As Olivia, Jackson, Elizabeth, and you made your way into town, you had trouble keeping up with the others. It was your broken leg that kept you from going the same pace as them, much to your dismay. When the urge to speak up hit you, you immediately shut it down because you didn't want to be a burden (and you didn't want to look like a weakling in front of your rival). As the four of you trekked into town, the distance between you and them seemed to increase. As you surveyed Olivia, Jackson, and Elizabeth, you realized how they were all walking. Elizabeth was on Olivia's left, holding her left hand, while Jackson was on her right, holding her right hand. Stunned, you realized they looked almost like a family that didn't include you. Mentally groaning, you realized that you were just getting too emotional, probably from your injury. You were snapped out of mental tirade when you heard Olivia calling your name.
"(Name), hurry up! You're getting left behind!" she called while turning around to face you. Sighing, you tried to quicken your pace to catch up to them.
"Okay, okay, I'm coming," you responded. "Sorry it's taking me so long." You saw Elizabeth stare at you with concern.
"(Name), are you sure you don't need any help? You can tell us if you want us to slow down," she said gently.
"I'm fine! Seriously, I don't need all of you to slow down for me," you huffed. "I'll catch up soon! My bones are feeling just a little rickety, that's all!" You mentally slapped yourself and thought, Damn, I must be really pathetic if I sound like an elder. Straightening yourself up, you adjusted your crutch so it could get comfortable again.
"(Last Name)! Hurry it up, will you? We're going to see one my friends in town, so pick up the pace, old timer!" he shouted towards you. Hearing that made you seethe, so you decided to start limping at a much faster pace from before.
"Just you wait Overland! When I catch up to you, you'll regret those words," you threatened. Elizabeth and Olivia burst out laughing at your antics. All of them then walked towards you to make your journey to them shorter. You then sighed in relief to yourself when you saw them walking towards you.
"If you were tired, you should have just said so, (Name)," Elizabeth consoled when you finally reached each other.
"Yeah! We don't want you to get more hurt!" Olivia said, while beaming up at you.
"Okay, I just didn't want to slow you guys down," you told them. Then, remembering your threat to Jackson, you wacked his calf with your crutch.
"OW! What was that for?!" Jackson cried out in pain.
"Ohoho," you chuckled, "that was for calling me old! I told you that you would regret it."
"Oh my goodness, the both of you are hilarious! I could watch you two bicker all day!" Elizabeth laughed while wiping a tear from her eye.
"(Name), you're the best!" Olivia giggled. "You're so much cooler than my brother!" At these words, Jackson looked aghast at his sister's betrayal, while you had the brightest smile on your face.
"Heh, hear that?" you asked Jackson. "According to Olivia, I'm the best!"
"Shut it, (Last Name)," he grumbled. He then snatched Olivia's hand and proceeded to go ahead of Elizabeth and you, with his sister in tow. Elizabeth giggled at the sight and then suggested that the two of you should follow them. You were grateful that she decided to stay back and chat with you, but a part of you also felt relieved that Elizabeth, Olivia, and Jackson weren't walking together anymore. You reprimanded yourself before you continued talking to Elizabeth.
When Elizabeth and you finally reached the post office, you met up with Jackson and Olivia. Jackson, naturally, complained about the two of you being slow, which made you threaten him in response. He then proclaimed that you all had to go to the blacksmith's shop to meet up with his friend. Rolling your eyes at him, you followed him, grateful that he was walking at a slower pace this time.
"Psst, (Name)! Jack just gave me this whole spiel about how he's the best," Olivia whispered to you while walking. She was currently holding your hand, while Elizabeth walked ahead with Jackson.
"Oh, really? What did he say?" you asked her.
"He was just making sure that I knew he was the best, so I told him what he wanted to hear! But, you're actually better than him!" she told you brightly. You ruffled her hair with your free hand. Walking with a crutch had gotten easier for you now that you were in the main part of town. The main part of town was like any other town—it had stone roads with the buildings all lined up with one another. The stone roads proved to be sturdier than the dirt roads that led to the houses outside of central Burgess, giving your crutch more support.
As you were walking through the streets with the others to the blacksmithing shop, you took in all of your surroundings. Along the stone streets, there were various little shops, each with their own specialty. Near the apothecary was the skinning shop where you would always trade in your game. There was a bakery across the street from the skinning shop, emitting the most delicious scents of freshly baked bread. As you continued down the street, you saw you were nearing the town square, or the "Square", as everyone else called it. In the very middle of the Square, there was a statue of Burgess's founder, Thaddeus Burgess. Burgess itself wasn't that big, seeing how it was more of a rural town established on the river. Near the other end of town—after passing through the Square—was the sawmill that was powered by the river. This area of town was called the "Rivertrail". By the sawmill were all of the stores that sold weapons, tools for farming, coal, etc. Wood charcoal was also sold around the Rivertrail for poorer families. The blacksmithing shop was opposite of the sawmill, right on the road.
