10: Birthdays and Beginnings

[jenga_sims]

So you know how that week between Christmas and New Years is always a bit fuzzy? That's kind of how this feels.

I know there was some autonomous serenading happening.


Arthur and Amberley are on the last tier of Soulmates and so there's lots of loving happening.


There's also some autonomous Sibling rivalry going down.

Teenagers.


But the main event is Benjamin's Young Adult birthday on Friday! I'm so excited, I even decide to let him have an actual birthday party.


He invites his friends over (and he has a lot of friends) and there's much fun to be had.

Elsa makes messes. Father Winter apparently can dance. No idea who the blonde is in the elf dress, but maybe one of the random walkby Social Butterfly friends?

Arthur has never seen this many sims in this house in his life.


The highlight for Benjamin, though, is getting Summer Holiday almost alone for a chess game. One of his old childhood friends has to interrupt which totally ruins his funk.


Amberley makes him a hamburger cake because why not? Which Benjamin approaches with apprehension, but mostly excitement. People are all too busy dancing/socialising to notice which kind of bugs me. The blow out candles happens too quickly so by the time people arrive to throw confetti, the deed is done.


But! Benjamin is looking good and feeling fine!

I actually have to think about his final trait. He already has love the outdoors and active. I struggle for a minute to think about what other traits could round out his personality while complimenting the original two. Eventually, I decide on dog lover.

Yeah, he could totally get a dog.


After that, I foolishly select 'call to meal' on the cake, and this is the chaos that ensues.

I am actually impressed that this many sims can be in this kitchen. Like, actually impressed.


Benjamin is going to move out soon, but I decide to let him stay for NYE on Saturday. Then, he can move out Sunday morning and I can cleanly start a Sunday to Sunday rotation with him and his parents/sister. This means he just gets to chill for one day.


Immediate cut to the NYE party which everyone spends watching TV (of course).

Benjamin even invites Summer over, hoping to chat her up a little bit, but that doesn't really pan out. All the same, start a new relationship is his chosen New Year's Resolution.


But apparently Benjamin is one of the only ones actually paying attention to the television at midnight.


And, that's a wrap for Benjamin. He moves out on Sunday morning with an inventory full of so much crap (He's gonna be in charge of collections, so I give him all the bits and bobs from everyone else's inventories), seed packs from the gnomes, and 2 very expensive violins as his 'inheritance'.


He moves to an empty lot in Willow Creek, right across the street from his not-so-secret crush.

This next bit might be a bit clunky because I did actually play Benjamin for a week before going back to the main house. I am now thinking that I will try to stick to a 'main' line at least a little bit, with shorter, side-updates for the others only if/when they become important. This could all be very experimental.


An example of how quickly Bethany gains skills. This was her first time cooking a meal ever. She finished this salad with level 3 cooking skill.


Amberley is feeling the loss of Benjamin in the house and it shows. She seems to be trying to make even more of an effort to spend time with her daughter, and to properly relate to her.

Autonomous selfie.


Bethany, for her part, has decided that she will not be outdone by her brother who already has a girlfriend, in spite of the age difference.

She's only been in high school for a week or so, but she's already certain she's decided on her forever someone, and is keen to get the ball rolling. She decides an excursion to Willow Creek is most definitely in order.


"So, hi. I'm Bethany, and while we're not technically a legacy family, I just want you to know that I am an heiress."

"Um, hi Bethany," murmurs Cassandra.


Bethany feels absolutely tiny in the Goth family mansion.


"So, violin, am I right? I love it. I mean, I haven't played properly since I was a child, but that can change, right?"

"Oh yes," smiles Cassandra, realizing maybe she does have something in common with this quirky redhead. "I also like playing the violin."


The conversation moves upstairs to Cassandra's bedroom.

"This is nice," nods Bethany.

"Oh, well thanks I guess," smiles Cassandra.

"You know, we should hang out more."

Cassandra sighs. "You know Bethany, I'm actually getting a bit of a vibe that you're into me."


Bethany shifts ever so slightly. "Would you be okay with that? I mean, if I was into you?"

Cassandra considers this for a moment, then smiles.

"I mean, I suppose so. Yeah, I could...I could maybe be into you, too."


It doesn't really get much further than that, as there's a scout meeting to get to, but Bethany returns home quite pleased with herself none the less.


Not long after scouts, Cassandra's curiosity must have gotten the better of her and she wanders past the house.

Not trying to seem desperate but being totally desperate, Bethany rushes out to meet her and invite her in.


"And that's why it's such a tragedy that Simvaldi died pretty much in poverty. I mean, the man was the greatest composer in the history of sim-kind, in my humble opinion."

All Bethany can think is how amazing this girl is and how she's going to make Cassandra hers.


"Oh hey Bethy, are you going to introduce me to your friend?"

Cassandra laughs nervously.

Bethany coughs. "Oh, uh, sure Dad. This is Cassandra Goth."

Way to cramp her style, Arthur.


Life for the Achievements carries on.


It really takes no time at all for Benjamin to come back for a visit, and of course Arthur greets his son excitedly.


And entrusts Benjamin with a key, encouraging him to stop in any time.

He is about to take full advantage of the offer, I promise.


"Allow me to help with your homework, little sister. I got an A minus in trigonometry you know."

"A minus!" laughs Bethany. "Thanks bro, but that's really not necessary."

Stop complaining Bethy, he's really just trying to help.


He also does other, helpful things. So really, no complaining about having Benjamin around.


Amberley rolls a whim to build a wall hanging, so I figure it's time for her to get a new hobby.


Well, apart from working on Soulmates.


Bethany has done as much of Renaissance sim as she can do, nets an A at school easily, and it kinda feels like she's just spinning her wheels until the YA birthday. So I decide to try to have her work on the Parenthood traits. She does a lot of volunteering in order to raise empathy, a side effect of which is she's rarely home to do other things.


"Sometimes I wonder about my life's purpose, Dad. You know? I mean, I have so many opportunities at my finger tips and I really don't want to waste them."

"You're a smart girl, Bethy. You'll figure things out with time."


So Arthur is a four star celebrity, and Amberley is at 3 stars. I really haven't explored Del Sol Valley all that much, so we decide to go exploring while knocking out another gold date.

Nice, this club has a bouncer to keep the plebs out.


I mean, they start out normally enough at the bar.


But as things get a little bit steamier, they end up over on the couch.


Weird, why do you two keep queueing up 'hug' the bouncer?


Never mind the crowd outside randomly glitching into one another...das Benjamin! So this is what he's been doing with himself?

Ah well, gold date all the same. Now go home, Bethany's home from school and I don't want either of them inciting riots.


Bethany brings Cassandra home from school on Friday.

She's really digging how passionate Cassandra can be.


Bethany must have rolled a chess-related whim, because they head downstairs together for a round.

Bethany easily wins.


She quickly offers Cassandra a hug to let her know there are no hard feelings.

Her heart skips a beat, and she's sure the timing is right.


She leans in for the kiss.

Cassandra seems a bit surprised at first. This may not exactly be the path she's envisioned for herself, but something about it feels...right.


She leans in for a kiss of her own.


Bethany spends the entirety of the next morning telling her dad all about Cassandra.