(( A/N sneaks into room I'm the worst person EVER. This has taken me almost a month to write and my only excuse is that it's twice as long as anything else I wrote. Friday I'm leaving for a school trip to spain but the next chapter should be up soon. I'm sorry for anyone who's mad at me for not posting sooner. Hope it's worth it :D ))
The week before the dance found the Bennet girls at the mall againf or the tenth time in search of the perfect accessory for Lydia's dress. Lizzy had avoided Collin like the plague spending almost all of her time at the barn preparing for Virgina Horse show that she had been invited to. It was a very big deal so her excuse was legitimate. However he was determined to see her and had shown up unexpectedly at their door. Judging by the self satisfied smile of her mother, who continued to try to get them together, it hadn't been a surprise for her. They had grudgingly piled into Lizzy's car, who blasted music loud enough to drown out his discussion of Mrs. De Bourgh's latest sock choice.
Once they got to the mall, he trailed them no matter where they went, even following them into Victoria's Secret without breaking in his monologue. The clerks tittered at him as the sisters gave up and wandered into the food court. Elizabeth made a beeline for Auntie Annie's, her Collin's induced headache requiring a cinnamon sugar pretzel. He went to grab them a table, struggling to make his way through the crowd. He managed to leave angry looks on the faces of everyone he passed. Elizabeth sighed as he waved frantically at her, "Elizabeth!" His shout was very powerful for someone so small, booming over the loud murmur of the food court, but she wasn't too surprised with how much he could talk. She flushed as the man behind the counter of the stand smiled at her.
"He looks like fun," The boy, who was about her age said with a grin. He was extremely handsome, looking like he stepped off the pages of a catalogue, apron and all. His brown hair was long and shaggy but his face was chiseled and tanned.
"Yah, he's a blast," She said sarcastically and was rewarded with a brilliant smile.
"George Wickham," He said extending a hand to shake hers.
She felt herself turning pink, "My name is…"
"Elizabeth!" Collin called out to her and she gritted her teeth. She turned and then faltered back, surprised to find him only a few inches from her face.
"Elizabeth," Collin repeated, looking like he was about to lay an egg. "I was wondering if you'd go to prom with me?" He asked and she stared at him, her mind reeling.
"umm… sorry Collin, but I was already asked…" She said quietly, scrambling for a lie.
"By who?" Collin demanded, "Your mother assured me that you hadn't been asked yet."
"I just asked her," George spoke up from where he had stood, watching the entire exchange. "Sorry, missed your chance." Collin glared darkly at him, but he only smiled in return. Elizabeth grinned widely as she saw Collin's shoulders slump in defeat. He walked away looking dejected but Elizabeth turned to Wickham.
"Thanks for saving my butt there," She said grinning as he handed her her pretzel.
"Glad I could help," George replied, "So when is this prom?"
"You mean you'll actually go with me?" She said surprised.
"Sure," Wickham said with a grin, reached out to hold her hand, "I love dancing. And going with such a pretty girl would be an honor. I just moved here so I don't really know anyone yet."
She blushed as someone called her name again, "Lizzy!" Jane said running up to her, "look who's here!" They turned to see Charlie waving at them, followed by Darcy. Wickham's grip on her hand tightened slightly as Darcy finally saw them. His face went dead white as he gaped at the man holding her hand, who was turning redder and redder by the minute. Darcy froze, before turning and storming off in the other direction. She stared at his disappearing back as Bingley looked after his friend before shrugging good naturedly and running after his friend.
"What was that about?" Lizzy asked Wickham who was slowly returning to a golden brown.
"Hold on," He said as he pulled off his apron with fumbling fingers.
"Don't u need to do something or tell someone?" She asked as he leapt over the counter.
"nah, nothing interesting happens here, it'll be fine." He said as he grabbed her hand and directed her towards the door. They went to stand outside, leaning against the cement wall.
"Do you know him?" She asked after a moment.
