Story Case

January, 1918

"Edward" mother called me from somewhere in the house. "Dear, I think I need your help"

"Yes, I'm coming!" I replied back to her. I had still not gotten used to this new house since we had shifted just two days ago. Mother and father had not even slept properly since we shifted. I still hated the idea of selling a beautiful home and coming to live here just to pay off the loan father had to pay my uncle. Uncle could have waited. Why sell such a pretty house for a small hut? I walked through the little house and finally found the source of the voice. It was from upstairs. I jumped two stairs at the time. The short tight stairs weren't a big problem for my legs. I had been used to larger marble ones. I slowed down as the end of the stairs approached. I turned to the room on the left. Like expected the room started and finished at the same point. Mother had already set up the bed and she stood by a wooden cupboard.

"Dear, just help me place this at the other end of the room" she smiled kindly at me. 'Where is the previous end if there's another' I thought sarcastically. It was easy to replace the cupboard. I was muscular on the arms a little, after all.

Most of the house had been set and Mrs. Louis, our neighbour, had keenly came to help set the kitchen and brought a chocolate cake this morning. Mother had been meeting many ladies for making 'new friends' as she liked to call it. Two more days had passed and I could finally learn where the rooms were in such a tight place. The hut somewhat felt cozier and warm. I was starting to feel at home, sometimes!

"Edward" my father looked at me as we ate breakfast in the morning. "We will be going to Mr. and Mrs. James later this evening. So...... take care of the house unless you want to come!"

"No, I'd like to stay." I answered quickly.

"Don't be such an unsocial person, honey", mother made a face as she went on. "You didn't come when we went to meet the charming Mrs. Louis and her husband. Their daughter is just so beautiful!"

I raised my eyebrows at the word beautiful. "Really?" I acted as if I was interested.

"Yes. I love her hair and her eyes are like-----" mother started.

"Oh would you look at that!" father cut her in mid sentence glaring at the window.

"It's snowing. I think I would need a thicker coat, dear. Afterall I don't want to miss my first day at the post office!" He added looking at me with a genuine expression.

The day went by and it was evening in no time.

"Goodbye" mother finally left my hand and stepped outside the wooden entrance door. "You sure you don't want to go?" father asked me for the last time.

"No, goodbye!" I said for the tenth time. I walked upstairs as soon as they were and sat by the window in the largest room of the house. Mother had insisted I'd take it. sometime passed and I heard the door knock. I stepped down lazily and went to open the door to find a girl in front of me. She was so beautiful I wanted to rub my eyes. Her hair were a pretty brown that complimented her blue eyes. Her lips were a killing pink and she was as white as the snow was just with reddened cheeks. She was tall, like me, and was thin. This girl was a proper definition of beautiful. I was mesmerized. It was getting awkward! Maybe she was nervous by my expressions.

Oh! How much I wanted to control these stupid expressions. I wished *I could read her mind*. I could only wish. It was never going to happen anyways. "Good Evening" I looked into her eyes. I wanted to hide my face to let go off the expressions my face was giving. She seemed in thoughts too. 'Oh! Maybe my eyes have widened or maybe my lips are dry and HOLY! I'm sweating. Don't notice, don't notice' I thought.

"G-good Morning! Oh! Pardon me, Good Evening!" O God maybe my gaze had made her nervous! "I-I am Jennifer umm- from the next door. Is Mrs. Mason around?"

"aaa- No, she's at another neighbour's , you know. Making new friends!" great now I used that 'making new friends' thing. Please don't think I'm mad, YOU'RE BEAUTIFUL!!! I could give away anything to know what she thought of me right now!

"Then, please take this" she gave me a pie. I didn't like pie but she was so beautiful I could have eaten ten if she asked. "And------" she didn't go on. Maybe my mouth had fallen open. I gulped in to find it wasn't. What am I doing? Oh great! Now she won't talk because she thinks I'm mad!!! She turned after she stopped and I didn't want to let her go!

"Wait!" I said before I could stop myself. Wait let me see you for a little more time!

"Yes?" she made me blink when she turned. She was mesmerizing!

"Thank you" was all I could say to look at her for a little long. "Why don't you come in?"

"Ummm- no, some other time. Good Night!" 'oh! MAYBE SHE'S NERVOUS AGAIN! STOP EDWARD!' I thought.

"Good night" I smiled and tried not to look mad!

I closed the door without a noise and stood there for a while. Thinking. Thinking about the beauteous girl I had come across and of course made uncomfortable with my mad conduct. I should have been charming and flattering, not nervous and stupid. But there was one thing I agreed to with my parents after having met her: Mr. and Mrs. Louis's daughter was indeed beautiful!

A week or two flew by and mother and Mrs. Louis hadn't met. Although I'd see her clearing the snow sometimes on the outside of the house, that just didn't seem enough of her. I wanted to look at her closely and talk to her again.

"You haven't been to Louis's lately?" I finally managed to say during dinner.

"Yes" she said at first but then abruptly got excited and said "I could go to her after breakfast tomorrow only if--------"

'Grand' i thought sarcastically. I wanted her to come with...... with her daughter.

"Only if?"