This is a fanfiction story I wrote for a literature class last year after reading Little Women. It had certain guidelines, such as length and content. It's kind of sloppy, but it was one of my first attempts at writing a story for others to read. Jo’s Valentine
“Oh, Teddy.” The sing-song voice comes from the apple tree above him, and it’s all Laurie can do not to jump in surprise. He looks up, straight into the face of Jo, who’s lying on her stomach on a branch above him.
“You have to stop scaring me like that. It isn’t funny, and one time I might throw a punch before I realize it’s you. The fellows do the same thing, and I have to thrash ‘em for it.”
Jo snorts. “You, thrash them, right. I think I’ll come watch when you do that, as well as when you ‘thrash them’ for calling you Dora. It might be amusing.” She grins boyishly for a moment, then turns serious, “I need your help with something.”
“Your wish, m’lady, is my command.” Laurie flourishes an over-elegant bow.
“If I wasn’t in a tree you’d regret that. I’m no one’s lady, and never will be. In fact, that’s what I need your help with. I am going to become a boy.”
It’s Laurie’s turn to snort. “Jo, I thought you understood. It is a fact of science that you cannot just up and change your gender. Do we have to go through this argument again?”
“I don’t mean it that way. You are going to help me with a disguise so that I can spend the day as a boy. Just to see what it’s like. First, I need to borrow some of your clothes. We’re about the same size, so that shouldn’t be a problem. Then, you are going to take me to spend a day doing boy things.”
Laurie stares at Jo as if she has suddenly left leave of her sense, which she obviously has. “B-but—You. In disguise. As a boy. What?”
“Yep. It can’t be that hard to imagine. Come now, go get me some clothes. We can go this afternoon. Meg is at work, Amy’s at school, Beth’s learning to cook, and Aunt March is having Captain Ricter over for dinner (at this time Marmee and Mr. Brooke are in Washington with Mr. March). Everyone’s busy, no one needs me, so it’s perfect! Now run along.”
Laurie stares at her for a moment. “Absolutely not. Do you know what will happen to me if anyone finds out? Grandfather will lock me in a dungeon, after your Mother vows never to let you girls speak to me again.”
“Consider it a Valentine’s present.”
“I thought you said Valentine’s Day was a ridiculous holiday for swooning maidens and impossibly-handsome gentlemen in France.”
“It is. And, if you don’t help me, I am going to tell the fellows that you were making a valentine for a girl.” Jo had been in the big house one day to visit Laurie, and had caught a glimpse of red paper, pink ribbon, and lace under some Grammar exercises in Laurie’s ‘school room’. “And believe me, I know who they are. You will be teased ‘til world’s end.”
Laurie considers this a moment, then, with a suitable glare at Jo, turns to go and get the clothes. Behind him, Jo swings her leg over the branch and hops to the ground, whistling a jaunty tune.
Ten minutes later, Laurie reappears with an armful of old clothes. Jo lifts them up, examining each piece. She obviously approves because she soon disappears into the March house. While she’s gone, Laurie tosses a ball into the air, trying to figure out a way to persuade Jo to forget this latest scheme. Not that he’d ever been able to do that before, but that was beside the point.
Soon Jo remerges from the house, swaggering jauntily in her new attire. She has donned a cute page-boy cap, and now wears a white shirt, brown trousers, and heavy boots.
Laurie nearly drops the ball when he sees her. I am going back to boarding school if anyone finds out about this. I will have no reputation to speak of. He decides to at least give persuasion a shot, “Jo, um, not that I don’t like it, or anything, but, um, well,” his words rush out, “you’re much too pretty to pass as a boy.”
Jo looks behind her, as if expecting to see someone else there. “You aren’t seriously speaking to me, are you? Because if you are that is the most preposterous thing and pathetic attempt at flattery I have ever heard. Nice try. Now come on.” She grabs the ball from his hands and heads toward the street.
Laurie watches her for a short while, then takes off too. He catches up with her, and after observing her a few minutes, begins to chuckle in amusement. Her swagger is so severe she looks like she’s trying to put her hips out of place. When she hears his chuckling, her step hitches as she twists to look at him.
