Love Story

Chapter 1

"I can't" he whispered taking a few steps back putting her arms at her sides.

She frowned more hurt by his gesture than surprised. They had known each other since they were small. He was a year or two older than she was, but age didn't matter when you were young, all you wanted was a friend to play with.

They ran in very different circles, hers one of fancy parties and ball gowns; his of hand me downs and trying to make ends meet. Her father was a wealthy man; it was all she'd ever known. He was the son of "The Help" as her father called them. In his mind they were to be seen and not heard, and she, his daughter under no circumstances would be seen with such members of society. She was a Cruise after all.

"David please" she looked at him with her brown eyes, pleading for him to stay.

The noises of the party flooded in under the doors of the parlour. She had finally managed to track David down; he'd been avoiding her all night.

"Valleri I can't!" He whispered harshly. "I shouldn't even be here"

Without another word he pushed by her and through the double doors back into the parlour.  He sifted his way through party guests towards the front of the house. She followed a few feet behind trying hard not to draw attention to herself. She made it to the other side of the parlour without being seen and followed David down the long hallway passed the library, through the sitting room to the front hallway. He had one hand on the doorknob when she called out to him.

"David!"

He stopped and turned to see her coming up the hall.  He sighed turning back around and pulling the big door open. He stepped out onto the porch as Valleri caught up to him and she grabbed his arm as the door closed behind her.

"Will you listen to me!?" She could feel the lump building in her throat, but she wouldn't cry, not now.

"What Valleri?" He snapped turning to face her, pulling his arm free of her grip.

She took a step back dropping her hand. "What's wrong with you?" She had never seen him act this way, he was always so polite, reserved.

"Nothing" he said quietly looking out into the dim yard. "I have to go"

He started down the staircase and she followed. "No you don't, stay with me. Come back in to the pa-"

He stopped at the bottom of the stairs and spun on his heel. "No Valleri. No, I can't stay, I don't want to stay. I don't belong here!"

Valleri couldn't help the first few tears that fell. She hated herself for crying, especially in front of David, but regardless of how she felt the tears fell anyway. The two of them just standing there staring at each other.

It broke his heart to see her cry, but he couldn't stay. He just couldn't. He turned his back to her and walked up the stone pathway to the main gate.

She sank to her knees in her gown on the steps and watched him disappear into the darkness. Had she been wrong this entire time? Valleri loved him with all her heart, but did David love her back? She had thought so, but now she wasn't so sure. Had she read him wrong? She sat in the darkness alone for quite some time and just cried she didn't know what else to do.

The door opened and the warm glow of the house flooded out onto the porch. She looked over her shoulder to see a tall silhouette standing in the doorway.

"Valleri?"

The figure came out onto the porch and she sighed wiping away the tears on her cheeks. "Hi Daddy"

"What are you doing out here?"

"Nothing Daddy"

"Come up here, that's no place for a girl in a pretty dress to be"