P&P

Chapter Ten

When first arriving to Charlie's party, I couldn't help but turn my head every time I heard the door opening. Or turning around abruptly when hearing footsteps from behind me. Or straining my neck to get a closer look whenever I saw anyone with the same windblown brown hair as George. And by the time we were an hour into the party, he still wasn't there.

"Looking for someone?" Caroline asked me suddenly, seeing as I was too preoccupied with staring at the door to answer her replies with more than two words.

"No." I quickly answered, turning back to her. "No one. Really. I'm fine. What were you saying?"

"I was just saying that I love your dress." She told me. I looked down at my red lace dress, remembering seeing it in the store and imagining George's reaction when seeing it on me. Now I was starting to think he wouldn't get to. "Where did you get it?"

"Macy's." I told her.

"You shop for dresses there?"

"Mostly every clothing item, really." I told her with a shrug. I didn't even think to wonder if she had asked her question judgingly. I looked back at the door as Caroline went on to tell me the various stores she liked to shop at, and I half listened. I had texted George various times asking where he was, but he never answered. I was contemplating calling him, but didn't want to seem too desperate.

Had I just been stood up?

"Elizabeth, there you are." Richard had caught me on my way back from the bathroom. I had almost forgotten that I was avoiding him. But alas, I had been found. "I believe you promised me a dance."

"Right." I said, cursing my earlier words.

Richard took my hand, leading me to the dance floor that was on regular occasion the middle of the living room. The space was decorated with colorful balloons and streamers rapped around the high beams of the living room. There were many couples slow dancing around us, dressed in pretty pastel dresses, raving about the party. Caterers walked around the room, dressed in black vests and red ties, carrying trays of appetizers of names that were either too fancy or had too many syllables for anyone in town to pronounce correctly. I tried to appear as though I were enjoying myself, so I wouldn't hurt Richard's feelings at least, but I was still caught up with looking at the entrance to the living room.

"So, how are you enjoying yourself tonight, Elizabeth?" Richard asked me. He looked handsome in his black tux. As much as I hated to admit it, the boy cleaned up nice. But still, I could hardly focus on a word he was saying. He had to ask his question twice, but nonetheless he seemed oblivious to my mood. I went with it.

"Swell." I finally answered, mustering enthusiasm. "How 'bout yourself?"

"Very well, thank you. The Bingley's place is exquisitely decorated tonight. Charles and Caroline must love this house." He then went on for the rest of the song about how "splendidly big" the house was, and I went back to blanking out. Another slow song came after, and Richard asked me for a second dance. I didn't have the heart to say no to him.

It wasn't like I had a better choice.

"I heard George isn't coming." Charlotte told me. That wasn't quite surprising by the time she told me, seeing as he was already two hours late. "One of his soccer friends told me he had to leave town."

"Leave town?" I asked, suddenly perplexed. "Leave town for what, exactly? And why wouldn't he tell me?"

"I don't know, Lizzie." Charlotte told me. "He never called?"