Disclaimer: I do not own American Girl or any of the American Girl Characters and stories.
Well hello! It's been over a year since I last updated this story (thank you to everyone who followed/favorited/reviewed since then—it always made my day), so I've decided it was high time to make some more progress. Please enjoy!
This chapter is the last of the ones that I had written years ago before I ever had a fanfic account- if anyone has any thoughts on the plot or would really like to see something happen, I would love to hear them before I continue writing.
Also, I'm considering changing my pen name, but I'm not sure how soon.
Felicity didn't stop running until she reached the rock. This time, she pulled herself up with ease. Her heart pounded as she stood, frozen, looking out at the view that she and her friends had left mere minutes ago. The approaching soldiers were much closer now. Felicity closed her eyes and waited. Her thoughts surged forward, trying to find the perfect explanation that she had planned for months just in case. Nothing came to her.
Twigs snapped and leaves rustled behind her as the three noisy boys crashed through the brush, calling, "Will! Hey, Will!"
She didn't turn right away, even as their voices came closer and closer. Fleeting, but jabbing, thoughts were coursing through her mind. I'll forever be different to them now, just a weak girl. I've lied for too long. They will never trust me again.
She took a breath and turned around to see Clayton, Sam, and Ted scrambling up the rock. Clayton was the first to pull himself up beside her. His usual teasing smile was gone from his face and was replaced by a worried frown. "What's wrong? Will, you okay? Why are you bandaged?"
Felicity swallowed hard. She didn't want to admit it to herself, but she was tempted to lie… a quick retelling of an embarrassing accident would shake off their questions. But no. The easy way was not ever the best way. She had to admit it to them.
Her green eyes met Clayton's blue as she took a calming breath. Struggling to hold his gaze, Felicity said softly, "Because I'm not a man."
As soon as she finished speaking, Felicity had to look away. A silence fell over the four friends. The soldiers' crisp, marching steps could be heard behind them. Sam, ever bold, found his voice first.
"Wait, what? Come again?"
The incredulity in Sam's voice was so pronounced, Felicity couldn't stop a small smile from spreading onto her face. The look he was giving her was priceless.
"I'm a girl," she said plainly. "I dressed myself as a boy so I could join the army. The bandages are part of my disguise." She gestured to the exposed bandages lamely.
When none of them replied, Felicity sighed and sat down hard on a rock. She was pushing stray hairs out of her eyes as she chanced a glance at Clayton. His eyes were steely now, guarded. "I'm really sorry. I wish I told you earlier, but nobody else knows, not even my family."
Felicity paused a moment. "If you lads aren't interested in knowing me, as a girl, any longer, I understand," she added hurriedly, licking her lips nervously.
Clayton looked torn between being furious and outright confused. "But you- how did- you can't be!" he stuttered out. "Why?"
Felicity's throat tightened as she thought of her rash decisions. It all seemed so childish now, her leaving her family without notice, just to run after a boy. How immature! "I… followed a friend…" She glanced over her shoulder to look at the approaching soldiers and, somewhere in the crowd, Ben.
Clayton's gaze followed Felicity's. Their gazes met again as she turned around to face the three boys.
"Truly, I am sorry," Felicity said as she made to stand up. She had taken a step towards Clayton when he suddenly turned away and stepped off the rock and back to the path.
"I need to think," he said to the trees, and he walked away.
If Felicity had been the same girl she was just a few short months ago, she would have cried. But even as Sam and Ted gave her meant-to-be-comforting slaps on the back, all she could do was wonder what made her do the things she did.
The trek back to camp was made in uncomfortable silence. It wasn't for lack of trying, though, because Ted and the usually quiet Sam chattered on until they realized how pointless it was.