One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation (6 page)

I smiled, “Thanks, are you sure?”

“
Yeah, it’s not problem. What about you, kid?” he asked William, “You want anything?”

“
No,” he said, “And don’t call me
kid.
”

I didn’t want to linger and hear anything else William might have to say, and picked out a seat on my own. The annoying boy trailed after me, and settled down in the empty chair at my side.

“
Really?” I asked.

“
What?”

“
Can’t you just go and see Jenny? You’ve all been hanging around each other, lately. She’ll be happy to talk to you.”

“
She’s Chantelle’s friend, not mine.”

“
God, you’re such a bloody snob.”

“
Says the girl in a private boarding school.”

Well, I couldn’t argue with that. Although I didn’t enjoy the same advantages as my peers, I was enduring the same education. I felt like it was a blessing and a curse. I would have excellent recommendations when I left the school, but it was a world away from reality, and from any career paths I might seek out when I had to make my own way. The school was more of a bubble that we were raised inside, protected from whatever lay beyond.

“
I’m not really like the other girls there, though.”

“
True. Most girls wouldn’t threaten a total stranger the first time they met.”

I nearly choked on my coffee.

So he had managed to pick up on the hint. I had wondered. Still, he didn’t really need to bring it up at that moment. He’d probably waited until I was swallowing to make that comment. I was sure I saw him smirk as I hurried to cover my mouth with the back of my hand.

Git.

Not to lose face in front of him, I asked, “Do you know a lot about girls, then? I guess you were popular at your last school.”

“
It was a boy’s school.”

“
My assumption still stands, just with the opposite sex.”

“
I’m not gay,” William said a little louder than was necessary.

I giggled quietly. As much as I loved to laugh, I felt like I ought to stifle it in front of him. William blushed, and I felt I had a triumph over him. It was small, and petty, but it was still something. I chewed gently on my bottom lip while I waited for my drink to cool a little, and we sat in silence. For some reason, he was happy to just watch me as I curled my hair around my finger, and drummed my nails against the side of my cup.

Finally, he commented, “You said you’d been reading to your friend.”

“
Yes.”

“
And you read a lot?”

“
I prefer music, not that I’m very good at it.”

“
Everyone’s good at something.”

“
Is that why you’re so good at being annoying?” I asked before I was able to stop myself.

“
Maybe it is.”

“
Maybe it is, what?” Chantelle asked.

I hadn’t noticed her or Charles arrive. They took up the remaining seats, and had no qualms with butting into our conversation. It was probably for the best. I didn’t have much to say to William that could be considered polite. Not that I often had anything that nice to say to anyone unless they were a good friend. And Chantelle definitely didn’t fit into that category.

“
Jenny’s asleep,” Charlie explained, “We thought it was better to give her some peace.”

“
What were you talking about?” Chantelle pressed, “Alone. Together.”

“
Stuff,” I said, knowing full well that the lack of detail would drive her mad, “Nothing interesting. I should be getting back to school if she’s sleeping.”

“
Well, how about we give you a lift back?” Charlie asked, “I can get the car brought around. We’re all going to the same place.”

“
There won’t be any room,” Chantelle said, “Not with three of us already squashed in.”

“
Jenny’s Mum said she’d drop me back. It’s fine. She’ll be around somewhere.”

“
Are you sure?” Charlie looked concerned, as if I might be irrevocably offended if he came off as rude. He should have been more worried about the impression his sister was making. Not that Chantelle cared if I was upset. In fact, she liked it when I was.

“
Like I said, it’s fine.”

“
You were reading
A Room With a View,
weren’t you? I saw the book in Jenny’s room.”

“
Yeah,” I shrugged, “Italy and all that. I love it.”

“
Oh, yes. We go to Italy all the time,” Chantelle boasted, “We have a holiday home there. Well, we have so many.”

“
Gosh, how awfully delightful for you,” I mocked, “You must be the toast of the country club!”

“
There’s no need to be snide, Blake,” Chantelle snarled, “Just because you can’t afford -”

“
I think I’ve had enough coffee,” I interrupted, “It’s all starting to taste a little
bitter.
”

Without a polite word of parting, I left the table, and stalked back through the corridors. It was at times like that I needed Jenny. She made me laugh at myself, and always put a smile on my face. I didn’t feel like there was a wall between me and my classmates when I had her, or the other girls, at my side.

People like Chantelle went through their lives being proud of their conceited ways, and looking down on those they deemed less fortunate or less worthy. I didn’t think that I was either. No, I was perfectly happy being just who I was. I just wished she didn’t have to rub it in whenever she had something I wanted. And that wasn’t money, or power, or anything like that. But it was confidence, and respect.

