"Ow," I said as my Mother tightened my corset.

"Dear, you need to look nice for the boys coming for your party." She said, giving the strings another pull. I took a deep breath, and closed my eyes. My Mother pulled out a thing to measure my waist.

"Wow!" She said, "I wasn't this small when I was your age." She said. I rolled my eyes, and walked over to the wardrobe. Mother pulled out a red dress, and a bow to match. As I got ready, my Mother got out the jewelry for me to wear.

"You are now 14; you are officially a young woman. You will no longer be running, anywhere, you will walk, and I don't want you to help the servants." She said.

"But-" I started.

"NO! I know what you're going to say. My answer's no," She said firmly, "Now, finish getting ready, and meet me down stairs." She said closing the door behind her. I was struggling to put on my shoes, when Richie came in.

"Hello?" He asked, "Your Mother sent me up here to get you," He said, covering his eyes to be polite.

"I'm over here, and covered up! But I need some help," I said, "This stupid dress is too big, I can't get them on!" I plopped in a chair, and sighed.

"Oh," He stumbled over to me, and took my shoes from my hand. He slid them on, and looked a little embarrassed while doing it. As he buckled the last one my Mother came in.

"Dear, I seem to have left my fa-" She stopped and shrieked, "GET OUT OF HERE!" She yelled.

"Yes ma'am," Richie scurried out of the room, and ran home.

"What was he doing in here?" She asked.

"Well, my dress is too big, I couldn't reach my shoe! And he came in, saying you needed me, and he volunteered to help and-" She stopped me.

"Do you know why he "volunteered"?" She asked, I shrugged, "Cause, he is a little RAT! He is a bad character!" She said.

"I'm sorry Mother, I was needing help, and he just kinda came in! I don't even have feelings for him," I said tears streaking my face, "Honest!" I reassured her.

"Alright, but you will not interact with him during this party, you are to marry into good blood. Now, go wipe off your face," She said, "Meet me down stairs," She walked down the steps, and spoke to the guests. I decided to change into something a little less…well less. I went down the stairs to greet everyone. There was no one down there. I heard yelling from my garden. I rushed to see what it was. There were 5 extra large boys picking on the small Richie. I ran over, and tried to grab one of the guy's arms.

"STOP IT!" I yelled. They ignored me. I grabbed his arm again, and this time he pushed me off. I landed on the ground with a hard thud, and hit my arm on the corner of the house. The thud was loud enough for the boys to stop, and see me cradling my arm.

"GET OUT!" I yelled. The boys rushed to leave, and left poor Richie all beaten up, and bleeding.

"Are you alright?" I asked, crawling over to him. He wiped off his nose, and looked at me.

"Yeah, it's probably just nothing," He said.

"Why did they do this?" I asked.

"Well, they saw me coming out of your room, and heard your mum scream at me the way she did, and thought I was "Stealing" You from them, I don't know why, just that they did." He looked at me, and smiled. He looked at me, we began to lean closer.

"MARIE?" My Mother yelled from the ball room where the party was supposed to be. When I didn't answer, she came looking for me. She came to the door just as our lips met, she pulled me away before I could actually get a kiss out of him, but I got close. I got out of her grasp, and ran out to the orchard. I sat down under one of the trees, and began to cry.

That was the last I saw him, he was sent off to become an apprentice, and I was sent off to become a lady. 6 years had passed, but I never forgot him. He was probably already married, and I was promised to someone else. The familiar around of crunching leaves met my ears, and I couldn't believe.