Beginning, Section II

Chapter 12

he Collinses and Lucases had been invited for 5:30, but Billy rang house 900's doorbell at ten after the hour, insisting that Cate de Bourg demanded and expected punctuality.

"Tell me about Cate de Bourg, Billy," Charlotte asked him.

Billy's eyes instantly lit up, in the same way they did when someone mentioned church, or Peter, Paul, and Mary.

"Cate de Bourg -- Mrs. de Bourg, I should say -- is a brilliant businesswoman. She started her own company at the age of twenty-five, and she has made nothing but money ever since."

"You seem to admire her a great deal, Billy," said Lizzy, trying not to laugh at his ridiculous obsequiousness.

"Admire? To say that I admire Mrs. de Bourg is putting it mildly, Elizabeth," he said with a hint of annoyance in his voice.

Lizzy noticed, without the slightest amount of regret, that Billy had ceased to call her by her nickname.

"Well, I had better finish getting ready," Lizzy said, retreating into her bedroom.

Lizzy was sure that the barbecue, no matter how rich the hostess of it was, would be casual. Jean shorts were a little too casual, she decided, but her long, sleeveless sundress with some comfy sandals would be more than appropriate.

The dress had a modest V-neck, an empire waist, skinny straps, and was made of a flowy, lightweight material that swirled around her ankles. The fabric was a pure white color with no pattern at all. Worn with her white sandals and an opal heart hanging from a delicate, sterling chain, Lizzy was satisfied. Her hair hung down to the middle of her back in loose, auburn curls.

Her expectations for the evening's "dress code" were shared by Charlotte, apparently, for she emerged from her room in a flowered sundress. The Lucases and Lizzy walked over to house 903. Mr. Lucas timidly rang the bell. A moment later, the door was answered by a butler, looking much like a penguin in his tuxedo.

"Mrs. de Bourg has been expecting you," he said stiffly. "May I show you to her?"

Without waiting for an answer, the butler turned around and began to walk through Cate's house. It was much larger than 900, and probably the Collinses house, number 902, Lizzy wondered why there was no house number 901, but she tried not to think about something so silly as she silently walked behind the butler.

Lizzy began to notice the house, itself. The furniture was obviously expensive, and all antiques, but it was very showy and too stately. It was pretty enough to look at, but not at all the type of house that Lizzy would be comfortable living in. Finally, after much walking (it was a very large house), the butler opened two glass French doors that lead to a patio, and a backyard overlooking the Gulf of Mexico. An lady, about 50, was sitting in a cushioned lawnchair sipping some sort of Daiquiri. Will was sitting near the edge of the backyard, facing the ocean. There were three other people Lizzy didn't know -- another slightly older lady, a teenage girl, and a boy who looked about 19. The Collinses were over by the refreshment table filling their little cocktail plates with canapés.

Will instantly got up and turned around at the sound of approaching footsteps. Suddenly, his eyes found Lizzy, and he could barely keep himself from falling down at the sight of her. She was there, not 50 feet away from him...and she looked perfect. Like an angel. Almost ethereal. Soon, his thoughts were interrupted with Billy Collins' sappy voice.

"Mrs. de Bourg, this is my girlfriend, Charlotte Lucas."

Chapter 13

"Charlotte Lucas, is it?" the woman said in an aristocratic, surprisingly British accent, not even bothering to get up from her chair.

Lizzy watched with pity as Charlotte nervously stepped closer to the imposing woman to stand next to Billy.

"Yes, ma'am," she politely answered in a voice that betrayed none of the nervousness Lizzy knew she felt about meeting her boyfriend's idol.

The woman, obviously Cate de Bourg, raised a dramatically-arched eyebrow and looked pointedly over Charlotte's shoulder.

"Oh," Charlotte continued, "these are my parents and siblings, Mrs. de Bourg."

"I'm glad that you didn't try to call me 'Cate'. I think it very rude when people call their elders by their first names. It shows a shocking lack of respect, don't you agree, Mrs. Jennings?"

The older lady sitting behind Mrs. de Bourg nodded her head enthusiastically and squeaked out an agreement.

Lizzy noticed with a small bit of disgust that Cate de Bourg had rudely ignored her guests after Charlotte had introduced them. Liking the Lucas family a great deal, Lizzy felt insulted for their sake.

An uncomfortable moment of silence ensued before Cate spoke, again.

"Miss Lucas, I assume this girl in front of me is your friend, Elizabeth Benedict."

"Bennet, ma'am. Her name is Elizabeth Bennet," Charlotte calmly corrected her hostess.

Billy looked at his girlfriend with an alarmed expression on his face, as if she had been the only person in the world to ever "talk back to" Cate de Bourg. However, Cate wasn't offended by this correction. In fact, she seemed to find Charlotte's easy manner rather refreshing.

