#swiftacy gen 2: fearless era

[melien]

... I dunno

[annierosesim]

The Sims 4 Taylor Swift Eras Challenge

Dear Reader,

It’s me! Hi! Welcome!

I sometimes fancy myself as a Mastermind. I had an idea of making a new Sims 4 legacy challange based on Taylor Swift’s Eras. First things first, I googled if something like it exist. I found @gillysims “Swiftacy” challenge and it was really awesome! (Tumblrhttps://gillysims.tumblr.com › postthe sims 4: swiftacy a 10 generation swiftie legacy challenge - Gillysims) We basically had the same idea but I still wanted to make the stories in my head happen. I decided there is no harm in trying. I could still make my own. So you might find a bit of similarities in our challenges. I also combined it with a little of @lilsimsie ‘s “Not-so-Berry” challenge. (Tumblrhttps://lilsimsie.tumblr.com › postNot So Berry Legacy Challenge - lilsimsie - Tumblr) I hope I didn’t do something bad and that it’s not forbidden or something.

I cooked it up in my head. I based every generation to a Taylor Swift era and songs from the corresponding album to make a story for each sim. I have no idea if the challenges are doable in one normal sim lifespan but hey, this is me trying. 😅

If you’d like to try it out for yourself please go ahead and don’t forget to share your experience and insights to me. Or if not, I guess I’m on my own, kid. #ts4TSeraslegacy

P.S. sorry for all the Taylor Swift puns. 😅

Gen 1 - Debut Era

Matriarch: Taylor Swift

Color: Emerald

Song inspirations: Our Song, Teardrops on My Guitar, You Should Have Said No

Aspiration: Musical Genius

Traits: Romantic, Creative, Music Lover

Story: You’re from a small town and loves country music. You have always wanted to be a musician ever since you can remember so you spend every minute making your dreams come true until you meet, fall in love and marry a guy who eventually broke your heart leaving you with child. You struggle at being the best mother tou can be to your child while also fulfilling your dreams.

- [ ] Complete Musical Genius aspiration

- [ ] Join the Entertainment Career (reach level 8 musician)

- [ ] Master Guitar Skill

- [ ] Master Singing Skill

- [ ] Achieve Global Superstar Status

- [ ] Marry someone who will eventually cheat on you

- [ ] Get divorced

- [ ] Become a single mother to one kid

Gen 2 - Fearless

Color: Gold

Song inspirations: You Belong with Me, Love Story, Fearless, The Way I Loved You, The Best Day

Aspiration: Big Happy Family

Traits: Romantic, Family Oriented, Good

Story: Being an only child raised by a superstar single mother, you have spent your childhood mostly alone and you have always longed for a big happy household. You meet the love of your life as a teen but your parent hates him so you’d always sneak around. You help your boyfriend and mother patch things up and you marry him right after graduation. You become an ever loving partner and a super parent.

- [ ] Complete Big Happy Family aspiration

- [ ] Marry your teenage sweetheart

- [ ] Become a stay at home mother

- [ ] Have 6 kids

- [ ] Become best friends with your heir

- [ ] Be good friends with all your children

- [ ] Master Parenting Skill

Gen 3 - Speak Now

Color: Purple and Lavander

Song Inspirations: Dear John, Enchanted, Mine

Aspiration: Soulmate

Traits: Romantic, Perfectionist, Foodie

Story: You have always loved food and would always cook with your parent, your best friend. You dream of being a chef someday. You’re parents had a perfect relationship and you have always wanted to find what they have. As a teen, you become good friends with a young adult whom you develop feelings for. When you come of age, you move with him to the city. He strings you along only to break your heart and ask you to just be friends. He marries another and move out. You’re heartbroken but you kept going until you meet the right person and spend the rest of your life together.

- [ ] Become best friends with your mom

- [ ] Cook together with mom all the time

- [ ] Move to the city

- [ ] Reach Level 9 of Culinary Career

- [ ] Master Cooking skill

- [ ] Master Gourmet Cooking skill

- [ ] Be married to a sims you are extremely attracted to

- [ ] Complete soulmate Aspiration

Gen 4 - Red

Color: Red

Song Inspirations: 22, I Knew You Were Trouble, We are Never Ever Getting Back Together, Everything has Changed, Begin Again

Aspiration: Best Selling Author

Traits: Bookworm, Ambitious, Outgoing

Story: You have never found it hard to make friends. You are always surrounded by your good friends bur most of all you can always count on your childhood best friend. You strive to be a best selling author and you best friend have always supported you in everything. You marry a person who turned out to be insecure of your ambition and drive. As an adult, you caught him cheating with one of your good friends. You divorce him and turn to your best friend for comfort. You discover you are in love with your best friend and get married to them.

