#also for people who don't know one of haley's late stage cut scenes

[not-poignant]

Awwwwwwww Haley!!!!! What a gem, I am loving her presence in this story and in Alex's life. It's so interesting how Sebastian, Sam, and Abigail kind of have a chip on their shoulders of "us against the town" that sort of allows them to ignore how Alex and Haley felt growing up in Pelican Town. As if those three were the only teenagers who encountered feelings of isolation or discontent with life in the valley. I think you've talked about this before, hopefully I'm not just repeating what you've previously said word for word hahaaaa

Oh no, you've summarised it up really well! I'm sure I've said something similar to this but took like 1000 words to say it :D

And yeah that's how I feel about them in the story very much. I think when you identify as a geek etc. or when you feel you're better than a place, you might combine 'I'm being looked down on because I'm a geek' with 'I don't belong here because I'm better than this place' and end up with 'it's us against the town' mentality.

I always found it interesting that like, Sebastian, Abigail and Sam are nearly *always* together at every event / festival, and Alex and Haley are *often* together but not always (Alex is sometimes with his grandparents, which is sweet). Sebastian is never actively bullied by anyone except his stepfather in the story (nor is Alex, but Alex does mention a canonically mean / abusive father). Sam is never actively bullied. Abigail isn't either. So from the outside looking in, this is a tight friendship group.

Not only that, but in all of your cut scenes with Alex, he is completely alone. And in fact, in one of them, you eavesdrop on him telling his dog Rusty 'you're the only one I can talk to' - indicating how lonely he is. And then in another cut scene, he has his mother's music box with him while he's upset on the beach, and basically you find out he's been crying, on his own, at the beach. When Alex asks you not to tell anyone that he was emotional/crying about his dead mom, you literally laugh at him and then walk away while he panics. That literally happens in the best case scenario. I hate that scene so much. Playing that up for comedic value is like 'haha lightening the mood I guess' - but from a character meta standpoint, it's like shit, that's brutal.

In fact, in most of his cut scenes or dialogue exchanges, you have the option to laugh, mock, belittle, or abuse him, you can even say 'yeah, your father was right about you.'

On the other hand, Sebastian gets one lengthy cut scene with friends playing tabletop gaming together where it's clear they do this regularly. In his first cut scene, his mother comes in to say Abigail wants to come over. Sebastian's introduced as someone who is social from the beginning, not just with one person, but multiple people, to the point where his cut scenes involve multiple friends.

I find that contrast super interesting. Like, the game indicates one thing about Sebastian in his appearance and behaviour (i.e. loner introvert goth) but then says something completely different in his actual interactions in the town. The game indicates one thing about Alex (i.e. egotistical sporty popular guy) and then says something completely different in their actual interactions in the town.

From a story perspective, I love that - like what if they believe about each other what the game wants us to think before we dig deeper? Except that in this case, Alex realised pretty quickly that Sebastian isn't a loner at all, in fact he's extremely social, and even hosts gatherings at his own place (something no one else does except for Caroline and her exercise group, and Sam with his band - that Sebastian is a member of).

Anyway, enjoying blowing up each one of Sebastian's assumptions! It's incredibly satisfying, lol