The day Marlene met Dorcas, she snuck into a party. She was dared to by one of her friends.
"I dare you to go a Meadowes party. Bet you can't."
Of course she had to prove him wrong. Who did he think she was?
Also, she was curios about what the party would look like. She had never before been able to go; the Meadoweses and her family were enemies. Now she had an excuse. No one would catch her anyway. It was a masked party and sneaking there had to be easy (she was right, it was so easy. Too easy, actually. They were lucky Marlene's cousins didn't know about that).
So, here she was, at a Meadowes party. Right next to people who would at least beat her, if not kill her, if they knew she was here.
But they wouldn't know. Her mask covered her entire face. She had her blonde hair in a fancy bun. She was wearing a pretty black dress. It was more than she ever did for one of her family's parties.
She was kinda disappointed. It was the same as a McKinnon party. Same boring dances, same music, same fake laughter, same pretentious pretty gowns and chandeliers. There were even some same people. Like they weren't telling her mother how much they loathed the Meadoweses just last week.
She made her way to the balcony. She danced a bit, but despite being sure in her disguise, she wasn't at ease around all those people. She didn't feel safe. It was a scary feeling, but it wasn't like she's never felt scared before.
She leaned on the railing and looked at the party. It was all so very pretty, but she was so bored and used of this. She scanned the crowd. On a positive side, at least you could always be sure there would be pretty people at a party like this.
She suddenly made eye contact with a girl in a dark violet dress and felt her eyes widen.
Holy shit, the girl was so dazzlingly beautiful.
And she was currently walking through the crowd towards Marlene.
Marlene's heart started racing as she nervously pulled at a strand of her hair that came free.
She didn't even have enough time to prepare. People just parted for the girl, letting her through like she was royalty.
Perhaps she was.
And then Marlene couldn't think anymore, because the girl was right in front of her.
"Hello. I haven't seen you before." she said in a pretty voice and Marlene could swear her smile was blinding.
The girl had dark skin and even darker hair, braided in hundreds of braids, styled so delicatly. Her mask covered just her eyes, which were a warm brown and full of light.
"Well?" she demanded and raised an eyebrow as Marlene failed to respond.
Marlene blushed. She was lucky her face wasn't visible.
"Yeah, I'm Mary" she lied, "I'm not from around here."
The girl laughed, "You're a good liar, but we don't get many McKinnons on a party like this."
Shit. Marlene's eyes widened again and her heart briefly stoped. How? How did this girl know who she was? She started panicking. This was supposed to be harmless; she wasn't supposed to get caught.
"Don't worry, I'm not going to tell anyone. Least of all of my parents."
Marlene gaped. She found a McKinnon at a Meadowes party and what, she was going to cover for her?
Her parents... The expensive gown, the way people parted for her...
Her stomach dropped as connected the dots.
"Oh, fuck" Marlene blurted out, "Dorcas Meadowes?"
"That's me" Dorcas cheerfully agreed.
Oh, Marlene was in big trouble.
Dorcas wasn't like royalty, she was royalty. Not techinally, but her parents were the wealthiest and most respected Meadoweses. And the ones that hated Marlene's family the most.
"Oh..." she weakly said.
"You're Marlene, right?"
"How do you know that? How did you recognize me?" Why aren't you telling anyone about me?
Dorcas shrugged. "I'm just good at recognizing people. Especially the important ones.
"What do you want with me?"
"You're new, you're interesting. Also, you're really hot."
Heat pooled in Marlene's cheeks. Dorcas didn't even hesitate. Like it was normal for her to call another girl hot. Which, great for her if it was, but Marlene wouldn't expect her of all people to be this relaxed about something her parents probably thought was a crime.
"Well, you're not bad yourself either" Marlene managed to say nonchalantly, like she complimented girls like that on a regular basis. Which she absolutely did, but Dorcas didn't know that.
Dorcas's eyes sparkled and then she was pulling at Marlene's arm.
"Come" she simply said and dragged Marlene out of the balcony, through the crowd, up the stairwells, into the first room with open doors.
She let go of Marlene's hand - which made her ache, because Dorcas's fingers were so warm and soft - and closed the door behind them.
"So-" Marlene started, but was interrupted by Dorcas pulling Marlene's mask off and kissing her.
Oh. Oh.
The mask clattered on the ground, but Marlene couldn't care less as she eagerly kissed her back and slipped her hands in Dorcas's hair.
It was such a good feeling. It felt like she was born for this. Dorcas's lips were so soft and Marlene let out a soft moan as Dorcas dug her nails in Marlene's dress.
She could do this forever for all she cared. It was the best feeling in the world. No one before has ever felt so good.
After some time - it could have been hours or minutes -, Dorcas drew back, breathless. They were both out of breath.
"You should leave" she whispered even as she intertwined their fingers.
"What? Why?" They had just made out. Why would she have to go?
"I-" Dorcas drew in a breath, then dropped Marlene's hand and took a step back, "If I recognized who you are, someone else might too. You're not safe here, Marlene."
"I'll manage. Like you said, I'm a good liar."
Dorcas made a frustrated sound.
"If you stay, I won't be able to stop myself from being around you. And if people see you with me, they'll pay more attention to you."
She was right. And Marlene knew that she would be right next to Dorcas all night if she stayed.
But she didn't want to leave her. She wanted to stay and kiss Dorcas. She wanted to talk to her, get to know her, hold her hand in front of everyone. But it wasn't safe. Marlene would never be safe at a party like this, in Dorcas's family. Just like Dorcas would never be safe in Marlene's family. And if anyone knew what they had just done, neither of them would be safe ever again.
People would start missing Dorcas if she was absent for too long. They really should move, leave the room.