- [ ] Complete best selling author aspiration

- [ ] Master Writing skill

- [ ] Reach Level 9 of the writer career

- [ ] Have at least 3 good friends

- [ ] Have a childhood best friend

- [ ] Get married to the wrong person

- [ ] Have child/children

- [ ] Get a divorce

- [ ] Marry your best friend

Gen 5 - 1989

Color: Baby blue and white

Song inspirations: Welcome to New York, Blank Space

Aspiration: Villainous Valentine

Traits: Non-Comital, Hates Children, Snob

Story: You are a Style Influencer who moves to the city to pursue the high brow crowd. At a young age, you learn that love is fleeting so you get out of every relationship you ever had. You never wanted a family but a one night stand has gone wrong and you reluctantly became a single parent. You never liked children so you hire nannies regularly and you could focus on your career. A relationship with your heir is basically non-existent

- [ ] Complete Villainous Valentine aspiration

- [ ] Reach Level 10 of Style Influencer Career

- [ ] Master Charisma

- [ ] Master Painting

- [ ] Level 9 Writing

- [ ] Become a single parent

- [ ] Hire nanny regularly

- [ ] Have little relationship with your heir

- [ ] Become a Proper Celebrity

Gen 6 - Reputation

Color: Black

Song inspirations: Getaway Car, I Did Something Bad

Aspiration: Public Enemy

Traits: Evil, Slob, Materialistic

Story: You were neglected by your parent so you act out and chose a bad path. You had a relationship with a co-worker but you leave them at the altar not knowing you were pregnant. You raise your kid alone but realized that the criminal career is not working for you anymore because you wanted to be there for your child and be a good example so you changed careers to a mixologist because you have always liked a good drink.

- [ ] Complete Public Enemy Aspiration

- [ ] Become a minor crime lord

- [ ] Have a bad reputation

- [ ] Master Mischief skill

- [ ] Master Parenting skill

- [ ] Master mixology skill

- [ ] Change career to mixologist

- [ ] Leave someone at the altar

Gen 7 - Lover

Color: Pink and blue

Song Inspirations: Miss Americana and the Heartbreak Prince, Paper Rings

Aspiration: Renaissance Sim

Traits: active, geek, cheerful

Story: You couldn’t shake of your parent’s bad reputation but your teenage sweetheart knows the real you. You are very indecisive so you enter different careers. You are fascinated about fitness, technology and space but ultimately decided that your ultimate dream is to explore space.

- [ ] Complete renaissance sim aspiration

- [ ] Marry your first love

- [ ] Enter the athlete career (Level 3)

- [ ] Enter tech guru career (Level 3)

- [ ] Enter astronaut career

- [ ] Master fitness skill

- [ ] Master Logic skill

Gen 8 - Folklore

Color: White and gray

Song inspirations: August, Illicit Affairs

Aspiration: Botanist

Traits: Romantic, Loves Outdoors, Vegetarian

Story: You have always dreamed of a simple life out in the country, growing your own vegetables and keeping the perfect garden. You plan to move to the and make your dreams come true but you fall in love with someone who ended up being married. You had an affair but when you found out you were pregnant he freaked out and said he can’t leave his family and that he loves his partner. So you move away to fulfill you dreams while raising your kid.

- [ ] Complete botanist aspiration

- [ ] Master Gardening skill

- [ ] Master Piano skill

- [ ] Have a cow plant

- [ ] Have an affair with someone married

- [ ] Have a kid

- [ ] Move to the country (simple living lot trait)

- [ ] Live off the land

Gen 9 - Evermore

Color: Brown and orange

Song inspirations: Tolerate it, Willow

Aspiration: Painter Extraordinaire

Traits: Creative, Art Lover, Family Oriented

Story: At a young age you have always known you love art. You start a career as a Painter as a young adult but you me someone and have whirlwind romance. You elope and get married and start a family together. You leave behind your career to raise your children and support your partner in their political career but you continue selling your art. The stress of being a politician gets to them and you get taken for granted by them. More and more you and your partner became less romantic but you are determined not to give up so you do everything to bring back the spark. Ultimately, the two of you fix things because you learned you are meant for each other.

