I really hadn't expected the cab ride to take this long. Appaloosa Plains seemed to melt away so quickly at first, but as we rode towards my new home, my new life, everything seemed to slow down. My worries seemed to eat away at me as I sat in the back of the vehicle, trying hard not to focus on the strange headdress our cabbie was wearing. Apache seemed more interested in watching the grass go by than anything, though occasionally she'd also stare at the strange tresses on the headpiece. After a long while we saw the sign indicating that we'd entered Hidden Springs, the place that I would be calling home for presumably forever. I started getting excited!
Finally! The cab reached the end of a long and winding road past most of the town, and pulled up next to my small cabin. I wasn't able to afford much more than this, having signed myself out of the family inheritance with an argument with my mother, all I had was what I'd earned selling horses. It was small, but it was mine, and that was all I really needed. Apache let out an excited bark and began wriggling around in her seat, eager to leave the cab. I payed the woman with a smile, and stepped onto my lawn, taking in the earthy scents with a deep breath as she turned and drove away. Apache barked again, dashing around the side of the house and whimpering for me to follow. Curious, I walked after her.
"Well, that's certainly strange." I remarked, staring at the strange metallic object that sat on my lawn, Apache whimpered at me and I gave her a smile. "Its okay, whatever it is I'll call someone to remove it soon." I said, leaning down to pat her on the head, earning myself a lick before she dashed back to the front of the house. I took one more look at the strange object, confused as to why it was sitting here, before turning to let her inside.
It was quite small, a main room with enough for two couches and an old tv, a dining and kitchen area. One bedroom, and a small bathroom through the doors on either side of the tv. It was certainly enough to live in, and Apache seemed more than happy to sniff through all of the rooms.
I filled her food bowl and leaned down to give her a well earned belly rub. She'd been extremely well mannered in the cab, and for that she earned a well-deserved reward. Apache had been given to me for my birthday two years ago when I became an adult, and ever since she'd been my best friend and only confidant when I was struggling with where I wanted to go with my life.
"Up girl!" I hummed as I moved to sit on the couch, Apache gladly joined me as I flicked on the TV to see what was on free cable. I couldn't afford much, the house and amenities had taken all but 600 simoleons of my savings, so we had to deal with some dorky show about fairy accessories, but I didn't mind. It let my mind zone out for a moment and gave me my first moment of peace since the falling out with my mother, freeing me from the very pressing weight of needing a job.
Soon enough it was time to tuck in, as much as I wanted to see the thrilling ending to "Matching Colors with Wings", I was exhausted, and several yawns shared between me and Apache was telling enough for me to slide into bed. As was our normal routine, Apache followed me up onto the bed, falling asleep faster than I did. 'Tomorrow will be more productive!' I thought as sleep finally claimed me.
"Ugh." I groaned, sitting up slowly in my bed, feeling as if I'd been sleeping on a rocky beach versus an actual bed, my optimism for the day quickly going out of the window and off a cliff. Apache turned and blinked at me sleepily, looking as adorable as any dog could when awoken by her groaning companion.
My mood began to improve after a shower and brushing of my teeth, making faces in the mirror as I went about my menial morning. I cooked some rather expensive waffles for breakfast, once again reminding me just how broke I was in comparison to how life used to be on the farm. I needed to get moving on getting a job, and the first step was learning the basics of vehicular maintenance through taking the only class I could afford.
"Of course..." I grumbled as I stepped out into the pouring rain, adding salt to my already bleak morning, though my resolve could not be completely undone. I sprinted away from my house and towards the military base, eager to learn the basics of what I'd need at work. Hidden Springs was a very gorgeous place, and though I was soaking by the time I got to the base, it definitely brightened my spirits.
After a few hours and lots of wrenches later, I emerged from the base with the knowledge I'd need to be a better firefighter, though I already knew some basic maintenance, a fire engine was a whole different beast. A buzzing sensation started in my pocket, and I took out my phone to see a notification for the Summer Festival, wondering how exactly I'd subscribed to Hidden Springs' event updater. Perhaps while I was scoping out the town. Either way, I was interested in attending the festival, eager to meet the people who lived in town and have some much needed fun.
I arrived to find that Apache had already been hanging around the park, apparently her nose had lead her halfway across town while she waited for me to finish at the military base. I pat her on the head and jumped into the festival, occasionally watching as Apache roamed around and sniffed at all of the balloons.
My first stop was to grab one of those sweet icy treats, sitting down in the shade as I partook in something that I'd never tried before, and absolutely loving it. I heard the sound of someone falling in the skating rink and as soon as my "meal" was complete ran over to join her. There wasn't much time for talk between focusing on not falling down and not colliding with her, though she seemed to be a nice enough sim.
With Apache enjoying herself by chasing around the other Sims at the park, I decided that it was time to head to the Firestation and finally get myself the job I'd always wanted, hopping into the cab with the same cabbie as yesterday and learning that she actually lived in this town. Today was going to be one heck of a day, I could already feel it.