September 18, 1923
5:30 PM PDT

Alice Linda McFly, seventeen years old, really felt uneasy - as she was eating at Holt's Diner with her best friend, Jill Tannen. While she enjoyed the food, she could not stop thinking of her younger brother. Even though Arthur Riley McFly was actually just two years younger then her, she felt that it was her duty to look after his best interest.

She was only seven years old, when her mother had died in childbirth. Since then, she rather acted as a mother to her brother - as well as her twin sisters, Agnes and Anita. As a result, she was regarded to be a lot more mature than most other girls her age.

Agnes and Anita were only ten years old, and they acted as if they were the best of friends. While they did have their moments, they were generally well-behaved. Artie also tended to be well-behaved, although he had a major problem with being bullied.

"Are you all right, Alice?" Jill asked, softly. It always felt very queer to think that Jiff Tannen, the boy who bullied around her brother, was Jill's twin brother. After all, Jill was nothing like her brother. "You seem to be distracted. Is there anything wrong?"

"Jill," Alice replied, softly. "I'm quite concerned about Artie's relationship with... Edna Strickland. The thing is , they've been dating for two weeks - and I just... Something sure doesn't... I understand that he's never had a girlfriend, before - but I simply do not feel as if... I just feel uncomfortable with the idea of the two of them being a..."

"Why?" Jill asked, as she raised her eyebrows. "She seems harmless enough to me. I mean, your brother is simply best friends with her brother - and... and she obviously cares plenty about morals. At least, he's not taking a fancy to some... some hussy."

"That's just it, Jill," Alice cried out, with some frustration. "I mean, she's always spying on everyone - and she likes to snitch on people that she catches doing something that she... that she believes is wrong. I really don't think that she's good for my brother."

"Well, she may be a little extreme," Jill replied, softly, "but I do think she has a right to her views. She definitely is not the type of girl to cheat on her boyfriend, and she also would not pressure him into... into doing something that... really should be saved until marriage. I really don't understand what the harm is. Anyway, she's quite nice to us."

"Open your eyes, Jill!" Alice shouted, as she began to feel very frustrated. How could Jill not see what was wrong with Edna? "She just acts nice to us, whenever she wants us to do something for her. Look, Jill, I simply don't want for my brother to get hurt."

"Artie's fifteen years old, Alice," Jill pointed out, softly. "He may be a little, uh, socially awkward - but I think he's old enough to make his own decisions. I do agree that Edna is... The thing is, I sure blame her father for this. I quite reckon that he's the one who pressures her to be... Well, you know. Anyway, I really think you should let Artie..."

"I guess you're right," Alice replied, sighing. "I sure still feel uncomfortable about this, though. After all, last Saturday, he actually turned out a chance to go to the cinemas with me. I mean, he has never done that! He really loves going to the cinemas!"

"Well, I'm not so certain of what to say to that," Jill admitted, softly. "Still, I think you should be happy that he... does not have to go to the Harvest Ball alone. I just don't understand why they're making us attend. Granted, I have Edmund Paradise..."

"... and I have Todd Workman," Alice finished, softly. "Of course, there is no denying that you and I are lucky - and you simply make a good point. I have dreaded the idea of Artie coming to the event alone. Still, I don't like that it has to be Edna Strickland. I was thinking that, uh... I was just thinking that you and I could... play matchmaker."

"Well, who?" Jill argued. "I don't want to just find some loner girl to pair him up with. I don't think either would appreciate it, too much. In fact, I reckon both would feel real insulted - since we're, in a sense, implying that they can't find partners themselves."

"I guess I can't really argue with that," Alice replied, sighing. "Plus, my brother seems to be rather taken in by Edna. He'd probably get very cross with me, if I told him that he should be dating someone else. So, what do I do? I don't want him to get hurt."

"Well, it's only been two weeks," Jill pointed out, gently. "Maybe he just didn't feel like going to the cinemas, for one reason or another. I understand that Edna rather has a certain disdain for popular culture. But, still, Artie sure is his own person. Heck, I can't even make my own brother change - however much I would like to. I really think..."

Alice just sighed, as she began to mull over her friend's words. Indeed, even though Jill and Jiff were twin siblings, they sure did not get along. Jill really was a caring and compassionate person, while Jiff was a sadistic bully who loved to torment others.