"Bennet, Benedict, they're all the same to me. Come, Miss Bennet, let me have a look at you."

Elizabeth, wide-eyed, approached Mrs. de Bourg. The woman made circling motions with her index finger, wordlessly commanding Elizabeth to turn around for a full inspection. Elizabeth couldn't help but think of the scene from "The Sound of Music" where Captain von Trapp made Maria turn around in circles so that he could look at her. Lizzy was having a hard time deciding whether she felt like a piece of meat being checked by the USDA or a manican, when, finally, Cate told her that she could stand still.

"Your friend seems to be a pretty little thing," Cate said to Charlotte, pretending that Lizzy wasn't even there. Her scrutinizing gaze swiftly passed over Lizzy's face.

"Pretty eyes. Good skin. Lovely hair color."

Lizzy blushed, sighing inwardly. It was going to be a long night. >

Chapter 14

Posted on Tuesday, 7 July 1998

I want to thank you all for being so patient with me -- it took me forever to post this, and I'm sorry. Thanks to Rachel for allowing me to put her in this story. Also, thanks to Katt, Lise, and Cos -- you guys are coming up, soon, I promise! I also posted this at Mod Jane.

Elizabeth had tried to keep herself composed as Cate inspected her. However, it had been hard to do so, even for someone like Lizzy, who usually had such control over herself. Finally, Cate had told Lizzy that "she was dismissed". Lizzy was too grateful to be able to get away from this frightening woman to pay attention to her condescending way of speaking, and she quickly walked over to the other side of the yard.

"Don't pay attention to Aunt Catherine," Lizzy heard a male voice say. "She likes to get on people's nerves, as hard as it is to believe," he continued with a chuckle.

Lizzy whirled around to see where the voice was coming from. She found a guy whom she had never met facing her. She quickly looked him over. He was tall and attractive, with nice, blue-gray eyes. His light brown hair, touched with blonde highlights, was combed neatly. He had a friendly, warm smile, and a nice body, Lizzy noticed. She looked amusedly at his shirt; it was gray and said "Army" on it.

"Planning on enlisting?" she teased, and he flashed his winning smile at her.

"Not yet. My older brother went to West Point, though, you see."

"So you're the baby in the family?"

"Yeah, I guess you could say that."

They smiled at each other for a few seconds, until the boy realized his rudeness at not introducing himself and held out his hand, which Elizabeth promptly shook.

"I'm Ricky Fitzwilliam...well, Richard, actually, but people call me Rick or Ricky."

"Hi, Ricky. I'm Elizabeth Bennet. Call me Lizzy, though."

"So you're the famous Lizzy Bennet?"

"Huh?"

"Will Darcy is my cousin, you see. I've already heard about you."

Lizzy tried to contain her surprise at Ricky's first statement, but she couldn't.

"I have to admit, you're very different from Will. Or, I should say, he's very different from you."

Ricky laughed good-naturedly.

"Yeah. Ole' Willie-boy got all the good genes," he commented, pretending to be jealous. "He's the studious one, the smart one, the good-looking one..."

"You're very good-looking," she blurted out, and then blushed furiously.

"Oh, I think we'll get along very well," Ricky said, laughing. He took her by the arm and led her to a pair of cushioned lounge chairs.

"So, Will told you about me?" Lizzy asked as she lay down on one of the chairs.

"Yes, and none of the praise was exaggerated."

"I can easily believe it. Will Darcy is one of the harshest personality critics I've ever met."

Ricky laughed, yet again.

They talked companionably for a few minutes more before they were interrupted by, of all people...

"Will!" Lizzy exclaimed. She had forgotten that he was even here, as he had not approached her all evening.

"Well, speak of the devil," Ricky jested.

Will chose to ignore his cousin's comment, but a tiny voice nagged in the back of his mind. They were talking about me?

"Hello, Lizzy," he said, wondering why his palms had suddenly gotten all sweaty.

"Hi," she said, flatly.

"Umm, how's your family?"

"They're fine. How's Annie?"

"She's fine."

"Great," Lizzy thought to herself. "Another stimulating conversation with Mr. Interesting."

Will, feeling extremely stupid and tongue-tied, walked away from his cousin and Lizzy.

Elizabeth watched him go without the slightest bit of sadness. She then turned back to Ricky and said,

"Will and I aren't exactly the best of friends."

"That's surprising."

"Why should it be? We don't seem to have much to say to each other. The friendship would go nowhere."

"I guess not. But, Lizzy, I hope we can become friends. Not to insult my aunt, but visiting her has never been that much fun, to say the least. I've never had someone my age to talk to."

"You have Will."

"Well, yes, and we're good friends, but he's never that lively when he comes to visit Aunt Cate."

"I don't really blame him," Lizzy said with a smile.

