Beginning, Section II

Chapter 1

"Guess who?"

Liz began to tense up as a pair of hands covered her eyes. "Look, whoever you are I'm really NOT in the mood right now!" she fumed. Elizabeth Bennet, or Liz as she is known to her friends, was a 17-year old junior at Dawson High School in San Francisco, Ca.

Laurie, Liz's best friend dropped her hands and turned Liz around. "Liz what's the matter?" she asked with a concerned look on her face. Liz soften her angry glare and proceeded to tell Laurie what had happened the day before.

The day before...

Lizzy,

Please meet us in the backyard as soon as you get in from school.

Love,

Dad

"So what's up?" she said glancing from Jane to her parents.

"Look at these girls" Pam said ignoring her question while pushing a basket full of vegetables and fruits in front of them. "They have turned out so well after all my hard work."

Liz looked and smiled. "That's nice Mom. But you didn't ask us out here just to talk about veggies and fruits did you?"

"Actually Lizzy, yes and no" said Greg. Liz looked quizzically at Jane, who just shrugged her shoulders looking as perplexed as her.

"What do you mean?"

"Your mother and I have finally decided to move ahead with 'The Plan.' "

" 'The Plan?' " Liz choked out. Oh God no. Please tell me I'm dreaming. She looked at Jane willing her to pinch her awake from this nightmare for her own arms were heavy with dread of what was coming next.

"Yes. We're finally moving to the country. And the Darcys are coming with us."

Chapter 2

George Darcy had taken a liking to Greg Bennet ever since the Bennet family moved to San Francisco two years ago from Orange County. After meeting through common acquaintances, the two soon found a kindred spirit in each other. Both came from small towns in the country and had moved to the city where they each found success.

George Darcy was a prominent and successful businessman in San Francisco. In wealth, he surpasses Greg, but in happiness - they were pretty much the same. George had a wonderful wife in Anne Darcy and two great children - William and Georgiana. William was also a junior at DHS and Georgiana in the eighth grade.

Both Greg and George shared a love for the country, a place they both longed to return to. Whenever their families got together, which was quite often, they would always talk about moving out of the city and to the country. Since Greg was a vet, he would easily manage to find work taking care of animals. George owned some land in Napa Valley that he had acquired through business transactions.

'The Plan' was to move to Napa. Greg would take care of the livestock on the land and also offer his service to neighboring ranches. George would handle all the business of running a ranch and of course they would hire people to help run the day to day work.

This plan was familiar to both families. They had been discussing it for the past year, and much more the last few months. The wives were thrilled about it; the children were less so.

"What?!! We can't!! Not NOW. Next year is our senior year. You can't do this to us!" Liz exclaimed.

"Honey you've known for a long time about this. This is the reason we moved here from Newport Beach. You knew that being in San Francisco was a step towards moving to Napa. What we hadn't planned on was meeting the Darcy's and moving with them" her mother said. "Why do you think I've been so hard at work in the garden? I've been preparing for this move myself."

At this point, Jane spoke up. "When is this all going to happen?"

"We're waiting for you children to finish out the year here. Then sometime in the summer we'll begin the move. Hopefully by the end of June. Our plans are not firmly fixed however" and here he paused and replied in a much softer, pleading voice. "We need you guys to try to be happy with this. If you don't, it will just make the adjustment that much more difficult."

"Happy? How can we be happy? We have to leave all our friends that we've barely just made just to up and move and do it all over again" Liz said exasperatedly.

"I know this is asking a lot from you guys but..."

"A lot! That's an understatement!" she said sarcastically.

"LIZZY!" Liz immediately repented for her father rarely raised his voice, especially with her. She looked down ashamed of herself.

"I'm sorry Dad. It's just that ... I ..." she scrunched her face in effort to find the words that would explain how she was feeling. "It's going to be tough next year starting all over again, especially since it will be our last" she said looking flushed. She blinked back the tears that had started forming under her eyelids.

"Sweetie.." her father said softly. "Don't think us so insensitive as to not know that. We will all have to make adjustments. Take comfort in knowing you have us. And you both have each other."

"And William too" Pam piped in.

And William...

Chapter 3

". . . so you see why I am so upset!" Liz exclaimed throwing her arms about wildly, after telling her the gist of it.

"Calm down! Chill girl!" Laurie said while taking hold of Liz. "Why don't we talk about this over here" she said leading Liz to bench far away from the crowd gathered for lunch in the school cafeteria. Just then the bell rang saving Liz the torture of explaining her situation any further.

"No time. I've gotta get to class. I'll talk to you after school" she said over her shoulder while heading toward her class. Her mind was whirling still from the information that she had received the night before and was not looking where she was going when she turned the corner and ran smack into a body.

"Elizabeth!"

Liz looked up to see a tall lanky boy of 5'7" with shaggy brown hair falling over his brown-rimmed glasses looking back at her. Though it was long on top, his hair did not fall lower than his eyes. He ran his hand through his hair pulling it back revealing a pale face filled with acne.

"William! I'm so sorry. Are you okay? I wasn't looking where I was going."

"No problem. I'm fine. Are you okay? You look upset."

"Yeah sure fine. Anyway, I've gotta go. See you around" and with that took off quickly hoping he wouldn't follow. It wasn't that she didn't like him. Actually, she never really gave him much thought. Since their arrival from OC, Liz had had several guys after her. So whenever their families would get together, Liz was usually out on dates. Only occasional was she forced to stay home to spend quality time with the families. It was at these times that he would look at her kind of funny. Jane had teased her about it saying that he had a crush on her. Liz always denied it saying that they were just friends.

"It's just because our families are around each other so much. He's just as friendly to me as he is to you."

"Yeah but he doesn't look at me half as much as he looks at you" Jane had said.

William Darcy did in fact like Elizabeth Bennet but would never act on it. Elizabeth hung out with different people than he did. Whereas most of his friends were made up of members of the debate team and consequently also part of the chess club, Liz hung out with the popular crowd at their high school consisting mostly of jocks, cheerleaders, and your occasional 'cool' kid (meaning they didn't have to be affiliated with any particular team) which is what Liz is. Though that did not last long as everyone soon discovered that she was an excellent runner and excelled in cross country (poor Lizzy - all those hills). Liz did not intend to be apart of the "in" crowd at school. That's just where she found herself. When they first transferred there, both she and Jane where asked out by the cutest guys in school being very pretty themselves. The popular girls at first resisted befriending them, but had to admit at last that they were pretty cool. Besides, if they ever wanted any of the guys to take notice of them, they had to be nice to the Bennet twins, for so they were known as. Jane however, soon tired of that kind of crowd, they being too active and lively for her taste (after refusing many times the guys finally took the hint to leave her alone) and found her own niche in choir. Liz on the other hand thrived in that kind of atmosphere and was considered to be the most popular (and prettiest) junior at DHS.

