Disclaimer: I do not own Back to the Future.

September 4, 1923
11:40 AM PDT

Edna Chastity Strickland, seventeen years old, was picking at her bag of carrots - as she thought of the upcoming Harvest Ball. She did not really have any friends, which she did not exactly mind - since most of her peers sure were nothing but degenerate hooligans. She was of the wrong generation, and she belonged in the 19th Century.

She glanced over to where Alice McFly, Jill Tannen, and three other girls sat. She had no idea of who the other three girls were, and she really did not care at all. She could tell, simply from looking at them, that they were nothing but hooligans. However, she certainly always knew of Alice and Jill as being two of the nicest girls in her school.

Of course, being nice did not make you a moral person. In fact, nice people tended to have low standards of what was right or not - which Edna sure highly disapproved of. Still, they simply did come in handy - whenever she needed someone to help her out.

"Oh, lookie! There is Little Prissy Edna Strickland!" called out a mocking feminine voice. Edna glanced up from her carrots, and she saw Donna Drake - along with three of her friends - standing by her. The girls then sing-songed, "You're gonna be an old maid!"

Edna turned back to her carrots, as she tried not to get the girls' taunting bother her - but she sure could not help but feel sad. She knew that the boys often used her name to make fun of other boys, as in saying things like "Ha-ha, you like Edna Strickland!"

As Donna and her friends walked off - Edna glanced at the table where her younger brother, Steven, was sitting. While Steve also was not rather popular - he, at least, had a few friends. Steve really was close to Lou Carruthers, Harry Collins, and Artie McFly. Artie was Alice's younger brother - and, in fact, Artie was not terribly bad.

She sighed, as she stood up from the table. Suddenly, she quite had a swell idea. She needed to have a date for the Harvest Ball - and she realized that she might not have to go alone, after all. She walked over to the table her brother and his friends sat.

"Hi, Edna," Steve greeted, as his sister reached the table. "So, what brings you over here?" Turning to his friends, he asked, "Do you folks mind if my sister sits with us?"

Steve's friends all shook their heads, as Edna grabbed a seat next to Artie. She then turned towards Artie, as she swallowed. Quietly, she asked, "Say, Artie, I really was wondering if... I was wondering if you'd ask me to go to the Harvest Ball with you."

"I, uh... Sure," Artie replied, as he sounded very flustered. Edna smiled, as it looked as if she would no longer be alone. "I would love to take you to the Harvest Ball. It'd be nice to... I really do like your dress. I also like your green eyes. They're pretty."

"Well, thank you," Edna replied, smiling. "The truth is, I really don't like to dance. If I had a choice, I wouldn't even go - but, unfortunately, attendance is mandatory. We could simply do something else, though. You're also not like the other boys in school. You seem to be quite, uh, clean-cut and pure. I mean, that's what I like in a man."

Edna then glanced at her brother, who quite looked to be a little uncomfortable. She did love her brother, who happened to share many of the same values as she did. It was unfortunate, though, that Steve used to enjoy wearing their mother's clothes.

"Uh, thank you," Artie replied, shyly. "Yeah, I don't understand why we're being made to go to this function, but... I that your father is simply looking at becoming the school principal, as Mr. Coleman is looking at retiring. I really don't think I'd mind it, so much."

"I'd like to be the principal, too," Steve put in, "when I grow. I quite would do my part to help put people like Jiff Tannen in their place. Some of what I see the other kids do make me feel greatly nauseated. After all, you go to school to get an education."

"You darn right, brother," Edna replied, approvingly. "There are too many miscreants and hooligans roaming around town. I'm very glad that alcohol has been made illegal. That stuff is rather evil. It's stuff like that which causes degenerate criminals like Mad Dog Tannen to bring fear and terror to Hill Valley. Jiff really is bad enough, already."

"Grandpa McFly told us all about that buffoon," Artie replied, shuddering. "It's quite a wonder how the evil gene has passed Jill. I feel so sorry for her, having to be related to that terror. I mean, I'm so glad that Alice is nice - along with Agnes and Anita."

"Yes, your family doesn't seem that bad," Edna agreed. "I wonder about your sister's choice of companions, though. I tend to think that she... could be a bit too nice. I might not be popular with the rest of the youth, but I don't quite care about getting approval from them. The apocalypse is nigh. I mean, I can see all the signs."