"yes, you'd probably be surprised considering how he acted that we were best friends growing up. My father helped his father with the financials on their land, we were always thrown together as children. Darcy was always spoiled and vain, blaming me for things that he did wrong but we were still good friends. When I was eight my father was killed, my mother had died when I was born. So Mr. Darcy took me in as a second sun. He gave me everything I could ever need and began to realize how spoiled and self centered Will was. When we went to highschool Will got into girls and drugs. Will never forgave me for that so when his father died when we were both 16 he cut me off and denied me everything his father had promised me. "
Elizabeth gasped as her heart went out to him., "That's horrible, but it doesn't surprise me at all."
"It gets even better. After his father died and Will threw me out of my home and school I moved into a flat in the town where we lived. That summer I met up with his sister Georgiana after almost a year. She had been in boarding school in another part of England. I had always been her favorite brother but now she was a young woman. I thought she was perfect and that we had fallen in love, instead she accused me of rape. Will threatened to press charges unless I left the country. So I've been living in America for the past three years, living off of menial jobs. " He sighed, "I haven't been able to tell anyone that in years." He said softly.
Elizabeth reached out to touch his face, "I'm sorry for your loss." She said quietly.
He grinned at her, "I'm a stronger man for it."
"Are you sure you want to come to prom? Darcy will be there."
"I'm not afraid of him, if he doesn't want us to be in the same place he can leave," Wickham said with a cocky shrug. "What's your address?" She gave it to him with a smile before telling him she'd see him in a week.
Darcy gritted his teeth as he enjoyed the temporary emptiness of the limo before they picked of the Bennet battalion as Caroline had dubbed them. He fiddled with his tie. Despite numerous hints that she wanted to go with him, he had refused to ask her to the prom, determined to go solo instead. He was happy with his decision when he saw what she was wearing. She looked nice enough, but her dress was short and her make up was so heavy it looked like if he found the right spot he could peel it all of in one solid mass. The car pulled to a stop and Bingley fiddled with the large bouquet of roses he held in one hand.
"Charlie stop it, it's a stupid dance," Caroline snapped at him as they got out of the car. Mrs. Bennet had flung the door open before the car had even stopped, gushing about the limo and how handsome Charlie looked over her shoulder into the house. She was wearing an eye-wateringly pink floral dress and had about eight different forms of recording devices slung over her shoulders. Darcy felt his face pale as he endeavored to stay as far away from her interest as possible. As soon as he made it through the door he made a beeline for the corner of the room. Mr. Bennet smiled knowingly at him as Mrs. Bennet fussed over Caroline and Charlie and completely ignored him. She was complimenting Caroline's dress repeatedly and had exclaimed over the bouquet Charlie had painstakingly put together himself that morning. Finally as if responding to some invisible cue, she paused mid sentence, turning her head up towards the stairs. The attention of the entire room followed as the sound of heels declared the approach of the girls.
Darcy saw Charlie's mouth drop and didn't blame him at all for his awe. Jane descended the staircase just as graceful as any princess he had ever met, careful in her small heels. Her pale blue gown sparkled lightly in the light of the hallway, not the obscene sparkly of sequins but the subtle shimmer of carefully used glitter. Her curls were piled on her head with a few falling around her face with a casual elegance that completely hid the fact that it probably took hours to do. Mrs. Bennet pulled out her cameras and started recording in as many different mediums as possible.
Charlie finally picked his jaw up off the floor as Jane reached the bottom of the stairs and handed her the armful of roses he had painstakingly spent all day de-thorning and arranging. She gave him a beautiful smile and kissed his cheek as her mother awed and dragged them to the fireplace for pictures. The two younger girls thudded down the stairs, in dresses that were tight low cut and short at the same time. They immediately went to Caroline and started discussing her dress in high squealing voices. She sent him a look of disgust of their shoulders but he looked away, wondering where Elizabeth was.
