Thursday 25 November 2010

You came through

Round 29: March 2030 (Autumn)
Charlie's next update/Susannah's next update/Nathan's next update/next update

Nathan Collins, Susannah Carmody and Malcolm Novak are all 20, Julia Gray and Hope Collins are both 19 and Audrey Lachance and Jack and Charlie Benton are all 18.
(Camilla and Sophie are both 17 and Everett and Grace are both 2 weeks old)

Narrated by Audrey Lachance

Never in my life have I had so much freedom to practise in peace! I can hardly believe it!

Campus is usually a hive of activity but at 6:30am, it seems like no one is awake except me.

Even once I'm finished and walking back to the dorm, Suffolk seems almost eerily quiet.

When I get back, at least a few people are usually up. Charlie checked all these parenting books out at the library and he's been poring over them any spare moment he has. I think he really wants to be a good dad.

Charlie goes back home to Sullivan a lot, to see Camilla and their babies, Everett and Grace. It's pretty weird for me to think of Charlie as a dad though! Things change fast.

Camilla must be happy that Charlie is getting involved. I would be, in her situation. I can't imagine being a mother at 17.

I haven't met Everett and Grace yet but Charlie talks about them so much, I almost feel like I know them.

He doesn't get to see them as much now that we've started classes but he still tries to make it back home as often as he can.

I thought it would be a little awkward for Jack being in the same dorm as Julia. She was so angry when they broke up and I thought for sure there'd be trouble. But Jack was so surprised at how civil, even friendly, she was towards him.

Julia is dating Nathan now so I thought maybe she'd decided her energies were better spent elsewhere.

The civility didn't last long, unfortunately.

It was like she was just waiting for Jack to get comfortable before striking again.

Nathan got himself in Julia's bad books too, when he apologised to Jack on Julia's behalf. She was not happy.

No wonder Jack's been trying to avoid Julia!

On the weekends, we hardly see him at all because he's with Sophie.

Sophie still has another year of high school to go, so they don't see each other too often during the week.

I've really clicked with Susannah since arriving here on campus. I knew her at school but she was a couple of years ahead of me so I didn't know her that well. But we've definitely bonded this semester.

She's been telling me all about this new guy, named Greg. She went out a couple of times with another guy named Sam but she seems to be all about this Greg guy now.

Greg lives here in the dorm with us, so he and Susannah are together all the time.

I just don't know about him though. Something about him makes me a little wary.

It almost seems like he's flirting with me sometimes and I'm really uncomfortable with it.

Jack even said that he saw Greg making out with some other girl in the common room the other day.

I was talking to Jack about it, because I think we should tell Susannah. If my boyfriend was acting like such a jerk, I'd want to know about it.

Jack hates getting involved in other people's business and thinks we should both shut up about it. I told him I would but I also told him that if Greg makes another move on me or anyone else, I'm going straight to Susannah.

I hadn't really hung out with Hope much since she and Dominic split up but we've caught up a little since I moved into the dorms.

We don't have much in common but she's okay most of the time.

Most of the time. She's just realised that I'm the only single person left in the dorm, which she finds horrifying.

I think she's got ideas about setting me up.

I really hope not because I don't know what to think about Hope's taste in men. Malcolm wouldn't be my type even if he wasn't my cousin.

The only guy I'm interested in right now is currently unavailable.

I don't know if it's just because we're spending so much time together now or if it's something more but I can't stop thinking about him.

But he's very taken right now and I certainly don't want to come between him and Sophie. The last thing I want to do is become the other woman.

Extras:LOL. I just clicked upstairs and there was Jack, playing pool in his underpants. Sophie wasn't over at the time and there are no other woohoo memories in his panel, so I don't even know why he was in his underpants!
The second last family portrait; the Lachance side of Audrey's family. I actually had to reshoot this one because I forgot to include Nick and Sarah. Now I notice that Liam and Arianna are in this picture and shouldn't be. Oh well. It's a nice pic anyway!

(click to enlarge)
So I don't know exactly when this happened! The wedding memory that you see there is Troy and Josie's wedding, so it must have happened in one of the couple of times I popped into this dorm before the actual play session. I almost restaged it but decided against it in the end. I think Audrey is a little meek for that and she's also friends with Sophie, so it seems out of character. But anyway...now you know that Audrey's little crush on Jack is not storytelling on my part - it's pure game play.

