Thanks for all the responses! 3
The IB program requires three higher level courses, three standard level. One language, theory of knowledge (TOK), history, english, one science, and an artsy class. CAS are basically community service projects that are needed to be done every other week. IA's are standardized essays that are done in every class (almost like a research topic) and an EE is an extended essay that all seniors need to do to graduate.
This story will be updated every Friday! I actually have it completed, so… yeah! Enjoy!
The remaining summer days passed by quickly and all the girls kept busy. The three youngest had kept all of their summer reading until the last minute so they had no time to enjoy the summer sun. Elizabeth and Jane however, had all the time in the world to walk or bike down to a beach and tan in the sun or swim in the glittering ocean. It was this time of the year that the girls loved most, and despite all of the tourists, being at the beach was rather pleasant. Jane was entering the worst year of the IB when the curriculum got more vigorous, so she treasured every moment of free time. Elizabeth would be going into her first year of the IB and wasn't quite sure how it was going to be, though she'd seen Jane struggle with it last year.
The two sisters were as different as can be, though far closer in temperament than the other three. Jane was quick to see the potential in others as well as the good and lived her life in yellows, pinks and spring colors, while Elizabeth was more realistic and used what she knew to judge others, and was far more likely to wear darker colors of blue, green and purple.
Jane chose yellow for her first day of school color, deciding on being professional. Elizabeth wore white shorts and a blue shirt for her first day, and she could get away with shorts for a few more weeks. Fall truly didn't start until the end of September, and the students always took advantage of the nice weather to show off their legs. Kitty and Lydia were dressing up as if they were going to a brunch with the Queen of England, even though they knew that hardly anyone would be impressed by their outfits on the very first day of High School.
"I'm going to wake up at four tomorrow to do my hair," Kitty bragged proudly the night before.
"Oh you think so? I'll wake up at three thirty, and I'll make myself look so much better than you in that half hour that you'll want to cry," Lydia teased back, though she fully planned on waking up at that time.
"You know our bus comes at seven twenty, right?" Jane reminded them gently. "And you're still not finished with any of your books, so you'll be up until twelve tonight anyway finishing them. You don't want to spend the first day of high school falling asleep on yourself."
Lydia merely waved her away, much like their mother had always to their father. "Don't worry, no one will notice me falling asleep when the rest of me looks so fabulous."
And so the twins spent the first day of school falling asleep at their desks, and no amount of makeup could hide the bags under their eyes. However, they were wearing the best clothes in their entire grade and were dubbed the most foolish girls of the class of 2015.
Elizabeth's first day was slightly better. Though her entire grade was giggling about Charles and the newcomers, Elizabeth and Charlotte didn't care too much and ignored them mostly, knowing enough that if they just ignored their classmates, eventually the news would become tiresome to them and die out.
Charles Bingley and his friends weren't there the very first day of school, and this left many of the single girls heartbroken. Their hearts were mended, however, when they went to advisory and were told by their teacher some very exciting news.
Elizabeth's advisor was a Latin teacher, and before he made his announcement he tripped over at least three chairs. "Well, it seems that for the first time in Sturgis history, we're about to have a homecoming!" the reactions coming from the girls drowned out any other noise he was making. Already gossip was forming and the halls were full of girls talking about dates, dresses, snacks, and seats.
Charlotte and Elizabeth were far more even tempered about the whole thing, talking in even tones instead of squeals. "Are you going to go?" Charlotte asked Elizabeth in the halls on the way to their higher level History class.
"Is that even a question? No doubt Lydia has told mother already, and in that case I'm required to go, even if she has to drag me by my hands and knees. I like dancing though, so it's not a problem."
"You going to bring anyone?"
"I don't think so. Besides, if I bring someone I'd have to grind with them, and you know how I feel about that."
"You don't have to," Charlotte shook her head. "Sturgis isn't like that."
"Stugis West is," Elizabeth pointed out. There were two schools that occupied main street, Sturgis West and Sturgis East. Though the head of the schools claimed there was no rivalry, there was obviously one. They pretty much fought because one was normal, Sturgis West, and the other wasn't, Sturgis East. The Bennet girls went to East.
"We aren't," Charlotte protested. "I'd be grateful if you didn't go with anyone though, because I'll just go by myself again."
"You don't know that," Lizzie protested distractedly. It was getting close to the beginning of class and Charlotte was in no rush. "Someone could still ask you."
"Relax Lizzie, we're juniors now. We can be a little late to class. Anyway, no one's asked me to go to anything, ever. You've at least gotten a few offers."
"Yeah, but they had about the appeal of asparagus." Charlotte could not counter this fact, and they went to class without another thought of boys.
The dance was close to the beginning of school, around two weeks after. Before Elizabeth knew it she was getting changed for the dance. She went shopping with Charlotte the weekend before and, as they had predicted, none of them had been asked.