“What’s so funny?”
“You. Boys don’t walk like that. You’re walking like Roderigo or something. The last time I checked, the average American boy isn’t a hero.”
She doesn’t respond, but does start walking a little more normally.
“There you go. Just walk like you usually do, except with longer strides. Perfect!”
Seeing as how Laurie probably knows better than her what a boy walks like, Jo accepts his verdict. However, she can’t help but be disappointed at the lack of theatrics required.
“So what do you want to do for the first time as a boy? We could get the rest of the boys together for a game of baseball, or go boating.”
“Could we go riding?”
“Sure thing.’ Laurie makes a sharp right, jerking Jo along with him since he grabs her elbow. “The stables are this way, um, whatever-your-boy-name-is. What is your name, by the way? If
I called you Jo everyone would know it was you in an instant.”
“Uh, how about Sam. I’ve always liked the name Sam. Nice and patriotic.” Her voice takes a shade darker tone, “Hello, I’m Sam Browning. My family is visiting Concord.” She sticks out her right hand.
“Hi, I’m Laurie. Nice to meet you, Sam. Good handshake. Oh, hold up, here’s the stables.”
The pair enter the expansive stable and speak to the groom, who has no idea of the other ‘boy’s’ true identity, even though he’d seen Jo hanging around the horses several times.
“I am going to ride Bucephalus. He has been positively dying for a good ride. You can ride any of the other horses. They’re Grandfather’s, so no one will bother you about it.”
Jo is thrilled the prospect of choosing any horse she wishes. It has been a very long time since she has ridden, let alone a quality horse. After pacing the stall aisles a couple times, she picks a spirited palomino named Willy.
Laurie already has Bu, as he calls him, tacked up when he goes to find Jo. She, to his surprise, is almost ready to go. She leads Willy into the aisle, but when she hikes up her leg to put it in the stirrup, she looks around as if missing something.
“What’s wrong?”
“Oh, nothing. It’s just so strange not to have to pick up an armful of skirt and at the same time try to keep your leg covered while also putting your foot in the stirrup. Believe me, it’s a nice change.”
Laurie shakes his head and grins. Jo never fails to surprise him with her quirky statements. “We can go to Hyde Park. It has nice, wide trails, and isn’t frequented by the richer families, so there’s not much chance of someone recognizing you.”
They arrive at the park, and immediately head for one of the paths that circles the inside.
Jo, constantly ready for a challenge, extends one to Laurie. “Race you. From here to that big oak tree. On your mark, get set, go!” She clamps here legs together and the surprised horse springs forward, happy to be allowed to run.
Laurie has been the recipient of Jo’s impromptu races before, and is therefore ready when she says ‘go’. It doesn’t take long for him to catch up, and after racing beside her for a short while, he leans over to make a fake pass at her reins, not really affecting the horse, but enough to worry her. In reaction, Jo pulls the horse to a sudden stop, and promptly finds herself on the ground. Laurie’s stop is almost as immediate, but without the fall. He runs over to wear she is sitting, trying to figure out why she is laughing hysterically.
“Ha, gasp, Teddy, gasp, that was, gasp, the most, gasp, fun, gasp, thing I’ve ever done,” she finishes in a rush.
“So you aren’t hurt?”
‘Of course not. That is, if you don’t count a bruised ego.”
They ride around for about an hour more without mishaps. After agreeing that they’ve ridden enough for one day, the pair discusses their next plan of action.
“So what do you want to do now?”
“Let’s go walking.”
“Walking?”
“Yeah, just around the shops. We don’t have to go in any of them, and there’s usually enough people to hide in if we see someone familiar coming.”
“Alright.” They both lead their horses back the stables, and after then start towards the business part of Concord. After a short time, a group of boys catches sight of Laurie and runs across the street to where he and Jo are admiring fliers for the U.S. Army.
“Hey Dora! You didn’t tell us you were going shopping today! We could have come and helped pick out a new dress!” This comment is made by the smirking boy who appears to be the leader. “Who’s your friend?”
