just because Nancy Landgraab couldn't bear your mother becoming mayor."
I personally thought she disliked the idea of Dad being the mayor's husband more than the idea of Mother becoming mayor. She had been extremely annoyed when Dad had been elected joint Vice President at Do Peas Tower.
"And that remind me," Dad finished off. "Your mother specifically asked me to remind you to be home sharp at three thirty. She needs to make sure you are ready for the fundraiser."
It was seven when I dressed and went to the kitchen. Mom had already left for work and Dad was busy devouring a hearty meal of bacon and eggs while reading the newspaper.
"What would you like, Miss Holly?" Yumi asked me. As per Mother's policy we didn't have a whole host of maids like the Landgraabs. Just Yumi, our housekeeper and a regular maid.
"Just some waffles, no eggs please.' I said, sitting down opposite Dad. "Good morning Dad!"
"You and your vegetarianism. Trying to save the planet by not eating half a chicken." he said gruffly.
I merely nodded. Arguing, or even talking to Dad, was pointless.
He was unperturbed by my silence. "Damn you are such a goody-shoes, Holly." He laughed heartily. "I'm surprised you are my daughter."
It was something I myself was surprised at. I had light brown hair and fair colouring, while both Dad and Mother took after their Italian forefathers. As a child, I had wondered whether I had been adopted till i had met my Aunt Isabella. She had looked just like me. She was a nun because, in Mother's words, no man wanted to marry her.
There were times I wondered whether I'd run away to a nunnery too. Romantic images of the beautiful Italian countryside conjured up in my mind.
Dad interrupted my pleasant reverie.
"Montgomery is falling behind in the polls." He said looking extremely pleased. "I always told your mother there was nothing to be worried about, but she just wouldn't listen."
I agreed with Dad. Mrs.Montgomery had been the school Vice Principal while I was a fresher. She had been a nice soul, and very popular. But I doubted she knew much about politics.
"You lost a good teacher." Dad continued. "Just because Nancy Landgraab couldn't bear your mother becoming mayor."
I personally thought she disliked the idea of Dad being the mayor's husband more than the idea of Mother becoming mayor. She had been extremely annoyed when Dad had been elected joint Vice President at Do Peas Tower.
"And that remind me," Dad finished off. "Your mother specifically asked me to remind you to be home sharp at three thirty. She needs to make sure you are ready for the fundraiser."
"Its a good three weeks away." I groaned. Dad was much more easy going than Mother.
Dad didn't smile. "It may be, but that doesn't give you an excuse to slack off." His voice had a dangerous edge. "And with your low grades, impressing the guests may be your only way to get into Snugglesworth College."
I wished I hadn't complained. It would be pointless, of course, mentioning that a B average wasn't that so low.
"And believe me," Dad's voice was gentler. "Your mother and I want you to definitely make it into Snugglesworth. If Nancy Langraab was good enough, then our daughter definitely is."
It was one of those moments that I both loved and hated him at once.
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Whatever my future aspirations of following Aunt Isabella's footsteps were, it did not stop me from skipping Religious Studies to practice my 'small-talk'. I found a cosy spot in the school library and started reading the scripts I had outlined.
A sudden sob broke my peace. I looked around.
The girl was a slim junior with short dark hair and huge eyes. I knew she hadd some classes with me, but for the most part was invisible. She was seated all alone and sobbing in short, uncontrolled bursts.
I hesistated and then walked over.
"Hi," I said. "Anything the matter?"
She looked up horriffied and quickly shook me off. "No no I'm fine." she said, but tears welled in her eyes again. I saw the painting in her hands. It was a blurr of colour as if someone had intentionally ruined it.
"Who did this?" I asked.
"Nobody." she said and began to sob again.
I patted her back. She was quite pretty in her floral print dress and I could say she was not too badly off.
"I think we do some classes together, but I'm sorry I can't remember your name."
"River McIrish."
That reset my memory, alright. I knew Fiona McIrish. She had blasted Mother on last week's Herald.
"I'm Holly" I said, wondering if by any minor chance she would not remember me.
"I know." she said with sudden hostility.
I visibly flinched. I hated how people changed when they figured out who I was. At times it was downright hostility, at other times it was a sickening fawning. I hated both equally.
"What classes do you have now?" I asked.
"We are having our weekend work opportunity placement interviews. I don't need one because I already work part time" she replied sullenly.
"So where do you work?" I asked.
"In the supermarket."
"That is so cool and interesting." I said. "I'm taking on my work opportunity at Do Peas Towers."
I regretted saying it immediately. Work opportunities at Do Peas were rare and I suspected my surname had much more to do it with than my modest grades. I just hoped Fiona McIrish wouldn't pounce on it.
"So how many hours do you work a week?" I asked. Do Peas was notorious for giving their interns a tough time with full day on Saturday and half of Sunday.
"Two hours a day, except the weekends.' she said brusquely.
I was sure the surprise showed clearly on my face. "That's tough." I said. "Couldn't you take a part-time job that is less demanding?"
She laughed, rather bitterly. "It's the same everywhere, and its pretty easy. It must be the easiest, after the bookstore. I do it because I actually enjoy it. It gives me plenty of free time to sketch the people who come and go."
"I'd love to see your sketches."
"Sure." she said uninterestedly and stood up abruoptly. "I have to go now though. Bye."
