𝐕𝐈𝐎𝐋𝐄𝐍𝐂𝐄 𝐎𝐅 𝐀𝐅𝐅𝐄𝐂𝐓𝐈𝐎𝐍

𝒏𝒊𝒏𝒆

Firelight crackled from the candlestick resting on the dresser, painting your face in golden light as you applying the finishing touches of your appearance. Amy begrudgingly offered to do your hair again for the ballet as she had for the Christmas ball, but you could tell she was regretting it by how longingly she stared at you in the reflection of the mirror.

Night had fallen over the March house like a veil of darkness. It wouldn't be long until Laurie and Mr. Brooke came to the door to collect you and Meg, who had also been invited as Mr. Brooke's date.

Amy huffed, fiddling with the hem of her nightgown. Beth sat beside her, offering gentle pets to her arm. Trying to console Amy was much like trying to convince a lit fuse not to spark. The meltdown was already in motion and the only thing you could do was pray that she didn't erupt until after you left for the theater.

"I can't find my other glove," says Meg, stumbling into the room with both hands cupping her ear. She'd been struggling to put in a pair of delicate pearl earrings for the last few minutes, refusing your help whenever you offered it. "Have you seen it?" she asked, turning to her sisters with a pointed look after you shook your head.

"You may borrow mine, if you like," you offered, already reaching into your drawer to fetch them. "I wasn't going to wear them anyway."

Meg considered your offer for a moment but shook her head, tongue pinned between her front teeth as she concentrated on guiding the earring through the piercing. "No, it's alright. I'll keep searching."

The eldest March sister barely stepped out of the room before Amy finally decided to open her mouth again. "It's not fair that you get to go on a date with Laurie while I'm stuck at home."

"Not a date," you corrected carefully, eyeing her through the mirror. She gave you a narrow-eyed pout and you shrugged. "Not in the way you're thinking, anyhow."

"Then let me come!"

"You don't have to be included in everything, Amy," quips Jo. You'd nearly forgotten she was there in the first place, sitting on the corner of your bed with Laurie's copy of Romeo and Juliet clutched protectively in her arms. You let her borrow it that morning and you hadn't seen her without it since.

Amy huffed and stood up, making the bed squeak in her wake. Beth winced at her sudden movement and clasped both hands neatly in her lap, eyeing you desperately from the darkest corner of the room.

You picked up on the personalities of your cousins almost immediately. Meg was stern yet secretly the most vulnerable of all her sisters. Jo was boyish, but you wouldn't know it by how romantically she portrayed the world around her on parchment. Meanwhile, Beth was timid and reserved, not easily swayed into conversation—but once you pulled her out of her shell, she easily lit up at the smallest of praises and compliments. Those short moments warmed your heart.

The one person you couldn't begin to understand was Amy.

Her creativity rivaled Jo's at times and at others, she had the capacity to be as mature or strict as Meg. The Amy you met in the schoolhouse was just as shy as Beth, but the one who first greeted you on Christmas Eve was just who you would have expected the youngest of four sisters to behave. She was an enigma. So you could only offer Beth a pained smile, unable to help in any way.

"They're here!" Meg gasped, her voice traveling from down the hall. "I see them coming up the walk!"

Amy squealed and darted past you, her cloth costume fairy wings fluttering in the air behind her as she trampled down the stairs to look through the den window. She was perhaps more excited about your date with Laurie than you were.

Not a date, you reminded yourself sourly. He is a friend doing you a favor to relieve your homesickness. Now Meg and John on the other hand...that might just be a date.

You exhaled softly and clutched the locket hanging from around your neck. The warm gold tones of the pendant clashed with your cool silver and emerald-colored gown. Usually, the pendant fell just out of sight, but this gown had a much lower neckline which left it on full display.

Hesitantly, you reached around to the back of your neck and unclasped the chain, letting it slip away from your collarbone and dangle delicately between your fingertips. It would only be a few hours. You wanted to look your best tonight and you would put it back on as soon as you returned home.

"(Y/N)!" Meg called up the stairs.

"Coming!" you replied, lifting the locket to your lips and kissing the cold surface hurriedly before tucking it back into the vanity drawer along with the pair of gloves you wouldn't be needing. You stood up straight and fluffed the hair around your shoulders one last time before retreating toward the bedroom door, leaving Jo and Beth to brood in your absence.

Meg handed you your navy blue cloak as soon as you stepped down into the sitting room. "We won't be more than two hours," you promised to Amy, who was pouting in the armchair closest to the door. You didn't notice her sneer as you were too busy clasping the front of your cloak and wrestling with the velvet material to lay flat behind you.

"Please, (Y/N), can I please come with you?" She begged, making one final attempt as you helped Meg with her cloak.

"It would be incredibly rude to bring a guest when we've only just been invited ourselves," you snapped, silencing what you assumed would have been a long and drawn out plee. "I would love to take you to the theater another time but tonight it just won't work."

Amy's bargaining smile melted into a bitter frown and she scrambled up from the armchair, arms crossed and whining loudly under her breath. You only hoped the boys could not hear her performance from the patio.

"We mustn't keep them waiting," Meg sighed, not giving her a second glance before gathering her skirts and walking into the entryway. "Let's go."

You bit the inside of your cheek, not wanting to leave on such bad terms with Amy. But she had a point—you were running late. And there was no way to resolve the situation in a timely manner. "Alright," you caved, interlacing her fingers with yours and stepping back so that she could open the door.

The night was cold and you tucked the neck of your cloak tight around you before stepping out onto the front steps. The lanterns of the Laurence family carriage were blazing just bright enough that you could see the stone walkway ahead of you.

At the very end near the gate stood Laurie and Mr. Brooke. The pair of men halted their quiet conversation to regard you and you couldn't help but preen under their adoring gaze, only hoping that they couldn't see just how enflamed your cheeks had become.

Meg reached around to latch the door behind her, only partially cutting off the loud cry that tore through the house behind you.

"You'll be sorry, (Y/N) March! You'll be ever so sorry for leaving me behind!"

"Oh Amy," you sighed, bottom lip curling in distress. You hadn't meant to make the situation worse with your words. You hoped that Aunt Marmee would be able to clear the tension before you returned.

"Hush," Meg snapped with an eager smile painted over her usual concerned expression. "It isn't your place to worry about her right now. We have more pressing matters ahead of us."

As if on cue, one of the horses pulling the black carriage whinnied and dug their hooves impatiently into the stone path.

"Of course," you said, looking up to meet Laurie's gaze as you neared. He tipped his hat respectfully and shot you a quick playful wink, making you flush red. "Yes, I do believe you are right."

(A/N: Ok so I definitely forgot this book existed lol. Coming back to edit this later, I promise. This chapter is short, but the next one is longer and then we get some angst. And then fluff. And then angst again. Anyway, hope you enjoyed. I changed up the playlist so it's called 'Laurie' now. Still on my original Spotify account, so you just have to type in Laurie and it should be there. If not, let me know).