Best Friend's Revenge

3. Imitating Elizabeth Bennett

A rush of strong wind hit me, blowing my brown hair against my face as the door to the room was opened. I tucked my hair behind my right ear as I recited my speech under my breath. Alyson who was sitting at the desk next to me let out a gasp as she grabbed my hand.

"What?" I mouthed as I took in her shocked face.

Her blue eyes were like a deer's when it was caught by headlights. She was still staring at the front of the classroom. She didn't even get a chance to reply as Ms Jacobs took the words right out of her mouth.

"Class, we have a new student," she addressed. "Introduce yourself, young man."

I continued to stare at Ally wondering what had gotten her so wide-eyed.

"Hey," someone said. The voice sounded alluring and familiar but I didn't look up, trying to get Ally to relax. "My name's Taylor. Taylor Blackstone."

If suddenly Bigfoot walked into the room and started dancing to All About that Bass, I'm pretty sure I would be less shocked. My eyes lost focus as my body temperature dropped and froze my muscles and bones.

Taylor Blackstone?

All the available air in the room was sucked out as I looked up and my eyes locked with the most familiar green eyes that stared back at me. 

It was him. I would know those eyes anywhere. Those eyes that had always stared at me with kindness. Those eyes that I had always gone to bed thinking about ever since I developed feelings for him. Mesmerized, I watched him, not breaking out of his gaze.

He was really here. Even as I stared at him, disbelief and amazement ran through me.

He stared at me back too, and I knew he recognized me. He watched me with awe and shock, tracing my face with his eyes as if the world was frozen in time and he had all the time in the world at his disposal.

Then as fast as it had happened, his eyes hardened as he looked away from me, breaking his spell, as he took the room in.

My eyes took him in after I got over the initial shock. Taylor Blackstone had really changed.

He was tall, easily towering over Ms Jacobs, making her appear as one of the seven dwarfs from Snow White. He was now broad-shouldered and his olive complexion had been replaced by a tan complexion, with the same dark hair but styled short. His specs that were usually covering those green eyes were gone. The freckles that I adored had disappeared. His jaw and body were more defined than they were back then. The midnight blue jeans and white shirt that he was wearing made him look like he'd just stepped out of a New York fashion shoot. I searched for any sign of the skinny, freckle-covered and specs-wearing Taylor that I knew and didn't find him.

Looking at him, I knew that Brianna Samuels was right. Taylor Blackstone had become an easy twelve on the hotness scale.

"Take any empty seat, Taylor," Ms Jacobs said after minutes of asking him questions.

I took in Taylor's movement as he took the empty seat in the front of the classroom. His back was straight as he looked straight ahead.

"Elizabeth, you're up," Ms Jacobs called out, breaking me out of my thoughts.

I had totally forgotten about the speech.

"Yeah," I said. "Coming." I grabbed my notes and got up, trying to focus on the task at hand whilst forgetting the person at the front desk.

I walked up to the front, head raised as I tried to put on a confident front. I tried to act like his presence didn't shock and unnerve me even though I wanted to run out of the room when Taylor focused his eyes on me. The operative word being tried. Sad to say I failed.

"Are you okay, Elizabeth?"

I nodded at Ms Jacobs despite knowing I wasn't. "Perfect."

"Continue then."

I held up my brief notes before facing my classmates. My eyes of course skipping the one in front of me. "Jane Austen's most infamous novel, 'Pride and Prejudice' was  first published in 1813. The novel was well received by the citizens of Austen's age as it has all the fine details of writing. There is suspense, drama, unrequited love, pride and prejudices. The title of the novel perfectly depicts the story. The novel as everyone knows, is on the life of Elizabeth Bennett and her family. She was courted both by Mr Collins and Mr Darcy who she initially turned down. She turned down Mr Collins due to the fact that she felt nothing for him. Mr Darcy was turned down because of many factors. One was his own fault. Mr Darcy was prejudiced against her family and social standing. He assumed with no firm basis that everyone was after his money. The other factor was Mr Wickham's deceit. Elizabeth also had too much pride. The novel was well written and has given me insight into life in the 19th century. I found the fact that Elizabeth Bennett was easily swayed against her better judgement, believing Mr Wickham so easily and deciding against the man she loved, was foolish and stupid." I paused as I thought back on the words I'd just read.

I'd written it with the knowledge that it wouldn't come back to bite me. It obviously did. Frank was sitting there and I'd just incriminated myself and become a hypocrite. I had done what Elizabeth Bennett had done. I had chosen against Frank, like Elizabeth choosing against Darcy. I had been made to shut him out. To deny the boy I loved. Samantha had been my Wickham.

I tore my eyes away from my notes and looked at Frank. He had on a cold and guarded expression like he was wishing that I'd just disappear from the face of the earth. I continued to stare at him, trying to communicate my thoughts, begging for his forgiveness. Hoping he felt my regret and sorrow. But his expression didn't falter as his gaze burned into me.

"Elizabeth?" Ms Jacobs's words echoed in my ears, pulling me back to reality. "Is that all?"

"Urghh.... Yes Ms Jacobs," I answered as I tore my eyes away from Frank. I still had two pages on my speech but I couldn't go on. Not with Frank in front of me and clearly wishing for my downfall.

"Okay then. Shorter than I was expecting but okay. Anyone wants to add something?" she asked as I headed back to my seat.

"Yes Mr Blackstone," the words echoed in my ears as I froze half-way to my desk.

"I just want to say that I completely agree with Elizabeth," his voice echoed in the small expanse of the classroom. My heart jumped slightly when he said my name. "I loathe people that don't have a backbone and are unwilling to stand up for their beliefs or feelings. I also hate hypocrites." Frank's voice bit into my ears, as each word hit me like a blow.

"Thank you for the input, Mr Blackstone," Ms Jacobs commented as she smiled proudly at the class. "And might I add, that I'm sure everyone here today agrees with you and Elizabeth. Now let's continue. Ms Reed?" she called Alyson's name as I sat there at my desk frozen to the bone as Frank turned his head to the back and looked at me.

He hated me. And for the first time since his disappearance, I wondered whether him returning was still a good thing after all.

•••※※※•••

Follow me on my SNS accounts for teaser chapters or you wanna ask me a question.

instagram: http://www.instagram.com/ehl_kayy

website : http://ehlkayy.weebly.com

twitter: http://twitter.com/EhlKayy1D

email : lqkaloucava@gmail.com