"Don't leave me" Marlene whispered recklessly. She met this girl today. This girl was her enemy. Marlene didn't care.
"I can't stay" Dorcas whispered back in a heartbroken voice.
"I know" Marlene had to fight back unexpected tears. What was she doing? She shouldn't be this affected. She knew all along it was impossible, what they were doing. It was dangerous. And still, she went and didn't resist and got herself tangled up in a mess.
She had to go. While it wasn't already too late.
She pressed one final kiss on Dorcas's lips and before either of them could speak, slipped out of the room.
She didn't look back, despite desperately wanting fo get a last glance at the girl who messed her brain up. She couldn't.
She made her way through the crowd and left the party.
***********
In the end, Marlene didn't tell her friends about the party. She said she would sneak in another time. Her friend smirked victoriusly and oh, how she hated that she couldn't throw it in his face that she made out with Dorcas Meadowes.
But she didn't want them to know. She didn't want to talk about Dorcas. She didn't know why, she just didn't.
She hated how she felt. She shouldn't be this hung up on a girl she never had a future with.
She has almost convinced herself to let it go and forget Dorcas. That's when the letter arrived.
It was signed with D.M.
Her stomach twisted and all the feelings she managed to supress, came back.
The handwriting was so pretty. It was small, but not too small, with curved and looped words. It was exactly like Dorcas.
Dorcas asked her to come to a forest in two nights. And Marlene felt so happy and excited. Dorcas hadn't forgotten about her. Dorcas wanted to see her.
Marlene didn't write back. Her parents monitored every letter she sent.
But she knew Dorcas would come anyway. Even if she got no response.
And she was right. Two nights later, Dorcas was already at the meeting point, when Marlene arrived.
Her heart threatened to push out of her chest. Somehow Dorcas was even more beautiful. She was dressed in man's clothes and a dark cloak and her braids were freely flowing down her back.
Marlene couldn't help herself, she ran at Dorcas.
"You're so pretty" Dorcas whispered as she embraced her.
"You're the one to speak. You look like you came out of a fairytale."
They talked all night. They learned about each other. They also kissed a lot, but they spent more time talking.
They told each other about their family. Dorcas talked about her parents and how harsh they were sometimes, but they still loved her. Marlene talked about her older brother and how he was there every time she needed him.
Dorcas told her she had almost no friends. Everyone around her was fake. They didn't really want to be her friends, they wanted the power and influence it would bring them. Marlene told her about her friends. She promised that she would introduce them and then Dorcas would have real friends.
Dorcas learned Marlene's favourite color was a very specific shade of green, because it was the color of her best friend's eyes. That she hated cooking, but was better at it than most of her friends. That she loved drawing and sometimes spent hours in her room, not even realizing how much time has passed. That she dreamed of leaving.
Marlene learned that Dorcas loved books. That her parents had their personal library and she spent most of her childhood in there. That she adored pretty dresses but most of the time she wished she was able to dress however she wanted. That she found it difficult to sleep at night, because her brain wouldn't shut up.
The morning came too soon. They had to say goodbye and head back home. If anyone noticed they were gone, it would be bad.
They met again two nights later.
And then again. And again.
It was little moments of time they stole. In the night, when no one would miss them. In places no one would see them. It was perfect, but it was never going to be enough.
One night they were standing in Marlene's garden, whispering so that no one would hear them, giggling quietly as they almost tripped over Marlene's mother's favourite flowers.
That night conversation turned really serious. They found themselves on the floor, foreheads pressed together, tears in both of their eyes, as Marlene begged Dorcas to leave with her.
"We'll go far away, away from here. I promise you, we'll make it out of this mess. Please, leave with me. We'll never be safe here. You know that, Dorcas, you know. Please, say yes. It's a love story, just say yes."
And Dorcas cried. And said no.
It was harder and harder. It hurt so much. Marlene's parents were talking about marriage now. But the only one she wanted was someone she couldn't have.
She did tell her friends about Dorcas. She saw the pain in their eyes as they hugged her. She knew they hurt when they listened to her sobs and whispered reassuring words.
She collapsed in Dorcas's arms the next time she saw her. She saw it was taking a toll on her lover too. They were both so tired and hurting all the time. Hiding who they were.
"Darling, won't you save me? They're trying to tell me how to feel" Marlene cried when she told Dorcas her parents wanted her to marry. And it turned out, Dorcas's parents wanted the same.
Marlene asked her to leave again.
"We don't need a prince and you're not a damsel in distress. We just need to leave, this is killing us. Dorcas, it's going to kill us if we stay."
Dorcas couldn't meet her eyes, as she cried quietly.
And then, silence. Dorcas didn't send more letters, wasn't at their places.
Marlene was so tired of waiting. Of wondering if Dorcas would ever come around.
One day she was walking around the outskirts of the town. When she met Dorcas.
They looked at each other for a few moments. Dorcas opened her mouth, but Marlene quickly started:
"I've been feeling so alone. I keep waiting for you, but you never come. Is this in my head? I don't know what to think."
Marlene knew she was crying. She was afraid of Dorcas's response.
The other girl took a deep breath. Then she knelt to the ground and pulled out a ring and said:
"Marry me, Marlene. You'll never have to be alone. I love you and that's all I really know. We'll go far away, I will take you out of this mess. It's a love story, just please say yes."
"Yes" the word was out of Marlene's throat before she could even think.
Dorcas smiled and started crying. She stood up and gathered Marlene in a crushing hug.
"I'm so sorry" she whispered.
"I forgive you. Always." It was true. Marlene was sure she would forgive Dorcas anything.
When they kissed, it felt like the first time, like the time when they met. Nothing was the same and yet, the feelings were lighter than ever before.
They will be alright. They will make it out of this mess. Even if they have to fight with all they have.
The end