Forbidden Love Parts 1-3

UNFORBIDDEN LOVE PART 1

Nighttime had descended upon her home. The home she had lived in and shared many memories with those around her. She never imagined that one day she would be were she now was. She looked down at her hands and she had seen that they had indeed changed during the years. In an instant a rush of memories went through Marie's mind. As far as she could remember was when she was only 5 years old. It was her first day of school. It wasn't any ordinary school. It was a private school she would go to. Where she would learn not only lessons in the classroom but also lessons in life...



Marie sat quietly in the back seat of her parent's Toyota Celica. She couldn't wait to go to school. She was looking forward to making many new friends.
"Mama? What is the name of the school again?" asked Marie in a cute soft voice.
Ramona turned around and smiled at her daughter, "It's called the Millington Royal Academy for Young Gentlemen and Young Ladies". Ramona didn't mind her daughter asking her for the fifth time. It was quite a long name for a school but it had the qualifications that she and David wanted for her daughter. It was the other reason why they decided not to have more children. They wanted to give Marie the best education available.
Marie looked out the window and she had never in her life seen such huge houses. They looked like huge palaces nestled within vast terrains. Then she looked up ahead and saw the school up ahead. It looked as big as a castle.It had extensive grounds and thick rose bushes which separated the boys' side from the girls'.
David and Ramona drove up to the driveway and a gentleman with gloves in an illustrious tuxedo opened the car door for Ramona and Marie.
The valet then gave them directions on how to get to the headmistress's office of the young girls' school.
Marie saw the shiny floors underneath her feet and she could even see her reflection. Just then the Thompson's came to a big Mahogany door with a golden plate saying " Mrs. Katherine C. Millington- Headmistress"
The secretary led them to the office and inside she saw a young woman with short blond hair with what looked like expensive jewelry.
"Mr. and Mrs. Thompson. How do you do? I am Mrs. Katherine Millington Headmistress of the young ladies' school. I am pleased that your daughter Marie will be starting out this year with us", she said with a smile.
"I hope that all the papers are in order" asked David Thompson as he handed them to Katherine.
"Hmm... yes I see that they are all in perfect order" said Katherine Millington now with a serious look on her face and she looked over the forms.
"Tell me Marie, Why would you like to come to our school?" asked Katherine Millington with a friendly smile.
"Because I want to learn and make friends," said Marie with a big grin on her face.
"That's nice dear. Now do you know that you will have to live here at school in order to learn and make new friends?" asked Katherine.
"Yes. Mommy and Daddy told me that I will have to stay here so they told me to be good" answered Marie as she fiddled with her hands on her back.
"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Thompson, I'm sure that you are aware that the scholarship donation through my husband's company which the both of you work for will help pay half the tutelage here. You will be responsible for the other half" and the Thompsons both said "Yes we do", and remembered at how their daughter's education had reduced them to rent a small one bedroom loft in the city and paying by the thousands for her schooling.
"Very well then, I will ring Ms. Anderson to come take little Marie and put her in her room. Would you like to see her room as well?" asked Katherine Millington.
"Yes please", said Ramona, she was going to miss her daughter so much.
"Very good, you know the rules for you to take her out of the school grounds and Ms. Anderson will be with you short.... Ahh Ms. Anderson perfect timing. Will you please take our new pupil Marie and her parents to her room, they would like to say goodbye to her" said Katherine as a pretty young woman with a slim figure, violet eyes and auburn hair in winding curls just below her shoulders entered and took Marie's hand.
After walking five flights of stairs and a few steps down the hallway, they came to a small door. The door had a brass plate labeled "Room Number 512" with the name "Marie Thompson".
"Here we are... Marie lunch will be in the great hall promptly at 12:00pm. Now don't forget and put on your uniform. It has been laid out for you. A maid will be with you shortly to help you put it on alright?" said Ms. Anderson and Marie nodded in agreement.

David and Ramona looked at their daughter and they each gave her a big hug. Ramona's tears slid down her cheeks but didn't let Marie see them. It would be Thanksgiving before she could see her.
"You be a good girl and do everything they tell you to do all right? said David and Marie nodded in agreement.
A few minutes later the maid walked in and told them it was time for them to leave and that it was time to get ready for lunch. David and Ramona left but Ramona cried her heart out that day. She didn't want to let go of her only child but she had to. She wanted her daughter some day to be a successful woman.

