The Thin Line between Love and Hate

A Pride and Prejudice- story

By: jakeline

Summary: A modern P&P with a Shakespearean twist. He said she wasn't pretty enough and she threw punch at him. After 12 years Darcy is back in Meryton and Lizzie still hasn't forgiven him.

Disclaimer: I do not claim to be Jane Austen and most definitely not Shakespeare. I just borrow their work as an inspiration to this story, loosely basing it on Pride and prejudice and Much Ado about Nothing.


Chapter 4: A Pretty Face but a Foul Mouth

The man Elizabeth had found vaguely familiar turned out to be William's cousin, Peter Fitzwilliam. She had met him a few times at parties at William's house, but he was born and raised in America. Charles Bingley was just as amiable as Lydia had said and he charmed them all. Jane was of course the one he had come to talk to. Elizabeth was not surprised. Jane on the other hand still was surprised whenever a man showed his interest.

Elizabeth could tell that Jane was charmed by Charles. And who could blame her? He was a most attentive suitor. If Elizabeth had believed in romantic stuff like love at first sight she might have gone as far as to say that this was the case here. But she didn't. However, Charles and Jane were starry-eyed like teenagers within minutes.

Their mother looked like a cat that just had been fed its milk.

"I knew there was a reason for Jane to be so pretty," she said to Elizabeth as Charles steered Jane towards the dance floor. "He will do very well as a son in law."

"Mother!" Elizabeth exclaimed and wondered how her mother could forget about Peter, standing next to her.

"What?" Mrs Bennet looked totally clueless of what she had done wrong. Peter only smiled amusedly.

"Charlie always has that effect on mothers," he said. "He's the perfect son in law."

"And your cousin William?" Mrs Bennet asked eagerly. "Isn't he a good catch?" Elizabeth's jaw dropped at the nerve of her mother. She didn't know where to look.

"Ah, well, the thing is that Will has sworn never to marry," Peter said with another smile. Mrs Bennet looked very disappointed.

"But I'm sure the lovely young ladies of Meryton can change his mind," she said with a confident smile on her face.

"Mother, please be quiet!" Elizabeth cried. It was so typically her mother to make a fool of herself and bring her daughters down with her. She was always so embarrassingly loud and didn't know when to keep her mouth shut, especially not after a few glasses of wine.

"What?" Once again Mrs Bennet managed to look completely and utterly clueless as to what she had done.

"Never mind," Elizabeth said. "I need another drink." She left for the bar.

"I'll come with you," Peter said and hurried after her. She smiled. He seemed nice enough to spend some time with.

"What's your poison?" she asked as they reached the bar. She was in the mood for a tequila grande.

"I'll just have a beer for now," Peter said to the bartender.

"A tequila, and make it a double," Elizabeth said.

"Interesting choice," Peter said. Elizabeth glanced at him.

"Helps me forget the ass my mother made of herself," she said. As soon as the bartender put the glass in front of her she gulped it down.

"It wasn't that bad," Peter said.

"Believe me, that was just a warm up," Elizabeth said and rolled her eyes. "I just don't get why she is in such a hurry to have us all married."

"How many of you are there?" Peter looked genuinely interested.

"Ah well, you know me, Jane and Lydia. We are the ones who didn't get away. Kitty and Mary are currently at university and therefore saved from the insanity that is our mother. At least for the time being." Peter laughed. Elizabeth stared at him moodily. "What's so funny?"

"I wish my family was as exciting. But unfortunately it's only me and my parents who are freakishly normal. Four sisters… that's intense," he said.

"You have no idea."

-xxx-

William had been abandoned by Caroline. She had found someone that was more susceptible to her charms than he. Not that he minded, he was glad to be rid of her for a while. He was surprised to find that so many of Meryton's citizens considered themselves his friend. But he hadn't counted on this kind of suck up. People he hadn't talked to before considered themselves his friend. He couldn't remember half of their names. He hated that kind of attention and kind of regretted that he had let the office throw the party. Oh, to be sitting at home with a good book.

He looked around in search of his cousin and Charles. Charles was on the dance floor, leaning close to the blonde. She appeared to be smiling at something he said in her ear. William frowned. Charles looked infatuated. He was very easily charmed and always thought the best of people. William had saved him more than once from unsuitable husband hunters.

Peter was standing by the bar with Elizabeth, talking and laughing. William realised that everyone was enjoying themselves but himself, and this was really his party. He sighed and took a sip from the glass of whiskey he held in his hand. Another good thing with being back in England, proper whiskey, not that bourbon shit.

When the song ended Charles came over to William to introduce his new friend.

"This is my friend William," Charles said, "This is Jane, Lizzie's older sister."

William held out his hand. "Nice to meet you, Jane," he said.

"Actually, we went to school together," she smiled as she took his hand in a firm grip.

"Uhm, sorry, I can't say that I remember you," William said apologetically.

"That's okay. Most people remember my sister. The fun loving tomboy is always more interesting than the boring one who didn't really join in any games," Jane said good naturedly.

"Yes, she's kind of hard to forget," William acknowledged. His eyes landed on Elizabeth who was still standing with his cousin by the bar, sipping on a bottle of beer. She met his gaze and raised an eyebrow, challenging him to hold the gaze. When he didn't avert his eyes, she made a funny face and then looked away. William shrugged his shoulders.

"Who's that?" Caroline was suddenly standing next to him.

"Someone I used to know."

"I don't like her," she said. William glanced quizzically at her. She looked jealous.

"You don't like other women, period," he smirked.

"I do too. That woman Charlie's found seems to be nice enough." William looked over at his friend who was in deep conversation with Jane.

"That's because she's not after me," William murmured under his breath.

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Nothing. They're sisters you know," William said.