The blacksmithing shop was owned by Mr. Evans and his son, Matthew. Mrs. Evans would tend to the house, like most women in Burgess did in their homes. Although they weren't the richest folks in town, everyone knew about their family because of how important the family business was. You hadn't met Matthew personally, but you knew that he was one of Jackson's good friends, which meant he was probably a troublemaker. When you reached the blacksmithing shop, all of you entered. Behind the counter was a tall, burly man with charcoal colored hair. You realized this must be Mr. Evans, given his built frame and his fully-grown beard.
"Jackson! Olivia! Good to see you here," he greeted. Turning to Elizabeth and you, he said, "Young ladies, it's a pleasure to make your acquaintance. May I ask for your names?"
"(Full Name), sir," you replied.
"Ah, (Father's name)'s daughter, eh? He always comes here when he needs a gun or knife repaired," Mr. Evans responded. "Send him my regards, will you?"
"Of course, Mr. Evans!"
"And who might you be?" Mr. Evans asked, turning to Elizabeth.
"Oh, I'm Elizabeth Adamson, sir," she answered sheepishly. You knew she felt uncomfortable whenever she introduced herself, seeing how she was the mayor's daughter. Mr. Evan's eyes slightly widened at her response, but he smiled greatly.
"It truly is a pleasure to have the mayor's daughter in my humble shop," he said gently. At his words, Elizabeth pale cheeks became tinted to a soft pink. Just as you were about to comfort her, Jackson put his arm around her shoulder and told her it was cool being the mayor's daughter. For some inexplicable reason, this made you seethe inside. Why was Jackson being so close with Elizabeth? Since when have they become so buddy-buddy? At this, you mentally punched yourself. You were so stupid, how could you not realize that you were jealous of them? Why were you jealous in the first place? You were pulled out of your thoughts when Jackson spoke again.
"So, Mr. Evans, is Matthew here?" he asked the burly man.
"He's in the house, Jackson," he answered. "It was a pleasure meeting everyone." Jackson then towed Elizabeth by the shoulders to residential part of the shop, the house that was connected to the blacksmithing shop. Elizabeth protested at his actions, wrenching herself free with a laugh.
"Overland, you're acting like a pervert trying to keep Elizabeth close to you," you remarked slyly, causing Olivia and Elizabeth to chuckle.
"Oh yeah, (last name)? Well, you would have to be a pervert to know how one acts," he retorted with a smirk. At these words, you just stop following them with your mouth hanging open. "Careful, (last name), you don't want anyone to smell your bad breath!" At Jackson's words, Olivia and Elizabeth start snickering at your reaction.
"GAH! YOU'RE SO GOING TO PAY!" you shout after him, waving your crutch at his laughing form. As you all entered the Evans' household, you observed your surroundings. It was a quaint house, with only one floor, but it was spacious from what you could see. The parlor had two settees in it, with a table between them. This was probably where the family ate, seeing how the house wasn't that big. The walls had a paneling design that was a slate grey in color. The wooden floors were bare, seeing how carpets were usually an imported, and expensive, product from Asia. The kitchen was in a separate room, and you could hear someone moving around in there. It was probably Mrs. Evans cleaning the house. You heard a door open from somewhere inside the house, and then close again. A boy around your age stepped through and took in the sight of you and your company. You assumed that he had to be Matthew because he had the same charcoal colored hair as his father. His eyes stood out though, being hazel in color, contrasting against his black hair. He was tall for his age, with a lean body, probably from working in the forge with his father. Overall, he would be considered attractive for girls your age. His eyes lingered on all of you, pausing on Elizabeth a little longer than the rest, and then landing on Jackson. Once he caught sight of Jackson, his face broke out into a grin.
"Jackson! You're finally here, it took you long enough, you old man," he said jokingly. "I hope you're doing well, Olivia!"
"Yeah, I am," she called brightly.
"Well, Matt, I guess I have to introduce you to some people here," Jackson started. "This is Elizabeth Adamson, the mayor's daughter as you might have guessed. She's probably the closest to royalty that you'll ever meet." Matt laughed at his words and introduced himself.
"Well, Elizabeth, as you might know already, I'm Matthew Evans. Nice to meet you," he told her.