The rest of the evening passed off much in the same way. When dinner was served, Lizzy was introduced to Ann, Cate's daughter. Ann was tiny and frail. Her complexion was a sallow, pale greenish color, and her eyes were virtually expressionless. Lizzy was unimpressed with the person Billy Collins had called "bright and talented".

Before the Collinses and the Lucases left for the evening, Ricky assured Lizzy that he would call her, tomorrow, and they would arrange to do something together. Lizzy happily agreed, and that was that.

After Cate's guests left, Will and Ricky decided to take a walk on the beach. They removed their shoes and socks to enjoy the cool sand and they began to stroll.

They weren't talking about anything in particular, when the subject of Lizzy came up, suddenly.

"Will, she's great! A lot of fun. Why didn't you tell me more about her, before?"

"Well, I didn't know you planned to charm the pants off of her," Will said, tensely, frowning a bit.

"There's no need to get hostile just because I like a friend of yours, O.K.?"

"Who's getting hostile? I just don't think Lizzy is the type to go for a player like you."

"Player? Excuse me, Mr. I'm-afraid-of-girls, but I am not a player. I just happen to enjoy female company, and they enjoy mine, too. What's so wrong with that?"

Will's angry face softened.

"I'm sorry, Rick. I didn't mean what I said. It's just that Lizzy..."

Will's voice faded as he pronounced the name of the girl that he'd had a crush on for the past two months. But that was just the thing. He had only known her for a short while, but it felt like he had liked her, forever. It puzzled and frightened and confused him. And now, his cousin -- his charming, popular, female-attracting cousin -- wanted to take her away from him. And Ricky probably could do it, successfully, if he wanted to, Will reminded himself.

"Wait a minute, Will...what are you trying to say, here? Are you saying that you like Lizzy?"

Will sighed and managed a bitter smile.

"Yes, I do. But girls always like you. And, she seems to be no exception. Lizzy isn't a piece of land for me to claim. If you want to try to get her, be my guest."

"Will, I wasn't planning to ask her out or anything, just to be her friend...you know, hang out with her on this vacation. It's not like I'm planning on marrying her or anything."

Despite this relieving news, Will still looked somber. He wasn't exactly confident with his girl-snagging abilities.

"C'mon, Will, we're in Florida, on the beach, by the ocean! Lighten up! Smile!"

Rick turned around to face his cousin and continued walking, oblivious to the person directly in his path, too preoccupied with reading the book in her hand to look up.

Suddenly, Ricky and the girl collided.

"Oh, I'm really sorry!" he said to the girl.

"No! It was my fault," she said blushing.

As Ricky bent to pick up the book the girl had dropped, he found himself face-to-face with the girl's legs.

"Oh . . . my . . . Lord . . .!" Ricky thought. His eyes then focused on the delicate, silver chain and nameplate around her ankle. The nameplate was inscribed with the word "Rachel".

"Ummmm...here's your book," he said, straightening up, trying to act natural and steady his erratic breathing that his encounter with her legs had brought on. While picking up the book, Ricky had noticed the title. Persuasion.

"Thanks," the girl said, grasping the book to her.

It was then that the two of them looked at each other.

"Oh, my G-d," the girl breathed.

Ricky could only stare. The girl had long, blonde hair, dark blue eyes, and a sunburn on her cheeks and nose.

"I'm Ricky," he said.

"I'm yours!" the girl wanted to say. But, she refrained from doing so and instead, she softly said,

"I'm Rachel."

Chapter 15

Posted on Thursday, 16 July 1998

Thanks to Katt, Lise, and Cos...and especially to Rachel. Enjoy!

"Hi, Rachel. I'm Ricky."

Rachel giggled slightly.

"You already told me," she said, smiling.

"Oh, I did? Well, umm...so, are you here, alone?"

"No. I met these 6 people since I've been here, and we've become really close. They were just here a minute ago," Rachel said as she looked behind her. She looked down the shoreline, trying to see her friends. When she squinted, she could just make out tiny figures, a very long way down the beach.

"Well, Rachel, this is my cousin, Will," Ricky said, gesturing behind him.

Will came forward and shook Rachel's hand.

"It's nice to meet you, Rachel," he said.

"You too, Will."

Ricky gestured towards the sand, and Rachel sat down. Ricky sat down beside her, keeping only a small distance between them. Rachel panicked. She felt her heart hammer in her chest so hard that she could feel it.

"I hope Ricky can't hear it," she silently prayed.

Ricky heard nothing. He tried to look nonchalant as he played with some grains of sand, not wanting Rachel to see his shaking hands.

"Where are you from?" they asked at the same time.

Rachel giggled, shakily, and gestured at Ricky, telling him to speak first.

"New Hampshire. What about you?"

"Missouri, she Show-Me State," she answered proudly, and then blushed.

Ricky looked forlorn.

"That's very far away..."

