Will turned around to see Charles chasing him down in the hall. It had been a full week since the field trip and they were back to their classes to the dismay of most. Charles had gotten too attached to the city girl and Will thought they had expertly escaped another entanglement. Thank goodness for distance.
"Will, I have a favor to ask of you."
"What is it?"
"Can you go on a double date with me?" Will was about to say no but Charles kept going, "Before you say no, let me explain. It's the girl's sister because she is a little nervous with it just being the two of us so I told her she could bring someone with her. This is the last favor I'll ask you for. Besides I took care of my sister the museum field trip."
"You really know how to test my friendship."
"Does that mean you will?"
"No, but I'll go. Not as the sister's date."
"Good enough for me. We leave at four to pick theme up."
Charles drove them towards the city and Darcy looked at his friend, "Please tell me it isn't who I think it is."
Charles frowned, but kept his eyes on the road, "Is that a problem?"
"I probably wouldn't have agreed to come. Those girls are all rude and ill-mannered." Will thought back to the young girls who had talked back to the security guard. Even the loud behavior by the Lizzie girl.
When he thought about Lizzie he couldn't help but think about how different she was from the other girls, and that brought a smile to his face.
Charles had to take a second glance to see if his eyes weren't playing tricks on him, "It doesn't seem like you believe that. Didn't you talk to her sister Lizzie? You seemed to have talked a bit when we came."
"I wouldn't call it talking." mumbled Will.
Charles laughed and they rode the rest of the way with Charles going on about Jane.
The boys arrived at a small house in a questionable neighborhood, "Are you sure it's safe to get out?" asked Will as he saw some boys look at the expensive car that just entered.
"If you want, you can stay here while I get the girls."
"If I know you, which I do, then you would go inside and not come back till night. No I'll go. That way we can hurry this whole process up."
Will got out of the car and walked up the small path to the house. The house had a gate in front of it which was of course locked. He got a good grip and climbed over it. He was grateful now for having long legs which made it easier than if it was Charles who was shorter and would've ha more difficulty. He rang the doorbell and waited for a minute. Will frowned and decided to knock. He heard a shrill voice from inside and then the door flung open and an older woman opened the door.
"Uh, is this where Jane lives?"
"Oh my goodness, Janie, Charles is here! I thought you said he was a redhead? Well don't keep him waiting child!"
Will tried hard not to be disgusted at the woman and decided to something to divert his attention. He caught a flash of navy blue and saw a girl now coming to the door. It was Lizzie and Will had a hard time not admitting she looked beautiful. Her mother blocked her from going out the house.
"Where do you think you're going Lizzie?" Her mom barked.
Will saw Lizzie blushed and tried to find interest in the weed growing beside the house.
"Mom, Jane already said I was going with her."
"I don't see why you have to go. I'm sure they would like to spend time alone, isn't that right?" The last part was directed at Will and he raised his eyebrows. He had finally zoned out her voice as white noise and missed her question.
"Mom, this isn't Charles. That's his friend."
"Oh, ohhhh. Well then of course you should go."
Lizzie blushed again as she was finally released from the house. Jane followed behind her sister wearing a light pink dress. Will walked them to the car and he gave up his seat in the front for Jane and took a seat in the back with Lizzie. Charles and Jane talked in the front while he drove. Will figured he was supposed to make conversation with Lizzie so he turned and to his surprise, found her listening to something on her earplugs.
She was looking out the window and seemed to be mouthing something.
"What are you listening to?"
She turned to him and pulled the pieces out of her ears, "The Hobbit on audio. I would read them, but this way it's easier to avoid conversation."
"Is that what you're doing now?"
She raised an eyebrow, "I only figured I'd bring it so I won't have to go a whole car ride in silence. Or did you now want to talk with me?"
Will really didn't so he chose not to hide the truth, "No, but I figure to make the other part if our party happy, we should say something now and then."
She nodded and waited for Will to start. He started getting the impression that he was going to do all the work and that she was doing this to mess with him.
"So are you into art?" He asked, amazed at how awkward he sounded.
She laughed and replied that she did. "What about you?"
Will said he did as their conversation died. He then thought of a question, simple as it was, it hadn't been asked and as far as he knew, she didn't know either, "So what grade are you?"
"Junior." Yes, she was going to make this as painful as possible and answer in a one word sentence. Will decided to quit and let her go back to her story.
"What about you? A senior, right?"
