"Mother that is much too tight!" Eleanor squeaked as her mother pulled her corset tighter around her small frame.
"Quite your gripping Eleanor, no daughter of mine will be walking around with a loose corset!" Laura grumbled as she tightly tied the white corset up and stood back, admiring her work.
"What will the other girls say when they see me wearing a corset mother?" Eleanor asked.
"That you're a young lady, you can't help that you developed much faster than the other girls Elle. You mustn't listen to their teases, their only jealous of your figure." Laura smiled as she handed her daughter one of the many dresses her father had mailed to her.
Eleanor nodded and slipped on the pink dress with lace, her father had sent it to her in the mail along with many other parcels. He was on a business trip and had already been away for a month, but he often sent Eleanor and her family gifts to make up for it. The Park family was a wealthy family in New York at the time, but decided to move to a smaller and quainter town to get away from all the bustle.
Eleanor was used to the stares, since she was only fifteen and wearing a corset. Most girls don't wear a corset or gurgle until the age of sixteen, but Laura noticed Eleanor was developing much faster than the other girls. So she thought it was only fitting that her daughter was dressed in her first "training" corset, which just meant a less noticeable corset. Laura understood the scandal known as an underage girl wearing a corset, and she could see the nerves written all over her daughters face as she fixed the off the shoulder sleeves of her dress.
"You look beautiful Eleanor, now go on and get downstairs. I'm sure Alvin is already dressed and ready." Laura stated as she shoo'd her daughter out of the room.
Eleanor glanced at herself in the mirror and smiled, she really did look beautiful. She made her way down the stairs to see Alvin feeding Harvey in his highchair.
"There you are! I was wondering if I would just have to walk to school by myself." Alvin grumbled as he handed Harvey the spoon, he instantly threw it towards the floor.
Eleanor smiled at her younger brother, he was only nine months and a handful of trouble. He always found ways to get to stuff he shouldn't be in, last week he had drank a whole bottle of cinnamon oil. Laura rushed him to the town doctor in Avonlea, he said that Harvey would be fine. While the young boy himself was giggling, Laura bent down and gagged at the pure cinnamon spell wafting from his mouth.
"Well come along, we don't want to be late on our first day do we?" Alvin smiled as he handed Eleanor her strap of books.
She carefully grabbed them and held them to her chest as she grabbed her and her brothers lunch. The two walked down the path of their large house and through the woods, Eleanor had to hold her dress up to avoid ruining it in the mud.
"I cannot believe mother is making me wear this. Of course I look beautiful, but it's quite the handful." she grumbled as she stepped over a large puddle of water.
"Looks like it...that's another reason I'm happy to be a boy. Being able to wear pants and a random shirt and vest everyday has its perks." Alvin grinned.
"I was allowed to wear pants in New York, but I'm afraid that they wouldn't be very kind about that in this closeted in this little town. I can only imagine how much scandal will become of me wearing a corset." she grumbled and finally let her dress down as they walked through a large field.
"I don't see why it's any of their business what you wear, along as your happy that's all that matters."
"Oh Alvin, if only being a woman was that easy."
Alvin rolled his eyes and playfully pushed her, she yelped and grabbed onto his arm for support as she almost tipped over. He roared with laughter as she shoved his head down, making him groan in pain as he gripped his neck.
"Hello there." a voice came from behind them.
The two siblings jumped slightly as they turned to see a girl with two braids of bright red hair and a pale girl with black hair. The quartet stared at each other until the red head spoke up once again, a large smile plastered on her lips.
"I'm Anne Shirley-Cuthburt, and this is my best friend Diana Barry."
"Eleanor Parks, and this is my idiotic brother Alvin." she grinned as he shot her a warning look.
Diana and Alvin were staring at each other with admiration while Anne and Eleanor stood awkwardly, waiting for their eye makeout to finish.
"Well, it was a pleasure to meet you two but we must be heading off. School is starting soon." Eleanor put on a fake smile and pulled her brother along.
"Are you wearing a corset?" Diana blurted out, quickly covering her mouth and blushing bright red.
"Yes." Eleanor answered plainly as she and Alvin both turned to walk away.
"Wait! May we walk with you two to the schoolhouse? Since we're all headed in that way anyways. I feel like it would be a tremendous way of learning more about you two." Anne smiled and ran up beside Eleanor, Diana awkwardly shuffled beside Alvin.
"It's a free world." Eleanor shrugged, her feet thumping against the ground as she walked.
"I'm guessing you two are new to our little corner of the giant world?" Anne questioned.
"Yeah, we're coming from New York." Alvin butted in, his eyes lingering on Diana for longer than appropriate.
"N-New York? That's so far from Avonlea! What made you all move here?" Diana asked as she hugged her books to her chest.
"Mother wished to move away from the city, and she grew up here so it was only fitting for her to return." Eleanor hummed slightly as she admired the beautiful landscape around her.
"I see...what's New York like? Is it as splendid as I've read about in the history books?" Anne asked, twirling slightly as she walked.
