AN: I know that there are a million-and-one Pride and Prejudice fics out there, but I've been watching the movies lately and became inspired to try my own thing.

Sunday April 5th.

Let me start off my saying that, having finally decided to start a journal, diary thing, I'll try to be as honest as I possibly can when writing in here. That's what a diary is for, isn't it?

First, an introduction.

My name is Lizzie Bennet. Elizabeth Rosemary Bennet, if Mom is angry with me. We live in Meryton, which is a small country town in Connecticut, about an hour's drive away from Bridgeport. It's barely on the map, so I wouldn't even bother looking for it. I guess you could say we're middle-class; we're not rich and we're not desolate. We get along just fine.

Dad's got his job as a farmer (more of an overseer, actually; we own the farm but have people working for us), and his being on the town council, which gives him the excuse to be away from Mom most of the time, who decided to leave school once they got married to be a full-time housewife and spend all of her time at home (or gossiping at her weekly sewing bee), which is weird because she's always complaining about having to do housework.

One might ask why a woman in this day and age would give up such a great education and do something so old-fashioned. Isn't it outdated for a woman to stay at home and watch the kids while her husband is off working?

I might agree with that, but I think I could let my mom's ideology slide just this one time, because when you live in a house with five kids, someone's got to make sure the house doesn't burn down.

Oh yeah. There are five of us. All girls, too. I guess it's because they were trying so hard for a boy, but after my last sister was born, they gave up.

Jane's the oldest at 26. Now, I know people are going to think I'm only saying this because she's my sister, but she's the prettiest one in the family, possibly our whole town. I'll even go as far to say she's prettier than most of the girls I've seen in the city. She has these huge, blue-green eyes and long, thick curly hair in the most amazing auburn colour (which she gets from Mom's side of the family). I remember guys in high school literally drooling when she smiled at them, which was all the time, because aside from being gorgeous, Jane is the nicest, most kind-hearted person you'd ever meet. She works at a flower shop in the center of town, which I think is the perfect job for her; no one can resist buying flowers when they surround such a beautiful woman.

I'm next, being one year younger than Jane. I've heard people call me an Amazon, because of my 'fierce nature', whatever that means. Maybe it's because I'm not afraid to speak my mind. Looking in the mirror right now, I guess I could say I'm pretty; wavy dark hair, brown eyes, good teeth (I never needed braces, thank God). I inherited my dad's looks which is why I think I'm his favourite. Mom says that I'm the prettiest after Jane, so at least I have that going for me. I could really care less though. I'm happy with the way my life is going; I have a degree in journalism from Trinity College and when I'm not writing for our local newspaper, I help Dad out on the farm, mostly because I'm not afraid to get my hands dirty.

Mary's after me. She's 21, and now that I think about it, I don't remember ever seeing her go a day without her nose in a book. She's really shy, and I guess you could call her the black sheep of the family. She's attractive in a different way, I think (she has dad's dark hair and mom's hazel eyes). If only she would open up and talk to us without making herself sound like a preacher ("I think this is the best way to do things", blah blah blah). She's always playing the piano we have in the living room, as if the sound could drown out the constant arguing between Kitty and Lydia. She works in the small library we have in town, which she says is good because she doesn't have to deal with 'stupid people'. Lydia calls her 'Miss Snobby-pants', and I think it's kind of true; Mary thinks she too good for us, when the sad reality is that she's the odd one out.

Kitty, or Katherine, is 19. She got her nickname from bringing in a stray cat once when she was four. She's a cutie pie with straight blonde hair and blue eyes like Jane's, only darker. She used to follow me everywhere when she was little, but ever since Lydia passed puberty, they've become inseparable. Kitty goes where Lydia goes, like a shadow, no matter how ridiculous the idea is. That's pretty much all I can say about her, and that's depressing.

Lastly, we have Lydia. Wow. What can I say about little Lydia? She's just turned eighteen, and she's made sure she let's everyone know it. She's got a pixie-face, and she's very pretty with strawberry blonde hair and brown eyes. She's always got the best gossip, and she's always lording herself over poor Kitty, who's protests to Mom fall on deaf ears. Lydia is Mom's favourite, and it's not hard to see why; they're exactly the same. She's jealous of Jane because Jane is prettier than all of us, and she demands the spotlight at every event that she goes to. She picks on poor Mary because it's easy, but she wouldn't dare try that with me, because she knows I'd let her have it (which I have). She's loud, she's immature (though she tries to act like she's older) and she's the most selfish person to ever walk the planet, but she's my sister and I love her regardless.

That's my life, I guess. The five of us against the world.