Section I,Next Section

Prologue

ow, yeah, hey, baby, wake up! Come and dance with me!"

The familiar sound of Elizabeth's alarm clock rang through her room. Elizabeth instantly awoke and automatically pressed the top of her alarm clock to make it shut up. The alarm clock had been a birthday present from her family when she turned 13. It was a chicken holding a guitar (the guitar was the clock face) that shouted, "Wow, yeah, hey, baby, wake up! Come and dance with me!" with music playing in the background. Elizabeth had been enchanted with it when she saw one just like it at her friend Melissa's house. She had planned to buy it with her own money, but her parents had surprised her and bought it for her. Elizabeth had had this alarm clock for more than 4 years. She had learned two things about this alarm clock in that time: it was very effective, and it didn't sound very cute at 6:00 in the morning.

It was Monday morning. Elizabeth groggily arose from her perfect, warm bed. She allowed herself to linger on the flannel sheets for a moment before dutifully rising. She stood up on her tired legs, trying to get her balance. She had started walking towards the door when her still-sleeping legs failed her, and her knees buckled, resulting in an ungraceful fall onto the carpet. Picking herself up with as much dignity as she could muster, Elizabeth walked towards her bathroom.

The warm shower brought her slowly to consciousness. After she had washed and conditioned her hair and used her Dove Body Wash, she stepped out of the shower. She dried herself and put on her blue robe.

Elizabeth stood in front of her closet. This was the daily task she hated the most: picking out what to wear. It was such a hassle! With a sigh, she chose her favorite jeans -- her dark denim vintage wash Lee flares. She picked out a kelly green cardigan twinset from Abercrombie & Fitch to wear on top. After dressing, she blow-dried her smooth, chestnut hair. She looked at the clock.. It was only 6:45. She was in very good shape.

With enthusiasm, she slid down the banister. She headed towards the breakfast room to find her parents and her twin sister, Jane, sitting at the table.

"Good morning!" she said, brightly.

"Hiya, Lizzy. You're cheerful, this morning!" said Jane.

"Yeah," Lizzy laughed, "but I don't know why."

"Good morning, sunshine," greeted her father with a smile. Elizabeth moved over to him, and he kissed her forehead.

"Hi, Mom."

"Good morning, Lizzy," said her mother while removing the curlers from her hair.

Elizabeth sat down at the table and poured herself a glass of grapefruit juice. Her father stepped into the kitchen and returned a moment later with a bowl of yogurt and granola with a spoon. He handed this to Lizzy. She thanked him and was just about to take a bite, when she was interrupted:

"Katie, if you ask Vic Brunetti out, I'll slaughter you!" Lindsay Bennet, the youngest daughter, yelled.

Katie's laughter echoed throughout the house.

"Like he would go out with me even if I did? Yeah, right, Linz! I'm sure he'd much rather have you. Geez, for a freshman, you sure are well-known!" Katie said with envy.

Elizabeth sighed. Another day at the Bennet household had begun.

Chapter 1

"Lizzy!!! He-llooo?!"

Lizzy turned around to find her good friend, Joe, standing a little ways down the hall. She walked over to him, and he followed her back to her locker.

"What's up? How was your weekend?" Joe asked.

"Nothing and fine -- uneventful. I had this project for FBLA that took up all my time and energy on Saturday. Sunday, I just relaxed and talked on the phone. What about you?"

"Lacrosse practice on Saturday morning -- I pulled a muscle in my shoulder or something..." Elizabeth winced, and Joe continued. "Alyssa and I went to see 'Twilight' on Saturday night. Guy and Chris came over on Sunday to study for that huge test Petrosino is giving on Thursday, and..."

"Oh, no! I forgot about that test. Why is it that every test Mr. Petrosino gives us always manages to slip my mind?!"

"Hmm...can't help you there. I wouldn't worry about it, though. I don't think it will be that hard."

"What's it on, again?"

"President Suharto's plans for industrializing Indonesia. You know. Multi-nationals, new factories..."

"Oh, yeah. I'll make a note of that. So, Joseph, dear, how about walking me to first period?"

"Fine with me, Liz."

Chapter 2

Elizabeth Bennet was one of those people who seemed to be friends with everyone. People were always greeting her in the hall, and she seemed to know every student in the school. For mainly this reason, she was incredibly surprised to see a new kid in first period English. He was sitting near the back talking companionably with Charlie Bingley, her sister, Jane's, boyfriend. Usually polite, it was not in Lizzy's nature to stare at people, but she couldn't help it, this time. Charlie's friend was nothing short of gorgeous. He had dark brown hair which fell in a floppy mushroom cut, deep, brown eyes, a beautiful smile which showed straight white teeth, and dimples. Elizabeth admired his swimmer's physique and tasteful clothes. After staring in enchantment for a while, she was brought back to earth by a voice coming from her left. It was her best friend, Charlotte calling her.

"Earth to Lizzy. Girl, you've got it bad! Stop ogling him before turns to stone!"

"Very funny, Char! Maybe say it a little louder so the whole class can hear."

"Sorry. Lord, what's up with you? Is it that time of the month?"

"No, I'm fine, actually. Who is that kid?"

"I don't know, wish I did. Why don't you go up and introduce yourself? He seems pretty chummy with Charlie, and as Charlie's girlfriend's twin sister, you have the right to be bold."

Elizabeth laughed. "Well, as Charlie's girlfriend's twin sister's best friend, you have the right to be bold, also. Why don't you introduce yourself?"

"I think I'll wait until later. I hope he has third period lunch with all of us."

"Yeah...he's really cute. I wouldn't mind getting to know him better."

The late bell rang, and the Pledge of Allegiance came over the loud speaker.

Chapter 3

When the ten-minute bell rang, Ms. Block told the class that they could rest until class was over. Elizabeth, Charlotte, and their other friend, Christine, started talking, when Charlie interrupted them.

"Lizzy, c'mere! There's someone I'd like you to meet." Lizzy's heart fluttered when she heard these words, and she looked expressively at Charlotte and Christine. With as much courage as she could gather, she walked over to Charlie's seat.

Charlie moved over in his chair so that Lizzy could share it with him. He draped his arm around her and began talking.

"Will, this is the most beautiful girl at Fair Lawn High, except for Jane (no offense, Liz)."

"None taken, Charlie," Elizabeth replied smilingly.

"Jane and Elizabeth are sisters -- twins, actually. William Darcy, meet Elizabeth Bennet, a.k.a. Lizzy or Liz."

"Well, hi. Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too," he said.

He speaks, Lizzy thought. He had one of those perfect voices. The kind that could melt ice cubes.

"So, did you just move here?"

"No. I've always lived here."

"Really? I don't ever remember seeing you, before..."

"Well, I just transferred from Andover, so I wasn't around much."

