A/N: Lol... When I was typing, Darcy said coldly, I typed Darcy said coldplay and now I keep doing it... Argh! It's probably because I'm listening to 'em... Anyway, could you tell me if I'm moving to fast? Cheers :) Also, Darcy is Matthew MacFadyen, because Matthew Macfadyen is, in my opinion, Matthew is Darcy personified.
Darcy and I headed back up the beach towards the house, Netherfield, I think it was called. I stayed as far away from Darcy as I could and told Darcy to text Charlie and Jane to tell them his plan, so that they wouldn't think we were actually going out with each other.
What an awful thought.
As we neared the house, Darcy took hold of my hand and we walked through the door, but Caroline had apparently gone shopping to calm her nerves, so we dropped each other's hands as fast as you can drop someone's hand. Charlie was smirking at Darcy, "I can't believe you actually thought of that, Will. It's ingenious! Although, "He added with a frown, "I think Caroline's a bit too determined to just give up. If anything, she might try harder."
There was an awkward pause.
Darcy swallowed, looking a bit pale again, "Ah. I hadn't thought of that." He said, rubbing the back of his neck, again. I figured he must do that when he's frustrated/upset/scared.
"What happens if she tries to, uh, 'say goodnight' to you again, like she did last year?" Charlie said, his frown growing. Jane looked a bit confused, but I was very curious to know exactly what had happened, so I asked them.
"It's none of your business." Darcy snapped and I feigned hurt, pressing a hand to my chest, "But, Willy dear, you're my boyfriend! We're part of each other's soul!" I said over-dramatically.
He looked sharply at me, "You don't actually think that I'm actually going out with you?" He snapped, narrowing his blue eyes at me. Jane gasped and then sent an angry glare over to Darcy. Yes, Jane can glare.
I scoffed, "Do you think I'd actually want to?" He snorted and walked out of the room. Charlie looked depressed, running a hand through his hair.
"Maybe we shouldn't have come here. I'm sorry, Jane, Wilde." He said, looking like a miserable school boy. Jane and I both went over to him and hugged him from both sides.
"Charlie, even if the company leaves something to be desired, you make up for that." I paused and he smiled at me, "You know, I never thought that anybody could be good enough for Jane, but you're more than 'good enough', you're absolutely perfect for her."
His smile grew into a grin and he hugged us both back, "Wilde, you're my adopted little sister from now on. Jane, I would extend the offer to you, but I am seriously hoping you don't think of me in that way."
Awww.
I was about to reply when Darcy stormed back into the room, a book in his hand. I peered closely at the cover and then squealed, "You read The Great Gatsby as well!"
Then I remembered who I was talking to and blushed, Charlie was going to say something, but Caroline burst into the room.
"Hullooo, my little wubby woo! I am terribly sorry for being late, you must have been so lonely without anyone to keep you warm! Oh! I just can't bear to think of it!" She wiped her eyes and then brightened, dumping her bags on the floor unceremoniously, "Oooh! Who would love to see what I bought!"
She didn't wait for an answer, but pulled a lacy red bra from a Victoria's Secrets bag and held it up for Darcy to see, "This one is for later on, William..." She said, trying to look seductive, but she couldn't pull it off, since she had obviously recently had botox done.
Darcy came over to me, "Darling, I just had an excellent idea of how to spend our time." He said, pulling the smoulder. Oh... He was way too good at it. No! Stop, Ella! Naughty Ella! Naughty! I mentally slapped myself.
He pulled me out of the door and we started down the beach. Caroline pushed her face up against the glass, looking put-out. Darcy put his arm around me and we walked along the shore line, Darcy quickly withdrawing his arm when we were out of sight of the house. We stayed silent until I unwisely decided to break the peace.
"So... How long have you known Charlie?" I said, sliding my hands into my jacket pockets.
He turned to me, looking half-surprised that I'd spoken, "Uh, about 6 years now, I guess. I was his room-mate at university." He said and then looked back out over the sea. He turned back to me, "Why did you want to know anyway?" Darcy asked, a harsh expression stealing over his features.
I shrugged, "No reason, small talk, I suppose. Why do you hate me so much?" I asked to make him feel awkward.
