Prologue: Tears Fall


Too many months. Too many months she had been away. Away from the one she loved above all others. She cried every night, thinking about what could have been between us.

One morning, Nellie Benson cried softly as she got ready for school. There was a knock on her door. Her cousin, Sophie Benson, came into her room. She saw a tear fall from Nellie's eyes.

"Nell? Oh, Nellie." the thirteen year old girl said, embracing her cousin.

"Soph, I just miss him so much. What if I never see him again?"

Sophie hugged her tighter. "You're going to see Peter again! Just like I am going to see Edmund again!"

Nellie smiled and hugged her tighter. Sophie was so sure, it made her feel sure. "Thanks, Soph. I needed that."

There was another knock on the door. Sophie's older sister Joanna peeked in the room. "Come on, classes start in ten minutes!"

"Thanks, Jo." said Sophie. She pulled Nellie off her bed and threw her blazer at her. "Let's go!" she grabbed her bag and skipped out the door.

Nellie laughed, put the blazer on, grabbed her bag and followed Sophie and Joanna. Sophie and Joanna's little sister Christine and Nellie's little sister Emma joined them. They all would have had gone to a school in Finchley, but they went to St. Finbars Academy instead, wanting to be in London.

"Miss Nellie! Miss Emma!" called a man as they reached the main building. It was the postman, William. William was not much older than Joanna, only by four or five years. "I have a letter from your parents!"

Nellie laughed. "Thanks, William. And, please, just Nellie and Emma. No Miss. Way too formal!"

William tipped his hat and winked at Joanna, who blushed and pushed a lock of brown hair behind her ear.

"He fancies you, Joanna!" exclaimed Emma once he was out of earshot.

Joanna sighed. "I know, but Mum and Dad would never approve. They would say, 'He's much too old!'"

They all laughed at her attempt to try to impersonate her father. Nellie realized how much she loved being with her cousins. It was one of the only times she would actually laugh.

"Can you believe there's only a week left in school?" asked Christine sadly. For an eleven year old, she was very smart and loved school.

Emma put her arm around her. "Don't worry. The Summer Holidays are only three months long!"

Christine smiled and they all headed to their classes. Joanna was in year twelve, Nellie was in year ten, Sophie and Emma were in year eight and Christine was in year seven.


Nellie arrived at her first class and sat next to her friends, Allison and Lizzie.

"Beautiful day isn't it?" asked Lizzie. Nellie and Allison nodded.

"You can almost feel the summer heat! I can't wait. Mum's taking me and Annette visit Aunt Sarah!" said Allison.

Lizzie sighed. "You are so lucky that your Aunt lives in the country. I would love to escape London! Just get away for a while. What about you, Nellie? Any plans for the summer?"

Nellie shrugged. "I'm probably seeing our new home in Finchley. Em and I haven't been to it yet. We stayed with our cousins last time we where there."

Lizzie dramatically pulled on Nellie's sleeve. "Please! Take me with you!"

Nellie laughed and pulled her sleeve away. "Back! Back you Drama Queen!"

The girl pulled away and, dramatically put her hand to her heart. "Allison! Did you hear what she called me? Drama Queen!"

Allison looks at her friend. "Yes, well, it suits you well!"

The girls all laugh. Lizzie grinned and fixed the clip in her curly red hair. "I suppose it does!"


Meanwhile, in Finchley…

"Come on, Pete! We're going to be late!" said Edmund Pevensie, throwing a pillow at his older brother.

Peter glared at his brother. "I'm coming!"

They grabbed their school bags and met Susan.

"It's about time!" said Susan.

Edmund looked pointedly at Peter. "Some of us had a slow start this morning."

Peter ignored him. "Where's Lu?"

"I'm here!" said an out of breath voice. Lucy Pevensie came running up the path behind them. "Sorry, I dropped some papers!"

Peter smiled at her and put his arm around her.


What do you think?

My Twilight story somehow got deleted from both FanFiction and my computer, so I can focus on this story!

Please review!

XOXO Jenny