Pride & Pre-Med Curriculum

Chapter 7

"There you are.  I thought I was going to have to send out a search party."  She framed the imaginary headline in the air with one hand.  "Local college initiates campus-wide search as volleyball MVP missing after victory bash.  Film at eleven."  Jane blushed at the teasing comment. 

"I know, I know.  I'm late.  But we just lost track of time-"

"We?  Oh, do tell, sister."  Lizzy's eyebrows shot up and she flopped on the bed adopting a saucy pose, her legs kicking the air behind her back as she waited forthcoming details.

"I was with Charlie."  she blushed again.  "He asked me to hang out after the game.  He carried my gym bag and everything.  He is so sweet."  She collapsed on her own bed, lost in recollecting the night's events.  "We went with the team to have a drink at The Sports Page.  And then he walked me home.  We took the long way.  I had a lot of fun."  She yawned hugely.  "He is so funny."

"He is funny.  His company and watching you win are my only two consolations that I am still studying for my biological processes exam tomorrow at-" she checked her bedside clock, "eleven thirty at night."  She stared at the ceiling wistfully.  "I thought I might be able to have an early evening for once, maybe watch some TV."

"I'm sorry, Lizzy.  Maybe I should have left you alone and let you stay here.  I just wanted you to enjoy yourself for once."  Jane said apologetically.

"It's okay, I didn't mean to give you a guilt trip.  I did have fun.  I'm almost done with the last chapter, anyway.  I feel like I have everything pretty down-pat.  I should do well on the exam.  I'm just happy I have my creative writing assignment completed.  Thank goodness I did that earlier." 

She bit her lip, internally questioning why it mattered so much to her to excel on her writing.  She had an A in the class.  Will Darcy had been right, she did put effort into her assignments, even more than necessary.  It couldn't be because she cared about his opinion?  There was nothing farther from the truth.  She couldn't stand the man and his arrogant misconceptions and stereotypical judgements.  Just the thought of him infuriated her.  But he had been at least civil to her tonight, even full of praise to her own great surprise.  Why? 

Just then, Deidre and Krystal rushed into through the open door of their bedroom in a whirlwind of long straightened hair and pajamas.

"Jane!"

"You're home!"  They chimed together.  They piled on the bed beside Jane.  "We saw you at the Page, hanging out with that Charlie-guy.  So, what's up?  Are you into him?" Deidre interrogated her.

"Well, maybe-"

"Omigod!  Deidre, you have to tell her!" Krystal looked as if she might explode.   

"Tell me what?"

"I was talking to some guys at the bar tonight.  They asked about you Jane.  So I asked why they were so curious.  One of them said that you're the first girl Bingley has shown this much interest in."

"Why is that so-"

"Because" she practically shouted, "silly, he is the son of one of the richest CEO's in like, the world.  Let's just say I'll bet he could get you the deal of a lifetime on a new laptop . . ."

"Your kidding, right?"  Jane stuttered.  "He doesn't act like that.  I had no idea.  He is so normal, so down-to-earth." 

"Anyway, these guys kept talking, saying that when he first came here, the girls were like, all over him."  Deidre added.

"Bunch of skanky, money hungry whores."  Krystal added grumpily.

"But not you, Jane.  We told him you weren't like that."

"Yeah, we set him straight.  We told him there wasn't anyone sweeter and kinder and more fun to hang around with than you."

"Thanks, guys.  You're the best friends I could ask for.  So is that all they said?"

"No."  Krystal giggled.  "They said if you were that great, did you have any sisters we could introduce them to."  She threw a pillow at a disinterested Lizzy, who had already turned back to her book.

"What did you tell them?" Jane asked.

"Yeah, but you'd need a pry bar to get her nose out of a book long enough to ask her out!"  They all laughed at Lizzy's expense. 

"I'm not that bad!" Lizzy protested.  "Pardon me for not forgetting the main reason we are all here is to get an education, not hook up with guys.  You make me sound like as much fun as a wet blanket."  She pouted, turning a page. 

"We're just teasing you Lizzy." Jane rose and affectionately ruffled her hair.  "We love you just the way you are."  There was more giggling and gossiping before they finally trailed off to their own rooms. 

Lizzy sighed as she closed her book, finishing the chapter at last.  She felt pretty good about the test tomorrow and hoped that she would ace it.  Rubbing her eyes in an attempt to regain the ability to focus after staring at the pages for so long, she looked over at Jane.  She had changed into her pajamas, but was not asleep, but sitting on her bed, back against the wall in a dream-like trance. 

"Jane, are you okay?" Lizzy said a little worried.

"What?  Oh sure.  I'm fine.  Just thinking about what the girls told us about Charlie."

"You didn't know?"

"No."

"All that talking and he never once mentioned his Jaguar, Porsche and mansions?" Lizzy said, puzzled.

"No.  Do you think that is odd?  I mean, do you think he is trying to keep it a secret from me?  Why would he do that?"  Lizzy wanted to smooth out the divet that had formed in between Jane's eyes.

"Well, from what the girls said, it sounds like he's had his fair share of close encounters with people that are after his money.  I'm sure that he doesn't like to advertise after that kind of attention. "  Lizzy pulled her knees to her chest and rested her chin on her crossed arms.  "Maybe he just assumes that his notoriety has spread and pretty much everyone already knows who he is."

"Who his family is." Jane corrected.  "I don't care one bit about any of that.  I just like him for who he is.  He is so easy to be around, so considerate and thoughtful.   I doubt anyone knows the real him."

"Well maybe that is why he has sealed his lips about his...circumstances - so that you can get to know each other before making assumptions about him." 

Jane smiled wistfully, "That would be like him.  It would kill him if people were fake around him and just pretended to like him." 

"Well, try not to think about it at all.  Your Jane and he is Charlie and that's the end of it."

"Your right.   Why would this change anything between us?" Jane burrowed under the covers and fluffed her pillow before turning out the bedside lamp.  Only Lizzy's light weakly illuminated the room as she settled herself as well. 

Reaching for the light, Lizzy added one parting comment, "But whatever you do, you had better hope and pray that Mom doesn't find out."  The last thing she saw before the room plunged into darkness was Jane's face contorted into a mask oterror as she sat straight up in bed, horrified.