AN: Alright, so this may was one of the first stories that I ever wrote. It's currently going through a rewrite, so it may take me awhile to update... I'm really sorry about that. My computer has been lagging like crazy, and keeps deleting whatever I try and save... So I keep having to redo everything I change. Anyway, here it is. Enjoy!

Chapter 1- A Not Quite Proposal

Not everything is as it seems,
In your heart and in your mind,
You will one day understand just what this means.

Alice stared at the piece of paper in confusion, wondering what on earth it could mean. Well, she knew not everything was as it seemed. She had learned that long ago when she fell down a rabbit hole and traveled to Wonderland. Well... that had technically been a dream, so she supposed that it didn't count. All the same, she was still a little worried about what it meant.

Now Alice had never received a note that wasn't signed before, so this really was an experience.

...and definitely not a pleasant one. Somehow the note seemed sort of like a threat, although that made no sense either. Why would anyone threaten her? She had never done anything to make someone want to do something to her. At least... she didn't think she did.

Alice wondered if someone might be playing a practical joke on her. Yes, that was always possible.

As she continued to ponder the possible meanings of the note she felt someone lay a cold hand on her bare shoulder. She jumped, and whirled around.

"Oh! George, it's only you." Alice sighed in relief when she saw George Faraday, the young man whom had just recently gotten up the courage to talk to her.

George raised an eyebrow and frowned. "What do you mean by 'only me', Alice? Were you suspecting someone else?"

George Faraday was a tall youth a few years older than Alice herself, making him around twenty. He had dark brown hair chopped short and gelled back, as well as pale, sickly gray eyes. Alice honestly didn't think that much of him, but her parents seemed to think that the two of them made a wonderful pair.

"No, no, of course not. I was simply startled by your sudden appearance."

"Alice, I have been here for an hour," George protested, much to Alice's dismay.

"You have?" Alice asked quietly, biting her lip.

How strange, she hadn't seen him. Had he been speaking with her parents then?

George nodded. "Yes, I was speaking with your parents."

Alice sighed. So her guess had been spot on then. She really wished that her parents would at least attempt to care for her feelings... she had told them many times now that she just did not care for George the way they wished she did. And yet they just didn't seem to listen to a thing she had to say. With one daughter already married, they hoped to have their youngest married off as soon as possible as well. And George Faraday, although Alice didn't agree, was quite a catch. Many believed him quite handsome, and he was destined to inherit quite a good sum of money in a few years.

But money really meant nothing to Alice. Sadly, it seemed to mean a good deal to her parents.

"Oh...." Alice said, somewhat dejectedly. "I see..."

George didn't seem to notice her mood though. "You know, my family is one of the oldest ones in all of England and..."

Alice tuned him out here, not wanting to hear another lengthy description of his family line. He had once gone on for hours on end about his great-something-grandfather who had first come to England and began to make his fortune as a blacksmith. It had bored her to tears, but Alice was too polite to say a thing.

And now, as he was once again going on and on, her mind returned to Wonderland, the dream world she had created five years before. Even though it had all been just a dream, she so longed for it to have been real. She longed to return to that wonderful world... to once again see the friends she made, to once again follow the White Rabbit, to drink tea with Hatter and Hare... She even wished that she could see Hearts again, despite everything the woman had tried to do to her.

"--married."

Alice blinked. He didn't say what she thought he said, did he? "Um...could you please repeat that?" she asked nervously, a feeling of dread already forming in the pit of her stomach.

George didn't seem to mind having to repeat his words at all. "Our families believe we should be married as soon as possible."

Oh no, he did. Alice felt the growing desire to scream build up inside her, but held it in. Swaying slightly she tightened her hold on the back of a chair to help her keep her balance. This was so utterly unbelievable! Her parents were all but planning her wedding, and they had said nothing to her! Nothing!

"Are you feeling unwell?" George asked her, his expression not showing even a flicker of genuine concern. "Should I call a doctor?"

Alice shook her head. "No, not necessary." Forcing a smile she said, "Thank you for your concern, but I'm fine. I just have a bit of a headache... I just need to lie down."

What she really needed was something to hit, and she feared that if given the chance, that thing would be George. Actually, that may not be such a bad idea at all... perhaps if she made him angry enough than he wouldn't want to marry her at all. A small smile formed on her lips as she took a step toward him.

George nodded in understanding, though Alice doubted if he really understood a thing. "Of course. Then I shall take my leave to allow you to rest."

And he reached down and pressed his thin lipped mouth to her hand, which he had taken at some point. When Alice felt his tongue touch her knuckles that was the last straw.

She slapped him.

EN: I'm terribly sorry for ending this chapter here! The original keeps going for awhile, but I really need to rewrite that part before posting it. I read it earlier and it was complete rubbish. I hope to update again very soon, hopefully tomorrow. Until then please be patient!