Hello all readers. This is my first Fanfiction ever so I am pretty excited about it. Hopefully you guys like it. It's a modern Pride and Prejudice but I'm not sure if it is going to be a one-shot or longer. Let me know what you guys think! Thanks.

Disclaimer: These characters belong to the fabulous Jane Austen.

Love and Other Things

"Would you like to dance?" a cheery man with fiery red hair asked my sister, Jane.

"Um…sure," she answered, blushing furiously. For some reason, she could not fathom why any man in their right minds would ever consider her an exceptional dancing partner.

I watched her walk into the center of the room, still red in the face, wrap her arms around this unfamiliar man, and start to sway to the slow song. I loved my sister with all my heart but sometimes it was hard not to be jealous of her. She was beautiful, with blue eyes and blonde hair that curled in just the right places. But she was my best friend so I tried to control my thoughts whenever my mind traveled to that jealousy. She was also the most saintly person I had ever known. I had never heard her say one mean thing in my entire life, and I was twenty-two. If I didn't know her I would have hated her. I just don't think its fair for such a beautiful person to have such a beautiful personality too. Well I guess that's not true but when your mom always compares you to someone like Jane ("Why can't you be more like your sister?") you can't help but feel resentful. I would never let Jane know how I feel though. She would feel so rotten for making anyone feel bad that she would probably cry for three days. It's definitely not fun to make a Saint cry, trust me.

I was the opposite of Jane. I had no funnel between my brain and my mouth which was definitely not helpful in most situations. I couldn't really help it, I was just very opinionated. Hey, I think most people would like to hear my thoughts on things. Usually they do actually. Even when people disagree with me, I have an uncanny ability to make them see things my way, most of the time. I also had wild, uncontrollable hair which went hand in hand with my personality. With all these unwanted qualities it was very interesting to me to see that I had a great deal of friends. I guess I was pretty easy to talk to and I have a pretty good sense of humor, if I do say so myself. So as you can see my sister and I were polar opposites.

As I continued to watch Jane and mystery man, I made my way to the bar. My friend parents, the Lucas's, were hosting this party, but I could not find Charlotte anywhere. My other sisters weren't invited because there was alcohol and there is now way in hell they could be trusted around such temptations.

"What can I get you?" the bartender asked once I found my way to the bar.

"I'll just have water. Thanks." I wasn't much of a drinker. I guess I didn't feel the need to intoxicate myself in front of total strangers. I did, however, love to watch people who had drunk themselves to bits. It was interesting to see people act differently than they normally would. I, of course, would never embarrass myself so publicly. I have had one to many drinks many a time, but it was in the privacy of my own home, no spectators and strangers to judge you and your actions.

I scanned the room, looking for anyone I knew so I didn't have to sit all by myself. It's not that I was afraid of being all alone, I just preferred to talk. It was so much entertaining in my opinion.

With no success in my attempts at a familiar face, I decided to watch Jane and her dance partner again. It was then, as I was turning around, that I noticed a man sitting a few spaces down from me. He seemed to be looking in the direction of Jane too. I couldn't help but feel curious. This other mystery man was unbelievably handsome. I had actually never seen someone so gorgeous. He had raven black hair that contrasted with his beautiful eyes. His eyes were an ocean blue, but at a second glace they seemed to turn to a royal blue, a lot darker and smoldering now. Well that was interesting.

Suddenly he turned and looked right at me. I quickly turned my head back to Jane; now I was the one blushing furiously. I can't believe I let him catch me looking at him. I had just broken the number one rule of staring inconspicuously at a stranger; I let him know I was looking. I turned back to see if he was looking at me and he was walking away. I guess that will be the last I see of Mr. Handsome. Oh well, I'll get over it.

The third song ended and Jane and her partner were walking over to me. She was smiling brightly, her face glowing and vibrant.

"Lizzy! Why didn't you come and dance. Oh, it was so much fun." Jane was simply dazzling right now. I had never seen her so happy. And she was always happy. I bet this guy is special. Maybe she'll get married. Ya that'll make my mom happy.

"No, I had fun watching you two. I'm Lizzy by the way," I introduced myself to the man standing next to her.

"Oh, um this is Charles. Charles this is my sister, Lizzy," Jane blushed again, this time embarrassed for her mistake in not introducing us sooner.

The man grabbed my hand and shook it eagerly. Then he went on talking about how amazing my sister was for about five minutes straight. I could feel myself falling in love with him already. No wonder Jane would turn red every few minutes while she was with him. He was positively charming.

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"So anyway, to make a long story short, I decided to become a lawyer after I read To Kill a Mockingbird. I was actually told by countless people that this was a very tedious reason to pick a job, but I knew that it was my destiny to be just like Atticus Finch," Charles finally took a much needed breath after telling us his life story in all less than twenty minutes.