“It’s Laurie, and I’m not shopping. Pete, this is Sam. Sam, Pete.” Laurie aims a playful punch to Pete’s arm, ensuring that Jo is aware that this group is ‘the fellows’, not just a bunch of bullies.
“Hi Sam. You new here?”
“Sort of: I’ve never been to Concord. My family’s just visiting my aunt for a week or so.”
“That’s too bad. You don’t look like a bad fellow. Boys, say hi to Sam.”
“Hello, Sam,” come the obliging replies.
“Dora, what are you going to do today?” Sam wants to know.
“I was just going to show Sam around, take a little tour.” The boys decide they want to go to, and join Laurie and Jo as they walk past the stores, making comments on each and every display.
“Look at that hat. Can’t you just see Sally Gardiner wearing it?” Said hat is a preposterous mountain of feathers, complete with a small bird on top.
“Sure, if she was going to an aviary.” This latest comment is met with a hoot of laughter.
Jo finds herself somewhat surprised at how much boys make fun of what girls wear and do. She knew that it happened to some extent, even joined in with some of it with various boys, but had no idea females were such pictures of absurdity to males. It is quite a revelation, and only strengthens her resolve never to act like Sally. It also confuses her that boys make such fun of young ladies while by themselves, but when in actually in the presence of young ladies, they are flattering, to the point of proclaiming the headpiece in the window, should a pretty girl wear it, ‘beautiful.’ She is disturbed from her reveries, after carefully filing the information away for use in stories, at a blonde boy named Tommy Chamberlain’s latest comment.
“Laurie, look. What a pretty box of chocolates! Maybe you should give it to Jo for St. Valentine’s Day. You’re always talking about her: you’d think she was the best thing since ice cream. ‘Jo’s so pretty. Jo’s so smart. Jo this, Jo that, you would love to meet Jo. She’s a capital girl…’” He completes the damage with a suggestive wink.
Laurie’s face is a picture to behold. It has turned bright red, and he is trying desperately to think of something clever to retort. He fails. “Umm, well, we’re just really good friends. I would never get her chocolate. She doesn’t like Valentine’s anyways.” He wisely leaves out the part about her valentine. He bravely risks a look at the girl whom it was suggested he admit his feelings to.
While Laurie is embarrassed, Jo is completely and utterly shocked. She always knew that Laurie enjoyed her company, but that he talked of her constantly? Not in a million years. How could he do this to me? It’s never going to be the same now. Why do boys have to go and ruin completely good friendships because they’re ‘in love’? At least he could have said something to me if that’s what he felt, not just talked about it with his friends. The humiliation! Love is supposed to be sweet and warm and fuzzy, not embarrassing. I am never, NEVER, writing a romantic story again. Only a small portion, however, of her inner turmoil is displayed on her face, but her clenched jaw and hard eyes successfully transmit her displeasure to Laurie, who practically visibly cringes.
The rest of ‘tour’ around Concord is strained. Somehow the boys realize that they made a mistake in mentioning Jo and Valentine’s in the same sentence to Laurie. After another half-hour, they disperse to their respective homes for supper, pronouncing Sam a ‘capital boy’ and saying ‘good-bye and good-luck with your aunt.’ Laurie and Jo are left a short distance from their houses. The tension, to borrow to the cliché, is so thick it could be cut with a knife. To Jo’s infinite relief, Laurie breaks the silence.
“Jo, I don’t want you to think that I want to woo you or anything silly like that. I guess I spend so much time with you, that’s all I talk about when I’m with the boys. I’m sorry if I embarrassed you. Please don’t be mad.”
“As long as you promise never to let that kind of thing to happen. Agreed?”
“As long as you are only my friend, I won’t let that happen.” Jo apparently doesn’t notice the way Laurie skirted around the promise, because they shake hands on the deal. She stops in front of her home, looking at Laurie and smiling.
“I had a really good time. Thanks, Teddy. I’ll bring the clothes back over tomorrow. Goodnight.”
“Goodnight, Jo.” His voice is soft as he watches her enter the house, and no one will ever find the poor valentine, the herald of love to come, crumpled and left in the trash bin.
Aren't they gorgeous???
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