"Andover - just like Charlie! I'm impressed."

Charlie stepped in. "Our families have always been close, and Will was nice enough to show me the ropes at Andover when I first went there."

"Oh, O.K. Well, Charlie, you got kicked out of Andover which explains how you ended up, here. What's your story?" she asked, directing her gaze at Will.

He was about to answer when the bell rang.

"Sorry to break up the conversation, kids, but it's time to go," said Charlie.

"Well, bye," Lizzy said awkwardly and left.

"Lizzy!" Charlotte and Christine said when she joined them in the hall. "What happened?!"

"Nothing happened."

"Oh, you're impossible," said Christine.

The three girls met up with Karrie and Lisa in the hall and headed to second period.

Chapter 4

The table that Elizabeth sat at during lunch was probably the loudest table of either of the two cafeterias. Everyone was always laughing and chattering and having fun. 3rd lunch was the best time to have lunch for two reasons: after a long, 5-period morning, it was a relief to sit and talk with friends. Also, people who had 3rd lunch (during 6th period) only had two classes after lunch before going home.

Elizabeth, Charlotte, Jane, and Karrie walked into the cafeteria together. Alyssa, Joe, Guy, Chris, Ian, Charlie, Lisa, Christine, Erin, Mike, Hannah, and John were already sitting in their normal seats. Will was sitting next to Charlie. Charlotte and Lizzy came to this realization at the same exact moment, and Charlotte not-so-subtly jabbed her friend in the ribs.

"Ow!" Lizzy hissed under her breath, slapping Charlotte's hand away. Giving her best friend a warning look, Lizzy took her usual seat at the end of the table.

Charles introduced the girls who had just joined.

"Will, these lovely ladies are Charlotte, Jane, and Karrie." He emphasised the word Jane, and the person in question blushed. "And, of course, you've already met Lizzy."

They both nodded quietly. Will cautiously looked up from the table and then looked quickly down, again. Lizzy said nothing. "Geez, he's not very sociable," she thought. "He could at least make an attempt to be nice. It's not like I'm all that intimidating. He's the one who's, like, drop-dead gorgeous."

"Lizzy, did we have any Spanish homework?" John asked. He always asked her if there was any Spanish homework, even though there never was. It was a custom. Elizabeth laughed.

"No," she said.

"You know, Liss," Jane addressed Alyssa, "there's that school dance on Friday...are we all going?"

"I dunno...guys? Whaddya think?"

"I think we should go," Ian volunteered.

"Alyssa, go with me?" Joe asked his girlfriend tentatively.

"Duh, Joe!"

Charlotte poked Elizabeth, again while looking in Will's direction.

"Charlotte and I have to finish up our project for FBLA."

Everyone groaned.

"Elizabeth Bennet, you are such a work-a-holic!" Jane said in an exasperated tone. "You need some relaxation time! You are going to that dance if I have to drag you."

"I know, Lizzy. Lord, every time there's some social event going on, you manage to back out of it. Why do you always insist on working? Have some fun!" Guy said. Guy loved to dance, and he was really good at it, too -- a definite asset at a dance.

"But FBLA...Charlotte and I..."

"It can wait!" Charlotte said.

Will spoke up, now, surprising some people. "Ummm...what's FBLA?"

"It stands for Future Business Leaders of America. It's probably the most popular club at FLHS. Lizzy is practically the president," Karrie volunteered.

"So," Will said, "what other kinds of clubs are there here?"

"Oh, you name it, we have it," Charlie said. "But, if you really want to know about clubs, ask Lizzy. She's little Miss I-get-straight-A's-and-I'm-in-every-club-and-I'm-going-to-Harvard."

"Shut up, Charlie," Lizzy said wearily. She was being portrayed in a very negative light, right now. Here she was sitting across from this gorgeous guy. She didn't even have an opinion on him, yet, and her friends were talking about her as if she had no other life or interests in anything but school and homework. She had a good social life...didn't she?

Lizzy sighed, admitting defeat. "How much do the dance tickets cost?"

Chapter 5

If there was one subject Lizzy hated, it was Math. It wasn't that she wasn't good at it; she just thought it was so incredibly boring. Besides first period, Will was in Math with Lizzy -- seventh period. The desks were arranged in groups of four, because Miss Rifkin, the teacher, believed in group projects. Elizabeth sat with her friends, Michelle, Derek, and Jesse. Charlie's desk was right next to Michelle's (who sat across from Lizzy). Will sat across from Charlie, which meant that his desk was closest to Lizzy's.

She sat nervously in her seat, trying not to squirm. Having Will in such close proximity made her slightly apprehensive. She could smell his cologne...Nautica Sport for men. Good choice.

"Hi," she squeaked to him.

He turned to look at her in surprise as if he hadn't even realised she was there. However, he didn't return her friendly (if short) greeting. He slightly, almost imperceptibly nodded and gave her a hint of an awkward smile, averting his eyes from hers as he did this.

"Snob," she thought to herself. "Who does he think he is? Some rich Andover boy...does he think he's better than me because he could buy out a store or something? Well, fine. He can be that way. I'll just ignore him."

Miss Rifkin passed back a test that the class had taken on Friday. It had been really hard, and Elizabeth didn't expect to see anything higher than a 75%. However, she wasn't prepared to see the big, fat 36% written in oppressive, red ink. Under the grade, Miss Rifkin had written See me! in her careless handwriting. Elizabeth blanched as she stared at the paper -- the X marks, the corrections...

"How did you do, Lizzy?" Charlie asked.

"You don't want to know. Can you say extra help sessions?"

"That bad, huh?"

"Mmm-hmm. I wasn't expecting an A, but I didn't think I would do this badly. My grade is practically a negative number! It really shatters your ego when you think that you've actually almost grasped the concept, only to find out that you flunked."

Charlie looked at his friend sympathetically.

"Do you want some help with the lesson? Math is my best subject," Will said.

Elizabeth looked at him. She tried not to scowl at his bragging.

"No, thanks. I'd rather go see Rifkin," she said.

"That's Miss Rifkin to you, sweetie," the teacher said.

"Oh...sorry, Miss Rifkin," Elizabeth meekly replied, blushing.

The day had not gone well.

Chapter 6

"Melissa, how much do dance tickets cost?" Lizzy asked her friend.

"Dance tickets? Lizzy, the dance tickets don't go on sale until next Monday."

"But, Mel, I thought the dance was on Friday..."

"Nu-uh. Next Friday, hon."

"Oh...well, O.K. I'll see you, later."

Melissa walked away, and Charlotte appeared from behind.

"Char, that dance that Jane and Liss were talking about...it's not until next Friday. That means that you and I can work on our advertising campaigns for FBLA's Winter Fund-Raiser."

"No thanks! If we can't bring ourselves to the party, we'll have to bring the party to ourselves."