He looked up again, "I don't hate you."
"Then don't treat me like you do." I said, walking away, back to the house.
Charlie and Jane were sitting on the couch, whispering to each other. Darcy and I sat down on the couch together and I curled up on his chest, his arm wrapped around me. Caroline was pointedly ignoring us, which was fine with both of us.
"What about that song you promised me?" I whispered to Darcy quietly.
He looked down at me, "We could write it tomorrow if you like." He whispered back. I sighed and snuggled back into Darcy's warm, solid chest. I forgot how sleepy he made me and before I could stop myself, I started nodding off.
I woke up, the sun streaming through the curtains of the room that I was sleeping in with Jane. I couldn't remember going to bed last night and frowned, trying to remember. Jane was already up, so I climbed out of bed, walking towards the door. Walking out into the hall, I saw Jane in the kitchen. She looks up and smiles brightly, "Ella! Morning!"
I smiled blearily back at her and started making myself a coffee, "Morning, Jane. How can even be so happy? It's the morning." I said, scrunching my eyes to shut out the too-bright light.
"What can I say?" She said, shrugging, "I'm a morning person."
"You got that right." I said, carrying my steaming cup of coffee to one of the sofas. Charlie appeared pretty soon after I had sat down, greeting us with a cheery good morning. Could he and Jane be more alike?
I smiled and greeted him, "Wow, Darcy and Caroline are late risers. I wouldn't have thought that Darcy would be a late riser." I said, raising my eyebrows.
Charlie laughed, "Are you kidding? He's been up for hours! He always gets up at 5. Why, I do not know." He said, laughing.
My eyes widen until their ready to pop out of my head, "5? AM?" I exclaimed, carrying my all-too-soon empty coffee mug back to the kitchen. Charlie nodded, "He's probably down at the beach being emo." He said and I laughed.
"I'm here, actually." Darcy said, walking into the room. I cringed and Charlie laughed, standing up and clapping Darcy on the back.
Jane smiled at Charlie and then turns to me, concern written all over her face, "By the way, Ella, I meant to ask you and Darcy, uh..." She paused, looking nervously between Darcy and me, "You're not really going out and not telling us, are you?" She finished awkwardly, clasping her hands behind her back like she does when she's feeling nervous. I burst out laughing and Darcy looks vaguely disgusted, "Of course not." He said, "I wouldn't even want to."
When he had insulted me before, Jane had been angry, but had held her tongue. Now though, she let loose, "Do not talk about my little sister like that! Any man would be extremely fortunate to get her! If you talk about her like that again, I swear I-" I stopped her tirade by placing a hand on her arm.
"Jane, it's alright. I don't even care what he thinks." I said, softly.
Charlie looked confused, "You're sisters? I thought you were room-mates. Isn't your surname Paradis?"
I remembered he kept on calling me by my stage name, I couldn't believe I hadn't told him my real name!
"Oh, Charlie! Sorry, my real name is Ella, Ella Bennet. I hate my name and it so could not be used for the stage so I changed it." I said and both of the men looked surprised. I guess neither of them had known.
Darcy murmured something, looking a bit sad.
"What?" I asked, wondering if he had insulted my name.
"I said that I liked the name Ella. My mother's name was Ariella." He said, wistfully.
"Was?"
He looked at me and I saw great depression in his eyes, "My mother's dead."
"Oh, wow, I'm really sorry, Darcy. I didn't know." I said, feeling bad for the thoughts I had had earlier. His face hardened somewhat and he seemed to be trying to pull himself together.
"Thank you." He said stiffly. I watched him as he walked away, going to his bedroom. Charlie turned to us, "His dad died as well, a few years after his mum. The quacks say he died of heartbreak. Darcy has been trying to put on a brave face, but he's not letting out his grief, just bottling it up. He has to raise his little sister as well as manage the estate he inherited. It's too hard for him, but he doesn't like to admit it." He said quietly, so that Darcy wouldn't be able to hear him.
Darcy opened his door, wearing only his swimming trunks and a towel slung around his neck. He slammed the door on his way out.