Marie's uniform consisted of a blue blazer with a gray wool jumper with white knee-high socks, a white blouse with a round collar with a blue ribbon tied around her neck and black patent leather Mary Jane shoes.
When Marie was all dressed up, the maid took her to the foyer where there were other little girls been taken by their maids as Ms. Anderson started to take them to the great hall for lunch.

After lunch, Marie went out into the gardens and there she met two girls. One was named Cordelia and the other Anne. From that day on the girls were best friends.

That night Marie cried her poor little heart out again and her crying could be heard in the hallways. The maid tried to come in to soothe her but to no avail. Eventually the maid went and got Ms. Anderson.
"What's wrong dear? Why are you crying? asked Ms. Anderson asked Marie and she responded "I'm afraid of the dark" she said as she dried her tears with the back of her hands.
Marie had always been afraid of the dark and her parents were always there to comfort her but this time they weren't there for her.
"Come now honey, why don't I stay here with you and you try to go to sleep ok?" said Ms. Anderson. While Ms. Anderson was singing Marie a lullaby, Katherine Millington happen to be walking down the hallway before she left for the evening when she heard a voice. She moved closer and noticed that it was coming from Room 512. Katherine Millington went in and told Ms. Anderson "Thank You Ms. Anderson" and waited for Ms. Anderson to leave.
"But she was afraid of ...." said Ms. Anderson and Katherine curtly interrupted her and said "Yes, thank you" and then Ms. Anderson left and Katherine immediately closed the door and then she whirled around to look at Marie.
"Listen Marie. You are a big girl and we will not have you crying anymore. Is that clear young lady?" asked Katherine with a strict tone.
Marie nodded as she wiped silent tears. The following day nobody knew how Marie had spent her night. The only thing noticeable were her red eyes.

Years at Millington academy went by and Marie was now ten years old and she had just finished putting on her uniform and was going downstairs to breakfast a girl bumped into her on purpose. The girl then turned around and said, "How dare you push me like that! I will see that the Headmistress knows about this." and the girl left before she could give Marie a chance to explain herself.
An hour later Marie was in the office she had been in 5 years before. It was the office of Katherine Millington. She had never in her life come to despise and adult.
"Marie? Do you know why you are here?" asked Katherine Millington as she sat at her desk.
"No Ma'am I am afraid I don't exactly why I am here in your office. Did something happen to one of my parents?" Marie asked innocently.
"Marie you impudent girl! You were called to my office for pushing and shoving against another girl. None other than my daughter Carah. Now answer me. Why did you do that?" asked Katherine with a severe tone.
"Honestly Mrs. Millington. I didn't do it. I would never push someone let alone your daughter." responded Marie.
"I see, not only are you and rude girl but the sort who likes to lie as well. For this you will have to be punished. You will sweep all the hallways and then mop them." said Katherine and then she said "You can do it during your dinner time too. I want you to have finished with the first floor hallways and homework finished tonight before Ten this evening when lights go out. That is all. You may leave" said Katherine and went back to her paperwork.
Marie was mopping the floors when Anne and Cordelia saw Marie asked why she was mopping the hallway and Marie explained. By then Marie had mopped half of the hallway. Her arms and feet were now getting sore. Her pace had slightly begun to get slower. Then Anne and Cordelia made their way up to their suites.
When Marie was almost done mopping the hallway Carah and her friend Alexandra threw ashes from the library fireplace onto the hallway and laughed and then they went up to their suites too.
When Marie finally got into bed that night and the relieve of her mattress felt like heaven to her. Much too sore to finish her homework. A week later, she was down sweeping and mopping all hallways on all five floors.