"Am I deranged, or do I suspect a scheme, here, Charlotte Lucas?"

"Not a scheme. Just...a little get-together."

Elizabeth did a double-take. A little get-together? Charlotte's idea of a little get-together was with loud music, enough snack foods to feed an army, and at least 50 people. Was she crazy?

"Are you crazy?! What would your parents think? I'm sure they would really love the idea of a gazillion kids wrecking their house and eating their groceries."

"I swear, Lizzy, sometimes, you act like a grandmother! What do you have against having fun, anyway?"

"Nothing! I just am one of the few teenagers to abide by the rule that fun is a reward for fulfilling your obligations and completing your work."

"How would you know what fun is like? It's not like you've ever had any."

"Charlotte, forgive me for asking, but I just had to know...are you on my side or not? Sometimes you act like you hate me or something. Are you trying to change me?"

"No, of course not. You're my best friend, and I love you. But, you need to loosen up a little...O.K., a lot. You belong to 8 clubs, each of which you are actively involved in. You're dedicated to the sports you play, and you get straight A's in every subject. You're a teacher's dream, at the head of your class, and...as uptight as Prince Charles."

"Gee, thanks!" She sighed submissively. "O.K., O.K., tell me about this party that you're planning..."

"Great," said Charlotte hugging her friend tightly, "I knew you'd change your mind! Well, we'll have to make up a guest list..."

"No, we won't. I absolutely refuse to go to a party with a crowd of kids I don't know. You'll invite the crowd, and that'll be the end of it."

"Fair enough."

"What about your parents?"

"They'll be away for the weekend!" Charlotte squealed.

"Away? Where?"

"Mom's friend's sister is getting married. Mom and Dad are leaving for Vermont (that's where the wedding is) on Friday morning, and arriving home on Sunday afternoon."

"How perfect," Lizzy said sarcastically.

"Yes, isn't it?! I have to write down who to invite..."

"Let me. I love making lists. It's, like, a hobby of mine."

"Geez, how exciting," Charlotte said, grinning.

The girls walked over to the student lounge, where they comfortably seated themselves on a bench. Lizzy tore a piece of paper from her Five-Star and snatched her pencil from behind her head, where it had been keeping Lizzy's careless updo in place. Her hair fell down onto her shoulders, and she began her list.

WHO TO INVITE TO CHARLOTTE'S PARTY:

Lizzy, Jane, Sarah, Lisa, Kristen, Alyssa, Karrie, Michelle, Jen, Amy, Melissa, Christine, Christina, Erin, Katie, Hannah, Chris, Joe, Guy, Ian, Jesse, Roy, Mike, Steven, Justin, Charlie, John, Jason, Anthony, and Scott.

Charlotte looked over the list.

"You left two people out, Lizzy."

"I did? Let me see that..." Lizzy said, taking the paper.

After looking it over twice, Lizzy couldn't find anyone missing from the list who should have been on it.

"Who, Char?"

"Well, first of all, Billy Collins..."

"Billy Collins?! The same Billy Collins who always talks about church and walks around singing Peter, Paul, and Mary songs??? Why would you want him at your party?"

Charlotte blushed.

"I like Billy. He's kinda cute in a quirky way...and I think that people misunderstand him."

"Fine...I'll add him to the list; it's your party, after all. But who else did I miss?"

"Will."

"Will? Who's Will? Wait a minute! Will Darcy?! He just transferred here..."

"So? Shouldn't that be a good reason to invite him? He needs to meet people, become acquainted...and, he's gorgeous."

"I still don't see why you have to insist on his attendance. He's such a snob."

"Lizzy, stop pre-judging him!"

"I'm not...I'm post-judging him. He's an arrogant, conceited snob, and he's not worth my time."

"Fine, but I'm inviting him, anyway," said Charlotte. With a firm hand, she grabbed the list from Lizzy's fingers and wrote Will Darcy's name on the paper.

Friday had come around much too quickly for Lizzy's taste. Usually, she rejoiced when a weekend came along, but not this time. There was a deed to be done, tonight, and Lizzy looked upon this deed with no anticipation, whatsoever.

Everyone Charlotte had invited was coming. Even Will Darcy, the Great One (as Lizzy had secretly nicknamed him) had responded in the affirmative to Charlotte's offer. Lizzy would not have minded going as much if Will was not going to be there, but he would be there; she would just have to grit her teeth and smile.

Lizzy was never the type to enjoy "get-togethers". There was always some project or extra-credit assignment that she guiltily thought of while "enjoying herself" at each party. Being as stubborn as she was dedicated, Lizzy absolutely refused to admit to Charlotte that she had been rightly accused of being uptight. She couldn't hide the truth from herself, though. The thought had nagged at her all week. Charlotte's words had echoed over and over in her mind on numerous occasions.

How would you know what fun is like? It's not like you've ever had any.

"You know," Lizzy said to her reflection in the mirror, "it would be nice, for once, to have some friends who can accept me for the boring person I am. The only one who leaves me alone is Jane...and, of course, Dad does, too. Well, time to get ready."

After showering, she worked some glistening creme into her wet hair and blow-dried it straight. She put on a touch of pearly eye-shadow and a thin coat of mascara to define her eyes. She put on some flares and a black CK cotton camisole. After brushing her teeth, she applied a subtle, translucent berry stain to her lips with a touch of kiwi lip-gloss on top. She stuck a stick of peppermint gum in her mouth, put the rest of the pack into her back pocket, and grabbed her hooded FLHS Swimming jacket. She left with Jane a few minutes later.

Lizzy and Jane showed up to Charlotte's house right at 6:00. About half of the people were already there. Feeling a pair of eyes on her, Lizzy turned around to find Will staring at her. He was talking with Charlie (of course). Jane nudged Lizzy, and pointed them out.

"Lizzy, let's go say hi."

The twins walked over to Charlie and Will.

"Hi, girls! Jane, you look amazing," Charlie said.

"Well, ummm...I think I should...that is to say...I guess I'll be going." Lizzy trailed off. She always felt like the third wheel when Jane and Charlie were together.

"I guess I have no choice but to follow you," Will said.

"Gee, thanks for the compliment," Lizzy icily spat out as she walked away from Jane and Charlie with Will behind her.

"Umm...I have a jacket, and I don't want to hold it all night," Will said.

"So...put it down," Lizzy said.

"Geez, try to understand me!" Will impatiently sighed. "I need a place to put my jacket down," Will said in a condescending tone, speaking very slowly as if Lizzy didn't understand English.

"Why didn't you just say so? I'm not a mind-reader..."

"Apparently not."

Lizzy shot him a nasty glance.

"Follow me. Everyone probably put their coats in Mr. and Mrs. Lucas' room," she said while climbing the stairs.

