Elizabeth's point of view.
I'm finally heading into the large house after my walk when I see a figure emerging from the doors. It began to rain a few minutes ago, cutting my walk shorter than I wanted.
"Elizabeth, hey!" The cheerful voice of Finn calls.
"Oh hey!" I reply, walking briskly over the gravel to greet him.
"I was just going to go see if you were still in the cabin! Everyone's inside because of the rain."
I jog up the steps to the door where he stands, holding it open for me. When I hear thunder ring out from behind me I race past him into the dry inside. "Looks like you found me just in time." I laugh, undoing the buttons of Finn steps behind me and helps me shrug my coat off, and we both burst into laughter when I get my hand tangled in the sleeve and he starts trying to yank it off. When it's finally off and he places it on the coat rack, I turn around, still laughing.
My eyes fall on Will, who's standing at the bottom of the stairs, seemingly staring at the two of us with distance in his eyes. He doesn't linger, instead he carries on quickly through to another room.
"So, where'd you go on your walk?" Finn asks me after my coat has been placed on the rack. We walk into the huge lounge and sit together, chatting away about the countryside and everything and anything. He's a really lively guy, sometimes to the point of being hard to keep up with, but I manage.
The next evening, Cathy has invited a couple more people. Of course, I don't know anyone, and as Charlotte is being paraded around by Colin, I
When I had arrived at the party, and Charlotte and Colin had disappeared, I headed straight into the kitchen to grab a cup. My key tip for parties is always have a drink in hand that you can sip when in awkward conversations. If someone says something weird? Take a sip. Someone asks you something you don't want to answer? Take a sip. Just genuinely bored and lonely? Pretend you're fascinated by the liquid in your cup. Most importantly, embarrass yourself? Blame it on the drink.
So, following my survival guide for parties where you don't know anyone, I headed straight for the kitchen and grabbed a cup to fill with lemonade and a drop of something else. I head back through the house into the lounge and go and sit on an empty sofa. I'm quickly joined by Finn who plops down beside me merrily.
I can tell he's slightly tipsy, and the half empty cup of beer implies it isn't his first. "Can I just say you're looking as lovely as ever." He says, grinning at me.
"Thanks, Finn." I say. "I really love this song, don't you?"
"You like oasis?" He asks, I nod. Columbia is playing in the background of the room and I tap my foot to it gently. "I knew you were cool! What else are you into?"
"Well, other than music, I love walking - as you know - and reading."
"Reading, huh? Favourite author?"
"I couldn't pick just one." I laugh and he joins me.
Will's point of view.
I stare across the room at Elizabeth whilst talks around me to the other girl on my right. It doesn't matter where I am, Catherine is always beside me, no matter how obvious I make it that I'm not interested.
Elizabeth bursts into laughter alongside my cousin, who slaps his knee enthusiastically at the joke between them. I watch her as her nose scrunches up and she tries to conceal it behind her hand, still giggling. I can't catch what Finn is saying.
"What do you think, Will?"
"Huh?" I turn to Catherine, who's head is tilted whilst she bats her eyelids. She's overdressed, as usual.
"Would it be too cold to go to the beach tomorrow?" She asks. I stare at her incredulously, it's freezing out. Another burst of laughter from across the room and my attention is taken from Catherine.
"Yeah, sure. Whatever." I mumble in response to her question. Elizabeth sips her drink as she listens to Finn, both their eyes surreptitiously glancing up at me for a moment before they both snort with laughter again.
"What's so funny?" Catherine asks. It takes me a moment to realise she's asking them and not me. I look at her and find her eyes flickering between me and Elizabeth. "What are you talking about?"
"Don't worry, just uh, music." Finn says, bursting into giggles with Elizabeth again. I look down and see that I've subconsciously crushed the empty can in my hand and I put it down on the floor.
"Oh, music? I'm sure we'd all love to hear what it is you're discussing. I love music.If I had learned to play an instrument I'd probably never stop! How's Georgiana's playing getting along, Will?"
Elizabeth's point of view.
"She's really getting good at it." Will replies to Catherine.
"That's great. Remind her if she wants to be perfect she'll have to practice a lot."
"She does." He answers her stiffly.
"Good. You can't be good without practice, as I told Elizabeth yesterday. It took me years of practice to perfect my runway walk, but my agent says I've got it nailed now. You know, Elizabeth, if you want to practice, there's a piano at the back of the house where you wouldn't disturb anyone." I try not to blush in embarrassment at her words. Why do I feel like the world is against me for half of my life?