It had become a very difficult life for Marie at Millington Academy, but Marie was now a beautiful 14 year old and her brown hair had grown beyond her shoulders.This new year was going to be fun because Marie, Anne and Cordelia and the other students in their grade would be able to leave the school grounds and go into town for an entire 6 hours as long as they were in their uniform. Classes would be a lot harder this year but they were willing to study hard so they could get of the school grounds for a few hours.
"Can you believe it? We get to leave the school for a whole 6 hours!" exclaimed Cordelia and both Marie and Anne cheered in unison.
During Etiquette and Elocution class Katherine Millington was explaining that the girls were no longer girls but young ladies and they would be expected to behave accordingly. Marie turned around and smiled at Anne.
Katherine Millington saw Marie turn around and told her to meet her in her office after class.
After Marie went to the Headmistress's office and there Katherine asked here "Do you know why I called you to my office after class young lady?"
"No ma'am. I don't know why you called me to your office." answered Marie diligently.
"For goodness girl, if you had been paying attention in class you wouldn't be talking like that. You don't say ma'am, you say madam. Understood?" asked Katherine losing her patience with the girl.
"Yes Madam" answered Marie.
"Now, the reason I called you to my office was because you weren't paying attention in class today. You happened to be smiling all over the classroom at your friends. We take education very seriously in this institution. Now you wouldn't want to displease your parents by my having to tell them that there daughter has been dismissed from this academy would they?" asked Katherine.
"No certainly not madam" answered Marie.
"As a punishment for not paying attention in class you will go tend to the gardens, Go to the head gardener. He will explain to you what is expected of you. You will not leave on Saturdays with the other ladies into town until after Christmas. Is that clear?" questioned Katherine.
Marie was surprised that so much time would be take from her privileged trips into town with the other girls.
"yes madam" and Marie then left.




It was November and Thanksgiving had come and left. Everybody was bundling up to go into town except Marie. She just sat there in front of her small desk pondering at the many times she has had to mop the floors, clean the classrooms and now work in the gardens. They were huge but at least it relieved her of the stress that Katherine Millington gave her almost everyday.
Marie was trimming the roses just when she thought she saw someone on the other side of the thick rose bushes.
"Hello is someone there?" asked Marie in a frightened tone. Her heart was beginning to thump at about a thousand beats a minute and she felt the urge to run.
"It's okay. It's just me" said a voice. "Sorry I startled you. My name is William. How do you do?" the young boy asked with a big smile through the small clearing in the rose bushes that separated the boys from the girls at the academy. She couldn't see much of him through the clearing. All she could se were a pair of blue eyes and what looked like a perfect nose.
"Hi" said Marie shyly. "My name is Marie"
"Hi Marie. So why do you work in the garden so much? Mrs. Millington must really like you to let you tend to her gardens," said William.
"No. actually it's a punishment. I can't go into town until after Christmas. She said I wasn't paying attention in her Etiquette and Elocution classes" said Marie.
Marie thought she would never meet some boy on at the fence. She thought they all left to go into town to have a good time with their friends. Strangely enough here was a boy who stayed in school.
"Why aren't you out with your other friends?" asked Marie with Curiosity.
"Well, I get bored easily you see. So I thought I would come and walk about the gardens for once. While walking I thought someone was peeping into the boys' garden and that's when I saw you" he said. Then he continued, "Since you will be here almost everyday, Why don't we send ourselves letters within the school so we can meet here at the garden rose bush later? Is that a good idea?" asked William hoping Marie would say yes.
"Why that's very thoughtful of you. I would like that very much. I will be here in the garden tomorrow as well. See you tomorrow after lunch. I have to go now or we might get in trouble. Good bye." said Marie and William waved.
The following day Marie got a letter from William. It said that he looked forward to seeing her the following weekend. Then, a hand touched Marie on the shoulder as she was reading the note from William and she looked up....


Unforbidden Love Part 2


Marie saw her reflection in the bathtub. It was another proof to her that the years had gone by so quickly. There were wrinkles around her eyes and her brown hair had become gray. Yet she still felt so young at heart. Marie could remember every detail as if it were yesterday. The day she got the letter. It was very exciting. She always longed for those letters. They were a comfort to her in her time of pain and loneliness. Marie submerged herself up to her neck in the enticingly delicious warm water. She remembered the first day she got a letter from him. She was only 14 years old...

