Longbourn High – Chapter 5

Author's Notes:

It's been awhile since I updated this, but I think you'll see why. This chapter's even longer than the last one!

A lot happens here. Some of it's in order, some of it isn't. But, that's what happens when you do a retelling. At least, when I do one.

Anyway, to answer your questions:

I am planning to write this for the whole book. In this chapter, I start to lay the groundwork for the second half of the novel.

I thought about using the name Georgina, but that would actually be kind of weird for me since I've known a couple girls named Georgia (which is pretty close to Georgina) and it isn't a really common name. I've known several Annas, so I'll never be tempted to think of any of them when I'm writing about her.

I think that was all. If I missed any of your questions, sorry! I'm tired now, so my brain's not functioning properly. Good thing I waited to do the author's note last..

Anyway, many thanks and praises to everyone who reviewed! I hope you like this chapter as well!


For a family as diverse as the Bennets, there were surprisingly few fights on record. When the girls were children, there were constant squabbles over things like who got to sit in the front seat or whose turn it was to push the elevator button. But, even then, the only major fight turned out to be a relatively small one. One day, when she was six years old, Katie decided that she couldn't stand sharing a room with Mary anymore. So, Lynn moved in with Katie and the nursery was turned into a bedroom for Mary. This solution made everyone involved happy, so no tears or harsh words were shed.

As the girls grew older, the number of fights increased, but not by a lot. Jane and Lizzie were a solid pair. Even when they bickered, it was only for a few moments and was usually over something light-hearted. Katie and Lynn bickered constantly, but it was normally resolved swiftly by a temper tantrum – usually thrown by Lynn. Mary turned out to be the wild card in the family. In general, she got along well enough with her older sisters, but she couldn't stand to spend much time with the younger ones. Throwing Mary into the mix was always a surefire way to end a fight between Katie and Lynn.

Well, almost always.

The first exception to this rule took place one day in early November. Looking back, Lizzie would realize that there had been events leading up to the fall-out, but, of course, no one noticed at the time. In fact, Lizzie didn't realize anything was wrong until she saw Katie run into the girls' room, sobbing hysterically.

After disentangling herself from her friends, Lizzie hurried into the bathroom. She followed her sister's whimpers to the last stall. Katie's feet weren't visible underneath the door, but Lizzie could hear the unmistakable sound of her sister coughing between sobs.

"Kate?" She said softly. "What's wrong, honey?"

"Go away!" Katie screamed.

"What happened?" Lizzie pressed. "Did you get in trouble?"

"I said, go away!"

"Katie-"

"I don't want to talk about it!" Katie sniffled, but, after a moment's pause, the door squeaked open and Katie's tear-stained face poked out. "Lynn's not out there, is she?"

"Lynn," Lizzie repeated with a shake of her head. "No, I haven't seen her all day."

"Good," Katie stepped out of the stall slowly. Lizzie's eyes followed as she began to pace the room.

"Here," Lizzie stepped forward cautiously, a tissue in hand. "Blow your nose."

"Thanks," Katie said quietly. She glanced down at her feet for a moment before meeting Lizzie's stare. "Don't you have class?"

"Just study hall with Mrs. Gardiner," Lizzie shrugged calmly. "She'll understand if I'm late."

"Oh," Katie nodded numbly.

"So, I have plenty of time to do the 'sister – slash – therapist' thing, if you want to chat."

"Well, you are very good at going 'hmmm,'" Katie laughed quietly. She blinked for a few moments before continuing. "I hate Lynn."

"What'd she do?"

"She made the squad!" Katie's foot stomped angrily.

"What?" Lizzie asked.

"We tried out for the cheerleading squad yesterday."

"I didn't know that!"

"Yeah, well, it was sort of a spur of the moment thing. We were watching the guys practice while we waited for you, when the squad came in. Harriet came over to talk to us during their break and said they needed a new member since one of the girls moved. So, Lynn came up with the brilliant idea that we should try out..."

"And, Lynn made it," Lizzie finished. "I'm sorry, Katie."

"Do you have any idea how humiliating this is?" Katie moaned as the tears started pouring again. "My sister, my little sister, made the Varsity squad and I.. I made JV! JV! J-freaking-V!"

"You know, a lot of girls from JV move up to Varsity," Lizzie pointed out.

"It's not the same," Katie whimpered. "No matter what happens, Lynn will always be the one that got there first!"

"I'm sure it wasn't personal," Lizzie said consolingly. "Lynn was a gymnast for six years. That might have something to do with it."

"But, I was a dancer!" Katie cried. "I can do a cartwheel as well as any of those girls.. Harriet said Lynn was perkier and had a better stage presence." Katie snorted. "What she really meant is that Lynn's more likely to attract a large male audience."

"Katie-"

"It's just not fair!" Katie whined. "Everyone always likes Lynn best. Lynn always gets what she wants. I never get anything! Ever!"

Lizzie wrapped an arm around Katie and pulled her into a hug as the door to the bathroom swung open. Lizzie looked up nervously, in case she had to shield Katie from any potential hecklers. As it turned out, her paranoia was fair. It was Mary.

"Where have you been?" Mary cried as she hurried over to the girls. "I had to start the dissection without you! Do you have any idea how-" Her voice cut off for a moment as she noticed the scene before her. "What happened?"

"It's a long story," Lizzie said quickly. She knew Mary's reaction wouldn't be good if she knew why her lab partner was cutting class.

