Hello everyone, I hope everyone liked my last chapter if you didn't oh well can't make everyone happy. I'm sorry this is taking me a while to update I had to think about what to put in this chapter and it's so hot in out basement where the computer is. I'm sweating just by typing this. So I will be introducing Collins in this chapter. I wasn't going to put him in this story but I am and I stand by what I said in chapter 2 that he won't be dating Charlotte so you'll see.
Disclaimer: I do not own Jane Austen's work, the apple blossom festival or anything else you recognize
What a beautiful day, Lizzie thought as she headed towards the student parking lot Friday after school. Maybe Jane will kick the soccer ball around with me, she thought. Lizzie laughed she knew Jane would probably be on a date with Charles tonight. It had taken a while but yesterday Charles finally asked Jane out. Lizzie unlocked Jane's car and slid into the front seat. Lizzie turned the car on so she could listen to music when someone tapped on her window. Charlotte waved and she rolled down the window.
"What's up Char?" Lizzie asked as Charlotte leaned on the door.
"Well first I missed the bus." Charlotte told her friend who started to laugh. "Shut up Lizzie can I get a ride with you guys?"
"Yeah Jane won't mind hop in back" Lizzie told her before getting in the back to so they could talk...
"So what was the 2nd thing you wanted to talk about" Lizzie asked her friend who had just waved to Mary and Jane who just got into the car.
"Oh yeah do you want to spend the night tonight my aunt and cousin are coming so my mom said if you wanted to come keep me company" Charlotte told Lizzie. Lizzie was quick to call her dad who said yes. They talked a bit more before Jane pulled into their drive way. Lizzie pulled Charlotte up to her and Jane's bedroom and shut the door incase Kitty and Lydia came home and wanted to know what was going on. Lizzie pulled out her Ravens sports bag. It had been decided that Lizzie was going to stay with Charlotte all weekend. So Lizzie was putting clothes into her bag while Charlotte scanned Lizzie and Jane's movie/game collection. Jane came in to see Charlotte reading off titles to Lizzie.
"How bout the Indy Jones Trilogy" Charlotte asked.
"I don't think it can be considered a trilogy since there's going to be a 4th one out soon" Lizzie said with a smile. Charlotte ignored her and threw them into Lizzie's bag.
"Char I don't know how you can watch movies with her, she makes so many sarcastic comments if she's seen the movie." Jane said dropping her school bag on her bed.
"Some how I live," Charlotte said and continued to shift though the movies
"So Jane" Lizzie said as she sat next to her sister on the bed "Got a date tonight?" She smirked at her sister who became a lovely shade of red. "Oh Charlotte Jane has gone red maybe I shouldn't go to your house if she's ill." Lizzie said with a complete straight face and Charlotte roared with laughter.
"Say Lizzie" Charlotte said a few minutes later after Jane had gone back to her normal color.
"Yeah Char" Lizzie said looking down at Charlotte from her top bunk
"This movie called Pride and Prejudice sounds interesting have you seen it?" Charlotte asked.
"No I haven't my grandmother gave that too me last year on my birthday, she said I'd like it because the main character has my name. I haven't had time to watch it" Lizzie said getting off her bed and took the movie and read the back. "It sounds good except for the fact it looks like the main guy's name is Darcy, but it's not an uncommon name." She tossed it into the bag. Finally they decided on the Indy trilogy, Pride and Prejudice, and they packed up Lizzie and Jane's Wii and took a few games.
By the time they left it was 4 o'clock and walked down the street to Charlotte's house when something dawned on Lizzie.
"Charlotte if your aunt and cousin are coming where will they be sleeping?" Lizzie had been friends with Charlotte since they were 4 and knew her family's house. There were 4 bedrooms her parents had one, Maria (who's Kitty's age) and Sophie (8) had one, Thomas (10) and Ben (7) had one and Charlotte had one.
"Sophie is sleeping at a friend's house my aunt will be staying in her bed, and Collins will be on the couch." Charlotte explained
"Collins?" Lizzie asked
"My cousin it's his last name his first names Ben so I call him Collins so I don't get confused." Charlotte said opening the door to her house.
"It seems like I'm always calling people by there last names now." Lizzie replied and waved hi to Mrs. Lucas and followed Charlotte upstairs. Charlotte had the smallest bedroom in the house but she always said she didn't mind cause it meant she got her own room.
"Who else do you call by their last name?" Charlotte asked
"Darcy who else." Lizzie gave Charlotte a look like you should know that.
"What ever Lizard." Charlotte rolled her eyes.
"Don't call me Lizard, Charmander." Lizzie shot back. You call me Lizard I'll call you Charmander, Lizzie thought remembering the name she had made up for Charlotte when they were 7. Lizzie started making more comments about it till Charlotte threw a pillow in her face with resulted in a full on pillow fight until Mrs. Lucas told them to knock it off because the guests had arrived. The girls walked down stairs and Lizzie got a hug from young Ben who she told everyone was her little buddy and was introduced to the Collins family.
