Lady March - (L.L.)

Chapter 21

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Walk With Me?

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"Dear, you're going to be late!" 

"Coming!" Annie practically ran down the stairs, nearly tripping in the process. She held her books tightly in her hands to keep them from falling. She constantly reminded herself to return the novels she had borrowed from the nearby shop, and now that the deadline was here - it would be trouble if she didn't get them back in on time. 

Tim, her - well, her aunt's - butler handed her a small picnic basket with her lunch inside as she rushed past him. She ran into the dining room where her Aunt March sat, eating breakfast. Annie grabbed a piece of toast and stuffed it into the basket, much to her aunt's dismay who shook her head in disapproval. 

"Are you sure you don't want Tim to escort you to the library?" 

Annie shook her head. "I'll be fine, auntie. I should be on my way now."

And with that, the young girl made her way down the concrete steps. It was only a few minutes walk, but the way she was going - it would definitely take way less. 

After returning her library books in record time - and renting some more in the process - Annie casually took the steps back to her aunt's home, but tripped in her shoes. She braced herself to collide with the muddy ground but arms had caught her mid-air, saving her from pain and complete embarrassment.

She looked up at her saviour only to meet the eyes of none other than Maxwell LeBlanc.

"Max! I - um, thank you." Her cheeks flushed as he set her down on her two feet. "That would've ended badly."

He chuckled. "Yes, it would've."

She could feel the blood rushing to her cheeks and she was sure she resembled a tomato. 

"Are you taking the north trail?" He asked.

"Um, yes." Annie wasn't sure where this new speech was coming from. This wasn't like her at all. "You live that way?" Of course he did! She'd been there before, anyway.

"I do." Regardless of her mishap, it seemed that Maxwell just didn't hear her. Or if he did, he didn't really care. "Walk with me?"

***

"Your grandfather seems like quite the man." Annie covered her mouth to hide her giggle, their feet crushing the leaves and twigs in their path as they walked.

"He is. Other than my parents, he's the only person I look up to." Maxwell nods, shifting the books he held into his other hand.

"And your grandmother?" She asked, eager to learn more. Maxwell's life seemed much more carefree than her own. At times she wished she could be a part of another lifestyle. A less demanding one, the kind that wouldn't require her to constantly be "ladylike" or whatever the heck that meant.

It seemed so easy and ridiculously hard at the same time. To be a commoner among other common folk. Even through their struggles she heard about, they didn't seem to be suffocating from the world around them.