William on the other hand was not considered to be very popular. He wasn't a total geek, but wasn't 'Mister Popular' either. He was plain-looking, good-mannered, and intelligent - not exactly the type that has girls chasing after him. Though he had many acquaintances, he was close to no one in particular. He liked keep to himself and his books, but was social enough not to be considered a loner.

He stared after her till she was out of sight, then continued his way to class. I wonder if she found out already he thought to himself. That's probably why she's upset. William too had found out about the move to the country the night before but was less upset about it. He didn't mind it too much seeing he wasn't particularly attached to anything or anyone there, that is anyone who would be left behind.

"So your okay with this?" his father said.

"Yeah sure Dad. No big deal. It's not like it's a surprise or anything. Besides I know why you want to move so bad and I wouldn't begrudge Mom anything. Have you told Georgiana?"

"Your mother's telling her as we speak. She picked her up early from school and took her out for some ice cream. I think she thinks she won't resist so much if she has chocolate in her mouth" George said with a chuckle. "But I am afraid she won't take to the change so easily as you. Next year, apart from starting high school as a freshman, she also has to make new friends. I'm counting on you to take care of her and help her fit in. She's at an age when she's most vulnerable. Especially with your mother being how she is . . ." here he paused, his voice coarse and low. "Who knows how long . . . "

"Don't worry Dad. I'll take care of her. You have my word."

Chapter 4

"The Move"

The next few months went by too quickly for Elizabeth and before she knew it June had come. At that point, the folks were very busy getting themselves ready for the move. Their houses were to be no further than half a mile away from each other. The land lay behind them, to the west, spanning several acres. The livestock of course were at the other end of the property, far away from the houses. So far in fact that they could barely be seen when standing in back of the houses. Some of the land in between would be used to grow some crops, but mostly would be left as is. A small river ran from northeast to southwest, running along the side of their property to the northwest. The horse stables were on the opposite side of the property as the river and in between the livestock and the houses. Both houses faced east, away from their property. The Bennet house lay to the right of the Darcy's, which was the furthest south.

"You all packed?"

"Just about" Liz shouted back to Jane. Heavy thud. "THERE. Whooo! Man I thought I'd never get that thing closed." Noticing Jane wasn't there anymore, she turned around and shouted

"Jane!"

"Right here. Just taking down my last suitcase." Jane looked around and saw the mess still in Liz's room. "Do you need any help?"

"Yess please. Can you take this bag down while I finish up here?"

"Yeah sure. No prob. I'll be back to help with the rest."

"Okay." By the time Jane returned the rest of Liz's stuff was packed up.

"Wow you sure work fast."

"I just threw it all in a box. Come on. We have to be done by the time Mom and Dad get back with the food."

Just as they carried down the last box, they saw their parents drive up. They ate a hearty meal of In N' Out burgers and milkshakes and were on their way. They were taking a few things with them that day and the rest would be brought up by the movers the following day. Once loaded up, each person got into their own car. The girls were given each their own car for their 16th birthday. Lizzy drove a 2000 black Jeep Wrangler and Jane had a '99 beige Honda Accord.

They arrived to their new house about two hours later. In reality, they really didn't move very far away. But what a difference a few miles made! Their new hometown was nothing like San Francisco. At a glance, it looked like what one would think of when they thought of the country. It was true - there was a lot of naked land. For miles, it seemed like nothing was around. Then they hit the town. They noticed right away that they hadn't moved to some Hickville nor was it very wealthy, but comfortably middle-class.

Their first view of their new house was behind the backdrop of a beautiful sunset. The sky was a bright orange with red swirls. The sun's brilliance embraced the land, making it peaceful and inviting. They went into the house and wandered around. Lizzy made her way toward the back of the house and out the sliding door. She stared in silence, awestruck by the beauty around her.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" her father said stepping outside to join her.

"Yes, simply breathtaking" she replied. She felt an arm go around her shoulders.

"I couldn't agree more" Jane said. Liz in turn encircled her waist and laid her head on her shoulders. It was to this scene that Pam found them.

"Well, why don't we start unpacking. Make sure you girls find your sleeping bags. We'll be sleeping on the floor tonight."

"Jane, will you sleep with me tonight?" Liz said sheepishly looking at her with pleading eyes.

"Of course" she said smiling at her and gave her a warm squeeze. "Come on. Let's go find a room."

The next day the girls awoke to the smell of coffee and bacon.

"Hmm....That smells soooo good." Liz looked around her. Jane was nowhere in sight. She took this time to observe the room. It had plain white walls and tan-colored wooden floors. The sun shone brightly into the room, giving it a light and airy feeling to it. In fact this pretty much described the whole house. It had been left undecorated for the Bennets to decorate as they saw fit.

"Good morning sleepy head" Jane said as she came into the room.

"Morning Jane. Where did you go?"

"I thought I'd take a look around the house and pick a room for myself."

"Did you find one?"

"Yeah, the one that's next to this one actually."

"Hmm... I guess I'll stick with this one. It has a nice view of the river and the backyard."

"So you're okay with being here?"

"As much as I can be right now."

"You know it doesn't look like it will be so bad. You just gotta give this place a chance. Besides, we're not that far away from the city."

"Yeah I know. It's just that..."

"Your really stubborn?" interrupted Jane.

"Exactly. How do you know me so well?"

"I'm your twin. I know these things" quipped Jane.

"Is that right? Did you know I was gonna do this?" Liz exclaimed while throwing a pillow - and anything else she could get her hands on - at Jane.

"As a matter of fact" pause "I" pause "did" Jane replied through fits of laughter and attempting to duck out of the way.

"GIRLS!! Come down for breakfast before it gets cold" Pam shouted from the bottom of the stairs.

"COMING MOM!" the girls shouted back as Jane retreated running out of the room and down the stairs with Lizzy hot on her tail.

Chapter 5

"Food for thought"

When they got downstairs, they stopped dead in their tracks. There standing in front of them was William Darcy. Both girls blushed for they were still in their pajamas and had not fixed their hair nor taken off their avocado green facial masks. They were quite a sight.

"Uhh, hi" William said hesitantly suddenly feeling very uncomfortable. Both girls covered their mouths in surprise and in attempt to suppress their laughter.

"I guess I should go now."

"No, no stay. Won't you have some breakfast with us?" Pam pleaded oblivious to his discomfort.

"No thank you Mrs. Bennet. I've already eaten. I just came to bring the basket my mom made for you guys."

"Well, that was very nice of her. Tell her I said thank you."

"Will do. See you all tomorrow."

"Goodbye."

"Goodbye."

