Prologue
11 years earlier
"I'm sorry Ellie, I really am. It's just, Karrie and I…well we have more in common than us." Fred said. He met Ellie's eyes and saw them tearing up. Sighing, he looked down at his shoes.
Ellie felt like she couldn't breathe. It felt wrong for Fred to be standing in front of her fireplace, where they had their first kiss, breaking up with her.
Tears threatened to escape. Fred was the only boyfriend she had ever had, the only guy to ever be interested in her. She had thought he was too good to be true, the way he seemed to care about her despite her looks.
"But…We both love James Bond! Cookies & cream is our favorite ice cream flavor! We both love Deep Space Nine! Odo is both of our favorite characters! At least we freaking go to the same school! How can you have more in common than that?"
"Actually, A View to a Kill is the only Bond movie I have ever seen, moose tracks is my favorite ice cream, and Kira is my favorite character on DS9." He mumbled.
Ellie was at a loss for words. After all the cookies and cream ice cream they shared, after all the Odo episodes of DS9 they watched… It was repulsive! Their whole relationship was a lie!
"Get out."
"El-"
"GET OUT."
Fred sighed and nodded. He got up and walked to the door.
"Goodbye, Ellie." He murmured before leaving for the last time.
Ellie let the tears out. Shakily, she picked up her phone and dialed her best friend's number.
Ellie plopped down on her purple and blue waterbed as Christine put her backpack on the bedside table.
"I can't believe Fred dumped me for a skank! 'Karrie and I have more in common then us' my ass! He dumped me because I'm not pretty. I bet Karrie is. I bet she goes to bars with a fake ID and brings home a new guy every night!"
"Ellie, you don't know Karrie. She goes to his church, she must have some decency. Do you really think his judgment is that bad? I personally can't see him dating someone like that." Christine sighed.
"Someone like what? Someone who is pretty? Thanks a lot, Christine."
"That's not what I meant, you know that. I meant he wouldn't date a whore."
"Whatever."
Christine sighed. Ellie was depressed and figured she would never get another boyfriend. Ellie was the most insecure person Christine had ever met. She was overweight and she had a "butt-crack chin", as she called it. She thought that the world was against her. She was shy, and people had made fun of her and called her ugly more than once. Christine didn't get why. Ellie was the funniest person she knew. She hated how people judged Ellie before they knew her.
Christine was the opposite. She was beautiful, in a real way. Not like those fake girls who call themselves "popular". She didn't wear designer clothes, she didn't want to be in a relationship for physical gain. She wanted someone to love her for who she was, not what she looked like, yet she knew that not a single guy at their school would throw her out of bed.
This sleepover they planned wouldn't be as fun as she thought. It would probably go by with Ellie crying the whole time and Christine doing her best to cheer her up. Then Christine had an idea. She smiled, and it didn't escape Ellie's notice. "What?"
"Hey, I have to go to my house to get something real quick. I'll be right back." Christine assured her as she backed out of Ellie's door before she could protest. Ellie heard her footsteps go down the steps.
Christine opened the door to the garage and jumped on Ellie's bike, she was sure Ellie wouldn't mind her riding it. As she rode to her house, she smiled to herself. She had the perfect thing to cheer up Ellie.
"I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaack!" Christine exclaimed, bursting through Ellie's Beatles postered door.
"Oh hey. So what was so important for you to get all of a sudden?" Ellie replied, as she noted Christine's bag around her shoulders.
Christine smiled and pulled out a DVD from the bag. Ellie squinted at the title.
"Pride and Prejudice. Um, ok." What was this? There was Keira Knightley on the cover, and a blurred guy in the background. Based on their clothes, Ellie guessed that it didn't take place in modern times. "What does it have to do with Fred?" Ellie asked.
"Pride and Prejudice is exactly what you need. It's my favorite movie ever, you'll love it."
Ellie shrugged.
"What else is in the bag?" she asked, eyeing it.
"More P&P stuff." She emptied her bag onto Ellie's bed. Four more DVDs fell out. Ellie scanned each one. They all had the same title (Except one said Bride and Prejudice), but they all had different actors.
"Isn't one enough?" Ellie asked, exasperated.
"After you see one version, you will want to see them all." Christine laughed. "Now, which one first?"
Ellie picked up the closest one to her and turned it over.
"This one is five hours!" she exclaimed after reading all the info on the back.
"Yeah, it was a mini-series on TV. I love it though. It's really good." She protested. Ellie looked at her doubtfully. She picked up Bride and Prejudice. It looked colorful and it was a musical.
