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Dalton:
His family came from the South end of town. Nobody gave much thought to those people. They were the rift-raft, the lower class. He worked hard everyday digging water lines and ditches. A blue collar job that didn't pay half of what it was worth. His mother cleaned houses for the wealthier people in town. She had been accused of stealing some valuable jewelry from an employer. Although she was innocent, her reputation in town was that of a common thief who deserved to be locked in a cold, dark cell. His father done odd jobs such as cutting grass and doing yard work for people. Sometimes, if he was lucky he'd get offered a few dollars to do minor repairs on a vehicle. Times was hard and only getting harder. There was little money which meant little food and late rent payments. His mother depended on medication that they just could not afford. Something had to be done. There had to be some way that he could help support his family more and give them a better life. He had to find a way.
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Bella:
Her father was a successful attorney who worked for one of the most influential firms in the state. Her mother was a classy homemaker who had inherited a fortune from her families thoroughbred horse farm. They lived in the fanciest home in town, maybe in the entire county. There was a live-in maid and butler that took care of their every want and need. Bella spent most of her time lounging around the huge in ground pool that covered most of the back yard. Her father was usually away on business trips and her mother spent much of her time at The Southern Ladies Club. Bella had been raised in a strict life of luxury. As she soaked in the warm sunshine she thought about all of the things that she had missed, friends, fun, adventure and love. By her parents rule, she was not to socialize with people of lower class. In other words, nobody was good enough to be a part of her life. She sometimes felt like a prisoner locked inside of this mansion. A prisoner who was slowly drowning and nobody saw it, nobody cared. She knew that there was more for her out there and she had to find a way to discover it.
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The next morning Bella woke up to an empty house. The only sound was the clitter-clatter of breakfast dishes being washed. She stumbled into the kitchen and found the maid busily cleaning up the mess that her parents had left. She opened the refrigerator and reached for the orange juice. Before she could even touch it, the butler hurried over and began pouring it into a crystal clear glass for her. "I am capable of pouring myself a glass of juice" she mumbled as she walked into the back yard. She closed her eyes and lifted her face toward the warm sunshine. The melody of birds singing filled the air with the smell of freshly cut grass. As she looked across the lawn she seen a strange, older man working away on the lawn. At the pool stood the most handsome young man that she had ever seen before. Dalton had been hired to clean the pool and his father was being paid a small wage to prepare the grounds for tonights party that her mother was throwing.
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Decorators were hurrying around placing large bouquets of Summer flowers around the pool and hanging lanterns from the trees. With all of the commotion going on around her, Bella could not take her eyes off of Dalton. He noticed her watching him and gave her a sly smile as he pulled off his soaked t-shirt. Just then her mother appeared at her side. "Local trash, but they work cheap." She took Bella by the arm and walked back inside. "I seen how you was looking at that boy Bella, he's no good, trash, that's all he is, stay away from him!" Bella sit down at the counter looking at her glass still half full of juice. As soon as her mother left the room she hurried back outside. She had to at least know his name.
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That night as the party was in full swing, Bella stood by the pool scanning the crowd. She had secretly invited Dalton to attend as her date. She knew that it was risky, she barely knew him and her parents most certainly would not approve. Something about him lured her in like a moth to a flame. She felt an instant connection to this poor boy from the South Side of town, it was something that she just couldn't explain. Although the maid had told her all about his reputation and the trouble that his mother had recently been in, Bella didn't care. She needed some excitement in her life and Dalton seemed to be her ticket.
As all of the classy ladies from the club pranced around showing off their expensive dresses and fancy hats, nobody recognized the handsome young man standing at the bar. He was wearing a stunning white silk shirt and midnight black pants. His gold watch shimmered beneath the lanterns hanging above. As Dalton sipped his red merlot he caught a glimpse of Bella making her way toward him. She looked particularly beautiful tonight. He thought to himself that this spoiled, rich girl could be his way of finding more money to help his family. All he had to do was figure out how to get his hands on it.
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Bella grabbed herself a glass of merlot hoping to calm her nerves as she approached Dalton. The night passed in a frenzied blur. As the party was winding down Bella knew that she had fell head over heals for Dalton. It was the first time that she had ever felt butterflies in her stomach and she liked the way it felt. Come to think of it, this was her first real date. She didn't care where he came from or what people thought about him. She knew that he was the one. It was all happening so fast, but somehow she knew that she was falling in love with him. After numerous glasses of fine merlot wine she leaned toward Dalton as her breath caught in her throat, all of the air around her seemed to cease. Her first kiss, it was deep and warm. It made her feel like he truly wanted her. She instantly knew that he shared her feelings. He wrapped her tight in his arms and held her there for what seemed like eternity. His scent mesmerized her, he smelled like warm, spicy musk and red wine. He was so warm and comforting, she felt like she was right where she belonged and she never wanted him to let her go.
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As he held Bella in his arms, Dalton noticed her purse sitting in the chair beside her. He kept her close and occupied as he tried to think of a way to take it. He knew that the family had millions and he intended to get some of it for his own. As Bella turned to speak to a guest, he snatched the purse, jumped over the fence and didn't stop running until he got home. As he sit quietly in the dark he slowly opened the designer purse to reveal what was inside. Yes, there was money and plenty of it. There was also a set of keys that surely contained entry to the house and various vehicles. He waited patiently as he watched the clock on the wall. He knew that after tonight his family would no longer want for anything.