"Tomorrow? What's happening tomorrow?" Lizzy asked the second he left.

"Oh the Darcys have invited us over for a Bar-B-Que. Now run back upstairs and wash up. You can't eat breakfast with that stuff on your face." The girls readily obeyed but not without bursting out in laughter.

After breakfast was eaten, they began to unpack. By that time, the movers had arrived with their furniture and were unloading it. The rest of the day was spent organizing and cleaning, only pausing long enough to eat lunch and dinner. That night, everyone fell into bed with exhaustion. The next day was spent doing things that they had been unable to finish the day before. By 3pm, everyone was ready for a break. Having eaten a light lunch in anticipation of the Bar-B-Que, they began to get ready. Jane dressed in white tank top, beige shorts, white ankle-length socks, and white Nikes. Her flaxen-blond hair fell loose below her shoulders. Lizzy wore an olive-green tank top, which set off nicely her golden tan, jean capri pants, and blue sandals. Her beautiful dark brown curls were swept up in a blue scrunchie.

"Girls are you ready?" their father asked, standing outside the bathroom the twins shared.

"Just about....there. All done" Lizzy said turning away from the mirror and faced her father.

"Good because I was not about to wait for you two another minute. Now come on. Lizzy your driving" he said handing her the keys.

They arrived minutes later to a grand estate. Lizzy paused before entering the gate that read "Pemberley."

"Wow, this place sure is nice" she remarked.

She continued driving through the gate up the driveway that led to the front door. Once parked, they stepped out and rang the doorbell. The door opened and a young girl of about 13 years of age stepped out behind the door and welcomed them. She had green eyes and wavy light brown hair. She wore a rose-colored dress and white sandals.

"Welcome Mr. and Mrs. Bennet. Jane. Lizzy. My parents are out back. Come on in" she said brightly.

"Georgiana!" exclaimed Pam. "My don't you look pretty! Doesn't she look pretty Greg?"

"Indeed Georgiana, you look very nice" he replied.

"Thank you" she said blushing slightly.

"And so modest too" added William, coming down the stairs to meet them.

"William! I didn't see you there" exclaimed Georgiana, her face lighting up even more at the appearance of her beloved brother.

"Obviously not. Hello" he said smiling, looking 'round at everyone, and finally setting his eyes on one Miss Bennet. She looks very pretty tonight he thought. He reached the bottom of the stairs and turned to his sister.

"Well, shall we mademoiselle?" William said holding out his arm gallantly.

"Oui, monsieur" she giggled, taking it.

Lizzy smiled, pleasantly surprised at this affectionate and playful display between brother and sister. She glanced at Jane and noticed her smiling too, but she was not surprised. Is there something she's not telling me? thought Lizzy. This thought was not pondered much longer for Jane hooked her arm through hers and pulled her along, following everyone outside.

Chapter 5 (cont.)

They stepped outside and the smell of hamburger patties on the grill made their mouths water.
"Who wants a cheeseburger?" shouted George.

"That sounds really good right about now. Actually, how 'bout you make it a double? I'm famished" replied Greg.

"You got it."

"What about you guys? Cheeseburger? Hamburger? Single? Double?" asked William when the girls sat down on the wooden benches.

"I'd like a hamburger. Single. With everything" said Lizzy.

"Make that two" added Jane.

"Georgiana?" Will said looking her way.

"Cheeseburger. No onions."

"Right. Be right back."

"So Georgiana, are you excited about starting high school this fall?" Lizzy asked as William walked away.

"Yes and no. Excited but kinda scared too."

"I know what you mean. I remember when we first started high school. We were living in Newport Beach back then. It was a bit easier for us though. We knew a lot of people from junior high going to our high school."

"Besides that, you had friends that you had met over the summer from sports camp. Remember Lizzy?"

"That's right Jane. That's when I started running cross country. I wonder if the team here is any good. Or if they have a team at all."

"I hope they have a choir. I'm going to miss Mr. Ellis."

"Mr. Ellis?" inquired Georgiana.

"Mr. Ellis was my choir instructor at DHS. He was really great" explained Jane.

"Do you like any sports Georgiana?" asked Lizzy. "Maybe you should join something. That's usually a good way to make friends."

"Well, I do like to draw."

"Maybe they have an art club. What is it called anyway?"

"Mom said it was called Creekside High School" answered Jane.

"Creekside huh? There's something kinda funny 'bout that" she muttered to herself. "I like what you guys did with the place" she said looking around. "The patio is coming along well."

"Thanks. But all the credit goes to Dad and Will. They're building it themselves you know" replied Georgiana.

"Really?" Lizzy said looking a bit surprised yet again. Never thought of him as the outdoorsy type she thought.

"Yeah. They've been coming up here the past two months working on it on weekends. They still have some more work to do though. When they're done, Mom and I will decorate. We're thinking of putting up some of those outdoor lamp posts around the outside of it.."

"Well they're doing a good job so far."

"Glad you think so" Will said coming up behind her with the food. "I'll be helping your mom with her garden as soon as we're done here" he said handing out the plates to everyone. Thank you's went all around.

"What are you going to do?" asked Jane taking a bit out of her hamburger.

"Build a fence around it for one. She hasn't told me much more than that."

"Do you have anything to drink?" asked Lizzy.

"Uhh yeah. There's Pepsi, Hanson's Kiwi & Strawberry, and 7-up."

"Something dark, something fruity, and something light. Great selection" she said getting up.

"Oh I'll get it" he said getting up himself.

"No, its okay. See already up."

"But do you know where they are?" he challenged.

"Okay, you've got me."

If only that were true. "This way" he said leading.

"Oh wait. Jane? Want anything?"

"Strawberry please."

"Me too Will" added Georgiana.

"They're over there next to the grill" he said pointing to the table with the food on top.

"Oooh, a radio! Can we play some music?"

"Yeah, I forgot I brought it out here. How about you grab the drinks while I get the radio and CD's?"

"Deal. What do you want to drink?"

"Pepsi please."

"Pepsi huh? Is that like saying you like Britney over Christina?"

"No I just like Pepsi" he said liking the way she conversed with him. "Although I do think she's cuter than Christina."

"Yeah but Christina has a better voice."

"No argument there" he said as they walked back to the bench and sat down.

"Here you go. You choose" William said handing Lizzy his CD case.

She flipped through it while taking a bite out of her hamburger. "Bush, U2, Springsteen, Cheap Trick, Journey....You have quite a selection" she said still flipping through it.

"The 80's are my favorite" he said.

"Me too! U2's new stuff is good, but I like their old stuff better. Especially that one song. How does it go?" Humming to herself "....tonight......da da daa.... tonight....." and then:

"Sunday bloody Sunday!" she sang in unison with William, laughing with him afterwards.

