Hi there, new story I was thinking of writing and finally did. So, changed a few things, but the most notable one I guess is that Georgiana is older than Darcy. Hope you don't mind. Anyway, thanks for reading.

My mom and dad were about to divorce, sooner than you can say lawsuit. You see, dad had managed to squander most of the Darcy fortune on some illusory marketing schemes that had gone downhill. His plan was meant to bring back the noblesse to the Darcy name. My great-great-grandfather, Fitzwilliam, used to own an incredible fortune and was a gentleman – which meant he never worked, lived on his inheritance and pursued his studies and pleasures. Dad was obsessed with this mystical, bourgeois figure of the past, had always been actually. Before his big flunk, we lived fairly well. We weren't too rich or too poor, my mom could afford occasional facials and I could take a smoke or two. It's not that he wasn't well intentioned or clever. He wasn't even naïve. But dad just underestimated the power of money.

Safe to say, we had to sell the elegant, comfortable house and settle for an apartment. Dad was far too depressed to do anything else after his failure and sank his misery in poorly written monologues (he had always dreamt of being a writer) and cheap wine. It was mom who managed to find a position, in the Bingley company.

Luckily, we had good friends, well – good connections. The Bingleys were a family full of billionaire yuppies and socially challenged femmes fatales. Rick Bingley was my dad's old mate from college and faithful friend throughout the years. When he heard we were in a rut, he offered mom a much needed job as a consultant. Though mom had studied the Law she was probably the most unfit person to work there, in that position. But Rick was apparently ready to make the sacrifice.

Me, I wasn't really fond of him. I didn't really get his motives, though I suspected he secretly fancied my mother and wanted her to be the new Mrs. Bingley. He was divorced, mom was about to do the same thing so…quite perfect.

The only person in the family I took to was my friend, Charlie Bingley. He was nothing like his sleazy dad and he was a decent fellow, though not the brightest bulb in the chandelier.

We went to the same prep school; Green Leaf College.

Nothing changed between us, to be frank. We were still the same best mates, still smoking on the rooftop and making stupid plans of driving across the country and quitting the lousy jobs we'd have but we didn't really take ourselves seriously.

Charlie wanted to act like nothing had changed; but for me everything became slightly grey. Money had always been there, behind me, holding my back, keeping me high. It was one of those dirty values that made me feel better. And I knew those people who proclaimed money was degrading, immoral and all that crap just didn't know what they were talking about. They hadn't experienced a fall. I was raised to be someone and now I had to be different. The hell with that. I'd still act the part. At least at school. No one needed to know I was affected.

Green Leaf College was 100 miles away from home. I knew mom needed me for moral support and I knew I was probably leaving her defenseless against dad, but I was glad to get away. Dad would eventually leave and mom would eventually move on. And I would come home with a diploma, eventually.

Charlie and I took the train. We always did. We loved trains and we hated planes. Other than that, we had nothing in common.

'My aunt and Caroline are already there. They're shopping for school outfits, if you can believe that,' Charlie told me on the train. 'She burnt up the clothes dad bought for her. Said they're filthy, like him.'

I knew Caroline. I knew her type. I was drawn to her type. Cold-hearted bitch with daddy issues. She had next to no personality, but she was a real sport. Last winter holiday we went skiing together. She tripped, hurt herself badly, I carried her to the hotel and we made out a bit on her bed. I left before she did something stupid. But ever since then, she's had it in her mind that I have designs on her. Maybe it was my fault. Yes, it was my fault. But women generally blow things out of proportion.

'I don't think I can pay tuition for next semester,' I muttered, biting into my sandwich.

Charlie threw me a serious look, trying to see if I was joking.

'Can't be that bad…I mean you guys still have your savings.'

'Don't be a wuss. I'll have to go see Aunt Catherine again and beg her for some dough. I've always been her favourite, don't you think?'

'Mrs. de Bourgh? You must really prize your education,' Charlie said chuckling. 'That woman called my father a bobbling coxcomb. Who talks like that anymore?'

'Don't tell me you were offended.'

'No, but he was. Don't let him find out you're going to ask your aunt for help. He'll go ballistic.'

'Yeah, my soon to be step-dad wouldn't like that.'

Charlie grimaced but didn't say anything.

'You're coming to the wedding, right? You're not leaving me alone there,' he spoke at length.

Cecily, his older sister was getting married to a big, important judge.

'I wouldn't miss the most ridiculous event of the year,' I replied.