"I didn't make the cheerleading squad," Katie gulped, her teary eyes meeting Mary's.

"That's-" Mary started, but cut herself off just in time. "Ok, I'll cover for you this time, but you owe me."

"Thanks, but I think I just need a sec," Katie pulled away from Lizzie and made her way over to the sinks. After splashing some water on her face and blotting it off with her hands, she turned to face her sisters. "How do I look?"

"Like you're trying to look like you haven't been crying," Mary replied.

"You look fine," Lizzie said as she reached into her purse. "But, here, blow your nose again."

Katie accepted the tissue, studied her face in the mirror, and turned to go. "Come on, Mary," she said, taking her sister's arm. "Let's do this, before I change my mind."

Lizzie followed the girls out, but went in the opposite direction when they reached the end of the corridor. With one more glance over her shoulder, to make sure Katie hadn't succumbed to her tears again, she finally went to study hall.


After the incident with Katie, Lizzie had guessed it wouldn't be long before Lynn was in need of advice as well. And, sure enough, the youngest Bennet was waiting by Lizzie's locker after the last bell rang that day.

"Hey, Lynnie," Lizzie said breezily as she packed her bag for band practice. "Congrats on making the squad."

"Thanks," Lynn automatically replied. "Do you have a sec?"

"If you can walk and talk, sure."

Lynn waited while Lizzie zipped up her bag before they set off in the direction of the music classroom.

"So, what's up?" Lizzie wondered.

"Do you know why Katie's mad at me?"

"Do you?"

"I asked you first."

"I do," Lizzie nodded. "And, I have a feeling you do too."

"I don't get it," Lynn sighed. "Why's she being crazy about this? It's not my fault I'm more talented."

"That attitude might have something to do with it."

"What?" Lynn shrugged. "So, I'm supposed to hold myself back just because Katie doesn't want anything to change?"

"You could be more sensitive about it," Lizzie suggested.

"I don't get Katie," Lynn continued. "She should be happy for me. I mean, think about all the boys I'm going to meet! The guys were practically drooling over me during the try-outs. Just imagine what they'll be like when they really see me in action! And, then, there are the other teams. I'll never have to worry about getting bored of seeing the same guys!"

"Well-" Lizzie started.

"This is going to be so great! I get to leave school early when there's an away game. And, I can wear my uniform to school. It's so cute! And, if the team raises enough money, we'll be going to a tournament in New York! Can you imagine? I wonder if Mother would let me get a new wardrobe there," Lynn squealed. "I don't know why I'm even worrying about Katie. Who cares what she thinks?" With a shake of her head, Lynn gave Lizzie's arm a quick squeeze before starting off into the crowd. "Thanks for the advice, Liz! I'll see you later!"

Lizzie watched her sister go before stepping into the classroom. The majority of the band was already there, warming up, so Lizzie went directly to the woodwinds section. To Lizzie's surprise, Charlotte was there, but hadn't even bothered taking out her flute yet.

"Hey," Lizzie greeted as she collapsed onto the chair next to her friend.

"Hey," Charlotte returned the greeting. "How was your day?"

"Weird," Lizzie said. "Have I ever mentioned that my sisters are crazy?"

"Once or twice," Charlotte grinned.

"How about you?" Lizzie studied her friend's expression for a moment. "What's new in the life of Charlotte Lucas?"

"Well, I got my history test back."

"Yeah?"

"Got an A."

"I knew it!"

Charlotte nodded slowly as she pushed a strand of hair behind her ear. "And, I actually tried the pizza at lunch."

"You brave soul!" Lizzie clasped a hand to her chest. "I'm sorry I missed it. That must've been a sight to see!"

"It was surprisingly.. Well, not horrible," Charlotte smiled faintly. "I sat with Jane and her friends today. Is she ok? She seemed kind of down."

"I know," Lizzie nodded. "She's been having some problems with Charlie lately."

"That would explain it," Charlotte pulled out her flute as their teacher entered the room. "Oh, before I forget-" Her voice cut off as she bit her lip uncertainly.

"What?" Lizzie asked as she got her flute out as well.

"I have a boyfriend," Charlotte said quickly, just as their teacher began to speak.


That practice was possibly the longest hour of Lizzie's life. She couldn't focus on the music, which only made things worse since they had to keep going over the same song until she could stop missing the notes. It got so bad that Lizzie started to pretend she was playing, just so the practice would move along faster.

Finally, the session was over and Lizzie was free to pounce on Charlotte for an explanation.

"You have a boyfriend?" Lizzie hissed as the girls packed up their belongings and put their layers of winter clothing back on. "Since when?"

"Since yesterday," Charlotte whispered back.

"Who is he?" Lizzie demanded. "Do I know him? When'd you meet? This is major, Char! I can't believe you waited to tell me!"

"Yeah, well, I wasn't sure how you'd react," Charlotte admitted.

"Why?" Lizzie wondered. "He isn't a creep, is he? I know you want a boyfriend, Char, but you can't just settle for-"

"It's Bill," Charlotte cut in quietly.

"What?"

"Bill."

"Bill," Lizzie repeated, her eyes as wide as dinner plates. "Bill?"

"Bill," Charlotte confirmed.

"Bill Collins?"

Charlotte nodded weakly.

"Oh, Charlotte," Lizzie's knees buckled as she sat back down.

"What?" Charlotte said defensively. "Did you think you were the only girl he was capable of liking?"