"If I must choose one, I choose this." Ellie said at length. Christine smiled.
"Perfect."
Two hours later, Christine was taking the movie out of the DVD player and putting it into its box. She turned to Ellie expectantly.
"Ok, I admit, it was really good." She smiled. It was actually the best movie she had ever seen. "So what are the other versions like?"
They settled to watch the Keira Knightley one next. After that, Ellie still wanted more. By morning, they had watched Bride and Prejudice, the Keira Knightley version, the modern day version with Kam Heskin, and episode 1 of the Colin Firth version. They hadn't gotten one minute of sleep.
"Thanks Chris. I needed that. And you are either leaving those dvds here or you are coming over again tonight." Ellie said.
"I think I will choose the latter." Christine laughed. "I would never pass up a chance to watch P&P, any of the versions. But first I have to go home and sleep. You should too you know, so we can stay up all night again."
Chapter 1
"Mommy!" Yelled Kendal Collier, rushing up to her mother. Ellie smiled, put down the dish she was washing, and pulled her two year old daughter into a big hug.
"Hey sweetheart! How was day care?" She asked.
"It was fun! I painted a rainbow!" Kendal answered enthusiastically, "and dad picked me up today because he was coming home early! We went to the store and he got me jewelry!"
Ellie smiled and commented on how she was sure it was a pretty rainbow and that Kendal would have to show it to her. Kendal agreed readily and ran to her backpack to get it. Ellie picked up her neglected dish and rinsed it.
"Hey," Ellie smiled at her detective husband, who had just come in the kitchen holding a plastic bag of fake jewelry. Every time she saw him her heart fluttered. She had met him in college and it was love at first sight. Ellie had dropped out of Santa Clara after 3 months and married him, and they moved back to Ohio. Her mom always joked that she only married him because he was the closest she could get to James Bond. Of course both Ellie and Ken knew it was just a joke and that there was no truth to it whatsoever. She loved him more then anyone, and he her.
"Hey," he replied. He held up the jewelry. "Kendal persuaded me."
Ellie laughed and took it out of his hands to look at it. It was cheap plastic jewelry, but Kendal would love it. She set it on the counter on top of her coat and continued washing the dishes.
"Anything new and interesting at work?" Ellie asked. She loved hearing stories from her husband's work, and when he was allowed to tell her then, he did.
"Why, yes actually. A woman was murdered recently," He frowned. "She was found dead in her house, a knife in her. Laney Newman, she was in her 50s."
Ellie dropped the plate she had been washing. It hit the bottom of the sink and cracked in two, but she didn't notice. Laney Newman. She knew that name. Mrs. Newman was her childhood friend Christine's mom. When ever she would go to Christine's house, Mrs. Newman was very nice to her. She would always compliment on her clothes and ask her how her family was doing. When she and Christine went to different colleges, she never saw her again.
When she got back to Ohio from California, she had found out from her mom that Christine had gotten a medical degree at Dartmouth and moved to Florida to be near her Dad whom she never knew. She apparently was working in a big hospital making big bucks. But now, Christine must be in town, since her mom died. Ellie felt tears in her eyes.
"Are you going to interrogate her daughter Christine?" Ellie asked shakily.
"Yes," Ken said. "Do you know her?" he asked softly. Ellie just nodded.
"We were best friends from 8th grade until 12th. We went to different colleges and sort of lost touch. I would love to see her again," she said.
"I think we can arrange that."
A few days later, Ellie and Ken were walking up the walkway to the Newman's house. Nostalgia hit Ellie as she remembered all the times she had walked up this very walkway. As she was walking, she felt something bump against her leg in her coat pocket. She reached in it and took out Kendal's bag of jewelry.
"Hm," she said. Maybe Kendal put it there.
Ken pushed the doorbell. Ellie heard footsteps inside and braced herself. Had Christine changed at all? The door swung open, and there she was.
The look of shock that passed over Christine's face when she saw Ellie convinced her that she recognized her. Ellie knew that she herself hadn't changed much. She had never dyed her hair and was the same height. She weighed a little more then she used to, but it was hardly noticeable. Christine, on the other hand, had changed a lot. Her hair was still dark brown, but she had lost a lot of weight. She had dark circles under her eyes, but that was understandable in the situation.
Christine got over her shock and spoke.
"Ellie? Is that really you?" Ellie nodded and did her best to hold back tears. Christine wasn't holding back though. Tears streamed down her face as she threw her arms around her. Ellie let go of her tears and held Christine tightly. They stood like that for awhile.