The two of them walked into the master bedroom. Lizzy had been correct in her assumption; there was a pile of coats on the bed. She gestured towards it, and he put his coat down on top of the others. She took off her jacket, too, but then hesitated before putting it on the bed. Will was staring at her in a not-so-subtle fashion. At first, she was confused, but then she realised why when she felt an icy draft. She was wearing her camisole...not revealing at all, but sleeveless and fitted, to be sure. She blushed and looked at her hands.

"Excuse me for a moment," she awkwardly said.

Lizzy hastily walked into Charlotte's room, and opened the closet door. Finally, after a few minutes of rummaging around, she found Charlotte's black, lightweight cardigan and put it on to cover her bare arms.

Will gave her an odd look when she walked out into the hallway, but he said nothing as they walked back downstairs. They stood there for a moment staring at each other strangely. Will opened his mouth as if he wanted to say something, but he was interrupted by Billy Collins.

"Hiya, Lizzy! You look really pretty, tonight!"

"Thanks, Billy. I'm...so glad you could come."

"Enough with the small talk. Let's dance!" He grabbed her sleeve (or Charlotte's sleeve, as the case may be) and pulled her to where everyone was dancing.

At just that moment, "Lovefool" by The Cardigans came on. Lizzy was grateful that it was a fast song; she'd rather hang herself than wrap her arms around Billy.

Chapter 7

A slow song came on -- "Four Seasons of Loneliness" by Boyz II Men. Elizabeth looked at Billy, silently praying that he wouldn't ask her to dance.

"Would you like to dance, Lizzy?" he asked.

"Ummm, Billy, I'd really love to, but I can't. I...ummm..."

"She promised to dance this one with me," said a voice.

Lizzy whirled around to face her good friend, Christopher Sall. She smiled gratefully at him and wrapped her arms around his neck as tightly as possible to let Billy know that she didn't want him anywhere near her.

"I have a little crush on Chris, you see," Lizzy fibbed. "Billy, thanks for the offer, but...you know..."

"Oh, well. Maybe another time, Lizzy. Take good care of her, Sall," Billy warned.

And with that, he walked away.

"Chris, thanks so much! I don't think I'll ever be able to repay you! Dancing with him would be like wrapping my arms around a jell-o mold."

Chris laughed.

"Well, I'm always glad to be of service. So, Lizzy, who do you have a crush on?"

"No one, at the moment..."

"Yeah, right!"

"No, Chris, really. I'm happy flying solo."

"That's good."

The song ended, and Lizzy walked away from her friend. She looked around the familiar living room for a while. Alyssa was dancing with Joe. Chris was dancing with Hannah. Charlotte and Billy were dancing (Lizzy slightly gagged). Charlie and Jane looked quite comfy swaying back and forth, together. Katie and Guy were dancing, too. Lizzy felt a pang when she witnessed this scene. Despite what she had told Chris, she felt slightly lonely. Well, very lonely. Young love was an odd thing. Lizzy didn't believe in serious relationships in high school. To her, they were meaningless, 6-month affairs that ended with two people who used to be friends totally hating each other. Despite this, she felt sad. All of her friends seemed to be involved with someone else. It wasn't that she really wanted a boyfriend. She just wanted a friend.

Feeling rather sorry for herself, she walked over to the dining room and sat down, bringing the bowl of Milk Duds with her. She chewed thoughtfully, looking at no one in particular. Soon, Charlie's voice caught her attention. He was standing near the entrance to the room talking to Will. They didn't know she was within hearing distance.

"Why aren't you dancing?"

"I just transferred here, Charlie. I don't know anyone."

"Sure you do."

"Well, everyone I know is dancing."

"Lizzy isn't dancing," Charlie pointed out after surveying the scene.

"I know. She over there stuffing her face with chocolate."

"What's your point, Sherlock?"

"Why should I dance with her? She's cute, I guess...but other than that, she's nothing to write home about."

Lizzy chomped down on her Milk Duds in an attempt to release her fury.

"What are you talking about? Lizzy's the bomb!"

Charlie is definitely my new best friend, she thought.

"Whatever. Why don't you go back to Jane? She looks lonely."

Charlie took his friend's advice and left.

Eeeeuuuuww! What a jerk! Lizzy said to herself as she popped another Milk Dud into her mouth.

The evening progressed slowly for Elizabeth. Everyone else seemed to have a good time, though, so Lizzy just sat quietly with the companionable bowls full of snacks.

Charlotte had just announced that she would play two more songs, and then everyone would be kicked out. "I Will Always Love You" by Whitney Houston came on, and everyone began dancing, again.

Being the major wallflower of the evening, Lizzy decided that she might as well make herself useful and tidy up Charlotte's kitchen. After putting on Mrs. Lucas's apron and rubber gloves, she began to wash dishes and cups. All of a sudden, Will walked into the dining room and ate some Whoppers. She headed in there to get some more bowls when he spotted her.

"Hi, Lizzy. Fun party -- Charlotte did a good job."

"Oh, yeah. Spectacular," she said in a monotone voice.

"Well, you could have tried to have fun, at least."

"Listen, I appreciate you looking out for my welfare and all, but I don't need to hear this from you. I already get it from everyone else."

At this moment, "The Power of Love" came on.

"Well, if you get out of that apron and those gloves, I'd dance with you if you really wanted."

"I'm grateful for the gesture, but I don't need your charity."

And Lizzy stormed off.

Chapter 8

Will Darcy was sitting in his room looking dumbfoundedly at his "World Cultures and Governments" book that lay open in front of him. He was very confused and somewhat worried. Yet, it wasn't the upcoming test on Sumatra's economic system that had put him in this frame of mind. It was love.

Well, love may be too strong a word. But, this was definitely the strongest emotion Will had ever felt for someone other than a family member. He was shocked, nervous, amazed...but not because he had these feelings for someone. It was because of who he had these feelings for.

William Sean Darcy was one of those guys who could have been a player if he wanted to. His amazingly good looks, smooth manner, and high intelligence were some of the reasons for his popularity. But, there was a seemingly conceited air about him. He seemed proud, stuck on himself, arrogant, almost. Yet, what few people knew about him was that he was just painfully shy. He was timid and reserved and very conscious of what some would call propriety. He would never take advantage of a girl or anything of that sort. In fact, he was not only gentlemanlike, but he was almost afraid of the fairer sex. He wasn't good at talking to girls, relating to them, or acting naturally with them. Consequently, he had never had a girlfriend. It was an unusual situation for a senior in high school to be in, but there he was. He'd had minor crushes on girls before, but never anything of this magnitude. No feelings he ever had felt could even be compared to what he now felt for...

Elizabeth Bennet.

Just admitting this made him blush.

I have a crush on Elizabeth Bennet. I really, really like her, Will said to himself.

