Tick.

Tock.

My large, hazel eyes watched the hands of the large grandfather clock, carved entirely out of shiny birch wood, as it moved to and fro. It was memorizing, and I was sure I had been staring for nearly ten minutes now. I always seemed to stare at things; thats why people get so angry with me. I don't mean to. Everything interests me now-a-days. I moved back in the wooden chair that pinched at my back, making me groan in discomfort and attempt to settle back down.

She should be back now with Alice. A smile grew on my pale face, brightening my thoughts.

Alice Kingsleigh is my best friend as far as I can remember. We were inseparable during our childhood, pretending to battle strange creatures that hid under our bed or run away from her father when he played the innocent game of tag. Every Christmas, my family an the Kingsleighs would hold a dinner party. There would be laughs, clinks of champagne glasses and the presents- Oh the presents! There were ever so many. As I've grown older, all I really require is money, but it is funny to think back to when you were a child and all you wanted were toys. It's funny how life changes a person.

Time goes by too fast. In one blink of an eye, you are off to your first job inquiry and all you can remember is when you first learned how to tie your shoe properly. I wish it would all slow down; time was horrible towards people.

My thoughts traveled back to Alice, recalling all the fun adventures we had in her backyard. We would exit the warm household around eleven in the afternoon, and pretend that there were people in the yard. Alice had these very vivid visions, and she swore up and down to me that they weren't dreams. They were true, just like reality.

Alice's world was called Wonderland. She spoke of an insane man who created hats, a disappearing cat with a smile wide like a crescent moon, a small rabbit in a waistcoat that was always nervous, an awful woman who wanted to take off peoples heads, and a beautiful, white haired woman.

I wanted to believe Alice, and I did- when I was younger. However, now is different. My mind has been tainted by the adult world, and I've lost my creative behavior. It's unfortunate to say that, but its the truth. Oh, how I long for the days where I could be a child once again.

Tick.

Tock.

My eyes traveled back to the clock, propping my head back up in my slender hand and fiddled with the edge of my dress. I had chosen to wear a soft, creme colored dress where the sleeves slipped off my bare shoulders slightly and the dress itself came down to my calves. It was the height of Victorian fashion for women. I didn't mind wearing dresses, but I wondered what it would be like to wear trousers.

A noise coming from the front of the room snapped me back into reality. I hobbled up onto my feet, brushing down my dress that got hitched up from me sitting on the tough chair behind me. I flashed a smile, prepared to see my best friend's face. I had to admit that I was extremely excited to see her again.

"Alice, I have a surprise for you," Alice's mother spoke and made her way into where I was standing. I first saw her, wearing a black dress and a strange black hat. I tilted my head, but that's when I saw Alice. Her tangled, blonde hair was still the same, but she had grown a foot taller than me. Her face had grown a bit longer too as well, and her eyes seemed more stormy than usual- until she made eye contact with me. Her smile grew widely as Alice stood there in shock.

"M-Maisie? Is that you?" she questioned, eyeing me up and down.

The last time I saw her, I was actually taller than her. My brown hair had been cut short to a bit below my chin, and I still had a face full of freckles. Now, I wore my brown hair long and in ringlets around my round face. My freckles were still prominent, but they weren't as seriously obvious as they had been.

"Who do you think it is?" I answered her with a soft laugh, joking around with my friend. Alice let out a laugh as well, approaching me rather quickly and wrapped me in a tight hug. She smelled like sea spray, which made me gag slightly, but nevertheless I returned the hug.

"I missed you so much!" Alice began and pulled away, holding her hands against my shoulders. "How was Scotland? Oh! You'll have to tell me all about it."

I moved from Oxford into a small town in Scotland called Lerwick. It was the main port of the Shetland Islands, being surrounded by water and all. My father received a work proposition by there, and we had no choice but to move. I didn't admire it as much as I thought I would have, especially since my father's business was right along the water line. We had to deal with awful hurricanes, and rebuild the house twice.

"It was... cold, dreary, disgusting, boring- Need I say more?" I asked her with a smirk. Alice shook her head, giving out another soft laugh that rang like silver bells in a cool breeze.

"That exciting, huh?" Alice commented while her mother moved into the kitchen to boil some water for their afternoon tea. "Are you staying in Oxford for long?"

"Only for a month," I responded and folded my hands in front of my place. I was currently staying with my grandmother Lorraine in the east part of Oxford, but I may spend a few nights over with Alice. "I'll have to go back to preparing fish and such. Gosh, it's awful."

"I know, and I probably don't smell too great either," Alice laughed and then pulled her hands in front of her face. "The adventure was incredible, but I was a bit seasick during the beginning." I remembered; Alice was captain of her father's ship. That made me smile.

"I'm sorry to hear that, but it must have been exciting! Getting to travel like that... I'm jealous," I remarked.

"If you say- Oh, yes. I have a question for you."

I tilted my head curiously, wondering what she would have to ask me,

"I must go speak with Hamish about my discoveries and further expeditions. He has a party tonight, and I would very much like you to come with me," Alice explained and placed her hands together. "It will only be for a little while, but I must go." I covered my hands over my mouth, letting out a snicker.

"Hamish? Oh my gosh, that weird beaver guy with the ginger hair?" I whispered, trying not to laugh so loud that Alice's mother came in and disapproved of our behavior. Alice even chortled a little to my remark.

"Yes. Him."

"Hmm, I don't know Alice," I teased her, grinning. "If he's there, who knows what will happen." Alice nudged me a bit with her shoulder, obviously trying to get me to answer her proposition. "-But fine. I'll go."

"Excellent!"