Rachel's eyes widened as she looked at Ricky's face, and then she looked down at her sandals.

"So, Rachel, tell me about yourself. What you like to do, what movies you like to see, about your family..."

"Well, I really like to read, especially Jane Austen. I also love Byron and Shakespeare, and I just read a book called Bridget Jones's Diary, that I really, really loved. I like to write stories...I like all sorts of movies, so I really couldn't say which type in particular I go see. I love anything dealing with Monty Python, basically. My closest friend would have to be Charlotte. I have an older sister and a younger sister, and we get along pretty well...except that my younger sister occasionally annoys me...all the time. I'm a senior in high school, I take French, and I was born in March."

Ricky looked at Rachel. She seemed intelligent, fun, and very nice. He liked her. A lot.

"What about you, Ricky?"

"Well, my name is Richard Fitzwilliam. My dad is British, my mom is from Washington, D.C., and I have two brothers, both of whom are olden than me. Their names are Jason and Paul. I like to read, too. My favorite book is The Grapes of Wrath. I like old movies, especially ones with Cary Grant and Jimmy Stewart and Clark Gable. They were just so cool. I listen to classic rock -- mostly Jimmy Hendrix, the Doors, Cream, and the Grateful Dead. As for more modern music, I like Third Eye Blind, Matchbox 20, The Beastie Boys, Adam Sandler, and Pearl Jam. I like to play sports, to rollerblade, and to have fun with friends. I'm also a senior, and I was born in December."

Rachel smiled at Ricky. He was perfect. Perfect for her. Oh, this was going to be a great vacation.

Will, who had been sitting a little bit separated from his cousin and Rachel, now stood up.

"Rachel," he said, pointing, "are those your friends?"

Rachel tore her eyes from Ricky and looked back. Sure enough, Katt, William, Lise, Henry, Cos, and Johnny were walking towards them.

"Yes," she answered, sorry for the interruption in her and Ricky's conversation.

"Come on, Ricky and Will. I'll introduce you."

Rachel, Ricky, and Will met up with Rachel's 6 friends.

"Where did you guys go?" Rachel asked them.

"What do you mean, Rach?" asked a girl wearing a big t-shirt that said "LONDON" on it. "We told you that we were going to Uncle Bob's for dessert, and you just kept on walking."

"Oh," Rachel said, a flush creeping up her face, "I must not have heard you."

"That's O.K.," the girl said with a smile.

"Oh, everyone, I guess I should introduce you...Ricky Fitzwilliam and Will..."

"Darcy. Will Darcy," Will answered.

"...Darcy, this is Katt, William, Lise, Henry, Cos, and Johnny."

Katt was the girl who had just been talking to Rachel. She was holding hands with a tall, extremely good-looking boy who turned out to be William. Lise had straight, brown hair with mahogany highlights and was with Henry. Cos, who was wearing a noticeably short miniskirt, was with Johnny. Johnny was tall and very serious.

Rachel's friends all exchanged friendly greetings with Ricky and Will. Lise, Cos, and William were clearly not American, judging from their interesting accents. As it turned out, Cos was from Argentina, William was British, and Lise was from The Netherlands.

William was Katt's boyfriend. They had been going out for over a year, and he had come on this vacation with Katt's family. Henry turned out to be Henry Tilney, a nice guy who loved to swim. He and Lise were perfect together, since Lise was a competitive swimmer. Johnny Doorman was stiff and formal, but a basically fun person, who appeared to like Cos a great deal.

Once everyone knew each others' names, the crowd talked for about 15 minutes. Will was not part of this crowd. He, instead, walked close to the shoreline looking at shells and thinking of Lizzy. He would surely see her, tomorrow. Maybe he would ask her if she wanted to hang out with him...but no. He wasn't ready. He was too nervous.

By now, it was very late, and Will reminded Ricky that Cate would be starting to worry.

"One minute, Will!"

Ricky pulled Rachel aside.

"It was really great meeting you. Maybe, if you're not busy, tomorrow, we could...you know, hang out?" He flashed his famous smile at her, outwardly appearing calm and sure of himself, but inwardly praying that she would say yes.

Rachel's face lit up.

"That would be great!"

Ricky couldn't help a relieved sigh from escaping his lips as pulled out a pen that just happened to be in his pocket.

Rachel and Ricky told each other where they were staying -- Rachel and her family were in a Marina Villa -- and they wrote each others' addresses on their hands with Ricky's pen. They then said goodnight. Before they parted, however, Ricky kissed Rachel on the cheek.

Rachel was rooted to the ground, practically. She watched Ricky and Will leave until she could no longer see them. Then, she silently picked up her book and walked back to her villa.

Chapter 16

Posted Thursday, 23-Jul-98

Will chuckled lightly while walking back to the beach house with Ricky.