Will looked surprised that he didn't let the subject die off like the last one, "Yes." Now he answered in a one word sentence, "Do you do anything outside of school?"
"Run cross-country, read, hang out with my friend, and if I don't have anything thing going on after that, then I go on double date with hot rich boys. In fact the last one is a hobby of mine." She said with a big smile.
Will wanted to be disgusted, but the way she said it made it more comical than anything.
"What about you then? Do you have classes for sticking your nose in the air?"
Now Will frowned and only answered in the negative. She saw that he had gotten upset so she returned to her story.
Will spent the rest of the drive looking out the window.
The end of the car ride finally ended and they all got out. They had to walk another block to reach the real destination.
"So where are we going?" Will asked as he suddenly saw a crowd of people up ahead.
"Lizzie recommended this outdoor concert that's going on for the week." Charles said as he held hands with Jane. They were walking a few paces ahead of the rest.
Will would have walked faster if it wasn't for the fact that his date had short legs and a shorter stride. Every time he tried to slow his pace, he would get annoyed at how far the others were and would speed up again. Lizzie didn't seem to mind and kept at her own pace.
"Look," began Will exasperated, "if you don't want to get left behind and lost then you'll have to walk faster."
"If it's bothering you so much then go on ahead."
Will inwardly groaned. If he did and she did get lost then he would never hear the end of it from Charles.
By the time they reached the entrance the others were long gone. Will pulled out his wallet to pay for them both but Lizzie began to argue about paying for herself. He let her do what she wanted and they finally had to find a place to sit. Will was pretty tempted to find a seat for himself but found two seats together. They had good seats and Will could see and hear everything. Some of the songs he recognized as the ones his sister would play at recitals.
When it was over an hour later Will and Lizzie tried to find the others, but Charles didn't pick up his phone and the girls had left theirs in the car.
"Want to get something to eat?"
"Sure, where should we go?"
Will looked around the neighboring buildings and small restaurants, "I'm not familiar with this area."
"We can always go to Giordanos."
"Okay, where's that?"
She looked around, "I think it's over there on the next block." She pointed to the left and they proceeded in that direction.
Will soon learned that Lizzie has a poor sense of direction. It took them twenty minutes and the restaurant ended up to the right and two blocks over.
"Remind me never to get lost in a forest with you."
She laughed and Will could feel himself warming up to her. They spent the dinner arguing about music, historical events, movie and book plots. When they and had returned to the car, Charles and Jane were still not there.
Will felt that he had been too kind to Lizzie and even though he'd enjoyed their discussions, that they could never be anything. Tomorrow he would go back to school with girls who were his equal socially and financially. Any hope he had given her the past four hours needed to severed.
When she tried to bring up something they discussed earlier, or even make jokes, Will would just answer using only one word. Lizzie soon got the hint and stopped talking. The period now of waiting was now painfully awkward. The others arrived around nine and apologized for their absence, "Sorry, we just had a great time talking that we lost track of time."
The ride back was just like the one before. When they reached the girls' house they said their goodbyes to Charles and Jane said hers to Will before going in. Lizzie just said hers to Charles and went in. Will hopped into the front seat and the boys set off home.
"Oh Will, that was simply amazing. Jane and I to this little restaurant by the port where they served seafood."
"Yeah well, it would be nice if you check your phone once and awhile."
"Sorry about that, so what do you guys end up doing?"
"We got lost trying to find this pizza place, but we eventually made it."
"Please tell me you guys talked to each other."
"We did."
"And?"
"And what do you want me to say?"
"I thought you guys would hit it off."
"Uh no, their mom is a terrible fright and the younger girls are just rude and horrible flirts."
"They're just kids. I'm sure there are plenty of other kids their age that act the same way."
"No, not Georgie."
"Well your family is special, if one of you tried to pull off anything like that, you'll strain yourself."
Will only shook his head at his friend's joke.
"So nothing there then?"
Will thought back on the time he spent with Lizzie. The talks that had brought them so close. He had gotten so relaxed, he could feel the stress of the date leave. Her smile. Her laugh. Her beautiful mind. Her eyes. Her eyes were so beautiful the way they seemed to sparkled every time she smiled or laughed.
Charles repeated his question and Will returned to looking out the window, "No, nothing at all."
A/N: Another chapter finished. I'm inspired now, but they won't be coming out as fast once school starts. Freshman year of college! Wish me luck. Always feel free to review if you have questions. There are no dumb questions.
