Pride and Prejudice and Teenagers.

Chapter 20.

My bottom lip parts in astonishment at the dreaded sight before me. Will and I both stare at the emerald glass object that has subjected us to one another's company for the next five minutes. I blink in dismay as Will stands up, brushing the sand from his legs and palms before turning and looking down at me. He stretches out a hand to me but I ignore it and force myself up and onto my feet. A few people 'oo' dramatically at my rejection to Will's hand and I watch his face flicker with dismay.

We start walking past the fire and towards the huts when someone makes a crude joke about us. I go to turn around but Will's hand presses against my back to keep me walking. I notice his other hand is in the shape of a taut fist by his side.

We reach the hut too quickly.

The only light inside it comes from a circular window in the ceiling that allows a beam of moonlight to pour into the space like a milky solution. I walk over and lean against the back of the hut, blanking Will.

"Are you okay?" He asks instantly.

"Fine." I reply coldly, looking up and around the hut but not at him.

"You don't seem it." He says. I finally look at him and he's staring at the ground where the toe of his boot is rubbing against it. When I look up at his face again his eyes lock onto mine and I blink and look away.

He turns sharply and paces across the tiny room a couple of times, his hands forcing themselves through the hair on his head in what appears to be frustration. I can't help but wonder what it is that's bothering him. He must know that I found out what he did to Jane and the guilt is finally getting to him. But then again, he doesn't strike me as a person who could ever feel guilt for his wrongdoings. I bet he thinks he's done nothing wrong.

A growl of exasperation makes me look up, where I find Will has stopped pacing and is facing away from me. His hand tears through his hair once more before he suddenly bangs it against the wooden door. The good, forgiving part of me steps forward, concerned about the evil guy in front of her. She walks up to him and places a comforting hand on his shoulder.

When he turns around sharply I step back and away from his powerful gaze. He looks angry, confused, hurt, drained and conflicted all at once.

"I can't do this anymore." He admits. His voice, soft like velvet, caresses my ears and winds into my brain like a serpent. I keep walking backwards until my back is pressed against the wall. I don't know what's about to happen but I know it cannot be good by the look on his face.

"Elizabeth, I-I've struggled in vain to fight this but I can't do it any more. I feel like I've been pining after you like a child for the past few months - I only came to Catherine's to see you." He says from the middle of the room, staring at me with lost eyes. I swallow hard because I don't have any words to speak. "I guess I know deep down that on paper we'd never work: you're socially inferior to me, your friends are weird and obnoxious and not to mention an embarrassment to you, you're loud but can also be annoyingly quiet, you're reckless, occasionally ignorant, we have completely different backgrounds, you'd never meet my family's criteria - but I don't care. I'm willing to put it all aside because I can't fight this agony any longer." He lurches forward and cups my cheek with his hand. In a swift movement his face is in front of mine and his breath is on my lips.

"You have no idea how long I've wanted to do this-" His words buy me the time to push him back by a single hand on his chest.

"I don't understand-" I say loudly despite the fact there's no other sound.

I swear I see the three words move on his lips before the sound of them hits my ears.

"I love you." He rushes, stepping forward and halving the space that was once between us. Perhaps he's waiting for me to meet him in the middle. I stay on my side. He looks vulnerable, like an open wound that's bleeding out in front of my eyes. "Ardently." My stomach drops. No one has ever said that to me before.