"Of course not!" Lizzie said quickly. "But, Bill.. He's.."

"He's perfectly nice," Charlotte replied. "And, he's sweet, in his own way. And, he really cares about people. He's smart and caring and.. and.. Did I say smart?"

"He's not that smart."

"He's read a lot."

"That doesn't mean-" Lizzie started, but cut herself off. "Do you really like him?"

"I.." Charlotte glanced down at her feet.

"If you do, I'll never say another bad word about him."

"I'm just tired of being single, Liz," Charlotte explained. "I know Bill's not the perfect guy, but he's a safe choice. And, he likes me, I think. At least, he likes the idea of me. Which works, since I like the idea of him."

"You deserve more than that, Char."

"Do I?" Charlotte raised a skeptical eyebrow. "I'm not a romantic, Liz. I'm not you. If I'd thought I had a chance with George Wickham, I would've stuck it out, no matter what the chemistry was like. I've never believed in love at first sight, you know that. Love is just a form of mutual respect. It grows with time. I think I can grow to love Bill. Or, at least, to care about him."

Lizzie glanced at her hands for a moment before replying. She had always known that she differed from her friend in this respect, but it startled her to hear how unfeeling Charlotte's words were. "I hope your heart learns to care about him, then."

"Thanks," Charlotte said softly as she tossed her bag over her shoulder. "This will be good for me, I can feel it already."

Lizzie smiled weakly as she stood back up. "So, what're your plans tonight? I'm having a major coffee craving. Can you temporarily blow off homework for a quick caffeine buzz?"

"I wish I could," Charlotte said, shifting slightly. "But, I promised Bill I'd go to church with his family tonight."

"Oh," Lizzie blinked uncertainly. "Well, if you have plans.."

"We can drink coffee at lunch tomorrow," Charlotte promised.

"Right," Lizzie agreed as she gathered up her bags. "Well, I don't want to make you late."

"Late?" Charlotte gasped as she glanced at her watch. "Oh, goodness! I have to go! If I make a bad impression on the family-"

"Go!" Lizzie urged, giving her friend a small shove.

After stammering a few nervous replies, Charlotte wove around Lizzie and sprinted into the hallway. Lizzie remained in the empty classroom for a moment, her mind spinning, before heading out to find her sisters.


By the time she went to bed that night, Lizzie was beginning to feel very happy that she didn't have many problems of her own to deal with. Between Katie, Lynn, Charlotte, and Jane, she was swamped.

Jane was waiting for Lizzie on the porch when the girls got home that evening. Judging from the pile of kleenex in her sister's lap, Lizzie guessed that Jane's early dinner with Charlie had not gone well.

After shooing their younger sisters inside and making sure that the door was firmly shut, Lizzie sat down next to Jane. "Want to talk about it?" She offered.

"We broke up," Jane said.

"Oh, Jane!" Lizzie cried.

"It's ok," Jane sniffled quietly. "In the long run, it's for the best."

"It's just me, Jane," Lizzie reminded her. "I won't think any less of you if you're miserable."

Jane glanced down for a moment before letting her head fall onto Lizzie's shoulder. "I am miserable," she confessed. "Oh, Lizzie.. I don't know what happened. I really.." She sat up for a moment while she fished a paper out of her pocket. "Read this. Did I overreact?"

Lizzie started to say that she couldn't judge since she didn't know how Jane had acted, but she decided to read the letter first.

Jane –

I don't know how to put this, but I think you should know. If it were me, I'd want to be aware of what was happening.

I tried to tell you on Halloween, but I don't think it clicked. I really should work on my oratory skills. I'll have to have a word with my speech coach about this. My parents are paying him far too much money for me to fail at something like this.

Anyway, my point in writing to you was to say that, as much as it pains me to think it, my brother has found someone else. Charlie's a decent guy. He will never actually admit it, but I can see it in his eyes, in the way he acts around Jackie. They've known each other for years. They come from the same background, go to the same school, are going to have similar futures. They fit together. It was only a matter of time before he figured that out.

You seem like a very nice girl, Jane. I wish you all the best. I really do. My reason for telling you this is to save you the embarrassment of being cheated on. If you don't sever your ties with Charlie soon, I fear you will become the laughingstock of my school and, eventually, your own.

All the best,

Caroline Bingley

Lizzie's ears were burning by the time she finished reading the e-mail. "Of all the nerve!" Her hands were shaking, she was so angry. "I knew Caroline Bingley was a-"

"Don't," Jane cut her off softly. "Caroline was right."

"What?" Lizzie gasped.

"She was telling the truth," Jane sniffled.

"That's impossible!"

"Charlie didn't show up tonight," Jane told her.

"What?"

"I waited twenty minutes before I called him," Jane said sadly. "When I did, a.. a girl answered."

"That could've been anyone," Lizzie said with more certainty than she felt.

"I asked who she was and she said, 'Jackie.'"

"Jane-"

"Charlie grabbed the phone from her a minute later and started going on about how sorry he was and that it was just a sudden school project and that he would be there as soon as possible and-" Jane's voice cut off as she took a breath. "It was obvious that he'd forgotten."

"So, you broke up with him?" Lizzie wondered.

"No, not then," Jane's head shook glumly. "I.. I went on about how.." Her head fell into her hands. "How if he liked Jackie that much, he should be with her. And, he didn't deny anything. He.. he got mad at me! He said that I was too demanding. He said his grades were getting worse because he spent all his free time with me. He said he wasn't going to get into college if we kept going on like this.. So, I.."