"Now girls, keep them guessing," Mrs. Bennet told them on the drive over. Though both Lizzie, Jane and Mary could drive by now, it was through some strange maternal instinct that made Mrs. Bennet want to drive the girls to the dance.
It was at this event that the Bingleys decided to make their appearance, and what an appearance it was! The whole school was already dancing and having a good time before the double doors opened and Charles Bingley arrived. Bingley was of average height and had red hair and bright blue eyes.
"Who are the rest of them?" Lizzie whispered to Charlotte as the whole room quieted. Two other figures flanked Bingley, a male and a female. If there was a sour face in the room before the group came in, it was surpassed by this tall figure. And if there was a girl with a short skirt on in the room, the female's was surely shorter. The female was obviously Charles' relation because of the flaming red hair, but the strangers hair and eyes were so dark that he could not have been in the same family as them.
Charlotte confirmed Elizabeth's suspicions when she answered her question. "That there is Caroline Bingley, Charles' younger sister. She's in our grade and I heard she's an absolute bitch."
"Great," Lizzie whispered back sarcastically. "And who's the other guy, his body guard? He looks a lot older than eighteen."
Charlotte shook her head. "He's not eighteen, he's nineteen. Name's William Darcy. Don't try to call him Will or he throws a fit. A child star used to getting whatever he wants and that's why he's so spoiled. He actually discovered Charles a few years ago, and that gave him his big break. They've been friends ever since."
"Why?" Elizabeth asked, incredulous. As the group walked awkwardly across the floor, Darcy looked like he'd rather be dead than at a school dance. "He seems like the worst man in the whole world."
Charlotte snickered. "His bank account says differently. He's not in the spotlight as much as before, but he's three times richer than Charles. Don't be surprised when, in a few weeks, people start to realize this and suddenly Darcy will be a God."
"He'd be handsome if he didn't look like he'd just run over his dog. His bank account had better be pretty significant to turn my head."
"Oh Lizzie..." Charlotte shook her head again and the music began again. "You'll never get a boyfriend if you're so picky."
"None of the boys I've met are intelligent enough for me," Lizzie countered and shrugged. "Come on, let's dance."
There was, by now, a growing crowd around the newcomers. Lizzie didn't think it was possible, but the impossible happened when Darcy's face went up several degrees more of unpleasantness at the prospect of being surrounded by squealing females. Darcy was able to dislodge himself from the group pretty quickly due to his natural unpleasant disposition, but Bingley was too polite to ignore the attentions of his classmates and allowed himself to be smothered by the crowd.
It was a good twenty minutes later when they heard his voice calling loudly over the numerous chanting his name. "Ladies, I have to go to the bathroom! You can't follow me in there!" He spoke slowly, just to get his point across. Lizzie thought with an amused smile that some fan must have followed him to the bathroom at some point for him to be so condescending now.
This was a tactic that popular Jane often used to get some free time, and had used only a minute before. It was in this manner that Charles Bingley made his escape. After some time, the gathering crowd surrounding the bathroom dispersed and began to dance again, though keeping one eye at the door.
"Like wolves, aren't they?" Charlotte laughed at her classmates that were making fools of themselves.
"Yeah," Elizabeth grinned. She then nodded her head at Darcy and Caroline. "Can't wait to have classes with those two."
"We'd only have classes with Caroline."
"Ugh," Lizzie groaned. "I'd rather be stuck with Mr. Sourpuss, at least he looks like he doesn't talk much."
Out of the corner of her eye Lizzie saw both her sister and Bingley come out of the bathroom at once and bump into each other. The room was too loud for Elizabeth to hear her sisters "I'm sorry" but saw her mouth form the words before they got a good look at one another. They comically gaped at the other, and Lizzie let out a joyous laugh. "Looks like mother was right. One look was all it took!"
Charlotte nodded her agreement. "She's easily the prettiest one in the room, and now seems like a good of a time as any to introduce ourselves to Charles before the other wolves get to him."
It seems that the other Bennet girls had the same idea, and they all made a protective ring around the two to keep them from the female wolves.
"I'm really sorry about that, uh, what's your name?" he asked in a rushed and fascinated voice.
Elizabeth wagered that her sisters blush was the color of an emergency beacon by this time, and was amused at her embarrassed hesitation. "I'm Jane, and these are my sisters Elizabeth, Mary, Kitty and Lydia. Oh, and my neighbor Charlotte."
"Nice to meet you all," he murmured but his eyes never left Jane's face. "Do you want to dance?" His words were a jumbled flow of letters and Jane had to concentrate to understand what he was saying.
It took her a moment, but it finally registered. "Oh, sure! Er, Charles."