Marie had opened and read the letter from William when she felt a hand touch her shoulder.
Marie looked up to see who it was and saw Anne.
"Well, so what do we have here?" she asked as she try to read over Marie's shoulder.
"It's just a letter from William. He's a friend I met." said Marie trying not to sound to intriguing.
"Hmm... let's see you couldn't get out of the school grounds so how is it you managed to meet him?" asked Anne with curiosity.
"Well, remember I got punished for just sharing a friendly smile with you in Etiquette and Elocution? Well, the punishment this time was to go to the garden and tend to the flowers and the bushes. Then I thought I saw someone look at me and I got scared." explained Marie.
"You got scared of what?" asked Carah as she walked by.
With that Marie lowered her voice as she and Anne headed towards the dining hall for dinner.
"There is this small hole on the fence which separates us girls from the boys side and there we talked a bit but then I left because I didn't want us getting in trouble. So we are now writing letters." Marie explained further.
Deeply within, Marie had hoped that Carah had not heard about her secret hole at the fence. Carah had become very good at tattling on her whenever she did the most minor mistake. She had grown slightly frightened at the idea that Katherine Millington might call her to her office for another punishment and perhaps cut her away from her new friend from the outside world.
That night Marie thought and thought about the new friend that she had made. She was thinking about being very cautious and careful. She gave it a lot of thinking to see how she could to the garden on the weekend without getting seeing by Carah or anyone else.
"So Anne told me that you made a new friend? I thought we were your friends?" joked Cordelia.
"Cordelia, you know that you and Anne will always be very special best friends to me" said Marie with a gentle smile.
"Anne told me all about it." Cordelia then lowered her voice and checked around for Carah and her evil little friend Alexandra. "So when are you going to see him again?" Cordelia asked anxiously.
"I'm seeing him this weekend. I can't wait to see him" and they both went off to their Latin class.



The weekend had finally come around. Marie got up and put on her uniform, went down to breakfast, said goodbye to Anne and Cordelia for the day before they left the school grounds and then Marie went into the garden.
Marie looked around and the skies were gray. The crows sang their songs of Autumn as the cool breeze blew the brown dead leaves along the pathways of the gardens. She thought she would start out the pruning with her favorite flower... petunias and then she would move on to the bushes. She cleaned out the bird bath so the crows could drink clean water and then she came to the place where she had seen him the weekend before.
Marie began to prune the red rose bush and then the pink rose bush and then the salmon rose bush until she got to the white rose bush. There she saw a pair of familiar eyes and smiled.
"William? is that you?" asked Marie.
"Yes, it's me" he answered and heard him smile on his side of the fence. Then he said to her, "Marie, has anyone told you that you look lovely amongst these dead white roses?" he said.
"No" said Marie and she giggled.
Then and there their eyes stopped and they stared at each other for a moment.
Marie didn't know what had happened but she felt something awkward yet a nice feeling that she hadn't felt before.
William thought that he saw Marie's cheeks flush for an instant but then he thought that it could have been the cool air. It was then that William had truly seen the color of Marie's eyes. He hadn't noticed before the beautiful green eyes that caught his attention magically for a moment.



Marie remembered seeing his blue eyes through the clearing in the rose bush. For the first time she was thankful for that little clearing hidden amongst the white roses. If it hadn't been for that clearing, the garden would have been a much colder and bitter place. It was so different to the wonderful warmth she felt of the water which surrounded her.
Marie hadn't been able to figure out how she came to meet him. She still asked herself the same question as she had then... What was it that brought them together that fateful Saturday morning? Luck? Fate? A blessing? She still didn't know the answer.



It was finally December and the snow had begun to fall. She could see the rooftop white as the roses she once tended to in the garden. Her flowery friends had become dormant for the winter but the crows now sang their songs of winter. This Saturday was a special one. Not only had she come back from seeing her parents for Christmas but she would be able to leave the school grounds for the first time in the year to see her now well known friend William. They would meet at the front gates of the Academy.
When Marie reached the gate, everybody had left with their other friends. Even Anne and Cordelia had already left. There he was. In his dark blue wool coat and his black acashmere scarf elegantly blended with the lapels of his coat. He looked rather handsome to Marie.
William turned around and smiled. He couldn't believe it that he was finally seeing his friend from across the fence for the first time in two months.
"Marie? you look beautiful!" exclaimed William as he leaned over to take her gloved hand to kiss it.
William couldn't believe that he had kissed her hand. He thought this was only done in movies! He was the true gentleman he thought to himself.

"My dear Marie, where would you like to go on your first day of liberty from the Evil Witch of the East?" said William with a wide green showing his perfect teeth.
Marie could not help but laugh at the thought of comparison of her Headmistress to the Wicked Witch of the East in "The Wizard of Oz".
"Well, I have always wanted to see the town. Anne and Cordelia, my best friends that I told you about tell me it's beautiful." said Marie with a bashful look on her face.
"Very well, then to town we shall go." said William just as a Black Rolls Royce phantom drove up to the curb.