"You broke up with him," Lizzie finished.

Jane nodded silently.

"How'd he take it?"

"He was fine," Jane's shoulders shook as she let out a small sob. "That was the worst part. He didn't seem upset at all. He said a break would be good for us."

"A break?" Lizzie repeated. "Well, you didn't break up then, Jane! You're just taking some time for yourselves."

"You say that now," Jane said softly. "But, I would be very surprised if I ever saw Charlie again."

Wiping at her eyes, Jane stood up. For a moment, Lizzie feared that her sister didn't have the strength to stand, but Jane was stronger than she looked.

"Enough of this," Jane said as cheerfully as she could manage. "I don't know why I'm so upset. It's for the best, isn't it? And.." She paused for a moment as she sniffed the air. "Oh, good, Mom's making tacos for dinner. I think I'll go help."

Lizzie hopped off the swing and followed Jane into the kitchen. It was times likes these when Lizzie really believed that her sister would make a wonderful actress. Their mother, the woman who could squeeze juice out of a rock, did not seem to suspect that anything was wrong with her eldest. In fact, Jane's act was so good that within two days, even Lizzie began to think that Jane was just as happy-go-lucky as ever.


By Thursday, Lizzie felt like she needed the center as much as it needed her. Netherfield was like a vacation for her. For three hours, she could stop thinking about her worries and focus on split infinitives, picture books, and spilled lemonade. It was heaven.

At least, it was until Caroline Bingley decided to grace the center with her presence. With barely twenty minutes left until the parents would start to arrive, Lizzie had begun to hope, as she had scarcely allowed herself to do, that she might have been rid of the Pemberley pair for good.

"Lizzie!" Caroline cried as she ran as fast as her legs would carry her. "I'm so sorry I'm late! Traffic was hell today. Accidents galore! I've never seen anything like it!"

"Really?" Lizzie's eyes widened in surprise. "They haven't said anything about it on the radio."

"Well, they were on back roads. They never cover those on the pop stations," Caroline said quickly.

"Right," Lizzie nodded knowingly. "Hey, I like your shoes."

"I know, aren't they great?" Caroline lifted her foot up slightly so that the silver straps on her heels could shine with all their glory.

"That they are," Lizzie smiled faintly. "Are they new?"

"I just picked them up-" Caroline bit her lip for a moment before finishing. "I got them yesterday."

"They're very shiny," Lizzie said perkily.

"So, it looks like you're starting to wrap up for the day," Caroline said abruptly, her eyes landing on the volunteers who were cleaning up.

"Yeah, you can-" Lizzie started.

"Well, I'd hate to get in the way, then, so I'll take off," Caroline said swiftly. "See you next week!"

And, then she was gone. Well, she was gone in as much time as it took her to hobble back out the door.

Shaking her head slightly, Lizzie made her way back to her station. The kids she had been working with had finished their dittos, so she checked them quickly before going to help with the cleaning. She had just stepped into the broom closet when Anna Darcy tapped her on the shoulder.

"Sorry," Anna apologized as Lizzie jumped. "I was just wondering, did Caroline leave?"

"Yeah, she left about ten minutes ago," Lizzie told her.

"Is she coming back?"

"I don't think so," Lizzie said. "Why?"

"She was supposed to give me a ride home," Anna sighed. "Guess she forgot."

"Do you want to call her?" Lizzie nodded at the center's phone.

"It's ok, I can take the bus," Anna nervously decided. "There is a bus that runs near here, isn't there?"

"I don't know, but, if you can hang around for a few more minutes, I'll take you," Lizzie replied.

Anna cheerfully accepted the offer and went back to her table. After closing everything up, Lizzie went to get her and they left the center. The ride turned out to be a fairly long one – clocking in at just under a half hour, but the scenery prevented Lizzie from minding.

"Wow," she said, for what felt like the fiftieth time in a minute. "These houses are huge."

"They're not that big," Anna blushed.

"They are, trust me," Lizzie said with a shake of her head.

"It's the next one, up there," Anna pointed to the house directly in front of them.

"You live there?" Lizzie didn't think it was possible for her eyes to get any wider. "I thought that was a museum!"

"Nope," Anna's cheeks flushed even more. "That's my home."

"Wow," Lizzie let out a quiet whistle. "Sorry, I don't mean to gawk. It's just.. I've never seen anything like this."

Anna glanced down for a moment, her embarrassment painfully obvious.

"I don't think I could live there," Lizzie said softly. "I'd get lost!"

"I used to get lost all the time, when I was little," Anna smiled faintly. "Can you pull in closer? I have to enter the access code."

Lizzie drove up to the gate so that Anna could lean out of her window and punch in the twelve digit code. The gates opened a moment later and Lizzie drove up to the main entrance.

"Do you want to stay for dinner?" Anna asked after Lizzie had parked the car.

"I don't think I can," Lizzie said awkwardly. "I really should get home before my parents worry."

"Oh," Anna said disappointedly.

"I can call them and check in though," Lizzie decided. She was hungry, afterall. Plus, how could she possibly turn down the chance to go inside the house?

Anna beamed happily and led the way to the side door. Lizzie pulled out her cell phone and made a quick call home while Anna opened the assortment of locks, turned off the burglar alarm, and calmed down the dogs.

"Tough security," Lizzie commented when she stepped inside.

