Charlotte

It was the night before my wedding. I had packed a bag and stolen money from my mother's stash in Father’s old boots. I had left her a note telling her Hellen’s plan and that I'd gone off for Edmund, but I hadn't told her where. I had no choice but to walk, I couldn’t ask James to take me in the buggy. I could barely look him in the eyes now.  

I was out of town within an hour or two. My feet stung with every step, but I continued to walk. I knew that people were searching for me, but I continued to go.  

“Hello!” I turned around at the voice of a young girl around the age of fifteen. 

“AH!” I yelled and fell on my knees. 

“Geez; no need to scream.” The silhouette of the girl helped me up. I studied her voice. It was beautiful with a thick British accent as if she were an opera singer. I grabbed her hand and pulled myself up, dusting off my dress.

“Thanks. Why are you out here so late?” I simply asked. I looked up at the girl. Her hair was tied up beautifully. Though it was the typical bun with small strains of hair loosely falling from it she somehow made it, beautiful.  

“I could ask you the same thing.” The girl said as she stuck out her hand in an unladylike manner. “Alice Turner at your service!” 

“Turner?” I looked the girl up and down. She was in pants?! I suddenly realized that this was one of the Turners that arrived for the wedding. “Why are you out here?” 

“Well, I'm going to help you, of course!” 

“Wait, what?!” I just stared at the girl. 

“Well Edmund isn't going to find himself!” I looked directly into her bright blue eyes. 

“How did you know that wasn’t Edmund back there?” I began to start walking again, Alice following. 

“Oh please! Eddie doesn't have brown eyes; he has blue. He for sure doesn't have enough confidence to talk to that pretty girl back there. The one in the trousers. And Eddie isn't strong enough to punch something!” 

“Punch?” 

“That guy back there had scratched up knuckles. Eddie doesn't have enough brain to memorize Shakespeare. Whoever that kid was kept repeating lines like crazy!  Shall I continue?” 

“Um, I think I understand.”  

“Well, I'm going to keep talking anyway. Edmund has a stronger accent, or he should. Also, that dude back there forgot my name and when I told him it, he instantly asked why I was in trousers. Eddie is too nervous to ask such bold questions like that, and he didn’t call me Ally! Oh, that was his nickname for me, by the way.” 

I winced. “Edmund uses nicknames?” 

“Of course, he does. I would’ve thought that you of all people would know that by now. Haven’t you two been engaged for about two months by now?” 

“Now that I think back on it, we barely know anything about each other.” 

“Dang! This is one sad love story. As I was saying...”