I'm thankful when Finn speaks up. "Actually Elizabeth, you promised me you'd play to me, what about now?"
"Oh yeah, we'd all love to hear your talents!" Cathy says enthusiastically, and nods toward the piano in the room. Why does every rich white family around here own a piano?
I shrug and go over to the instrument on the other side of Finn. I open it up and sit down. After a few moments I begin to play Chopin's No. 15 Prelude in D flat Major. The room falls silent for the first part of the song, and when I drift into the second part Catherine loses interest and begins to talk loudly to Will about God knows what. My playing isn't perfect and I know I'm playing it miles slower than it should be played, but I really love the song.
I almost jump when Will abruptly gets up and walks over to where I'm playing.
"If you're trying to intimidate me into messing up, it won't work. Even if your sister is amazing at playing. I refuse to be scared by you." I say defiantly, smirking whilst I play.
"You know I'm not trying to intimidate you, Elizabeth. I know any attempts to do so would be futile anyway." He replies. When I look up a lost smile is playing on his lips. "And I've known you long enough to know you sometimes say stuff you know isn't really true."
"Your cousin will warn you against me." I say to Finn, chuckling to myself. "I had hoped we'd become good friends, but Will is the one person who can, and will, expose my faults to everyone. However, two can play that game. Will hasn't been the angel everyone thinks he is at my school." I smile back at Finn, but when I look up at Will there's a slight threat I send to him through my eyes. "So go on Will, tell Finn about all the lies I tell, I dare you."
"I'm not afraid of you." He smiles down at me, surprising me by not retaliating to my challenge.
"What do you have against him, you have to tell me now." Finn laughs from behind me. I stop my playing and look back at him.
"Prepare yourself for a shock." I say jokingly. "The first time we met - at a party before the school term began - he didn't speak to anyone other than his friends. Even now after so long at school, he's barely made any new acquaintances because he just doesn't bother." I'm tempted to bring up the fight with George, but I decide to leave that out for now. I still hate Will, but he seems slightly distant today so I decide to cut him some slack. If he irritates me further I won't hesitate to out him for the violent monster he can become. "And at the school dance, apparently, he rejected any girl that asked him to dance. That's just a little mean, isn't it?" Finn shrugs and looks at Will.
"I danced with you, didn't I? Besides, I didn't know any of the girls who spoke to me." Will mumbles.
"Oh so people can't make new friends at a dance now? I didn't know that." I say. I turn back to Finn and ask him if he has a request for me to play to him.
"I find introductions hard." Will says.
"Should we ask him why, Finn?" I ask.
"Nah, I'll answer for you. It's because he's very picky with his women." He jokes, making me laugh. I bet he is, the pompous ass.
Will shakes his head with a frown over his eyes. "I - I find it hard talking to people I've never met before." His face softens and appears vulnerable. I stare up at him, he always manages to confuse me.
Changing the subject, I continue fumbling my way through my song. "My fingers aren't very good at gliding over the keys like some people's do. I guess it's my fault for not practicing. It's not that I think my fingers aren't as capable as other people's." I say. In a way I'm referencing Will's struggle to talk to new people. It's not that he physically can't, it's that he doesn't do it enough.
Will smiles. "It's understandable, you spend your time on better things than practicing piano. And why should you? Neither of us perform to strangers." He says cryptically. Our locked eyes snap apart when Cathy walks over.
"You're not bad, Elizabeth." She says, and I notice her hand brush Will's arm. Obvious much? "I wish I'd have learned. There's nothing sexier than a girl on a piano, is there, Will?" I almost choke at her words and look up to gauge Will's reaction to his ex-girlfriends words. He barely seemed to acknowledge her. In fact, the whole time I've spent here if I hadn't been told of their past relationship, I wouldn't have even thought they'd have been together for however long they were. But then again, is Will Darcy even capable of love? His eyes linger over me as I play, making me leave the piano as soon as my song ends.
After a while, the room loses it's energy despite Cathy's countless attempts at entertaining us with her model stories. I get up and head to the door.
"Where are you going?" Will asks me.
"Oh, I was just going outside for some air." I say, finding it odd that he'd ask.
"I'll join you." He states, standing up casually. I raise an eyebrow and look at Cathy, who's staring up at Will.