"Christine, this is my husband, Ken." Ellie said after she pulled away. He smiled at her and they shook hands.
"Come on in," said Christine. She led the way into her childhood house. It looked exactly the same as the way Ellie remembered it. Before she knew it, she was crying again.
Chapter 2
"Remember Jack Hastings? I had the biggest crush on him as a junior!" Ellie laughed. Christine grimaced.
"Yeah, I remember. His lip ring was disgusting."
"No it wasn't!" They both laughed as they walked along the streets they used to know.
It had been two weeks since they reunited, and since then they had spent every spare moment with each other, talking about their old school friends, enemies, and crushes.
"Hey, let's go into those woods. Remember when we used to do that?" Christine said to Ellie. Ellie nodded and they headed for the woods.
"Remember when we used to watch Pride and Prejudice all the time? A different version every time we hung out until we got tired of them?"
"Of course! How could I forget? Remember all those times where we would re-enact scenes from the book? I am so glad that Fred broke up with me or I may have never watched them," Ellie added.
"Nah, I would have made you watch them eventually," Christine laughed.
"That's true. That story changed my life. I still read it and watch each version every year, you know. Old habits die hard."
"Same here. I couldn't live without my Pride and Prejudice DVDs or book. I even read Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and Mr. Darcy: Vampyr."
They continued through the woods in this fashion until it started getting dark.
"We should get back now." Christine remarked. Ellie agreed.
On their way back they, passed the stream they used to sit by. Ellie couldn't resist but to sit on the rock that was still there that she used to always sit on.
"Did you ever come here when you moved back with Ken?" Christine asked.
"No. We got married in 2005 and then went on a yearlong honeymoon around the world. When we got back, it was a few days before I found out I was pregnant. So that year passed, and then of course Kendal was born. I just never had the time." Ellie replied. Christine nodded. She opened her mouth to say something but was prevented by Ellie starting.
"What is it?" she asked. Ellie was looking in the stream. Christine followed her gaze and saw a green light in the middle of it. Its source wasn't clear. "Is that some kind of green waterproof flashlight?"
Ellie just shook her head. She didn't know what it was, but she was sure it wasn't that. It had to be something more important. The feelings it was giving her were strange. She wanted to be close to it, to touch it. She got up off her rock and slowly approached the stream. The closer she came to it, the brighter it illuminated. When she was right by the stream, she was nearly blind.
"Umm, Ellie? That's doesn't look like such a good idea," Christine said nervously, now positive it wasn't a flashlight.
Ellie ignored her and kept walking towards it.
"Ellie, stop!" If Ellie heard her, she didn't show it. Christine cursed and ran towards Ellie, who was a few inches away from the light in the shallow water. As fast as she ran, Christine had no hope of catching her. Ellie took the last step, right onto the source of the light. Then, right in front of Christine's eyes, she vanished. This stopped Christine for only a second as she stared in shock. But she got over it and followed Ellie, into the light.
A blinding flash occurred. Christine closed her eyes. It was a day before she opened them again.
Chapter 3
Ellie's eyes fluttered open. An older man was standing above her, staring at her in surprise. She blinked and tried to recall how she ended up in a forest, for that's where she was. It didn't take long for her to remember the light in the stream. She propped herself up on her elbow and looked around. She was in a forest alright, but definitely not the one she had been in before. The trees where were different, and there was no indication of a stream anywhere near. She saw Christine lying not ten feet from her. She looked back to the old man. He wasn't the sort of man one see's every day. He was dressed like he came from colonial times. He must have just come from a festival or play or something, Ellie figured.
"I'm fine. Would you mind telling me where I am?" She asked him.
The man's eyes widened, Ellie saw with disgust. It's not like people have never been lost before.
"You're in Lidnah Forest, ma'am." He said. Ellie nodded, but that didn't help her much. What she wanted to know more was how she got there.
Christine awakened then and, hearing the man's voice, turned towards them. A look of confusion crossed her face, and then it turned to panic as it hit her that she did not recognize her surroundings.
"I don't know what it means either," Ellie said to Christine.
"What the hell happened, Ellie? Why did you follow that stupid light? It could have been dangerous. I guess it was dangerous because this is obviously not the same woods we were just in," Christine exploded. If possible, the man's eyes widened more.
"Calm down, Chris. Excuse me, do you have a phone we could use?" she asked, turning to the man.
"A what?" He asked.
