Chapter I – Little Miss Lady

Christmas Morning – 1909

The sound of light singing and humming followed by the smell of freshly baked cookies and other sweets was what most likely woke her. Stretching her limbs out along with a shallow, soft yawn, a very beautiful bronze haired girl awoke from her sleep and rubbed her sleepy eyes, trying to register what day it was. Then suddenly, it hit her with such shock and excitement. It was not only the morning of Christmas Day, but it was also the beautiful girl's birthday! Rushing out of her bed, the bronze haired beauty ran to her dresser and pulled out a beautiful knee-length soft pink laced dress and twirled around in a circle with it in her grasp.

The bronzed haired girl giggled lightly and fluttered into the restroom, meanwhile downstairs three adults worked simultaneously to finish the last touches of Christmas décor for the living room.

"Jim, do you think this is enough decorations?" Her husband turned his attention to all the Christmas decorations scattered all over the walls as well as the large 'Happy Birthday!' sign that hung above the room entrance.

"I believe so, Darling. What do you think, Harvey?" The butler, Harvey, walked beside his employer and looked at the decorations just as Jim had and nodded in agreement.

"Yes, sir. I believe that we have deeply divulged into the Christmas spirit as well as the festivity for Miss Lady – oh, my apologies, Miss Darling."

Darling chuckled and dismissed the notion. "Don't apologize, Harvey. I really adore that little nickname you gave our daughter. She seems to enjoy the name and she is a lady."

"Like her mother." Jim added in with a wink to his beloved wife.

"The cookies and treats are ready, Mr. and Mrs. Dear." Loretta, the cook of the Dear Household said from the kitchen.

"Thank you, Loretta. Could you please set them here on the coffee table?" Darling replied. Darling Dear was similar to her daughter; fair-skinned, elegant, petite, bronze-haired and very lovely which is probably what made Jim so protective and cautious whenever Darling or their daughter would do something that seemed a little dangerous for them. Of course, there were times when Jim would worry too much about them such as right now as Darling was climbing the ladder to hang another decoration on the wall.

"Darling, let me handle that." Jim said, walking over to where his wife stood.

"Oh Jim, I'm fine. I can do something as simple as hanging a decoration."

"Yes but Darling, we can't risk you falling or anything happening to you." Jim soothed and helped his wife off the ladder. "Let me do this, Darling please?" He said with an affectionate kiss to her forehead. Darling knew she was just as susceptible to her husband's loving ways as he was to her and agreed. Darling smiled with a shake of head before she glanced at the wall clock.

"Audrey should be up by now." Darling said walking towards the base of the staircase. "Audrey! Time for breakfast!" Just as those words left her mouth, out from her room came the bronze-haired beauty, freshly washed and dressed in her soft pink lace dress with her hair all curled with a matching pink ribbon to hold some of her curly hair back in a nice fluffy hold.

"My, oh my. Don't you look so lovely?" Darling said and embraced her daughter as she descended the staircase and into her loving mother's arms. "Happy Birthday, my little lady." She whispered into her daughter's ear.

"Thank you, Mother." Audrey smiled brightly and hugged her mother tighter.

Darling pulled back and took her daughter into the living room where her Jim, Harvey and Loretta stood putting away the last of the minor decorations. The three adults stopped their actions to gaze upon the birthday girl herself with big smiles.

"Oh Jim, doesn't our baby look so lovely?" Darling asked.

"Very lovely, indeed." Jim replied and opened his arms up to his teenage daughter who jumped right into her father's arms.

"Happy Birthday, baby girl." He murmured into her fluffy bronze hair and kissed her forehead tenderly. Audrey pulled back and smiled brightly at her father and then went to embrace both Harvey and Loretta whom she regarded as her family all the time.

"You always look so beautiful, Miss Audrey." Loretta smiled and caressed the girl's cheeks.

"Oh thank you, Loretta." Audrey replied and hugged Harvey next. The older gentleman smiled at the bronze beauty and twirled her in a circle causing the girl to giggle.

"We've seen you grow up for 17 years and now look at ya. Finally, 18 years old and off into your second semester of freshman year in college now." Harvey smiled. "We're all very proud of your accomplishments, Miss Lady."

