Requested by: AngelaLogic
OC: Luna Richardson
"Why are you walking so slow? Trust me, they'll greet with you the upmost respect and kindness you've ever received."
With a spring in her step, Peggy pulled her friend along. She had promised to introduce her to the others and she could barely contain her excitement. It was positively thrilling to her, knowing that this was a new direction in their friendship.
However, her friend wasn't sure what to expect. What if they all despised her? She knew it was wrong to feel nervous. All she wanted was to make a decent impression.
Shaking the thought away, she listened to Peggy ramble on about the different people she would be meeting.
"Luna, we're here," her friend said, grabbing her hand. Raising her head forward, Luna could just see in the distance the rather large house that occupied the top of the hill. She hurriedly followed Peggy, hoping it would all turn out well.
When they entered the main hall, there were outbursts of laughter from one of the rooms that lined the house. Feeling dizzy at the sight of such a glamorous house, Luna took a few breaths to calm down. The more she thought about meeting the people that Peggy looked up to so dearly, she became a little worried.
At the sound of gasps, Luna looked up and watched as two women ran forward to embrace her friend. The three of them all stood in a circle, not wanting to let go of one another, gasping in relief at seeing each other.
From the open door on the right, a few men entered the hall, mostly laughing about something. All of them cheered, "Well, hello there!" As many of them gathered around her, Luna observed each of the men. She tried to remember how Peggy described them, but her mind seemed to go blank.
One of the men noticed her, holding out a hand. "You must be Luna Richardson. It's quite an honor." Even though he looked anxious, maybe a little unpleasant, he shook her hand.
The girls separated their embrace, to all chuckle at the one man's gesture. "Why do you flirt with any girl in sight, Alexander?"
Alexander. Thankful to put a name to the face, Luna nodded to herself. Of what she knew, he was engaged to Eliza. However, she wasn't sure which sister that was. She didn't have to wait long for an answer.
"I wasn't flirting with her, okay?" Was that disgust she sensed in his voice? Alexander cleared his throat, but stepped away to one of the sisters.
Luna tilted her head. Eliza. She watched as the couple walked to meet each other in the center of the hall. Someone coughed from the side, "I speak for all of us when I say that it would be quite nice if the two of you could keep it simple, even though y'all are getting married."
The man kept off the staircase, shaking his hips to his own beat. Amused, Luna stifled a laugh, covering her mouth. He spotted her, much to her disappointment, and strode over.
"And you would be the girl that the little one has spoke of so highly." Taking her hand, he massaged it before letting it drop. "Whatever she told you, it's probably stretched in the way of truth." He laughed, making Luna smile.
There was a snort of disapproval and two of the men who weren't dressed as pompous. He turned and harshly said, "You want to argue with that?" They all exchanged glances before agreeing that wouldn't be the most intelligent choice.
"We're just thinking, whatever Peggy told her, it's probably true. The girl cannot tell a lie, that's for a thing." Nodding their heads knowingly to Luna, they introduced themselves, "I'm Laurens. That's Lafayette and Mulligan."
Keeping a head count in her head, Luna could remember what she had been told about these men. John Laurens, Gilbert Lafayette, and Hercules Mulligan. Of what she recalled, they were friends of Alexander's. And she could confirm that, by the look of pride on his face.
"Fine. But I wouldn't talk too much you three, y'all can barely remember where you are so, I'm Thomas-" Surprising her, he shook hands, grinning brightly. She shook his hand back, timidly at first.
Oh boy, Thomas Jefferson. She heard quite her share of stories from Peggy. Apparently, he took every opportunity to harass Alexander and his pals. Seemed like he was already doing his job at that.
The others didn't dwell on taking time to introduce themselves. Everyone was expected to be there had showed as hoped. And all of them greeted her with the respect she had been promised.
Continuing their conversations in the living room, Luna felt comfortable already in the presence of everyone. She eventually found herself talking to Angelica, the wisest and oldest sister.
