Have you ever tried to read a kinesiology textbook while stretching your center split? It's really not all that fun. But when your mother says jump…
You become a ballerina.
My name's Lizzie Bennett, one of the principal dancers of the Longbourn Dance Company. Notice I said one of. My sister Jane is the best. Principal dancer, prima ballerina, best of the best. I'm a little too short, little too curvy, so I come in second place. Not that I'm jealous. Jane's basically perfect and I couldn't hate her if I tried.
Then we have Charlotte Lucas, my best friend. She makes up a part of the corps de ballet, or corps for short. She's really smart and savvy, and she's going to school for business at the same time as she works in the company.
Of course we can't forget Kitty and Lydia Benedict. They're our youngest dancers- Kitty's sixteen and Lydia's only fifteen. It's pretty impressive they're in the company. They could use some maturing though- they're both boy crazy, and not very dedicated to their craft. Which is a shame, because they'd be amazing if they put their minds to it.
Lastly, we have Anne de Bourg, Lady B's daughter. Anne… she's kind of a sad story. We're all positive she has some kind of eating disorder, but Lady de Bourg encourages her instead of getting her treatment. See, ballerinas are supposed to be super light so you can throw us around, and stick thin so we have a nice form line. Lady B just sees it as Anne doing everything she can to make herself a better ballerina. They say one in five ballerinas have anorexia. It's a rough statistic. We just all hope that Lady B wakes up soon.
Oh, I forgot! Lady B is our company leader and choreographer. Her full name is Lady Catherine de Bourg, but I just call her Lady B. It drives her CRAZY!
And we can't forget about Mary Benally, our pianist. We wouldn't be anywhere without her beautiful music!
So anyway, here I am, stretching my center split and reading my kinese book, when my sister Jane walks into the studio.
"Good morning Lizzie. Studying?" Jane asked, beginning to stretch herself.
"Always. Do you know what it's like to go to school and dance?" I groaned. It was a rhetorical question. Jane, being the older and more perfect of us, had finished her schooling before auditioning for the Longbourn Dance Company.
"Of course I don't. Have you seen Kitty and Lydia?"
"No, unfortunately. If they're late again Lady de Bourg will have a conniption fit. Is Mary on her way?"
"I just passed her in the parking lot." Jane nodded. "Help me get the barres out?"
"Of course." I stood and closed my book, walking to the side of the studio to pick of the portable barres. Little secret? I HATE getting the barres out. They're all heavy and awkward to carry, but does anyone else get here on time to get them out? Noooo.
Charlotte and Mary walked in, after we finished setting up the barres. Figures.
"Good morning guys! It's so good to see you!" Jane cried, hugging Charlotte. Charlotte grinned, and then hugged Jane back, moving to my side. Cause we're besties.
"Morning Jane." Mary replied, taking her place at the piano. She ran a few scales to warm up.
At that moment Lady B swept into the room, and I meant swept. Lady B is pretty dramatic like that. Anne followed behind kind of meekly. She's a really shy girl. I personally think it comes from having someone as intense as Lady B for a mother. Poor girl.
"Good morning ladies. Where are Kathryn and Lydia?" Lady de Bourg asked, while Anne moved to stand with the rest of the dancers.
"Here! We're here!" Lydia cried, running in the door with her sister trailing behind.
"Missus Benedict. Were you not listening when I told you what would happen upon your next tardy arrival?" Lady de Bourg spat, and the two girls shrank. Well crap. I was really hoping they'd beat Lady B in today.
"We would be kicked out of the company and can only take classes." Kitty spoke up quietly. I couldn't keep my mouth shut. I have that problem a lot. That's why Lady B hates me. Probably.
"Please, Lady de Bourg, they were very close to on time." I defended. "And they're the youngest students in the company. They haven't matured yet." Really, it wasn't fair! Plus we needed all the regular dancers we could get in the company. Meryton is a pretty small town…
Lady de Bourg turned her gaze to me, glaring for several seconds. I told you she hates me! But really, by this point she shouldn't expect me to keep my mouth shut.
"Very well. Kathryn, Lydia, you may stay in the company for now, but one more tardy and you are back to lessons only." SUCCESS!
"Thank you thank you thank you!" The two girls cried, taking their place at the barre.
And then Lady B dropped the bomb on us. Are you ready for this?
"Before we begin class today, I have an announcement. We have a new student, Miss Caroline Bingley. Her brother is one of our benefactors and helps pay your salary as well as the studio fees."
That's right. A new student. What up!
"I thought our shows paid our salaries?" Lydia raised her hand, and Lady B smiled patronizingly.
"My dear, this is the twenty first century and you are in a dance company in Meryton. Do you really think you bring in enough funds to keep our studio open, as well as fund your salaries? We bring in more money teaching lessons then your shows, and what we can't cover Mr. Bingley and my nephew cover."
Kinda harsh, but true.
"So they're rich?" Kitty giggled, and Lydia pretended to swoon. Oh bother.
"Let's hope they're handsome." Lydia added.
"We'll hope no such thing. You girls ought to concentrate on your art, not on boys. Why just look at Elizabeth. She's twenty three years old and has never had a stable relationship!"
Wow. Ok. That… didn't hurt at all.
I'm lying, it totally stung.
But only a little. I have thick skin.
I'm still lying, I hate Lady B's guts now.
"Miss Bingley?" Lady B called, and into the room walked the most RIDICULOUS looking girl I had EVER seen.
