Pride: an austen reimagined novel | 1

Chapter Seven: Lily

Austin, Jax and Cass had left for a short trip home, and Anne and I were trying to bury ourselves in homework.

It had been eleven days since the spin the bottle episode and, as drunk as I'd been, I still remembered the totally obvious way I'd refused to kiss Austin. Anne though had lucked out when Jax had walked us back to our room and she'd apparently been given a very passionate kiss goodnight.

"Stop thinking about it!" Anne laughed.

"I'm not thinking about anything," I totally lied.

"Who are you trying to convince?"

"Ugh. The guy is insufferable!" I threw down my pen. "Have you seen the way he looks at us? Like we may as well be bugs on the sole of his shoe!"

"It's not that bad."

"You telling me it's a new thing? Or have you just stopped noticing it now you have another gorgeous face staring at you?" I teased.

"He doesn't stare at me." She blushed.

"He most certainly does."

"Who stares at who?" I heard Kate ask.

I turned around and found my sisters in the doorway, wearing what was clearly as little clothes as possible. "And, what are you two wearing while you're not knocking on people's doors?"

Kate and Gemma giggled. "The exchange boys have just arrived."

"The who with the what now?" I asked, looking at Anne.

"The Military College and the Netherfield boys have some intercollegiate sport competition going on from next week," Anne answered, grabbing a handful of chips.

I understood enough to see where this was going. "So, the Military College boys have arrived, yes?"

"Yes!" both Kate and Gemma squealed, clutching each other in their excitement.

"And they're very attractive, young men?" I guessed.

"YES!" Another excited squeal, this one almost something only dogs could hear. I winced and rubbed my ear.

"Jesus. All right, then." I looked at Anne, who wore a small smile.

"Come on, come on. They've just arrived! We can watch them get out of the buses!" Gemma said as she grabbed my arm.

"Did you hear that, Anne? They're getting out of the buses! We wouldn't want to miss that!" I rolled my eyes as I finally let Gemma pull me to my feet.

"Oh, no," Kate said, pouting. "She can't go like that! Get dressed, Lil!"

I looked down at my tracksuit pants and jumper. "I am dressed. It's not like I'm in my negligée."

"More's the pity. The boys might have liked that," Kate said, winking. "Get changed, girls!"

"It's freezing out there. Are you seriously telling me you're going out in that?" I nodded at their short skirts and cleavage-showing tops.

"Yes, and you would too if you know what's good for you!"

I levelled my best older-sister stare at them. "Gemma, I am not going into near snow in nothing more than what's fit for an Australian beach at Christmas."

"But, Lily-"

"Don't 'but Lily', me. You want us to go and see these boys, I'm going as is."

Gemma and Kate exchanged a glance and shrugged, then looked back to me and nodded in resignation.

"Fine. But don't blame us when none of them look twice at you," Kate said in a huff.

"I can assure you, Katherine, I will not care."