"What a great idea! Let's all go outside!" She cheers, and within minutes everyone is out in the dark garden. After a few moments standing in the chilling night air, someone turns on some jazz music. "There." Catherine sighs happily when the space is suddenly illuminated by fairylights. My eyes travel around the garden, finding hedges covered with lights, trees wrapped in them, and an archway lit up by rose-shaped bulbs.
"Wow, Catherine, it's beautiful out here." I gush, in awe at the way it looks like a movie-scene.
"Thanks. Have a drink, explore." She says, motioning to the pre-poured drinks that someone brought out. Most of Catherine's friends appear to be older than 18, meaning it's normal for them to drink alcohol. The only time I drink is at parties, but I accept her offer and take a glass of wine. The pink liquid is bubbly, sweet and refreshing.
I do as I'm told and begin to wander around the decorated area on my own, sipping my wine gently. I can tell it's expensive because I can already feel it going to my head. In the corner of the garden there's a gazebo, again, lit up by fairy lights. Smiling, I step up into it, walking around it and running my hands over the soft wooden structure.
When I've made a turn around the circular structure, I step out to find Finn. "I came to explore with you."
"And what makes you think I'll let you explore with me?" I tease him.
"I brought you more wine." He says, and I giggle and take the cup from him. We walk around the garden a few times, drinking and laughing. It still strikes me as fascinating that Will is related to Finn, they're very different.
After a few too many drinks, Finn and I find ourselves dancing around to the soft music that sounds into the night. Catherine and her guests stand under the gazebo, ignoring us blatantly.
"Get us another glass each Colin!" Catherine calls over the garden. Colin was being taught how to dance by Charlotte, but like the obedient puppy he is, he follows her command.
Will's point of view.
I stand, hands in pockets, beside Catherine, watching another couple go to dance around like Elizabeth and Finn.
"Seems childish to me." Catherine snorts and takes a glass from Colin's hand. "They look ridiculous. Especially that Elizabeth. Does she know what decorum is? She'd-"
"They're having fun Catherine, you'd know what that was if you took that stick out of your ass." I state, cutting her off.
Her jaw falls open in disgust and she looks at me with hate in her eyes.
"I'm joking." I sigh, despite the fact I was being completely honest. That was another downside to dating her, she'd never let loose, never just have fun. I suppose I've grown to be just like her, but there's always time to change.
"Oh." She says, and laughs it off.
"Whoa!" Elizabeth yelps when Finn spins her around and she slips on the wet grass. She ends up on her ass and in a fit of giggles.
"Should we-" Catherine begins to say something but I pass her my empty glass and step out of the gazebo. I walk over to where my cousin is hunched over with laughter beside Elizabeth who sits on the floor.
"I think it's time for you to go home." I say to Elizabeth, reaching down and taking the glass from her hand.
"What? Why?" She asks.
"You're drunk." I state, shrugging off my jacket.
"I am not!" She slurs, proving my point. She climbs off of the floor and points at Finn. "He is drunk."
I look at my wasted cousin and back to her. "And so are you. Now come on, it's time to go-"
"If I was drunk, could I do this?" She asks, and begins dancing the Charleston poorly. I bite the inside of my cheeks to stop myself from smiling. "Alright, you win, party-pooper. I'll go home. C'mon, Finn." She says after almost falling again.
"Uh no, Finn needs to go to bed too. I'll walk you." I tell her, putting my jacket over her shoulders. She stares up at me as I do so, blinking at me in curiosity.
Elizabeth's point of view.
"We'll be back later." Charlotte tells Will as we walk past her. They whisper something between them and I roll my eyes, walking back on my own.
I hear quick footsteps behind me before a hand is laid on my back between my shoulder blades. "This way Christopher Columbus." Will laughs, steering me in other direction. We soon find ourselves on the path back to the cabin.
"So." I say. "How's everyone doing? Jane and I haven't had the pleasure of speaking to any of your group for quite some time." I point out when Will's hand drops from my back. "I hope everyone's doing great."
"They are, thank you for asking." He replies quietly. He doesn't say anything else.
"So you didn't see Jane at that party on Saturday night then?" I ask, gazing up at his silhouette against the moon.
"Uh, no. I didn't." Again, his reply is short and irritating. "When you get inside, you should probably take some paracetamol or your head will kill in the morning."
"Is Charlie ever going to speak to Jane again?" I blurt out, immediately wanting to smack my hand over my mouth.
