Unloved: A Sims Story by orenjiAi

Unloved 9

“I can pick you up later, if you want, honey,” your mom said just as you unlatched your seatbelt. She was dropping you off. It was a hot Saturday morning and you and your best friends agreed to meet at the San Myshuno Metro to travel South together to Del Sol Valley.

“Oh thanks... but you really don’t have to.” you reassured her. “Besides I won’t be long. Just gonna take the tour and some pictures. It’ll be, like, two and a half hours tops, including travel.”

“I think I can get off work early today. I just have to meet these clients. But I’m free afterwards, I can make it back in time for lunch too. We can go shopping at Starlight Boulevard—“

“No thanks! Amy, Mannie, and I have reservations for lunch. Byeee! Take care and love ya!” You said sweetly with air kisses.

As she turned around the corner you couldn’t help but sigh. While a ride back home was appreciated, you certainly didn’t want her to come. Sometimes you wonder if your mom had ever been a teenager at all. She should understand that it’s not like you didn’t enjoy her company, but having a parent pick you up in front of your friends was like an express ticket to being made fun of. And besides, you didn’t want her to find out the reason you’re going all the way out to The Pinnacles was because you had to take extra credits to make up for plagiarizing your term paper.

The train ride to The Pinnacles was uneventful except for your friends’ constant complaints. The Pinnacles was a historically wealthy neighborhood that stood on a low ridge of hills north of Del Sol Valley. The gated community on its lower slopes had a picturesque view of the city and it was home to renowned celebrities like Judith Ward and Thorne Bailey. At its summit, however, was a national park where the old royal castle ruins stood. On what used to be the site of a rickety wooden watchtower, eventually grew a fortified castle where the Royal Thebe family withdrew to when the winters at their coastal hometown turned harsh and bitter. The castle survived many centuries of use and renovation but it was completely razed in the 17th century. And on its foundations, a more of-its-time palace was built.

It was on this part of your paper that the history teacher noticed that you and your friends wrote exactly the same thing. To be fair, you did transcribe word-for-word that 45-views Simtube video on the Great Sloth Invasion. And you did try to pass said writing off as your own. It just didn’t occur to you that your friends too would have viewed the same video and do exactly as you did. Luckily though, instead of outright failing you or giving detention, the teacher let you off easy. All you had to do was visit (with picture proof) the newly reopened Museum of National History at Chateau Peak. She called it immersion learning.

“Gosh! How much further? I don’t think I can take another step! These shoes are killing me!” one of your friends said.
“Shut up Amy! You shouldn’t have worn those then! You knew we’re going to The Pinnacles! And you knew it was atop a steep hill!”
“But I wanted to look cute.”
“You can’t. Not with those shoes, you won’t! Coz wedges are sooo last year!”

A golf cart passed by as the two were bickering. You watched carefully at the uniformed personnel driving it. It seemed that the park attendants used them to shuttle visitors and employees uphill. You hailed one and stopped to let you ride. You praised yourself for your quick thinking. And your friends did too.

Within seconds and with great ease, instead of the grueling uphill hike, you were transported at the entrance of a grand baroque palace.
https://i.imgur.com/84XBhLs.png
You went inside and were greeted by a friendly intern—who BTW was a total snacc! To your disappointment, however, he informed that museum tours were not scheduled for another half hour later. He apologetically asked you to wait in the café by the cour d’honneur with the other patrons.
https://i.imgur.com/sL535XX.png
Well there goes my afternoon, you thought. You had reservations for lunch too at this hip ramen place with Amy and Mannie. But it's not like there's anything you could do. You start to head out...

"Well..." you heard Mannie's soft playing-cute voice. She began tracing her finger up and down the tour guide’s lapel.
"You see, Sebastian, " she read his name plate, "I'm really bad with crowds... And I've never actually done it before, you know... going on a museum tour. So I'm kinda scared. But you seem like you'd be a really good guy. So I wouldn’t mind if it was you who’d help me with my first...
"Museum exploration" she giggled.

You rolled your eyes and looked at Amy. She sported the same Can-you-believe-this-girl? look. But you were thankful for Mannie’s flirting. It seemed to work on Sebastian and he finally agreed to give you and your friends an exclusive museum tour at no extra charge.
https://i.imgur.com/0ZaDykG.png
Your first stop was the marble and gilt grand staircase. Sebastian said the stairs are actually the last renovation done to the palace before the Great Sloth Invasion. Prior to that, people climbed up another stairwell on the other side of the chateau (it is now used as service stairs). Instead, where they were standing used to be the old chapel.

You noticed Mannie trying to strike pose. Subtly and seductively. Amy, on the other hand, was more interested to learn that real 24 karat gold leaf was used in the detailing. She was wondering how much she could sell it for if she scratched a bit off the walls.
https://i.imgur.com/atPZa5g.png
The grand salon was where the King and Queen entertained guests and dignitaries. It is located off the old entrance at the landing of the Grand Stairs. At this point you’ve already gone bored. Sebastian was nice to look at but he was less cute when he was talking...about history nonetheless. You honestly just couldn’t bring yourself to care about what happened to some guys and their house after they were long dead and gone.

