Season: Winter
In this post: Hailey England, Malcolm London
She didn’t know what made her accept his invitation. When he had called and invited her over for dinner, she had wanted to say no. Hailey had been avoiding his calls for weeks. She even refused to listen to his voicemails, opting to delete them instead. This time, she answered when she saw his number pop up on the little scream. If someone asked her she wouldn’t have been able to tell them why but she did. They made idle conversation for a while then Malcolm asked her over to his place for dinner. Her instant reaction was to say “No” but her mouth and vocal cords betrayed her. She heard herself say “Yes”, surprising herself.
Throughout the week she plotted out excuses to get out of dinner. She invented journalism conference, family emergency, and even work assignments. She would pick up the phone to make her excuse and then quickly chicken out. Sometimes dropping handle back into the cradle before even finishing dialing the number and always before the first ring. Hailey would have never thought of herself as a coward but in this case, with Malcolm, she was.
That’s how she found herself settling into a bar stool watching as he prepared dinner across the counter from her.
Malcolm looked up from the vegetables he was chopping, “I’m shocked that you showed up”
She felt a smile cross her face, the thought that he was doubted she would come pleasing her. “Really? You were worried that I would stand you up?”
“Yeah.” He said. “Ben said you were pissed. Something about mixed signals.” He shrugged his shoulders, paused and continued “He said I lead you on. Like I’m a chick or something.”
He looked down into the bowl and slowly stirred. “I really don’t know what he’s talking about. Than when I called a couple times and you never got back to me. I thought that maybe I had done something wrong and you were mad at me. You know, like Ben said”
He sat a plate in front of her and sat down to eat. Hailey noticed that Malcolm left one set between them. What does he think that I can’t control myself? Does he think I am going to throw my drink in his face or something? She found herself getting upset. Upset at the fact that he thought she would do something so tasteless. Upset that the idea had crossed her mind a couple of times before.
Hailey inhaled, trying to decide what to say. He was waiting for an answer. Tell the truth or fabricate? “Ben’s right, you know. You did mislead me. When you invited me to see and exhibit at the park, made it sound like a date. Just me and you, no one else. Instead, you pick Ben and her…”
“Marisa” He interrupted.
“Ben and Marisa. That’s not a date, that’s an outing… a group outing. You completely ignored the fact that you invited me out on a date. You were rude to me, leaving me to talk to someone I just met. You completely ignored me. I felt so stupid.”
Malcolm gets up and starts clearing the plates. She waits for his response. As the silence grows longer and longer, her stomach ties itself in a knot. Maybe I said too much, I should have just lied and said everything was okay.
“I was trying to help you out. Since you’re new to the area and all. I thought that you might like to meet some people.”
Hailey decided then and there that it was time to leave. All she wanted was an apology, an acknowledgment to her hurt feelings. Instead, she got “I was trying to help you out.” She wanted to scream “I don’t need help. I can meet people fine. THANK YOU VERY MUCH”. She didn’t scream, she got up from the stool and headed to the door.
She was almost to the door before she heard him say. “Besides you’re really just too good for me. You don’t want to get hook up with a dude like me.”
Hailey stopped in her tracks, turned around and sat on the couch “Why do you say that?”
“Because you went to college, have a good job and all” Malcolm replied, taking a seat besides her.
“And you don’t have a job?” She could have sworn she heard him mention work before.
“My job situation is complicated. A woman like Marisa understands, she doesn’t expect more that I can give. She understands the life that I lead.” Malcolm said
watching her face closely.
“Your talking as if you’re a drug dealer or something?” It was meant to be a statement but came out as a question.
“I plead the fifth.” was his simple response.
Hailey could only look at him questions and concerns showing in her eyes. Her mind trying to put all the pieces together. Then it clicked and all the pieces were in place.
“I should go” She said, stood and headed to the door.
She could feel his eyes staring at her back but she refused to turn around.
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- Title comes from Tweet’s “Iceberg” from the album It’s Me Again
- I couldn’t just leave well enough alone. I made both Malcolm Kane playable suspecting that he would add a little spice to Hailey’s life. After the park, she probably should have just ignored his calls, declined his invitation and moved on with her life. But I envision Hailey as someone who doesn’t know how to just walk away.
- ACR does have a way of making stories more interesting. After what happened in the park, I decided to make Malcolm Kane and Marisa Bennett playable NPCs and to see where this story would lead. I already knew that Malcolm was in the Criminal career track so that is not a surprise. What is a surprise is that Malcolm and Marisa have such a low chemistry (only one bolt). So, because of ACR, Hailey has to suffer and not get her man. At least for now because who knows what is going to happen in the future.
Ugh… my spacing came out all wrong. I thought that i had fixed it.
Wow, at least now Hailey can move on…I think. Is she still interested in him and willing to be with him in spite of his “job situation”?
~Apple Valley
That’s a good question. But I’m not going to answer it because it will most likely be part of a future update.
Yay your back! 😀
Hailey’s really pretty, her complexion reminds me of sims 3.
Bummer that she has to wait it out for someone that he has such low chemistry with. It adds a nice twist though, I wonder what will happen and how it will all play out.
Hailey’s skin is from a Maxis Match that I found at MTS2. I will have to search it out and post a link. There is a whole collection of them and they are completely genetic, and are inbetween colors that compliment the Maxis ones.
For story sakes I am hoping for much drama. But in reality I would just like to see her settled down. I like all my sims to have ahppy little lives. Even though it makes for boring stories.