The pair slid into the car. It was still warm from the drive up.
"So," she said, hoping to start some sort of conversation. She hated her need for incessant babble.
"So."
Lizzy huffed.
"How're your studies going?" he asked.
"Fine. Lots of English, but I'm sure you know how that is."
"What're you taking this semester?"
"Shakespearean Comedy, Shakespearean tragedy, some bull shit science course to get rid of a few requirements, and a creative writing class."
"Creative writing?"
"Yeah," she said, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.
"Any particular reason?"
"I don't want to say."
"Sometimes it's easier to talk to strangers." She rolled her eyes as he parroted her words back to her, ignoring the grin that had slid onto his face.
"Well, I sort of want to be a writer when I graduate. I mean, obviously it's probably not going to happen, but I'd love to screen write or do novels or really anything. I don't really have any other marketable skills, and it just seems like the best thing to do." Her monologue was interrupted as they pulled up to a general store. She slid out of the car before he could ask her another question and walked into the market.
The store was small, but seemed to have everything they would need. Jane had slipped Lizzy a list of what to get. She was picking out apples when Darcy caught up with her.
"Anything you need me to get?" he asked. She consulted the list.
"Well, we need milk and eggs. If you wanna get that, I'll get all the vegetables."
"What are we having for dinner?" Lizzy frowned and shot a text to Jane. She heard back moments later.
"Charlie ordered pizza. We've been instructed to pick it up, so we should probably be quick here. Is there anything specific we should get for breakfast?"
"If we have eggs, I'll go get some bacon. If they have avocados and tomatoes, pick some of those up. I'll get bread."
"Sounds good to me," she said. He nodded and went off to gather his purchases. She almost had to laugh at how domestic they were being.
She gathered apples, tomatoes, avocadoes, onions, and potatoes happily. She'd always felt comfortable in supermarkets. She would have started to hum if that hadn't been so ridiculous.
After ten minutes or so, she met Darcy in front of the store. He piled everything onto the conveyer belt and paid with an Amex Black. Lizzy rolled her eyes.
"Part of me going to the story was to thank Charlie for letting us stay here."
"It's no trouble," he said, voice deepened. The cashier giggled and printed his receipt. They got back into the car and drove to pick up pizza.
"So," she said, "Since you know all about my future, it's only fair that you tell me about yours."
"It's complicated."
"You know, when you call everything complicated, it starts to lose its meaning."
"It actually is complicated."
"Feel free to tell me."
"My father owned a rather large company that I'm currently being groomed to take over." The cogs in Lizzy's head finally clicked together.
"Wait, you're Will Darcy? As in, Fitzwilliam Darcy? The son of Andrew Darcy, who—"
"Yes. You needn't continue listing familial accomplishments." Lizzy sat back in her chair.
"Wow. Weird that I didn't put that together." She paused for a minute. "Sorry about your dad."
"It's been a year. I'm starting to get used to it." There were a few moments of silence.
"So I guess that explains the business degree."
"It's important that I continue my family's work," he said curtly. She raised an eyebrow and looked out the window. They reached the pizza place. Darcy said he'd only be a moment. Lizzy elected to stay in the car. As soon as he was gone, she called Jane.
"Hello," she said in her sing-song voice.
"Why didn't you tell me Darcy was…well, Will Darcy."
"I thought you knew."
"No, I did not know that I just spent the last thirteen hours talking to the heir of a multi-billion dollar media company."
"I don't see why this is important to you."
"It isn't. It's not like I would've treated him differently. It's just—"
"Lizzy, what?"
"I told him I wanted to write."
"You tell a lot of people you want to write, and it's not exactly untrue."
"Well, yeah, but he's gonna think I'm asking for him to publish something of mine or something."
"I really don't think he's gonna think that."
"But what if he thinks I'm just trying to get a favor out of him?"
"Why wouldn't you want him to think that?"
"Don't turn this around on me. Maybe people have taken advantage of him in the past."
"I thought you thought that was a line."
"I do think it was a line. And I think he's an asshole."
"He's not an asshole."
"Why do you insist people aren't assholes?"
"Because, usually, when you call someone an asshole, it's not really representative of who they actually are."
"But he's not…he's not nice."
"Just because he's not explicitly nice doesn't mean he's an asshole."
"He refuses to carry a conversation."
' "Frankly, I've been listening to the two of you and I don't think that's actually the case."
"Jane."
"Lizzy."
"I just… Shit, he's coming back. I have to go. But keep in mind, I'm still mad at you."
"Bye Lizzy!" Lizzy hung up just as Darcy opened the door. He handed her the pizzas.
"Sorry that took so long. There was a bit of a line."
"It wasn't that long. I had to make a call, so it all works out." She cleared her throat. "So, you must spend a lot of time up here."
"It's nice to get away from everything. Charlie's…relaxed, which is more than I can say for a lot of people. He makes for a pretty good vacation."
"You guys seem pretty close."
"I like to think that we are." The conversation slowed until they got back to the house. They had just finished unloading the groceries when Jane returned from her walk with Lydia.
"Oh, thank you guys so much for doing that. I would've gone, but Lydia really needed to get some exercise."
"I'm shocked she was that quiet on the trip," Lizzy said. "She's usually a nuisance." The dog yapped, as if to prove Lizzy's point.
"Oh, don't be so mean to my sweetheart."
"You called?" Charlie said as he swung into the room. Jane giggled.
"You should thank your friend for bringing you food," she said.
"I am wholeheartedly grateful," Charlie said, pulling plates down from the cabinets. "Pizza is my saving grace." Jane swatted him on the arm, and Charlie kissed her on the cheek. Darcy stuffed his hands into his pockets. Lizzy clapped her hands together.
"Charlie, what do you have to drink around here?"