"Wow. I feel as if I've known you my whole life. I think you missed your fifth birthday though. And what happened with that girl from high school who ditched you at prom?" I teased him.

Now it was his turn to blush.

"I guess I did just tell my life story. And I don't even know you. Well this is sorta embarrassing." Charles was blinking furiously and looking around the room. I think he was looking for someone.

"No don't worry about it. I love delving deep into people's lives, especially when I don't even know their last name." I couldn't help it; it was just so easy to tease him.

"Lizzy, leave him alone." Jane felt bad for her man-friend.

Ok, I guess I'll stop.

Charles continued to gaze around the room, intent on finishing his search.

"Are you looking for someone?" I asked.

"Darcy!" he shouted very loudly. Almost everyone was looking at us now. Jane looked down at her feet. She didn't like this much attention on herself.

The man with the ocean eyes was walking towards us. He was still gorgeous, and now that he was standing up he looked even better. He stood well over 6'. If I have one weakness, it's a tall guy. I don't know what it is but if I see a tall man, I swoon. And arms. I love chiseled, strong, masculine arms. But as he came closer I noticed I scowl on his face. He did not look happy to be here. He looked positively miserable, his poor soul. Hopefully he learns how to smile sometime soon. He would look ten times more handsome (if that is even possible) if he just turned that frown upside-down. Whoa! Did I just say that? I guess I am still stuck in the first grade.

"Darcy, where have you been? I've been looking for you everywhere!" Charles clapped Darcy on the shoulder, and to even an outsider you could tell how much Charles admired this man. Darcy on the other hand, grimaced and shook Charles hand off.

"Charles, don't be ridiculous. I saw you and you were most definitely not looking for me. I would have been stuck talking to that horrid man over there. He asked me if I wanted to go to the VIP room. I don't even know what that means." I think this is where he realized he had other observers to his rant besides Charles because this is where he stopped talking, abruptly.

He gazed at me and Jane and I think he was judging us by the way he kept cringing every so often. I was beginning to think that I was not going to like this Darcy very much. He seemed very arrogant and prideful. He looked me over once more before saying,

"I'm leaving, you ready? I cannot stay here one more minute with these insufferable people." He looked at Charles hopefully. I guess he really wanted out of this insufferable room.

"Um…Darcy, this is Jane and her sister Lizzy. Jane, Lizzy, this is my friend Darcy. Oh, uh, Will Darcy." I think Charles was embarrassed by his friend's actions. Why would such I nice guy like Charles be friends with such an ass?

Will Darcy, looking ever more awkward, glared at Charles. He looked down at me again (I am extremely short, so it's really not that hard to look down on me), glowering at me. Like it was my fault he was here when he really wanted to get the fuck out. Really? I did not need to take this crap from a man who didn't know me at all.

"It's, uh, nice to meet you both, uh, yes." He mustered up all the strength inside of him to say this small, somewhat measly few words. Then he looked away again, probably still thinking about when he would get out of here.

I realized that Darcy had an accent. British. That really sucks. I have a thing about accents too. My day could not get any worse. Here is this terrible, terrible man who has done nothing but insult all of the people I know, and he's got all the qualities I am attracted to. Damn it! Shit! Accent, Tall, and I bet anything that he's got some nice arms under that suit. Well I don't care. I will never, ever, possibly condescend to ever like this Darcy, ever! Accents be damned.

"Nice to meet you to Will," Jane replied, ever so polite. "Charles told me his friend was around here somewhere. He told me that you are a doctor? I could never have the intelligence to be a doctor. Or the patience, actually. Lizzy here, she's starting her first year internship in surgery in a few weeks." Jane looked at me with pride in her eyes. She was always so eager to talk about my accomplishments. I, on the other hand, would get shy and quiet whenever someone mentioned my upcoming internship. I graduated high school at fifteen which is why I was an intern at a hospital at twenty-two.

Darcy nodded in her direction but didn't make one acknowledgment towards what he had been told. Jane started to blush again. I swear everything makes that girl turn tomato red.

"Sorry Darce, but I gotta ask this pretty lady to dance once more before we leave," Charles joked as he turned back to Jane

"Would you like to dance again?" And here comes more blushing from both parties. Hey, at least I was entertained by their embarrassment.

"Yes, I'd love too!" Jane smiled brilliantly again. I did love to see her happy. She deserved it.

