Pride and Prejudice, the High School Version.

Chapter 21

Liz could understand why they charged so much money to see the Darcy's house, it was a sight worth seeing. It was constructed in the shape of a huge aircraft, complete with propellers and wheels, ready for takeoff. It was sorounded by beautifully manicured glass, and behind it, a large artificial river flowed, seemingly going on for miles and miles. It you stood in front of it at a distance, with the water surface shimmering blue, it appeared as if it was up in the sky.

"Wow," Liz said as she stood still, mesmerized by the sight.

"My father designed the house himself, in honor of his love for planes."

"It's beautiful."

They joined her aunt and uncle at the door for a tour of the house, together with another couple and the housekeeper. Bill excused himself to go and freshen up. Even though the house was beautiful and had a lot of interesting momentos, Liz felt uncomfortable walking through it, going from room to room as if it was a museum.

"And here is the scarf that Anne Darcy wore on her first ever concert. She gifted it to her husband, then fiancee, at the end of the concert and he kept it in his study forever," the housekeeper said.

Liz looked at the photos on the wall and spotted one of George Wickham, wearing a sports uniform, probably soccer, he was about twelve. The housekeeper saw her looking at it and moved to explain.

"I am sure you are wondering who the boy is?"

"Er..."

"He took a wrong turn in life, poor boy, hopefully he will get back on track."

"What wrong turn?" Liz asked, curious to hear the housekeeper's account of the events.

She shook her head, "Drugs and things. He started them young. From as young as ten. I could see it even though he was so good at hiding it from his father and Mr Darcy."

They proceeded to a few more rooms and ended the tour in the most interesting one, the simulator. Liz had a lot of fun piloting the plane as her aunt and uncle cheered her on.

After the end of the tour, Mike drove the couple back to the gate and Bill offered to drive them back to the hotel. He took that opportunity to invite her uncle and aunt over to the house again the next day and they both accepted eagerly. They all agreed that he will pick them up at eight in the morning.

He winked at her, "See, at least now I won't call you," he said as they parted ways.

Liz didn't know how she felt about him not calling her, but she knew for a fact that it didn't make her happy.

"He totally, completely, utterly likes you," her aunt told her that night.

"No aunt Amy, you are just imagining things."

"I am not."

"He has a girlfriend," Liz lied. Well, maybe not lied, several tabloids had linked him with some models.

"I never said he didn't. He can have a girlfriend and still like you."

"But he doesn't."

"Do you want him to?"

Liz threw a pillow at her aunt, "Auntie! No!"

"Why not?"

"I just don't. He isn't my type."

"Wait, does this have anything to do with that George character who dumped you for a richer girl?"

Liz raised an eyebrow at her aunt.

"What? Lydia gossips a lot and she likes calling me."

"Lydia exaggerates, George and I were just friends."

"Okay. So why don't you want Bill to like you?"

"Because it's just not possible."

"Stranger things have happened, and in my opinion, you guys look great together."

Her aunt was right, they would look great together. Liz felt like he was her equal intellectually, but in terms of money...she didn't want to be a statistic, another girl in a Jane Austen story, but she was afraid she was already falling too deep.