Gen 2 Ch 3: Hotspot Detector

Maybe Bloom would feel better once he had made his new apartment look a little more homey. He immediately thought about his mother's indoor garden back home. Carefully, he planted a greenleaf seed he had found back on campus.

He hung up several of Arthur's paintings that he had brought with him and decorated his new desk with a family photo and the sun cut lapis lazuli he had gotten for his last birthday.
"When you find the one, you will know it, son. And don't let anything keep you from being happy. I want this gift to remind you of that.", his father's words echoed in Bloom's mind.

The next thing he did, of course, was to set up his gaming console. The TV that came withe the apartment was small, but at least there was one. Bloom was delighted to see that his brother Broccoli was online as well, and like so many times before, they started a very competitive gaming session.

"So, how do you like Bridgeport, big bro? How are the people there?", Broccoli's voice asked through the headset.
"Uh... actually, I haven't met anyone yet. I've been inside the apartment all day."
"Bloom! What the Sims?! You leave home to move to the big city and all you do is stay inside and play games? Get out there, man. Get to know the place."
Bloom knew that Broccoli was right. Now was not the time to start slacking on his resolve to be more outgoing!

Right across the street form his apartment building was a small park. Bloom supposed that this was as good a place as any to start. Maybe there would even be another person there to introduce himself to. Maybe, if he felt like it.

He froze when he arrived at the park and saw a small crowd gathered there. This was not what he had expected. They were listening to a teenage boy playing the drums, but Bloom could feel their eyes on him.

Suddenly extremely shy again, he walked briskly towards some bushes in the far corner of the park and burrowed into the ground. The cool, soft soil drowned out the noise of the city.

As good as it felt, Bloom knew that he couldn't stay burrowed underground forever. Well, he could, but he knew he really shouldn't.
"This is not why you came here!", he scolded himself. "Now get out there and be social, Simdammit!"

Having gathered up all his courage, he went up to the teen, who had packed up his drums by now and complimented him on his playing. The boy, Bronson, really had talent! His mother watched on proudly.
"So you're new to Bridgeport?", she asked with a pleasant smile.
"Yes, tomorrow I'll start my new job at Simtendo Games in Steve's Business Complex. I hope I'll find my way there!", Bloom replied, feeling much more at ease. Talking to a mother and her child really wasn't as bad as approaching pretty girls.
"Oh, my office is at SBC as well. Maybe we'll run into each other again! All the best for your new job, Bloom."
After a little more small talk, they said goodbye and Bloom felt quite confident.

As he walked away, a voice stopped him in his tracks.
"You've really got guts, just going up and talking to Renee Littler!"
"Uh... excuse me?", Bloom was confused, not only because the voice belonged to an attractive young woman.
"Renee Littler? The woman you just talked to? You know, the famous reporter? She's notoriously nasty and despises people 'wasting her time'. I should know. I'm her kids' nanny."
Bloom was in shock. He had just approached a famous person without knowing? He thought he had simply struck up a conversation with a regular mom taking her children to the park. A celebrity! His heart sunk.

"You seriously had no idea?", she giggled.
"No! No! I would have never... I- I'm new here, just moved. If I'd known..."
"Well, I think you'll do just fine here in Bridgeport. All those celebs need to be reminded that they're just Sims too - not someone to be feared and adored, you know?"
Bloom let out a nervous laugh, but he did feel a little relieved.

Odine, as she introduced herself, insisted that Bloom had to check out the local clubbing scene that very night.
"It's what Bridgeport is all about! You have to see it! You know what, I'm going out later tonight - we should meet up! It's not that far from here, just over there, see? Down this road. You really can't miss it."
And with that, she was off along with the Littler family.

A couple of hours later, after the sun had set, Bloom was on his way to meet Odine. It turned out that "down this road" were about five different bars and clubs, if not more. Bloom had no idea where "just over there" was.
"You should have gotten her number, stupid!", Bloom hissed at himself as he walked down the street, looking at all the different neon signs.

Should he just go home and call it a night? No, he wasn't going to give up just like that. He picked the next club he passed and walked inside.

He got in the elevator and pressed the button labeled "The Brightmore".
"The basement?", he muttered to himself. Could that be right? Well, why not. Maybe this was where Odine had gone.

When the elevator doors opened, Bloom suddenly had the suspicion that no, this was not where Odine had gone. It looked, in fact, like no one had gone here at all. The place was deserted.

  
Was this club even open? Bloom walked carefully up to a doorway and peered inside. There was nobody except for a bartender, who motioned happily for Bloom to come in.

"Oh, thank simness! I thought no one was going to come in tonight.", she said as she plopped down a glass in front of Bloom and started pouring him a drink. "Don't worry, first one of the night is on the house. I swear, those darned 'Hotspot Detector' articles in the paper will put us out of business. It's ridiculous, they seem to change their minds every single day about what is 'the place to be'. It's completely arbitrary!"
Bloom sipped his drink and politely listened to her talking.

Bloom didn't quite know what to do. He had actually wanted to go and look for Odine at another club, but after what the bartender had said about going out of business, he felt that he couldn't deprive her of her only customer. Luckily there were some arcade machines in the corner.

Bloom became so immersed in the game that for a while - he couldn't even say for how long - he forgot completely where he was. Until suddenly, he saw something from the corner of his eye and felt a slight tingle down his spine, which made him lose his focus - and the boss battle. He didn't even care about the "Game Over" flashing red on the screen.

"When you find the one, you will know it"
And Bloom knew.