The poor, nervous boy wiped his sweaty palms on his jeans as he tried to focus on his Social Studies book. It didn't work. All he could think of was her. Even when he initially had thought that he didn't like Elizabeth, he had admitted that she was pretty. Now, he thought her to be the most perfect creature at Fair Lawn High School. Her thick, shiny auburn hair always smelled good. Whenever possible, he would stand behind her while walking down the hallway, and he would smell her hair. She had beautiful eyes. Recently, Lizzy had given an oral report in first period. When her nervous smile had flashed across the room, he had glanced up making direct eye contact with her. He had never noticed how green her eyes were. Green, like the greenest of emeralds. Her lashes were long and dark, and they framed her eyes perfectly. Her skin was a delicate pink and white color, and she had the tendency to blush easily, something which Will found adorable. All in all, he was far gone.

And she hated him.

With a sigh, Will closed his textbook, admitting defeat. Just then, his phone rang.

"Hi. What's up? Any luck with the studying?"

"Hi, nothing, and no, Charlie. I couldn't really concentrate. I'm sorry if I don't find learning about Indonesia's economy interesting, but I don't."

Charlie laughed. "Me, neither, but we've gotta learn it if we want to pass the test."

"True, true...so, did you call for any special reason?"

"Well, I'll be over in an hour to pick you up for the dance..."

Oh, damn, I forgot! I'll be ready, though."

"O.K. Bye."

"Bye."

Click.

Will showered and got dressed and was ready when Charlie came for him.

Chapter 8 B

Author's Note: FYI for all the readers, there are three gymnasiums in my high school. There's one gym in every wing of the school (there are A, B, and C wings). The B-Gym is the main gym in school, and is named after the school's first principal, who's name was, coincidentally, Mr. Bennett. Get it? B-Gym and Bennett Gym...Mr. Bennett is not to be confused with Elizabeth and Jane Bennet, etc. It's purely coincidental. Sorry for any confusion -- I just wanted to clear that up.

The B-Gym is the main gym in FLHS. After walking through the front doors and into the lobby, the gym is directly across the hall on the left side. It's definitely impressive. Flags and pennants from state-wide and national sports competitions are proudly displayed on the walls and hanging from the ceiling. There is a huge mural on the far left wall of the gym. Many of FLHS's students consider it to be their favorite "classroom". Therefore, it's not surprising that approximately 95% of all the school's social events are held in this room.

As Will and Charlie walked into the gym, the decorations caught their eye. Red, white, and gray, the school colors, were displayed all around in the forms of streamers and banners. The Student Council Decorating Committee always did a good job. There was one particular poster on the side of the bleachers that Charlie noticed. He pointed it out to Will.

"Wow! That's really good..."

"Lizzy made it," Charlie nonchalantly stated.

Will's eyes widened as he looked over the poster. The school's mascot, Cutter, the pirate, was the main focal point. He was holding his black hat above his head and grinning, showing a gold tooth. A red, gray, and white ribbon was tied around his peg leg. He was wearing a gold earring in the shape of a "C". Realistically and artistically-drawn teenagers were standing around Cutter holding FLHS banners and wearing class shirts.

WELCOME TO THE DANCE! had been masterfully written in bold bubble letters at the top of the poster.

"I never knew Lizzy could draw like that..." Will breathed.

"Yeah, she's amazing. That girl is like Superwoman. She does anything and everything."

Will could only nod. For the first time in his life, he was dumbstruck by a girl.

The gym was already crowded with people. In the front lobby, tables and tables of snacks and soda had been set up. People were milling around aimlessly, not having anything to do. All of a sudden, a man's voice was heard crackling over the speaker system.

"Hi. I'm Jeff from Total Entertainment. You may have heard of us from MTV's 'The Grind'. Welcome to the Fair Lawn High School Pre-Spring Fling. If you want to request a song, don't be shy, and have fun!"

The music started, then. It was "Spice Up Your Life" by the Spice Girls. It was just the type of song to get people in the mood to do something.

"Hi, Charlie. Hi, Will," Jane Bennet said. The duo turned around. Jane, Lizzy, and Charlotte were standing behind them.

"Hi, sweetie!" Charlie said enthusiastically. He immediately put his arm around Jane.

"I find it so hard to believe that you two aren't married, yet," Lizzy jested with a loving look at her sister and boyfriend.

Everyone laughed.

"Jane, would you care to spice up your life by dancing with me?" Charlie asked.

"I'd love to, Charlie."

"Girl power!" he yelled as the two of them walked off.

Just then, John and Hannah walked up to the group.

"Hi, guys," Hannah said. "We're going to go dance. Wanna come?"

"I've gotta talk to Char for a minute, but we'll catch up to you, later," Lizzy said.

Will walked off with Hannah and John with a lingering look at Lizzy.

"He sure stares at you a lot..."

"Who, Will? Yeah. I can't think why, unless he wants to completely scare me off by taking no pains to conceal his dislike of me."

"But he doesn't scare you?" Charlotte asked hopefully.

"No way! Why should I be scared? I don't care what he thinks of me. Someone like him isn't worth my time, and I think that..."

Just then, Billy Collins interrupted.

"Lizzy, dance with me."

"No, Billy. I'm sorry, but I'm talking to Charlotte, right now." She spoke to him as if he was a bratty and disobedient 4 year-old.

"Well, can I just talk to you for a sec?"

"Just for a sec...sorry, Char."

"Take your time," she said, glumly, wondering why the guys she liked never fell for her until after Lizzy insulted them.

Billy led Lizzy over to the cafeteria.

"Finally, some peace and quiet..." he sighed.

"If you wanted peace and quiet, then why are you at this dance?" Lizzy spat out.

Billy chuckled, showing his appreciation of what he thought of as Lizzy trying to be funny.

"I wasn't trying to be funny," she said.

"Oh. Well, listen, anyway. I've been thinking, and I've decided that you're the lucky girl!"

"The...the lucky girl?"

"Mmm-hmm. I know that the prom is still a few months away, but you can never be too careful about such things."

"The prom?!"

"Yes. I think that you should be my date. It'll be so nice. You'll have a pretty, blue dress, and we can get a limo, and you'll love the corsage I plan on giving you..."

"Wait, Billy. Rewind. I never said I would go with you."

Billy sighed. "Will you go to the prom with me, Lizzy?"

"Actually, Billy, I will not go to the prom with you."

Billy's shock was short-lived.

"I know you're just playing hard-to-get. But you'll come around."

"No, Billy, I won't. I'm sorry. I'm flattered that you asked me, but I have no intention of going to the prom with you."

She thought this answer to be as clear as day, but Billy apparently hadn't caught her drift, yet.

"Stop playing games. I know you want to go with me..."