When we arrived at the station, Georgiana was there to welcome me. She had promised to come see me before school, at least for a day.

Mom had forbidden me to call her my sister ever since she had run away when she was fifteen. She married some douche called George Wickham who worked in real estate but dreamt of being an artist. He was twenty-five back then. Georgiana literally married him because they shared the same name and because they both liked the White Stripes.

Needless to say, mom flipped, dad disinherited her and George cleared out after taking most of her money. I guess Georgiana was never the same. She became a librarian but she never came home again. She only liked seeing me. Maybe because I didn't really judge her out loud.

'Hey there, soldier,' she said giving me a big hug. 'Out of prison I gather?'

'Yeah and going to another one.'

'Hey Charlie. Haven't seen you in three years. You've grown taller,' she said waving at him. Charlie always got pretty nervous around my sister. He never found anything to say around her.

'How is your dad holding up? Does he still consider me a little cunt?'

'He doesn't mention you,' he said absently, feeling rather awkward.

We all went to eat somewhere near the campus. Georgiana paid.

'Is dad still living on Valium?' she asked as she poured herself some tea.

'Sleeping pills.'

'Oh, okay… as long as he doesn't kill himself. What do you think about this mess?'

'Nothing. I just miss the old house, the old pool, the old tennis court we had in the basement and…'

'You're such a materialistic pig,' she chided me laughing. 'You're so going to the ninth circle of hell.'

'I'll find you there, I won't be lonely.'

She kicked me under the table, like she always did when she wanted me to stay with her longer.

'You know, Will, I think this rather unexpected event is fortunate for you. Maybe now you'll stop being a stuck up prick,' she said sipping from her cup. 'You'll discover the real value of life and become a humble, hardworking young man.'

'No, I'm pretty much safe on that side. I wouldn't go to such lengths as to punish myself.'

'And you Charlie, what are your plans for the school year?'

Charlie was playing with his spaghetti. He was thinking hard for an intelligent answer.

'I want to pass physics for a change. I just want to graduate…get out of there,' he mumbled.

Two hours later, we were already unpacking in our dorms at Green Leaf, alone, with the sound of voices and zippers in the air.

'She's just my sister, a girl, not some high-tech machinery, you pansy. Stop acting like a third-grader around her,' I told him throwing him his tennis ball.

Our room was filled with posters of sportsmen and writers we didn't know. We kept them up for appearance's sake. There was a huge fan we had placed next to the door. The heat was unbearable. The wardrobes were open and moats of dust rolled out of them constantly. The floor was filled with books and magazines.

Green Leaf was a massive building, built around the nineteenth century; at first a church but latter expanded into a school. It had four large dorms – two for the boys, two for the girls and one squat building for classes. There was also the chapel and the cafeteria, the gym and the courts.

The school's annual booklet was on my desk, open at the tuition page.

'I'm not acting like anything, she's intimidating. She's always got something to say about my father. What am I supposed to tell her? Yes, Georgiana, my dad thinks you're a huge harlot?'

'Easy there, talking about my sister.'

'I'm not the one calling her that,' he said throwing the ball back at me.

'But you would, wouldn't you?'

He didn't answer. Instead he pushed his empty suitcase under the bed and cleared out his desk.

'This room is a mess.'

'Just like we left it,' I said throwing myself on the bed.

'Thing is, now that I'm on the roughs, I have to actually make an effort for my grades.'

'God forbid you ever did that,' Charlie said laughing. 'I'd really hold it against you.'

'I would too…' I said looking at the ceiling. 'Why didn't we pay more on insurance? I'm starting to regret that.'

'Don't get all mushy on me now,' he said faking distress. The Bingleys owned two insurance companies.

'You have nothing to worry about, you dumbass,' I told him.

'Oh yeah…I'm in paradise. Soon as I graduate I'm moving to San Tropez and God dammit I'm staying there for ever,' he said playing with his lighter. 'What about you?'

'I'll probably move in with my sister, I hope.'

'You think she'll let you?'

'No. Probably not. I'll make some money. That'll take my mind off things.'

'You don't even know what you're talking about,' Charlie said dryly.

'At least I'm talking about something.'

'Think dad will marry your mom?'

I nodded without replying.

'Think that would be disturbing?'

'Caroline would be my sister. And suddenly the affair takes a very perverse note.'

He threw his pillow on my head. 'You ass.'

I kicked him in the shin and he fell out of the bed. He stayed there on the floor, looking over the scattered magazines.

'Hey, Will.'

'Yeah?'

'This room is a mess.'