Kind of surprised that Jack turned her down though! He certainly didn't have any problems accepting any of that little minx Sophie's advances when he was with Julia! Poor Julia...Jack really wasn't ever into her!

But I think we should all consider the possibility that Audrey just is not that discerning!

Notes:
  • Title is from You Came Through by PJ Harvey.
  • First of all, if you haven't visited already, you should check out the VSS Warm Fuzzies post. It's just a nice little way to leave an anonymous comment for various writers/bloggers/storytellers around the Sims community. It's a spin-off of the LJ Love meme and is a very sweet idea. If you have a minute, I encourage you to go and leave a comment or two. I found it was a good way for me to tell people things that I was afraid would sound totally weird if I just came out and said them for no reason! Thanks again to Stacy for starting the VSS thread and to allthingssimlish for the original idea on LJ.
  • Anyway! This household is TOO BIG! I just about went insane playing them. It's a little different in a large family, because all those Sims are bonded together and there's sometimes only 2 or 3 different threads to follow. But with these kinds of households, there's like 8 different threads to follow and it's too much!
  • I also find big households like this make me lazy with my posing and setting up shots. I can feel it happening while I play but there's so much going on that I can't motivate myself to fix it!
  • Due to that, next round, I'm going to switch things up a little. I'll have Nathan move in with Dominic and Amar and Susannah will move in with Rebecca, wherever she ends up living. That will leave me 5 in the dorm (because Charlie will move out as well, with Camilla and the twins). Then I'll have to find housing for Lila, Sophie and Connor but if worse comes to worst, I'll stick them in my old dorm that needs revitalisation but is fortunately still perfectly serviceable.
  • Jack rolled the Woohoo Scavenger Hunt ROS this round. There were a few that Jack and Sophie couldn't fulfill - there's no car or closet at the dorm - but they did woohoo on the couch at the club. I think that was as many objects as I could manage.
  • I was meaning to have Susannah go out with Sam from Rebecca's update but she had other ideas. I was directing some other Sims downstairs, heard the "falling in love" sound and found Susannah upstairs tossing off her clothes and woohooing with this Greg character! Greg is a jerk and spends most of his time making out with Joanne (the girl in the pink sweater dress) and "admiring" Audrey. I've made him selectable and checked out his wants, so I know exactly where Greg would like this "admiration" of Audrey to go. He's up to no good, people!
  • Malcolm's dad Owen and Audrey's mum Tatiana are half-siblings - just for anyone who needed a reminder as to how they were actually cousins.

21 comments:

  1. ROFL These kids are driving me crazy and I'm not playing them! Yeah, playing a full dorm is a handful. I find myself getting lazy too. I normally take three to four days to play one of my dorms. At least one of them will be graduating soon!

    Susannah can pick 'em can't she! But we live and learn. Ihope she's not too hurt by his actions.

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  2. Eek on that Greg character! I hope that Susannah doesn't get herself too attached to him.

    This would be too much to follow and write on! I like how you intend to break them all up next year.

    Charlie seems to be a sweet Dad, and Audrey is adorable in her ballerina gear.

    LOL on Jack in his tighty whities! I'm relieved that Jack didn't knock up Sophie with all that ROS woohoo, that'd be too much I think for his parents. And um.. Julia is a little crazy still, eh?

    Do we get to see pictures of your new college hood? Maybe I can find ideas to steal for mine, my new one is almost finished (I only started this past summer! What a slow project it's been.), only five more households before I send Oliver off.

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  3. Thanks for reading, guys. :)

    Riverdale, I took two days to play through these kids and could have taken a third but I was so desperate to just get them over with, lol! And yeah, one's graduating soon but it'll be one out, four in! Next year, Camilla, Lila, Sophie and Connor will all start!

    Greg is not a good choice on Susannah's part, it's true. Let's hope that she's learned from her big sister's mistakes though and cuts Greg loose as soon as she finds out his true colours.

    Maisie, I'm definitely not liking this Greg either! Susannah was quite adamant about Sarah dumping Marshall, when she was in a similar situation in college, so hopefully she'll follow her own advice.

    Wouldn't that have been just a total mess? Two brothers becoming dads before they're even 18! Sophie couldn't have fallen pregnant in this session though, as she was only a visitor. There was a chance of that happening when they did it at her house, of course, though it was a smaller chance because Jack's allowed birth control.