"He's really short" Lizzie told Charlotte as soon as they were introduced which got her a slap on the arm by Charlotte. They all went to the table for dinner and Collins sat right next to Lizzie. I will try to be nice for Charlotte Lizzie thought and tried to politely listen to what he was saying about his mom's new boss a Mrs. Catherine Debourgh. However after 5 minutes of him going on and on in a monotone voice about how great and kind she was Lizzie shut him out. She ended up talking to his mother Mrs. Collins who was a very sensible woman and told more interesting aspects of her new job then of her employer. Lizzie found out the company she worked for was started by Mrs. Debourgh's brother in law. That it was a publishing company called Pemberley Press. Lizzie knew who they were right away. They published some of her favorite books and had a national chain of book stores called D&D books. Mrs. Collins also told Lizzie that Mrs. Debourgh was only the temporary CEO of the company that it had been left to her nephew who would get the company when he turned 18. Also that Mrs. Collins was the going to be the person in charge of deciding what books are going to be published by them. Collins only but into the conversation once saying that Mrs. Debourgh's daughter was also quite the accomplished young lady.
"I like to amuse my self by giving her tiny comments that are always welcome to young ladies such as her." His monologue voice becoming a tad bit pompous.
"Now tell me Collins are these comments given on the impulse of the moment or are they the result of pervious study." Lizzie said raising one of her eyebrows. After taking a few minutes to figure out what she had said he said.
"Some I have developed over time however I always try to give them an unstudied air." Was his response
"Oh believe me no one would consider your manners to be rehearsed." Lizzie said with sarcasm and Charlotte had a fit of coughs.
Finally dinner was over, and girls were allowed back upstairs.
"You know Char I like your aunt more then your cousin." Lizzie told her friend as she walked into the bedroom.
"So do I" Charlotte said as she bolted the door to her room so her siblings and cousin couldn't come in. "What movie do you want to watch first?"
"Lets watch Pride and Prejudice it's the only one we haven't seen before." Lizzie said and they pulled the blankets of the Charlotte's bed and pillows and Lizzie pulled the ones from her bag and they made a giant bed type thing on the floor. Lizzie put the movie in and Charlotte got popcorn and they settled down to watch the movie.
Two hours and 9 minutes later Mrs. Lucas, Mrs. Collins and Collins were downstairs at the kitchen table talking when Charlotte came downstairs holding back laughter.
"Charlotte what's the matter" her mother said as Charlotte pulled a chair up to the table. Charlotte laughed again.
"I just found out who Lizzie is going to marry!" She said before laughing again. The two older ladies looked at each other when Lizzie came downstairs looking mad.
"How's your Mr. Darcy?" Charlotte asked before laughing again. Lizzie frowned again
"He's not my Mr. Darcy, I would rather be single my whole life before I marry him." Lizzie said "Mrs. Lucas do you have any Ben & Jerry's cake batter ice cream, I need comfort food." Lizzie said with a pout.
"Yes sweetie it's in the freezer." Lizzie walked to get it and sat down at the table. "Now will one of you explain what's going on?" Mrs. Lucas said. Lizzie waved to Charlotte to explain.
"Are you sure you don't want to explain Mrs. Darcy?" Charlotte asked Lizzie who punched her in the shoulder "Ow! That hurt" she said.
"Good never call me Mrs. Darcy again." Lizzie warned her friend. Charlotte moved her chair away from Lizzie and before she could talk Collins spoke up.
"Did you say Darcy, William Darcy? Why that's…"
"Mrs. Debourgh's nephew right and let me guess her daughter's name is Anne?" Lizzie shot at him. After seeing the proposal in the movie she did not want Collins to like her.
"Why yes how did you know?" Collins looked pleased that Lizzie knew that about the Debourgh's family. Lizzie ignored him as Charlotte explained the movie briefly.
"Wow that's weird" Mrs. Lucas said looking at Lizzie after Charlotte explained it. Lizzie was having a fight with herself in her mind. What if the Darcy here is really like the Mr. Darcy at the end of the movie she thought? No, she told herself there no way I heard the comment about me and he tried to get Charles not to like Jane. But that was his first day, the sensible side of her thought, he didn't know any one except Charles and he was only trying to help his friend. This continued for a while before Lizzie's stubborn side won out. She wouldn't be as cold as she had been but he was on thin ice with her. Thank goodness for this ice cream she thought before following Charlotte back upstairs.
That's it for chapter 4 I hoped you all liked it. I meant to write more but my dad just told me to get off. Now I know Collins being related to Charlotte is weird but it's the only way Lizzie can get to Rosings in my story. Also I'm still asking about when you want me to end the story right after the parade, the senior's graduation or the complete end of the year. Please review its not hard.