"Wow! I didn't realize we liked the same music. What's your favorite Bush song?"

"I have a few favorites. Chemicals between us, Everything Zen, Machinehead, but especially" and here he starts singing

"Love and hate. Get it wrong. Cut me right down back down back to size. Sleep the day. Let it fade. Who was there to take your place?"

Lizzy joins him "No one knows. Never will. Mostly me but mostly you. Do you say? Do you do? When it all comes down"

Georgiana and Jane join "CUZ I DON'T WANNA COME BACK DOWN FROM THIS CLOUD. IT'S TAKING ME ALL THIS TIME TO FIND OUT WHAT I NEED YEAH. I DON'T WANNA CLIMB BACK DOWN FROM THIS CLOUD. IT'S TAKEN ME ALL THIS ALL THIS TIIIIIIME!"

"I guess we don't need a radio after all!" William exclaimed after everyone stopped laughing.

Everyone finished their meal and afterwards the adults retired to the den for cocktails while the 'kids' went into the family room and watched a movie. After the movie, the Bennets went home.

"Tonight was fun wasn't it? asked Lizzy as she combed Jane's hair, getting ready for bed in Jane's room.

"Yeah it was. But it usually is with Will and Georgiana."

"Really?"

"Yeah, you're just never around long enough to find out."

"Well, I guess I'll just have to change that. Did you notice anything different about William?"

"Not really. He's cleared up a bit if that's what you mean. And he has a bit of a tan - I guess from working outside on the patio."

"That must be it" Lizzy said, more to herself than to Jane. "Well I'm off to bed" she said standing up and putting the brush on the dresser and heading for the door.

"Goodnight Lizzy."

"Goodnight Jane. Sweet dreams."

"You too." About William I hope....

Chapter 6

There is a saying
Your love is blind
Still we are often told - seek and ye shall find
So I'm going to seek a certain man(lad?) that I had in mind

There's somebody I'm longing to see
I hope that he turns out to be
Someone who'll watch over me

I'm a little lamb who's lost in the wood
And I know I could always be good
To one who'll watch over me

Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
Oh but to my heart he carries the key
Oh yeah

Won't you tell him to put on some speed
Follow my lead
Oh how I need
Someone someone to watch over me

Although he may not be the man some
Girls think of as handsome
But to my heart he carries the key
Oh yeaah

Won't you tell him to please
To put on some speed
Follow my lead
Oh how I need
Someone to watch over me

Won't you tell him please
Put on some speed
Follow my lead
Oh how I need
Oh how I need
Someone to watch over me

Someone to watch over me Sung by Etta James, lyrics by Ira Gershwin from Oh, Kay! 1926

It wasn't until a week later that William was able to come over the Bennet house to help Mrs. Bennet. She wanted him to set up a small, white picket fence around the area she planned on growing her garden. Meanwhile, the twins were still helping their mother arrange the furniture in the house. They rearranged the living room about twenty times before Mrs. Bennet decided to go with the first arrangement. The girls were on the verge going mad. They needed a break from their mother and so prepared a lunch basket with the intention of exploring the property a bit. William arrived at the house while the girls were thus engaged. Mrs. Bennet described to him what she wanted and gave him some money to buy supplies. He left and returned an hour later just as the girls were returning from their picnic.

"William! Do you need some help?" exclaimed Lizzy.

"Yes, please. Can you grab some wood and start bringing it to the backyard?"

"Yeah sure. Come on Jane. Grab the other end. It'll be faster if we pile 'em up."

They loaded up and headed towards the backyard where he was starting to set up his workbench. It took a few trips to back and forth to unload all the supplies. When they finished, the twins left him to continue his work. Jane went upstairs to read a book. Lizzy followed, but was unable to keep her focus after an hour and a half. She went downstairs and headed for the kitchen. She came out carrying a large glass of lemonade.

"Thought you could use one of these" she shouted to Will, holding up the drink. He turned off the electric saw and set it down on the bench to take a break.

"Thanks" he replied, taking the drink from her and gulping it down in seconds.

"Uhh, you want another one?" Lizzy asked, looking at him somewhat bewildered.

"Yes, if its not too much trouble."

"Oh, no. No trouble at all. It's not like I have anything else to do." She disappeared inside and came back out with a pitcher of lemonade in one hand and his glass in another.

"Just in case. You know..."

"Thanks" he said looking sheepishly. He took another sip and kept his eyes on the ground. He avoided eye contact, keeping his focus on turning the cup in his hand. An awkward silence set in.

"Yeah. Well...I guess I'll be going for my walk now. Is there anything else you need before I go?"

"No thank you. Enjoy your walk."

"Alrighty then" she whispered to herself, feeling a bit taken back by his silence.

He watched her leave, cursing himself for not trying to keep her attention on him. After the bar-b-que, he felt a bit odd for talking so much in front of her. He usually only opened up in front of people he really knew and trusted. In fact that was pretty much the situation that afternoon as he was at home with his family and Jane. With his family, he felt no awkwardness; Jane had become someone he had come to think of as a good friend. But he did not know her so well. He felt naked and exposed. That night, he lay in bed thinking to himself what a big mistake he made in being so open and carefree in front of her. I can't believe I just started singing in front of her. What an idiot I am. I never let anyone hear me sing. No matter how much he tried to convince himself that it was okay to be that way with her since he did know her parents and was good friends with her twin sister, he couldn't get over the fact that he had exposed himself to her. What am I going to do now? How am I supposed to act? He felt ashamed for revealing himself. Now, he couldn't bring himself to face her. He felt awkward and embarrassed.

She, on the other hand, continued on her walk without as a much as a second thought. Well, perhaps that was not completely true. Subconsciously, he plagued her mind. The night of the bar-b-que marked his inauguration into the deepest levels of her subconscious. I mean, he was way down there, mostly likely with Id. So, although he was not foremost on her mind, he was there nevertheless. Waiting. Growing. Anticipating the day he can come out and manifest into a crush. He was something her unconscious knew she needed but left her conscious-self out of the loop about him.

She headed towards the river in hopes of finding some solitude. As she neared the river, she found some shelter from the sun underneath a large willow tree. She laid down and closed her eyes. A pleasant smile formed on her lips as she enjoyed the cool breeze. Suddenly, she heard the beating of hooves as it slowed to stop near her. She sighed heavily at this unexpected intrusion and sat up. As she opened her eyes, the bright sunshine blinded her, allowing her to see only the silhouette of a man atop of a beautiful black steed.

"Hello there" called the man atop of the horse.

"Hello" Lizzy managed to get out as she attempted to stand up. However, that was not to be as she awkwardly stumbled on her self and fell back on the ground.

"Are you okay? Are you hurt?" he asked as he climbed down from his horse and rushed to her side.