- [ ] Complete painter extraordinaire aspiration

- [ ] Join the painter career and quit after marriage

- [ ] Marry a politician

- [ ] Have 3 children

- [ ] Master painting skill

- [ ] Master parenting skill

- [ ] Win back your partner

Gen 10 - Midnights

Color: Dark blue

Song inspirations: Maroon, Midnight Rain

Aspiration: Master Actor

Traits: Ambitious, Self-assured, perfectionist

Story: You move to the Big City to become an actress. You are driven and would do anything to make your dreams come true. Being a Global Superstar was priority number one so when you meet and fall in love with someone nice you found that it was distracting you from your dreams so you break their heart and move to Del Sol Valley. You never fall in love again and never have a family but you got what you ultimately wanted.

- [ ] Complete Master Actor Aspiration

- [ ] Move to the city

- [ ] Become an actress

- [ ] Break someone’s heart

- [ ] Move to Del Sol Valley

- [ ] Master Acting Skill

- [ ] Master Charisma Skill

- [ ] Master Fitness Skill

- [ ] Become a global superstar

[gillysims]

the sims 4: swiftacy a 10 generation swiftie legacy challenge

Welcome to my Sims 4 Swiftacy Challenge! I’m Gilly, and I recently became extremely enamored with the music of Taylor Swift. I kept thinking how well the storylines in her music would work with a legacy challenge, so I’ve designed each generation of this challenge to reference a different Taylor Swift era. I’ve included generation colors as well just in case you’d like to play this challenge with berry or banilla sims!

Besides the main 9 generations, I’ve also included a few bonus generation prompts. Feel free to use these in addition to or instead of a certain generation’s rules (or include them as their own separate gen!) 

This is a pretty story-oriented legacy, but by no means are you required to play this legacy in that way! Feel free to edit challenge rules or add your own rules to each generation if you want to make it more gameplay-oriented.

If you choose to complete this challenge on your simblr blog, please tag me @gillysims​ in your opening post and I will be sure to reblog and check your story out. You can also use the #ts4swiftacy tag! 

read the rules here or under the cut!

Gen 1: Debut

Based on “Mary’s Song (Oh My My My)” and “Should’ve Said No” Gen Color: Forest Green

You grew up in a close-knit community. You were poor, but your family was loving. You spent many hours as a child outdoors with a family friend your age. Your relationship started innocent, but as the two of you grew older, you fell in love. You got married young and started a family early.

Then, you discover your partner isn’t being faithful. Your picturesque family life and the dreams you had for so long come crashing down. Will you forgive your long-time love, or is it time to move on?

Start the legacy in a small home, living with your family (any number of parents and siblings, if you’d like)

Gain and maintain the Outdoorsy Lifestyle (optional, Snowy Escape required)

Fall in love with your close family friend

Get married and have at least four kids

You and your spouse make money through freelancing, gardening, painting, knitting, cross-stitching, fishing, herbalism, flower arranging, crafting or collectibles ONLY

Discover that your spouse is cheating on you and either reconcile or move on… your choice!

Suggested Traits: Active, Cheerful, Romantic, Maker, Loves Outdoors, Family Oriented, Good, Animal Enthusiast, Loyal

Gen 2: Fearless

Based on “Love Story” and “Change”  OR “You All Over Me” Gen Color: Gold

You grew up in a fractured household. For that reason, your parent(s) and/or sibling(s) are fiercely protective of you. That’s not too much of a problem… until you fall in love with someone your family disapproves of. You allow your feelings to quietly simmer. But eventually you and your love realize that the feelings are mutual.

You hide your relationship for a while, but eventually you are found out. Your family member tries to end the relationship, but you know that this is the person you’re meant to spend your life with. You try to convince your family to approve of your love. Will you succeed?

Live with at least one parent or older sibling, who looks after you

Meet and fall in love with a sim your family member disapproves of

Your choice: Convince your family or fail to convince them (in this case, do you run away with your love or let them go?)

Whatever you choose, have at least 1 child with your love

Suggested Traits: Hot-Headed, Self-Assured, Romantic, Childish, Clumsy, Family-Oriented, Adventurous

Gen 3: Speak Now

Based on “Story of Us” and “Speak Now” Gen Color: Purple

Your parent had a rebellious streak that has passed down to you. You express much of your energy in your writing, but it hasn’t served you well in the love department, unfortunately. You had a tumultuous and passionate relationship in your youth, but it ended messy. You’re certain that you’ll never get back together.