"And so the decibel levels rise," A soft voice said dryly from the door to the kitchen. Elizabeth stood by the sliding glass doors that separated the dining room from the living room, her eyes twinkling with amusement as she slid an earring into her ear. He could only stare at her as his eyes traced slowly over her. Her hair was long, falling down her back in its usual long curls but these were smoother and pulled back from her face in braids. Her make up was beautifully subtle unlike Caroline's. Aside from some color that made her lips a darker shade then usual he didn't think she was actually wearing any. Her skin looked as pale as the porcelain dolls his sister would play with when she was younger, she looked better for not tanning or spray tanning like her orange tinted sisters obviously did. Her dress was dark blue, a tight corset that made his eyes linger on her chest, on the almost ridiculous curves of her body before falling into a long full skirt. It wasn't the usual full stiff skirt that looked like cardboard with fabric on top but one that flowed like water around her as she walked towards her sister to stand beside her for pictures. He couldn't breath, let alone take his eyes off of her for a minute. He shut his jaw with a bit of force as his hand tightened into a fist. She was beautiful, far more so than anything he had believed. He was even more determined than before to fix what was between them. He watched her smile, her arm wrapped around her sister's waist, the resemblance between them becoming strikingly obvious. Her eyes kept darting to the clock and he wondered why.
Mrs. Bennet didn't keep him in suspense long, "Lizzy dear, where is your charming date?" She turned to Charlie, "She found the cutest guy, at the mall. Asked him to the dance and he said yes. I had really hoped she'd go with Collin but its still so exciting, the boys have never liked Lizzy as much as they liked Jane." She said it almost as a compliment and Will felt a sudden urge to go to Elizabeth and hug her. He was halfway through a step when he realized what he was about to do. He crossed his arms even more tightly over his chest, feeling his tux stretch on his shoulders.
"Speaking where is George?" Darcy felt his hand tighten convulsively, a reaction now that happened every time he heard that name, even if it didn't have anything to do with the man who made his blood boil. Hearing Elizabeth say it with a hint of affection made him angrier, because he knew they were probably talking about Wickham. He cursed to himself, using every combination of curses he knew, which was depressingly few for a teenage guy, as Elizabeth checked the clock and then slid a small silver phone from her purse. She brushed past him as she made a beeline for the empty dining room, tantalizing him with her perfume again until his head spun. He shrunk even farther against the wall, his eyes completely disregarding everyone else to stare at her through the elegant glass doors. She bit her lip fiddling with her necklace as the phone rang. Her eyes brightened suddenly but then her face crumpled. Her lips formed words and then she flipped the phone shut, pausing to attach a forced looking smile on her face before she opened the door.
"He had something come up," She said quietly, exchanging a significant look with her sister.
"Oh I'm sure it was a good reason, lucky I told Collin to get a ticket, you still have a date!" Mrs. Bennet gushed, as Elizabeth's smile dropped of and her face grew miserable. Will cursed Wickham to the darkest pits of hell for ruining this for her.
He started forward before eh could stop himself as he walked up to Jane. She seemed to know what he was going to do and drew a rose from the bouquet in her harms and handed it with a sweet smile to him.
"Elizabeth," he said softly and held the rose out to her. She frowned slightly but accepted it nonetheless.
"Thank you," She said softly.
"Well off you go!" Mrs. Bennet said ushering them out of the door, watching and calling to her younger daughters as she waved from the porch continuing until they were out of sight. Darcy found the ride uncomfortable since he had ended up squished between Caroline and Elizabeth. The slightly open window blew the sweet smell of Elizabeth's perfume in his face and kept Caroline's strong scent from making him nauseous. Caroline spent the entire twenty-minute ride to the dancehall inching closer and closer to him but he refused to move an inch closer to the girl on his other side to escape her.