And a house in Italy.

Chapter Six

A failing, indeed.

I leaned back against the trunk of the tree, and strummed gently on the strings of the acoustic guitar. I was a realist, and I had no idea of being some amazing musician when I was older. As much as I liked music, I didn’t practice enough to ever be that good at it.

It was just fun.

Softly, I sighed, and stopped the strings with my palm. It was so boring without Jenny around. I’d felt the same when she was spending so much time with Chantelle. Of course, I still got to see her in the dorm afterwards.

“
God, I’m bored,” I complained quietly.

Not that I wanted anyone else’s company.

Regrettably, the other girls were all a little bit too silly to take her place. Chrissy and Lisa always got overexcited about whatever we were discussing, Meg drifted off into her own head and lost track, and Georgia had too many additional classes to make a lot of time for me. I mean, she was an amazing friend, but it was really difficult to find a place to chat in her schedule.

Still, being alone was better than being with Chantelle.

Which was why I didn't approve when she found me.

“
All alone again, Blake?” she sneered at me, “Don't you have your other little friends around? I thought the girls in your dorm room all stuck together like a pack.”

“
Weirdly, I am capable of enjoying my own company. I guess that's not something you're used to having to do.”

“
True, I always have people -”

“
I mean because there's nothing about your company to enjoy, actually,” I said, “What do you want? If you're here to annoy me, can you put it off until later? I do need a break from your kind of arrogance now and again.”

She bristled at first, then took a deep, calming breath. I didn't think I'd ever seen Chantelle try to retain her composure around me when it was just the two of us. It was kind of amusing to watch. Well, I'd assumed it was just us. That was when William and Charlie strode over. William didn't wave, but Charlie threw his whole arm into the gesture.

Was five minutes to myself really so much to ask?

“
Hi, Beth,” Charlie dropped his jacket, and sat cross-legged on it. After the deluge the night Jenny had been outside, it had been relatively dry. But he probably wanted to avoid grass stains on his uniform. He nodded at the guitar, “Are you a musician?”

“
I'm a dabbler, and a time waster. But I'm pretty proud of that. Are you here to ask about Jenny? I don't know anything more...”

“
No,” he smiled, “I've been visiting more frequently. Her mother said it was okay for me to do that. Actually I thought it would be good if we spent more time together. I mean, we're all Jenny's friends, so we should get along.”

I almost snorted with laughter.

Look, I did like Charlie, and I would have been happy to get along with him. He was like a puppy, and I couldn't imagine anyone would hate him. It was just completely impossible for me to ever think of William or Chantelle kindly. When Jenny wasn't there, I had no reason to be nice to either of them.

“
You can't really object to our company, can you?” Chantelle asked, knowing very well that I would if there was a way, “You hardly even know William.”

“
I know enough.”

Oh, I hadn't meant to say that aloud.

“
Do you know he has a sister? She's musical, too,” Charlie said.

“
Except she's not a
dabbler,
as you called yourself,” William commented, “She takes it seriously.”

“
I can well imagine. I mean,” I smirked, “If she's related to you, she probably takes everything seriously.”

“
You say that like it's a bad thing,” Chantelle said, “What's wrong with being serious? Nothing. In fact, William has absolutely zero faults.”

“
Really?” I asked. I then turned to William, “Wow, congratulations on being totally perfect. You should give lectures on how to achieve that.”

“
I'm not perfect. I just try not to act in a way that leaves me open to being made fun of, or picked on. That's just common sense.”

“
Or pride,” I said, “Or vanity. Or arrogance, really.”

“
Pride isn't bad if you have something to be proud of. And I'm proud of -”

“
Being better than other people?” I asked.

He opened his mouth, then closed it again. It looked like he was carefully trying to think of a way to agree without coming off as conceited. He wasn't going to find any such way of saying it. I knew exactly how he felt about people like me. I was just a normal girl, who he wouldn't look at twice if I wasn't in the same school as him. Actually, I didn't think he'd look at most of the people he was now stuck sharing classes with, regardless of their fortunes and families.

“
The only thing I think I'm not better at -”

“
You mean there's something?” I asked in mock horror, “Seriously?!”

“
Is,” he narrowed his eyes and continued, “That I hold grudges. Well, that sounds a little worse than it is. I just don't have patience for people if I have a bad impression of them. And once I've lost faith in them, then I won't ever have time for them again.”

“
You shouldn't think of that as a bad thing,” I said, “Because those people are probably pretty happy you don't have time for them.”

“
Maybe we should talk about something else,” Chantelle suggested.

“
By all means,” I muttered, “And elsewhere, if you want.”