But, when your love moves onto another and gets engaged, you realize that you still love them. You rekindle the relationship and have an affair, but they’re still intent on marrying their fiance. In a last-ditch effort to win them back, you arrive at their wedding uninvited, ready to speak now or forever hold your peace...

Master the writing skill and become a writer (you choose the branch)

Date and then break up with your love

Your love moves on and gets engaged to another

Have an affair with your love while they’re still engaged to their fiance

Crash the wedding and try to convince your love to run away with you. Will it succeed? Will it fail? Up to you!

Have at least 1 child with your love, during your initial relationship and/or during the affair 

Suggested Traits: Creative, Hot-Headed, Self-Assured, Bookworm, Adventurous, Childish, Jealous, Outgoing, Self-Absorbed

Gen 4: Red

Based on “All Too Well” and “Holy Ground” Gen Color: Red

You are a sensitive, creative, and anxious person. You rely on a creative hobby to steady yourself and express your emotions. You remain the shy, awkward kid up until you reach adulthood, and you try to turn your creative hobby into a career. At the same time, you meet someone and fall in love for the very first time. You are swept up in a passionate romance, more intense than you’ve ever felt before, and your art is profoundly affected.

But, for reasons entirely outside of your control, your lover breaks your heart. You are shattered, and must turn back to your art to pull you out of your pain. You persevere, and throw your passion into honing your craft. You meet someone through your art and have a happy romance. Years later, you meet your ex again and realize that the pain is gone. What happens next?

Complete the Artistic Prodigy aspiration as a child

Have no more than one friend outside the family until you become a Young Adult

Meet someone as a Young Adult and have a short and passionate romance with them that ends in heartbreak

Master your skills in at least one creative craft (painting, writing, music, knitting, cooking, baking, etc)

Turn your chosen skill(s) into a career

Meet, marry, and have at least two children with someone you met in your creative career

Meet your ex again later in life. They have also moved on and started a family of their own. Choose: Do you stay with your new life or try things again with your ex?

Suggested Traits: Creative, Gloomy, Romantic, Art Lover, Geek, Music Lover, Foodie, Maker, Paranoid, Squeamish, Loner, Socially Awkward

Gen 5: 1989

Based on “Welcome to New York,” “Style,” “Out of the Woods,” and “I Wish You Would” Gen Color: Cyan

At a young age, you decide that small-town life isn’t for you, and you move to the big city to make it as an entertainer. You make a lot of gorgeous and talented friends in your industry, and you have lots of flings. Your numerous failed relationships gain you the reputation of a toxic person, and your friends desert you. 

Choose AT LEAST two of the following relationship storylines to play out amongst multiple partners:

“Style” - You are in an on-again off-again relationship. It’s passionate, but secret. “Bad Blood” - You have a close relationship with someone, toeing the line between romance and friendship. However, they betray you. “Out of the Woods” - After many flings, you decide to settle down with someone. However, you realize you don’t trust them and/or they don’t trust you to stay true. “I Wish You Would” - Date someone and break up, but realize that you still love them. Try to make the relationship work again.

Move to San Myshuno or Del Sol Valley and join the Music, Comedian, or Acting Career (no need to complete it)

Hang out in a social group of eligible bachelors/bachelorettes

Gain and maintain the Hungry for Love lifestyle (optional, Snowy Escape required)

Date two or more of your friends, following at least two of the storylines above (feel free to use multiple storylines for the same partner if you’d like)

Have at least 2 children with any number of your partners

End up single

Suggested Traits: Creative, Goofball, Romantic, Self-Assured, Dance Machine, Music Lover, Materialistic, Insider, Jealous, Noncommittal, Self-Absorbed, Party Animal

Gen 6: Reputation

Based on “Dancing with Our Hands Tied” and “Delicate” Gen Color: Grey

Your parent’s infamy and notoriety has not escaped your notice. You’re determined to rise above all the drama, and you become a successful and famous creative. 

 You’re serious about your work and swear off relationships. You’ve seen firsthand how much drama they can cause. But all that changes when you meet another celebrity and fall in love with them. All you want is to be with them, but the eyes of the paparazzi are on you. How do you handle loving someone in the spotlight?