"Check the basement," he said, pulling silverware from drawers. "We keep just about everything down there." Lizzy gave a salute and went down the stairs. The house had a fairly stocked wine cellar, but Lizzy was more interested in the craft beer selection.
"Anything in particular we should take?" she called up the stairs.
"Whatever you want, feel free to grab it," he replied. She pulled a few six packs and trudged back up the stairs. Charlie had already started to heap pizza onto his plate.
"Charlie, you got a bottle opener?"
"Yeah, one sec." He took a bite of pizza and stood, then rummaged around in the drawer, finally producing one. "Here you are."
"Thanks dear," Lizzy said, sitting down and taking a piece of pizza. She crossed her legs under the table and began to eat.
Conversation flowed easily, more easily as the beer was drunk and wine was opened. They talked of classes, of majors, of skiing. They retired to the living room, splayed on couches, Jane splayed on Charlie's lap. Lydia was nipping at Darcy's heels. He scooped her up and set her on his lap.
"Oh, Darcy, you don't have to enable her," Jane said.
"It's fine. I like dogs," he said, patting her head. Lydia yapped, turned in a circle, and promptly fell asleep.
"Guys, thanks so much for doing all this," Lizzy said. She had a tendency to get sentimental when confronted with alcohol.
"It's no trouble, really."
"Ok," she said happily, settling even deeper into the couch. Her legs, when stretched out, just nearly touched Darcy. She pulled a blanket over her legs.
"I could get used to this," she said, her eyes going bleary. It was warm, and she was happy.
"Really, Charlie, thanks," Jane said.
"Don't mention it," Charlie said, an easy grin climbing across his face. In a voice an octave deeper, "You can thank me later." Jane smiled.
"Well, chaps. Seems I'm off to bed. Night, Darcy. Night, Lizzy. See you in the morning." Jane stood and walked up the stars. Charlie smiled, bid his adieus, and followed her. Lizzy yawned.
"You gonna do anything tonight?"
"Besides attempting to ignore the sounds emanating from their room?" he replied. Lizzy giggled.
"I mean it. Are you gonna do anything interesting or should I go to bed?" His face flushed, though she didn't notice.
"I'm probably just gonna read a bit."
"For your project?"
"It requires a lot of reading."
"But you're on vacation."
"After I finish vacation, I have to go back to class."
"But that's such a boring way to look at it."
"You seem determined to achieve a point."
"I'm not trying to achieve a point."
"Then pray tell, what is your purpose?"
"Entertaining myself. I'm bored, drunk, and sleepy. So, entertain me."
"I don't have much to say," he said, sinking into the couch. Lizzy sat up and crossed her legs under her.
"What do you mean?"
"What do you mean what do I mean?"
"I mean, why do you think you don't have anything to say?"
"I don't enjoy talking, and very little of what comes out of my mouth is actually worthwhile."
"I find that hard to believe." She struggled to focus through the fuzzy glow in her brain.
"I wouldn't waste your breath trying to get me to speak."
"You're boring me. I'm bored now."
"I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault," she said, springing up, stumbling slightly, and recovering herself. "I'm going to bed. Night night, Darcy." She skipped up the stairs, neglecting to wait for his reply.
She got into her pajamas, attempted to read a few pages of a book, failed, and promptly fell asleep.
Lizzy shot up in bed. What the hell was that? That…that noise. It was like…
She shook her head. No, she was being ridiculous.
The noise came back.
She threw off her covers and ran into the bathroom. Still drunk, she tripped over the bathmat and smacked into the wall. Her head began to spin. She stood, still terrified. What was that noise?
She opened the door to leave but…no. Why was Darcy in her bed? She walked over and poked him. He groaned and started to stir. His eyes opened and he looked at her.
"Lizzy?"
"Darcy."
"What?"
"You need to get out of my bed."
"What are you talking about?"
"You're in my bed and you need to get out."
"I am not in your bed," he said, rubbing his forehead. He looked good when he had just woken up. Bastard.
"Then…" she paused, as if struggling for the words. Darcy looked at her, looked at the bathroom, and began to laugh. Loud guffaws at a deep, throaty decibel.
"You…you…" he could barely speak for laughing. She crossed her arms over her chest.
"It's not that funny. It's really not that funny. Stop laughing." He kept laughing.
"You thought…I can't believe…" he said, continuing to laugh. She sat down on his bed.
"Sorry for waking you up."
"What that thump in the night also you?"
"One of them," she said, curling her knees into her chest, "but there was this loud noise and I went to the bathroom to see if it was coming from there and then I fell and now I'm here but there was this noise and I don't know what to do." He took a deep breath.
"You wanna go check downstairs and see if something's going on?" She nodded, and he stood. He really was tall, more than a foot taller than her. His hair, once coiffed, now stuck out in odd angles. He ran a hand through it, flexing his arm in the process. Shame he was so attractive, considering he was such an ass. Didn't he have to be? Why else would that girl have cheated on him?
They walked downstairs.
"I think it might be a robber, or a murderer. Or maybe a bear got into the hou—" Lizzy stopped in her tracks, and it was all Darcy could do not to start laughing again. There, looking downright guilty next to some overturned chairs, was Lydia. This time, it was Lizzy who started to laugh.
"I'm insane. I'm absolutely, utterly insa—"
Her words were cut off by Darcy's mouth.
Author's Note: Sorry to leave y'all on such a cliffhanger, but I want to take some time with the bit that's coming next. This may end up being a bit longer than I previously anticipated, but we'll see how it goes. Do you guys want to see more of these short form ones, or more of the long ones I usually do. As always, totally open to suggestions if you have anything in particular you want to read. Lord knows I need all the motivation I can get to do these things.
Next chappie should be up in a few days, so three cheers for that.
As always, much love and best wishes,
Zoe