When Bella turned around and noticed that Dalton had left abruptly, her heart sank down deep into her stomach. She had just experienced her first real feeling of love and just as quickly her first broken heart. She reached for her purse, but it was gone. She quickly alerted her parents of the missing bag and her father immediately called the police. A search of every guest at the party was conducted. Friends and family were questioned and everyone was looking at each other suspiciously. Bella knew that she had to tell them. She had to tell them that Dalton had been there. She drew in a deep, shaky breath and began telling them of how she had invited a discredited stranger to the party.
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It went just as she had expected it to go. Her parents were furious and angry. Before she even knew what had happened her mother slapped her across the face. The police informed the family that they knew all about Dalton and his family. They were now positive that he had taken the purse. Her father instantly recalled seeing Bella and Dalton hugging and kissing all night and the look in his eyes sent a wave of fear through her as she watched him walk to the front of the crowd. She had never seen her father so angry ever before.
"Everyone, I would like to apologize for what has unfolded here tonight. This was supposed to be a gathering of like-minded friends and family. A night to mingle and enjoy all that life has given us and to enjoy our time together. Instead, you were all questioned and treated like common thieves and animals. This all came from the hands of my daughter, Bella. Apparently she has let her hormones outweigh her common sense. She disgraced this family and all of you by inviting a useless, inadequate thief to join us. A boy that she was warned about and very well aware of. Not only has he taken our money and belongings, he has taken our dignity. I stand here before you in total disgust and shame as I look at my daughter. I feel betrayed, as should each of you. The very first thing in the morning Bella will be leaving this house. She is no longer my daughter and she is no longer welcomed here. Now we just pray that the purse is returned before too much damage is done."
Bella turned to her mother, tears streaming down her face. "Mom" she could barely get the word to leave her mouth. Her mother just turned away and without saying a single word she walked away and vanished into the dispersing crowd.
"What have I done?" she asked herself. "All I wanted was someone who truly loved me, someone to show me how to live and to be happy." She sank into her bed and buried her face deep into her pillow. "He didn't care, it was all fake, he used me." She cried and cried until she felt weak and sick and finally she drifted off into the most painful sleep of her life.
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As Dalton fidgeted with the keys from Bella's purse his mind began to race. He knew that he needed this money, his family desperately needed it. He placed the keys back into the purse, he couldn't do this. Bella was different from any girl he had ever known. She was so innocent, so beautiful and trusting. In the little time that he had spent with her, he was feeling something special for her. Those hugs and kisses was real, he felt it. Holding her in his arms made him feel something that he had never felt before. He didn't want her money but he needed her. He needed to feel what he felt when she was near him. She had filled an emptiness inside of him that he never thought possible. He was going to take the purse back, admit what he had done and confess his love for her. Then he would beg for her forgiveness. He knew down deep in his soul that he would do anything to make this right. He would do anything to keep Bella.
As he opened the door, the police had surrounded his house. He was immediately thrown to the ground and handcuffed.
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The next morning Bella watched in silence as the maid packed suitcases and bags filled with her belongings. "They're really throwing me out, aren't they!?" she whispered. The maid said nothing in return, she just kept packing. The butler came to help carry all of the luggage out to her car. She slowly walked down the stairs desperately dreading what was waiting for her.
Her father looked up from his morning newspaper, her mother kept her back turned, peering out the window. "Here's the money that was inside of your purse, the police returned it last night. It's all that you're getting so use it wisely and if you mess up, you can't come back here." She couldn't believe that they had disowned her for one mistake, even if it was a big one. Finally her mother chimed in "You can take your car, when you walk out of that door, don't you ever come back." Bella nodded and closed the door behind her.
She didn't know where to go or what she was going to do so she just drove. She noticed that she was coming upon the police station, her heart ached as she got closer and closer. Before she knew it she standing inside of the station asking the chief if she could speak to Dalton.
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As soon as he seen her, Dalton began trying to explain. He told her all about his family and their financial problems. He told her of how his mother was ill and couldn't afford her medicine and how they was behind on their rent payments and nearly starving. He also told her all about his feelings for her and how he had fallen in love with her. "During those short few hours, I loved you."
Dalton had taken the blame for his mothers theft accusations. He couldn't bare to see his frail mother go to jail for something that she didn't do. "Nobody will believe that she didn't do it, especially not now after what I've done." He was sentenced to 5 years in prison. Bella visited him every single week, she never missed a single visitation day. During their visits they learned more and more about each other and fell deeper and deeper in love.
She never spoke to her parents again but she heard that during a stock market crash they had lost a lot of their investments. She found work at a local diner. She enjoyed meeting all of the different and interesting people that came in. Most of all she enjoyed the free meals that they offered her. She rented a small apartment near the diner and adopted a little dog to keep her company.
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Bella risked it all for that one chance at love. It was a chance that she didn't regret taking no matter how much that it had costed her. Dalton risked it all for the chance to give his family a better life. He didn't regret what he had done either. He had given his mother the opportunity to die in her own home instead of inside of a prison cell.
On the day that Dalton was released from prison, Bella was there waiting for him. As he climbed into her little red car beside of her she held up two glasses and a bottle of red merlot. To our future!
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