• “Wake up, come on now the day is starting, and we have a lot to do,” Mother said while pulling the curtains open. I rubbed my eyes and sat up. I look at her stretching and yawning.
    “What is all the fuss about mother?”
    “Well don’t be silly Jezzabelle today is your birthday. We have a lot to do around the house before your big party tonight,” Mother mentioned smiling while picking up my clothes off the floor.
    “Oh that is right, I forgot. Funny huh? I mean it does come around once a year every year. Okay Mom, give me a few moments to get ready and I will be down stairs to help with any preparations.”
    “Jezzie honey bunches of oats, I love you baby girl, but this is your party the only thing I want you to do is to go to the market to pick me up some nectarines for your birthday cake. Okay can you do that for your mommy can’t you?”
    I smiled at her and said I would. She headed downstairs while I went ahead and prepared myself for the day. I got dressed went over to my vanity sat down while brushing my red hair. I looked at the reflection staring back at me sighing deeply; I could not believe just yesterday I was struggling to climb up on my bed, yet here I am turning sixteen. I went down stairs and saw that my mother was in the kitchen working as hard as ever to make my birthday party the best there was. I must say it has been quite hard on her these past few years since father died in the war. We both missed him dearly, but we happen manage.
    “Mother, I am heading out. I will back with the nectarines in an hour’s time,” I implied while grabbing the basket and my blue silver jacket.
    “Okay Jezzie, just be careful. I should have everything ready for the cake to be baked by then.”
    With a quick wave good bye, I left our small house heading towards the town’s marketplace. It was a busy little marketplace filled with different people, sights, smells, and sounds. I loved going up to the various stands and looking at the goods. Mother and I weren’t rich, so we didn’t get to spend much at the market. Every year from her sewing business she would save a few dollars, so I was able to get nectarines for my birthday. They are my favorite fruit, but they cost a lot since they are rare and not common to our part of the world.
    Mother wasn’t very fond of the marketplace because she said bad men who preyed on small children and woman lurked in the dark corners. Father would tell her as always that it was just her being superstitious, but Mother would not buy it, so father was the one who always went to the market to pick up anything we needed. It was only a month before he was deployed for the war that I was able to go with him after much convincing he did in order for my mother to let me go, it also happened to been my birthday as well then. Well now he is long gone, and I am the one who has to go the market for the things we need, and I must say I really enjoy it despite what my mother says.
    “Morning Jezzabelle, How are you doing this fine lovely day?”
    “Oh hello Mr. Henrik, I am doing fine. How is the orchard coming along this season?”
    “Not bad lassie. We had a good crop. Here try an apple,” Mr. Henrik tossed me an apple. I waved thank you while I took a bite of the apple. It was a little tart, but yet really sweet. I was still searching for the nectarine cart when all of a sudden I was bumped into and toppled to the ground by a boy.
    “Excuse you! You mustn’t run into people like that someone could have been hurt,” I complained dusting myself off.
    “Huh…I mean…sorry,” He said while extending his out to help me up. I pushed it aside saying I could get up by myself.
    “What are you running from anyway?”
    “Can we go someplace else to talk? I don’t mean to be rude, but I am really in a lot of trouble, and right now being out in the middle of the street isn’t helping me at all.”
    I shrugged while grabbing his hand and taking him to a corner alley. He looked at me with these big green eyes, and then smiled showing a glistening set of white teeth. When he stepped out into the sunlight I could see the freckles on his cheeks and his hair was like summer wheat. I shook my head trying to get back into focus.
    “Okay speak boy. Who are you, why are you running, and what business did you have bumping me to the ground?”
    “First of all miss my name is Wesley Smith. I was running because I did something I wasn’t supposed to do, and I bumped into you well because you were in the way,” He answered one by one. “Now can you be so kind to tell me who you are.”
    I pondered for a moment if I should tell him or not, and then I thought why not it was not like we would ever see each other again.
    “My name is Jezzabelle River, but people around here call me Jezzie. I was actually in the market place looking for the nectarine stall because believe it or not today is my birthday. And that fruit happens to be my favorite, and it is vital for my birthday cake. I am sorry you are in trouble or got yourself into trouble, but honestly I really need to get going.”
    Wesley stepped out of my way while I was trying to go around him to get back to the marketplace.
    “Hey Jezzie, if you want to get the nectarine stand you need to head east when walking the marketplace. The guy who sells them is always the last stand. I guess I will see you around,” and with a quick smile and wave he was gone.
