I Didn't See That Coming
A /N: We recently watched "Before I Go To Sleep" with Colin Firth and we discussed the plot and as how "we didn't see that coming" and how predictable many movies plots are. So, here's an extension of that discussion. Also, I met my husband in high school Shakespeare class. It was a very popular class because the teacher explained all the dirty jokes. I was a year accelerated or I would not have been in a Junior/Senior class as a Sophomore and would never have met my husband otherwise. I had another English class where the teacher had you proofread the essay of the student next to you, then gave you a day to correct it before you handed it in. That was 48 years ago. My husband was an English major in college and proofreads my stories that he refers to as "Victorian porn". I correct him "It's Regency porn, get it right!" - except this one is modern and there is nothing pornographic about it - it's actually kinda sweet.
Chapter 1
"Homework over Christmas break! How dare he!" raged Lizzy Bender as she threw her backpack into the Mini she and her older sister Jane shared. "I had great plans for the next two weeks, consisting of doing absolutely nothing. Why did I take British Literature with Mr. Cheister? I knew how hard his class was. Aargh, what was I thinking?"
"That's what you get for skipping a grade and being accelerated, taking a Senior class as a Sophomore. Yeah, I know, I'm bummed about it too. But relax Lizzy," replied her sister Jane. "You should have plenty of time to work on that over the holiday break, now that you're not dating George anymore."
"Don't remind me Jane. That was the biggest waste of a month of my life. Mary Kingsford can have him," said Lizzy as she threw her hands up in the air.
Their friend Charlotte Lukes had just wandered over to say "so long" before the school holiday. "So what is this dreaded assignment about?" she asked.
"We have to take one of the stories we studied this year and turn it from the predictably sappy 'happily ever after' to 'you didn't see that coming'. He has us writing Fan Fiction! Can you believe that? Three thousand word minimum. Oh, AND we have to insert ourselves into the story as one of the characters. I always wanted to be a Countess, but it would be more fun to make myself a maid."
"You should write as Elizabeth Bennet from Jane Austen's 'Pride and Prejudice'. I know you were named Elizabeth after her," said Charlotte. "And Jane, don't forget about the beautiful Jane Bennet in the story. She gets the cute, friendly Mr. Bingley in the end."
"That's what we get for having a father that teaches college Literature. Good thing he gave up the idea of naming us after Regency characters after me. And though 'Mark' is pretty close to 'Mary', 'Carl' is in no way close to 'Catherine'. I wonder what he would have come up with to parallel 'Lydia' if our parents had had another son, 'Lysander'?" Lizzy joked.
"Come on, we've got to go pick up Mark and Carl from their school. I can't wait to start baking Christmas cookies with Aunt Maddie." said Jane. "See ya later Charlotte."
"Yeah, maybe this year Mark and Carl will leave some of them for Christmas Day!" replied Lizzy. "Maybe we should hide some in our room."
On the other side of the parking lot, a similar discussion was going on between two tall seniors, Chuck Bingley and William Darcet. They met at the beginning of the school year as they were both new to the school and became fast friends. Chuck's outgoing personality was in stark opposition to William's reticence. You could not find two more different personalities if you canvassed the entire senior class.
"Bingley, what did you think of Mr. Cheister's assignment? Doesn't sound too onerous if we have two weeks to do it." stated William.
"Oh, I don't know where to start with an assignment like that. I don't like stories that don't have happy endings. Why would I waste my time reading, let alone writing a story that has a sad ending?"
"Well, it doesn't have to have a sad ending, just not a predictable one. The dictate of 'Didn't see that coming' could refer to something good like an unexpected love affair or an unforeseen windfall from a distant relative. He just wants us to pick apart the expected ending and come up with something 'outside the box'. It sounds like the Regency Fan Fiction my mom used to like to read. I wonder why he wants us to email him which story we are doing before the end of the holiday break?" replied William as he and Chuck put their backpacks into the trunk of his Lexus. "I don't know that I like the stricture that we have to write ourselves into the story though. That sounds kind of ridiculous to me."
"Why would you say that? I think you would make a marvelous Mr. Darcy. You're tall, dark, handsome (or so my sister Carrie says) and rich. You're even shy around strangers and hate to dance. And you have a British accent that all the girls swoon over. It's perfect! Are you sure your legal name isn't really Fitzwilliam?"
"Oh sod off Bingley!" William said as he climbed in the driver's seat. "Hey, I forgot. There's a character named Bingley in 'Pride and Prejudice' too! He gets the pretty girl in the end. I don't know how you turn that into something that says 'I didn't see that coming'." he joked.
"Doesn't he fall in love with a character named Jane?" asked Bingley. "Have you met Jane Bender? She's a senior. Very pretty. Quiet though. I haven't had a chance to talk to her yet. She's in my fifth period Brit Lit class. Best thing about switching schools as a senior guy - new senior girls to meet!" William rolled his eyes at Chuck's usual energetic pursuit of pretty girls.
"No, I haven't met her. Does she have sisters named Elizabeth, Mary, Catherine and Lydia?" He laughed. "There is a Lizzy Bender in my third period British Literature class. Pretty enough I suppose, but she is definitely not quiet. Get her started on a topic she believes in and there is no stopping her, although she usually makes good points." William had not meant to have his thoughts turn to the vivacious brunette in his third period class.
"I suppose they could be sisters although it is a senior level course and unless they are twins, I don't know how she would be in my class. Maybe they are cousins. I haven't talked to her yet. Mr. Cheister re-does the seating chart every week to give you a different 'proofreading buddy' for each assignment, so I might get paired up with her yet. And maybe you'll be paired with the lovely Jane Bennet, er, Bender in fifth period!" William joked. Chuck blushed.
"Let's go. I have to pick up Georgie at her school. She's supposed to bake Christmas cookies with Mrs. Reynolds this afternoon. I stay out of the way until it comes time for 'quality assurance'," William said, adding the appropriate air quotes.