Tada! My very first fanfic that is completely my own ... Except I'm not exactly sure where it's going to go. That is where you readers come into play. SOOO ... R&R please:)


Andrea Norma sat in her bedroom. However, instead of falling asleep, she was watching the snow swirling outside her window. The full moon reflected in her amber eyes as she thought about how unjust her life was. In her opinion, she had been to quite enough balls, thank you very much, and had no desire to go to another one this weekend. It was alright that her parents were invited to all these balls that invited you to bring your children, but couldn't the children opt to stay home? She remembered her Father's words as if he had just uttered them.

"For you to stay home would be refusing the generous hospitality of our host. Now, go help Genevieve pick a gown for you to wear."

With a sigh, Andrea swept her wavy brown hair together, braided it, and climbed into bed. Staying up all night contemplating her predicament would do her no good at all. She would have to think about it more in the morning.


Andrea woke the next morning to the sound of Genevieve pouring water into the washbasin.

"Morning!"

For the love of all things pastry, how can she sound so cheerful so early? thought Andrea as she climbed out of bed and groped for her bathrobe and slippers.

"Morning," came her mumbled reply.

"Now now, you really must wake up quickly. You've got quite the day. Don't you remember? You're going to the Maldonado's Christmas ball tonight, and you have yet to go to the market with Helen and Andrew to find a gift for their children." Genevieve was just talking to keep her mind going, Andrea knew, but it was slightly irritating all the same.

"I have a question for you, Genevieve. Why should I go if I don't want to? Besides the fact that it would be 'refusing the generous hospitality of our host'? It seems more rude to go and not want to be there than to simply stay home."

Genevieve thought about this for a few seconds before responding.

"You know how much your parents value their reputation. By leaving you behind, people may think that you have been having troubles and are not fit to go into public. They would rather you go and put up a good face, as you know you must, than have you stay home and place a smudge on their reputation."

Andrea thought about this as she walked into her closet to select a house dress to wear downstairs to breakfast. Finally, she came up with another argument.

"Yes, I understand that they value their reputation, but what if they just said that I chose to stay home? Then the blame would be placed on me and, quite frankly, I don't really care. I'll do what I like, and if somebody has a problem with it, they can tell me." Andrea was sure that this argument was solid, but Genevieve had a reply for her almost immediately.

"What you don't understand, Andrea, is that you, being the age that you are, are not yet old enough to make decisions like this. Besides, if you skip too many balls, people with simply think of you as an ungracious young lady who thinks more of herself than of others. Now, enough of this talk! I'm going to leave, and woe betide you if I have to come back in here to hurry you along!

With a soft Woosh!, the door was closed and Andrea was left to her thoughts. Why oh why does Genevieve have to make so much sense? she thought as she pulled off her nightgown and reached for the striped purple dress that she had chosen. Slipping it over her head, she stepped into her shoes and, after a few quick strokes of her hairbrush, walked out into the hall and walked gracefully down the steps for breakfast.


Now, all you have to do is click that purple-ish little button down there and ... You'll get a slice of cheesecake!