Guy: I wonder if she likes me? She looked at me, but she probably doesn't even know I exist! Maybe I could get her something. No, no she'd think that's creepy. She probably doesn't even like me! Does she know who I am? Maybe she's thinking about me right now…
Girl: You know, I think I really like Vanilla.
SAME PLANET, DIFFERENT WORLDS.
[Far Side]
;D
{also, I know about the real little mermaid ending, but the Disney-fied version works better for this story ;D thanks though!}
I want to be where the people are
I want to see, want to see them dancing
Walking around on those
What do you call 'em?
Oh yeah, feet [giggle]
Up where they walk,
Up where they run
Up where they stay all day in the sun
Wandering free
Wish I could be
Part of that world
-Part of that World, Little Mermaid
"Ben, you have to go! Quick!" Felicity said, turning around, clutching her hands to her stomach.
"Felicity, I'll go if you want me to, but I need to know something. Why don't you love me? I'm sorry so, so sorry for everything I did wrong, but I just think there has to be something more! Just tell me, I'll do whatever you want!" Ben begged, taking Felicity's hands.
Felicity took one look into his eyes, and exhaled. "Ben! Don't ever think you did anything wrong! You did everything you could! I don't blame you at all, don't ever, ever think so!"
"Then why don't you love me anymore?" Ben said, biting his lip.
"Ben, don't think that!" Felicity begged, leaning in.
"Tell me then! Tell me exactly how you feel about me!" Ben insisted.
"Ben, Ben I-I shouldn't…"
"Please, Lissie!"
"Ben, you have to go…"
"Lissie! If you don't love me anymore, I understand! Just tell me! I know I don't deserve you, I get it! You're better than me, and you deserve the best, but I have to know! I have to try! You are-"
"I love you!" Felicity shouted, clamping her hand over her mouth and one on her stomach, sinking to the barn floor.
"You –you do?" said Ben, his mouth dropping open in surprise. "Then why are you doing this?"
…
Annabelle marched home, furious. She had worked so hard on her outfit, practiced her song for hours, and followed him around just to get the right timing! Did he have any appreciation for how hard it is to swim in a skin tight skirt?
She slipped out of the soaking wet skirt, tossing it onto her bedroom floor. She put on her nightgown, and lay in bed, moaning.
"My stomach! My heart! Mother!" Annabelle yelled.
Mrs. Cole was a mousy, fussy woman. Every morning at the crack of dawn, her maids woke up to prepare for her day. They readied her toiletries, and laid out her dress and petticoats. Everything was prepared, and she was always woken at precisely ten 'o' clock. The maids dressed and washed her, putting on her makeup and curling her mousy brown hair. She was overindulgent, fussy, whiny, and self-centered. At least Annabelle came by it honestly.
"What's the matter, dear? Shall I call for Mr. Galt?" She drawled, leaning against Annabelle's bedpost, as if standing was a chore for her.
"No, no, no! It's not that kind of sick! Get me father!" Annabelle commanded, sitting up and slapping her palms and the sheets.
Annabelle's mother, sighed and rang the bell, calling the maid. A woman scurried up in a flurry of skirts and lace, pushing light blond hair out of her eyes. Annabelle's eyes narrowed.
The maid's name was Audrey and she was stunning. She was taller than Annabelle, her waist was smaller than Annabelle's, and her voice was much sweeter than Annabelle's. She was lovely and sweet and took good care of everyone, She had bright brown eyes and her light blond hair was perfectly, naturally curly, and it fell down to the middle of her back. She had thick black eyelashes and her lips were bright red. Annabelle loathed her. If Ben got one look at her, there would be no hope for Annabelle.
"Aubrey!" Annabelle commanded.
"It's Audrey, miss" corrected Audrey.
"Whatever, I need you to fetch father for me!" snipped Annabelle, falling back onto her pillows.
"Yes, ma'am,"
"Annabelle, we need to talk." Mrs. Cole said, sitting on the edge of the bed, and pulling out her fan. "I know you've fancied this Davidson fellow, and your father and I respected that, but we heard of some, er-"
"Completely inappropriate behavior!" Annabelle's father yelled, storming into the room. "Not only did we have no clue where you were, but we had to learn from the neighbors that you may have been down at the pond with the Davidson boy, and you weren't even in a dress! Annabelle, I've sat by as you've done some stupid things, but this is inappropriate, this is ridiculous!"
"Daddy, just listen to me-"
"No, Annabelle! It's time for you to start anew and now before you become an old maid! Get up, get up and go outside! Find a new source of affection for yourself! Get up! Go!"
Annabelle sat there for a moment, resting on her elbows, hair mussed, eyes wide and piecing, and mouth open in a perfect 'O'. Her father returned the stare, lips pursed. Mrs. Cole continued fanning herself, eyes slack, examining her nails for the impossible fault.
Eventually Annabelle tossed her head and sat up. She pinned a lacy pinner to the top of her head and stalked out of the room.
…
"Ben…you have to understand I have a reason for this, I would never, ever want to hurt you if I didn't feel like I had to! It's unavoidable! I'm-I'm sorry!" Felicity bit her lip and scrunched her eyes.
"Felicity! That doesn't matter! If you still love me, I'll fight for you, for us, but I have to know what I'm fighting against! Tell me!" Ben begged, hugging Felicity.
Felicity exhaled, and laid her head against his chest. "Fine. Cary said that, if he saw you with me again, then he'd kill you! Ben, you don't understand, I can't be responsible for anything bad that happens to you!"
"I told you, screw it! I don't care! Wait, will he hurt you?"
"Not directly. But it would hurt me to hurt you, and he knows that!"
"He's never going to go away is he? Well if he won't, we will!" Ben declared.
…
Annabelle smiled. She was going boy shopping! A new batch of soldiers were coming into town, just like warm cookies out of the oven. She stood on the side with a bunch of other girls, waiting for their beaus to come home, as well as looking for a husband, just like her. She was looking over the men, nothing much catching her eye, until:
She fell in love.
He was beautiful, even as a ragged, soldier coming home. He had dark brown hair and big brown eyes, just like her own! He was as tall as Ben, and much better built. Let Felicity have the apprentice! Annabelle found something better. She was about to approach him, tease him, flirt with him, when she saw the boy run to her!
Even at a good 50 yards difference, the man was already so in love he was sprinting across the field. He saw her from so far away, but he recognized her for her stunning good looks. She smoothed her skirts and smiled, showing her perfect white teeth. The boy dumped his pack and ran faster, colliding with the girl next to her.
"NOAH!" she yelled, hugging him.
"Audrey! Oh my God, Oh my God, I never thought I'd see you again!" Noah kissed her.
Annabelle pursed her lips, and as soon as the two broke apart, she looked at the curly blond-haired, brown-eyed girl.
Audrey, the maid.
Oh, it was on.