Jane looked after him with a heartbroken expression on his face, she had always been sensitive of other people's feelings. Charlie suddenly brightened, "Why don't we escape while Caro's still asleep? Go to the town, buy some things, have lunch, watch a movie? Would you like that?" He said, putting his hands on his blue jeans. Jane smiled at him, "Of course! That sounds like a wonderful idea!" I smiled at him and nodded as well.
I decided to wear my favourite outfit, a white tie up shirt with a floaty skirt that was the colour of sunlight along with some brown leather flip flops. I thought about the paparazzi and decided to bring my large black sunglasses with just in case. I wondered for the umpteenth if these people had anything better to do with their time.
Charlie was waiting for us when I walked out of my room, he looked up when I entered.
"Wow, Ella, you look great!" He said and then looked over my shoulder for Jane, "Is Jane almost done?" He asked hopefully.
I smiled widely, Jane deserved Charlie and he deserved someone like her. I still couldn't believe that they'd found someone so perfect.
"She'll be out in a minute, just trying to find something to wear."
Jane was out in couple of minutes, looking pretty in a blue summer dress, "Sorry I kept you all waiting!" She said, grabbing her shoes. Charlie smiled and replied that she hadn't held us up at all.
We jumped in Charlie's black Land Rover and drove off quickly as Caroline apparently was going to be waking up soon. We saw Darcy walking up the beach as we drove off. Charlie felt bad that we hadn't taken him with us, but he said that he needed some time to himself.
I didn't think that I could've gotten that picture of Darcy out of my head even if I wanted to. He was almost silhouetted against the backdrop of the beach, sun glinting off his shoulders, his wet hair dripping water into his face, blue eyes looking at us. I quickly whipped out my phone and took a picture of him, (for art purposes only, after all, a guy can be a total pig and still be heartbreakingly handsome) while he was looking at Charlie. Then we were gone.
Charlie was a fun guy, a guy that didn't moan about shopping and liked hanging around town. The paparazzi only bothered us a bit, but not as much as they bothered us back home. After shopping we went to one of the independent cafés that were scattered around the town. It was a small café, painted pastel blue and a sunny yellow with wooden chairs and table dotted around the vintage-y inside.
"I come here all the time when I'm in the area." Charlie had said, holding the door open for us like the perfect gentleman. I looked over to the counter and saw a handsome guy smiling at me. He had brown scruffy hair and melted chocolate eyes, the type I normally fell for. I smiled back at him and walked over to a free table.
Jane and Charlie sat down and they were so deep in conversation that I decided it would be ages before they decided to order. I walked over to the guy at the counter, ordering what Jane and I always ordered, a white chocolate mocha. I tried to remember what Charlie's favourite drink was, it took me a while, but I finally remembered that he loved espresso.
The guy grinned at me once I'd finished ordering, "What's your name?" He asked and I noticed that he had the cutest dimple at the side of his mouth. I couldn't believe he didn't know who I was, after all, I was one of the biggest names of the year.
"I'm Rose." I said, using my fake middle name. I decided that if I used my stage name, I would immediately attract attention. Attention I most certainly didn't want.
"Joe Wickham, nice to meet you." Joe said, sticking out his hand. I shook it and looked over to our table, where Charlie and Jane were sharing a little 'moment' with each other.
I withdrew my hand and Joe looked over to see where I was looking. When he saw Charlie and Jane, he laughed, "Wow, they seem like they're really into each other!" He said, grinning. I laughed with him, "Yeah, she's totally crazy about him and vice-versa. They're so perfect for each other."
He nodded, "You can see that. Here's your order." Joe said, handing me the tray.
I took it from him and started walking towards our table when I was stopped by Joe calling me, "Rose! Wait!" He said, slipping out of the counter and joggin over to where I was.
He stopped in front of me, handing out a waitress's notepad and a pen, "Could I please have your number? I'd like to see you again." He said, taking the tray expertly from me and handing me the notepad and pen.
"Yeah, sure. I'm only on holiday though, I'll be leaving in a week." I said, scribbling my number down on the paper. He smiled at me again and we swapped loads again.