Now I was stuck with Will Darcy. My day was so not going like a wanted it to go. I didn't want to be here anymore either. I guess I was in the same boat as Darcy too. Not wanting to be silent for the rest of the night, I turned to Darcy and said,

"So, do you want to dance?" I wasn't even sure why I asked. I definitely did not want to dance with him. But I thought I should be polite. Damn mothers and their morals.

"No," and that was the only answer I got before he turned away from me the second time this night. I was shocked. Not even a 'no, thank you.' That was no way for anyone to treat a complete stranger who had never offended him before. What did I even do to him? As I walked back over to my spot at the bar, I was still fuming with anger. That is, until my other best friend, Charlotte, finally came and talked to me for the first time this evening.

"Char! Where have you been? I've been stuck all by myself this whole entire evening and I feel like such a loser and where the hell have you been?" I didn't realize I had been so mad. I didn't even think I should be this mad over a complete stranger. I probably would never see him again. I mean he wasn't that bad. Maybe he was just having a bad day. I was trying to grounds as to why he had been such an ass, but for some reason I was still beyond pissed.

"Lizzy, I'm sorry. I've been busy being the daughter of the host's. Making rounds, saying hellos, you know the drill." Charlotte had been my best friend since third grade. These two boys were picking on her and after I kicked them in the balls and told them to go to hell (I knew an astounding amount of swear words before the time I was ten due to my mom, who didn't have a censor for her children ear's), we became best friends.

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"So this man was such an ass to me and I didn't even do anything at all. Like not one word. I don't get it. Sometimes people just make me so mad!" Ten minutes later Jane was still dancing, Darcy was still out of sight, and I had broken my rule of no drinking in public. And I still didn't know why I cared this much. I was venting to Charlotte who I have to say was being a great listener. She sat there and would nod and grunt and shrug every few minutes.

"He is not worth your time. Just forget about it. I'm sure he didn't even realize he was being rude. Maybe he just had a bad day. Or maybe he can't dance." Charlotte was exasperated and she just wanted to go and dance and not listen to this story anymore. She loved Lizzy but she could not listen to this rant any longer. Thank god Lizzy decided she had to go to the bathroom couple of minutes later.

"I gotta pee. So I guess this means you are free to go and play. No more listening to my craziness." I got up and headed towards the bathroom. Not very gracefully though. This is why I do not like to drink in a crowd. I'm such a lightweight that two glasses of champagne goes right through me.

While I was trying to find the bathroom, I saw Charles talking to his friend. When I passed them I heard my name so I stopped and listened. My mom, being the number one mom in the world (did you catch my sarcasm?), happened to teach us children that eavesdropping was polite.

"Darce, you are being such a bastard. Go and have some fun! Ask Jane's sister to dance. They are a very fine pair of sisters. I think Jane is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen." I was beginning to love Charles even more. I could really see Jane falling for him. And our mom definitely would love him so that was a plus.

"She is tolerable but not handsome enough to tempt me." He curtly replied. And by his tone I could tell that this was the end of that conversation.

I walked away and I could feel the tears starting to swell in my eyes. I swear! I have never met such a terrible man. And who the fuck calls a girl handsome anymore. What? Is he living in the eighteenth century? And why was a crying? I shouldn't let this man get to me. I walked into the bathroom and looked into the mirror.

I thought I looked fine. I even looked better than usual. I actually did my makeup and Jane did my hair. I was wearing a little black dress which I thought was appropriate. Apparently I got it all wrong. I stood back and looked at the reflection carefully, inspecting everything that I saw.

After a good five minutes, I decided that this so called Will Darcy was wrong. I looked beautiful in my good opinion. I even got a few wolf whistles on my way out of my apartment this afternoon. Well fuck him! He could just go and find someone else to criticize. Honestly, how in the world could Charles be friends with him?

I walked out of the bathroom and saw Jane standing next to her new boyfriend and his pissy friend. I stomped straight up to them and told Jane we should leave.

"You have a client tomorrow, at 7 in the morning. You don't want to be late do you?" I knew she would come with me. She was a social worker. Jane loved her job and she loved her clients more.

"Um sure, let me just get my coat," she looked a bit sad, knowing she had to leave Charles. She had only just met him a few hours ago, but I felt like it was going to turn into more. Usually I was right about these things. I bet she got his number over an hour ago.

Realizing I was still standing next to Darcy, I gathered myself, looked him straight in the eyes, and said, "Nice to meet you. I hope I was tolerable enough for you."

He got very red. And I got very happy.

As I walked away to find Jane and hail a cab, I couldn't help by feel extremely grateful to whatever higher power was looking over New York today because I knew that this was the last time I would ever have to see the intolerable Mr. Will Darcy for the rest of my life.

I hope you all enjoyed my first piece of writing. Let me know if you want me to continue. Thanks.