Chapter 13

It had been hours since everyone had gotten settled into their rooms and Lizzie could hear the chatter down stairs from her room, she was lying in her bed she wasn't really in the mood to be social. As Lizzie laid on the bed thinking about how incredibly sucky her winter vacation was about to be she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in" Lizzie said, and Gigi walked through the door

"Hey, Nanny Reynolds made cookies and hot cocoa you should come down" Gigi said entering the room and closing the door behind herself

"No thanks, I don't have much of an appetite" Lizzie said rolling over on the bed

"Lizzie my dad was only kidding" Gigi explained sitting on the edge of the bed

"That doesn't make it any less embarrassing Gigi" Lizzie started "you know for years, our parents have been blatantly ignoring the obvious tension between the two of us! No one has ever considered how incredibly uncomfortable it is to be forced to spend time with someone that looks at you as like he'd rather be anywhere in the world but in the same room as me!" Gigi sat there listening to Lizzie she knew she just needed to vent she was going to let her do just that.

"I didn't even want to come on this trip! I wanted to be home, but instead I'm here with a guy that hides whenever he knows I'm going to be around!" Lizzie covered her face with her pillow she was frustrated and part of her wanted to cry. It just wasn't fair, every holiday, every vacation, and get together had to be with Will! If their parents loved hanging out so much why couldn't they just do it by themselves, they don't have to get the entire family together just to spend time with each other.

"Well for the record I'm really glad you're here" Gigi said, Lizzie laughed she was trying to lighten the mood and she appreciated Gigi for that.

"I know Will is your favorite person in the world…. But Thanks for letting me vent Gi" Lizzie said sitting up on the bed

"No problem, besides you probably won't see him again for a few days" Gigi said; Lizzie didn't think what Mrs. Darcy had said was serious, she just assumed she was being dramatic.

"what do you mean I won't see him for a few day, where the hell did he go?" lizzie felt anxious at that moment, she could feel herself getting angry again, I mean what Mr. Darcy said was pretty embarrassing but she certainly wasn't going to lock herself in her room for the duration of the trip!

"My parents never know where Will goes when he disappears, but my guess is he's down in the caves" Gigi explained casually, Lizzie looked at her with a confused looked on her face

"Leave it to Will to be so dramatic, that he would actually hide in a cave to get away from me!" Lizzie almost yelled

"no, no not a real cave, my dad built a man cave below this house, but he rarely uses it but I think Will does, I have no idea where the entrance is but I just assume whenever he disappears that's where he is" Gigi watched Lizzies expression go from angry to almost sad. They sat there in silence for a while and Gigi could tell Lizzie was thinking hard about something, Lizzies attitude towards Will was very confusing sometimes; sometimes Gigi was so sure that Lizzie had feelings for Will and other times she wasn't so sure, Lizzie had always done her best to keep her poker face where Will was concerned, she never let on just how upset his behavior toward her bothered her and she rarely spoke of him if no brings him up in conversation, but every month at dinner Gigi notices them stealing glances and while her brothers stone face is always the same, Lizzies is different every single time, like maybe she hates him a little less and other days she hates him a little more. As Gigi continued to watch Lizzie she finally looked up

"Gigi could I ask you something?"

"Of course"

"Am I really that bad that your brother thinks he has to hide from me? I mean I know we don't get along but it's not like I'm going to stab him the chest if asks me to pass the damn salt!" and there it was again, Lizzie had just gone from being sad over the idea of Will hiding from her to downright furious.

"No lizzie you're not that bad, Will is just embarrassed" Gigi tried to explain

"I was embarrassed too, but I'm not going to hide in a cave because I turned a little red for second" Lizzie wasn't convinced, she was furious Will had been doing this their whole lives! Why did he always get to hide! It was his fault they were always arguing and it was his fault that they've never had a decent conversation because he could never form coherent words if it wasn't an argument.

"Lizzie listen, Will would kill me if he knew I told you this but, the reality is Will is awkward , he's not very good with words, and feels like you're unpredictable he never knows what kind of mood your in or how you'll react to him" Gigi explained

" your brother is so full of it it's ridiculous, I don't even care anymore, if that's the way he wants to play it then that's fine by me! Now let's go get some cookies" Lizzie said standing up and walking towards the door, Gigi followed she decided she would leave the conversation alone for now, they had a whole week together and she wasn't going to spend it listening to lizzie pretend to hate Will.

The first three days of the vacation had been a blast! The girls had had so much fun skiing and tubing down the slopes, Lizzie was having a great time and she was actually glad Will decided to hide out it felt like he wasn't even there. On the fourth day of the trip the girls decided they would go horse back riding and the Bennett girls were super excited because none of them had ever been on a horse before.

"this is going to be so much fun, I wish Charlie was here, he loves horses" Jane said with her arm wrapped around lizzies as they got closer to the stables; as they walked something caught lizzies eye. A beautiful chocolate brown horse, galloped around the field with a man on her back in a black riding coat and boots. The horse huge and powerful yet graceful in its steps and its rider, though Lizzie could not see his face seemed equally as powerful and handsome. He was in total control and she could tell there energies matched each others, Lizzie stood mesmerized watching the rider on the horse hoping she would get to meet this Mysterious man and his beautiful horse. As Lizzie continued to watch she hadn't noticed Gigi coming over and standing beside her.

"Isn't she beautiful" Gigi said breaking Lizzies trance

"yes she is, I wonder who the guy is though he's so good with her" Lizzie replied never taking her eyes off the horse and it's rider, then she heard Gigi giggle and lizzie turned to her to find out what was so funny about what she had just said.

