Step 3 (Our Life: Beginnings & Always)

*This article is about Step 3 from Our Life: Beginnings & Always. For Step 3 from Our Life: Now & Forever, see Step 3 (Our Life: Now & Forever).*

   **Step 3** is third Step in Our Life: Beginnings & Always, which takes place five years after the events of Step 2. It is divided into 5 free moments, 5 paid, DLC-exclusive moments for the Step 3 DLC, and 5 paid moments for the Baxter DLC. The said moments are listed below. In addition, there are five paid, DLC-exclusive moments separate from the Step 3 expansion for Baxter, which can be purchased on Itch.io and Steam.

Take note that the dialogue and availability of both events and choices will be heavily influenced by the main character's personality and relationship with the deuteragonist, Cove Holden. Some choices become unavailable the lower their interest level is with him. The player can choose to start any of the Moments in no particular order. However, playing some Moments will slightly add or change the dialogue in others. Once a Moment is viewed, it cannot be replayed again without reloading back to an earlier save.

The characters will remember most of the player's choices from both the current and previous Steps, and will open opportunities or create new dialogue in future Steps accordingly unless reverted. This page will act as a guide of sorts, giving some insights for each moments regarding choices as objectively as possible, and **will contain spoilers**. Proceed with caution.

## Hang

Depending on whether you invite Baxter or not, there are 2 different versions of this moment.

**If you don't invite Baxter**, Cove will be in your room. If you played "*Shopping*" in Step 1, you have the option to mention how he lost his sandpail back then. You're able to make decisions on how you feel about your body here. After changing, you and Cove meet Terry and Miranda on the beach, where Cove will talk about mermaids, and then drive your group to go get crepes. You can write "wash me" on Coves car and he will mention it later. If you put 3 or more toppings on your crepe, Terry will offer you a high five. After eating, your group will walk through town, and stop at the leaving sign. This is where Baxter will stop in his rented car, and offer to take you all back, which gets accepted by Terry. When you make it back, Cove will notice if you wrote on his car, and then you can decide to stay with Terry, Baxter, and Miranda, or go back to the neighborhood with Cove.

*If you go back home*, Miranda will text you in the evening asking if you want to go to the fireworks. If you say no, you will fall asleep and the moment will end. If you say yes, Cove will drive you both there.

*If you continue the hang out*, Baxter will drive you all to the park. If you allow him to play the music that he normally does, it will be hard rock, punk, and screamo. When at the park, if you played "*Birthday*" in Step 2, Miranda will mention that that's where she first met you and Cove. The group will play with a rogue soccer ball until night falls, when Terry will mention the fireworks. If you agree with Cove at this point, Baxter will drive you all home and the moment will end. If you want to see the fireworks, Baxter will drive you all there.

Before the fireworks start, if you played "*Escapade*" in Step 2, Cove will remember it, Baxter will say he's interested in hearing the story, and Cove will shut him down. Once the fireworks start, you can choose to stand next to Terry & Miranda, Baxter, or Cove. They all end the same. Dating Baxter does not change any of the dialogue.

**If you invite Baxter**, you can choose whether Baxter or Cove is in your room. If you choose Baxter, you still have the chance to decide how you feel about your body. After that, he will knock on the door before you have a chance to change. He will compliment a random feature of your room. Baxter will notice your pajamas, and if you ask him why he is also not dressed in swimwear, and he will respond by telling you that he will not be swimming, and that he never has before. You can convince him to change into swimwear, otherwise he will stay as he is. No matter what you say, he will leave the room for you to change, and once you're done, you will meet Baxter downstairs and then find Cove outside. If you convinced Baxter to change, you will meet with Cove out in the neighborhood, and will have check on him by ringing his doorbell. After that, the three of you will wait for Terry and Miranda on the beach. Once there, you're able to mention Baxter being new to the neighborhood. and after some dillydallying, you will have a conversation with Baxter where he confesses that he has a fear of the ocean. You have the option to help him confront some of his fear by standing in the water with him, whether hes fully dressed or not. You can also offer your hand to help him. After Terry makes sure that Baxter does not want to go swimming, if you play "*Reflection*" before this, you will notice that Cove does not mention his jet ski adventures with you. Once you move on from the beach, you decide to find an ice cream truck for dessert, so Miranda directs and Baxter drives. If you played "*Barbecue*" in Step 1, you will reference the ice creams you ate back then. Baxter's car is playing punk metal music. Once you track down the ice cream truck, you have the choice to jump out of the car or wait for Baxter. Jumping out of the car, you'll help get the truck to stop. Waiting, you'll wait for Baxter to finish parking and walk with him. At the truck, Baxter wont know what ice cream to choose. If you tell him to pick something he knows, he will choose an ice cream sandwich. If you tell him to get something new, he will get a popsicle in the shape of a cartoon girl. If you tell him he can try yours, you can hold yours out for him to sample or hand it to him, and he will offer his to you, which you can accept or decline. After getting back to the car, a lawn's sprinklers go off, and you have 3 opportunities to play in the water. Cove will be the first, Miranda and Baxter will join on the second chance, and Terry will join on the third. After getting soaked, the sprinklers will turn off, and you will have the option to take off any tops you wore if you got wet. Baxter will offer his shirt for anyone to wear. Then you can choose to ask anyone for a hug of warmth, or be silent. If you hug Cove or Baxter, Terry and Miranda will tell you to get a room. Once again, *Terry will mention the fireworks tonight.* If you choose not to go, the moment will end. If you choose to go, Baxter will take a shortcut there and you will end up on a little beach on the opposite side of the city. The dialogue here will be the same if you don't invite Baxter, but there is an added option of hanging back at the car. If you hang by the car, Baxter will join you. If you stay at the car or with Baxter, the others will come up and ask if you're okay, and Cove will offer to stay. If you ask him to stay, Baxter will tell you both how lucky he feels to have met you. If you tell Cove to go back, you will have the chance to cuddle up to Baxter. If you're insecure with your body, he will tell you that he thinks you look nice. If you hang with Cove or Terry and Miranda the dialogue will be the same whether you invited Baxter or not, and then the moment will end. Dating Baxter will change some of the dialogue.