"Call me Charlie," he grinned at her and led her to the dance floor. The students of the school weren't the only ones stunned, the remainder of his party did a double take when they saw Charlie lead Jane on the floor.
"Looks like Mr. Grumpypants can show more than one emotion!" Charlotte teased, mock impressed.
"Yeah, extreme boredom and terror," Elizabeth rolled her eyes and went back to the dance floor with Charlotte.
It was a few more dances before Jane and Charlie took a break, and when they did they were immediately engulfed by Darcy and Caroline. Elizabeth saw this and excused herself from Charlotte to investigate. The two parted ways for a while as Jane was called over by her friends, who were giggling incessantly. The Bingley party was situated right next to the snack counter, so Lizzie pretended to fix herself a drink as they talked. They were all soft speakers, so Elizabeth had to strain to hear.
"What are you doing, Charlie?" Caroline asked him bossily, tossing her long hair over her shoulders in the way that only annoying girls can.
"She's a nice girl, Caroline! You could learn a few things by talking with her yourself!" Charlie protested, and Caroline took him up on his unspoken challenge by strutting over to Jane's group and barging in on the conversation.
Elizabeth knew that sweet Jane would overlook Caroline's rude behavior and dismiss it as bravery, Caroline would find no fault in her sister during this conversation so Elizabeth so no usefulness in listening in to them, and instead diverted her ears to the two men.
"The first girl you talked to Charlie, the very first one!" For a brief moment Elizabeth thought Darcy had a nice voice, deep but soothing to the ears. That was until the meaning of his words sunk in and she scowled at his impertinence.
"You're just jealous, Darcy. You need to find yourself a nice girl to dance with. Elizabeth, her sister. She looked nice and attractive."
"Her?" Darcy scowled. "You've found yourself the only pretty girl in the entire room, and one that smiles far too much to be sincere." Elizabeth found herself more insulted by the crude remark to her sister, who was practically perfect in every way, than by the insult directed to her.
Elizabeth decided that she'd heard enough and stormed her way back to Charlotte to relay everything she'd learned to her friend. Before she was halfway there, however, she had already decided that he was the worst man she'd ever had the misfortune to meet. "He called me ugly," she told Charlotte dully, her self-confidence already taken a turn for the worse.
"Who, Bingley?!" Charlotte was shocked and looked like she was about to storm over and give Mr. Charles Bingley a piece of her mind.
"No, Darcy. And not ugly, just tolerable."
"Oh, well, I guess that's Darcy for you," Charlotte told her friend sympathetically, then saw Jane coming towards them.
"I just had the greatest talk with Caroline," Jane beamed. "She seems really nice."
"Adolf Hitler would merely be misunderstood to you if you ever met him," Elizabeth smiled affectionately. "Don't lie, I bet she was a beast."
Jane looked uncomfortable at the prospect of talking down about someone. "She's not the best person I've ever met but I suppose after a little fishing around I could find something to relate myself to her."
"Yeah, okay, but what do you think about Bingley?" Elizabeth asked her excitedly.
Jane blushed again. "He's a good dancer…" Elizabeth rolled her eyes. Charlotte tapped Lizzie on the shoulder and pointed to the Bingley party, Charlie was gesturing for them to come over.
"Come on," Lizzie took her sister's hand and walked over to them. Though she was less than excited over listening to
Darcy's self centered rants again, she decided to suck it up for her sister. If dealing with Darcy was included in her sister's happiness, then she would need to deal with him sooner or later.
"You're a great dancer," Charlie beamed as Jane came closer. "All the boys must tell you that, though."
"One boy did," Elizabeth told him, much to Jane's chagrin. "He expressed it through badly written poetry." She laughed joyously at her sister's blush. "The easiest way to lose a girl's interest is through badly written poetry, I promise you."
"Poetry is often considered the food of love," Darcy piped up through the laughter of the group, clearly unamused.
"Well, yes I suppose," Lizzie said slowly, surprised to have been countered. "But only if you're already in a solid relationship. When someone starts randomly spouting poetry, it can be sort of creepy."
"What do you suggest as an icebreaker for affection, then? Without it being creepy, I mean," Darcy was mocking her with his eyes and if Elizabeth was a lesser woman then she would have scowled at him.
"Dancing," she bit back imperiously. "even if your partner isn't the prettiest girl in the room." With that, she turned on her heels and strutted back to the dance floor with Charlotte at her heels. A few minutes after Elizabeth left, Jane and Bingley went in for another dance.
Before long Homecoming was over, and their mother was waiting for them in the parking lot.
"Tell me everything," the mischievous gleam of gossip was reflected in her eyes, and Elizabeth took a breather on this one, allowing the four other sisters to wag their tongues and fuel the gossiping fire within their mother.
All Elizabeth could feel was pity for her poor father, who had to hear the recap when they got home.