"I'll have to make you fall for me quickly then." He said with a wink before heading back to his station at the counter.
I walked over to our table, "Bet you missed me so much." I said sarcastically, rolling my eyes. Charlie and Jane looked up at me with equally stricken looks on their faces, "Oh, El-" I held up a hand and whispered for them to call me Rose while we were there.
They looked confused, but accepted it.
"I'm really sorry, Rose, we didn't mean to ignore you! We're both really happy for you to be here, honest." Jane said, sincerely. I laughed over my steaming mocha, "I'm OK with it. You guys haven't really had the chance to be alone here anyway. I might go and look at some music afterwards, leave you guys for your PDA." I said, grinning mischievously as I watched Jane and Charlie blush.
I stuck to my word and as soon as I had finished my mocha I went over to a music store I had spotted earlier. It was filled with all the types of music I liked and I had a field day browsing and finding records that I had been wanting for ages. I stepped back, clutching a Bon Iver CD and fell back into somebody.
I turned around quickly, wondering if it was the paparazzi finally catching up with me. Blue eyes were looking at me, the expression akin to surprise.
It was a few seconds before I realised it was Darcy.
"You come here too?" He said, glancing at the stacks of CD's I was carrying. I smirked, "Why? Aren't I allowed to go into the same shops as you?" I said, shifting the weight from one arm to the other.
"That's not what I meant." He said, sharply and then his face relaxed a bit, "Here, let me take those for you." He said, taking my CD's from me.
"I can-" I protested, but he was already taking them to the counter, he turned back to me, "You are finished aren't you?" He asked.
I nodded mutely and walked over to where he was standing. Darcy put the pile of CD's on the counter and turned back to me as the person started scanning them.
"I like your taste, I listen to much of the same kind of thing." He said, giving me his very cute half-smile. I do not like him, I do not like him...
"Thank you. Wait! You don't have to-" I protested as he pulled out his American Express card to pay for my CD's. He waved me off and punched in his pin number.
"I really don't mind, I've got too much of it anyway." He said, lifting the bag off the counter and walking out the store. I followed him, wondering where his good mood had come from.
"Wow. Thank you so much. It was really kind of you. Why are you being so nice? I thought you didn't like me." I said, smiling at him. His smile faltered, "I guess it's my way of apologizing for treating you badly and thanking you for helping me with Caroline. Where's Charlie and Jane?"
"The coffee shop over there." I gestured across the square. We both started walking towards it and I swung open the doors for Darcy to go through. He walked through and stopped abruptly, dropping the bag.
"Careful with that! Darcy!" I said, grabbing the bag and heaving it off the floor. Some people were looking at us curiously and I blushed.
I glanced up and saw that Darcy's face had an angry blush shading it and I looked over to see who he was glaring so fiercely at. My eyebrows rose when I saw that the unfortunate person was Joe Wickham, his face paling to a deathly pallor.
"Wickham." Darcy said coldly. If at all possible, Wickham turned paler.
"D-d-d-Darcy! W-what are you doing here?" Joe stuttered, smoothing a dish cloth nervously.
"I don't recall it being any of your business."
Joe laughed and Darcy's fist clenched at his side, I decided to take things into my own hands when Darcy grabbed my arm and walked out with me, muttering a cold, "We have to go."
When we were outside I tried to pull my arm from his iron grip, "What on earth do you think you're doing! Let go of me!" I cried, yanking my arm.
"You can't ever see him again. He's not who you think he is." Was all he said by way of reply. I stopped, my arm was yanked painfully, but Darcy stopped when he realised I would not be going any further.
"Look," He said, turning around, "I know it seems like I'm being an idiot. Trust me, I know who he is." He said, spreading his hands before him, exasperated. I sighed, I didn't want him to control me, but I didn't want to walk nievely into a situation that could possibly harm me.
"Why? Why isn't it safe? Please, Darcy, you have got to tell me! You can't really ask me to obey you without a reason why!"
He looked almost desperate, "I can't tell you, but it's for your own good, you have to believe me!"
I huffed, "I have no reason to stop seeing him then." I said tartly, picking up my bag and turning to go.
He didn't stop me.