"What's so funny, oh younger cousin of mine?" Ricky asked with a note of good humor in his voice.

"You've always been the type to have so many female...acquaintances at the same time. I have the feeling that Rachel, however, could change all of that. She's going to reform you, big boy, I can tell...so watch you back," he said, laughing again.

Ricky smiled widely. It was not his usual smile that bespoke of candor and wit and fun, though. It was different. It was a smile of...contentment? Satisfaction? Will couldn't be exactly sure that he had discerned his cousin's feeling correctly, but he had a notion that Ricky was not going to let Rachel slip through his fingers.

"Let her reform me, then!" Ricky said, breaking into Will's thoughts. "God knows, it would do me good!"

"You sound like a less reluctant version of Skye Masterson."

"Skye Masterson...the gambler from 'Guys and Dolls' who ends up with the nun?"

"Yeah, sort of. Sarah Brown wasn't a nun, though."

"Whatever. Close enough. I remember when Aunt Cate took us to see that in London. It was pretty cool for a musical."

Ricky and Will walked a bit more in silence. They were almost back at Cate's house. Then, Ricky stopped walking. He faced Will with a serious expression on his face.

"I really like her, Will. I mean, I've known her for about an hour, but I feel like I'm somehow connected to her. What if I screw up, though? I don't want to have a fling. I'd like to get to know her."

Will could not help but feel the irony of the situation. Ricky was friends with lots of girls. He was confident around them. Will could barely talk to girls, especially Lizzy, without stuttering. And yet, Ricky was the one confiding in Will and asking him for advice with pleading eyes.

"So get to know her. Hang out with her. Ask her about herself. Be interested in what she has to say. Call her. Ask her out. Respect her. She's already putty in your hands. I doubt you'll experience difficulties."

Ricky looked gratefully at his cousin.

"You've gotten tall, Will. You're taller than I am. You look like a skyscraper with big muscles."

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

Will then blushed, remembering that he had said almost the same exact thing when he and Lizzy had been dancing together. He looked at his shoes and changed the subject.

The day had been long. Will and Ricky promptly fell asleep.

"Rachel, what just happened? Who was that guy?" Katt asked with a kind but curious smile.

"I introduced him, Katt. His name is Ricky Fitzwilliam. He's very nice and handsome and interesting, and I think I'm in love."

"What?!" Cos, Lise, Katt, William, Henry, and Johnny yelled in surprise.

"Oh, don't act like I'm not allowed to have a little crush on someone. I'm not really in love with him. I'm in like with him."

"Cool beans!" Lise chimed in.

"Rachel, that's great," William said. "He does seem to like you a lot."

Rachel sent William a smile and then sighed.

"You guys know that I'm really glad that we became such good friends, here, but I'm clearly the seventh wheel. You all are couples, and I'm the only single one. It can get a bit lonely, sometimes. And, I really want to get to know Ricky better. You all won't mind if I spend some private time with him, do you?"

"Not at all," said Cos, adjusting her skirt. "We understand." Cos then looked at her sweater. "Is anyone else hungry?" she asked. Everyone answered no, and Cos then began to chew on her sleeve.

"I'm tired. I think we should go back," Henry suggested.

Everyone got up and began walking back towards the Marina. Rachel walked ahead of the 3 couples, who had broken apart to walk in pairs. Rachel looked back, once, to find Lise and Henry holding hands and laughing. Cos and Johnny had their arms around each other. Katt and William had stopped a while back to share a kiss and look at each other. Part of Rachel felt slightly embarrassed that she had witnessed these affectionate displays. The other part felt secretly giddy at the thought that she, too, might soon be in a tender relationship like the ones her friends were currently involved in.

Elizabeth had changed into a pair of lightweight, cotton pajama pants and a strappy camisole. She meditively tied the drawstring loosely around her narrow waist. She looked into the mirror absently while gathering her dark hair into a dew-drop and securing it with a scrunchie.

"Ricky Fitzwilliam. Hmmm. What do I think of him?"

Charlotte walked in.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi, Char. What do you think of Ricky Fitzwilliam."

"Well...I didn't talk to him much. He seemed intelligent and funny and sweet, as far as I can tell."

She looked at her best friend's thoughtful expression and laughed.

"Go for it, Lizzy!"

"You mean Ricky, Charlotte? No."

"No? Why? You two got along great."

"I have this weird feeling, though. It's like he's my brother. Or a friend. But nothing else."

"Well, that's better than nothing. There's always Will, who's completely obsessed with you..."

The serene expression on Elizabeth's face instantly faded at the mention of Will's name. Her eyes turned into green pools of fire, flashing with passionate rage.

"What do you mean, Charlotte? That boy hates me, and the feeling is mutual, I assure you."

"Hates you? What have you been smoking? He..."