"You really think... I need to relax?" Alice asked, softly. Her friend nodded. "I can see what you mean, Jill, about your brother. It's often hard to really believe that you two are from the same family. Still, about Edna... I think she can get very manipulative."

"Well, you do have a point," Jill replied, in a near whisper. "I guess, the truth is, I just feel bad for Edna. I mean, she doesn't really have any friends - and she is the butt of many jokes. The thing is, about a month ago, I quite saw her crying in the washroom. I asked what was wrong, and she told me that she felt lonely... and misunderstood."

"I simply don't like to see anybody cry," Alice agreed, softly. "It always makes me feel bad for that person. I still remember how I felt, when Anita had missed a critical catch for her baseball team - and her coach berated and hurled insults at her. She began to cry, in which her coach then called her a 'crybaby'. Man, I really felt horrible for her."

"Yeah, I remember you telling me that," Jill replied, softly. "The coach had reacted so badly, and I don't blame you for having taken her off the team. I mean, games really should be fun - and that coach... Well, she took it too seriously. That was wrong."

"That rather was," Alice replied, grimly. "After all, nobody treats my sisters that way. Or my brother, for that matter. And, speaking of which... Well, I'm not quite going to say that I don't feel bad for Edna. Still, the thing is, she does bring that on herself."

"Remember, her parents," Jill pointed out, in a near whisper. "Especially her father. I mean, I simply feel so bad for ol' Gerald Strickland - who really was just a young boy, when he really watched his father... get murdered... right in front of him. Granted, I don't think so much of my father - but... Apparently, he was very close to his."

"And I'm sure close to my father," Alice replied. "Even if he is quite a busy man. I miss my mother, greatly - even though it, thankfully, was not the result of a murder. I can imagine that it would feel even worse. I can see how that would affect ol' Gerald."

"He did mention, in the press," Jill explained, "that the last word his father said to him was 'discipline'. I imagine that he simply spent the rest of his childhood, trying hard to be the kind of person that his father would want him to be. That may explain why..."

"... why his children are the way they are," whispered Alice. "Well, I do feel for Edna - and I've nothing against morals, actually. In fact, I sure think they are important. Still, I think Edna has the wrong idea of what morals are. Now, I don't want to compare her to the Pharisees - but... Well, it seems as if she cares more about... outward morals."

"I do understand what you mean," agreed Jill. "After all, she really seems to care a lot about how others view her morality. I really think, though, that she just wants for her parents to be pleased with her. You can't really fault her for wanting that, can you?"

"Well, I suppose not," Alice replied, sighing. "Well, I guess I'll just to wait and see how things progress. The Harvest Ball is this Saturday, so... I suppose I could remind Artie that... that I care about him... and that, if anything come up, he could talk with me."

"I think that would be best," Jill agreed, nodding approvingly. "I wish I had as good of a relationship with my brother, as you quite have with yours. Of course, the fact that my brother sees fit to torment your brother is just... Sometimes, I do wonder how we ended up being... so different. Often, it's like he doesn't even have a... conscience."

"Also, your brother likes to harass me," Alice pointed out, quietly. "He keeps insisting that I'm going to marry him, someday. Granted, I sure wouldn't mind you and I being sisters - but... Well, the idea of marrying your brother makes me feel... very sick."

"I understand," Jill replied, as she reached out to pat Alice's hand. "You're actually not the only one, though. I mean, he says that to every girl who... who happens to catch his eye. You have Todd, though. He and Eddie are good friends, which is very nice."

"And Artie is friends with Edna's brother," Alice replied, nodding. "I suppose I'll try not to worry about their relationship. I do appreciate you being a very good friend to me. Well, I guess we'd better finish our dinner - before the food gets cold. I'll simply try to look on the positive. It is good that he'll have someone to take to the Harvest Ball."

Jill simply smiled - as she, once again, patted Alice's hand. Alice sighed, as she turned back to her dinner of fried chicken and mashed potatoes. Perhaps, she simply tended to be a little overprotective of her brother - but she felt as if she was doing her duty.

Still, Alice could not seem to shake the feeling that something was about to go wrong. Perhaps, it was really her being paranoid. She could not stand the idea of her brother getting hurt. After all, her maternal instincts told her that she had a real responsibility to look after the welfare of her three younger siblings. She stood real firmly beside it.