"They look nothing like each other," Caroline remarked with a frown.

"Neither do you and Charlie," William retorted. He didn't know why he was defending Elizabeth in front of Caroline. "It doesn't matter anyway since we're not likely to be socializing much."

"Aw, that is too bad," Caroline said with a fake sadness in her voice that made William clench his teeth.

-xxx-

"So what's the deal with you and my cousin?" asked Peter as he saw her make a face towards his cousin. She had to really constrain herself not to stick her tongue out when he didn't look away. "If I remember correctly you used to hang out in school." Elizabeth winced. She was so not prepared to answer questions about their so called friendship. She realised she was acting very childlike and immature, but couldn't help it.

"What do you mean?" she asked in a hope of buying some time.

"Why are you not talking?"

"Long story," Elizabeth said, not really in the mood to elaborate on the past. Besides, Peter didn't really have anything to do with it. Plus, the reason was very childish.

"Indulge me," he encouraged. Elizabeth smiled slightly.

"Fine," she said and took a breath. "We grew apart. He got other interests that didn't include me." Peter looked at her.

"That's it?"

"That's all you're getting," Elizabeth smiled.

"Boring," he said in a sing-song voice. "And not entirely true, am I right?"

"Perhaps."

"I heard about your encounter the other day," Peter said.

"Did you now?" Elizabeth was not going to tell him anything because she knew that he would tell William, and that wasn't something she would want him to know. He would love to hear how hurt she was by his words all those years ago. Not that it mattered now. "Fine, we didn't part ways as the very best of friends. And I really didn't support his player attitude."

"Let me sort this out," Peter said. "That's what I'm good at. Let's go talk to Will right now."

Elizabeth groaned and pouted like a five year old. "I don't want to." But Peter did not take no for an answer and took her arm in a firm grip and steered her towards his cousin.

"I'm sorry, you do not have a say in this." Elizabeth made a face but kept quiet. She would not make this easy for him. Before long she found herself standing in front of William, staring into his chest since she refused to meet his eyes.

"Elizabeth," came his deep voice from up there, somewhere.

"Darcy," she murmured, still not looking up.

"Lizzie here has something to say," Peter said. Elizabeth could have murdered him then and there.

"I do not," she objected.

"Peter, what is the meaning of this?" William had an irritated tone in his voice that infused Elizabeth's anger towards him.

"I just want you to be friends again," Peter defended himself.

"And why do you think we're not?" William asked.

"The bad vibes?"

"I don't think Elizabeth can have anything more to say to me, she made that very clear the other day," William snorted.

"Oh, that's right, you only like to listen to your own voice," she said. She could see William flinch and it gave her great pleasure. Elizabeth was not in the mood for reconciliation.

"Excuse me?" William looked astounded.

"Yes, you always did keep on talking though nobody was listening. And you were always the one who had to be right, regardless if you were or not. If you didn't get the last word, you went around sulking for the rest of the day." Elizabeth was on a roll. Nothing could stop her now. Words blurted out of her mouth that she hadn't even thought of saying. "The only opinion that mattered was yours, and as it seems, you still think so."

"I'm sorry that it was such a pain to be friends with me." William's handsome face turned into stone. Peter looked helplessly from one person to the other, not sure what to think. "I will spare you the trouble and leave you be." William's eyes shone cold towards her. Elizabeth bit her lower lip. She had gone too far. Again. With a nod towards his cousin, William turned and left them, getting the last word, as always.

-xxx-

William was shaking with anger. Why did she dislike him so much? What had he ever done to her? She didn't even try to be civil to him this time. He checked his watch, it was only nine o'clock and still too early for the guest of honour to leave. A stiff drink would perhaps help his predicament. He headed for the bar. On his way over there he was interrupted with more people who considered them his friend and that only increased his bad mood. He had to get away from them before he really said something he didn't mean and made matters worse.

William tried his best to meet the people that approached him with politeness, but after ten minutes of trying to reach the bar he snapped.

"Just leave me alone, will you?" he snapped to a man who he had never met before and just had introduced himself as Mr Lucas. Unfortunately he realised a little too late that it was the owner of the restaurant he had insulted. He muttered something under his breath that was supposed to sound like an apology and finally reached the bar. "Another one of these, and make it a double." He held up his glass, hoping the bartender remembered that he wanted a Laphroiag.

"I'm in love!" declared Charles as he placed himself beside William in the bar. William groaned. He was not in the mood for Charles' happy lovey-dovey face right now.

"No you're not," William said.

"Oh, yes I am! Jane is an angel!" William got his glass from the bartender and emptied it in one gulp.

"You have known her for what, five minutes?"

"Ever heard of something called love at first sight?" Charles smiled.

"I do not believe in fairy tales, Charlie," William sighed.

"Seriously, Will, what is up your butt? Why can't you be happy for me? I can really see myself marry Jane," Charles said and looked at him with a disappointed face. William would have thought that Charles by now would have known his standpoint when it came to love. "I mean, just look at her! She's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen."

"You realise of course you sound like someone out of an Austen novel?" William snorted, but did as he was told and took a look at the object of Charles' desire. She was standing next to her sister, who was rapidly emptying a beer bottle, looking as moody as he was feeling. "She's too short," he finally said.

"Please, Will. You're just making up excuses."

"Her sister on the other hand…" William did not finish that thought. "If it wasn't for that foul mouth of hers…"

-TBC-


Author's note: Sorry for being so lazy to update…

Someone asked how old people were and well basically they are all around 30. Darcy, Charlie and Jane are 30, Lizzie and Caroline are 28, Georgiana is 26 and Lydia 22. Peter Fitzwilliam is a bit older, I would say 32. Makes sense?