"We are going in a Rolls?" asked Marie shocked at the sight of the vehicle.
"Well, yes, how else could we get into town?" asked William. Again, their eyes locked. That magic that William and Marie had felt back in the gardens was felt again between them. Marie felt a slight tug at her heart in a way she hadn't felt before. It was a gentle and sweet feeling. Just then the driver opened the door for them and in they stepped into the warm Rolls.
They drove through town so Marie could see it. She was mystified by the traditional seaside buildings. There were people walking up an down the streets. As she looked outside she felt his hand come over hers. This time the feeling was stronger. She wondered what this wonderful feeling was.
The black Rolls stopped in front of a cafe. Inside people were drinking their coffees and savoring biscuits.
"Would you like to go inside for a cup of hot cocoa Marie?" asked William.
"I would be delighted thank you" she said and they both walked hand in hand into the cafe.
They talked for hours until they realized that they had to go back to the school grounds. They had to be on their sides of the school grounds at the stroke of six in the evening.
"This makes me feel like Cinderella in a way, traveling in a carriage trying to make it in time" said Marie with a smile.
The Rolls Royce finally pulled in front of the Academy gates and William and Marie got out.
Before they went their separate ways... William took out a small package. It was wrapped quite elegantly. Marie knew that wrapping alone looked like something her parents would never be able to pay.
"I wanted to wish you a belated Merry Christmas. I meant to give it to you but I was busy with exams before Christmas and then the next thing I know, our valet is waiting at the gates to take me home for the holidays." said William giving it to Marie.
"Oh William. You shouldn't have." said Marie awestruck.
Marie carefully opened the little box. Inside was a golden locket.
"Go ahead open it" said William.
Marie opened it and inside it read
"To Marie, the girl who has become more than a special friend."
"Oh William, it's beautiful. Thank you so much! I will truly cherish it. Will you please put it on me?" as William took the locket and put it around Marie's neck. Then he took her into his arms and hugged her for what seemed eternity.
Their eyes met again and William and Marie were up close staring at each other again. Lost into one of their magical moments.
Then they pulled apart gently and Marie blew him a kiss and went on her way to her side of the school grounds.

William stood there looking at Marie. He felt that odd feeling again. He knew that the locket had been the ideal gift for a special friend like her. Then he looked down at the snow and then back up at her again as she continued to walk.
"Marie! wait Marie! come back!" he yelled...




Unforbidden Love Part 3




Marie heard William call out to her and she turned around. She walked back to him.
"Yes William? you called?" asked Marie with curiosity. It had been a wonderful afternoon but she had no idea why William would call her back.

"Yes" he said. Without anymore words he took her into her arms and gave her a heart felt kiss on her lips. William didn't know what had happened that instant but all he knew was that he felt an electrical feeling run up his spine with excitement.
Marie on the other hand didn't know where this wonderful kiss came from but a new feeling had been unleashed within her. A feeling which had never come out before and William had unlocked it for her.
"Oh William" said Marie with a small yet slight yet audible moan.
"Marie" said William, "I never thought I would ever say this but I want to confess that I am in love with you. I love you. That is why I gave you the locket. As you can see the locket says 'more than special friends'. I feel that we are more than special friends." said William as he searched Marie's eyes for an answer.
"William, I didn't know what that strange new wonderful feeling was either. Could it be that we are falling in love?" asked Marie as she looked into those bright blue eyes which made a unique contrast with the snow that surrounded them.

"Yes Marie, I think that we may have fallen in love. Please be mine. I want you to be my girlfriend?" asked William waiting now desperately for an answer.

"William, I will always be yours forever" said Marie.
He gave her one last kiss and then she regretfully left.
Neither of them would forget that day. It was the Winter in which William had declared his undying love for Marie.




2 years later...

Spring was beginning once more. All the beautiful white snow had melted. Gone were the snow-covered roofs and the snow on the white glistening trees. The grass was now at its purest green as the trees began to grow the leaves once more as the flower buds began to produce their colorful hues.
Marie was sad that the snow was gone and had melted. It had been a beautiful Winter.

William and Marie were love more than ever. Their love had grown more everyday since that fateful day in the snow two years before.