"No, Billy, I don't! I'm very sorry if I seem rude, but you're forcing me to be. It was really nice of you to ask, and I'm sure there are many girls who would love to go with you...I'm just not one of them. Why don't you ask someone else?"

"Oh, well. Nevermind. I'll call you to ask you, again, after you've changed your mind. What's your number, anyway...?"

Lizzy, exasperated beyond belief, stormed away.

"Charlotte!"

"Lizzy, what happened?"

"Of all the jerky jerks in the world, he's one of the worst!"

"Who?"

"Billy!"

"He asked you to the prom, didn't he?"

"Only FOUR times!!! And I said no three times..."

"So you said yes the last time he asked you?"

"No! I walked away."

"Oh, jeez..."

"Yeah..."

"I feel soooo bad for him."

"Charlotte! How can you say that? He's so..." Just then, she was interrupted.

"Lizzy," Will tentatively said, "if you're free, wanna dance?"

Elizabeth, without thinking, said, "Yes." Her surprise was evident in her eyes and voice.

"Great...so..." he said, as he gestured towards the crowd of people dancing.

"I can't believe I just did that," Lizzy hissed in Charlotte's ear before walking off with Will.

Part C

"All My Life" by K-Ci and JoJo came on just as the awkward couple reached the dance floor.

"Oh, great!" Lizzy thought to herself. "A slow song! Just what I need!"

William was secretly delighted.

To Lizzy's great surprise, Will immediately wrapped his arms around her waist. His grip wasn't loose and indifferent as she had expected it would be. On the contrary, he held her tightly, securely, almost as if she was a helpless and precious nymph that he was afraid would be carried away on a breeze. He didn't merely place his hands on her waist. He was actually holding her.

This sudden, very intimate contact startled Lizzy so much that she could barely move. For the first few seconds of the dance, her arms hung limply at her sides. Soon, however, she recollected herself and wound her arms around Will's neck. He was very tall. Well over six feet tall, and she was only 5'4 -- very tiny for her age.

"Ummm...how tall are you, Will?"

"6'2, I think. Just like Abraham Lincoln."

There was an uncomfortable period of silence.

"Do you have any siblings?"

"Yes, I have a little sister. She's a sophomore, here. Her name is..."

"Annie, right?"

"Yeah..."

"She's sweet -- I don't know her very well, though."

"Umm...do you...do you have any brothers? Umm...or sisters? Besides Jane?"

"I have three other sisters besides Jane. Marissa is a junior, Katie is a sophomore, and Lindsay is a freshman."

"Oh."

"Why don't you say something, now, Will? I've been talking too much."

"No, you haven't been."

"Oh."

"I saw your poster on the side of the bleachers. You're very good...at that kind of thing...I mean...you're a talented artist."

"Thanks...I try."

"Are you involved in everything in school?"

"No..."

Now, they just swayed back and forth in silence, but neither of them minded. Holding her close to him made Will more ecstatic than he ever had been in his life, and Lizzy was admitting to herself that he wasn't as bad as she had initially thought. They listened to K-Ci and JoJo's gorgeous voices sweetly croon the song.

And all my life, I've prayed for someone like you.
And I thank God that I've finally found you.
And all my life, I've prayed for someone like you.
And I hope that you feel the same way, too.
Yes, I pray that you do love me, too.

I promised I'd never fall in love with a stranger.
You're all I'm thinking of.
I praise the Lord above for sending me your love.
I cherish every hug.
I really love you...

When the song ended, Lizzy pulled away hastily. She still wasn't sure how she felt about him. She felt strange. Although he had said some pretty snobby things to her, she had to acknowledge that the sensation of dancing with him was very interesting. Still, she needed time.

"One more?" he asked softly.

"Well, I don't know..." she said as a fast song came on and the spell broke. "I'm a pretty horrible dancer."

"You were fine."

"That was K-Ci and JoJo. Dancing to them is a lot different than dancing to the Backstreet Boys. 'Everybody' isn't exactly my favorite song."

"I don't like the Backstreet Boys, either. They're kind of...bad."

"Yeah...they don't exactly float my boat. Well, I have to go talk to Charlotte."

"Thanks."

"Thanks? For what, may I ask?"

"For dancing with me. You know, I'm the new guy and everything..."

"Don't mention it." With that said, Lizzy walked slowly off rubbing her temples with Will staring in enchantment after her.

"I'm going to marry that girl, one day," Will whispered to himself.

Chapter 9

Valentine's Day. What a completely horrible holiday. Why is Cupid so important, anyway? He's a little boy still wearing a diaper who has the violent tendency to shoot people with arrows. He doesn't seem all that special to me.

Elizabeth was staring glumly at the bouquet of roses that Jane was cradling. A frown crossed her face as she beheld the flawless, pink and white petals sitting regally atop the dark green stems (with the thorns removed, of course).

She could smell their intoxicating fragrance. She sniffed in the heady aroma of the beautiful roses as she tried not to cry.

"Charlie was so sweet to give you those, Jane," Charlotte said as she looked lovingly at the plush Piglet doll that Billy had bought for her at the Disney Store.

"Yeah," Jane breathed.

Alyssa sent a lovesick glance to Joe as she mushilly thanked him for the present he had gotten her. A mango-scented bath set from Garden Botanika and a personalized key-chain that said "Alyssa -N- Joe 4 Ever".

Elizabeth suddenly began to fear that her lunch would come up all over her lap. She walked outside and breathed in the fresh air. Valentine's Day was, without a doubt, the most depressing holiday of the year. Elizabeth truly didn't mind being boyfriend-les. What bothered her was that all her friends who were girls were...boyfriend-ful. Or at least it seemed that way. And that meant that she was lonely. She never got to really spend time with her female friends, because they were always with their boyfriends. All of her male friends were busy with their girlfriends.

"And where does that leave me?" she said aloud. With a sigh, she walked home.

After dinner that night, Lindsay got a phone call. She ran up to her room to answer it. About ten minutes later, she called Katie into her room.

"Katieeeeeeeeee!" Lindsay Bennet screeched from her room, trying to be heard over "No, No, No Part II" by Destiny's Child and Wyclef that was blaring from her stereo.

"What is it, Linz?!"

"Come here!"

Katie ran into her favorite sister's room.

"I didn't know you had this CD," Katie shouted over the music.

"I don't," Lindsay shouted back. "It's on Hot 97," she stated loudly, referring to the popular hip-hop and rap radio station.

"I love this song!" Katie screeched.

"So do I!"

They listened to the rest of the song in silence. When it ended, "Anytime" by Brian McKnight came on. Lindsay turned the volume down and sat on her window seat. Katie plopped down on Lindsay's bed.

"You want one?" asked Lindsay, offering her sister a chocolate Nip.

"Sure -- thanks. So, who called, Linz?" Katie asked.

"That's why I wanted you to come in here, actually. It was Nick Bombadier."

