Prologue
April 23, 2018
Elizabeth Bennet considered herself to be a reasonable, rational person. After all, she had survived eighteen years in the Bennet household; four years in a tiny, cramped university dorm and three years under her obnoxious boss at her company. She had endured a lot, learnt to control a sharp tongue and had taken every single annoying thing that ever happened in her life with a pleasant smile.
But this was stretching it too far.
"Mom!" Lizzy hissed, watching as her mother gulped down yet another glass of cheap wine that the restaurant provided. "I don't need you to set up a blind date or whatever you think this is. Honestly, don't you think I can manage my own life now? I am twenty-five, for God's sake! Stop trying to meddle." Her voice rose with every syllable, but Delaney Bennet paid her no mind.
"Ooh, there he is," she said, her American accent loud and strong in the tiny London restaurant. "Kevin! Kevin, honey, over here!" Lizzy cringed, turning to face the man in question. Her mother was beaming with delight, fingers wiggling in greeting.
The man himself wasn't that bad if Lizzy was honest with herself. Blonde hair, green eyes and a charming smile—he was someone that she could easily see herself with. If it weren't for the fact that her mother, of all people, was setting up a date between the two of them. Honestly, did she look that desperate?
Despite all her misgivings, Lizzy gave 'Kevin' her most winning smile. Delaney twittered about the poor guy for a few moments before announcing that she 'just had to leave for her sister's place.' She swept away, in a flurry of expensive silk and clacking heels. Lizzy breathed a sigh of relief as she saw her mother go. One problem solved, one more to go.
"So," she began, the smile still firmly on her lips. "What would you like to have for lunch? I've heard that the lasagna is delicious here."
Turned out, Kevin Johnson was an absolute jerk. He was the son of a real estate mogul, set to inherit a large portion of his father's wealth. And he just couldn't shut up about how brilliant he was, how rich he would be and how fortunate Lizzy was to be on a date with him… He was just the kind of person that her mother would deem to be a potential suitor for Lizzy (exactly how Delaney Bennet set up a date between a rich guy like Kevin and herself was still a mystery to her). Now that Jane was off honeymooning with her handsome, dashing, very wealthy husband, her mother focussed all her attention on Lizzy and getting a rich beau for her. Needless to say, Lizzy did not enjoy it.
Eventually, Kevin's rude arrogance and leering stares got the better of her temper and she stood up abruptly, tossed his plate of lasagna all over his expensive dress shirt and made a dramatic exit. Pity. The lasagna was actually very good.
She made her way to a small park and collapsed on a rusty bench. Lizzy was just so tired of all the problems that seemed to be cropping up in her life of late. Her job paid decently, but the boss was domineering, obnoxious and downright horrible. Her father was dying, cancer slowly eating away at him. The medicine was expensive, and seeing her father reduced to such a state took a bigger toll on her heart. Her mum was as oblivious as ever, still acting out the part of a matchmaking mama, throwing and pushing her second daughter at every male with a decent bank balance. She meant well, but Lizzy sometimes wished that she would just stop. At least Jane was happy. Lizzy missed her every day, but she was relieved that she didn't have to worry about Jane too.
Lizzy sighed, looking up at the stars which had just begun to peek out as the sun went down. She didn't realise that she'd been out for so long. She saw something streak across the sky, leaving a white trail in its wake. A shooting star.
Suddenly, on an impulse, Lizzy closed her eyes and made a wish. She felt silly doing it, but who knows? There was a tiny one percent chance that it might work. She remembered her father's voice telling seven-year-old Lizzy that if she wished hard enough, it would come true.
So, she wished. She wished that her life was different, better, happier. She wished that she wasn't dragged down by all these problems and demons that seemed to haunt her.
She wished.
Hi! I'm Lynn! I hope you enjoyed the prologue of A Twist In Time!
A few things you should know about the story:
1. In this universe, the book, Pride and Prejudice does not exist. The characters of P&P are real and have existed in the Regency Era. The two Elizabeth Bennets switch lives. I'll be writing the modern Lizzy in the Regency. If you'd like, I'd write a spinoff for Regency Lizzy in the modern era. (Gosh, this is confusing.)
2. I realise that Lizzy's reasons for wishing for a different life might seem petty and rather... trivial. But don't worry, I've got a lot in store regarding my Lizzy. Just hang in there. ;)
Please leave a review to tell me what you think of this idea and whether I should continue writing it!
~ Lynn