Ok, she was rich. That much was obvious. Her platinum blonde hair was pulled into the perfect ballerina bun, and she was wearing designer jewelry, which threw me off because who wears jewelry to dance? That much was mostly normal. But once you got to her leotard? Oh Lord. This girl was wearing a bright orange leotard with diamonds all over it, and green tights. She looked like a sparkly carrot! Jane and I were both dressed in black leos with pink tights, Anne was in black on black, Kitty was in a blue leo with black tights, and Lydia was in a pink leo with black tights, but orange? ORANGE? That's just… ridiculous. And kind of gross. Like, it didn't look good at all.
"Miss Bingley, these are the Bennett girls, Jane and Elizabeth, Charlotte Lucas, the Benedict sisters Kathryn and Lydia, and my own daughter Anne de Bourg." Lady de Bourg introduced.
"Pleasure" Caroline declared through a tight lipped smile that indicated the opposite. "Isn't this… quaint." Great! So she's a rich snob. Just what we needed in our company!
"Now Caro, be nice. This may not be like our studio in London, but as long as we're at Netherfield, you'll study here. It's the best dance company in Hertfordshire!" A man reprimanded, entering the studio. We all collectively winced as he walked on the Marley with his street shoes. That's a big no-no in dance.
"Charles, take your shoes off!" Caroline snapped.
A second man stepped onto the Marley, and, I'm ashamed to admit, I gasped, then coughed to try and cover it. This man was GORGEOUS. A fine specimen of man. We're talking soft black hair, the bluest of all the blue eyes, chiseled jaw… Alarm bells went off in my head as I realized who this man was. This was William Darcy.
Yeah. I know.
William Freaking OH MY GOD Darcy.
Wait. You don't know who he is?
THE William Darcy? One of the greatest danseurs of the twenty first century? Principal Danseur in the Pemberly National Ballet? And he was here in my class! I turned to share this revelation with Jane and found her enraptured by the other man.
OH MY GOD!
Jane has a crush!
EEEEEEEE!
I promptly made goo-goo kissy faces at Jane until she noticed and blushed.
"Elizabeth. What on earth are you doing with your face?" Lady de Bourg asked, and I turned around quickly. SHIT!
"Nothing. I, uh, had something in my eye." I lied, and Jane giggled. Traitor.
"Anyway, ladies, take your places at the barre. We've wasted enough time. Charles, William, you are more than welcome to stay and watch."
"That's just great. William Darcy's going to be watching us." I murmured to Jane, terribly, horribly nervous.
"Oh, that's who he is? I thought he looked familiar." Jane replied. "I'm sure he's perfectly nice. But what if I mess up because Charles is watching? He seems so sweet, funding the studio when he's never even met us before." Really, Jane, really? HE'S WILLIAM FREAKING DARCY AND YOU"RE WORRIED ABOUT CHARLES? Mary began playing, and we rushed to get into position.
"Demi plié, and stretch, and demi, and stretch, relevé, and lower, and relevé and lower" Lady de Bourg called. "Grand plié, rise up, and port de corps, now tondu to second."
I focused on Jane the entire class, in order to not look into the corner where (gasp) WILLIAM DACY stood. I glanced over at him once, in the middle of my solo in the piece Lady B choreographed, and I fumbled my pirouette, only managing to squeeze in a single instead of the triple I was supposed to do! Seriously, my career is over. Forever. I am dead now. Lady B gave us a break, and I stormed off to get water, hating myself.
"Oh my God, she's such an angel!" I overheard, smiling to myself when I realized it was Charles. How cute! He must be as awestruck about Jane as she was to him. Unless… oh my God, what if he was talking about someone else? Jane would be heartbroken! I HAD to investigate.
"Charles, you think every girl you meet is an angel." A deep voice replied, and I stuffed my fist in my mouth to keep from squealing. It was WILLIAM!
"Jane truly is though! Will, have you seen her dance? And she is so sweet, giggling with her friends, and she is so gentle and kind." Wow. He had it bad. Good for Jane!
"You exchanged two sentences with her. You don't know this girl." William frowned. Jane talked to Charles? You go girl! Rockin' it! Getting the booty! What up! I did a silent fist pump for my sister.
"I will once I talk to her more. And you're one to talk. You haven't spoken to any of the dancers. What about Jane's sister, Elizabeth? She was a very good dancer."
OH MY GOD CHARLES JUST ASKED WILLIAM DARCY'S OPINION OF ME! I'M DYING!
"A good dancer that can't manage more than a single pirouette. And she could stand to lose a good ten pounds too. She's probably weighing herself down and that's why she can't get off the floor. What's more, she doesn't seem dedicated to her craft. Did you see her talking with her sister during class?"
WHAT.
I CAN'T EVEN.
I AM DEAD.
LIZZIE CAN'T COME TO THE PHONE RIGHT NOW, HER HERO THINKS SHE'S A FAT LAZY SLOB WHO CAN'T DANCE AND NOW SHE'S DEAD. PLEASE LEAVE A MESSAGE AFTER THE BEEP.
Seriously, they always say never meet your idol and I never understood why until right now because my idol is a big fat poopie head! I quickly stepped away into the bathroom, where I ran into Jane.
"Lizzie! What's wrong?"
"Charles loves you and William 'evil twat' Darcy thinks I'm fat and a bad dancer and I have no discipline and now I'm dead!" I blurted out.
"Charles loves me?" Jane asked, brightening. Seriously?
"Jane! Focus! My hero thinks I'm fat, lazy, and a bad dancer! This is a real problem here!"
"Oh, Lizzie, are you sure that's what he said? Maybe you misunderstood him."
"Jane, you're too nice. My idol is a jerk. That's all there is to it." I groaned. All of my hopes and dreams are destroyed!
"Maybe he's tired. He did fly all the way here from London. He might have just had a bad day."
"No way, Jane. There's no excusing him. He called me fat! No, William Darcy is an asshole, and I'm gonna make him rue the day he ever messed with Lizzie Bennett!"
And rue it he will.