"You as well! Believe me when I heard that we were meeting one of Jackson's friends today, I thought he would be quite worse, but you brush up pretty well, Matthew," she said, while standing up a little bit straighter. Matthew's eyes just stayed on her form for a while. You chuckled on the inside because Elizabeth had this effect on most guys. She was quite pretty, with green eyes, auburn hair, and a figure that was exemplified by her corset. When her eyes had landed on Matthew, they had gained a sparkle in them that you had never seen before. You could tell immediately that she thought he was attractive, and on the inside, you couldn't be happier for her! Gently nudging her in her side, you whispered to her that she was almost blatantly staring at Matthew. At your words, she giggled and flushed a little bit.
After all of the introductions had been made, Jackson suggested that all of you go out into town. The day was filled with laughs, which surprised you because you never knew you could have fun with someone as obnoxious as Jackson Overland. None of you bought anything, but all of you knew that you had to keep a low profile. Because Elizabeth had told her parents she would only go out with you today, she couldn't be seen in the presence of two men, so you were constantly hiding from the upper class citizens throughout the whole day. Overall, the thrill of hiding just added to the entertainment of the day.
That night, Elizabeth asked you to stay at her house that night, after the both of you asked your parents for permission. You were always excited to go to her house because it was so extravagant. It was a Georgian house made of brick, with a plethora of windows lining the sides of the house. It wasn't directly in the city, but close enough that the Square was within walking distance. As you got to Elizabeth's house, one of the maids was already waiting for you at the gate. When you entered the parlor, you told the maid that you knew where to find Elizabeth. You always felt bad that the maids where always trying to accommodate to your needs whenever you went to Elizabeth's house. You knew it was their job, but you just couldn't get used to such an extravagant life where you didn't have to lift a finger. You cleared the thoughts out of your head when you poked your head into Elizabeth's room and saw her brushing her hair by her vanity.
"So, are you thinking of Matthew while you're brushing your hair?" you asked her, while peeking your head through the doorframe.
"(NAME)! Shush! My parents could overhear what you're saying!" she exclaimed. "You never know when they're going to walk around the corner!"
"Relax! I know, I know. No talking about anyone of the male sex that isn't rich," you chuckled, while entering the room and closing the door behind you. "But, I saw you staring at him all day today, Liz."
"Okay, maybe I was, but he's just so handsome, (Name)!" she replied with flushed cheeks. As you went to go sit on her bed, she turned around in her stool so she could face you. "Seriously, (Name), did you see his arms? They looked so strong!"
"Oh my goodness! You actually like this guy!" you say through giggles. It was a rare thing for Elizabeth to like someone, so you were thoroughly shocked when you heard her words. With wide eyes you asked her like a little girl, "What if he's the one? I mean, all of the suitors you parents have presented you with have all been either too old, too atrocious, or too rude. I mean, remember the man who said he kept his wife's body after she died? Ick."
"I don't know, (Name). He was just so nice today," she pondered with closed eyes.
"Well, if anything, he seems to be interested in you," you told her. Right after those words slipped out of your mouth, she jumped up and put a hand to your mouth.
"Shhh! Don't say that!" she angrily whispered. You tried telling her something, but your voice was muffled by her had. Irritated that you couldn't ask your question, you licked the palm of her hand which immediately caused Liz to retract her hand. With a glare, she let you speak.
"Hey, don't give me that face, Liz. I couldn't speak! Anyway, what's so wrong with that? It's your life so you should be able to choose if you want an arranged marriage or not," you casually told her, while inspecting your nails.
"(Name), it doesn't work like that," she solemnly told you. This caused you to look at her straight in the eyes. She sat on her bed with you and continued speaking to you with sad eyes. "Your father will let you marry anyone you want—anyone who will make you happy. My parents want me to marry someone rich, who will know the proper rules of upper class life, and who will probably be from a bigger city. I'll never get to choose, (Name). Even if Matthew and I happen to get along great, it can never be."
"You know, I think that it is possible. We're still young, so a lot can change over time," you affirmed. Placing a hand on her shoulder, you went on, "I'll be honest with you, you're one of the most beautiful people in this town, inside and out. You've been there for me when I really need a mother, or just someone to talk to. Actually, I kind of envy you, because you're such a great person, and everyone likes you. Good deeds will always come back to reward you, so even though you're stuck in a hard place because of your parents, you'll get what you want when the time is right. I already promised you that I wouldn't let you be forced into some marriage you don't want. It's what you deserve after everything you've done for me." She just stared at you with wide eyes after you finished. Her face morphed into a look of gratitude, and you pulled her into a hug, happy to be in the embrace of your best friend.