"A cell phone?" He just kept looking at her in confusion.
"I'm sorry ma'am but I am not familiar with that term. Pardon me for asking, but where are you from? Your accent and attire are like nothing I have ever experienced before," He said. This guy was obviously either a very confused man or a good actor.
"We are from Liberty Township. Where are you from?" Christine said
"I am from Hertfordshire, and I confess I have never heard of Liberty Township. It is in Russia, perhaps?"
"Hertfordshire! My favorite book takes place there! And Liberty Township is in Ohio which is in America,"
"You are from the colonies?" He asked in an incredulous tone.
"Uh…yeah, the colonies," Ellie said. She was getting a little tired of this. "So where are you headed?"
"Where am I…headed?" He asked, like he had never heard the term before.
"Where are you going?" Christine translated.
"I…I was just on my way back to town," He said.
"What town?" Christine asked.
"Meryton…the only town around for miles" He answered.
"Could you take us with you?" Ellie asked. She had never heard of a Meryton around where she lived. He must either be crazy or lying. But then again she was sure there wasn't a forest like this around where she lived, either.
"I suppose so, if you wish"
"Thank you," Ellie smiled at the man. "I'm Ellie Collier by the way. This is Christine Newman. You are?" She asked.
The man seemed speechless for reasons she could not explain.
"I am Mr. Phillips," He said at length. Ellie didn't press for a first name. He offered his arm to Christine, who took it in confusion. Who did that?
Mr. Phillips started walking north with Christine, while Ellie walked next to her. They walked for maybe ten minutes when the trees gave way to a small village. Christine and Ellie gasped in unison.
The town was unlike any town that they had ever seen. The roads were not cement but dirt, and there were no big buildings or cars. Instead there were many horses and carriages, and the only buildings were lined up on the sides of the road.
"We are in Meryton," Mr. Phillips said.
Chapter 3
Christine couldn't believe her eyes. It was like they were on the set of Pride and Prejudice.
Mr. Phillips started walking, and Ellie and Christine followed him. As Christine walked behind him, she looked around at the signs on the buildings. There were a couple taverns and book stores.
"Where are we?" Christine whispered to Ellie.
"Meryton, apparently"
"I know it's called Meryton, but what is this place? A renaissance festival?"
"I think I know, but you will call me crazy."
"What is it, Ellie?"
"We went back in time. The green light, it was a portal. I know it! Don't ask me how, I can just feel it. It pulled me towards it, and now that I'm here, I know I have to do something. I am here for a reason, but what?"
"Ellie, that's crazy."
"I knew you would say that." She sighed, as she looked away from Christine. She didn't get it. She knew she wouldn't.
While she was looking, she saw him.
He was dressed like everyone else in the town, although a little nicer. He was sitting at a table with another man and a woman, reading the newspaper.
"Mr. Phillips, who are they?" She asked, inclining her head towards them.
"That is Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, and Miss Bingley. They have just arrived at Netherfield, a house that has been vacant for some time," He said.
Ellie and Christine both stopped. Ellie sent Christine a look that said "I told you so"
"That doesn't prove anything. He's probably an actor or something" She whispered.
He was as handsome as they had always imagined him.
"Reminds me of David Rintoul the most," Ellie whispered to Christine.
They stood and looked at him for awhile before turning to look at Mr. Bingley.
"Ok, he looks exactly like Crispin Bonham-Carter." Christine said. Ellie nodded because it was true.
"Did you know that he was in Casino Royale, the Bond movie?"
"No." Christine said curtly, because she didn't really care.
Caroline Bingley looked bored out of her mind. Both of her companions were reading, and she had nothing to do. She yawned and stretched, probably tired of not having anyone to talk to.
They turned their attention to Mr. Phillips, who was waving to two girls coming towards them.
"Hello Jane, Lizzy. How are you this fine morning?" He asked warmly.
"Content. We are taking the air," the dark haired woman on the right said. Ellie knew right away that it was Elizabeth Bennet. The blonde girl next to her must be Jane. Christine gasped, and Ellie just stared. None of the actresses who played Jane had done her enough justice. She was the most beautiful woman they had ever seen. Elizabeth was also very pretty, but they could now see why her mom favored Jane.
"Jane, Elizabeth, this is Miss Collier-"
"Mrs. Collier." Ellie corrected.
"Er, yes. Mrs. Collier. And this is Miss Newman. They are from the colonies! Ladies, these are my nieces, Jane and Elizabeth Bennet," Mr. Phillips said. The women curtsied out of politeness, and Ellie and Christine attempted to also.