"You can never be too careful around here," Anna shrugged casually as she dropped her backpack on the kitchen table. Frowning slightly, she picked up a sheet of paper next to her bag and began to scan its contents. "Uh oh."

"What's wrong?" Lizzie asked.

"It's a note from our housekeeper," Anna bit her lip nervously. "She said there was a family emergency and she had to go home for a week or two."

"Oh," Lizzie said uncertainly.

"I've never stayed here alone before," Anna's shoulders shook slightly.

"You're staying here alone?" Lizzie gasped.

"Lila was staying with me, but, well.." Anna nodded at the note.

"What about your parents? And, your brother?"

"My parents are in Ireland until next month. And, Will left on a college tour yesterday," Anna replied.

"So, that's why he didn't show up today," Lizzie mused.

"Yeah," Anna said absentmindedly. "I was supposed to tell you that. Sorry. We have off tomorrow, so Will and Charlie took off an extra day to go up north and visit as many Ivy Leagues as possible."

"That figures," Lizzie muttered.

"What?" Anna wondered.

"Nothing," Lizzie laughed lightly. "Is there anyone you can stay with until Will gets back? You shouldn't stay here all alone."

"Oh, I'll be fine," Anna said. "I'll lock myself in and keep the dogs with me and-"

"You can stay with my family, if you want," Lizzie offered.

"Oh, I-I couldn't do that," Anna stammered. "I wouldn't want to impose."

"It wouldn't be imposing," Lizzie laughed. "We could make it an experiment – see how long it takes my parents to notice there's another teenage girl running around."

"Well.." Anna relented slightly, her relief apparent.

"I insist," Lizzie insisted.

"Well, all right, if you insist," Anna smiled gratefully.

Lizzie returned her smile and the girls went upstairs to Anna's room. Lizzie waited in the hallway while Anna ran around, throwing various items into a large duffle bag.

"One sec," Anna said hurriedly as she dashed past Lizzie and into a room down the hall. "Will stole my headphones again!"

Lizzie didn't even try to fight her curiosity when she was faced with the prospect of seeing Will's room. Slowly, with what she hoped was a casual walk, Lizzie followed Anna into the room. The first thing she noticed was the startling contrast in color. Anna's room had obviously belonged to a teenage girl. It was bursting to the seams with the colors pink, purple, and blue. There were stuffed animals and dolls on every piece of furniture. The bookshelf was full of titles by authors ranging from Louisa May Alcott to Meg Cabot. The CD scattered on the floor were by a variety of blonde pop singers and slightly tougher brunettes. All in all, it would have been impossible to think that anyone other than a fourteen year old girl could have lived there.

Will's room, on the other hand, wasn't so clearly defined. There were signs that a boy lived there – the color scheme being among them. But, since Lizzie had a feeling that the rooms had not been decorated by the Darcy siblings, that didn't tell her anything about the boy.

Lizzie wandered aimlessly through the room while Anna dug around for her missing headphones. She scanned his bookshelf and was surprised, though not startled, to see that many of his selections could be found in her room. If it had been anyone but Will, this fact might have endeared them to Lizzie. With Will, though, it just seemed showy. The books looked like they hadn't been touched. Where were the creases in their spines? The folded corners of beloved passages? There was something sacrilegious about owning the complete works of Shakespeare and never laying a hand on them.

Shaking her head, Lizzie moved on to his CD collection. There were only a few names that she recognized and, to her relief, only one that she owned. And, she hadn't even bought that one. It had been a gift.

A half turn brought Lizzie face to face with something that made her gasp. She didn't know how she had missed it before. How hard was it to notice a life-size painting of a guy you hated?

"How humble," Lizzie commented dryly as she stared up at the portrait. Before she had a change to really study it, there was a rustling sound, followed directly by a muffled shout from Anna.

"Found them!" Anna cried triumphantly as she slid out from under Will's bed. "Lila must've kicked them under there when she was cleaning."

"Good," Lizzie smiled awkwardly. "Are you ready then?"

"Just let me grab my bag and we can go!" Anna said quickly before she dashed back to her room. With one more glance at Will's room, Lizzie followed.


Dinner was long gone by the time Lizzie and Anna reached the Bennets' house, so Lizzie got out a frozen pizza for them. Anna was so fascinated by the concept that Lizzie ended up giving her a quick lesson on how ovens worked. This excited Anna so much that Lizzie let her toss a salad too.

"I never cook," Anna stated the obvious. "Lila normally does the cooking for us. Or, Will will heat up leftovers sometimes."

"It's nice to be able to do things for yourself," Lizzie pointed out as she nibbled on a carrot stick.

"Yeah, I guess it is," Anna smiled faintly.

"So, what schools are your brother and Charlie looking at?" Lizzie wondered.

"I don't know," Anna shrugged. "I don't think they know, actually. It was a pretty spontaneous decision. Will didn't think Charlie would be able to go, but his schedule cleared up, so they took off."

"Really? Just like that? Don't they have to make appointments and interviews?"

"I think they're just going to look. They just needed to get away. Charlie had a rough week and Will's been working so hard lately, I'm sure he needed a break too."

Lizzie glanced down at her salad for a moment. She had a feeling she knew exactly what had been rough about Charlie's week. "Have your teachers been piling on the work lately?" Lizzie asked as she remembered something Jane had mentioned before.

"Not for the freshmen," Anna couldn't help smiling at her luck. "Will's been on the go so much that I haven't really talked to him in awhile. He was in a good mood yesterday, so it can't be that bad."

