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Alice was being fitted for a gown she felt to be too extravagant for her. The New Years ball was tonight, and she was shaking with nerves.

"Are you all right Miss?" One of Aunt March's handmaidens questioned. "Quite, thank you." Alice says softly as she looked down to her feet, then back to herself in the mirror.

The handmaiden left Alice in the room, also leaving her to her thoughts. The woman stepped off the small pedestal and stood in the middle of her room, letting out a short sigh.

Alice started swaying softly as she allowed herself to twirl lightly, letting out a giggle. But when she sat down a flashback plagued her mind.


Laurie and Alice ran through the woods by their homes hand in hand. Laurie twirling her every once in a while causing her to let out a happy laugh every time. 

The duo were now sat in the middle of the woods, Laurie skipping rocks while Alice wrote in her journal, looking up at Laurie every once in a while. 

"What on earth do you write in there?" Laurie questions. "It's not important." Alice says as she shuts the journal. "It's taking your attention away from me so it must be pretty important." Laurie says, Alice raising a brow.

"Is my attention that valuable to you?" Alice questions as Laurie lies on his back next to where Alice was sat. "Yes." Laurie says, his tone showing he was serious.

"You're a strange boy Theodore Laurence." Alice says as she looks down, sending him a soft smile. "I'm only as strange as my company, and who does that happen to be?"  Laurie questions causing Alice to shove the boy causing him to laugh loudly.


Alice was brought out of her thoughts as Amy walked into her room, sending her a knowing look. "I know that look Alice." Amy says causing Alice to cover her face with a loud sigh. 

"But he has changed too much, I miss Laurie. I miss my Laurie." Alice says as she slumps to the floor, the combination of silk and tulle spreading beneath her. "He can still be your Laurie, you simply must speak to him." Amy says as the clicking heels of Aunt March approach, Alice quickly standing.

"Alice, I hope you are presentable." Aunt March says as she walks in, a man following suit. He must have been 10 years her senior, the very thought that Aunt March was doing what Alice hoped she wasn't made her sick.

"This is my good friend Mr. Allan Duvall. This is my niece Alice March." Aunt March says as Alice finally realized what this all was, she intended him to court her. "Curtsy." Amy whispers to her older sister lightly, Alice's eyes widened as she curtsied.

"May I take you for a walk around the gardens Miss March?" Allan questions as he holds his hand out. "I must get changed into something more fitting for a walk Mr. Duvall. I will meet you outside." Alice says as he nods, walking out with Aunt March.

"Is Aunt March completely demented?" Alice whispers to her sister as they try to get her out of the dress as slowly as possible. "He is 10 years your senior." Amy says causing Alice to nod. "I don't want to walk through the gardens with him." Alice says with a grimace.

Amy looks to her sister sadly as she reminisces on the memories she had with the Laurence boy. The younger woman remembered that look her sister would wear when thinking about him, it was a mixture of awe and complete unfathomable love.

Alice wore a red day dress, walking through the gardens with Mr. Duvall. She held onto his arm hesitantly, only looking at the flowers. "How old are you Miss. March?" Allan questions, Alice finally looking at him.

"21." Alice answers simply, raising her brow coaxing him to answer the question as well. "32." Allan says, Alice shivers internally as she sends him a small smile.

"Looks like you're about 10 years my senior." She says with a slightly weary chuckle. "I am sure that there is so much that I can teach you." Allan says as he moves to cup her cheek, Alice laughing awkwardly as she moved out of his grasp.

"Would you look at that, the sun is nearly set, I must begin getting ready. Thank you for the walk Mr. Duvall." Alice says as she rushes back inside the home and to her room where Amy was fixing her hair.

"What a vile man." Alice says as she begins to get ready for the New Year's party.


Alice walked ahead of Laurie through the fields. Jo and Laurie had been spending so much time together that they barely took time to speak to each other anymore.

"Alice, may I ask you something?" Laurie questions as he caught up to walk next to her. "Anything Theo." Alice says as she pauses, turning to the boy happily.

"I wish to propose to Jo." Laurie says, Alice's heart falling. "Oh." Alice says, quickly shifting her attitude. "Good on you Laurie, have you got it all figured out?" She questions as she sits down on the hill, the wind blowing between them.

"I truly just wanted to tell someone, make it feel all the more real." Laurie says as he sits next to her. Alice was cursing all of the Gods in the sky, her godforsaken poetry, her stupid little heart. "I'm happy for you Laurie." Alice says as she sends him a shaky smile.

"Thank you Alice." Laurie says as he leans over and hugs Alice, the woman's eyes were glossy with tears, but she blinked them back. "Of course. I must be going. Good luck Laurie." Alice says as she stands up and rushes away.

The woman allowed some tears to fall, but she wiped them away as quickly as they came. She opened the mailbox and took out the pile of papers in the small box with twin wrapped around them. 

Alice was so deeply in love with Laurie that it physically hurt her. She couldn't bear to speak her emotions, so she wrote about them, so was planning on giving those poems to him that day. 

Amy immediately noticed her sister's distress as she walked into her room. :Alice?" The teen questioned, Alice wiping her tears. "Have you packed?" Alice questions, Amy nodding. 

That was the last time Laurie saw Alice. She was in France with her sister and Aunt March, he truly missed her dearly. He may not have figured out his emotions as a young boy, but as he grew he knew what love was like, he knew he loved Alice March. 

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