Chapter 11

Second Guessing

Mr. Bennet sat in his library reading a letter. Lizzy knocked on the door and waited patiently for her father's reply. He asked who it was. When he found it was Lizzy, he immediately replied that she could come in. Had it been anyone else, Mr. Bennet's response would have been entirely different.

"Lizzy! Just the girl I wanted to see." said Mr. Bennet cleaning his glasses.

"Do you have another terrible essay that made you lose faith in the American education system?" laughed Lizzy.

"Not this time. But I do have something quite equally appalling." chuckeled Mr. Bennet as he handed Liza the letter.

My dear hosts,

My name is Wilham Collins. I am from the country of Austria. I am in the foreign exchange program. I have been notified that I will be imposing upon your family 's hospitality. I am quite excited to be seeing this great country. I am on the facespace and will be sending your three lovely girls facespace requests. Once I have received your reply. I am very sorry to be intruding in your home. I hope I am not too much trouble. I am hoping to be very happy in great country. I must apologize once more for intruding. I can't wait for your reply.

Thank you,

Wilham Collins

Mr. Bennet laughed at the expression on Lizzy's face."He can't be a very clever person. Can he, Father?

"I quite agree with you, Lizzy my dear. I find that this will be an entertaining experience for the two of us."

"In very least educational. I'm so glad we haven't experienced this type of person! You would think that in all of our years of doing the foreign exchange program we would have had someone this foolish."

"Indeed. Indeed. But you came in for another reason I suppose."

"Yes, I was wondering if you had had time to think about this coming weekend."

"That's this week, correct?"

Lizzy replied that it was.

"And clearly your mother has no problem with this. So, I think going to Charlotte's would be fine."

Lizzy's face brightened. After yesterday's OH-So-wonderful-ness, this is exactly what she needed. A break. A break away from everybody and everything. Especially Rick Darcy. She couldn't believe that prat. Stealing everybody and everything from her. First Mr. Lewis, then Yale, then Jason, and even her title of crazy compulsive writer chick. Well minus the chick part. The idea of Rick Darcy being called a chick put Lizzy in an even better mood. She quickly thanked father and immediately left the room to find out if Jane was home.

Jane had gone to the library with Charlie to work on their essay. Again. Yesterday, she had left at noon and came home at six. She happily told Lizzy how wonderful it had been. They had talked most of the time and hadn't gotten much work done. In fact, they had barely gotten their third paragraph finished. So they had to work on it again today. It was 5:30 now. So Lizzy figured that Jane would be home soon. But she knew that there was a good chance it would be longer. They really needed to get that essay done.

Lizzy began to pack for the weekend. What to pack? What to read? Poetry of course and maybe a book from when she was young. Anne of Green Gables perhaps. She really loved that book. Emily Dickinson maybe. Lizzy hadn't been this excited for a break in a really long time. She loved the snow. It was pretty and sparkly. Her mind was blown when she found out that every snowflake was different. She loved snowball fights, sledding, hot chocolate, mittens. It didn't matter that it was cold. It didn't matter if your clothes would get wet. Snow and winter were great. The only other weather that was better for reading was a storm. But sometimes even a storm couldn't compete.

Lizzy's musings about snow were interrupted by her mother's sudden shriek "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE HAVE A GUEST COMING OVER? MR. BENNET YOU SAID WE WERE DONE WITH THESE FOREIGN EXCHANGE NONSENSE." She shouted forgetting to use her fake accent. Lizzy booked it to the library.

"Look, Eleanor we need the extra money anyway. And it will be a valuable learning expierance."

"Yes, yes you and your studies over the human condition. I'm tired of them."

"Ah Lizzy, my dear." said Mr. Bennet noting Lizzy's prescence. "Can we help you?"

"No sir/. I was hoping I might be assistance.""No, my dear I don't believe you will be of use at the moment."

"I disagree Mr. Bennet." Mrs. Bennet always called him that when she was upset with him. "Lizzy, dear,don't you think that we should keep our own bloody house to oursleves!"said Mrs. Bennet returning to her accent.

"Eleanor, leave Lizzy out of this. It's already too late anyway. We can't back out now."

"Damn you Harold! You have put my nerves in great distress. How am I to function when you vex them so?"

"My dear Eleanor,you are mistaken. I adore both you and your nerves. They are my very good friends."

"Well, I guess there is no use convincing you to change your mind. So, I'm going to began preparing the house." stated Mrs. Bennet in a huff. She then proceeded to march from the room and slam the door behind her.

"So, this is just a guess here. But mom found out about Wilham."

"Yes, and she took this rather well... compared to last year. No matter about her anger. She will be right as rain soon."

The conversation was interrupted by Mr. Bennet's phone ringing. So, Lizzy departed from the room and went upstairs. She looked down at her phone and saw that she had six missed calls. All from Charlotte. She immediately dialed Charlotte'snumber and waited for her t pick up.

"Lizzy? Have you finally decided to call me back?"

Lottie, What's wrong? You sound upset?"

"I don't know maybe it's because you didn't show up last nigh?"

Dread and regret surged through Lizzy. "Lottie I'm so sorry! I had that damn paper to finish with Mister-I-need-an-A-before-I'm-happy. And then I had to wait for Jane! AND AND AND!"

"It's ok. I just had an awful week and needed a venting session. So you not showing up was the God-damned icing on the cake."

Suddenly Charlotte comprehended what Lizzy just said. "Wait! Who is Mister Grade Grubber?"

"Rick Darcy." groaned Lizzy.

"No way! you spent a day with him! That's so cool! You know a girl at school on Friday fainted because he winked at her!"

"That just proves what a pompous jerk he is! I didn't want to spend the day with him! I detest him! Who wants a person they detest at their house?"

Wait! hold up! He was at your house?"

"Yes. He stole Jason from me! Rick Darcy is his new idol! AND he met my mother and Lydia. Who by the way started talking about MY underwear!"

Where was Jane during all this?"

"With Charlie. they were working on their project together. Oh Lottie, I do hope they'll go out! They are perfect for each other."

"Jane isn't exactly upfront about her affection, Lizzy."

"Of course she is! She is an incredibly kind and affectionate person!"

"Yes to EVERYONE. She is a saint and good natured! She needs to hit Charlie over the head with flirting!"

"Oh so she needs to change herself?"

"Lizzy that's not what I said!"

"Charlotte she's hung out with him three times!"

"Yeah once at a club and two times for school. She hasn't hung out with him just to hang out with him."

"I guess..."

Both girls were silent for quite some time.

"We both are coming to the resort."said Lizzy not wanting the conversation to end on a sour note.

"Hopefully my brother won't try too hard to impress you again!"

"He really shouldn't have tried that flip! His leg was broken like six months!"

"LIZZY! COME DOWN HERE AND HELP ME CLEAN THIS DAMNED SPARE BEDROOM!" shrieked Mrs. Bennet.

"Gotta go Lottie! I'll talk to you later!"