Chapter Two


"Oh my god," Lydia announced. "Lizzie...you look...presentable. For once."

"Gee thanks," said Lizzie sarcastically. But on the inside she was pleased. That was considered quite a compliment from her younger sister. Lizzie was wearing a pleated black skirt that reached the middle of her thigh, a silver chain belt, a dark red, off-the-shoulder shirt and some black strappy sandals. She looked nothing near as pretty as Jane (no one ever did) but she felt very good about herself tonight.

The four girls were about ready to leave when they heard the door open. It was Carter letting himself in. He looked at them for a moment with wide eyes. "You all look gorgeous! How'd you know I was coming over? You really shouldn't have gone to all this fuss."

Lydia gave the girlish giggle that always appeared when she was getting ready to go out. Lizzie rolled her eyes and turned back to Carter. "What are you doing in the city? I thought you were working at the garage this weekend."

"Lizzie, you're a nut! I told you yesterday that your dad gave me the weekend off and I asked you if it would be ok if I spent the weekend here with you. Remember?"

Lizzie grinned sheepishly. What with the fight with Luke and her parents coming to town, she had forgotten. "I'm so sorry, Carter. I completely forgot. I don't know what's wrong with me."

Carter smiled and leaned out the door to grab his bag, which was in the hallway. "So where are you ladies going?"

"Oh! We're going to a party near the Columbia campus that Lydia got invited to. Want to come?" Lizzie asked, trying to be nonchalant, and knowing Carter would see right through it.

He raised his eyebrows at her. "You're going to a party? A Columbia party?"

"Shut up, Carter. You coming or not?"

"Oh yeah I am. I haven't seen you at a party in months. Maybe I can get you drunk," he smiled and walked into Lizzie's bedroom to change.

"Hurry up Carter, we don't want to be late," said a frustrated Lydia.

"Being a half-hour late to a party like this won't make a difference," whispered Lizzie under her breath as she walked towards Jane's room. "Oh my god!" she said mocking Lydia. "I missed a keg stand! Whatever will I do!"

"Hey, now," said Jane, following her. She closed the door of her bedroom behind them. "Relax, Lizzie. Honestly, what on earth is wrong with you? Ever since you got back from the gallery yesterday you've been in a rotten mood. I've never known you to be in a bad mood for so long before. What happened?"

Lizzie knew she was acting terribly. She couldn't shake the cloud that had been hanging over since she had fought with Luke. It was this feeling of self-doubt that Luke had planted in her. It was making her feel awful. She told Jane what had happened at the gallery. "...and now I've been wondering if I have made a mistake. I'm angry with myself for yelling at him...I don't know," she sighed and flopped down on the bed.

Jane sat next to her. "Lizzie, I've never seen you happier than when you were here, painting and making your own rules. I know this isn't what the family expected of you, but I never doubted that you made the right decision. College isn't you, Lizzie. For a lot of people it is, but you aren't a lot of people and I love you for deciding what works for you and sticking with it. I think...ever since Carly decided to get married, you've been having doubts about your art, your life, and your friends. I know her decision surprised you and that your relationship has changed forever because of it, but you can't doubt yourself. You know what's best for you. I believe you are doing the right thing. I wish I could be as sure about my life as you seem to be about yours."

Lizzie smiled and hugged her sister. Jane never failed to make her feel ten times better. "Now," Jane said, "you can't go to a party feeling down. You need a little pick-me-up." Her eyes twinkled.

"Jane!" said Lizzie laughing. "I'll have one if you have one!"

Jane grinned at Lizzie and they went into the kitchen where they found Lydia, Carly and Carter had already found the vodka.

"Heeeey! Lizzie! Jane!" yelled Lydia, pink cheeked. "Have a shot before we go!"

Lizzie downed one quickly and, squinting, decided she'd wait until the party for more. Jane put the shot glass to her lips, but Lizzie was the only one who noticed that she didn't actually have more than a sip. Now that they were all 'ready' they made their way down the five flights of stairs and onto the street to call a cab.


"Man, I'm so squished!" Lydia complained once they were all in the cab. "My shirt is going to be so wrinkled!"

"Lydia, I'm sure, by the end of the night your shirt will be very wrinkled anyway," grinned Carter. Lydia punched him. "So Lizzie," he whispered. "Am I going to force you to have fun tonight? Or will you manage on your own?"

Lizzie laughed. "I'll be fine, Carter. Just because we haven't been to a party together in a while doesn't mean I have forgotten how it's done!"

"Well, you did forget that I was coming over this weekend. What kind of friend are you anyway?" he asked, feigning offense.

"My dear, I offer my deepest apologies. Is there anyway in the world I can make it up to you?"

Carter grinned again. "There is one way..."

Lizzie smiled until it dawned on her. "Oh no, Carter. I don't do that anymore! It's been ages; I'm probably not even any good anymore!"