"Well, of course he was in a good mood," Lizzie commented. "He knew he was going to blow off school today."

"I'm sure it wasn't that. Will loves school!" Anna said defensively. "I think he was just happy because he finally finished his project."

"His project?"

Anna nodded for a moment as she chewed. "Yeah, he's been working on something for awhile now.. I don't know. He just told me he saved a friend from ruining his chances of getting into college."

"When did he say that?"

"What?"

"When did he say that, exactly?" Lizzie demanded.

"I don't know. Earlier this week," Anna shrugged.

"Did he mention Charlie at all?"

"I-"

"Or, Jane? Does your brother like Jane?"

"I think so," Anna said uncertainly. "I don't see how he can't."

"Right," Lizzie clenched and unclenched her fists while she tried to calm down. She didn't know why she was attacking Anna like this. The poor girl looked terrified by Lizzie's outburst. "Do you want to take your stuff upstairs now? You might have the day off tomorrow, but my school's stingy when it comes to holidays."

"I have homework too," Anna nodded gratefully.

"Good," Lizzie said as she put their plates in the dishwasher. "Even Lynn can't get away with blasting her music when we're studying with guests."


Weekends always have a tendency to fly by quickly and the one of Anna's visit was not an exception. On Friday, Anna decided to go to Longbourn High with the Bennet sisters and went to class with Katie, since they were in the same grade. At first, Lizzie had been worried about this arrangement – Anna was definitely not the type of person Katie normally befriended, but the girls seemed to get along well enough. Even Mary took to Anna well enough that she didn't complain about having to share her room with a stranger for three nights.

On Sunday afternoon, the Bennet sisters and Anna were sitting in the living room, doing their homework, when the phone rang. A moment later, Mrs. Bennet's voice shouted down the stairs to let Anna know it was for her.

After speaking in hushed tones for nearly five minutes, Anna hung up and rejoined the group. "That was my brother," she told them.

"Is he on his way?" Lizzie asked, her eyes not leaving the text in her lap.

"He's running a little late," Anna said quietly. "His plane had some trouble. And, well, I was wondering, if it's not too much trouble, could someone here give me a ride?"

"I can, I guess," Lizzie said after a moment's consideration. "To your aunt's, right?"

Anna nodded. "If it's too much trouble, I can call our driver. It's just he took the week off and-"

"It's fine," Lizzie assured her.

"Thanks," Anna said with a smile. "I'll call and ask if you can stay for dinner. It's too long a trip to take without having a break."

Lizzie started to protest, but Anna was back on the phone before the words could leave her mouth. Sighing, she decided to speed up her studying. Something told her she wouldn't feel like doing anything when she got home that night.


Anna's aunt lived nearly an hour away, but the ride went by quickly as the girls took turns telling stories.

"Aunt Catherine has always taken a great interest in our lives," Anna explained. "She insists that we come for dinner at least once a week. She's kind of stuffy, but it's nice having a relative who actually wants to spend time with us."

"I'm sure you have other relatives who like having you around," Lizzie spoke up quickly.

"I guess, but Aunt Catherine's the most outspoken about it. She doesn't have any kids of her own, so she kind of thinks of us as her surrogate children."

"Are you sure it's ok if I stay?" Lizzie wondered. She was desperate for an excuse to get out of the dinner and this seemed appropriate enough. "I'd hate to butt in on your time with her."

"Oh, didn't I mention it? She's having a dinner party tonight, so you won't be the only guest."

"Oh, well, that's good," Lizzie said, her eyes staring straight ahead. "So, you said a left at the next light, right?"

With their destination so close, the conversation quickly changed its course as Anna gave directions. When they pulled on to the street, Lizzie didn't need any pointers to find the right house. She automatically pulled up next to the largest one.

"It looks like we're the last ones," Anna noted, her eyes gazing at the other cars.

"That just means we won't have to wait long to eat," Lizzie pointed out with a smile.

A butler answered the door before Anna had even had a chance to knock and the girls were quickly ushered inside by an assortment of maids. Before she knew what was happening, Lizzie's coat and purse had been hung up, her drink order had been taken and delivered, and there was a sudden squealing sound, followed by a pair of arms blurring her vision.

"Lizzie! Lizzie!" The squealing gave way to sounds that resembled words. "What on earth are you doing here?"

Lizzie struggled to break free from her captor's hold until she could make out the face of her best friend. "Charlotte!" She exclaimed. "I could ask you the same question."

"Bill brought me," Charlotte explained matter-of-factly.

"Anna brought me," Lizzie returned the explanation. "How does Bill know the hostess?"

"She's his favorite teacher," Charlotte said.

"She's Sister de Bourgh?" Lizzie gasped.

"So, you've heard about her," Charlotte said with a shake of her head.

"He's mentioned her once or twice," Lizzie smiled wryly.

"A minute, I'd guess."

"I haven't had the pleasure of spending that much time in his company."

"Right," Charlotte nodded slowly. "Hey, since you're here, can you give me a ride home later?"

"Of course," Lizzie promised.

"Good," Charlotte smiled mischievously. "I'd hate for Bill to go out of his way on a school night."

"Oh, no, we can't have that," Lizzie returned the smile.

Still smiling, the girls made their way into the living room. The guests were scattered about, having conversations in small clusters. Anna had already located her brother and appeared to be in a deep conversation with him. On the other side of the room, Bill was listening intently as an elderly woman, Sister de Bourgh – Lizzie was willing to bet, spoke.