Finally they arrived at the beautiful hall that the student council had chosen for the event. Everything flickered with twinkle lights not tacky in any way. He had to give the school credit for what they had done on a fairly small budget. Caroline latched herself onto his arm and blinked up at him cooing about the decorations. Elizabeth was behind them, a soft smile on her lips as she took in the surroundings without a hint of condescension or fawning. Suddenly she stopped, making Charlie leap to avoid treading on her gown. Her face was icy pale and she stared in apparent horror at the crowd. Caroline began to snicker beside him as a small ball dressed in what appeared to be an ill-fitting tuxedo bounced towards their party. As the boy drew closer Darcy recognized the boy they had seen in the mall that day. His brow gleamed with sweat despite the balmy coolness of the evening and he was repeatedly wiping his hands on his pants.
"Elizabeth," The boy greeted her as she tried to hid behind her sister. Darcy immediately felt anger in the pit of his stomach as he saw Collin's eyes fix on the emerging Elizabeth's chest and not leave.
"Hello Collin," Elizabeth said shortly calling his eyes back up to her face before they skittered back downwards. Then again he was so short he might just be letting them rest there cause he got tired of looking up six inches.
"While one should never rejoice in the misfortunes of another. I'm happy to find that you are without an escort for the evening. Please allow me," He said actually bowing to her and extending a pudgy arm. He had never seen a look as pained as hers as she gingerly took his arm and wrinkled her nose. Apparently on top of being sweaty and irritating he smelled bad too. They walked inside and he watched with a hint of amusement as a tug of war ensued over the photographer who stood unblinking despite the blinding flashes. Elizabeth won, half dragging a protesting Collin into the ballroom behind her and he struggled to suppress his laughter. He knew if she saw him she wouldn't' appreciate it so he pulled his stoic look back on his face. She was sitting at their table with Charlotte, ignoring Collin with everything she could manage.
Collin shot to his feet when they approached, letting his chair clatter to the floor behind him.
"Lord William Darcy!" He exclaimed in a voice reminiscent of a screaming fan girl. "Allow me to introduce myself!" the entire room fell silent to watch the exchange between them and he felt his face growing red. Elizabeth was pale white and seemed to be shrinking in her seat. "I'm Collin Williams! Your wonderful aunt has given me a wonderful opportunity to intern with her advertising company this summer. She is the most wonderful woman and so proud of you. I'm just honored to be a part of the entire Darcy Empire!" He turned to the people around him. "The Darcy's have a net worth of 8.5 billion dollars." He blanched as Collins continued expounding on his wealth and the anger that was in the pit of his stomach continued to grow. He nodded once and walked out of the room just as the first course was served. The fresh air of the small-enclosed garden called to him and he felt his anger lighten as the fresh breeze ruffled his hair. He sighed softly as the loud pounding of a bass signaled the start of the dancing but he didn't move towards the door. He was so embarrassed and that wasn't something he enjoyed. He closed his eyes but her face was there in his minds eye, flushed with extreme embarrassment and shame. He hated seeing her like that, and he stood, pushing himself from the chair he had been sitting in with enough force to rock it back on its back two legs. He strode inside, determined to fix what had been going wrong since the first time they had met. He hoped maybe clearing the air between them, could finally get her out of his head.
Elizabeth watched Darcy leave, a bit of pity in her heart. She knew that he was loaded but having a stranger announce it to the entire room must have been horrible. She glanced around as the room whispered, a bunch of girls who hadn't cared about the stuck up transfer before were now staring at the door he had disappeared out of. She shook her head slightly enjoying the feeling of her long curls brushing her bare back and smiled. The food was fantastic and conversation was good, as long as she tuned out Collins. Charlotte looked wonderful in a beautiful pale pink ballgown. After a bit, the waiters cleared the places and the dj who had been nibbling on some food until that moment stood and with a swirl of artificial noise, launched into the first song. The bass pounded through the room and the students streamed towards the floor. Lizzy saw Collin turning towards her and grabbed Charlotte by the wrist, running towards the dance floor dragging her friend behind. They danced to the pounding music for a few songs, disappearing into the crowd every time Collins came around. Finally he caught up to them moving between them to dance with Lizzy. She turned white back up as Collin began to twitch spastically with his eyes shut. She was about to call for a doctor cause it looked like he was having a seizure when she realized he was trying to dance. Suddenly he grabbed her hips and began grinding against her mimicking the dancing that the other students were doing. As bile rose in her throat, she slapped his hands away and backed up, storming off the dance floor to sit in her chair, fuming. Collin stared after her, the only motionless figure in a sea of motion before with a determined look on his face came after her. She looked frantically around for backup but couldn't find anyone, not even Darcy. She backed up, preparing to make a break for it but Collin cut her off, tugging to force her into a chair.