"He never talks to me. He always glares at me. He told someone that Marissa was a drip, that Katie was a pathetic follower, and that Lindsay was easy. He told Charlie, when I was within earshot, that I was 'nothing to write home about'. Just because he condescended to come to our humble little school, it doesn't mean that he can be a jerk and expect no one to care just because he's rich!"

"Well, Lizzy, if you hate him so much, why do you remember everything he says? Why do you care about what he thinks so much? Why are you constantly analyzing him?"

"I..."

Lizzy couldn't deny what Charlotte had said, so she just shrugged.

"Char, it's late, and I'm completely ready for bed. How about it?"

Charlotte smiled and agreed.

Charlotte and Elizabeth got into bed. Before they dropped of to sleep, Elizabeth said,

"Charlotte, thanks for inviting me, here. We're going to have the best time."

"I know," Charlotte answered.

And then, they both fell asleep.

Chapter 17

Posted on Saturday, 05-Sep-98

Not surprisingly, the sun rose quickly and furiously over the alabaster beaches of South Seas Plantation, the next morning. Lizzy and Charlotte had forgotten to close their curtains the night before, so the bright beams shone into the room with complete force.

At the last minute, Charlotte and Lizzy had decided to share a bedroom. They figured that it would be a good idea, since they knew from past experiences at sleep-overs that they loved to talk until the early hours of the morning.

Charlotte was a light sleeper. The sun quickly woke her from her slumber. She stretched silently. The clock on the nightstand next to her bed read 7:30. Trying not to groan at the ungodly hour, she stretched, again, and looked over at her best friend sleeping peacefully across the room.

Elizabeth's chest slowly rose and fell with her even breathing. Her mouth was closed. Her hair had come out of its dewdrop and now spilled down her back in all its espresso-colored glory. Her natural red highlights shone in the sunlight. Her white skin glowed. Charlotte just knew that if William could just see her now, he would drop through the floor.

But, of course, she thinks he hates her. And she tries to tell herself that she hates him, Charlotte mused with an exasperated smile on her face.

Suddenly, she decided that if she had to wake up early, Lizzy had no right to sleep late.

"Li-zzy! Wake up!"

Lizzy stirred but eventually rolled over and was again still.

Charlotte pounced on her friend.

"Wow! Yeah! Hey, baby, wake up! Come and dance with me!"

By now, Charlotte was laughing hard. Lizzy woke up, slowly. She slowly blinked her huge eyes several times.

"Charlotte," she whispered, "I am planning on killing you several times, later."

Lizzy took a pillow and covered her face.

Charlotte laughed so hard that tears dotted the corners of her eyes.

Lizzy reluctantly sat up. Her pajama pants were twisted. She adjusted them as she rose from her bed.

Charlotte smiled at her.

"Breakfast?"

Lizzy smiled back and wordlessly lead the way to the kitchen.

Rachel picked up the phone on the first ring.

"Hello," she said excitedly into the receiver.

"Rachel, this is Ricky."

"Oh," she breathed, "I could tell by the ring."

His laughter came through the line clearly, making Rachel lose her composure for a second.

"I trust you slept well, m'lady?"

"Indeed, my lord, I did," Rachel smilingly answered.

"I was wondering if you were interested in seeing a movie, later...?"

"Oh, that would be great! What movie?"

"It's 'Good Will Hunting'. I hope you haven't seen it...?"

"Not yet, although I've been wanting to."

"Great! Well, we won't be alone. My cousin is coming. And so are Charlotte Lucas, her boyfriend, Billy Collins, and Charlotte's best friend. Her name is Elizabeth Bennet. She's great! You'll love her."

"Elizabeth...Bennet?," Rachel questioned, feeling nervous and a bit threatened.

"Will is over the moon for her," Ricky answered automatically, as if he could read her thoughts.

Rachel let out her anxiety in a shaky laugh and then answered,

"Then I'm sure she's wonderful. What time should I meet you at the theatre?"

"I think the movie starts at two, so do you think you can make it by twenty of?"

"Sure! Great! I'll see you then."

"Oh, and Rachel?"

"Yes?"

"Seeing is as we already have quite a crowd going, why don't you ask your friends?"

"I will, definitely. See you, later."

"I can't wait."

Rachel put down the phone with a trembling hand. She was going on a date! All right, it was a date with five other couples, but a date, nonetheless.

"Aaaaaaaa!" she shrieked. "I'm going on a daaaaaaaaaaaaaaate!"

Chapter 18

Posted on Tuesday, 22-Sep-98

Rachel stood in her room looking into the mirror. She wanted to look nice for the date, because Ricky was going to be there, and she liked Ricky. But, then again, they were going to the movies. Rachel wouldn't feel comfortable if she was wearing nice clothes. Plus, it was dark in the theatre. Who would see her? If she dressed casually, she would be comfortable. Everyone was probably going to wear jeans or jean shorts and t-shirts. Rachel took out a pair of cargo shorts from the chest of drawers in her room.