"So what is it now two years isn't it Marie?" said Cordelia wanting to know every single detail of the relationship.
"Come now Marie, aren't you going to tell us?" said Anne and just then a girl came into Anne's suite and gave her and Cordelia an ever so elegant invitation.
"What could this invitation be for?" asked Anne curiously.
"I don't know" said Cordelia as the both of them opened up their invitations.
Just as the both of them opened their invitations and read them, they each looked at each other and then towards Marie.
Marie sensed something between them and asked them "What is it? You two look like a pair of ghosts" said Marie.
"It's just that... well..." started Anne.
"It's an invitation from Carah to her Sweet Sixteen Birthday Party." said Cordelia.
"It says it is strictly by invitation only. It will take place at the great dining hall for both school grounds." said Cordelia.
"What is so funny is if the whole school is going why didn't Marie get one?" asked Anne.
"Well, do keep in mind that Carah never really liked Marie." said Cordelia as they all sat on Anne's bed.
"And the invitation says no one is allowed on that Saturday to leave the grounds." said Cordelia and then she added" almost as if to not let Marie go out while she is having the time of her life."
"Well, I will have to go see William at the garden on Friday and tell him that I wasn't invited to the party." said Marie sadly and then she said, "I was hoping to go so I could see him at the party. It looks like I won't be able to see him at all." and then she looked outside Anne's bay window sadly. Cordelia and Anne thought they saw a tear stroll down Marie's cheek but she then quickly dabbed it off.
On Friday after all her classes were done, Marie went to see William at the fence. She was so sad. She was so looking forward to dancing with William at the party. Just then she heard his voice.
"Marie?" asked William cautiously being aware that nobody catch them on his side of the school grounds.
"Yes, I'm here and the coast is clear" she said with a small smile. Even she couldn't pull a trick on him anymore. He had learn to know her too well over the past two years.
"I can't come to Carah's party. It's strictly by invitation and I didn't get one" said Marie and she started to cry.
"Oh Marie, please, don't cry my darling" William tried to cheer her up. "Now that is rare, everyone here on the boys side got one too." he added. Then he thought of an idea and told her, "Tell you what, why don't I escape from the party and come over to see you here at the fence?"
"No you will not!" said a voice behind Marie.
Carah had caught Marie talking to someone through the rose bushes. When she got closer, she found out it was a boy.
"And you Marie, you just wait until I tell the headmistress about this." and Carah went to tell the headmistress.
William got a hold of Marie's hand before she could run off and told her "Marie, whatever happens and no matter what I still love you ok?" as he waited for her response and then she nodded and then she whispered back under her tears "I love you too" and went to the headmistress's office.
When William went back to his suite he was praying that Marie wouldn't be thrown out of the school. He would feel devastated if that ever happened. The thought of it suddenly made him feel sick.

Marie thought her stomach had overturned as she walked to the headmistress's office. She had been so careful to not get caught at the fence when talking with William. The question was how did Carah find out that Marie was talking at the fence with someone. She had been so discreet. When Marie arrived at the door she knocked lightly. On the other side of the door she heard a harsh and angry voice on the other side say "Come in!" and Marie entered then office.
"Well, well, if it isn't Marie again." said Katherine Millington and then she continued, "What is this I hear about you talking to a gentleman on the other side of my rose bushes? I thought there was rule that strictly forbade young ladies from any physical contact with gentlemen. How dare you break one of my rules young lady. I should send you home this instant!" said Katherine Millington as her face went mildly red.
"Please Mrs. Millington, give me any punishment that you deem fit but do not put me out of the academy. My parents put a lot of effort into my schooling at this academy" begged Marie.
"Very well, I will keep you at this academy and you will most certainly have to be punished. Your punishment with no doubt will have to be the most severe I have ever given. First part of your punishment is that you will be denied your privileges of leaving the school grounds on Saturdays for the remainder of the year. You will remain during the Thanksgiving and Christmas vacations here. As well as other School year holidays with the Exception of Summer Holidays. I fear you will have to stay in this Summer because your parents do not have the means to go anywhere this Summer and they have asked me to keep you here which I have kindly agreed. Second, you will clean all the classrooms, you will have to dust them, sweep them, mop them, and polish them as well as the hallways. The windows and tapestries will need cleaning too. When you are done with those you will do your homework and keep up with your academic grades. Third you will also clean my daughter's room every single day and help her dress. Any questions?" asked Katherine Millington and she looked up with a face that showed Marie that she could dare to say yes.
"No Mrs. Millington" said Marie and waited to be excused. Outside the headmistress's office Marie ran all the way up the five flight of stairs and ran into her room and slammed the door closed and cried her heart out. She had never in her life imagined she would be denied her outings with William. She then took out a piece of paper from her Academy stationary set and wrote a letter to William explaining her new situation.