Rise the ranks of a creative career (Acting, Music, Painting, Writing, etc) and become famous for your work

Meet a fellow celebrity and fall in love

The pressure of the spotlight puts a strain on your relationship and on your career

Have a child with your love

Choose between your career or your love - you realize you cannot have both

Suggested Traits: Creative, Gloomy, Genius, Unflirty, Music Lover, Perfectionist, Ambitious, Snob, Good, Loner, Paranoid, Proper, Loyal

Gen 7: Lover

Based on “Cruel Summer” and “Lover” Gen Color: Pink

Being the child of two celebrities has not given you the most normal of childhoods. You’ve spent your life in the spotlight, and it has not given you the healthiest of outlooks on relationships. All the friends you’ve made have been superficial, just there to absorb the attention your famous family garners.

So, when you fall in love for the first time, you’re certain it won’t end well. Your distrust in yourself and in your love causes problems in the relationship. You break up with your love, too scared of the relationship, even as you still love them. However, your love fights for you and wins you back.

Have a strained relationship with at least one of your parents

Be betrayed by a friend who was only using you for your fame

Fall in love but end the relationship out of distrust in your love’s intentions

Your love wins your trust back and you get back together

Move with your love back to a small town (Newcrest, Willow Creek, Oasis Springs, Strangerville… any non “city” world you want!)

Live happily for the rest of your days

Have at least 3 children with your love

Suggested Traits: Gloomy, Hot-Headed, Unflirty, Geek, Perfectionist, Childish, Squeamish, Jealous, Loner, Paranoid

Gen 8: Folklore

Based on “betty,” “cardigan,” and “august” Gen Color: White

CHOOSE:

“betty” - You are the most popular kid in school. However, you fall for a nerdy nobody, elevating their popularity. For a while, you and your partner rule the school, the model by which everyone judges their own relationships. However, as happy as you are with your partner, you have a summer fling with their best friend in a moment of weakness. Your partner is furious, and breaks up with you. However, you’re still in love and try to win them back.

“cardigan” - You are not the coolest kid in school. However, all that changes when you catch the eye of the popular kid and start dating. They are the first person you’ve ever met that makes you feel wanted. You’re happy for a while until you realize that they aren’t being faithful. What’s worse is they cheated on you with your best friend! You break up with them, but you’re still in love. When they return and ask for your forgiveness, you give it to them.

“august” - You’re the artsy nobody at your school. You’ve always had a crush on the most popular kid in school, but your best friend ends up dating them instead. You try to be happy for them, but it’s difficult, and you find yourself dreaming of your crush each night. Then, one fateful summer, you take a chance and ask to be with them. For a while, you think that this relationship will last, but your crush leaves you again at the end of the summer for your friend. Now you’ve ruined your relationship with your best friend and with your love.

Choose one perspective to play out the storyline with (“betty,” “cardigan,” or “august”)

If “betty” or “cardigan”, end up marrying your love, despite the difficulties. Have at least 2 children with them.

If “august”, have a child result from your fling. Raise that child on your own. You choose whether or not you love again (or if your former best friend or lover re-enter your life).

“betty” Suggested Traits: Active, Cheerful, Goofball, Romantic, Self-Assured, Adventurous, Childish, Outgoing, Self-Absorbed

“cardigan” Suggested Traits: Genius, Creative, Geek, Maker, Perfectionist, Ambitious, Jealous, Loyal, Socially Awkward

“august” Suggested Traits: Creative, Gloomy, Romantic, Art Lover, Music Lover, Good, Loner

Gen 9: Evermore

Based on “‘tis the damn season,” “champagne problems” Gen Color: Orange

You grew up in a warm and loving household, but you always felt something was missing. You grow up a talented and accomplished student, and move into a rewarding career. You are in a stable relationship with your high school sweetheart that seems to be going well. Then, your sweetheart proposes… and you realize that you cannot marry them.

You reject the proposal, quit your job, and leave your shocked family and friends to set out on your own to find your purpose. You find a new passion and career. But your ex is still trying to reach out to you. Guilty about how you left things, you return home and find that everything has changed...