To his surprise, he heard laughter. "Physically, yes. But I cannot say the same for my pride." She looked up and stared into the most beautiful hazel eyes she has ever seen. They belonged to a ruggedly handsome face of 18 years, with dirty blond hair and a muscular physique. So mesmerized was she, that it was moments before she realized she was staring at him in silence.

"Hello. I'm Elizabeth Bennet. And you are?" she asked as she held her hand out.

"George. George Wickham."

Chapter 7 "First Encounter of the Fake Kind"

Hmm... Fresh meat George thought to himself as he rode over to a pretty girl lying underneath a tree.

"It's nice to meet you George."

"Likewise, Elizabeth."

"Oh you may call me Lizzy or Liz if you like."

"Liz it is then." Figures she thought, inwardly rolling her eyes as she forced a smile on her face. "Do you live nearby? Are you from Pemberley?"

"No. I live less than a mile from there though."

"Ahh. Yes of course. The Bennet's. Your the family that has moved here with the Darcy's."

"Yes. How did you know?"

"You all are the talk of the town. Besides, my father and I work for Mr. Darcy."

"Oh? Doing what?"

"My dad is Mr. Darcy's accountant for the ranch and I help out wherever I can. I guess I'm what you call a stable hand."

"You take care of the horses?"

"Yes. That and other odd jobs that need to be done."

"Oh. So what are you doing here?"

"Taking the horses for a ride. They need to be exercised every once in a while. They haven't been ridden for quite some time. The Darcy's have yet to ride them" he replied with some disdain. A cross look appeared in his face, but just as soon it appeared it disappeared. He replaced it with a charming smile, as soon as he realized she would defend them.

"Well I'm sure it is just a matter of time. They've been busy settling down. We've all been busy."

"Yes. I'm sure your right" he said still smiling, not very sincerely.

"Well, I should get going."

"Right. See you around."

"Bye." She left him staring after her.

Chapter 8

As Lizzy walked back to the house, she thought of the guy she just met. Very cute but so fake. I can't wait to tell Jane about this one she thought with a laugh. She went into the house without so much as an acknowledgement to William. She went upstairs and related her story. William could hear their laughter from outside.

"So he didn't pass the test?" Jane asked.

"No, he immediately started calling me Liz. God, how obvious can he be?"

"Lizzy, you're so silly. You can't judge a guy solely on what name he calls you by" Jane chastised.

"Well. Maybe your right. I just got this weird feeling about him. You know when you meet someone for the first time . . . and you just get this vibe from him? Well, I got a bad vibe from him."

"Well, if you feel so strongly . . . Just don't be so quick to judge. It might have been a bad first impression or something. You never know."

Over the next few weeks, life for Lizzy consisted of walks to the river and spending time with Jane. On her walks to the river, she would occasionally run into George. In the back of her mind she kept on hearing Jane's voice: Just don't be so quick to judge . . . You never know. She was always polite to him but never too friendly. She didn't want to give him the wrong idea. George, on the other hand, was intrigued by her. She was the first girl who hadn't thrown herself at him on first meeting him. He tried to see her as much as possible; fortunately for Lizzy, the horses did not need to be ridden everyday.

As for William, she was puzzled by his silence at first, but after a chat with Jane, she decided not to dwell on it.

"He's just a bit shy. Don't give up on him just yet."

She would occasionally join him outside and chat with him. He was reluctant at first to speak, but after a gentle push from Jane, he gradually allowed himself to open up to her. He enjoyed talking to her as much as she did. Little by little, Lizzy got to know the real William Darcy and she was not disappointed.

By the end of July, they were on fairly good terms. William had finished the fence weeks ago and had since done other odd jobs for Mrs. Bennet which he was more than willing to oblige her. The friendship between William and Lizzy continued to blossom over this time. One day, while William was working outside, Lizzy went out to bring him a glass of lemonade as usual. It was especially hot that day. William ran his hands through his hair to pull it back as it was getting in his way.

"Why don't you just wear a cap?"

William shook his head. "I've never really liked wearing caps."

"I know!" Lizzy exclaimed as an idea suddenly occurred to her. "Why don't you let me cut your hair?"

"Oh, I don't know." At that moment, Jane walked outside.

"Yes, Will. That's a great idea" Jane confirmed.

"Yes. I'll run up and get Dad's kit." Before he could protest, she ran inside.

"Oh, no. Now I'm in for it."

"Oh, it won't be that bad Will. She's better at it than me." Then with a laugh she added, "Last time I tried to cut Lizzy's hair, I ended up cutting her shirt too. And I cut her hair crooked."

"Jane, this is not helping."

"Sorry. So how's it going between you two?" she asked in a lowered voice, in case anyone was nearby.

"Alright, I guess" he said with a shrug.

"Alright? That's it? Just alright?"

"Yeah. Just alright. What do you want me to say Jane?" he said exasperatedly.

"That I have her eating out of the palm of my hand? Well, she's not. Not even close" he said, looking a bit sad.

"Oh, Will. She'll come around eventually. I just know it" she replied, placing her hand on top of his and giving it a gentle squeeze. As Lizzy approached the backyard, she saw Jane reach out to Will but heard none of the conversation. A flicker of emotions crossed her face. She hesitated before walking outside.

"Here it is. Now close your eyes. I need to wet your hair with the spray bottle." He did as he was told. She then started to clip away and was done ten minutes later.

"Voila! Not bad if I may say so myself." She handed him a hand mirror.

"Your right. Nice job Lizzy."

"What did you say?"

"What? Your right?"

"No. You called me Lizzy."

"Yeah, so?"

"You've never called me Lizzy before. It's always been Elizabeth."

"Oh. I didn't think you'd mind . . . but if you prefer I not-"

"No . . . I don't mind at all." Jane and Lizzy shared a knowing look and a smile.

"What?" William asked, noticing the look exchanged by the twins.

"Nothing" they said at once, still sharing a knowing smile.

"Okay. Don't pull that freaky twin thing on me."

"What freaky twin thing?" they said in unison. William just shook his head.

"Now I have hair all over me" he complained, pulling off his shirt.

Oh my! thought Lizzy. Underneath the t-shirt, a tan lean chest had been hidden. It was by no means lacking in any way. It was not very muscular, nor was it skin and bones. It was sexy. Plain and simple. He began to dust himself off with the shirt but was not very successful.

"H-Here, let me help you," she managed to get out. She took his t-shirt from him never once letting her eyes wander from the lovely sight before her. She began to brush off the hair from his neck and shoulders. Her brushing technique was slow and deliberate. A few hairs would not come off so she rubbed it with her hand. The sensation of her nails scratching away at him ran chills down his spine. His back tensed up revealing the muscles in his back. Impulsively, Lizzy ran her hand down his back. He turned, surprised, to look at her. As his eyes met hers, she felt herself blush.