The woman was beautiful, but she seemed insecure in herself. Although Luna wanted to ask why, she refrained from doing so. It would have been improper of her. Instead she just bowed her head and listened to her talk.
"You know, of what my sister told me, I expected to meet just another girl. But you my darling, are not just another girl. You have something, maybe you haven't found it yet, but you certainly will." She paused before whispering, "I have faith in you, my dear."
Wow, Luna thought to herself. Never in her life had she been complimented in that way. There was so much promise in Angelica's voice, it made her determined to live up to those words.
After thanking her for saying such things, she looked around the living room. The room was buzzing with chatter. Luna laid eyes on her friend's soon to be brother-in-law. From their first meeting, she knew he didn't like her much.
Why? She didn't know what to do, to impress him and earn that trust she wanted. How desperately she just wanted to be accepted.
Taking a deep breath, she walked over to her friend, feeling uneasy. As much as she wished to stay longer, with the thought of having already not impressed someone the way she hoped to, it was time to leave.
"Peggy," she whispered to her friend, who was socializing with Thomas. They both looked back at her. Waving his fingers, Thomas laughed, "Hey, whatever you can tell her, you can tell me." But the girls have him estranged looks, stepping to the side of the room.
"I need to leave. It's been-"
Eyes widening, Peggy grabbed her shoulder quickly. She didn't want to lose Luna, she always seemed to have friends leave her in the dust. And then they vanished forever.
"Why? Is it something one of them said? I swear, if they-" Luna shushed her friend, wrapping her arms around her. She felt the need to spill out everything, the glares she had been getting from Alexander, what Angelica said, all of it. But she held back.
Biting the inside of her cheek, she said, "No, no, they did nothing." It hurt her to lie, but she couldn't stop herself. "I just need to go. Tell everyone it was a great time."
Luna pulled away, not making a second look back at any of them. She kept walking, even though many of the guests called her name, confused as to why she was leaving. They wouldn't get an answer until three months later.
Having given up on her friend, Peggy tried to move on with life. No matter how many letters she sent Luna, there was no sign of her. She just seemed to have disappeared.
But things turned brighter again, for a moment, when she finally received a letter. Her heart was pounding as she ripped it open. She had to know where Luna ran off to and if she was alright.
However, it was nothing of the sort. None of the letter mentioned where Luna had been. In fact, it wasn't even written by her friend. When she read the signature, she gasped loudly.
"Aaron Burr?!"
From behind her, the door slammed open and her brother-in-law exclaimed, "What about him?" He rushed over to her side, soothing her gently. "Is something the matter? What-"
She turned her face away, not wanting to let him see her disappointment. Alexander took the letter from her weak hands, reading it, panicked. He also noticed the signature and held back a surprised gasp.
Though he never admitted it aloud, the moment he met Luna, something had set him off. Looking back, he sensed it was fate telling him what was to come of her. Was this the reason he had disliked her with barely an explanation?
He dropped the letter, shushing Peggy. "At least we know she's-" But she squirmed away from him, covering her face.
"She leaves for three months and this is what I get in return? An invitation to her wedding? If that isn't pathetic I don't know what is." Peggy was unable to form words, so she walked back over to Alexander. He grabbed her, holding her close to him.
"She left without any explanation, but she's obviously still thinking of you. I wouldn't jump to conclusions, Peggy. I'm sure she still loves you as her friend. Write to her. Say you can attend the wedding." He lifted her chin, trying to make her smile. "Please don't give up your friendship."
There was a silence and the two of them rocked back and forth on their heels. Finally, barely whispering, she said, "I will."
With her spirits lifting ever so slightly, Peggy tried to picture herself as the bridesmaid. She tried to see her friend walking down the aisle, but it seemed to blur together.
Even though she couldn't see her friend getting married so soon, her heart was able to weave together some form of forgiveness for all the months she hadn't received any letters.
. . . . . . . . .
A/N: Thank you AngelaLogic for the request! I wish your friend, Luna, a very happy birthday. And hopefully this turned out well, I quite liked the idea.