"Am I dressed too casually?" Lizzie wondered as she studied the other guests.

"You look fine," Charlotte assured her.

"That's easy for you to say," Lizzie commented, her eyes glancing down at her jeans and sweatshirt. "You had the sense to wear a skirt."

"I doubt anyone will think any less of you," Charlotte insisted.

"And, if they do, they're not worth my time," Lizzie finished.

"That's the spirit," Charlotte nodded.

"I think Bill's trying to get your attention," Lizzie nodded at the boy in question. He was standing up now, his arms waving impatiently in his girlfriend's direction. Sister de Bourgh's frown increased with every passing second.

"I guess I should go over there," Charlotte said numbly.

"You should," Lizzie confirmed.

"Right," Charlotte said before slowly making her way through the crowd.

Lizzie couldn't keep from smirking slightly at her friend's back. She knew it was wrong to feel happy that Charlotte was learning a lesson, but there were certain things she couldn't control. As soon as Charlotte was out of sight, Lizzie realized there was a downside to the situation. With the exception of the Darcys and Bill, Charlotte was the only person in the room who Lizzie knew.

Luckily, Lizzie only had a few moments to shift uncomfortably before Anna and Will joined her by the door.

"I was just telling Will about our weekend," Anna said. "It really was very nice of you to let me stay there."

"It was our pleasure," Lizzie smiled kindly. "Thanks to you, Katie might actually pass her history test next week."

"I've always been a bit of a history buff," Anna admitted. "It's Will's fault. He used to read me the encyclopedia as a bedtime story."

"I thought you liked it," Will's face reddened as the girls laughed.

"So, he's always been bad at judging people, then?" Lizzie wondered.

"Oh, always," Anna giggled. "At least, when it comes to first impressions."

"What makes you say that?" Will demanded, his voice overlapping with his sister's.

"I think you know," Lizzie said delicately.

"Obviously, I don't."

"Well, then, there isn't any point in my bringing it up," Lizzie shrugged.

"Oh, look, dinner's ready," Anna said, a little too loudly.

Lizzie lingered by the doorway for a moment after Anna had dragged her brother into the dining room. Charlotte was still attending to Sister de Bourgh, so Lizzie followed the crowd to the table.

"Lizzie!" Anna called from her seat. She patted the chair next to hers, so Lizzie sat there. "Is everything ok with you and Will?"

"Peachy," Lizzie chirped.

"Good," Anna nodded as Sister de Bourgh made her entrance.

Lizzie watched as the nun walked to the head of the table. She had never seen anyone hold their head so high or look so dignified doing it.

Sister de Bourgh's eyes wandered around the table before settling on Lizzie. "We have not met," she stated.

"No, you haven't, auntie," Anna spoke up quickly.

"I want not speaking to you, Anna," Sister de Bourgh said primly.

"I'm Lizzie Bennet, Sister," Lizzie said politely. "You told Anna she could bring me."

"Yes, I remember," Sister de Bourgh replied. "I may be old, but my memory's still with me, God willing. I was just stating a fact."

"Oh," Lizzie blinked uncertainly. "Well, thank you for inviting me."

"I did not invite you," Sister de Bourgh said. "My niece did."

"Still, your hospitality is very kind," Lizzie insisted, her lips forming a forced smile.

"Very kind, indeed, Sister," Bill spoke up from his spot next to the hostess.

"I do try," Sister de Bourgh stated.

Lizzie settled back into her chair as the attention shifted from her to their hostess. After saying grace, Sister de Bourgh helped herself to the first dish before passing it on to the next guest. And, so, it went until everyone had been given the opportunity to take a little bit of everything.

The meal itself proved to be painless. Sister de Bourgh's chef had done an excellent job, as usual. Lizzie chatted amiably with Anna as they ate and paid very little attention to the other guests. Charlotte was at the other end of the table, so it would have been impolite, not to mention awkward, if she'd tried to talk to her friend. Will was sitting three seats down from her, but that too would have been an awkward reach – not that Lizzie minded going without his company.

When dinner was over, the guests moved back to the living room for coffee and dessert. Lizzie began to follow the crowd when the comments of the ladies in front of her made her freeze.

"Lovely night," the lady to Lizzie's left stated. "We should do this more often."

"It's nice that Catherine invited some young people this time," the lady on the right said.

"Yes, it is. Sometimes, I don't understand this generation though. Did you see the girl in her dungarees?"

"Of course! How could I miss her? Such ill manners."

"I wonder who her parents are. They should be ashamed of letting her out of the house like that."

"My children would never look like that in the house."

Trembling slightly, Lizzie turned on her heel and stormed back towards the dining room, before she could hear anything else. The maids glanced up at her in surprise, their whispered conversations coming to a screeching halt, as she entered the room.

"Do you need any help?" Lizzie offered brightly.

"Pardon?" One of the maids asked.

"I was wondering if you needed any help cleaning up."

"We're fine, miss," the maid said. "Thank you, though."

"Oh, come on," Lizzie shifted slightly. "There are a ton of dishes. And, just think, with an extra pair of hands, you can go home early."

The maids exchanged a bewildered expression. Never in any of the years in the de Bourgh household had they encountered such a quirky guest.

"I'll take those," Lizzie said, helping herself to a stack of plates that one of the maids had been cradling. Without looking back, Lizzie pushed open the door to the kitchen with her shoulder and strode over to the sink.