"Uhm, stray hairs" she mumbled, as she continued to brush off invisible hairs off his back.

"I think that's good. Thanks" he said talking his shirt from her. Their hands touched and for a moment time seemed to stand still. Jane was momentarily forgotten. All they could see was each other. Then it was gone.

"I guess I'll go put this away." Lizzy left carrying her father's shaving kit.

Maybe she's already there thought Jane.

Chapter 9

One day, they decided to drive to a nearby lake and have a picnic there. They packed up Lizzy's Jeep and headed out. As they drove up the dirt road, they saw a cow in the middle of the road. Lizzy stopped.

"Now what are we gonna do?" She got out of the car. Everyone else followed. They looked at each other in wonder. Then they heard someone come along singing a tune:

Come on now darlin' you've got something I need
Cuz I've got a brand new combine harvester
I'll give you the key
Come on now let's get together in perfect harmony
I've got twenty acres and you've got forty-three
Now I've got a brand new combine harvester
And I'll give you the key*

*Adge Cutler(?) and the Wurzels - The Combine Harvester

Then they saw the man that accompanied the voice. He was about 5'8''. He had dirty blond curls on top of an angelic face; large, bright blue eyes; and fair skin that turned red under the sun instead of tanning. He wore beaten-up jean overalls without a shirt that revealed a muscular build acquired through physical labor.

"Betsy, there you are!" exclaimed he. "How ever did you get out here? Come on now" he said as he swatted the cow from behind. The cow started to move toward the direction he came from.

"Come on, Betsy. Be a good girl for me. That's it." He turned to the people standing in the middle of the road.

"I am so sorry for this. Every once in a while she likes to wander out. Hi, I'm Charlie Bingley" he said holding his hand out to Liz after taking off his gloves.

"Hi. I'm Lizzy Bennet. This is William Darcy and his sister Georgiana. And Jane, my twin sister." He shook everyone's hand, his smile increasing as he turned toward Jane.

"Twin sister? Hope you don't mind me saying but you two don't look like twins."

"That's because we're fraternal twins not identical" replied Lizzy.

"Right. So where you all heading?" Then smacking himself on the forehead, he said "Darcy! Of course! You all just moved here right?"

"Yes. We're from Pemberley" Will said indicating himself and Georgiana. "They live about half a mile from us."

"We're on our way to Lake Victoria* for a picnic. Would you like to join us?" asked Jane, completely mesmerized by his eyes.

"That would be great. How about I meet you guys there? Do you mind if I bring my little sister with me?"

"Not at all. The more the merrier" replied Lizzy.

"Great. See ya'll there."

Everyone turned back to the jeep and climbed in. As they fastened their seatbelts, Jane commented: "He's seems really nice."

Liz turned toward her, trying to hide her smile. "Yes, Jane. He did look nice."

Jane looked at her. "Stop it, Lizzy."

"What?"

"Don't say what. Say pardon. And you know what I'm talking about."

"I'm sorry Jane. I'm not following you" she replied, feigning wide-eyed innocence.

"Lizzy" Jane said warningly. Lizzy just smiled, put the jeep in gear and drove off.

*Author's Note: Descriptions of the country are a result of my imagination. As far as I know, there is no Lake Victoria in Napa. Don't even know if willow trees (mentioned in a previous chapter) are indigenous to the area. Also, most songs I quote are written down by ear. So lyrics are tentative.

Chapter 10

Author's Notes: Quotes used in last chapter:
*What freaky twin thing? - from Disney's movie Double Teamed
**Don't say what. Say pardon. - Fielding's BJD

Hopeless, and silent, I must still adore,
Her heart's more hard than stone whom I'd implore.
from Love in Excess by Eliza Haywood.

They arrived at the lake half an hour later. Will and Lizzy spread out the blankets as Jane and Georgiana carried out the picnic basket and cooler. When all was done, they sat down.

"Should we wait for them?" Lizzy asked as she began to take out containers in the basket.

"Looks like we don't have to. Here they come now." As William said this, they saw a large pick up truck coming towards them.

"Oh Will. You forgot to bring down your radio."

"Where's your keys?" She tossed them to him. He walked away and smiled. She called me Will.

He was rummaging the back of Lizzy's jeep as Charlie and a girl walked towards them. She was a few inches shorter than Charlie; she had a slender figure, long auburn hair, and the same fair skin and blue eyes as her brother. Lizzy, Jane, and Georgiana stood up as they approached.

"Hello. Hope you have not waited long for us" said Charles.

"Not at all" replied Jane. They stood staring at each other, and would have continued so if his sister had not nudged him in the ribs.

"Oww ahh This is Caroline, my younger sister. Caroline, this Jane and uhh . . . I'm sorry, I don't remember-"

"Lizzy. And this is Georgiana. Will," Lizzy said as she saw Will walked up. "This is Caroline. Caroline, this is Will."

Up till this point, Caroline had been indifferent and bored. When she disinterestedly turned to glance at Will, her interest in him spread across her face instantly. She put on her sweetest smile and greeted him.

"So do you both attend Creekside High School?" asked Jane.

"Yes. I'll be a senior in the fall and Caroline will be a junior."

"Us too. I mean, Lizzy, Will and I will be seniors too. Georgiana will be a freshman."

Polite conversation ensued and was carried mostly by Jane and Charlie with occasional additions by Lizzy, and rarely by Georgiana.

As far as Will and Caroline . . .

Needless to say, from this point on everyone but Will seized to exist. He had by this time changed quite a bit from the lanky, pale-faced boy he used to be. His hair was short and spiky. The shorts and tank he wore revealed how much his physique had improved (somewhat similar to Josh Hartnett*), not to mention his acne had cleared and he had a lovely tan. Aside from George Wickham, Caroline had already assessed him as the cutest guy to grace their neck of the woods. And as she had had George already, Will became her next conquest.

William, not used to attention from the opposite sex, was flattered and a bit embarrassed. He had hoped to enjoy this time with Lizzy but was now distracted by Caroline. She was very attentive and the temptation of a pretty girl vying for his attention got the better of him. She stroked his ego as no other girl had done before. And let's face it, Lizzy was not showing him that she thought of him as more than just a friend (aside from the slip during the hair incident). In fact, Lizzy herself was not sure about her feelings for Will, although she was not pleased to see Caroline drape her arm over his.

After they ate, the group split up: Jane and Charlie; Will and Caroline; and Lizzy and Georgiana. Each pair took off walking in different directions, admiring the scenery before them, especially the wildflowers (as I'm told they are abundant in the area).