Gain and maintain an A grade throughout your student career

Meet and date your sweetheart as a teen

Go into a “prestigious career” as soon as you become a YA (Astronaut, Business, Civil Designer, Engineer, Law, Medicine, Politics, or Science)

Your sweetheart proposes to you but you reject them

Quit your job and move out of the home to a different world

Establish yourself in a new hobby and career

Move back home to try and make things right with your ex

You choose: Fall back in love with your ex OR fall in love with someone else you knew in your childhood

Suggested Traits: Creative, Genius, Gloomy, High Maintenance, Hot-Headed, Romantic, Self-Assured, Perfectionist, Ambitious, Erratic, Overachiever, Snob, Squeamish, Loner, Noncommittal, Self-Absorbed

Gen 10: Midnights

Based on “You’re on Your Own, Kid,” “Midnight Rain” Gen Color: Midnight Blue

You grew up hearing wild tales of your ancestors’ adventures and misadventures with love and fame. You feel a sublime connection to one of your ancestors and decide to strike out on your own to become just like them.

However, living in the shadow of someone you’ve never met is more complicated than you realized, especially when you meet and fall in love with someone with far different life goals than you. Do you choose to continue on your path toward your dreams? Or, are those dreams misguided?

Model your life goals off of the life of one of your ancestors (you pick which one)

Work toward the top level of a career and max at least two skills based on that ancestor (Note: These don’t have to be the exact same career/skills said ancestor had but it should have a clear connection. For example, if your Grey ancestor was a singer, your sim could pursue some other musical instrument. If your Red ancestor wrote detective novels, you could be a detective!)

Discover that the life you’re pursuing is not all it cracked up to be

Meet someone with an incompatible life dream and fall in love

CHOOSE: Do you stay with that person or continue along the path toward your goal?

Suggested Traits: (Any traits based on your chosen ancestor), Creative, Genius, Romantic, Art Lover, Bookworm, Geek, Perfectionist, Adventurous, Ambitious, Childish, Family-oriented, Insider, Loyal, Proper

Bonus Prompts: I Think He Did It (But I Just Can’t Prove It)

Based on “no body, no crime”

You have a best friend who’s having marital troubles. You try to help them navigate them, but before you can help, your friend disappears. You notice your friend’s spouse is acting strange. Local police are unwilling to help. You decide to take matters into your own hands.

Be best friends with a married sim

Spend at least two nights a week hanging out with your friend before they disappear

Investigate your friend’s disappearance and come to suspect their ex-spouse

You choose: Report the spouse to the authorities OR take matters into your own hands… (or both!)

Those Windermere Peaks

Based on “the lakes” 

You’re unhappy with your current life, so you decide to drop everything and move to a distant and uninhabited place with nothing but your art and your beloved. Now all you have to focus on is the most important things.

Quit your job and move to another world with your romantic partner

Live in a house “off the grid”

Make money ONLY through art (painting, writing, music, woodworking, knitting, etc)

Socialize only with your partner and any children you decide to have

Home is Where the Heart Is (But That’s Not Where Mine Lives)

Based on “London Boy”

You’re jet-setting around the world, seeing the sights. While on your travels, you meet a new sim and fall in love. They’re not who you were expecting, but life is an adventure with them!

Meet a romantic interest while travelling (either in a destination world or in a regular one)

Your romantic interest has a completely different lifestyle than yours. Immerse yourself in their way of life (Either through the Snowy Escape Lifestyles or just through gameplay/story)

Participate in all possible activities/festivals in your romantic interest’s home world, and visit all community lots with them

Magic, Madness, Heaven, Sin

Based on “Blank Space”

You’re a secluded, rich, and extremely famous entertainer. However, in recent years you’ve become more well-known for your romantic exploits than your artistic ones. Most of your relationships end messy, but they’re fun in the moment!

Be a celebrity

Live in a mansion

Make your money through an Entertainment career (Music, Comedy, Acting)

Have a rotating series of lovers living with you (meet them, move them in, date them, break up with them, move them out, repeat)

Complete the Serial Romantic aspiration

[melien]

Yeah Stephen, I'm sure this is a comfortable place to study.

[melien]

Stephen's kindness towards stray cats unfortunately earned him fleas which he successfully passed to the rest of the family.

[melien]

Amongst all the drama, I once again forgot about Georgia and her birthday.

[melien]

Cory-Anne: Ugh... Of course Andrew is going to twist the events to her. Frances, am I overreacting?

Frances: What? No! There's no such thing as overreacting. It's absolutely valid of you to feel hurt over what Marilyn did to you, no matter how many years have passed. Don't let anyone tell you you're overreacting or being too emotional. It's always those who hurt you that get away with this easily, and then it's you who's "dramatic". You're upset with her more than you are with Andrew, aren't you?

Cory-Anne: Yes... because Andrew's an airhead, at least I can see his motives. What was going through her head is a mystery for me. Not to mention we were friends, the three of us...

