Nineteen

Chapter Forty-Four

"God, you are so infuriating!" he says as he stands from the bed.

I cross my arms. I'm slightly taken back, this is the first twinge of emotion I have seen from him toward me that wasn't flat.

"I like you, what more can I do to show you!" he throws his arms around the air.

"You don't show me, and I know nothing about you." 

"You're right, you don't know me, but if it makes you feel better, not many people do." He sits back on the bed and rubs his head.

I sarcastically say, "oh that does help."

"Forget it," he barks at me and rolls back into the bed.

"This is a weird situation. You are not staying in my bed. You may sleep in the other one if you want to stay." I point to Jade's empty bed.

He looks at me. "Why?"

"I don't know you. I thought we done established that."

"I slept here once before, you remember that, right?"

"Not tonight," I say as I point to the other bed.

"Fine," he huffs and gets out of my bed.

"Thank you. Goodnight," I say as I crawl into my bed and cut the lamp out.

The next morning I'm woken by my alarm. I have one class today.

I look over to the other bed and see that it's empty. My guest is already gone, leaving a messy pile of blankets behind. 

I stand up and walk to the closet. I see a glimpse of myself in the mirror and dark circles are under both eyes, one from a bruise and the other from a lack of good sleep.

I get dressed in whatever I find first and grab my phone form the desk. As I reach for my keys, I notice something on the other desk.

My Pride and Prejudice book is laying there with multiple sticky notes sticking out from the pages.

I pick it up to inspect it. I finished the book days ago, and none of these were here when I did. I flip to a sticky note to see highlighted words.

There is a stubbornness about me that never can bear to be frightened at the will of others. My courage always rises at every attempt to intimidate me.

I turn to another.

I have not the pleasure of understanding you.

I could easily forgive his pride, if he had not mortified mine.

Angry people are not always wise.

I close the book without looking at the rest. The words were explaining Collin in the form of Mr. Darcy. 

He got this book and used the words he could not say for himself. I desperately want to see what else is noted, but I'm going to be late.

The whole walk to my first class is spent imaging Collin saying those things, which would never happen.

He can feel them, though. He just can't say them. 

After my class is over I walk outside and see Collin leaning against a wall. He is in jeans and a white t-shirt.

"I read the book," I say as I get to him.

His face flushes and turns red. "What?"

Oh no. What if it wasn't him?

Of course it was, who else was there?

He corrects himself, "I mean, yeah? Did you like it?"

"Yeah. Mr. Darcy was a case," I say.

"I think he was a perfect gentleman," he scoffs.

"Of course you would think so."

We both laugh. I know he's referring himself to Mr. Darcy, and in some ways I guess he's right.

"So, what are we doing today?" he asks me.

"We?"

"Yeah. If I'm going to get better at hanging out with people, I need help," he says.

"Well, I'm going to explore the area a little more," I smugly say.

"Sounds good to me, I'd love to go out."

I give him a look, showing him that I do not appreciate him putting words into my mouth, but he just laughs and I can't keep it on my face, so I join him.

"Before we hit the town tonight, we need to go by my place so I can get dressed. These clothes simply will not do, Miss Elizabeth," he teases and grabs at his clothes.

I roll my eyes and nod. I glance at my phone and see that it's around three o'clock.

"I have one more class for the day, but I'll be by to pick you up after. Wear something pretty," he says as he crosses behind me for the agricultural building.