The day was spent pleasant enough but at the end of the day, two persons found it lacking. Those two persons went to bed that night wanting . . .

Wanting what exactly?

Each other.

"So what do you think?" asked Jane. At the crack of dawn, Jane had risen feeling refreshed and giddy. She was very anxious to talk to Lizzy. The night before, they had been prevented from talking since they were both very tired when they returned. She entered Lizzy's room when she could wait no longer and woke her up.

"About what?" questioned a very groggy Lizzy.

"Charlie! What do you think about him?"

"I don't know Jane" she yawned, stretching her arms out. "Oh God, what time is it?"

"It's 8am sleepyhead. Now really. What do you think?"

"8am! Jane, come back at a decent hour!" she exclaimed as she pulled the covers over her head.

"Lizzy! Wake up! Wake up! Wake up!" she shouted as she tour away the covers and started tickling her.

"Ahh!!! No Jane, please! Stop!" she cried.

"Tickle tickle Lizzy!"

"Ahh!!! Okay! Okay! I'm up!" Jane finally relented and fell back on the bed. She held her head up with her left arm facing Lizzy and waited for her to catch her breath.

"Sooo?"

"He seems like a nice guy. Really, Jane. He does. I give you leave to like him. You've liked a stupider person."**

"Really?"

"Really."

"Thanks. What about you? Do you have your eye on someone?"

"Me? No. What? Do you mean George? Like I told you before, no thanks."

"Why not?"

"Really? I don't know. He seems okay. He's like every other guy I dated at DHS. Maybe that's the problem. He IS like the guys I've dated before. I want something different for a change. Someone different."

"What about Will?"

"Will?! No! No, I don't think so. We're just friends."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes! Positive. We're just friends, Jane. Really. Just friends."

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."***

Lizzy frowned. "I need to take a shower" she said, avoiding a direct reply. She picked up her towel and left the room.

Ahh, Lizzy. You're just fighting the inevitable. And if you don't act soon, you will lose him thought Jane.

Author's Notes:*Josh Hartnett - very cute (IMHO) American actor whose been in films such as Pearl Harbor, 40 Days and 40 Nights, and Here on Earth
**P&P - JA
***from Shakespeare's Hamlet

Chapter 11

The next two weeks flew by. Before they knew it, September had come and along with it, the start of the school year. They had decided amongst themselves to carpool to school. Since the Bennet house was on the way to school, Will would drive them.

At first, Lizzy proposed to switch off every other week, but Will would not have it. He said there was no sense in them driving to their house in one direction, only to travel the same road again to get to school. Lizzy thought it was silly since it was only half a mile. But Will argued that it was one mile, back and forth, and a waste of time.

"William" Lizzy said sternly, putting her hands on her hips.

"Elizabeth" said Will, copying her voice and stance.

They continued to stare each other down.

Jane and Georgiana looked at each other.

"How long do you think they'll keep this up?" asked Georgiana.

"Since they're both stubborn, it'll be awhile."

"How about some ice cream while we wait?"

"Ice cream sounds great." They left Lizzy and Will in the Darcy's living room.

"How long do you plan on keeping this up?" asked Lizzy, raising her left eyebrow.

"As long as necessary" replied he, raising his own eyebrow but not stopping there. He continued to raise and drop his eyebrow suggestively, teasing her out of her stubbornness.

This was more than Lizzy could bear. She burst out laughing at the picture before her.

Will broke out in a grin, relaxing out of the stance.

As Lizzy returned to normal breathing, Will asked "Ice cream?"

"Okay." She smiled happily at him as he hung his arm around her shoulders and directed her toward the kitchen.

"You know. Next time you'll save yourself time if you just agree with me right away."

"Who says I've given in?" she said slipping out from under him and crossing her arms in defiance.

"I do. Besides, I have a secret weapon. I know your weakness."

"You do not" she began to say when she noticed that he looked quite confident about himself. "You couldn't possibly . . . How could you?" Then realization spread across her face. "Jane."

"Yup. And I'm not afraid to use it."

"You wouldn't."

"Oh wouldn't I? Would you like to try me?" he challenged, knowing she wouldn't.

Lizzy scowled and stalked away in annoyance knowing that he had her.

Needless to say, Will drove them to school their first week and the weeks after.

First day of school . . .

Ever the gentleman, instead of honking when Will and Georgiana arrived at the Bennet house in the morning, he got out of his car and rang the doorbell. Jane answered the door looking ready to go but Lizzy was nowhere in sight.

"LIZZY! WILL IS HERE!"

Lizzy came down the stairs in a hurry, her wet locks strewn all over her face.

"I'm coming, I'm coming."

She looked up as she reached the bottom of the stairs. Will was standing in the doorway. The morning light surrounded him like a vision from the heavens. He was looking straight at her. She suddenly felt happy and excited about school, considering the night before had been a rough night. She had tossed and turned, anxious about the first day in a new school. As a consequence, she woke up late and grumpy after finally falling asleep.

To the left of Will stood Jane, unnoticed, watching this scene with great pleasure as the warm light illuminating Will took all of Lizzy's attention. She knew that Lizzy did not have a good night as she had heard footsteps outside her door in the middle of the night and last night was not the first.

The nights of the past two weeks have not been very welcoming to Lizzy. Something was bugging her but she couldn't figure out what it was. She has had the same dream practically every night but remembers none of the details. All she knows is that it is not a pleasant dream as she wakes up anxious and scared, her heart pounding and aching all at the same time.

Will certainly has a positive effect on her. Noticing the way Lizzy's face lit up at the sight of Will warmed Jane's heart. She has felt for a while now that Lizzy and Will would be perfect for each other. She couldn't figure out what was keeping them from reaching an understanding. Will, she knew, was hesitant and too shy to make the first move. And Lizzy. Well, Jane was not so sure what was holding her back. She knows Lizzy needed time to get to know him and time to recognize her feelings for him.

But she also saw the way Caroline had looked at Will and Will certainly appeared to be flattered by her attention. Jane shook her head in frustration. How was she ever going to get Lizzy to realize her feelings for Will? It was very obvious to Jane that Lizzy cared for him. The shy glances his way when she thinks no one is looking, the increasing mentioning of his name during their talks at night left Jane in no doubt of her affection. Today is another example. Having had a rough night, simply being in his presence improves her mood.

Out of the corner of his eye, Will saw Jane shake her head. He broke out of the trance he was in when Lizzy came down the stairs.

"You guys ready?"

The girls nodded and walked outside where Georgiana was waiting in a '65 midnight blue convertible mustang.

"Wow! This is your car?" asked Lizzy.

"Yes. Do you like it?"

"Like it? Oh my gosh, I love it!" She walked around it, admiring it from every angle. "I always wondered whose car this was whenever I saw it in the parking lot at DHS. I had no idea that it belonged to you."