    I went back to the marketplace unsure about his directions, but low and behold he was right. I was able to buy as many nectarines as my money could get me. I went back to our small house skipping and singing along the way. I was so delighted, but for some odd reason I could not get Wesley out of my mind. I opened the cottage door, and my mother came running up to me and hugging me like usual, and she did the quick check over to make sure I wasn’t hurt or anything. After a bunch of kisses on my forehead and cheeks I handed her the basket filled with the fruit.
    “Oh darling, what happened to your dress there is dirt on the hem,” She picked up my dress and dragged me to the area we did laundry to see if she could get out the dirt. Then she stopped mid scrub and looked at me sternly, “Did someone hurt you Jezzie? Was my check through not enough? Oh Jezzie please tell me you didn’t get attacked.”
    “Mother calm down please. I am alright. I was just bumped into that is all there was to it. The marketplace is busy; it was bound to happen. I am okay I promise. See,” I got up trilled around smiling, “no worries.”
    Mother sighed with a look of relief washing over her. She finished cleaning my dress and went back to baking and setting things for my party. I decided to take a small nap. I went up to my room lying down on my bed, and the next thing I knew I was dreaming about that boy. He was smiling at me reaching his hand towards me from a cloud like chariot. I was hesitant at first to take his hand, but before I knew I was on the cloud with him. He told me a story of a how he was actually from the Empire of the Sun. That he ran away from it because he felt no freedom. He was being chased by the royal guard who were apparently stars in my world. He told me he was the crown prince. I chuckled, and said, “Well that makes me the princess of the Moon Kingdom then!”
    He burst into a full hardy laugh while saying, “Oh no fair maiden you are not the princess of the Moon Kingdom. I have met her, and she is far colder and more serious than you are.”
    I was having so much fun riding on this celestial chariot with Wesley claiming to be a prince. I was in such a blissful state that in my dream I forgot to hold onto something when he turned the chariot, and I fell out but he caught me pulling me back up into his arms. I apologized.
    “Wow your hair is red like an apple, and it smells sweet like one too. You are really beautiful Jezzie,” And with that said he tilted my chin up to his and before I could mutter no he pressed his lips firmly to mine.
    “Jezzie. Are you up?! Come on your party is about to begin!” Mother yelled at me from downstairs. I startled out of bed and quickly brushed my hair putting on a gold party dress. I walked down stairs to a chorus of people from the town and marketplace saying happy birthday to me. I was all happy for them coming, and I was really happy for my mom working hard on putting all this together for me, but I felt that something or someone was missing. I grabbed myself a slice of cake and few nectarine slices from the top of the icing and set to them to the side. I looked out into the crowd while people came up to me saying happy birthday personally one by one. Then the party started to die out people began to leave thanking my mother for the wonderful time. Then right when the last guest was about to leave, a young lad wearing a hooded jacket had walked in. My mother asked who he was right off the bat because she had never seen him before.
    “Where are my manners ma’am, I am Wesley Smith the son of a famous business tycoon that happens to own a few of the stalls in the marketplace and also a couple of the shops in town. Your daughter earlier helped me get out of a bit of trouble at the marketplace. She also told me it was her birthday, and after talking with some of the townspeople I thought I would come by and thank her properly,” He took off his hood explaining.
    “Hmm you sound very rich and well mannered, well isn’t that just a hoot. Okay I will leave you two alone then.”
    “Mom! Don’t go. Mom! Ugh!” I turned toward him and glared, “That was some story you told my mother. She isn’t a fool you know, so don’t think can trick her or me into doing something for you.”
    “What me trick you. I have been honest right from the start, and you know that,” He came toward me and extended his hand as he did in my dream. I was once again hesitant to grab it, but like in my dream I did grab it, and his hand felt warm. He took me outside, and placed an apple blossom into my hair. “Your hair reminds me of apples. I love it. You are really quite lovely.”
    I blushed feeling myself warm all over. I toppled on a root and clumsily fell into his arms.
    “Whoa easy there. Are you okay?” He asked while brushing my bangs aside. I nodded. And then just as my dream foretold he grabbed my chin, and this time I didn't, try to say no I just let it happen. I pressed my lips to his lips, and wrapped my arms around his neck making the kiss linger for what felt like an eternity. We broke apart and then I muttered underneath my breath,
    “Well you are definitely no Prince of Sun.”
    He chuckled and replied, “And you are no Princess of the Moon either.”
    I took his hand and walked back in with my mom looking at us grinning from ear to ear. I had not felt this happy in years. This was the best birthday I had ever had since the one my father took me the marketplace.