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Part One, Chapter Nine

The Proposal

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As Courtney cried, someone shouted with joy. Courtney started walking out from her spot under the stairs and started walking up them.

"War! War's declared! War!" some people began yelling.

Men started running out of the room their debate was being held in and out the door and women running down the stairs.

Alejandro ran inside with a wide grin on his face.

"Miss O'Hara!" he called out, looking for Courtney. When he saw her he ran running towards her. "Miss O'Hara!"

"Isn't it thrilling?" he said as he caught up with her. "Mr. Lincoln had called for soldiers, volunteers to fight against us."

"Oh, fiddle-dee-dee!" said Courtney. "Don't you men ever think of anything important."

"But it's war, Miss O'Hara, and everybody's going off to enlist," said Alejandro. "Right away. I'm going, too."

"Everybody?" Courtney asked as a thought struck her.

She ran off to the window and looked outside. Men were getting on horses and running off Alejandro followed her.

"Oh, Miss O'Hara, will you be sorry?" Alejandro asked. "To see us go, I mean."

"I'll cry into my pillow every night," said Courtney, not really meaning it.

"Miss O'Hara, I told you I loved you," said Alejandro. "I think you're the most beautiful girl in the world, and the sweetest and the dearest. I know I couldn't hope that you could love me. I'm so clumsy and stupid and not nearly good enough for you. But if you could, if you could think of marrying me I'd do anything in the world for you. Just anything. I promise.

"What did you say?" Courtney asked.

"Miss O'Hara, I said, would you marry me?" Alejandro asked again.

Courtney looked out of the window and saw Mike and Zoey kiss passionately. Courtney turned to Alejandro.

"Yes, Mr. Hamilton, I will," said Courtney.

"You will?" Alejandro gasped. "You'll marry me. You'll wait for me?"

"Oh, I don't think I wanna wait," said Courtney.

"You mean you'll marry me before I go?" Alejandro asked. "Oh, Miss O'Hara. Courtney."

Alejandro kissed Courtney's hands.

"When may I speak to your father?" Alejandro continued.

"The sooner the better," said Courtney.

"I'll go now," Alejandro said. "I can't wait. Will you excuse me, dear."

Alejandro kissed Courtney's hands again.

"Dear," he repeated happily.

"Mr. O'Hara, Mr. O'Hara," Alejandro called, running off to find Courtney's father.

Courtney went back to looking out the window. She saw Mike on his horse and Zoey holding his hand.

"It'll be a week at before they call on me." said Mike.

"Only a week and then they'll take you away from me," said Zoey.

They kissed passionately again.

Courtney's eyes began to water as Mike rode away.

...

At Courtney and Alejandro's wedding, Zoey walked up to Courtney and grabbed her hands and kissed her cheeks.

"Courtney, I thought of you at our wedding yesterday," said Zoey, "and I hoped that yours would be as beautiful, and it was."

"Was it?" Courtney asked.

Zoey nodded.

"Now we're really and truly sister," said Zoey happily. She turned to her brother and walked away with him.

Mike walked up to Courtney and kissed her cheek before walking away. Alejandro walked back up to her.

"Don't cry, darling," said Alejandro, "the war will be over in a few weeks and I'll be coming back to you."

But still Courtney continued to cry until she was sobbing.