P&P

Chapter Two

"Okay, so what about this one?" Jane asked me, holding up a white lace dress against herself. "I was thinking this would look amazing with this gold belt I just bought, with the daisies on it. What do you think?"

"I like it." I said simply.

"You're giving me nothing!" She exclaimed. "You've said that to the last three outfits I've considered." For the last hour, Lydia and I have been helping Jane decide what to wear. This was our usual routine before parties and other events. Jane always wanted to make a good first impression, Lydia wanted to look old enough to be given alcohol of any kind, and I wanted to look absolutely invisible. This was why Jane rarely strayed from pastel colored dresses, Lydia wore tons of makeup, and I've worn the same box-framed dress I have been for the past four years and counting.

"Clothes and social events are your things, Jane. I'd much rather stay home and read." I shrugged as she narrowed her eyes at me. Jane and Lydia were the social butterflies of my family. I much preferred to be antisocial and stay home and read about other people making something of their lives. Lydia snorted.

"Oh, come on! You spent the last four years of high school doing that!" Jane scolded.

"You know what? I'm not letting you wear that black box of a dress you always wear to everything." Lydia told me. Both our eyes turned to my favorite black dress which was bulky enough to hide every trace of my figure hanging from my closet, and then we looked back at each other. I made out Jane's worried expression just before Lydia made her move.

Lydia pounced for the dress before I could, and ran out of the room, somehow locking me in. After a good two minutes of banging, Jane opened my door and I ran into Lydia's room.

But I was too late.

My dress was torn to pieces by a pair of scissors and Lydia's aggressiveness, and tears stung my eyes. But I wouldn't cry. It was just a dress. The only dress I owned that I actually loved.

"Lydia! How could you!?" I yelled at her.

"You needed it." She told me, patting one of my shoulders. She handed me the shredded pieces of what once was my favorite dress, gently pushed me out of her room, and closed the door. I felt so helpless. Then an idea occurred to me.

"I have nothing to wear to this wedding." I said sedate-blissfully, throwing the shredded pieces across the hallway. "I guess that means I can't go."

"Oh, you're going." Jane told me, grabbing my hand and dragging me into her room. She rummaged through her closet, looking for something appropriate I could wear to the wedding.

"Oh, don't bother. This is a relief, really. I should've thanked Lydia!" I said, perusing Jane's bookshelves. "You have Shakespeare's sonnets?" My perfect older sister was also a hopeless romantic indeed. I was halfway into "Shall I compare thee to a summer's day", scoffing along the way when Jane let out a triumphant cry, startling me out of my thoughts.

"Aha!" Jane cried, pulling out a red number that I know she has never worn before. "I bought this for Junior year's homecoming, but I didn't have the courage to wear it."

"And what makes you think I will?" I asked her, glowering. "You should really wear that for the Bingley guy."

"Like he wants me after he met you." She said modestly.

"Oh, please! Just talking to the guy for five seconds reminded me of you! He's got Jane Bennett's manners, and a goofy smile. What more could you ask for?"