Katie could barely contain her surprise and extreme hurt as Lindsay pronounced his name. She tried not to choke on her sucking candy.

"Nick Bombadier, the senior?" she asked in a quiet voice.

"Of course! And guess what...he asked me out!"

Katie's gray eyes widened.

"Wow...I mean, um...good...uh, great. I mean, wow. That's great, Linz. Did...did you say yes?"

"Du-uh! He's beautiful! And, have you ever seen his car? He has a silver BMW. The fact that he even drives is, like, amazing. I've never dated a licensed driver, before."

"Uh-huh. Yeah. Yes, he drives. Yup."

"Are you O.K., Katie? You seem out of it."

"Well, I am a little tired. I pulled an all-nighter, last night. I was cramming for a big Chem test."

"Well, I have to shower," Lindsay said.

"O.K. Have a good time," Katie said, absentmindedly waving at her younger sister.

Lindsay gave Katie a confused look as she gathered some towels, but said nothing as she walked towards the bathroom.

"What were you saying about Nick Bombadier, Linz?" Lizzy asked as she entered Lindsay's room.

"He asked me out, Lizzy. Isn't that cool?"

"What? But, Lindsay, he's almost eighteen, and you're only fifteen. Isn't that illegal or something?"

"Don't be stupid, Elizabeth. I can date him if I want. Who's going to stop me?" Lindsay looked defiantly into her sister's eyes.

Lizzy sighed.

"Not me."

"Good. I'm glad that's settled. If you'll excuse me, mom," she said, glaring at Elizabeth, "I'm going to take my shower."

The bathroom door slammed, and Katie ran into Elizabeth's arms. She sobbed violently for a few minutes, and Elizabeth uncomfortably held her and let her cry as she felt Katie's tears soak her shirt. When Katie finally pulled away, there was a wet spot on Elizabeth's shoulder, but Katie didn't notice as she blew her nose and attempted to calm herself.

"You really like him, Katie?"

"Yes. I do. And Lindsay knew that."

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

"Don't be. He never would have asked me out, anyway."

"If not, then he's stupid. You're..." she trailed off as she tried to think of something to say. "You're too good for him."

"If I'm too good with him, then how come I'm not with him?"

"Oh, man, Katie, don't you go pulling 'Clueless' on me."

Katie sadly smiled.

"It's really O.K. I just wish Lindsay wasn't so selfish, sometimes. I wouldn't have done something like that to her. It hurts my feelings."

"I know, Katie. I know."

"Now, Katie, tell me everything."

"Lindsay called me in here, and she told me that Nick had asked her out. I don't remember much, except that she was going on and on about his car. I was just trying not to freak out."

"Have you ever thought about why he asked her out? It's not exactly normal for a popular and well-known senior to date a freshman."

Katie looked thoughtful.

"Why do you think he did it?"

Elizabeth looked around Lydia's room. Her eyes took in the posters of Tyson Beckford, Brad Pitt, Jared Leto, Puffy and Mase, and Matt Damon. Then, she looked at Katie. In the background, Lizzy could hear Lindsay singing in the shower.

"Well, maybe we should talk about this is my room."

The sisters waked out of Lindsay's room and into Lizzy's across the hall.

It was easy to tell that Lindsay and Elizabeth were very different just by looking at their decorating schemes. Lindsay's walls were covered floor to ceiling with bright posters, her bedclothes were wildly patterned, her other pieces of furniture included bean-bag chairs and inflatable futons, and her stereo was always blaring. Elizabeth's room was much less jarring to the senses; her walls were painted ivory, her carpet was a soft blue, and she had a simple and pretty wallpaper border. Renoir, Degas, Cassat, and Monet prints were scattered on the walls. Her bed was neatly made, and complimentary, decorative cushions were neatly piled around her pillows. Lindsay's window seat was covered with faux leopard fur. Lizzy's had a blue and ivory-striped cushion that matched her curtains and went with the colors in her border. It was easy to see the contrast between the two girls.

Katie sat on Lizzy's window seat and looked out over the Bennet's pretty back yard. Lizzy sat on her bed.

"So, Lizzy, tell me your theory."

"Katie, before I tell you, I have to tell you something else. I know that you consider...or considered, as the case may be, to be closest with Lindsay out of all of us. But I'm warning you, I'm going to speak very bluntly with you, not because I want to make you angry, but because I'll be telling you the truth. I know you can handle it."

"Oka-ay..." Katie said hesitantly.

"Lindsay is a freshman. Freshman are not exactly well-liked in FLHS. I'm not sure why, but it's true. Most freshman are lucky to have sophomore friends, let alone upper-classmen. But Lindsay is friends with all the popular and important seniors in the school. She's chatty, daring, and somewhat thrilling to be around. That explains why all the girls like her. But what about the boys? There are plenty of freshman that the senior guys never pay attention to. But Lindsay...they like her."

"Well, she's pretty..."

"But it's something more, Katie. It's her rep. Lindsay's outgoing, loud, boy-crazy, flirty...and the guys all assume that she's easy."

Katie gasped.

"Lindsay may not exactly be a shrinking violet, but she's not easy!"

"I know she's not. But they think she is. And, no matter what you say, she's careless."

"So you're saying that they think she's a hooch?"

"That's exactly what I'm saying. And a young, reckless freshman is a perfect target for sleazeballs."

"Nick Bombadier is not a sleazeball!"

"No, but he can act like one. And he does. A lot. He's one of the most notorious players in the school. I don't think he really likes Lindsay. At least, not how he should like her."

Katie looked down at her folded hands. "Maybe you're right. I guess I might as well forget about him. He is kind of...out of my league."

Lizzy just smiled at her sister.

Chapter 10

Ring!

No one picked up the phone.

Ring!

The phone remained un-answered.

Ring!

Mr. Bennet ran down the stairs.

"Hello?" he said breathlessly.

"Hi, Mr. Bennet!"

"Charlotte! Hold on, sweetie. I'll get Lizzy."

"What's up, Char?"

"Girl, I have the best news."

"Well..."

"Well, Billy's parents have a vacation home on Captiva Island in Florida. They invited my family to spend Winter Break with them down there...and my parents told me that I could bring you with me! Isn't that great?"

"Yeah, Char. That's cool," Lizzy said with fake enthusiasm.

"Ask your parents if you can go! It'll be so much fun."

"O.K. Hold on."

A minute later, Elizabeth returned to the phone.

"Char, my dad said that I could go."

"Great! I'm so excited, now! Wanna go shopping, tomorrow? We'll need bathingsuits and stuff..."

"Yeah, sure. I'll call you in the morning."

"Bye."

"Bye."

Click.

