Pride and Prejudice, the High School Version.

Chapter 7

When Liz arrived home that morning to dress up for school and take some few essentials for Jane, she found her dad waiting up for her at the breakfast table.

"Well Liz, if you are going to stay out all night, at least remember to pack the packet of condoms I gifted you with when I gave you the talk," he said, his eyes twinkling with laughter. He offered her a cup of coffee.

"I was introduced to better ones. Scented.Yours were cheap," Liz replied as she took the coffee and drank it in one go.

He laughed, "Okay, wanna tell me what is going on?" He asked gently.

"No. Not at all," Liz replied honestly.

He shrugged, "Okay. Come to me when you are ready."

Liz watched him leave the house with a sad smile. Her dad trusted her, always. He trusted that she was old and reasonable enough to do the right thing and to also keep an eye on her sisters. She didn't have a curfew and he didn't question her decisions. He rarely even checked her school reports. He also treated her as an equal, preferring to discuss her mistakes with her rather than punishing her for them. It was the fact that she was breaking that trust that nauseated her.

She was forced to go wake up her mom to sign Jane's permission slip. As expected her mom signed without looking at what she was signing. Liz was sure she wouldn't have minded it even if she knew the truth either.

"Jane and I will be staying at the beach house for the rest of the week. There is something we are working on for school, please tell dad not to worry," Liz said.

"Or you could come home and leave Jane to get to know that boy alone," her mother suggested with a wink.

"That's disgusting mom," Liz said and banged the door.

Since they had only one car among the five of them, Liz was the designated morning driver, and everyone had to find a way home by themselves in the evening. Liz hated having to drive her sisters to school every morning. Mary was always too early in the car while Lydia and Kate were always too late. Liz had to shout at them and threaten to leave them behind everyday.

She drove them to school and took Jane's permission slip to her class teacher. The absence of the new students was keenly noted at the school since Charlie had become the most popular boy in a span of a few days.

By lunch times, the rumors on why the new students were absent started getting ridiculous. Liz was constantly on her phone with Jane, texting her once after a few minutes, to make sure that Louise wasn't going on another stabbing spree.

Liz was so anxious to get back to Jane when school came to an end that she almost ran into Lydia who was waiting for her at the parking lot.

"I want you to drop me at aunt Melanie's on your way to the beach house," Lydia said.

Liz rolled her eyes, "I want you to be a little polite."

"If you don't, I am telling dad Jane's pregnant."

Liz let out a laugh. Jane being pregnant was one of the rumors that had been going around school.

"Go ahead and tell him, he won't believe you," Liz said as she got into the car.

Panicked, Lydia ran after her and got in the front seat, "Fine. Please?"

Liz reversed the car, "Why are you going to aunt Melanie's?"

"Haven't you heard? Foreign exchange students!"

"What about them?"

"They are coming from England and are going to be staying for a month. Several families have offered to host them,including aunt Melanie. I am going to help her decorate the guest bedroom."

"And gossip non-stop about everyone else on a school night when you should be doing your homework."

Lydia switched on the music in the car and started nodding her head to it, "Don't pretend like you don't enjoy aunt Melanie's gossip as much as the rest of us."

Liz couldn't deny the fact that she enjoyed the gossip. Their aunt lived right at the center of the town, and knew everything about everyone.The girls liked visiting her home, Lydia especially.

After dropping Lydia, Liz drove to the beach house and quickly hurried inside to check on Jane. She did not even say hi to Louise and Carol who were playing darts in the living room as she hurried upstairs to the guest room. Jane was fine, a little pale but not a worrying shade of pale. Liz changed the bandages and handed her the antibiotics she had taken from their medical cabinet that morning.

After she made sure Jane was okay, Liz helped her sister sit up at the desk. She had made sure to pick up Jane's homework for her. The two settled into a comfortable silence with their books.

They were almost finishing up when they heard the car in the driveway. Jane's face lit up.

"That must be Charlie."

"Don't move," Liz warned, "if it's him, he will come see you."

"But..."

Liz rose up, "I will just go make sure it's him, okay?"

Liz rushed downstairs just in time to witness the reunion. Louise buried her head in Jake's chest, while Carol was trying, and failing, to get Bill to hug her. Charlie's eyes landed on Liz and he frowned.

"Hi Liz, where is Jane?"

"Upstairs," Carol said nervously shifting on her feet.

Charlie walked towards the stairs, "I will just go say hi to her then."

Carol grabbed his hand before he could go any further, "Charlie, before you panic, you need to know that Jane is okay, however she is slightly hurt."

His frown deepened, "Hurt?"

"Just a little bit," Carol said,"It was Louise, but we got it all under control."

Charlie wheeled around to glare at Carol, "You aggravated her again, didn't you?"

"No! I mean..."

He shrugged his arm out of his sister's grip,"Excuse me, I need to go check on Jane."

Bill brushed past Liz without an acknowledgement and Jake slowly guided Louise to sit on the couch.

"Why are you just standing there? Come in the kitchen and help me prepare supper," Carol said.

Normally, Liz would have protested but she felt a bit bad for Carol, so she just followed the girl silently.

As it turned out, Carol knew nothing about cooking and Liz was forced to prepare the meal alone as Carol stood by and chatted.

"So who cooks around here?" Liz asked.

"Charlie mostly, Louise sometimes and Bill once in a while."

Liz snorted, "Bill? Mr ice cold Pemberly CEO can cook?"

"Very well actually."

Carol fell silent as Liz chopped the onions.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Liz nodded.

"Do you think Charlie likes your sister?"

"I don't know, you are the sister, you are the better judge on that issue."

"What about your sister, does she like him?"

Liz stirred the food and shrugged, "I think so."

Carol gave a little sigh, and in that sigh, Liz detected sadness and malice combined. She wondered who or what had hurt a girl so young.