The maids seemed to come to the conclusion that she needed to be left alone because she didn't hear another peep from them. Turning the water on, Lizzie began to scrub furiously at the first plate. Her head drooped for a moment as her thoughts turned to the conversation she'd overheard, but she forced her mind to go blank before she could let her emotions take over.

The dishes proved to be such a consuming chore that she didn't realize anyone had come inside until they were right next to her.

"I think that one's clean," Will stated dryly.

Lizzie jumped, in spite of herself, and nearly dropped the dish.

"Here," Will picked up a dish towel and took the plate from her.

Shaking her head slightly, Lizzie picked up the second dish and went to work.

"You know, it isn't normally the guests' responsibility to clean up," Will commented.

"Normal is highly overrated," Lizzie remarked.

Will opened his mouth to say something, but seemed to change his mind. Instead, he just took the next dish from her and dried it.

Five minutes later, Lizzie had run out of dishes and excuses to hide from the crowd. She stood still for a moment, her hands wiping against her jeans, her mind hoping that Will wouldn't automatically suggest that they rejoin the party.

"I guess we should-" she started.

"I can't do this," Will blurted out.

"What?" Lizzie asked as he began to pace the room.

"I can't do this anymore."

"Do what?"

"This," Will froze for a moment, his hand shaking dramatically. "I can't keep going on like this."

"What are you going on about? The dishes are clean," Lizzie reminded him. "You don't have to worry about getting your suit dirty anymore."

"Is that what you think of me?" Will turned on her. "That I only worry about my looks?"

"You don't want to know what I think of you," Lizzie told him.

Will ran a hand through his hair as he resumed his pacing. "Well, this is just great."

"Have you lost your mind?" Lizzie wondered, her tone half-serious.

"I wish," Will laughed shortly.

"Ok, I'm leaving," Lizzie decided to take her chances with the other guests. At least, they made sense. "You go ahead and have your little-"

"Please," Will said softly. "Just wait. I'm.. You have to hear me out."

Lizzie turned to face him, one eyebrow raised. "What?"

"I like you, Lizzie," Will told her. "I don't want to like you. My life would be a lot easier if I didn't. Everything would.. Well, that doesn't matter. The point is that I like you." He glanced up for a moment to gauge her reaction. If she had one, beyond shock, he couldn't tell. "So, I was wondering, if you'd like to go out some time."

If she was physically capable of it, Lizzie's chin would have been dragging along the ground at that moment. She turned away from him for a moment, her mind spinning. "You are kidding, aren't you?" She said quietly.

"I wish-"

"You wish you were kidding!" Lizzie cried, spinning back in his direction. "You expect me to go out with you after lavishing me with such wonderful compliments?" Lizzie bit her lip for a moment, her arms folded instinctively over her chest. "Even if I could stand you, saying something like that would be a deal breaker."

"Well, what am I supposed to say?" Will countered. "Lie? Say that I'm thrilled to have fallen for someone like you?"

"What's that supposed to mean?" Lizzie demanded.

"You aren't exactly the type of person my parents envisioned me dating."

"You know, there are more important things than money!" Lizzie snapped. "I might not have had the luck of being born into a wealthy family, but I wouldn't trade mine for ten times the amount of money you'll inherit."

"It isn't about money," Will insisted. "It's about class. How do you think my parents would feel if they saw the way your sisters behaved? They would be furious. They've always felt that a family's true worth lies in the way its members behave."

"Then, with the exception of Anna, yours is seriously lacking."

"What is that supposed to mean?"

"Well, let's see, there are your parents who can't be bothered to spend any time with their children, your aunt who delights in making her guests feel like dirt, and, you, of course – someone whose powers of manipulation are so devious that even his best friend has failed to notice them."

Will froze for a moment, his head lowered as though he was struggling to keep his temper in check. "What about Charlie?"

"What was wrong with Jane?" Lizzie countered. "Why were you determined to ruin her happiness?"

"If you're referring to my role in their split-"

"So, you admit that you played a role?"

"Yes, but-"

"And, will you also admit that you ruined George Wickham's life?"

"Is that what he told you?"

"No, I just made it up," Lizzie said sarcastically.

"Coming from his perspective, I can see how I would be the villain, but-"

"I can't believe you!" Lizzie's body shook angrily. "I don't think I've ever been so insulted. To think that someone could ruin the lives of not one, but two, people I cared about, insult my family, insult me, and, then, expect me to go out with them-"

"I think it's safe to say that that is no longer an expectation."

"Glad you picked up on that," Lizzie snapped. "It'll save me the trouble of saying that there is no way in hell that I would ever willingly spend any time with you."

"Then, why are you still here?"

"Good point," Lizzie sniffed before pushing her way through the swinging door. She nearly ran over the cluster of eavesdropping maids as she stormed towards the living room. The conversations there came to a halt as she appeared in the doorway.

"Char," she said tensely, barely noticing the eyes that had fallen on her. "I'm going to head out. You coming?"

"Yeah, I'm, er," Charlotte stood up awkwardly. She leaned over to give Bill a peck on the cheek before thanking Sister de Bourgh for the dinner. With this done, she followed Lizzie into the foyer, where the maids helped them put on their coats.

As they stepped out of the house, Lizzie distinctly heard the voice of Sister de Bourgh say, "What a rude child. She didn't even say 'thank you.'"


Next Time On Longbourn High:

Will's letter (or, rather, e-mail) and its aftermath.