Elizabeth hadn't been too enthused when Charlotte first invited her, mostly because Billy would be there. Now, however, things were starting to perk up. Weather-wise, Lizzy thought February to be the most depressing month of the year. The snow was dirty and old and turning to sludge. The cold was oppressive, and the gray skies could put anyone in a bad mood. The opportunity to be in the sun was a pleasant one, and thoughts of pearly-white sand and the bathwater-warm Gulf of Mexico invaded Lizzy's mind while she should have been thinking of schoolwork. Before she knew it, she was extremely anxious for vacation to begin.

It was Friday, and it had been the last day of school before vacation. Charlotte was at the Bennet's house helping Lizzy pack.

Lizzy's normally pristine room was a pig-sty. Summer clothes were strewn all over the floor, and a half-filled suitcase was on her bed.

"Charlotte, I already packed 7 pairs of shorts! We're only going to be gone for 10 days!"

"But Lizzy, I think you should bring these!" she said emphatically, holding up a pair of super-short cutoffs.

"Charlotte, those are my butt-shorts. You know I only wear them when I wash the car. Besides, they're too skimpy."

"Skimpy-schmimpy! If I had legs like yours, I'd never wear pants." Charlotte firmly put the shorts in Lizzy's suitcase.

They silently folded clothing for a few minutes. Charlotte was rifling through Lizzy's walk-in closet when she gasped.

"Char, what is it?"

Charlotte emerged holding a revealing, blue bikini.

"Oh, geez, I've been looking for that thing. I've wanted to throw it out for ages!"

"Throw it out? What are you talking about? It's great! Where did you get it, anyway?"

"Lindsay gave it to me for my birthday, last year. Hmm, it figures that she would be the one to buy me a bikini."

"Well, I'm making you take it. I know that Will is gonna flip when he sees you wearing it."

"Yeah, sure, I'm sure that he -- what?! Will? Will Darcy is going to be in Captiva?"

"Oh, I didn't tell you?" Charlotte asked nonchalantly.

"No!"

"His aunt is Cate de Bourg...you know, that millionaire entrepreneur. Well, she has Will and his cousin, Ricky flown down to her vacation home in South Seas Plantation on Captiva every February. Cate and the Collinses are friends, which is why their vacation homes are next to each other. Get it?"

"Oh..." said Lizzy. Suddenly, this vacation seemed less-appealing.

Chapter 11

"The captain has just gotten cleared for landing. We should be arriving in Fort Myers in about 10 minutes. Currently, the weather is sunny and very warm with temperatures of 87 degrees and visibility of 10 miles. Right about now, I'd like all of you to kindly take your seats, return your seat to a full, upright and locked position, and fasten your seat belts. Attendants will be coming around momentarily to collect any garbage you might have. Thank you for flying with Delta Airlines, and we all hope you enjoy your stay in Florida."

Charlotte and Lizzy looked at each other excitedly as they re-packed their carry-ons and tightened their seatbelts. From the window seat, Lizzy could see palm trees and swimming pools. This was going to be a great 10 days.

After Charlotte had informed Lizzy that Will Darcy would also be in Captiva, she had initially felt dreaded the vacation. Ever since they had danced together, Will had been acting strange. He never looked at her, never talked to her, and, when he did, it was usually to say something insignificant, like, "We had to read chapter 7 for homework, right?". Lizzy's former dislike of him returned with an equal, if not greater force than before, especially after she had overheard him telling someone that her younger sisters were annoying and weird.

After reflection, however, Lizzy decided that she needn't worry about his presence. She could enjoy the pleasure of ignoring him. He couldn't and wouldn't get in the way of the fun time she knew she would have on this vacation. Before she knew it, the plane was bouncing along the runway.

Traveling with the Lucas family was an experience, if nothing else. Besides Mr. and Mrs. Lucas and Charlotte, there was 16 year-old Maria, 13 year-old John, 12 year-old Michael, and 10 year-old Meredith. It took over an hour to collect all the luggage from the baggage claim. No one minded, though, because Cate de Bourg had sent a stretch limo to take them to South Seas Plantation. Inside, there was a huge fruit platter that looked almost too beautiful to eat. This didn't stop the Lucases, however. The kids lunged for it, although they had eaten on the plane not too long ago.

"Isn't this great, Lizzy?" Michael asked with a mouthful of pineapple.

"Yeah, Mike," Lizzy replied smilingly.

The rest of the ride was spent, oddly enough, in silence. Before very long, the bridge connecting the mainland to Sanibel stretched before them all. The water was clear and calm. Boats were floating lazily across. Lizzy watched them with glee. Everything was so lush and beautiful.

Sanibel Island was not large, and the limousine was soon crossing another bridge -- the bridge to Captiva. The Lucas children cheered. Mr. and Mrs. Lucas were smiling broadly at each other. South Seas Plantation was the largest and most beautiful resort on the island. It boasted miles of private beaches, tennis courts, golf courses, shops and salons, restaurants, housing accommodations, and everything else. After Mr. Lucas had checked in to the office building, he was given several sets of keys to beach house number 900. He had been told that there were views of the Gulf and the golf course from the windows and balconies. The beach houses were nestled deep in the heart of the resort. On the way there, the driver conducted an informal tour of the area.

Lizzy soon observed that South Seas Plantation was unlike most other "resorts". There were many different types of housing accommodations, she noticed, like beach and marina villas, private condos and houses, bungalows, and beach homes. It was set up much like a town. There were homes, restaurants, stores, grocery stores, etc. Uncle Bob's was the resort's ice cream shop. The limo driver had purposefully driven past it to show the younger Lucases. The ice cream there, he had said, was the best. There was a deli, a gourmet store, a health club, and several other places for recreation.

Lizzy thought, "This place is like a microcosm! I love it, already."

The beach homes were large and lovely. They were surrounded by beaches and tropical greenery, just like the desk clerk had told Mr. Lucas. The limo driver parked in front of number 903, Cate's house. The house that Lizzy and the Lucases were going to be staying in was just three down (the Collinses were in 902, right in the middle). A gasp arose from everyone as the door to 900 was opened. Besides being huge (2 floors and 6 bedrooms), it was beautiful! Everything was light and airy. There were balconies and large windows and all the furniture was tasteful and pretty. Everyone ran around like mad hens, inspecting the rooms and the views.

Ring!

"Hello?" Mrs. Lucas answered.

There was a pause as the person on the other line spoke. Mrs. Lucas smiled, and said,

"Hold, on, Billy."

Charlotte ran over to where her mother was standing, and took the phone happily.

Billy and Charlotte talked for only a few moments, but the conversation must have been important, because Charlotte's eyes were sparkling when she hung up.

"Billy," said Charlotte, addressing everyone, "is coming over, later. Cate de Bourg has invited all of us to dinner at her house, tonight, for a barbecue."

Lizzy smiled weakly. Will would be there, and that was enough to make her lose her appetite.

Continued In Next Section