"It is pretty nice, but can be rather crowded at certain times of the year. Mostly Christmas and Thanksgiving, but we often travel for the holidays."
"Extraordinary! Where have you been?"
"Um...we've been too quite a few places. None that really stick in my brain long enough to remember, sorry." Eleanor lied, she really didn't feel like talking but the red head just kept asking her more and more questions.
"Do they wear corsets in New York? Even if you're not the appropriate age?" Diana asked, staring at Eleanor's hourglass figure.
"Sometimes, only when a woman if developing more than others. Sometimes the men wear them too, it's quite a funny sight to see the men with the shape of a woman." Eleanor giggled at the thought.
"The men wear them? How barbaric!" Diana gasped.
"Barbaric? I think it's fantastic! They should be able to express themselves in anyway they wish, don't you agree Eleanor?" Anne asked.
"Of course I do, New York is a very accepting place for those who don't normally fit in anywhere else. I had quite a few queer friends at my old school." she smiled as she remembered her old friends.
"Q-Queer friends?" Diana choked slightly, Alvin giving her a funny look.
"Yes Diana, queer friends. They were just like me and you, trying to find love in this hell hole of a world." Eleanor hissed, she hated when when others looked at the members of the queer community any different.
"Oh look! We're here!" Anne smiled, trying to change the awkward subject.
Diana grabbed Anne's hand and led her into the school house, but not before sending Eleanor a disapproving look.
"Glad to see you've already made an enemy." Alvin chuckled from beside her.
"Oh please, she's hardly on my mind. Already seems like the type to stick her nose in other peoples business." Eleanor grumbled as she and her brother entered the small building.
The school house went quiet as the two Park siblings walked in, the girls gasped and a few boys wolf whistled at Ellie, making her roll her eyes. She hung her coat up and grabbed her milk bottle from her lunch before walking back out of the school house and down to the small running creek.
"Need some help there little lady?" a blonde boy smirked from behind her as she was crouched over.
"No thank you, I'm capable of sitting my own milk into the stream." Eleanor said with an eye roll.
The boy scoffed before rolling his eyes and sticking his hand out, Eleanor eyed his suspiciously before placing hers in his. He brought it up to his lips, but before he could kiss her hand she jerked it away.
"What are you doing?" she hissed, whipping her hand off on her dress.
"I was just trying to greet you like a gentleman." he scoffed.
"You didn't even ask my name, and I know not yours. So why would I let a stranger kiss my hand? What if you have a disease?"
"I-I don't have a disease! You're the one with the disease!"
"It seems like your lacking a few brain cells, you should get that checked out." Eleanor stated before walking towards the school house.
But before she could reach the steps, she felt someone harshly grab her wrist. She spun around to see the same blonde haired boy gripping her wrist tightly, his fingers leaving red marks. He smirked slightly as she struggled to pull away, his smirk quickly faded as Eleanor brought her knee up and hit him straight in the crotch. He let out a wail of pain and let go of her wrist, she brushed herself off and rushed into the school house.
"Eleanor? What happened?" Alvin asked as he noticed her shaken up facial expression.
"T-That boy! He tried to kiss my hand and when I said no he grabbed my wrist!" Eleanor stated as she held up her right hand to show the red mark that had developed.
Alvin's eyes shot to the doors to where the blonde haired boy walked in, his hand holding his crotch while the other was wrapped around another boys shoulder. Alvin told Eleanor to hold on, she watched as he walked over and pushed the blonde into the corner, the two seemed to be having a heated chat.
"Are you alright? I couldn't help but overhear your conversation with your bother." a tall boy with brown curly hair asked, his eyes full of worry.
Eleanor stared into his dark green eyes for a few minutes before blinking, she shook her head slightly to get the fuzzy thoughts from her head. She nodded quickly and brushed a curl from her shoulder that had fallen out from the fancy pulled back look her mother made her wear.
"Yeah...I mean yes I'm alright. Thank you for asking..." she realized she didn't even know his name.
"Gilbert Blythe." he gave her a lopsided smile and held her hand out.
Eleanor stared at his extended hand then back up to him, his cheeks went slightly red as he pulled it back quickly and rubbed his neck.
"S-Sorry...you probably don't want to shake hands after that." he chuckled awkwardly.
She giggled and held her hand out, he raised his eyebrows and quickly shook her hand. Making her whole arm jump from his strength, he chuckled and pulled away. Eleanor couldn't help but feel a little cold as his hand left hers, he was so...warm?
"Guess I don't know my own strength." he chuckled.
"It seems that way." she smiled slightly.
Alvin walked over and grabbed Eleanor wrist, examining it and sighing. He placed it back down to her side and nodded at Gilbert.
"Billy said he won't bother you anymore, just stay away from him alright?" Alvin asked.
"Eye eye captain." Eleanor grinned, Alvin rolled his eyes and ruffled her hair. To which she squealed and slapped his hand away, and walked over to sit down at a table.