My Dearest William,

I am writing this letter to tell you that we can't see each other for some time. My punishment is so severed that Mrs. Millington won't let me leave the school grounds. I miss you so much and I wish I could be in the comfort of your arms. How I long for you. I'm afraid the only way we will be able to communicate for the rest of this year will be through these letters. Please write back.

With all my love,

Your Marie



The following day all the girls were dressed in their best gowns. They were all en route to Carah's Sweet Sixteen Birthday party. It was the talk of the whole school. Carah had called Marie up to her suite and there Carah was on a chaise longue perched on it looking ever so elegantly.
"Well, look who decided to show up. What do you think you were doing? Trying to get away from your duties with me?" said Carah as she went into the bathroom and took her bath. An hour later Carah walked out of the bathroom refreshed and asked Marie to call her hair stylist up.
The hair stylist came up and fixed her hair in a way which could have cost Marie's parent's a lifetime to pay. Carah's hair was up in a loose bun with smooth curls coming down at her sides. Then the hairstylist put the tiara on Carah.
"Thank you Paola. It looks lovely" said Carah, and then Paola left. Carah then sniggered at Marie and told her "Well, what are you standing there for? Go get me my gown and my jewelry." and Marie did as she was told.
Carah put on a magnificent silk princess style white dress with exquisite and lavish patterns of flowers on it. Then Marie helped Carah put on her diamond necklace, earrings and bracelet. Marie then put her rose corsage on her other wrist. Carah then sniggered at Marie and left.
Marie stood there thinking of what it would be like to be at the party with William. To dance with him. Talk to him. It wasn't to be. Carah had invited everyone else but her.
From Carah's suite, she could se the great hall clearly and she saw Carah stroll around in her elegant gown all night. Everyone at the party was dressed very elegantly. She then saw that Carah had asked a gentleman to dance. It was none other than her William! She started to feel jealous but she looked closer and noticed that William was not interested in Carah at all.
Later that night Carah came back to her suite and Marie helped her out of her jewelry, gown and into her silk nightgown. When Carah was asleep she went into the antechamber parlor and there she spotted the tiara. She put it on her head and looked at herself in the mirror. If only she had been in Carah's place that night...




Marie had waited so patiently for William's letter at the letter office and then the delivery young man came to the office and delivered the letters. Alas, William's letter was among them and she declared it and took it. She quickly ran up to her room and there she opened it.

My Dearest Marie,

You have no idea how miserable I was at the idea that you are unable to come out and see me. Today I was about the garden and the fence where we used to meet has been fixed. Although the fence has physically shunned us forever, there is always the power of our words with these letters. Cheer up and I will see you before you think. Since you won't be going anywhere this Summer, I have already asked my parents permission and I would like to invite you to our beach home. You will enjoy it. It is very quiet and peaceful. You can ask Cordelia and Anne to come along too. We have a yacht and we can go out on a weekend and spent the weekend out at sea and go to our private island. It's the least I can do since you will be inside the school grounds this year. I love you my Marie. Please write soon. Tell me how you are. I long to see your sweet words.

With all my love,

William


Marie thought she was in the clouds when she read his letter. Just then the lights went out and Marie changed and got into bed.
Marie dreamt that night that she had walked out of the school grounds and William was waiting for her at the gates.
That night just as she was sleeping she started to feel a strange pain. She knew for certain that it was not a heartache of longing to see William. Instead the pain was in her stomach. For some odd reason she felt slightly nauseous and the pain was growing worse.
Marie got up and went to Ms. Anderson's bedchamber and knocked at her door. By then the pain was a lot stronger and she was having some trouble standing up.
"Marie? Oh my heavens what has happened? Has someone hurt you?" asked Ms. Anderson with concern.
"No, it's just that I feel this strange pain. I'm sorry for being a nuisance at this time of hour" said Marie and then she slightly slouched.
"Oh my goodness, we have to get you to the hospital! Come in here and sit down my dear while I call Mrs. Millington." and within twenty minutes Katherine Millington arrived.
"What is the meaning of this Ms. Anderson?" asked Katherine impatiently.
"It's Marie. She is in really bad pain and needs to go to a hospital" answered Ms. Anderson.
"Oh no. She is just trying to get attention so she can get outside the school grounds. I am not going to let someone like her violate my own rules" she said and just as she walked out of Ms. Anderson's bedchamber, Marie passed out cold on the floor...

Sorry my story is long but due to account change I will be compressing the chapters. Hope you keep on reading.