"Lizzie, that's Will" she said between giggles. Lizzie turned completely red at that moment that can't be him! She thought.

"That can't be him, that guy is confident and so graceful on that horse" Lizzie just knew that that could not be Will.

"That's Will's horse" she explained

" maybe it's another horse" lizzie said still not convinced, Gigi rolled her eyes and took off her gloves and whistled before yelling

"here Annabelle, come here girl" and just like that, not only did the horse turn it's head, so did it's rider and it was in fact William Darcy looking in there direction, the horse began to gallop towards Gigi and Lizzie and though most times whenever Lizzie and Will made any contact he was always on edge, but riding towards them he seemed cool and peaceful. Lizzie realized that Will was attractive but she had never seen him look more handsome than this moment; as Will stopped in front of the fence where the girls stood, Lizzie realized her heart was beating rapidly and when she looked up she saw Will's piercing blue eyes watching her and the strangest thing happened… he smiled at her exposing his dimple and perfect teeth, lizzie found it difficult to breathe and she looked away from him what the hell was that about!? She thought putting her hand over her chest, Lizzie was trying to collect herself when she heard him speak

"Hello ladies" he said still smiling, Gigi also surprised by her brothers chipper mood asked "what are you so happy about?"

" it's beautiful out today, perfect for riding Belle and I have been out all morning on the trail we're just getting back" Will explained stroking the horses back "have you ever been on a horse before Elizabeth?" Will asked, Lizzie had been totally caught off guard by his question and completely shocked that he was even speaking to her. Lizzie was tongue tied and it took her moment before she answered him

"Uhh, no I've never been horseback riding before"

"Well I know the perfect horse for you" Will said climbing down from his horse "come on" he Said waving them toward the stables.

Gigi began to walk in same direction but she didn't get too far before Lizzie grabbed her arm

"What's going on with Will?" Lizzie had to ask she had never seen him so up beat, at least not towards her.

"He's always like that after a ride with Belle" she said simply

When the girls were finally in the stable they were greeted by a very excited Jane and Lydia who had both picked out the horse they wanted to ride; Jane had chosen a white horse name angel which seemed fitting for her and Lydia chosen a chestnut brown horse named sugar and both were being prepared for the girls to ride.

"I am so excited for this! Gigi, lizzie you have to go pick a horse" Lydia told them

"Oh my horse is Nelly over there" Gigi said pointing to a horse that was also Chocolate brown like Will's

"She's beautiful Gi" Lizzie said

"Ok Lizzie so then you're the only one left to choose" Lydia said, at that moment Will appeared from around a corner

"Elizabeth, come with me" he called to her, Lydia gave Lizzie a devious smirk and Lizzie simply rolled her eyes and walked towards William. He walked and Lizzie followed him, they walked in silence until they reached two stables

"Could I maybe see your horse for a sec, she's amazing" Lizzie was dying to see the graceful horse up close

"of course she's right over here" Will said opening the door to the horses stable, Lizzies heart skipped a beat when she laid eyes on the horse again she was standing and she was even bigger up close and she was mysterious and beautiful, and lizzie thought she fit Will perfectly

"Will she let me pet her?" Lizzie asked a bit afraid to get any closer

"Yes but I'll have to guide you she's not always very good with strangers" Lizzie looked at Will and laughed a little

"You two are a match made in heaven huh?" Will laughed a little too as he realized the comparison

"yeah I guess you could say that" Will said coming to stand behind Lizzie "now I'm going to guide you" he said and it seemed that he was becoming more nervous "uhhh I need hold your waist" he explained blushing, Lizzie was also beginning to turn to red

"Ok…" she said slowly and before she knew it Will placed one arm around Lizzies waist and pulled her closer. Lizzie's heart was beating out of her chest and she prayed that he wouldn't hear it.

"Take off your glove" he said

"What, why?"

"she needs to able to smell you" after Lizzie had taken off the glove Will place his huge hand over hers and he was trembling a bit, Will lifted her hand and told her to stretch out palm in his and walk slowly towards the horse. Lizzie couldn't believe Williams behavior that must have been one hell of a ride, for the first time in there life Will wasn't acting so jittery around her and Lizzie couldn't deny the butterflies she felt where his hand was. When they finally came close to the horse, Will guided lizzie's hand as she stroked the side of the horses head, she jerked her head when she noticed it wasn't William touching her, lizzie tried to jump back but Will was still holding her firmly

"Annabelle, its ok this is lizzie" he spoke softly, guiding lizzie's hand to pet her head again. The horse became more relaxed hearing Williams voice and he slowly began to move away from Lizzie; lizzie was excited that horse was allowing her to pet her she hadn't noticed Will step away from her, he was watching her intently as he always did.

"She really is beautiful Will" Lizzie told him still in amazement

"Thanks" he said in a soft chuckle

"I didn't know you rode"

"Yeah, I started taking lesson because of my aunt Kathy, she bought both mine and Georgiana's horses" he said walking towards Lizzie "Annabelle really seems to like you, maybe you should ride today" he said petting her

"Oh Will I don't know if I could handle her I've never been on a horse before" Lizzie said backing away and shaking her head

"you'll do fine, Annabelle will take it easy, won't you girl" Will said trying to convince her, Lizzie was nervous but the horse was beautiful she knew it would be a great ride.

"Ok if you think it'll be ok"

"Great! Let's get you geared up" Will said walking out of the stable, as Lizzie followed him out of the stable she had a thought

"Hey, you know my middle name is Annabelle" she said thinking of the coincidence, she watched Wills face begin to turn red, he was quiet for a moment before he said "I know"