"But," she said aloud, "it's probably going to be very heavily air-conditioned in the theatre. I'll get goosebumps all over my legs, and that won't be incredibly attractive..."

Rachel sighed disgustedly at herself.

What's my problem? she thought. She looked at her watch. Twenty-five after two. She had to leave, soon.

She folded her shorts and took out her Lee bells. They were lightweight, so they wouldn't make her hot in the Florida heat. She combed her just-washed (and still wet) hair into a ponytail and then swept it into an updo, which she secured with a scrunchie. She put on her jeans and a Gap tank top. She looked at the shoes she had brought, finally deciding on her light blue-striped Adidas Superstar II's. She brought two packs of gum, noting that popcorn breath would never do. With a deep breath, she left, ready for her date.

"Will, lend me your shirt!"

"What shirt, Rick? I brought at least ten," Will answered, laughing.

"Your blue Polo. It brings out my sky-blue eyes..." Ricky laughed, amused at his comment.

"Well, Mr. Sinatra, you can get it, yourself. Or, should I call you Marlon Brando? You are Skye Masterson, after all. Anyway, it's in the top drawer."

"Thanks, and I'd rather be Frank Sinatra," Ricky called out as he scurried to Will's room.

Will laughed as his cousin, clad only in his tank top and a pair of plaid boxers, ran off frantically. Now alone, he had time to let his nervousness sink in. Everyone going to the movies, today, would be one half of a couple, except for him...and Lizzy.

Will had just gotten out of the shower, and he was standing in the hallway wearing his terrycloth robe. He was rubbing his hair with a towel and dripping water on the floor. He realised that he must have looked incredibly stupid standing there, so he walked to his room. Ricky had found the shirt he wanted and was getting dressed in his own room.

Will looked into the mirror as he got dressed. He picked a short-sleeved button-down from Abercrombie and Fitch which he wore over a thin tank top acting as an undershirt. He had noticed over the past months that the majority of Lizzy's clothes were from Abercrombie. So were his. Not like she would like him because they had similar taste in clothes, but it was still a bond. He brushed his hair carefully, so that it looked nice and slightly tousled. When he and Ricky were ready, they left at twenty-five of.

Things were less hectic at the Lucas beach house. Charlotte had gone on several dates with Billy; this one was no different. She dressed quickly and was perfectly happy in jean shorts and a t-shirt. Lizzy had received the phone call from Ricky, this morning. She had smiled widely as he informed her that he had met Rachel. She felt sincerely happy for him, confirming her guess that their friendship was of the brotherly-sisterly sort.

Lizzy had no problem picking out what to wear. She wanted to be comfy, so she donned her Lee bells. She was about to take out a shirt, but she spotted her blue bikini top, first. She removed her bra, put the bikini top on and called Charlotte in.

"I knew I'd find some use for this thing!" she excitedly squealed to her friend.

"Lizzy, your bikini top! You're going to wear it swimming?"

"No, Charlotte. I'd feel naked in it. But, it's much more comfortable than a bra. That's what I'll use it for..."

"Oh, G-d! You're so weird," Charlotte said, smiling.

Lizzy ran back into her room and put on a tank top from the Gap. Then, she slipped on white ankle socks and her light blue-striped Adidas Superstar II's. Ricky had told Lizzy to be at the theatre at twenty of two, so she and Charlotte and Billy left at twenty-five of.

Everyone was at the theatre by twenty of two. Rachel's six friends were introduced to Charlotte, Billy, and Lizzy. Then, Ricky introduced Rachel to Charlotte and Billy. The introduction to Lizzy came last. Lizzy walked up to Rachel smiling, and Rachel did the same. But, both girls' smiles turned to shock and then laughter as they realised that they were both wearing the same outfit, down to the shoes!

"My, my, Rachel, what excellent taste in clothes you have!"

"Darling," Rachel said, giggling, "I was just about to say the same to you!"

Will, watching from the sidelines, was mesmerized by Lizzy's ability to make friends and attract people to her. She was like a beacon of light; a warm, angelic presence.

Lizzy and Rachel had, indeed, instantly become friends. They talked a few minutes more before Lizzy tactfully retreated, leaving Ricky and Rachel to themselves. She walked up to the ticket booth but was stopped by Will.

He thrust a ticket in her hand, and she looked up at him with curious eyes.

"All the other guys were paying for the girls' tickets. I thought..."

"Well, um...thanks, Will."

"No problem," he said with a tiny smile. He walked quickly away.

"What a weirdo," she said to herself, trying to ignore her feelings of confusion at Will's unexpected gallantry and his quick retreat.

By five of two, the group had bought their tickets, their snacks, and were seated in the theatre.

