#poppysolstice

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy has a passion for gardening. Fulfillment looks good on her, no?]

[crystalclearlife]

[A few weeks later, Poppy is celebrating the holidays with Nolan and Bax.]

Poppy: It’s too bad you could be around for Winterfest, but I’m glad you’re here for New Years! I’ll get my famous Fresh Fallen Snow cake ready right away.

---

Nolan: I’m excited to try it! Here, while you do that, I’ll make sure your kitty gets a snack of his own. Don’t want him feeling left out of the festivities!

Bax: *suspicious grumble*

Poppy: Watch out, Bax doesn’t like strangers very much.

---

Bax: *HISS*

Nolan: Ah! Bud, I’m just trying to feed you!

Poppy: See, I warned you, hahahaha. Let him be, for now. My cake is all ready!

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy comes home from her first day of work to a surprise visit from Nolan.]

Nolan: Heeeey, gorgeous! I brought some bubbly to celebrate your first day~

Poppy: *sniff*

Nolan: Poppy, is everything okay?

---

Poppy: *sob* No! I’m so awful... I can’t do anything right.

---

Nolan: Oh, Poppy...You know that’s not true. What happened today?

Poppy: My boss, she just—She hates me!

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy and friends play board games when an uninvited guest arrives.]

Marcia: Hey, does anyone need their drinks refreshed while I’m up?

Sully: Nope! Just sit down so we can play another round.

Poppy: No need to rush, Sully! I need to strategize with Sam if I’m ever going to beat you...

Sam: No kidding! Hahahaha~

---

Sully: Ugh...Could you guys take any longer? I came here to kick butt, not talk about kicking butt!

Poppy: You see that? I think we can use his confidence against him!

Sam: Hm, you’re not wrong... Oh, by the way, did you see the pic I posted of us on Simstagram? 

---

Marcia: Honey, I told you that wasn’t a good idea...

Sam: Come on! It’s just a harmless picture. If Nolan wants to read into it...That’s up to him, hahaha!

---

Marcia: Sam, I’m not joking around. You shouldn’t have done that.  I just heard a knock at the door, and I bet you can guess who it is...

[crystalclearlife]

[The following Thursday, Poppy and her friends had a board game party.]

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy loves her new job so much that she keeps plants at home to study.]

Poppy: I need to document the growth cycle of this one...I’ve never seen a grey bush before!

---

Poppy: Note to self, plant responds poorly to flash photography...

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy tells Sam about her break-up, minus the worst bits. Sam has an idea. ]

Sam: Wait, so he was just being a jerk or...?

Poppy: Uh, it was WAAAAY worse than that. It started with pushing boundaries, and just went downhill from there.

Sam: You’re kidding! What happened?

---

Poppy: Well, first there’s his drinking. It was constant, every night almost. Then all this pressure to be physical, right from the first date! And the fact that he would NEVER acknowledge that he did wrong, even for the smallest things...

Sam: Holy shit. That’s super awful. 

Poppy: That’s all before the New Years fiasco too. I don’t know why I stayed with him for so long... Maybe cause he was so supportive when my boss was shitty. I don’t know. But on New Years, he...He crossed my final line. I was a wreck all week, you remember.

---

Sam: Friend or not, I’m fucking pissed! You’re the sweetest damn person alive and he goes and screws it all up? I’m shocked!

Poppy: I mean, it’s not like you could’ve known... He was just a guy you played board games with.

Sam: STILL!  I had faith in Nolan, and I trusted him enough to set him up with you. I can’t believe he’d do this! Asshole.

---

Poppy: See, I knew you wouldn’t like it if I told you what happened.

Sam: That doesn’t matter. I’m glad you told me. Now I can do something about his shitty behaviour!

Poppy: Whoa, Sam! I don’t think that’s necessary.

---

Sam: Of course, it’s necessary! And I have the perfect plan to teach him a lesson... You still up for board games on Thursday? 

Poppy: Oh gosh...

[crystalclearlife]

[Poppy and Sam go to lunch where they chat about board games and Exs...]

Poppy: So with my new job, I’ll have my evenings free again! I can’t believe I put up with so much overtime before...

Sam: Nah, I get it. We do what we have to to make ends meet. I’m just glad we’ll get to hang out more! You like board games?

---

Poppy: Of course, I do! *munches on pastry* Why?

Sam: Well, I’m switching our usual board game night to Thursdays now cause I’m volunteering at the local Cat rescue, but Marcia and I would love if you could join us.

Poppy [Mouth full of pastry]: Mhm! Dat sunds grayte~

---

Poppy: Ah, um, sorry. I just love these chocolate filled things. Anyways! What games do you guys like to play? 

Sam: Oh, you know, the usual. Some Love Letter, maybe Arkham Horror, Sheriff of Nottingham, Secret Hitler...etc. I personally like the lying strategy games. It’s so fun to read other people’s faces! It’s freaking hilarious when you get your friends a bit tipsy too, hahaha~

---

Poppy: Oh...Right, there’ll be alcohol around. Um, is it okay if I don’t partake? I just...I’ve had a bad experience and I think I want to stay away from booze for a bit.

Sam: Ah, that’s no problem! You do you, hun. Drinking’s not the point of the evening anyway. I mostly just enjoy watching how sloppy Nolan gets, what a doofus!

Poppy: Yeah...Yeah, he does do that.

---

Sam: Hm... You know, speaking of Nolan, can I ask what happened between you two? Poppy: You can always ask, Sam... But I don’t think you’ll like what I have to say.