Pride and Prejudice, the High School Version.

Chapter 10

Liz packed the customer's items as her father swiped the credit card across the machine and handed it back to the customer.

She handed the lady the package and smiled,"Here you go Miss McKnight, have a great day."

"Thank you Liz."

Her dad beckoned the next customer. On the next counter, Jane and Mary were doing the same thing. Jimmy and Kate were assisting the customers. All the Bennet girls were supposed to be working at the store on that Saturday but Lydia wouldn't miss the arrival of the exchange students, so she had sneaked out.

"So you girls wanna tell me about the project you have been working on? The one that made Jane stay away from home and miss school for an entire week?"

Liz exchanged a panicked look with Jane. Her father continued with his work calmly. Liz didn't know how he had known Jane had missed school.

As if reading her mind, he answered, "Oh come on girls, give me a little credit, actually, take some from your little sister, you really believed Jane would miss an entire week of school and Lydia won't blab about it?"

"So you have known that Jane wasn't going to school since..."

"Tuesday. That was the first day she missed, right?"

"Dad, I..."

"Don't open your mouth if you are going to lie Jane. Lying really doesn't suit you."

"I was not feeling well."

"That much I gathered. I just don't understand why you girls kept it a secret and hid yourselves at the beach house."

"Diving," Liz said thinking fast, "She hurt her knee while trying to dive at the pool. We didn't want to alarm you or mom. Plus Jane was scared you might hate Charlie if you found out."

He nodded, "I just might. Here he comes, let's see how well he explains himself."

Liz turned in the entrance's  direction just in time to see a flood of young people enter the store, talking loudly and laughing, their accents definitely British, Charlie and Bill also came in a few seconds later.

"I am taking it those are the foreign exchange students?"her dad asked.

Jane glanced at her watch, "I think so. They were supposed to have arrived about an hour ago."

Liz was just moving to go assist the students when Lydia walked in, on the arm of the most handsome boy Liz had ever seen in her life. She stared openly at him as he smiled lovingly at Lydia. He was tall, almost, if not exactly the same height as Bill. His hair was a gorgeous golden mane, his eyes were a warm brown and his body...Liz didn't want to think too much about his body in the presence of her dad, but it was definitely something she was going to think about in the privacy of her bedcovers.

It was no wonder Lydia was blushing as she led him towards them. Why couldn't boys like that one be found in Spring Valley? Liz asked herself, giving Jimmy a dirty look.

Lydia dragged the boy to the counter, "George, I would like you to meet my dad and my sisters Jane, Mary and Liz. Guys this is George, he is staying over at aunt Melanie's."

"It's a pleasure to meet you all," George said.

Liz almost melted at the sound of his voice. It was low, with just the right amount of inflection to make the accent sound like a prince's in a Disney movie.

He smiled at Liz, paying particular attention to her,"I had no idea the world's most beautiful girls were hidden in Spring Valley."

"Lydia, can you please go and assist Kate with those customers over there?" Her dad said impatiently, "Sorry young man, you can have a seat over there, Lydia would be free in the next half an hour or so."

"Actually, you seem so busy with work, I would rather help Liz with packing the heavier items."

Mr Bennet looked at his toned physique with interest, "That would be nice, thank you."

He was standing right behind Liz, their bodies almost touching so she couldn't miss his reaction when he first caught a glimpse of Bill, he froze, and Bill did exactly the same. It was only a split second reaction on Bill's part, but Liz noticed it..

Bill turned to Charlie, whispered a few words and then exited the store, not sparing a second glance at them.

Charlie approached them with a few items and placed them on Jane's counter with a smile.

"Can a certain young man please explain to me why he kept my daughter at his house for a week?" Her dad asked Charlie, but his tone was joking.

Charlie took the packed items from Mary, "Sorry sir, it won't happen again."

"Make sure it doesn't. If it does, I will marry off Jane and you will never see her again."

"Yes sir."

Once he was gone, Liz turned to George, her curiosity getting the better of her, "So you and Bill know each other or something?"

"Or something," he laughed, "Definitely or something."

"So you know each other?"

"Sort of."

"He didn't look happy to see you. I would go as far as to say he walked out to avoid you."

"Most likely."

"But why?"

He laughed again, "Curiosity killed the cat Liz."

"Sorry. It's just that I could never imagine him scared of anyone. He runs a multi-billion dollar empire and he is scared of a boy? What are you, seventeen?"

"Eighteen in a week."

"Yeah. Why is he scared of you?"

"I wouldn't say scared, more of embarrassed."

"Embarrassed? Nah. It was either angry or scared, but most likely scared."

"Has he been here for long?"

"No. Only a few days. They are renting the house down the beach. Just so you know, I don't like him, so if there is something embarrassing about him that you know, you have to let me know."

He laughed again, "Perhaps some other time."

"Please?" Liz pleaded.

He glanced nervously at her dad before he leaned in to whisper, "Fine. I will tell you tonight. Make an excuse and come to your aunt's house."

"I don't think Lydia would like it that we are having private meetings."

His brow creased a little,"Lydia? Oh your sister. Come on, she's just a kid."

"She likes you."

"Doesn't everyone?" He replied jokingly, "but I get to choose who I like back and at the moment," his eyes lingered on her, "I think I like my choice pretty well."