"Give me a break! You probably practice in your room! Come on, I haven't won once since we stopped playing together. And you owe me one anyway."

"Fine," Lizzie grumbled, a small smile playing on her lips. "I'll play beer pong with you. But only if they already have a table up and I'll only play until we lose. No more."

Carter's grin got even bigger. "Ha! This night is going to be excellent."


Darcy groaned spectacularly at his reflection in the mirror. He couldn't believe he'd been roped into to going to a stupid childish party like this. Caroline had been adamant and Charlie, who had been very bored, had jumped at the opportunity to get out for the night. Darcy could think of half a dozen places that would have been much more entertaining for them to go to tonight, but the Bingleys had settled on this silly college party. He was too old for this. When he mentioned that to Charlie, all he got was a laugh in the face.

"Darce! You sound like an old man when you speak like that. Come to the party and try to pretend that you aren't a hundred years old. There'll be plenty of new and interesting people for you to meet."

Bings didn't get it. William Darcy didn't meet people. They met him. "Oh come off it," he told his reflection. "Face facts, man! You suck at meeting new people." He'd always been more on the shy side, but since moving to the States to get his MBA he'd been even more introverted. All these vulgar Americans and their, "Oh my god! Are you from England?"

Darcy rolled his eyes. He got that every time he opened his mouth to begin an intelligent conversation. Then he had to correct them. "No I'm from Scotland." "Oh, really? Where's that?"

But Charlie had insisted he come. Charlie was one of the only Americans he could tolerate. In fact, Darcy liked Charlie quite a lot. They were fast becoming good friends and were it not for Caroline, Charlie would have been the perfect friend. Unfortunately, Bings and his sister lived together in the city and Caroline had developed a bit of a thing for Darcy.

And now he had to spend the entire evening with people he didn't know getting drunk. And possibly worse, Caroline getting drunk.

Tonight was going to be a disaster.


Lizzie and Carter had gone through five rounds of beer pong before they were defeated and Lizzie couldn't pretend that she didn't have a good time. She and Carter were very good for never having gone to college. Lizzie had come to the decision that the only thing she could learn how to do better if she did go to college was play pong. She and Carter made their way to the patio.

"Woops!" said Carter, helping Lizzie to right herself after she tripped on an empty beer can. "You all right? I'll say you've lost some of your tolerance. Haven't done this in a while, have you?"

Lizzie did feel a little dizzy. "Let's sit, Car." He found them a pair of chairs. "No, I haven't done this in a while, but I'll sober up in a few minutes and I'll be fine. You were the one who made me play pong anyway. It's your fault I've been reduced to my present state."

Carter laughed. "Too true. I'm thoroughly evil. But evil as I am, I'll stay with you till you can walk without falling."

"Good plan," said Lizzie. "Where's Carly and Lydia?"

"Lydia is draped over those two tough looking guys over there--"

"The girls like a blanket! She belongs on a bed."

"--and Carly is chatting up that short guy who we played pong with the third time around."

"The short guy?"

"Yeah, you know, he was wearing the neon shirt--"

"Yes I know who he is! Jeez, she's really desperate, isn't she?"

Carter looked at her blankly. "She's just lonely, Liz, you know that. Let her have Shorty. Unless you want him, then I'll be sure to go right over there and break the two of them up."

Lizzie laughed loudly. "No, she got him first. Damn! If only I'd been faster." She and Carter chuckled. "Where's Jane?"

Carter looked around. "I don't know." He frowned. Lizzie sobered up immediately. "Actually, I haven't seen her since we started playing pong. You want to go look for her?"

"Yeah," Lizzie stood up. She hadn't seen Jane in a while. They made their way back into the house and had looked through three rooms before finding her in a corner talking to a blond man Lizzie had never seen before. Catching sight of them, Jane motioned for them to come over.

"Lizzie, Carter--this is Charlie Bingley. He goes to Columbia too. That girl over there with the black hair is his sister Caroline and that man standing by the fern is his best friend William Darcy." Lizzie looked at the girl Caroline who was regarding the keg with a look of confusion and disgust. The man Jane pointed out as Darcy was more standing behind the fern rather than by it. He looked determined not to notice anyone. Oh dear, she thought to herself. What kind of weird guy has Jane made friends with now?

But, to Lizzie's delight, Charlie Bingley was as kind and friendly and Jane herself was. He expressed an unfeigned interest when he found out that Lizzie painted and admired Carter for his work as a mechanic. But he paid much more attention to Jane. Lizzie could tell her sister really liked this guy.

As she and Carter left Jane and Charlie to themselves, Carter raised his eyebrows at her and Lizzie smiled lightly in response. She sat down in the cleanest looking chair she could find and Carter went to chat up some girl who was looking rather lonely.