"He's at a busy stage in his life... I think he's enjoying keeping his options open."
I frown as we walk, seeing the Cabin just ahead of us. "You know, that's a really shitty thing for him to do to Jane." I can hear the hurt in my own voice and suddenly wish for a change of subject. Being drunk and emotional in front of William Darcy is not how I thought my evening would play out.
With the cabin in front of me, I say goodbye and open the door. Unfortunately, I stumble through it, and before I know it Will is behind me holding my waist to steady me. I spin around in his grip and stare up at him through my eyelashes. It must be the alcohol in my veins because my heart starts hammering against my chest. Will swallows hard, his Adam's apple rolling in his throat.
Before I know what's happening, he's leaning in and my stomach is doing somersaults. I feel the warmth of his breath hit my lips and I have to grab onto his shirt to stop myself from collapsing in his arms. I'm definitely drunk.
"Elizabeth." He whispers almost inaudibly. His voice, heavy and thick, sends a shiver down my spine that scares me. A thousand thoughts rush through my mind, but the most prominent one appears to be 'Fuck it'. It's totally wrong for me to kiss Will, I hate him! He hates me! But when I think about it, he's a ten and I'm a six - he'd certainly be a good first kiss. The point is, I'm drunk so it's okay. As I mentioned earlier, anything embarrassing can be blamed on alcohol.
As I close my eyes and lean in, I feel his lips touch my skin.
I then proceed to snap my eyes wide open because just before our lips had hit, he had swerved his head up and kissed my forehead. My hormones practically explode in anger and a horrifying silence falls between us. Without thinking my hand flies up and smacks him across the face.
"Ow! What the hell was that for!" He yelps, jumping back from me. I stare at my hand before using it to cover my dropped jaw. "Elizabeth?"
"Get out." I say firmly, spinning around so he can't see the flaming colour of my cheeks. I feel absolutely humiliated.
"Elizabet-"
"Get out!" I scream, but he doesn't listen. He walks around me so he's facing me and walks forward, forcing me back against the door.
"Elizabeth come on." He says, but I turn my head away from him so he can't see me. "Stop acting childish. You're drunk, you're not eight years old." He snaps.
"Me acting childish?!" I ask incredulously, finally looking back at him. "You're the one who just humiliated me!"
"Humiliated you? Me humiliating you?"
"Of course! You just - you just-"
"What?" He asks angrily. "I just what?"
"You know what you did!"
"Yeah, I know I did the right thing! You're drunk! Kissing you would be taking advantage of you. We both know that if it had happened you would hate me even more than you already do by tomorrow." I'm shaking in anger still, more angry at myself now that I see his point. I refuse to swallow my pride and admit he's right. "I'm so sorry if me respecting the concept of consent humiliated you. Maybe you and George would make a good couple." He mutters the last part and I slide away from the door before opening it.
"I don't know what the hell that's supposed to mean but I'm sure it's another dig at me. But thanks for sobering me up with your yelling and insults, I can see now why kissing you would make me want to shoot myself!" I snarl. "Now if you're done making me feel like shit, you can kindly get out!"
"Fine, act like a child." He yells, stepping forward to go.
"Fine, I will!" I yell back, sending him every ounce of hate in my body through the glare I'm sending him. "And just know that I did want to kiss you, but now I know-" He cuts me off by throwing himself forward and kissing the corner of my mouth, whether he missed my mouth by mistake or on purpose is lost on me when his lips trail down my jaw feverishly, his hand sliding into my hair. My head feels like it's spinning - or maybe melting - either way, I lose it. When his mouth disconnects from where it had slid up to just below my earlobe, I find myself grabbing onto his shirt, asking him to stay without words. His blue eyes lock onto mine, looking torn for a moment, before he turns around and stares out into the woods outside. When he looks back at me, there's a playful glint in his eye, and he slips out of the door and into the night within seconds.
A few moments later I hear voices, and Charlotte stumbles in with Colin. My heart is still thundering against my chest and I can barely breathe.
"Goodness gracious, Lizzie, you look like you've seen a ghost!" Charlotte says when she sees me standing in the place Will left me. I don't reply. Instead, I walk back to my room dumbfounded. I feel more intoxicated now than I did before Will walked me home. One question runs through my mind: What the hell just happened?
Little did I know that by sunrise, the nights antics would be completely gone from my memory.