Sebastian led your small party into a long gallery that took the entire right wing of the palace. It was nice. It looked out to the front court and it had soft cushy purple ottomans for people to sit in. But you found it such a waste of space when you consider its only purpose was to access a private balcony in the chapel.
https://i.imgur.com/6vBxpX9.png
https://i.imgur.com/LBw9pkY.png

After the fifth or so room, you trailed behind, growing less and less interested in the tour. Mannie, however, feigned interest and inched closer and closer to Sebastian. Amy, like you, just wanted the tour to be over and done with.
https://i.imgur.com/fW0j24u.png

At the throne room, you remembered you had to be taking pictures to be credited for the activity, so you pulled out your phone and snapped a quick photo.
https://i.imgur.com/MICp0OB.png

That was odd.

In real life, the throne looked just like all the other purple furniture in the rooms before. But on the screen, it burned an off-putting, humbling, shade of violet. You heard Mannie calling for you and snapped back to attention.

You followed her voice into a spacious bedroom at the end of a battery of suites by the throne. Sebastian was talking to Amy on the other side of the royal bedchamber. They were oblivious to Mannie’s fits. As you walked in she grabbed your arm and pulled you closer. She pointed excitedly to the fireplace and lowered her voice to a whisper.
“Look! Look! On the mantel!”
https://i.imgur.com/y4wUFsz.png

Wooden sculptures sat on the mantel with an old Tudor style clock. It was a stallion. And an elephant.
“It can’t be a coincidence that they’re those animals! Think the old King was, like, compensating for something?“
You scoffed and nudge her playfully on her sides. Mannie’s mind was always in the gutter.


A door in the bedroom led to a study. It was arranged so people could read the Queen’s last diary entry before the Invasion. You walked past and ended up in...
https://i.imgur.com/Pwic1lx.png


The Queen’s bedchamber.
https://i.imgur.com/OyZr0gv.png

“Oh my god. I heard they totally don’t sleep on the same bed anymore, if you know what I mean,” you said out loud. It sent Mannie and Amy laughing hysterically. Even Sebastian tried hard to suppress his snickers.

Composing themselves, you all went through the service stairs into another entrance hall with tapestries hanging on the walls. It was less grand than the one you met Sebastian in. It had minimal wood carvings and a simpler flooring. However, it had massive French doors that looked out to beautifully manicured gardens that went right to the edge of the old castle ruins. The splashing of water from several fountains could be heard faintly through the glass. You tried to open the door but found it locked. You stare longingly at the foliage swaying to the wind outside. Really, all you wanted to do right now was step out into the gardens and bask in the warmth of the Del Sol Valley sun.
https://i.imgur.com/3d34BmO.png

A few minutes have passed and you decided it was best to look for Amy and Mannie. After following the signages and going through a number of rooms, you find Mannie and Sebastian seated in the ballroom with their backs turned to you. It didn’t take long for you to realize that they were kissing. Passionately. You figured you’d rather not stay in the same room with such fired up teens so you slipped by quietly and let them have their moment.
https://i.imgur.com/EDLubZx.png

https://i.imgur.com/EPlFkFD.png
You found Amy in the gift shop looking at replicas of some of the chateau’s knickknacks. They were awfully expensive and were not to your tastes, at all. You couldn’t imagine them fitting anywhere else but in a museum. Only this museum. You diverted your attention to the mannequins wearing souvenir shirts.

It’s a bright day at the Winter Palace!, it said.

So lame.

You dragged Amy out of the gift shop, saving her from probably the worst decision of her life (and a few hundred bucks). Through the window, you noticed the first batch of museum-goers walk inside the building. It seemed like the tours have officially begun. And yet Mannie was still nowhere in sight. Instead of idly standing by in the exit hall, Amy decided that you two wait for her inside the café. You opened the doors and ran into someone you know.
https://i.imgur.com/MwXIctr.png




* * *

“Tyler,” Sammy said, surprised. “What are you doing here?”
“Hey babe,”
“Don’t call me that.”

Tyler was one of Sammy’s many suitors. Amy, who had always wanted to get them together, tipped off their activities today to him. In her mind, they were perfect for each other. He was the King. Ace football player. She was the Queen Bee. The most popular girl in school. In truth, Sammy did not mind. He was attractive, good at sports, and was incredibly persistent. But he was also wearing the museum’s souvenir shirt.

“Bright day today, huh?” she poked fun at him.
“It is, now that I’ve met you here.”

Ugh.

“Hey! There’s Mannie!” Amy said as she walked back to their table. She waved at her and she headed towards them. “Say Sammy, now that Tyler’s here, why don’t we all have lunch together? We have reservations to TenMen, care to join us?”
“I’d love to,” Tyler said seriously, looking at Sammy.
Amy squealed.
“Oh my gosh you guys! It was soooo hot—“ Mannie started excitedly as soon as she was in earshot.
“Eww. Please stop talking.” Sammy interrupted. “Alright, I guess I’d let you take us to TenMen. You brought your car right? Don’t expect us to walk all the way there do you?”
“Of course! Lemme go get it babe.”
“Don’t call me that. But before you go, can you take a photo of us in front of the Winter Palace? I really need it for my history class.”
https://i.imgur.com/4QswQN5.png

By the time they went out the café, a limousine had parked in front of the chateau. It had flags on its hood and seemed very businesslike. Not wanting to get the ominous car into frame, they walked to the other side of the court for their pictures. They needed photographic evidence that they indeed visited the museum after all. They took many photos of the principle façade. Then of all of them together. Then of each other. But as Sammy stepped onto the gravel for her turn, the limo sped out of its parking spot. It just narrowly missed the group of teens.
https://i.imgur.com/zJ6NMz9.png
“Hey! Watch where you’re going ????!” Tyler shouted after the limo as it rolled out on the asphalt roads of Chateau Peak.