Chapter 3

When William and Chuck met for lunch after fourth period, they discussed William and Lizzy's experience in British Literature. "You're taking her to Longbourn Coffee after school to discuss your stories? Brilliant tactic man." Chuck teased him. "Maybe I'll get paired up with Jane Bender in fifth period and I can use the same ruse. You don't mind if I steal your game plan do you?" William punched him on the shoulder.

On the other side of the noisy lunch room, Jane, Lizzy and Charlotte were discussing Lizzy's third period class. "He is so quiet and serious all the time that when he burst out laughing, the whole class turned to look at us! I just wanted to crawl under the desk."

"But you said yes to coffee!" kidded Charlotte. "Or maybe you'll have to have tea, since it is British Literature you'll be 'discussing' there," she included the obligatory air quotes.

"It's not really a date, per se. I don't know why I blurted that out. It's not like he would want to go on a real date with me. I'm really a Freshman, even though I am technically a Sophomore. Seniors don't date Freshmen, even when they think they are Sophomores. Especially rich seniors with their own Lexuses. Lexusi. Lexi. What's the plural of Lexus?" asked a flustered Lizzy. She hated it when she rambled.

Jane scolded her sister. "Oh, don't be such a snob Lizzy. You don't know if he's rich, just that he drives a nice car. And maybe he doesn't know you're a Sophomore, let alone a Freshman. It is a Senior level class after all."

"And he dresses nice. And he has an expensive watch. And he has the latest I-Phone. And lives up in the Netherfield subdivision. Yeah, I'd say he's rich." retorted Lizzy.

"And you know all of this about him, how?" kidded Charlotte.

Lizzy turned beet red. " 'Cuz, I, um, Googled him. Family money goes way back. His mom died last year and the family moved here to get away from the world for a bit. He's got a younger sister named Georgiana but she's only seven."

Just then the bell rang and everyone dispersed to their fifth period class.

Jane and Chuck almost bumped into one another looking at the new seating chart on the door to Mr. Cheister's fifth period class. "Looks like we're proofreading buddies for this week." said Chuck as he motioned Jane to enter ahead of him.

"Looks like it. Did you write about "Pride and Prejudice" too?" asked Jane as she took her assigned seat next to Chuck.

"I did. William, William Darcet that is, the other newbie this year, joked that there was a Charles Bingley in the story and I thought, why not? Seemed as good a place to start as any. He wrote himself in as Mr. Darcy which is perfect as he is shy around new people and hates to dance. I asked him if his real name was Fitzwilliam."

Jane laughed. "I know. At lunch Lizzy told me that she got paired up with William Darcet in third period. She wrote as Elizabeth Bennet and he wrote as Mr. Darcy. She was actually named after the character. And yes, before you ask, I am named after Jane Bennet. Our dad teaches Literature at Meryton College; big surprise there."

Just then Mr. Cheister called the class to order and explained what they needed to discuss after proofreading the other person's story.

The room got quiet as each pair of scholars passed over their story and settled down to read.

Jane's story was well written (as if you expected anything else from the daughter of a college literature professor) and Chuck had no use for his red pen. Her story veered away from the original plot in that by the time Charles and Fitzwilliam returned to Netherfield near the end of the book, Jane was being courted by the second son of an Earl who was leasing Purvis Lodge for a year. After a bit of angst, she decides to accept the steady man in her life and reject the man who left with no notice. Chuck thought the story was well written, but didn't like what he thought was a sad ending and he told Jane so.

"How can you say it's a sad ending?" Jane asked after he had told her his opinion of the story. "She marries the man who was true to her, not the man who slunk off without so much as a 'See Ya'. She gets her happy ending and maybe Charles has learned his lesson. Earlier in the story Darcy infers that Charles is inconsistent in love and in the original story he never gets his comeuppance. I like this ending better. You just think it's sad because your character doesn't get the girl in the end."

Jane went back to reading Chuck's story. Her red pen was getting a bit of a workout. Thank goodness it was printed from a word processor and not hand written, she mused. She thought the story line was a bit implausible, but wasn't that the assignment? She truly did NOT see THAT coming. In Chuck's story, when Mr. Bingley passes Longbourn, the Bennet estate, on his way to London after the ball and according to canon would not see Jane Bennet again for eight months, instead he changes his mind and stops to see Jane Bennet. He tries to talk her into eloping with him to Gretna Green. She slaps him, and he leaves for London, finally coming to understand how his impetuousness hurt his chances with this lady. He returns four days later, against the wishes of his sisters and his friend Mr. Darcy, and asks Jane for her forgiveness and asks to court her. She makes him jump through hoops before finally deciding to marry him.

Jane just sat and stared at him after she finished reading his story. "Really? Elope with a gentlewoman? Well, you nailed the assignment alright. I did NOT see THAT coming. I don't think I would have given him the chance to court me after he tried to get me to elope. It was not the done thing back then! Her reputation would be in tatters and that would have tainted her sisters' chances at making a good match."

Chuck sheepishly said "But, he did learn his lesson after all. She makes him prove his constancy, and his love before she would agree to marry him. Lesson learned." Just then the bell signaling the end of class rang.

"I've got to get going to my next class, but would you like to meet to discuss the questions Mr. Cheister posed?" Chuck asked. "Maybe at Longbourn Coffee after school?"

"Lizzy and William are meeting there. I suppose we could consider it a study group. Sure. Lizzy is riding with William, you want a ride?"

"Thanks, great. I rode in with William today. Meet at the front doors after seventh period?" he asked.

"Sounds great. See you then," and they separated to get to their sixth period class, she to Dance Arts and he to Pre-Calculus.