    You absolutely will get to see my new college hood! I just want to get it as fleshed out as my previous one was and then I'll share. I'm almost there. I built a family housing unit last night, so I'll place down a few more copies of that as well as some more hood deco. Then I'll see about taking some pictures. :)

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  4. I love your ballet studio, it's amazing and beautiful and great :) Wow, so Audrey is having feelings for Jack now...who wouldn't, have you looked at him *swoons and heart farts all around*

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  5. I'm happy that I only have 5 young adults right now but I don't think that will last too long. I like the ballet studio too. It would be a great addition to my performing arts center.

    LOL @ Jack in his underwear. I guess if I looked that tight and tone I would walk in my underwear all day, everyday too, even in the winter.

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  6. Love all the interlocking relationships, and how adorable is Charlie, getting right into 'Dad' mode.
    So...Audrey liked Jack? Hope she isn't in for any heartbreak, and Greg is something else.
    Nicely done!

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  7. I meant to say "LIKES" Jack, not past tense.~

    Can't blame her, Jack is as cute as the dickens.

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  8. Apple Valley, I think credit for the ballet studio should mostly go to blackdaisies, who writes SimTopi. I don't think I really changed it all that much from, apart from maybe the wallpaper!

    And yep, looks like! As soon as I moved them in, Audrey kept getting all sorts of ACR actions for Jack in her queue. All the ones I noticed failed, because someone was in the way, but I guess one slipped by me! We'll see what happens with them next year, if anything.

    Choco, I can't foresee a time, even in the distant future, when I'll only have 5 young adults! So enjoy it while it lasts, I guess?

    Maybe that's Jack's thinking? LOL!

    Drew, Charlie is nothing if not sincere. I think it will still be a huge adjustment for him to actually live with the babies next year though!

    Audrey has a big thing for Jack right now! Jack was hopelessly in love with her all through their early teen years, even while she was dating Charlie but moved on with Sophie. I'm not sure what's in store for Jack and Audrey.

    But oh yes, he is very, very cute!

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  9. I'm glad Charlie is taking the time to go home and be with Camilla and his twins, it can't be easy on him.

    Aw Julia, you have a sweet boyfriend now, there's no need to still be mad at Jack for dumping you!
    And Nathan should think before he acts, apologising on your girlfriend's behalf when she's standing next to you, and really doesn't want to appoligise, can't be a good thing!
    I really still like Jack and Sophie together, I wouldn't like to see them break up.
    Personally I think Audrey had her chance, but back then she choose Charlie. On the onther hand, you can't control who you fall in love with, and when, so I hope she Audrey finds some one she looses her heart to!

    It's strange but I likes Sam better. He looked sweeter, and acted a lot better towards Susannah, I hope she finds out what kind of guy he is before it's too late!

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  10. Tanja, it's definitely harder for Charlie now that classes have started. But he still seems to genuinely care about Camilla and the babies, which is sweet.

    Yeah, I don't think Julia is quite stable. If she was a regular playable, she'd get the mentally unstable trait for sure! Nathan should probably watch out, especially if he's going to go around apologising on her behalf again!

    I like Jack and Sophie together as well but I also like the idea of letting Jack and Audrey give it a shot. They're leading me here though, so I have to see where they take it next year.

    I liked Sam better too. If Susannah kicks Greg to the curb (which we can probably all agree that she should), then maybe Sam will have another shot.

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  11. All the notes at the end were funny! Maybe Jack just finds it more comfortable to play pool in his undies? Maybe he did it on a dare? Maybe he got someone to play strip pool with him? Clearly, he's living up college life, lol!

    And Audrey-- oh my! Hitting on Jack, huh! Was there alcohol involved? A little too much champagne? Though we can't really blame her, I mean, Jack is super cute for a sim. (Plus you have to love how much confidence he shows playing pool in his undies. That's a confident man right there, lol.)

    Although the charlatan? Oh man, Audrey take your time. Clearly she isn't the best judge. Others will need to watch out for her.

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  12. Lunar, heh, it was a pretty funny play session, overall! LOL, I can imagine college aged guys doing dares like that, or playing strip pool! I was about to say that Jack seemed too shy for that sort of display, but that's Charlie. Jack's quiet, not shy.

    I hope there was no alcohol involved, because the attempts at ACR flirting/kissing (which all failed, as I mentioned, except the one that didn't, lol!) started the second Audrey arrived on the lot. So hopefully, she wasn't drinking in the cab! She obviously just has good taste.

    Or not! The funny thing about the Charlatan is that if you click on him, you don't get any options at all. So Audrey likes an unattainable man, apparently!

