Rose 2.24: Flat broke

     The weekend before my final semester starts, I see Shauna in the art building. I give her a half-smile when I see her. I have mixed feelings. One the one hand, I wanted to end things with her, break up as she'd think of it, but on the other hand, I'm angry that she blew me off so easily at the end of the last term. I'd wanted to see her anyway.
     She follows me out the building.

     "Hello," my "Shauna," I say to her after she greets me.
     She smiles shyly and tucks her hair behind her ear. Looking down and off to the side, she says, "I've been meaning to talk to you, but I could never find the right moment."
     My head backs up and jerks in confusion. "About what?" I ask.
     "Um. Well, I... Um..."

     "Shauna, you don't have to be nervous around me. Tell me what's on your mind."
     "I've met someone," she tells me very quietly like an apology. "Over the break... and..."
     I experience a plummeting feeling, similar to how I felt when Tiffany wanted to stop seeing me -- but stronger.
     My voice sounds strange as I finish for her, "And you've fallen in love with him."
     Her eyes widen like she wants to deny it, but then she turns her head and looks down. "And I want to give him a chance, so that means I need to stop seeing you. I'm not like you; I have to... have only one at a time."
     "It's fine," I manage to say. It's not! I scream inside my head, but I keep it from showing up on my face.
     "I'm sorry," she says, now actually apologizing. "It's just that it's our final semester, and I need to start thinking more seriously now."
     I nod like I understand when I don't. What does it being our final semester have to do with thinking more seriously now? Who says we have to be serious even after we graduate?
     Again, I'm losing a lady because I won't be committed to only her.
     Do these women think I don't care about them? Of course I care! Why can't they see that?!
     I wish her well, give her a tight hug, and walk away.

     Pay no attention to the Skye look-a-like next to me while I talk with Ye Gangman...

     ...who gets a makeover mid-conversation.

     Interesting... my little sister has aquaphobia too.

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I knew I needed to send Skye home or I'd have a bear of a time trying to keep him out of the photos. So, I send him home to later plan on moving him out as soon as Donovan gets home. In sims 2, if you sent someone home and there were still other sims on the lot, that sent-home sim would just go back to the simbin for the neighborhood, and you could get them later. In sims 3? It sends EVERYONE home.

     So, back home we all go. Then, I realize I'd deleted a lot of the CC that I'd used for the Robles household. I rolled Living Green. (more on this later) Well, $^@&! Later. I'll hope the dump works later. Resetting the lot seems to help.
     I send Clark and Donovan back to university. Clark is playable for story purposes.

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     Clark's dad has decided to let his son make his own way in life, so when we'd arrived at the university, we only had less than $500. All we could afford was to rent an empty lot. Of course, it starts hailing.

     It's the start of the term, so they're having that get-together at the student center. The prospect of free food and drink, bathrooms, not to mention a roof over our heads for at least a little while makes Clark and me decide to go.

    The free candy bars don't sit well in either of our stomachs...

     This is not exactly how I intended to use the toilets.

    We *cough* 'acquire' a tent and build a simple structure. It is technically a roof over our heads.

     That doesn't last long. This is our second night. Thankfully, the dump at the university works, mostly.

     We shower at the gym since it opens so early in the morning.
     I despise our living arrangements! I feel like I'm still outdoors when I'm inside the tent! I don't like sharing a tent!

     Ladies call me, but I'm too distracted trying to make money and find useful things. I've not heard from Willow. I don't know if she's even come back this term.

     Clark and I make things stretch, and we make our small building bigger. We have to actually buy the toilet, shower, lights, and bunk beds. Some things were gifted to us in the mail. I was thrilled when I found a desk in the dumpster. If only I had time to use the desk and do my assignments properly. I'm keeping up, but it's difficult.

     The worst jobs are the ones for the science center.

     Every night, Clark and I get invited to parties, but we don't go. He spends most of his time with Karri, but he does come home most nights.

     I'm supposed to sleep on the top bunk. I don't make it.

    Speaking of making things stretch... Spaghetti for breakfast.

     I find us a couch on another of my dumpster-diving expeditions. So, we move the desk outside and put the sofa in its place.

    Clark goes to the comic book store for his lab class.

     I find a bookshelf, and I've managed to earn enough to add on a tiny bedroom to our tiny house. I feel more secure being able to afford the (rules or not!) burglar alarm.

     Still, I am lonely. Clark spends much of his time out with Karri, leaving me at the tiny house by myself.
     Normally, I would simply go out to find some fun, but having to work so hard for everything I have has changed something in me. Instead of finding fun, I want to find time to relax, even if it involves studying my textbook.
    The quiet house bothers me. Coming from a large family, it feels odd.
    My phone buzzes in my pocket. I get a text from Tiffany.

How have you been?

     I feel my heart tear a little in my chest. I decide to be honest with my response.

Terrible.

     She calls me immediately, and I explain to her what I've gone through this semester so far. I feel guilty not calling her. After all, last term, I wanted to get things started again with her, but this term, I've been so rushed and distracted and tired.

     "I'm coming over," she tells me and hangs up. For only a second, I think about calling her back and telling her not to, but I don't. My house embarrasses me to some extent, but I want to see her.


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I screwed up. I don't know how I missed it, but I had Donovan apply for funds without realizing that wasn't allowed. He did only take one job board job per day, and one of them was to be a test subject (how ironic since he's not in an associated career!). Quite a bit of things were in the family inventory from gifts in the mail, so I don't know if that was bending the rules or not. (I don't sell them.) Also, it's not until RIGHT NOW WRITING THIS that I realized I forgot about the washer and clothesline thing. No way could he have afforded the most expensive, energy-efficient washer anyway. So, let's make like he never washed his clothes except in the public shower station. LOL. Considering all the dumpster diving he did, that's really gross.

Also, when they went home, I bought items because I hadn't realized that I'd deleted the CC that was most of the Robles' kitchen and dining room. (/facepalm) Now, I see I can't do what I did for subsequent generations (buy the basics). I'm sure it's no big deal since it's not like I bought more period, like that it wasn't because the CC was deleted. Imho, replacing the lost CC shouldn't count. Still, when I get Donovan back home, I'll sell the stuff back and have him acquire the items (more interesting that way anyway). The whole reason he was broke this term was because I'd bought that stuff and left him nearly penniless, so that was a punishment in a way.

At any rate, it's university. I'll more closely follow the rules in the regular 'hood. :)