I watched her hurry off and realized that I still didn't know who had ruined her painting. She seemed the type who'd be picked up to be bullied but I couldn't imagine Parker Langerak and his crew going around ruining paintings.
For a second I wished I was that girl. She had something she actually liked doing in the evenings whereas I spent them lonely in the mansion. I didn't mind being alone, in fact I was somewhat of a loner. But I was supposed to spend my free time practicing the latest dancing, all which was closely monitored by my mother.
I rarely saw my parents. They were away all day and hardly spoke to me other than the sessions with my mother in the weekends where i was supposed to show significant progress. The loneliness was eating me. I'd usually curl up with a book and only worry about the lessons on Friday. But since recently my mother had decided to bring a personal tutor to coach me.
The idea dawned on me so fast I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before. The bookstore seemed the perfect place to indulge in my favorite hobby. And Mother would not be a problem. Which Mayor candidate would not love to see her high school daughter working neck-to-neck with the common folks?
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Whatever my future aspirations of following Aunt Isabella's footsteps were, it did not stop me from skipping Religious Studies to practice my 'small-talk'. I found a cosy spot in the school library and started reading the scripts I had outlined.
A sudden sob broke my peace. I looked around.
The girl was a slim junior with short dark hair and huge eyes. I knew she hadd some classes with me, but for the most part was invisible. She was seated all alone and sobbing in short, uncontrolled bursts.
I hesistated and then walked over.
"Hi," I said. "Anything the matter?"
She looked up horriffied and quickly shook me off. "No no I'm fine." she said, but tears welled in her eyes again. I saw the painting in her hands. It was a blurr of colour as if someone had intentionally ruined it.
"Who did this?" I asked.
"Nobody." she said and began to sob again.
I patted her back. She was quite pretty in her floral print dress and I could say she was not too badly off.
"I think we do some classes together, but I'm sorry I can't remember your name."
"River McIrish."
That reset my memory, alright. I knew Fiona McIrish. She had blasted Mother on last week's Herald.
"I'm Holly" I said, wondering if by any minor chance she would not remember me.
"I know." she said with sudden hostility.
I visibly flinched. I hated how people changed when they figured out who I was. At times it was downright hostility, at other times it was a sickening fawning. I hated both equally.
"What classes do you have now?" I asked.
"We are having our weekend work opportunity placement interviews. I don't need one because I already work part time" she replied sullenly.
"So where do you work?" I asked.
"In the supermarket."
"That is so cool and interesting." I said. "I'm taking on my work opportunity at Do Peas Towers."
I regretted saying it immediately. Work opportunities at Do Peas were rare and I suspected my surname had much more to do it with than my modest grades. I just hoped Fiona McIrish wouldn't pounce on it.
"So how many hours do you work a week?" I asked. Do Peas was notorious for giving their interns a tough time with full day on Saturday and half of Sunday.
"Two hours a day, except the weekends.' she said brusquely.
I was sure the surprise showed clearly on my face. "That's tough." I said. "Couldn't you take a part-time job that is less demanding?"
She laughed, rather bitterly. "It's the same everywhere, and its pretty easy. It must be the easiest, after the bookstore. I do it because I actually enjoy it. It gives me plenty of free time to sketch the people who come and go."
"I'd love to see your sketches."
"Sure." she said uninterestedly and stood up abruoptly. "I have to go now though. Bye."
I watched her hurry off and realized that I still didn't know who had ruined her painting. She seemed the type who'd be picked up to be bullied but I couldn't imagine Parker Langerak and his crew going around ruining paintings.
For a second I wished I was that girl. She had something she actually liked doing in the evenings whereas I spent them lonely in the mansion. I didn't mind being alone, in fact I was somewhat of a loner. But I was supposed to spend my free time practicing the latest dancing, all which was closely monitored by my mother.
I rarely saw my parents. They were away all day and hardly spoke to me other than the sessions with my mother in the weekends where i was supposed to show significant progress. The loneliness was eating me. I'd usually curl up with a book and only worry about the lessons on Friday. But since recently my mother had decided to bring a personal tutor to coach me.
The idea dawned on me so fast I was surprised I hadn't thought of it before. The bookstore seemed the perfect place to indulge in my favorite hobby. And Mother would not be a problem. Which Mayor candidate would not love to see her high school daughter working neck-to-neck with the common folks?
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A/N
So I'm up with Chapter 2. I'm happy to say that I've got more or less up to Chapter 5 penned down, so look forward for frequent releases!
I've always found Holly a tad bit boring and I wanted to make it more interesting. As you see I've given Holly a makover. I also thought it weird that with such a social bee for a mother, that she'd dress so unclassy!
So what do you think of Holly? Is she too good to be true?
What do you think her weaknesses may be?
Look forwards for the next chapter. Things will start get moving really fast.
xoxo
Velocity
So I'm up with Chapter 2. I'm happy to say that I've got more or less up to Chapter 5 penned down, so look forward for frequent releases!
I've always found Holly a tad bit boring and I wanted to make it more interesting. As you see I've given Holly a makover. I also thought it weird that with such a social bee for a mother, that she'd dress so unclassy!
So what do you think of Holly? Is she too good to be true?
What do you think her weaknesses may be?
Look forwards for the next chapter. Things will start get moving really fast.
xoxo
Velocity
This Holly seems so much more in-depth than the original! Love it! :)
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