All in all, Lizzie was having a very good time at this party. Carly wasn't getting into nearly as much trouble as Lizzie had expected, Jane had met what seemed like a fabulous new guy and she and Carter were having fun like they used to when they were in high school. Ever since they had graduated and Lizzie moved to the city, they had spent less time with each other; it was good be together at parties again.

Suddenly Lizzie noticed that Charlie's friend Darcy had moved to one of the pillars near her chair. He was a handsome guy. Tall with dark, curly hair and...well, he did have very nice broad shoulders. Lizzie would have smiled at him, but he was surveying the guests of the party with a look of mild distaste. He certainly wasn't making any attempt to enjoy himself. Lizzie laughed slightly. Maybe if he loosened up and grabbed a beer he would have a little more fun. She turned around in her chair and saw Carter making the girl he was talking with laugh.

She heard her sister's name being mentioned behind her. Glancing quickly she saw that Charlie had come up to talk to his friend. "...name's Jane Bennet. She goes to Columbia too. Physical therapy. Can't believe I haven't seen her before."

"You two haven't completely different classes," Lizzie heard Darcy say.

"Yes, but I mean on campus or at the library or something. Anyway, I'm so glad I've met her. She's very smart. Very nice," Charlie said, eagerly.

"Beautiful too, I suppose," said Darcy, appearing bored.

"Of course she is! Darcy you saw her. She's an angel" Lizzie grinned. Darcy raised his eyebrows at Charlie in disbelief. Lizzie glared at him.

"I guess this means we'll be at this terrible party for a while longer then, eh?"

"Darce, I have to stay a bit longer. I want to talk to Jane some more. I just came over to make sure you were doing well."

"Doing well? Here? Surely you jest, Bings. I'd have more fun if I were in my micro class with Professor Trisento."

Charlie laughed. "Darcy! The party isn't nearly so bad. You could meet some of Caroline's friends--" Darcy scoffed "--or get yourself a beer."

"I've tried. It's mostly foam." Lizzie had to agree with this. She and Carter probably drank it all. She laughed to herself again.

"Or there," continued Charlie," there's Jane's sister. I think her name's Lizzie. She's a painter. I could get Jane to introduce you. She's very pretty."

Lizzie smiled again. This Charlie guy was rising higher and higher on her list of great guys. He was almost good enough for Jane by now.

But Darcy heaved a loud, frustrated sigh. "Bingley, enough. I'll not be passed off to some eccentric artist turned drunken wallflower. I'd rather throw myself from a moving car."

Lizzie sat straight up. She didn't just hear that. No person on earth would say something like that about another person sitting not six feet away.

"Jeez. That was a bit harsh, Darcy," Charlie whispered to his friend.

Lizzie turned around and she and Darcy looked at each other for a moment. His eyes widened briefly, then, recovering himself, he frowned and said, "I'm sorry, Charlie. I'm going to go. Tell Caroline I'm sorry for leaving early." He stormed away, leaving Charlie staring after him.

Charlie smiled sheepishly at Lizzie and walked quickly back towards Jane. Lizzie stood up and looked around the party. She was furious. She ran quickly to the beer pong table and grabbed a cup full of beer then made her way to the front entrance where Darcy was getting his coat. Lizzie had every intention of spilling the beer onto his expensive looking suit, but then stopped herself. She wasn't going to let this namby-pamby, arrogant asshole turn her into some angry drunk. No, she thought. She'd be her wonderful, eloquent self and give him a smart telling off that would last longer than a beer stain on his precious suit.

Lizzie tapped Darcy lightly on the shoulder and he turned around. "Hi!" she said cheerily. "Haven't we met before? I thought I saw you last weekend at that club downtown...you know...the one on 14th Street?"

Darcy's frown grew more severe. "Positively not. I don't go to places like that..." he trailed off, realizing that he was in for more than a pick-up line.

"Oh neither do I," Lizzie said, the fake smile immediately wiped from her face. "You just looked like the kind of guy who might, that's all. I was just curious. You know, I like to give people the benefit of the doubt before just assuming the worst about someone I haven't even met. Anyway, I'm Lizzie." She held up the beer in her hand to Darcy and smiled again. "Beer?"

Darcy backed away. "No, I was just on my way out, actually," he muttered.

A triumphant Lizzie watched him stumble on his way out the door and took a swig of the beer in her hand. Turning back to the party, she saw Carter and Jane rounding up Carly and Lydia, both were very drunk.

"We need to go," said Jane, worriedly. "I think Lydia may pass out...are you ok?"

Lizzie grinned. "I'm wonderful. Let's go!"

Jane and Carter carried Lydia out the door and flagged down a cab while Lizzie helped Carly out of the house. Feeling very energized after her encounter with Darcy, Lizzie was a little sad to be leaving the party, but as soon as she got into the cab a feeling of exhaustion overwhelmed her and once she got back to the apartment, she fell asleep in an instant.