Frances: That's tough, because I see Abigail's side too. Jules being Marilyn's daughter doesn't mean they're one and the same. But... I see that you want to protect her.

Cory-Anne: Maybe... maybe I need to get some closure with Marilyn. It's been weighing on me, even when I thought I was over it. I don't want to lose Abigail over it, but I also don't want her to be a part of my future family. At least not until I understand.

[melien]

I lived, and I learned Had you, got burned Held out, and held on God knows, too long And wasted time, lost tears Swore that I'd get out of here But no amount of freedom gets you clean I've still got you all over me

[melien]

Random pup!

[melien]

Marilyn: What I wanted to say... Jules is not like me, Cory. I still struggle to build a real connection with her and it's fully on me, but she didn't come from a broken home like me, with a bunch of issues. I made sure she's taken care of. She's sweet, gentle, and kind-hearted, and really cares about Abigail. If you can't forgive me... please give her a chance.

Cory-Anne: *sighs* I'll think about it.

Marilyn: Great. That's truly the one thing I ask of.

[melien]

Cory-Anne: Marilyn... I guess, after you explained it, it made sense for me, finally. Mental illness and demons can be irrational. But I just can't forgive you that easily. You did so much damage in my life just because of your assumptions and for the longest time, I thought back to you and tormented myself. I even thought it was my fault. That I deserved to be betrayed like this, multiple times. That you hate me for a reason.

Marilyn: It was never your fault, Cory. It was all me. I never hated you. It was more complicated. And I'm... genuinely sorry. I've wanted to apologise to you for a long time, actually, but it was embarrassing and I didn't even know where to start. You're, of course, in your right not to forgive me. But I'm glad that you know now. You don't deserve to doubt yourself. And, like I said, I dealt with that in therapy and it opened my eyes.

Cory-Anne: I'm glad you're getting therapy, at least. So many people don't. That's... admirable.

[melien]

Cory-Anne: I... might have listed that as one of the possible reasons, but it was more of a crack theory me and Frances had. It just didn't make much sense?

Marilyn: Indeed, it doesn't. I told you, I didn't know how to deal with it. I felt like you're just friends with me out of pity, because you were closer with Frances, and I certainly rejected any hopes of being something more with you. I knew you'd be disappointed in me, and I wasn't ready for a stable relationship. To this day, I have never really had a lasting one. I just... ghost a lot. Run away a lot. And I hate it.

Cory-Anne: So you just made a decision for me? Marilyn, I was never even friends with you out of pity. Being friends with Frances didn't cancel out the fact that I enjoyed your company.

Marilyn: Yeah... I know it's unfair. But with how obsessed I was with you, I just couldn't afford any chance of rejection. It would crush me. And then you started dating Josie. So my twisted mind just went and ruined that for you. There was momentary satisfaction in it, but then it felt terrible. I didn't last long with her. And I couldn't see the effect it had on you.

Cory-Anne: And what about Andrew? You were older by then... you should have known better. Was it some sort of "if I can't have you, no one else can"?

Marilyn: No... not really. It was rather "at least if you hate me, if you're not indifferent, it's better than you not seeing me at all"

[melien]

Marilyn: Cory-Anne... When we were younger, I had a big, big crush on you. It wasn't healthy. You'd call it an obsession. Or a limerence.

Cory-Anne: Oh... So you...

Marilyn: I worshipped you, Cory. It was quite embarrassing, to be honest. I thought of you days and nights. And, at the same time, I was jealous of you. You seemed so polished, so collected. You know how my family life wasn't the best, to put it mildly... to put it very mildly? The intensity of these feelings shocked me. I couldn't put a name on it. And I certainly didn't know how to deal with this... fixation in healthy ways.

[melien]

Marilyn: Funny how our kids are dating now, huh?

Cory-Anne: Marilyn, I came to get closure. Please, say something, explain yourself. If you can't, then you're just wasting my time.

Marilyn: ... Right... Cory, I've been in therapy, and... it did help me understand the root of my issues. But it was still hard to admit it to myself. Why I've been so cruel and unfair to you. You won't believe me. It doesn't even make much sense.

Cory-Anne: Try me.

[melien]

Cory-Anne: Hi, Marilyn.

Marilyn: Thank you for meeting me. You... still look great, after all these years. It's like you've barely aged.

[melien]

If you and I are a story That never gets told If what you are is a daydream I'll never get to hold At least you'll know