Pride and Prejudice, the High School Version.

Chapter 28

For the rest of the afternoon, they talked. Liz was so happy that she smiled like a fool at everything he said and even forgot to eat her pizza.

"So if you still had feelings for me, why didn't you say anything on Saturday? Why did you behave like you didn't care?"

"I wanted to, but I lost my courage every time I tried. I just remembered how you had rejected me that Christmas, and I just couldn't risk another rejection, it would have broken me."

"Wait, so you wouldn't have said anything if I hadn't asked you to come here to thank you for helping Lydia?"

"Oh, I would have, trust me. My aunt Katherine came to my office yesterday, when she told me that you had jeopardized your chance at MIT by refusing to do the interview, I knew I had a chance, however little."

"Your aunt is a real piece of work by the way."

He laughed, a low carefree sound that seemed to break down all the restraints he placed on himself, "She thinks I should be dating a celebrity, she just doesn't understood how love works."

If Liz had been eating her pizza she would have choked on it that instant, "Love?"

He smiled and gently cupped her chin, "I know this may be a little too soon but I think I really do love you. In piloting, there is usually a day you get on the plane and everything just seems right; the weather is calm and the plane seems to respond to your every command and you just feel great, we call it 'soulmate day'. It's feels like soulmate day every time I am with you."

Liz wasn't a very emotional person, but she felt a tear prick her eye at his words, "I waited for you. I was sure you would call one day, why didn't you ever call?"

"Cowardice."

"You are the furthest thing from a coward."

"Probably in some things, but when it comes to you, I am a straight up coward."

"What are you afraid of?"

"I am afraid that I would hurt you without meaning to. I am afraid that I could limit your potential. I am afraid that I am not good looking enough. I am afraid of losing you forever. I am..."

"Stop," Liz held out a hand to stop him, "None of those things are going to happen."

"The tabloid story is just a start Liz, it's going to get worse, and it scares me that I can't be able to protect you from those things. I can't even...I can't even go with you to prom."

"Why not?"

"Because the media will be there, and they always twist up everything. I want you to be Liz Bennet not just my girlfriend. I want you to go to MIT and rock it there without paparazzi on your heels. I want you to construct planes and inspire people, and you can't do that if you are always shadowed by me. You should know that the media is brutal, and girls always get the worse end of the deal."

Liz frowned, "What are you saying? Do you want to break up?"

He smiled and kissed her, "As if I would break up with you when I have waited a year to be with you. No, we are not breaking up. Not now not ever. All I am saying is that I will do this at your pace. We will only go public when you want to."

"So we keep it a secret?"

"For now. At least until you finish high school, I don't know. How do you want us to do it?"

"I don't care either way. I am not one to bother so much about other people's opinion of me."

"I know but..."

"I know you come with all this media scrutiny baggage. Just know that I won't blame you or anything if it goes public. I really don't care."

"I should probably tell Georgiana, she has been dying to hear that we are finally together," Bill said.

Liz moved closer to him and pressed her head to his, "Why don't you go ahead and take a selfie and tell her with photographic evidence?"

He grinned and took the selfie. Liz too grabbed her phone and took a couple.

"So mom has invited Charlie over for dinner today, would you like to come too?"

"Gladly."

As they got out of the shop, Liz moved to take his hand, then pulled away at the last instant when she realized that they were keeping it a secret. It was really going to be hard keeping her hands off him.