“
I don't think Jenny would be happy if she knew you were spending time all by yourself,” Charlie told me.

“
I really don't think she'd mind.”

“
You know,” Chantelle said, “I was just thinking that we should go to the library. You haven't really had time to appreciate it yet, have you?”

“
They're books,” Charlie said, “I appreciate all books the same. Which isn't very much at all. I mean, I like books,” he laughed as he tried to explain to me, “But I have so many other things I want to do, that it's hard to find the time to read them.”

“
It's fine,” I said, “It's not for everyone. Why don't you let your sister take you away? She's just looking for a good excuse, and that's the best she can come up with.”

“
I – I wasn't,” she blushed, and glanced at William. It was so stupid that she was trying to be nice in front of him. He hated me just as much as she did, so they should have both been honest about it. They could bond over how stupid I was, for all I cared. Just so long as they weren't in my face about it. Chantelle cleared her throat gently, “You're welcome to join us, Blake.”

“
I politely decline,” I said, “I think William made it pretty clear just now that he doesn't have time for people like me. Bad impressions, right?”

“
I wasn't talking about you,” he said.

Yeah, he really was.

Rather than spending my time coming up with more inventive reasons not to be in their company, I got to my feet, and was fully prepared to forgo the sunlight to lock myself in my dorm room. I didn't offer any parting words, because I didn't care whether or not I offended at least two thirds of the group before I left.

I heard the crunch of tyres on gravel as I walked back to the building, and took a detour to the entrance. It could have just been a visitor to the site, or one of the teachers, but I knew the sound of that engine. Jenny's parents had a taste for classic cars, and none of the sleek new models really rumbled like them. The vehicle came to a halt, and the driver hopped out to open the rear passenger door.

“
Jen'!” I called as I jogged over.

She smiled when our eyes met, and held her arms out to catch me in a hug. I had never been so happy to see anyone in my life. With her back, William and Chantelle wouldn't feel obliged to seek out my company in her absence.

Oh, and I was glad she was feeling better.

“
Miss. Jennifer,” the driver said as he took her bag from the boot of the car, “I will deliver this to your dorm.”

“
I can carry it, Bentley,” she assured him.

He looked nervous at the idea of forcing the luggage on someone who had just walked out of hospital. That being the case, I held out my hand for it, “Give it to me. I won't break a nail.”

“
Thank you, Miss. Blake,” he said, and bowed his head a little. I didn't get the idea of servants. People were perfectly capable of doing things for themselves, so what was the point in having someone else do it? By the time it took to give the order, it could have been done already.

“
No problem, Ben. Hey, tell Jenny's Mum that I'll take good care of her, okay?”

“
Absolutely. Is there anything else you need, Miss. Jennifer?”

“
No, I'm fine. Thank you, Bentley.”

He tipped his hat, and we walked away from the car so he had space to turn around in the enormous driveway. My guitar rocked against my back as we walked to the dorms together, and I held one of Jenny's hands in mine, the other occupied with keeping her bag from dragging on the ground. Okay, so it was heavier than it looked. She let out a long, relieved breath when we walked in, and collapsed onto her bed.

“
Was the hospital really that bad?” I asked, “It was really posh.”

“
And dull. I missed it here.”

“
You mean that you missed Charlie?”

“
No! I mean – I mean, I did, but I missed sleeping in my own bed. And everyone else. Where are they, anyway?”

“
Oh, Lisa and Chrissy are probably out stalking the boys. Meg is anyone's guess. I'd imagine the library, but if she's distracted she could have walked to the edge of the grounds by now.”

“
Did anything exciting happen while I was away?”

“
Besides the alien invasion? Nothing much,” I sat on my own bed, and disentangled myself from my guitar, “Chantelle tried to talk to me today. And William. I think I annoyed him enough that he won't do that again. They're determined to be your friend, though.”

“
Once you get to know them, they're not that bad. You're still my best friend, though. You know that, right?” she asked.

“
I know! I'm not worried that they'll steal you from me, or anything. I just think that you should be careful with Chantelle. She's not exactly trustworthy.”

“
I think you just have a bad impression of her.”

I snorted softly with laughter, “Yeah, in the same way that the world has a bad impression of Nazi Germany.”

“
That's a bit of an extreme example.”

“
Well, Chantelle is an extreme bitch, so I figure it works. Anyway, don't go running off in the rain with her again. You almost gave me a heart attack. Even if you like Charlie, that's no reason to put up with her acting like an idiot.”

“
I promise, I'll be more careful,” she said, “And you should be more open to giving people chances. I mean, it's not like it's William's fault that he's here. His parents probably made him. When you first arrived, you hated it as well.”