"You can sit with me!" Anne smiled and scooted over, allowing enough room for Eleanor.
"Thank you Anne."
Anne smiled and nodded before turning around to talk to Diana, Eleanor glanced behind her to see a few girls giving her mean glares. She shrugged and turned back to the front to see a tall black haired man with a giant head walk over and slam his hands on the table.
"I demand silence!" he yelled.
"That's Mr Phillips, I wouldn't try to get on his bad side if I were you." Anne whispered, Eleanor nodded.
"And who are you?" Mr Phillips asked as he eyed Alvin.
"Alvin Parks sir."
"And you?" Mr Phillips eyed Eleanor up and down, his eyed stopping right at her chest.
"Eleanor Parks, and I would appreciate it if you would stop staring at my bust. I am a minor." she snapped, using her hand to cover her chest.
Mr Phillip's eyes shot back up to her, giving her a glare before turning back to the board and writing something down.
"No wonder he was staring, I mean...look at how she's dressed!" a blonde girl whispered to a chubby girl beside her, the two giggling.
"Got something to say do you?" Eleanor snapped as she turned around to face the girl.
"Not to you I don't" she snapped back, a smirk grazing her lips.
"Even if you did, I couldn't give a rats ass. Keep your snarky comments to yourself." Eleanor hissed before turning back around and copying off the board.
Anne smiled brightly at the girl and gave her a thumbs up, Eleanor smiled slightly at the girl before turning back to the teacher.
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Lunch time had finally arrived, and Eleanor couldn't be happier, seeing as her stomach had been growling from early that morning. She had forgotten that she had missed breakfast, so she quickly grabbed her lunch and followed Anne to a small corner filled with girls.
"Everyone, this is Eleanor Parks of New York!" Anne smiled and sat down beside Diana.
Each girl introduced themselves to Eleanor, some being snarky and some not speaking loud enough for her to hear.
"It's lovely to meet you Eleanor, I bet we'll be great friends!" Prissy smiled at the girl.
"Prissy! We're not supposed to speak to her!" Jane whispered to her sister, just loud enough for Eleanor to hear.
"Alright that's it, what have I done to upset you all? I just arrived and it seems as though you all hate me already." Eleanor asked.
"Y-You talked to Gilbert!" Ruby wailed as she burst out into tears.
"Excuse me?" Eleanor asked.
"Ruby has liked Gilbert for three years, she had dibs on him. You can't just strut in here and act like you own the place, flaunting your corset." Josie hissed.
"First of all, you can't call "dibs" on a living being! That's completely idiotic, and if you have had a crush on him for that long and you haven't done anything about it, then that's your fault. I should be able to have a civil conversation with the opposite sex without being deemed as a whore." Eleanor snapped, grabbing her things and standing up.
"Where are you going?" Diana asked.
"Anywhere from you all, Prissy, Anne, thank you both for being so kind to me. To the rest of you..." Eleanor shot them all mean looks before strutting out the door and towards her bother, he was surrounded by the other boys of the school.
"Back for round two?" Billy asked, a few of his friends laughing.
"Do you want to be dead? Because I know a way to make that happen." Eleanor hissed, Billy's eyes widened as he turned away from her.
"Hey sis, what's wrong? Why aren't you with the rest of the girls?" Alvin asked as he bit into his sandwich.
"I don't want to spend time with idiotic creatures like them, especially not that Josie Pye! What a rotten excuse of a woman." she grumbled and plopped down beside him in the grass.
"Already making enemies? How many is that now? Five? Six?" Alvin chuckled.
Eleanor rolled her eyes and pulled out her strawberries, taking a bite and relaxing as the sweetness enveloped her mouth. She glanced up to see Gilbert staring at her, he blushed and looked away as she cocked her head to the side.
"Would you like one Gilbert?" she asked as she held up her glass container towards him.
He glanced back at her then down to the bowl, he smiled and grabbed one. She watched as he popped the whole thing into his mouth and groaned slightly, a soft smile tugging at his lips.
"That's the best strawberry I've ever tasted" he smiled.
"I brought them from my own little garden, I grow them in my room." Eleanor smiled and continued eating the red fruit.
"You should see it Gilbert, her whole room is covered in plants. It's like a jungle in there!" Alvin dramatically waved his arms around like he was cutting through a jungle, making Eleanor roll her eyes.
"It does not! Every plant is in a specific place to make sure they receive the correct amount of sunlight and fresh air." Eleanor stated as she shoved him, he fell over and shot her a glare.
"I'd love to see it, I'm sure it looks great." Gilbert stated.
"Oh it is! I spent all of last week making sure they were in the correct spot, mother helped me with the bigger plants."
"Yeah because she has noodle arms."
"Oh shut up Alvin, you forced me to lift a box of blankets because "it was too heavy" for you."
"Did not! Gilbert she's lying!"
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Thank you for reading chapter one! I hope you enjoyed it!
Let me know if you have any suggestions in the comments!
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