"Miss Eliza," He said standing awkwardly in front of her his hands folding and unfolding. "I find it hard to restrain myself. You are the most beautiful girl here and its clear that you have very strong feelings for me. Lady Catherine has told me numerous times that I should find a nice girl, one who I would be willing to settle down with in a bit. She must be intelligent but not too much so and treat a boyfriend and future husband with the respect due to him. Little did I realize how appealing this would be until you walked through the door." She snorted through her shocked indignation remembering that she had been smelly and sweaty and filthy. "I want you to be that girl. Lady Catherine will definitely approve of your wit and beauty especially when both are lessened by the respect her rank earns." Collin said with a reverence that was a bit disgusting. He grinned and reached into his pocket. Her eyes grew wide as her mind jumped to the worst possible thing. Instead of pulling out a ring box, which made her sigh in relief he pulled out a card which he slipped into her hand. She blinked as she looked at it, and realized it was the key card for a hotel room. She felt bile rising in her throat as she stared at the card, wondering if it would penetrate his thick skull if she threw it hard enough.
"Shall we?" He asked extending his arm in a disgusting parody of old fashioned chivalry. The music ironically turned into some oozing baby making song just as she drew a breath.
"No," She said simply crossing her arms over the chest he had barely been able to stop staring at the entire night.
"Excuse me?"
"No! I wouldn't date you if you were the last man on earth. I'm convinced I'd be the worst girlfriend for you and if Lady Catherine knew me at all she'd agree."
"I've been told that girls will sometimes pretend to refuse a man they really plan on accepting. This only makes me want you more." With that he grabbed both of her arms and stood on his tiptoes his lips pursed. She stared at him before bursting into hysterical laughter and wiggling from his grip.
"I'm not the type of girl to toy with a man's feelings, when I say I don't like you that way, or even at all. I'm very serious. Now go away before I call security." She said as she spun on her heel, realizing that she was finally free of him. She was looking for Charlotte when someone rested a hand on her shoulder. She spun, her face contorted in frustration.
"Collin, I'm serious…" She trailed off as she realized she wasn't staring at Collin's bald spot, but the tuxedo clad chest of Darcy. "Oh," She said softly as she flushed. George Wickham's words echoed through her head and her gaze grew colder as she waited for him to speak.
His gaze was dark as he stared at her, "Would you dance with me?" He asked so softly she barely heard him above the music.
"umm." She said softly, as the music came to an end. "One dance," Shes aid softly. He held a hand out to her and she grudgingly rested hers in his, noticing that they were callused from riding and work. She was surprised, expecting them to be baby soft. They walked out, moving to stand facing each other almost in the center of the dance floor. A single guitar began strumming in the silence. Darcy reached out hesitantly, waiting for her to accept his hand. She did as a voice began to sing.
"When I see your smile, Tears run down my face,
I can't replace, Now that I'm stronger I've figured out
How this world turns cold And breaks through my soul
and I know I'll find deep inside me I can be the one"
"Its usual to talk during these dances," She said softly as they began to sway.
"Let me know what you want me to say and I will," He said quietly staring at her with an intensity that made her shiver. "But would this be for your own comfort or mine?"
"Both, I have noticed how similar we can be, unsocial and a bit dour, and usually unwilling to speak unless its brilliantly intelligent and will astound the room."
"This doesn't sound like you at all. Though I'm now sure you think its accurate for me," He said with a wry twist of his mouth. Silence fell as the singing continued and they began to move more.
