Not tolerable enough to tempt me(Modern Pride and Prejudice)

Chapter 17

Hey guys!

Here's another part of the story. It's quite a bit shorter than the earlier chapters, but I felt bad for keeping you all waiting for so long that I decied to just post this part anyway. I hope you enjoy it!

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“I...um...I heard what you said to my aunt.” replied William. He had looked back up at Lizzie but he was having a hard time keeping the gaze since he was so unsure how the next words would be taken by her.

“You did? How-” To get it out as fast as possible, William interrupted her questioning.

“My aunt came back to the resort and told me everything!” The words were spoken fast and barely able to be understood, but both parties understood what was said. Darcy knew he had to continue, but did so much quieter and shyly. He looked down and continued. “She was most displeased by what was said. She tried to start another round of questioning with me, but I was already distracted by what was said before that, that I wasn’t paying attention.” He chuckled remembering how annoyed his aunt had been with him and had nearly thought something was wrong with him since apparently ‘no one ignores Catherine De Bourgh’. “I have no idea how I can ever apologize for what she has done.” He finished sadly, knowing that any feelings she may have returned before could never be there after what his aunt has done. 

“I assure you William that you do not need to apologize for her behaviour. Trust me I understand what it is like to feel the need to apologize for certain family members.” Lizzie started thinking about her family. Her mother and younger sisters were definitely the reason she knew how it felt to be embarrassed by family.

“But your aunt and uncle are wonderful” interjected Will.

“Thank you for saying that, but they weren’t who I was thinking of. My mother and younger sisters can sometimes get excited and leave a less than desirable opinion, but I love them.”

“At least it doesn't sound like they would arrive at an airport to demand someone listen to her like she was the queen of the world. Although I’m sure she sees herself that way.” This comment brought laughter from the pair. When the laughing stopped though, they were left in an awkward silence not knowing how to start the conversation again, but knowing that what was about to happen next would be important. With one deep breath, William decided that it was now or never if he was going to reveal all.

“Actually, in a way, I am slightly grateful for my aunt’s rude behaviour. As much as I am mortified by it, your conversation has given me a reason to hope that I have scarcely allowed myself to before.”

To say that Elizabeth was surprised by that statement would be incredibly inaccurate. She could not believe what he had just said. ‘Hope? What was he hoping for? He surely couldn’t be hoping for the same thing that she is. Why would he? She ruined any possibility of that when he asked the first time. Maybe he is just glad to have a friend that he knows isn’t there for his money.’

“I don’t understand? What did my conversation with Mrs. Do Bourgh give you hope about?”

“Elizabeth, you are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings for me were what they were last time I asked please tell me at once. My affections and wishes have not changed, but one word from you will silence me on the subject forever.”

Staring at him in utter shock was the only thing Lizzie could do. ‘H-He still cares? He still cares! Doesn’t he know how much my feelings changed towards? I can’t believe it! Maybe there is hope for us after all!’ The silence gave William even more hope so he took a tentative step closer and continued. 

“If, however, your feelings have changed, I have to tell you that I feel even more strongly than I did before. At first, I was simply attracted to the way you spoke, worked, and acted to my family, but then after all you said last fall I became enamored with the way you clearly based someone’s importance on their character and not their social standing. You later pulled me in even more when we met at Rosings. You were forgiving enough to become friends with me even though I did not deserve it in the slightest. I saw a whole other part of you. You are kind and thoughtful and funny and I always found myself comfortable around you. All of this has only shown me further how much I love you. I love you so fully that those days at Rosings when I had to complete work, I was distracted pretty much the whole time that I was surprised anything actually got done. I know I don’t deserve a second chance, but I was wondering if maybe you could possibly see yourself being happy with someone like me. I realise that this is very sudden and I don’t want to alarm you so don’t feel the need to accept if you do not mean it. I would never forgive myself if you felt forced into anything so if you just want to be friends I completely understand and will try to control-” 

Whatever it was that would finish that statement would never be uttered because Lizzie decided to interrupt him. She simply could not take hearing him rambling nervously if he didn’t know just how much she wanted exactly what he wanted, so she decided to convey that to him in the quickest, clearest way she knew. She kissed him.

She grabbed the collar of his work shirt, pushed up onto her toes and planted her lips firmly on his. He was surprised for a short time before reciprocating just as passionately. That’s where they stayed for a long moment. In the doorway, trying to show every emotion they were feeling for each other. 

Eventually, the need to breath became to great and they separated quite reluctantly, but they did not leave the embrace of each other’s arms. Breathing heavy, staring into the other’s eyes, there was a spell put on both and neither wanted to break it, but they knew that there was more that needed to be said.

“Did that answer what you said previously?” Lizzie said quietly.

“I think so, but would you mind perhaps clarifying in words what that meant so that I don’t completely embarass myslf any more than I already have?”

“Very well. I love you William Darcy. I saw what you were really like at Rosings and there was absolutely no way that I could ever remain indifferent to you. You must stop thinking that you need to fix yourself because you don’t. The man that I saw over the last couple of weeks was absolutely perfect and I would never want you to change one bit.” She smiled up at him and was rewarded with one of the brightest smiles Lizzie has ever seen. William didn’t think there was anything that could be said to reduce his absolute elation at the moment. He quickly wraped his arms around her waist and lifted her in the air, sminning her. The action caused laughter to bubble out of Lizzie which was returned by William.

Not paying any attention to their surroundings, William ended up tripping on the side of Lizzie’s bed and the pair came tumbling down onto it. The aftermass resulted in Lizzie falling on top of William, very similar to their position after the accident on the beach. This only brought more laughter.

“We really need to stop falling on to each other.” chuckled William.

“At least now I can act how I wanted to last time.” replied Lizzie cheekily. 

And with that, Lizzie bent her head down and kissed him again.