Heya. I know it's been a looooong time, so I'm making it all up to you guys by making a looooong story about our two favorite star-crossed lovers. Hopefully, it would be AT LEAST 12 chapters or so. Enjoy. :P
Summer was coming to an end in Concord, Massachusetts. All the little children grew dismal as they thought of school. Their parents leap in joy as they realize they have less time taking care of their offsprings. Some teachers can't wait to see the happy faces of little children while some groan at their rambunctious and all-too-upbeat attitude. Summer was coming to an end in Concord, and one 17-year-old boy could not help feeling miserable at the thought of leaving his friend for college.
Theodore Laurence sat on the hammock he gave the March family as a present. He gave a lazy kick on the ground to make him swing, and stared into the yellow afternoon sky. He didn't want to leave Concord. He didn't want to go off to some stupid college his grandfather had prepared him all his life for. This is his life. He didn't want to be a businessman; he wanted to be a musician, a pianist. He didn't want all this, but the thing he didn't want most to happen is to leave Jo.
Jo. Her name was a match that struck Laurie's heart and lit up his eyes like a candle. He was infatuated with her – simply in love. He could list all things why he'd want to be with her for life, but it would take up a page or more. His mind wandered to how she flails her hands vigorously whenever she talks, or how she bites her lower lip and her lively gray eyes turn soft when thinking. Or how she swings her long legs back and forth whenever she reads a book, and how she always laughs to brighten up any dull situation. He thought of what he had done to deserve an amazingly unique his best friend was and how he'd simply die if he won't spend the rest of his life just being with her. He loved her with all his young heart. And he didn't want it to stop.
Back to reality, his mind snapped at him. A tall, slender figure opened the sliding back door and entered the backyard. He automatically clamped his eyes shut. Her bare feet lightly trampled the grass as she neared the boy. "Hey, Laurie! I brought some cookies for you." She said. His lips breathed in satisfaction, still pretending to sleep. Oh, how he loved that voice. He'd listen to it all day if he had to.
Jo shoved the plate of cookies to his face, coercing him to eat at least one of her unpredictable concoctions. "Come on, Teddy. You won't like them if they get cold."
No response.
She placed her hands on her hips. "Teddy, wake up!"
He groaned and rolled to the other side. "Oh, come on!" She walked to the other side of the hammock and shook him at the shoulders. No response. Then, she put her face dangerously near to his.
"Laurie," she whispered. He could feel her warm breath on his face. "Wake up."
He blinked his eyes open. His vision adjusted to the object of his affections. He gave a toothy grin, then lightly patted his stomach. "I'm hungry."
Her expression turned exasperated as she rolled her eyes. "I've been trying to tell you that I brought you cookies." She stomped her foot. "You're so lazy, Teddy!"
"And devilishly handsome too," he wiggled his eyebrows.
Jo blinked furiously in surprise, embarrassed at her neighbor's comment. She folded her arms and looked away, red splotches on her fair cheeks. "Whatever."
Laurie sighed. "Woman, are you going to give me cookies or not?"
Jo scoffed and heaved the plate onto his chest. She sat on a stool, her head resting on her right hand. Her eyes were distant, her face solemn. Laurie took a cookie and nibbled it. "These are marvelous, Jo – thanks. My stomach's been growling for God only knows how long."
"You're welcome," was the quiet reply.
He noticed her quickly altered demeanor and immediately sat up, the plate now laid on his lap. "Old girl, what's the matter?" After a pause he held a cookie in front of her face, adding cheekily, "Want a cookie to drown all your troubles?" She swatted the cookie and shifted her focus to the floor instead. Laurie placed the plate of cookies on a nearby table and kneeled in front of Jo. In a more gentle tone, he repeated, with his eyebrows knitted in concern, "What's the matter, old girl? You know I hate seeing you like this." He unconsciously pulled a strand of hair away from her face, his callous finger grazing her soft skin. Jo fought a war with the red threatening to invade her softly tan cheeks at the mere physical contact.
Then she released a sigh. She stared into his eyes, his intent, serious gaze searching for answers in hers. Answers to questions of...
Her eyes shyly darted back to the ground as she fought a blush once more. After another sigh, she simply said, "I'm gonna miss you." Laurie took her slender hand in his and squeezed it. "I'm gonna miss you more. More than you'll ever know."
She sighed again. "It's just that I won't have somebody to play with, to share my stories with, to–to simply just be with..." The aspiring writer rambled on, her words in a jumble. Her neighbor watched her as she rambled on with unintelligible words, then quietly stood up from the hammock and pulled Jo to her feet.