"Nice to meet you, Mrs. Collier, Miss Newman," Elizabeth said. Both Jane and Elizabeth smiled at them, but looked them up and down at the same time.
Ellie knew that her tan coat and jeans were probably considered very unladylike, and Christine's pink and white striped long sleeve shirt and black sweats weren't exactly proper either. People had been staring since they got to Meryton.
"Our clothing is quite different in America than here," Ellie said weakly. "We will try to find some new ones soon,"
Lizzy and Jane nodded, ashamed of being caught staring.
"So where are you staying?" Jane asked.
Ellie and Christine exchanged glances.
"We don't…have a place to stay. We don't even know how we got here," Christine said finally.
All three of their companion's eyes widened.
"Well, perhaps you could stay with us at Longbourne, for we were just heading home now. Mrs. Collier, my sister Kitty could probably supply you with a dress. I think I have some that might be right for Miss Newman," Jane said. "Please, don't think that we you to go against your culture! It's just people here aren't used to seeing clothes like that."
"No, we understand. Thank you very much for your kindness" Ellie said. She could barely conceal her excitement. She was going to meet the Bennets! She wondered where in the story they were.
"Well, I am on my way now," said Mr. Phillips. "Mrs. Phillips is expecting me. Goodbye Miss Newman, Mrs. Collier, nieces," he nodded to each of them and went off.
"Hey, who are they?" Ellie asked Jane and Lizzy, looking over at Mr. Darcy and the Bingleys. She wanted to see what they thought of them, as it would give her a much better idea as to where they were in the story.
"That must be Mr. Bingley! The other two are acquaintances of some kind I suppose," Jane said. "They are very wealthy, as you surely have guessed as it is apparent in their apparel, and they are residing at Netherfield."
"So you haven't met them?"
"No, we have not yet had the honor of forming an acquaintance, but we will at the assembly ball tonight, for Sir William Lucas has promised to introduce them to us!"
Oh wow, Ellie thought. Nothing had happened yet.
"Shall we make for Longbourne?"
"Yes!" Ellie said giddily.
Christine sighed and nodded.
"Does everyone in the colonies talk like you?" Lydia asked excitedly. They were seated around the dinner table at Longbourne later that night.
"More or less," Ellie replied.
When they had gotten to Longbourne earlier, they had quickly run up to get changed before they met the family. Lizzy said that Mrs. Bennet would most likely not let them stay if she saw what they were wearing. Elizabeth had gotten a dress from Kitty's room for Ellie, and helped her dress into it. When Ellie asked if Kitty would be mad when she found out, she said that they would just pretend it was a coincidence that they had the same dress.
While this was happening, Jane brought Christine to her room to find a dress for her.
"Okay lady, tell me what is going on here," Christine said after Jane had shut the door.
"Excuse me, I do not follow," Jane said, looking genuinely confused.
"Don't play dumb with me. I know that Jane Bennet isn't real, and neither is Elizabeth or Mr. Darcy or Mr. Bingley or anyone we have supposedly met so far. So you tell me who you are, why you are pretending to be people from Pride and Prejudice, and where exactly we are."
"Miss Newman, I don't quite comprehend your language. I am not sure I know the meaning of the word 'dumb', pray enlighten me"
Christine opened her mouth, and then closed it. There was no use. These people were seriously devoted to their roles. Or maybe this was one big insane asylum, and all these people are insane.
"It…doesn't mean anything. I'm sorry. Now, what dress do you think would work best on me?"
When they first met the Bennets, they were nice enough to them, but Ellie knew that Mrs. Bennet was not pleased with there being two more women in town the night of the assembly ball that the rich Mr. Bingley was to be at. The rest of the family anxiously asked them questions about "the colonies" all through dinner. They answered as best they could, trying to sound like they belonged in that time period.
When Mrs. Bennet cleared her throat and asked Ellie and Christine if they were going to the ball, they exchanged glances.
"We would love too but we have nothing suitable to wear," Ellie said.
"Oh, that is too bad," Mrs. Bennet said, barley masking that her thoughts on the subject were actually entirely different.
"Mrs. Bennet, I hate to ask you this, but do you think we could stay with you tonight? We have no where to stay as we don't have anything to pay an innkeeper,"
Mrs. Bennet stiffened. She really didn't want two more women staying in her house at such a time as this.
"Do you not have any jewelry?" She asked. Mrs. Bennet's message was clear. They obviously wouldn't be staying at Longbourne. Christine looked at Ellie to gauge her reaction.
