Love Is The Best Medicine (Stardew Valley - Harvey)

Chapter 32 - Playing Dangerous

It had been a couple of days since the unexpected visit from Levi, and the worry and dread that had settled in your chest refused to dissipate. Each passing moment felt like a ticking time bomb, and you couldn't shake the feeling of what was to come. $450,000 felt like an impossible number.

The stress and sleepless nights were beginning to take their toll on your body. Dark circles formed under your eyes, and the once happy easy going version of yourself faded back into what you used to be. Refusing any visitors, you secluded yourself in your home, dedicating every waking moment to finding a solution to this seemingly insurmountable problem.

You sat at your desk, the dim light of your desk lamp casting long shadows across the room. The documents and files were scattered haphazardly before you, you had scanned through them hundreds of times by now. As you found yourself deep in thought about the scenario, you wondered about what led Levi to be so hateful.

Inevitably, you found yourself succumbing to weariness. Your head grew heavy, and your eyelids fell, despite your best efforts to stay awake. Slumped over your desk, you drifted into an involuntary sleep.

-

You awoke.

You could make out the distant sounds of laughter and music. The unfamiliar surroundings initially left you disoriented. Then, it all came rushing back to you—a party in the hills, hosted by some random internet celebrities you didn't even know. You had received an invitation through a group of friends from your university.

You glanced into a nearby mirror. You were wearing a short maroon cocktail dress.

"Evangeline! Shots! Come on!" Your friend beamed at you, your vision was disorientated as you made your way through the bustling crowd. "Did you see the Smosh guys are here!?"

"The... who...?" You asked, still confused somewhat as you came to terms with your change of surroundings. As you moved deeper into the crowd, the sense of being out of place intensified. The music was thumping, seemingly tunes from your youth.

Your friend handed you a shot of god knows what, and you hesitated for a moment before downing it. The liquid burned your throat, and you couldn't help but wince. Your friend, however, seemed immune to the fiery sensation and downed another one, then pulled you toward the makeshift dance floor.

It wasn't long before the alcohol overtook your whole body, your behaviour spiralling along with it. You found yourself on table tops, on the roof, everywhere you could imagine. It was if time wasn't real in this world.

In a blink, you held a can of spray paint that was supplied to you by a random party-goer.

"Just do it, you won't get in trouble." He said reassuringly, a sly smile sweeping his face. As you held the spray paint can, your inhibitions gave way to a reckless desire for adventure. The stranger's words echoed in your mind, and a mischievous grin spread across your face. In this moment you believed that consequences didn't exist and if they did you were invincible from them.

Without hesitation, you shook the can vigorously and sprayed a vibrant burst of neon orange onto an empty section of the white concrete wall. It was liberating, the hiss of the paint can filling your ears as you continued to write your personal message on this side of some randomers house. You finished and stepped back to admire your work.

As you stepped back to admire your handiwork, the words "live fast, die young" stood out boldly against the wall. You chuckled with the strangers surrounding you, feeling like a teenager. You had forgotten what that feeling had felt like. Suddenly, you overheard the siren of a police car pulling up on the driveway, the party inside still roaring. However, the party's euphoric atmosphere came to an abrupt halt as the wailing sirens of the police car grew closer.