"What are yo—"
Strong arms wrapped around her waist, her hands laying idly on his broad chest. The 17-year-old boy pulled the girl closer to his body. Delightfully warm, Jo thought. Then she mentally shook her head at the thought. Jo's cheeks burned, just thinking how close their bodies were. Then she wrapped her long, slender arms around his neck. Now it was the boy's turn to blush. He turned his head and moved his lips closer to her ear. She could feel his warm breath on her neck.
"I'm gonna miss you so much, Jo. So much." He whispered.
"Me too," she murmured back, impulsively hugging him closer and embracing his scent.
Before the pair reluctantly separated, Jo's older sister came out to the backyard. She spotted the two in their intimate embrace. A gentle, knowing smile crept into her delicate face. She called out Jo's name. The two jumped at her voice, and quickly inched far away from each other, red splotches both evident on their cheeks. Meg brought a hand to her mouth to cover a feminine giggle that had escaped her lips.
"Jo, you need to get ready for the Laurence's party." The motherly young woman turned to her little sister's mischevious associate. "Laurie, I fancy your grandfather wants you to prepare as well. Now come on, Jo."
She dragged Jo inside, who only gave a feeble wave. Laurie heaved a sigh. Summer was coming to an end in Concord, and the 17-year-old boy could not help feeling miserable at the thought of leaving his friend for college.
"Jo, could you please stop fidgeting? I can't get the corset to fit." Meg pressed, strands of her hair sticking onto her sweaty forehead.'
Jo sat stubbornly on the same stool she sat on with Laurie a few moments ago. She crossed her arms and said defiantly, "I hate corsets. Whoever invented them must have been on laudanum."
"Jo!" Meg berated. "You shouldn't say things like that; it's unbecoming." Jo mouthed the words "it's unbecoming" mockingly. Meg's frown deepened. "I saw that, Jo." Her tone was harsh.
Jo raised her arms exasperatedly. "I just don't see the importance of being all serious and kittenish! (Meg glared at her for her slang) There is no real importance or purpose if you're just going to marry off some rich man." Then, in a more sober tone, she continued, "I just don't want to live like that. I want to be higher – to reach His potential and live the life God wanted me to!" She reached her hands up high as if to grab her fate and vocation. Meg looked at her sister with sympathy in her gaze.
"Oh, Jo, I'm dreadfully sorry. I didn't see it that way." She combed her sister's untamed mane. "I see you aren't ready for marriage at all. But, just for tonight, could you please at least endeavor to act polite?"
Jo's mouth pulled into a small smile. "Okay."
"Thank you." Meg, now finished with Jo's corset, paused to think which hairstyle her sister's hair should be styled into. Her face lit up in remembrance and smiled coyly, addressing her tomboy sister. "By the way, I saw you and Laurie hugging."
Jo's cheeks flushed. She attempted to sound nonchalant nonetheless (A/N: that's an alliteration, folks!). "What about it?"
Meg gave a ladylike titter before commenting, "Laurie seemed to enjoy it very much."
Jo frowned, her cheeks redder, if possible. "He did not!" Once again, she crossed her arms.
"I saw his face."
"I don't believe you."
"Believe it or not, Jo March, he did enjoy it. You can ask him later."
Jo huffed in response. Meg instructed her to stand. She helped Jo in putting on a simple yet sightly dress. Meg nodded cheerfully at her handiwork. "There, all good!"
"Not good at all," Jo grumbled. "I hate this dress." Meg ignored her sister's comment as the two climbed downstairs.
"Amy, you look as pretty as a doll!" Meg exclaimed once she saw the younger March sisters. "And Beth, you're a darling!" She stroked the softspoken girl's smooth brown hair.
"Thank you, Meg," Amy said, her head held comically high that were Laurie there Jo and he would have snickered together at it. "Jo, however, doesn't seem to be enjoying her pretty dress much."
Beth walked to Jo. "Don't worry, Jo. It's just one night." She said in her usual gentle manner.
"You're right. It's just one night." Jo grinned.
Beth gave her older boisterous sister a reassuring pat on the shoulder and left. Marmee and Hannah were already waiting in the kitchen. "Come, my little women. Off we go to the Laurence's party." The motherly woman shooed all four girls out the door.
That's it for now. Any comments? Suggestions? New ideas that I can steal? (Just kidding.) Review. It's my oxygen.