"I wouldn't have been able to get where I am, if it were not for all you helping me every step of the way." Audrey said rather shyly. "And it's not just my birthday that makes today so special, it's also Christmas! The best holiday of the whole year!"

"You're right, Audrey. It's a happy day for new beginnings of adventure, family cheer….and new additions." Darling said softly. Her daughter turned her gaze onto her mother whom she noticed had a hand on her stomach.

"Looks like someone else is happy about today too." Darling added. Audrey's face broke out into a huge smile as she twirled in a circle happily and grasped her mother in an embrace.

"Oh Mother, that's wonderful news! I…I truly can't believe you didn't tell me sooner!"

"I would have, but….I wanted it to be a nice birthday surprise." Audrey, overjoyed with excitement at the thought of having a little sibling, danced around the room with joy. For a long time after Audrey was born, Jim and Darling didn't think it could be possible for Darling to have another child, but God had other plans and made it so that Audrey would not be an only child but could enjoy the life of being a big sister. Audrey helped her mother into a chair and bent down next to her mother's stomach, gazing so lovingly at her soon-to-be brother or sister.

"I can't wait until you're here. Know that I'll be here for you no matter what." Audrey spoke softly and gently kissed her mother's stomach. Jim, Darling, Harvey, Loretta and Audrey herself were all excited and happy for another year of happiness for Audrey and another Christmas full of joy for the Dear family.

3 Months Later.

Springtime had dawned once again in the Midwest of New England and Audrey was already finishing up her freshman year of college with huge success. Already, the bronze haired beauty had made multiple amounts of friends whom all thought she was just utterly adorable due to her being so very innocent and proper. Jim and Darling Dear were very pleased at the progression their daughter was making as well as Darling's progression through the pregnancy as she was now beginning to move into her second trimester very soon.

All Audrey could think about was the baby. It was always her weakness ever since she was a little girl. She had always adored their sweet angelic faces, their innocent minds, how cute they looked in little baby clothing and in strollers. The girl was an absolute sucker for children which always made Jim and Darling believe that one day, Audrey would become a great mother, that is of course once she found the right man to be with.

Closing the textbook and putting away her notes, Audrey had finally finished her homework and checked the time. She had told her mother that she would return home at 3:30 PM and assist her mother in grocery shopping and whatever else she needed to help make this pregnancy as simple and effortless as possible. It was already 2:30 which was still enough time to get home and help out, but the young woman knew how fast time flies and decided to pack up her things now and get home quick.

As she left the library and walked down the halls of the 4th floor, two freshman girls from Audrey's morning class ran up to her with notebooks in their arms and smiles on their faces. One was a short, fair skinned girl with short black hair that had a pretty blue ribbon in it wearing a matching blue and white polka dotted dress, black leggings and yellow shoes. The other girl was slightly taller but had the same styled hair, but with more angelic features and wore a white blouse with a blue knee-length skirt and a red belt around her waist.

"Leaving so early, Audrey? I thought the three of us were going to spend the afternoon together?" The shorter girl asked.

"Oh I'm so sorry Minnerva, but I'm afraid I can't. I must get home to my mother and help out with anything I can. She's only three months pregnant and still needs all the help she can get."

The shorter girl laughed a bird-like laugh that sounded like sweet birds chirping in the morning. "Oh you're such a sweetheart, Audrey. And please, call me Minnie. My first name sounds too formal." The girl asked.

"I like that nickname. It suits you well, Minner- I mean, Minnie." Audrey self-corrected and turned to her other friend. "And what about you, Helena? Any particular nickname I should call you?"

"Well, my family and close friends call me Snow which I've grown sort of fond of, so you can call me Snow if you'd like."

"Snow? Why would they call you that?"

"Because her skin is that of a porcelain doll. It's snowy white and flawless, like herself." Minnie complimented causing the other girl to blush.

"What about you? Do you go by any nickname, Audrey?" Snow asked

"Well, technically my first name is Audrina, but everyone calls me Audrey. However, my family likes to call me 'Little Miss Lady' or 'Lady'."

Minnie giggled. "Oh that's so adorable and perfect for you! You act so proper all the time, just like a lady should." Audrey smiled at the beautiful girls whom she deemed her friends since she had arrived at Disney University or Disney U as everyone else abbreviated it. As they walked towards the exit of the building, a very tall dark-brown haired male stepped in front of Audrey, causing her, Minnie and Snow to stop in their place and look up at him and his comrades whom were all smiling sort of creepily at the ladies.