**If you don't invite Baxter, you cannot play his ending in Step 4.**

## Errands

Your and Cove's families go to a farmers market. Your Moms (Pamela and Noelani) have a plan to make things more interesting, by abandoning You, Cove, and Lizzie so you can shop without your parents. Cliff was not in on the plan. You can choose to find Cove, and have options of things to buy, including something for Cove, before regrouping with everyone at the car park. You can choose to be upset with the situation.

## Talks

Cove will enter your room through your window. Miranda will call, telling you and Cove that Terry has been ignoring her ever since last night. Cove will be upset with the situation, and depending on your choices, he will either calm down or you will have an argument with him. If you tell cove to go home after arguing, he will. Either way, your Moms (Pamela & Noelani) will come into the room and check on you, and if you played *"Errands"* before this, your Moms will reference it. They’ll plan a get together to take your mind off it. They’ll invite Liz and, If Cove is there, they will invite Cliff. If you told Cove to go home, he will come back to the window and tap on it. No matter what you choose, you will let him back in. After a while, Terry will call and explain why he was silent, and you come up with the idea to call Miranda and let them talk through your and Cove’s phones. Everything is the resolved in the end, and when the dust settles, you ask Cove what he was going to say before Miranda called. He tells you that he discovered that he is Demisexual and Panromantic. You can also choose to change or feel the same about your attraction. If you told Cove about the $20 bill before this, he will reference it to Cliff when you walk downstairs, and your Moms will ask about what happened, to which Cliff will tell them. After playing a game of cards, the moment will end.

## Reflection (DLC)

 File:Step3 Reflection 01.png
You and Cove are in his room, and the conversation comes to his scar. This is where you can learn about how he got his scar. Afterwards, you go to rent jet skis, but get caught up learning about Cliff and Kyra's history together. In the end you can jet ski or watch Cove jet ski.

## Late Shift (DLC)

 File:Step3 Late Shift 01.png
You visit Cove at his place of work during one of his shifts. You meet up afterwards and get groceries for your Mom and then get fast food together.

## Serendipity (DLC)

Lizzie will text you and Cove to come back to your house, where you will find Shiloh, an old childhood friend. After spending time on the shopping street together, you all stop at your childhood playground. Elizabeth wants to video call one of Shiloh's friends after hearing about how badly they treat him, who turns out to be Jeremy, and after lots of banter and reminiscing, you're able to ask Shiloh a plethora of questions about Jeremy. He reveals that Shiloh is a liar, which upsets Elizabeth. The situation is resolved, and day is soured, but not ruined.

## Boating (DLC)

Lee calls you to talk about the boat she rented. She invited you, Cove, and Liz to come. You can also choose to invite Baxter. If you're dating Baxter already, you think about how you haven't had the chance to tell Lee yet, and then there's options to tell her. If you play "*Reflection*" before this, Cove mentions your previous jet ski escapade, and you will think about the docks at Cliff's store being small compared to the dock Lee's rented boat is at. If you play "*Late Shift*" before this, you remember the time you went into Baxter's house. If you played "*Birthday*" in Step 2, you will compare the boat to a bouncy castle.

If you are not boat sick, Elizabeth will suggest party games to pass the time, and Lee will decide on a game like "Heads Up," in where one person, the 'guesser,' has a word on their head, and everyone else can give one hint as to what the word is. If you play rock paper scissors to decide what order everyone goes in, Cove will pick scissors and if Baxter is invited he will pick rock. If you arm wrestle to decide, you can win against Cove but not Baxter. During the game, for "Potatoes," picking the "French fries" option and the 'how your Moms feel about them' option will result in a win. For "slide," asking if they know how to do the cha-cha slide, and saying its something penguins do on their bellies will let them win. Your word is Lab. After this, the wind blows the boat and you have another chance to feel boat sick. If you are not, the games will finish and Lee will remember that there's drinks and a juice bar on board. You can choose to make drinks, make drinks with Cove, or have Lee do it. If you choose to make them, putting everything in will disgust Elizabeth, Lee and Cove, but if Baxter is there, he will say that he likes it. If Lee makes drinks, she will put grape, fresh strawberry, and cranberry in. If you and Cove make it, Cove will want to put pineapple in. If you choose to put everything in, Cove will say you've created a monster. If you played "*Mall*" in Step 2, Cove will remember the smoothie business, and Lee will say that's what she was trying to go for. If you bought the windchime in "*Mall*" Lee will ask if Cove still has it.

If you are boat sick, Lee will attempt to comfort you, until Cove steps in and takes you to a room under the deck to feel better. You can ask for water, juice, or sparkling water, and when Cove comes back, if Baxter is invited, he will mention that Baxter asked if you were okay. You can feel better and return to the others, force yourself up, or stay put. If you choose to stay boat sick, Cove will ask if you want to play hangman. Throughout the game you are able to reminisce on moments in Step 1 and 2. The sentence is "it is okay."