"…I will never let you fall, I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all, even if saving you sends me to heaven
It's okay, It's okay, it's okay…"
She blushed at the lyrics as Darcy continued to stare intently at her.
"Do you and your sisters go to the mall a lot," Darcy said looking at her gown with a faint smile on his face.
"Yes, we go to the mall a lot, in fact the last time you saw us we were just making a new friend." She was surprised to see the sudden change in his demeanor as his mouth tightened and his dark eyes snapped with anger.
"Wickham is bless with such charm he makes friends easily, but his personality usually makes it hard for him to keep them."
"He has lost your friendship, and that has hurt him in more ways than one. I'm sure he will never gain your forgiveness."
"You seem fairly concerned for just meeting him."
"Who wouldn't be?" She snapped, bristling. Silence fell between them as Jane and Bingley danced by, lost in each other. He stared at them, an intense expression on his face.
Seasons are changing And waves are crashing And stars are falling all for us
Days grow longer and nights grow shorter I can show you I'll be the one
I will never let you fall I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all (through it all)
Even if saving you sends me to heaven.
"I'm sorry, I lost my train of thought," Darcy said softly, "What were we talking about?"
"Nothing," She said shortly, "I don't know anyone who I have less to say too." Hurt flashed across his face but he continued to dance with her.
"What about books?" He said softly.
"I'm sure we don't' read the same ones or have the same opinions of them." She said shortly.
"But then we can talk about our different opinions."
"I can't talk about books here, my head is somewhere else." She said hoping he'd get the hint. Her anger built once more and she spoke against her better judgement, "You said that you don't forgive, I'm sure your careful when your resentment is created."
"Yes," His face was cautious as if he knew her question was about to bite him.
"And are never blinded by your own prejudices?" She said with a grin.
"I hope I don't, why are you asking me this?" HE said as he stopped dancing, she almost crashed into him before she stopped too. They stayed standing in the sea of people.
Use me as you will Pull my strings just for a thrill
And I know I'll be okay Though my skies are turning gray
"I'm trying to figure out your character I'm finding you impossible to figure out," And its driving me insane, she thought to herself.
His face was beginning to become annoyed, "And how is that going for you?" He asked shortly.
"Not well at all, I've heard so many contradicting things about you that I have no idea where to start."
"Perhaps you should save it for another time," He said as he drew close to her his voice husky. She found her head tilting back, surprised that she had to do that even in heels. She felt the breath of his words against her heated skin.
I will never let you fall
I'll stand up with you forever
I'll be there for you through it all
Even if saving you sends me to heaven
The song drew to a close as he drew closer to her, the touch of his chest against hers making her shiver. He bent, his lips hovering above hers. He stayed there for a moment before he pulled suddenly away, making her body jerk.
"Thank you for the dance Elizabeth." He said quietly as a bass returned and the dancers jerked into faster motion.
He walked away from her, as she stared after him, her heart pounding in her chest. He sighed as he walked out into the fresh air feeling the almost icy breeze on his hot cheeks. He cursed Wickham and felt anger rise in his throat. Still he remembered the soft fabric of her dress under his hands and the look in her eyes. A soft giggle drew his gaze to a couple hidden in the darkness. He could recognize Bingley anywhere and knew Jane had to be with him. He didn't approve of how quickly Charlie was falling for her. Jane had shown him no affection outside of the basic and he had a feeling she didn't have the backbone to resist her mother. He knew that Mrs. Bennet had shoved them together in the first place, and knew Jane was only following her mother's money scenting nose. He frowned. There were only a few weeks of school. He would separate them as soon as school ended. His friend deserved so much more than a money seeker no mater how pretty. He would separate them, taking him to England where they could both forget about the beautiful Bennet twins.
(( A/N : Since people asked for dress pictures here are some links this is Lizzy's dress but think of it in a navy blue/dark blue color with silver embroidery .com/art/Dress-Design-6312572 and then this is Jane's in a pale silvery blue .com/art/The-Princess-Dress-32436904 ))