"Afternoon, Audrey. My, don't you look gorgeous today." The dark male said. Audrey had already been pre-warned by Minnie, Snow and some other girls here about this guy. He went by the name Buster since no one actually knew his real name.

"Excuse me, Buster but I'm in a hurry." Audrey said, trying to move around him, but he insisted on blocking her exit.

"What's the hurry? You can't spend 5 minutes with me, Audrey?" He said in a sultry voice that immediately made the bronze-haired beauty sick to her stomach.

"Why don't you leave her alone? She's not interested in conversation or any of your advances!" Minnie said firmly.

"Yes, so please remove yourself from the doorway and let us pass." Snow added. Buster ignored Audrey's friends and kept his eyes solely focused on her and scanned her petite figure which made him smirk while Audrey squirmed under his gaze.

"What's the matter, Audrey? Too much for ya?" He boasted, moving closer to the girl.

"Why don't you buzz off, ya overgrown mule?" A male with a lisp said approaching the girls.

"Yeah. Quit harassing her, Buster." A slightly high-pitched male arrived next to Minnie. Buster rolled his eyes and took one more glance at the lovely young woman.

"Next time I see you, hopefully it'll be more….private." He said, whispering the last words into Audrey's ear, causing her to shudder in disgust before Buster and his crew walked away.

"You girls alright?" The short male asked.

"Yes, we're fine Mickey."

"Good. Don't worry about that guy, Audrey. He likes anything that can walk on two legs." The male with the lisp said with a wink to the bronzed haired girl which made her laugh.

"Thank you, Donald. I'll keep that in mind." Audrey chuckled and looked at the time again.

"Oh my goodness! I must be going now. Goodbye!" Audrey said quickly and hurried outside and down the street towards her home. She walked very quickly to her house, hoping that her mother wasn't over-exercising her strength again. Jim had made sure that Audrey would be in charge of making sure her mother would rest the whole time and let everyone else carry out the house duties. Of course, Jim Dear sometimes forgot he married a slightly stubborn woman.

Audrey got the end of the sidewalk and didn't even look down the streets for any oncoming traffic for she was too consumed into her own thoughts at the moment, but then a sudden force pulled her back and against a warm body while a loud car horn honked as it passed by.

Audrey gasped lightly from the sudden fast movements and looked up into a pair of beautiful and mesmerizing chocolate brown eyes. Her gaze widened when she realized how handsome this person was and also how close her face was to his, their noses almost touching. Flustered from the close contact, Audrey moved out of the stranger's arms, causing a smooth yet deep chuckle to emit from the beautiful grey haired boy, whose breath was taken away from the astonishing beauty on this girl.

The boy guessed, judging from her facial features that she was still a teen which surprised him of how mature she looked. High cheekbones, delicate facial eyes and nose with soft pink lips, she was breathtaking and it amazed him.

"Wherever you're headed off to, it can't be that important that you don't look both way when crossing the street, right?"

Audrey blushed and nodded rather shamefully and shyly. "Yes, you're right. I…..I should have been more observant." She said and gave a sincere smile to the handsome young man. "Thank you, uh…." She trailed off. The grey haired boy flashed the bronze beauty a dazzling smile and walked around her, his sweet cologne scent passing by her.

"Everybody in the neighborhood calls me…..the Tramp." He smirked. Audrey was taken aback for a moment at the name. Why would people call him 'the Tramp'? It couldn't have been his real name. Audrey had no time to even contemplate this thought any further for she was still in a hurry to return to the house as quickly as possible.

"Oh well, I must be on my way then. Goodbye, uh….Tramp." She said and hurried off down the next block towards home while taking a quick peak behind her to see if he was still there and sure enough, he was. Just staring at the girl walking away.

In the next chapter …..

The grey haired boy has soon become the center of Audrey's thoughts as well as Darling Dear's pregnancy. The Tramp has already taken an interest in the bronze beauty, but the question is; how will he move forward with his instant attraction and interest in her? See what happens next time in Chapter II - Opposites Attract

Xoxoxoxoxoxo – Spirit of the Lion