"I, uh, I see," Artie stammered, seeming to be confused. "I don't care about being the most popular, but I... Well, I rather wish that the other kids would leave me alone. I'm sick of being made fun of, and of people who think it's funny to pull pranks on me."

"Well, join the club," Edna replied, drily. "I don't enjoy dealing with that stuff, either - but it's my cross to bear. I sure guarantee you, in about ten years or so, I'll finally be the one laughing at them. That is, of course, if the world doesn't end before then."

"I suppose you're right, Edna," Artie replied, sighing. "Well, I'd be quite happy to take you to the dance. So, uh, what kind of music do you enjoy? I rather enjoy listening to jazz. I enjoy musicians like Louis Armstrong, Duke Ellington, and Joe 'King' Oliver."

"Oh, I don't really like popular music," Edna replied, shrugging. "I only listen to gospel and classical. There's simply nothing like listening to Handel's Messiah to put me in the right mood. I'm rather not into the whole dance club scene. Only miscreants frequent that place, with harlots providing so-called 'entertainment' for the perverted minds."

"All right, then," Artie replied, softly. "I sure don't like those kind of places, either. Not to mention, I doubt that they would accept me there. Well, how about cinemas? What are some pictures that you enjoy seeing? I must say, I quite enjoyed Safety Last."

"I'm not into cinemas, either," Edna replied, sighing. "I'm more into plays. I think they are more respectable, and you can actually hear what the actors are saying. At least, there are not miscreants like Fatty Arbuckle dominating the theatre industry."

"Well, I also like plays," Artie replied, smiling slightly. "At the risk of sounding cliched, I like Romeo and Juliet. I think it's terribly sad that both end up... killing themselves."

"This is one of the few plays that can make me cry," Edna pointed out, nodding, "and I don't cry, all that often. In the end, both acted foolishly - but, still, I sure can't help but be... The idea of young lives being cut short just makes me feel... I just can't..."

"I thought it was a shame," Artie explained, "how the families were feuding so much. I sure can't imagine... Well, there are the Tannens - but, of course, Alice is best friends with Jill. Well, it sure looks like we do have some stuff in common - even if we disagree on music and cinemas. I enjoy carrots, too. My brother tells me you don't eat meat."

"That's right," Edna replied, nodding. "I'm a vegetarian. I believe that we, as humans, don't need to eat meat. I only eat what I need to survive. I rather do abhor gluttony. Meat does nothing but encourage gluttony, and I refuse to fall prey to temptation."

"I'm not a huge meat eater, myself," Artie admitted. "I like it, some of the time - but I sure prefer fresh vegetables. Well, what are some things you... enjoy doing for fun? During the summer, I like to go swimming - and, during the winter, I enjoy sledding."

"I enjoy stitching samplers and reading the newspaper," Edna explained. "I would like to do an etiquette column for the newspaper, some day. I do think people have quite lost sight of the importance of etiquette, and I rather believe that it's my sacred duty to bring it back to people's attention. Don't you agree that etiquette is important?"

"Well, I think it really is important to have good manners," Artie replied, softly. "I think it's very unfortunate that some of the other students act as if... as if my sole purpose in life is to be their... punching bag. Don't they realize that I... have feelings, too?"

"It's very good to see that you understand," Edna replied, approvingly. "What about you fellows?" she asked her brother, Lou, and Harry. They all nodded, "Well, it's nice to see you folks care. I just wish the same could be said about 90% of this school."

Suddenly, the bell rang. "Well, that's the bell," Edna pointed out, as she stood up. "It is just about high time we make it back to class. I'll call you, tonight, Artie." When she saw that Artie was smiling at her, she smiled back. "It has been quite nice talking with you. It's good to know that, at least, you fellows have a sense of right and wrong."

Edna suddenly realized that, for the first time, she felt the urge to kiss someone who was not one of her parents. However, not only did she not quite believe in kissing on a first date - but she was also, quite adamantly, against public displays of affection.

Perhaps, Artie would not be such a bad man to marry. While he sure did seem to have just a few rough spots, she figured that it was not something that she really could not fix. She figured that, before too long, she would make Arthur McFly a model citizen.

Edna had no intention of compromising her morals, just because she managed to fall in love. She had a rather good feeling that she might need to charm her way into getting Artie to change some of his ways, but it would all be for the greater good. She figured that she had Artie's best interests at heart. Besides, "Chastity" was her middle name.