She turned to Georgiana. "Can I sit shotgun? Pleeease."

"You'll have to ask Will."

He shrugged. "Be my guest."

They piled into the car and headed off to school.

"So, you like old cars?"

"Yeah. Don't know much about them but I certainly admire them. When did you get it?"

"I got it for my 16th birthday. My dad and I fixed it up ourselves. Well . . . not completely by ourselves. We did oversee most of the work though whenever we couldn't do the job." He looked over at her and smiled. She felt herself smile in return before she looked away to admire the countryside. Yes, she was definitely feeling much better.

After Will parked his car, they walked towards the school. As they stood around waiting for the crowd to thin out before noting which homeroom they had, they drew the notice of the students around them. Many were whispering amongst themselves and would secretly steal glances their way. Lizzy and Jane just brushed it off.

The Darcy's were another thing. Georgiana looked embarrassed and shy, while Will was indifferent. He had learned to pull off an air of indifference, even though inside, he was feeling very much like Georgiana. On his new handsome face, however, indifference made him appear aloof and serious.

"Gina, it looks like freshmen are over there. Do you want me to go with you?" he asked using the nickname she made him promise to call her now that she was in high school.

She shook her head and walked away.

"Where did Georgiana go?" Lizzy asked when she turned around.

"She went to find her homeroom number."

"Oh." She turned around and seeing a spot open, went up to the wall to look up hers. Jane and Will followed.

"Well, what do you know. We are in the same homeroom" Lizzy said to Jane.

"Gee, aren't I just lucky!" Jane replied dryly.

"Yes you are. You get to spend an entire hour in my lovely presence."

"As if I don't get enough of you at home" she teased with a smile, for Jane was by nature of a sweet disposition but having lived with Lizzy who was constantly playful and teasing, she has had to acquire a bit of a dark side to balance out their duality. Jane was yin whenever Lizzy was yang and vice versa, changing whenever necessary to keep the 'interdependence of opposites.'*

"Now, now Jane. Not many are as lucky as you are" she said. Then turning to Will, asked "Where's yours?"

"402."

"Cool. You too get to spend an hour with me" she smiled sweetly, saying it as if she were on a commercial, telling her viewers: You too can have this at home . . .

He just smiled and walked towards Georgiana.

"Where's your homeroom?"

"320.

"Alright. Let's go" he said as the twins approached them.

"William. I can walk by myself to class. I'm not a baby you know."

"I promised Mom I'd make sure you got to your first class okay and I intend to keep my promise."

Georgiana looked at the twins for help.

"Will, I'm sure she'll be alright" said Lizzy. He shook his head.

"Let's go" Will said to Georgiana in a tone which said he was not to be argued with. Will guided her toward her class as the twins followed.

They had entered the campus through the back and now headed toward the grotto. The large grassy area was surrounded on all four sides by a wing: administration wing; 100, 200, and 300 wing. Since room 302 was an even number, it faced the grotto. The 400 wing ran parallel with the 300 wing, but was on the other side of the building that did not face the grotto.

As they reached her class, he stopped and turned to look at her.

"You're going to be okay, right?"

"I'll be fine. Don't be such a worry wart."

"Alright." He leaned down to give her a kiss on her head but she ducked away.

"Will,." she pleaded, "people are gonna see."

He stepped back a bit embarrassed. She took pity on him and gave him a quick kiss on the cheek before turning toward her class.

"Don't forget to meet us in front after school" he called out, sounding very parental, as she walked away.

"I won't" she said turning around briefly and waved goodbye before proceeding inside.

"She'll be fine Will" Jane said trying to reassure him.

"I'm sure your right." They continued on to their homeroom in silence.

Chapter 12

As they rounded the corner, Lizzy bumped into someone (that usually happens when your not looking in front of you but at the guy walking beside you).

"Oh, my gosh. I'm so sorry." Lizzy bent down to help the person pick up the books that were dropped in the collision.

"No worries."

Lizzy picked up the books and stood up. She handed over the books to the girl standing in front of her. She was wearing black-rimmed glasses, a white shirt underneath faded overalls, the bottoms of which were so worn that white threads revealed not only its age but the numerous times its been worn; what used to be white shoes but were now covered with paint of an assortment of colors. Her hair, short and black with purple and red streaks, was pulled into neck-low pigtails.

"Hi. I'm Lizzy Bennet. This is my twin sister Jane and our friend Will Darcy. And you are?"

"Carly Lucas. Hi." Her outstretched hand was adorned by a silver chain bracelet and a thick thumb ring which contrasted with the purple-painted nails. Lizzy shook her hand.

"It's nice to meet you. I can finally put a face to a name."

"What do you mean?" asked Jane.

"My mother's been talking about you guys non-stop since we found out you moved here."

"News sure does travel fast around here" added Lizzy feeling a small sense of deja vu .

"Yeah, that tends to happen in small towns and Meryton is a small town. Besides, my father's the mayor. Not much happens without him knowing about it."

"Oh."

"Off to homeroom?"

"Yeah. 402. You?"

"404" Carly replied as they started to head in that direction. "So you're juniors or seniors?"

"Seniors."

"Me too. So we're did you guys come from?"

"San Francisco. Our family is originally from Southern California."

"Oh? Where?"

"Newport Beach, Orange County."

"The beach. Wow. This must be quite a change for you then.

"You can say that again."

"Well, here we are" she said as they approached their homeroom. "I guess I'll see you around. Bye."

"Bye."

"She seemed nice" commented Jane as soon as she was out of hearing.

"Yeah she did. Did you notice the streaks in her hair? Way cool ....."

They walked into the room and sat down. It was pretty empty since they were a bit early. Lizzy and Jane sat next to each other and Will behind Lizzy. Seconds later they heard someone whistling. Lizzy and Will turned their heads toward the door but Jane remained still, staring straight ahead. At the door, a very cheerful Charlie appeared. Practically bouncing inside, he sat behind Jane and tapped her on the shoulder.

"Hey Janie!"

Jane turned around in her seat and looked up shyly at him and replied softly, "Hi Charlie."

After the picnic two weeks ago, Charlie had asked for her number and has since called every other day - calling everyday would make him look desperate - punctually at 4pm since that was the time Jane had said she was most available.

"What a coincidence! We have the same homeroom."

"Well, actually not really when you think about it" interjected Will. "You know, its going alphabetical. Bennet... Bingley...."

"So why are you here, Darcy?" asked Lizzy.

He shrugged. "Small class?"

"Alright class, settle down. Turn to page one in your manual and start reading as we wait for the rest of your classmates" a woman in her late twenties said as she passed out stacks of booklets. That was the end of that conversation.

Continued in Next Section