Ellie had brightened up. She had forgotten about Kendal's jewelry in her coat pocket. She doubted people here would notice that it was fake. She was so excited! They could wear dresses and stay at an inn! If they went to the ball tonight, they could meet Mr. Darcy, Mr. Bingley, Charlotte Lucas, Sir Lucas, Mr. Hurst, Mrs. Hurst, and Caroline Bingley!
"Christine, let's go. We need to get dresses. We must go!" She got up out of her seat and grabbed Christine by the arm.
"Right now?"
"When else!"
"Ellie, it's very rude to just walk out in the middle of dinner." Christine whispered.
"I don't care. We need dresses so we can meet Mr. Darcy and Mr. Bingley!" She exclaimed. Christine rolled her eyes. Mrs. Bennet gave Ellie a death glare.
"You know of the tenants of Netherfield?" She asked coldly.
Ellie nodded, "Yes, I can't wait to meet them, although not for the same reasons that you want your daughters to meet them. I am already married, you know. I would like to meet them because I have heard so much about them! Now come on, Christine!"
Christine sighed and stood up.
"Thank you so much for everything," she said to the Bennets, "I look forward to seeing you tonight at the ball." She smiled and followed Ellie out the door.
"Wait!" Jane came rushing out after them, "Your clothes are still upstairs! I will fetch them for you."
"Thank you." Ellie smiled.
Jane nodded and went up the stairs.
"What was that all about? We don't even have any money!" Christine exclaimed once they were alone.
"In my coat pocket, there is some plastic jewelry. You know, the kind that little girls play with. It looks real enough to people who don't know what plastic is."
Christine nodded. Ellie sighed and realized that Christine was still mad.
"Here you are," said Jane, returning with their clothes, "I am sorry that you will not stay with us. Perhaps we will see you again at the assembly?"
"I hope so. Thank you for everything, Miss Bennet." Ellie smiled.
Chapter 4
"Alright, we came we came from this direction. This road will lead us to Meryton where we can hopefully find a dress shop." Ellie said.
Christine nodded, and they set off down the road.
"Christine, I know you don't believe me, but seriously, what else can it be? Everyone is pretending to be people from the novel? Listen to me. We. Are. In. The. Novel. Of. Pride. And. Prejudice. What can I do to convince you?"
"Ellie, Pride and Prejudice isn't real. It is not at all possible for us to 'be in the novel of Pride and Prejudice'. Yes, I do believe that these people are pretending."
"What would be the point of them pretending? Come on, Chris. There really is no other explanation."
Christine sighed and didn't say anything. She was tired of having this argument. Ellie could believe what she wanted to believe, Christine wasn't going to stop her anymore. It really was too bad though, that she couldn't see reason.
"Ok, you're right, that's the only explanation," she sighed.
"Yes! I knew you would come around!" Ellie smiled and hugged Christine. Christine hugged her back slightly and then pulled away.
"We should get going, we need to find a way outta here."
"I thought we were going to a dress shop?"
"Ellie, you can't be serious! We need to get out of here! My mother's funeral is in five days, and there is no way in hell that I am going to miss it!"
"Get out of here, huh? And how do you propose we do that? When I woke up I didn't see any sign of the green light that brought us here, did you? It must have been closed."
"Well, then I guess we need to find someone who can help us then,"
"Where better to find people than at an assembly ball?"
"You are determined to go aren't you?"
"Yes! I want it more than anything! I have grown up worshiping the people here. There were many times that people would call me fat and ugly and I had nowhere to turn, no one could understand what it was like. My whole high school experience was horrible, no body except for you caring what was on the inside of me! People took one look and thought, 'ew, look at her I'm not going to give her a chance'. Especially those popular people who thought they were so special. They started rumors about me all the time, I was a big, fat joke who no one cared about! So I would get home and have the most severe suicidal thoughts ever, I came very close more than once. But before I could swallow the pills, before I brought the knife to my chest, I realized that if I were dead, I couldn't read or watch Pride and Prejudice ever again. I couldn't ogle at Colin Firth in his wet white shirt or feel my heart speed up when David Rintoul offered Elizabeth Garvie his arm. So I put down the pills, and the knife, and I slid one of the DVDs into the DVD player, and thought, wow, I'm glad I didn't do it. Pride and Prejudice saved my effing life, Chris. So excuse me for wanting to meet the people who are responsible for my being alive!" Ellie shouted. Tears streaked her face as she looked at Christine.