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  13. Great update. Again, I ditto pretty much what everyone else said. Too funny with Julia's mood swings. I like the idea of the "mentally unstable" trait lol. It was sweet seeing Charlie, Camilla and the twins together. I bet that is so weird for Audrey to see Charlie as a dad and Jack paying someone other than her attention. I love that last pic of her and Jack hanging out. It really looks like she has love in her eyes.

    And wow Susannah! She better be careful with that guy. I think that guy would have all of your blog followers after him for hurting our Susannah lol. She's so sweet. Love the shot of Jack in his underwear playing pool and very nice family shot.

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  14. waiting for Charlie to find out what it's like to live with the babies LOL! Parenting books are like driver's ed with no time behind the wheel.

    Susannah kind of likes a player...since I've known some, I'll reserve judgement! She is so sweet though, I hope she doesn't get too involved with him.

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  15. Danielle, in the trait list I'm using, one of them actually is "mentally unstable". It's Laura's list, with a few of my own added but I believe that one was a Laura original. I forget which Sim of hers has it. Maybe Vicky?

    I was watching Audrey and Jack hanging out and Audrey got that starry-eyed look on her face without my intervention. The girl has it bad!

    If Susannah had listened to me and stuck with Sam from the previous update, I'm sure would have been much happier. Even if the chemistry wouldn't have been quite so electric! She's got two bolts with Sam, three with this Greg asshole.

    S.B., so true! I'm impressed that Charlie was interested enough to want to read up but it's going to be a different story once he's actually living with them!

    Oh, gosh, I hope Susannah's not starting a pattern with this Greg guy! Although I do develop a real soft spot for my Sims who have their hearts broken a couple of times.

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  16. college sims are always such drama! It's almost like a reality show, with everyone hooking up and socializing the way they do!

    Greg is a scumbag! Someone needs to tell Susannah!Her heart will be broken, but he's a cheater!

    which brings me to audrey: good girl! someone who can control themselves! Thank goodness she's not going there... and zack too, lol! (well at least in the story.. gameplay audrey better not try to kiss him again.)

    Wow that family picture better be hanging in someone's house, since it's pretty damn awesome.

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  17. bbop, ha, I know! I can't remember the last time I had a boring college round. There's always some sort of drama afoot.

    I'm not keen on Greg myself. Susannah has appalling taste, apparently. I pick out a nice, friendly, cute boy for her and she goes and sleeps with this guy? Sims! But I don't think Audrey will be able to hold her tongue for much longer. Even if it is Jack who asked her to.

    Ha, Gameplay Audrey is under my strict control! I don't like to put them on Friend Zone, because I like to see what they're trying to do but I don't always write in their attempts, unless it makes sense for their character. Sims don't ever consider whether their intended is already attached - only whether they themselves are already attached, which is a bit unrealistic. Audrey is friends with Sophie and Jack, so she'd be well aware they're together.

    The portrait isn't hanging up anywhere yet but it likely will. I usually do a whole bunch of portraits at the same time, usually at the beginning of a new round.

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  18. Uh oh. Drama abounds on campus! That Greg is awful. Someone definitely needs to tell Susannah, and fast!

    Audrey, Audrey....fallen for Jack. Those Benton boys have really done a number on her! I'm really surprised that he didn't go for her, too!

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  19. Rachel, lol, so we've established that nobody likes Greg! Works for me, as I don't either! It'll be nice if Susannah sees the light.

    Jack must either be really into Sophie, or he's not but he's trying to be a better boyfriend to her than he was to Julia. Audrey though...yeah, she's definitely fallen for Jack! Just look at her in that last pic!

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  20. Add me to the list of people who don't like Greg! What a jerk! I hope Susannah finds someone better.

    And what is wrong with Julia? Honestly, she and Jack broke up like a hundred years ago (not really but it's been a loooong time anyway).

    So now Audrey likes Jack. Of course, since he's not single. What is it with these two, can't they like each other when they're both available?! It'll be interesting to see how this will go.

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  21. Sari, I hope so too! I think I've said before that I actually have no clue who Susannah will end up with, so it should be interesting!

    As for Julia, who knows?! Every time I think she's over Jack, she'll go over and randomly slap him and then she's furious all over again. I think they need some more time apart!

    I know, right? All those years Jack was pining after Audrey and he was just a friend to her! Now he's got a girlfriend and she decides she likes him!

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