Darcy's stomach churned in anticipation as the shiny Lee town car pulled up to the curb of Netherfield's estate. Due to the countless texts from Caroline relaying cryptic horrors of the Bennet Dinner he had missed in addition to the insistent messages from Bing to join them out at a local bar, Darcy found himself hands deep in his trouser pockets and rolling on the balls of his feet, waiting on the sidewalk to be picked up. Although a long day of traveling had wearied Darcy he had decidedly missed the presence of his benign best friend and the fashionably aloof sister that came along with this, so upon receiving their messages he had complied to join them for a night out on the town. Upon seeing his characteristically serious reflection in the car's tinted windows as he approached, his slight uncertainty in joining this endeavor intensified. What followed the click of the opening car door only further amplified these apprehensions.
"WOOO Carters!" Squealed a girlish voice followed by erratic giggling and the pumping sound of the backseat stereo.
"God, Lydia settle down!" Annoyance rang in the voice that followed causing Darcy's stomach to lurch nervously as the car door swung open in its entirety to let him in. Next to the empty seat reserved for Darcy sat a silently scathing Caroline and observantly pleasant Bing whose attention was directed toward the fuss across from them. Darcy slid into the empty seat, his eyes drawn to the girls adjacent as well as he pulled the door closed beside him. Lizzie Bennet was fumbling irritably with her seat-belt attempting to buckle it as her energetic younger sibling was thrashing about in her seat to the beat of the music, the flaps of her neon orange sleeves fluttering as she tossed her vibrant hair. Jane was beside them, tittering as she caught eyes with Bing, causing the later to join her in a chuckle at the silliness of her sisters.
Bing turned to Darcy once they all were settled and the car rumbled beneath them, starting its drive.
"Glad you could join us! How was your flight? Sorry we weren't there to welcome you back."
"It's alright." Darcy affirmed as the car began pulling away from Netherfield. "This flight was uneventful. Gigi sends her..." he cleared his throat awkwardly, loosening his green plaid tie a bit. "...love." Although the town car was quite spacious for the six inhabitants, Darcy felt hot and cramped with anxiety. Caroline beside him was tapping her foot irately and the thumping music was pounding in time with an approaching headache. As if cued by Darcy's thought, Lizzie across from him yanked down the over flap of the radio and turned off the music which caused her younger sister to pause mid dance, expression twisting from gleeful to sour in an instant as she let out a high-pitched whine.
"Li-zzie!" she protested, glaring at her older sister who narrowed her eyes challengingly in response. Before an argument could break out Jane turned and patted the youngest's shoulder.
"There'll be plenty of time for dancing at Carter's, Lydia." She cooed, in an almost mothering way. Darcy observed with surprise as Lydia, rather than crossing her arms at being condescended to as he expected, settled back into her seat as if her energy was sedated by Jane's soft, careful voice. " Let's just relax and chat till we get there."
Lydia shrugged, corner of her lip upturning in a smile. "Yeah, okay."
"Oh sure, you listen to her." Instead it was Lizzie who rolled her eyes, clutching her arms to herself. Now that the tension and noise had dispelled, Darcy allowed himself to give her the quick once over. His eyes admired how the scoop of her grey ruffled top displayed her bosom flatteringly, and how her paisley blue skirt was fitting, stopping just at the knee so he had the pleasure of viewing the shape of her legs. It was a rather modest ensemble but gave his eyes just enough skin to allude to the mystery beneath. His gaze traced quickly back up to her face, startled as they caught eyes. They quickly broke contact. Darcy flushed and she shifted in discomfort in her seat for she had realized his surveying gaze before it met with hers and felt scrutinized.
"So what's this bar like?" Caroline questioned coolly from beside him, blandly shifting her eyes between the Bennet sisters. Jane opened her mouth to respond but Lydia flailed her arms out and burst like a firework before a word could be said.
"Ohmygod it's soooo fun! There are video games, and hot boys and really great five-dollar cocktails!" She leaned in, hand to her cheek as if revealing a deliciously juicy secret. "The bartender's in a frat at the state U and the drinks he makes taste just like juice. But you get so drunk from it, it's awesome!"
"And how do you know all this?" Lizzie questioned, pinching Lydia and causing the girl to wince.
"Ow, hey! Wha-ut, his brother goes to CC with me, so sometimes a group of us go."
"That is so illegal." Lizzie muttered under her breath and Jane nervously began talking to divert the conversation.
"So! What are the bars like where you're all from?" She asked, peering between the Lees and Darcy with genuine interest.
"They're fun!" Bing offered, glancing to his sister and friend for input. "Although I don't think they have video games…"
"Or five-dollar cocktails." Caroline drawled quietly, running a hand through her hair. She spoke up a bit as she continued "I'm more a clubbing girl, myself. Bars tend to get so stale after an hour—"
"Totally! I know what you mean," Lydia interrupted, nodding her head fervently. "Dancing is so much fun! But there's this super cool dance game at Carter's that we can play…" She turned sideways to Lizzie, smirking as she articulated an insult at her sibling. "..although I wouldn't ask Lizzie to play, she's got the dancing abilities of a drunken giraffe."
"Shut up, I do not!" Lizzie started but Jane joined Lydia's laughter which caused a stupor in her retort.
"You are a little uncoordinated, Lizzie" Jane teased lightly, though her tone remained kind.
"But—no—I'm a really good dancer!" Lizzie insisted, a fierceness in her eyes as Lydia snorted.
"Good one, sis!" She put a hand to her mouth in a fitful of giggles, squinting eyes watering and Jane from beside her joined as well. Lizzie sighed dully, waiting for them to relent and as they died down, Jane's face fell at her expression.
"Oh, you were serious…"
"That makes it even funnier!" Lydia cried out, gasping from laughter and the two jocular siblings caught eyes and erupted into chortles once more at Lizzie's expense.
In the adjacent seats, Caroline continued to tap her heel but her lip was quivering into a sneer. Darcy, beside her, ran his hands over his knees, discomforted by the Bennet's behavior toward one another. He thought how Gigi would never openly mock or berate him in such a manner, especially around acquaintances. Bing, however, was laughing along, understanding of the Bennet's affections.
"Ah, sibling love!" He declared, putting an arm around Caroline and giving her shoulder a squeeze. She blinked apathetically at him, expression still cross. "Caroline and I heckle each other all the time, ain't that right sis?" Caroline let out short, disingenuous laugh before pulling his arm off her and dropping it in his lap.
"Whatever you say, bro."
"See!" Bing chuckled, gesturing to Caroline. "She's doing it right now."
"Look, look! We're here!" Lydia squealed, smacking her sister's knees then pointing to the car window. All eyes in the cab followed her finger to the red, curvy, neon sign in the sky reading "Carter's", the light of the s flickering weakly. The bar was situated in the middle of a shopping plaza and the dull glow of a twenty-four hour grocery store beamed from across the parking lot. Caroline turned to Bing, her expression relaying an Are you serious? He was as infuriatingly agreeable as ever and merely smiled wider as if to show his excitement for the bar. She turned her disdain to Darcy, who met her eyes with a quick brow movement that confirmed her ill feelings were reciprocated.
A/N: I love the dynamic between the Bennet sisters in LBD so this was fun to write about-I love when they're all together being a pain to one another. Makes me miss my own sister! If you haven't already follow and fav the story to get updated for next Thursday's chapter: The Bennet Dinner Revealed. Comments make me feel loved. (and its cool that some of you are finding me via the diaries! I should troll those comments with my story more.) On that note, sharing is caring, so share this with your other LBD friends! Peace, Love, LBD.