Chapter 19

Posted on Wednesday, 23-Sep-98

Not part of the story: Surprise, surprise, all! I only had about 3 hours of homework, tonight, which was ex-ce-llent! So, I figured that I owed it to the lovely, faithful readers to use my free time wisely and get at least another chapter out for you all. I hope you all like it!

Lise, Henry, Cos, Johnny, Katt and William sat somewhere in the middle of the theatre. Ricky and Rachel sat in the same row, but on the other end. Charlotte, Billy, Lizzy and Will were going to sit with the others, but the theatre was too full, and they were forced to find seats elsewhere. Charlotte and Billy found two seats next to each other a bit closer to the front. Lizzy looked awkwardly at Will as they both realised that they would be sitting next to each other.

Will was secretly ecstatic. Well, ecstatic and a nervous wreck at the same time. He felt the now-familiar sensation of his palms clamming up, as they always did when around Lizzy. She could feel an dull throb at her temples. The pain became more incessant as they found the last remaining seats in the theatre: the ones all the way in the back, tucked away in an intimate corner.

Will courteously asked Lizzy if she preferred the aisle seat. She answered affirmatively and thanked him. They sat down just at the lights began to dim. There were at least seven previews, none of which were particularly interesting. Finally, however, the movie came on.

From the first moment, Lizzy was mesmerized. The acting, the dialogue, it was all so brilliant. She fell a little in love with Matt Damon as soon as he came on the screen. Minnie Driver was amazing. Robin Williams was unbelievable. Ben and Casey Affleck were sweet and funny.

Will had read the reviews of "Good Will Hunting" and had wanted to see it for a long time. To his annoyance, however, he couldn't seem to concentrate on the movie much. Lizzy was so close that he had no control over himself. Lizzy's profile was illuminated by the lights coming from the screen. He loved how he could tell her feelings just by watching her face: her amusement, her surprise, her sadness during certain scenes. As she chewed her Sour Patch Kids, her dimples appeared. He smiled while he watched her eat the candy, noting that she did the same thing as he did when he ate them: she divided them into piles according to color and ate the red ones last. Then, with a breaking heart, he watched tears fall from her eyes many a time throughout the movie. Her lips trembled as she cried, and at one point, she put her hands over her nose and mouth to stifle her sobs and sniffles. Her tears were big and fast and dripped down her face like rain. Finally, though, he was relieved to see an approving smile wash over her features near the end of the movie. He suddenly decided to look at the screen. Ben Affleck's character was at a dingy house waiting for someone to come to the door...but no one came. He didn't look upset, though. He just calmly walked back to his car and drove off. Having not watched any of the movie, Will had no idea what happened, so he turned his attention back to Lizzy. She was crying, again, but they were happy tears. Will once again looked at the screen. Robin Williams' character was holding a note. Will only looked for a second, but he could make out part of the writing on the note. It said:

"I went to see about a girl."

Pretty soon after that, the movie ended. Lizzy dried her face. Then, the lights came on as the credits finished rolling, and the kids regrouped.

Everyone was talking about the movie. All the girls had adored it, and so had the guys, except for Billy. He was whining to Charlotte about it.

"I hate it when you're just left hanging like that at the end of the movie! I mean, do Will and Skylar get married? Do they even get back together?"

"Oh, Billy, you're supposed to use your imagination! That's the great thing about it. I like to think that everything worked out, though," Charlotte answered.

Rachel had been engrossed with Ricky the whole time, but she now tore her adoring gaze away to politely ask Will,

"Did you like the movie?"

Will was caught off guard.

"Oh...I, um...yes, I did like it. It was very intelligent. Very good. Uh-huh."

"Did you have a favorite part?"

"Not really. You know, it's hard to narrow it down..."

Rachel nodded.

"Oh, I completely understand! I don't have a favorite part, either. It would be fascinating, though, to have a discussion on the movie. It's so psychological!"

That was close, Will thought, as Rachel smiled at him and turned back to Ricky.

Rachel had tactfully decided not to question him, any longer, and began to feel bad for even asking him about the movie in the first place, since she knew he hadn't watched most of it A few times, Rachel had turned around to briefly study Will's behavior. He had stared at Lizzy the whole time. Ricky statement that Will was over the moon for Elizabeth Bennet appeared to be more than true!

Ricky looked at Rachel in awe. She was wonderful! So intelligent, so funny, so perfect for him. The two had hit it off as much, if not more, than last night. They had laughed at the same parts, been worried at the same parts, even gotten sad, together. Rachel had cried, as well, during the movie. Ricky had held her hand throughout it all, and it felt just right to them both.

"Rachel, I have to go, but maybe we can go to the beach, tomorrow...?"

"Ricky, that would be great!" Rachel couldn't surpress her wide smile.

"I'll call you, then. Thanks for coming, today! I had...a really great time." His smile was as large as Rachel's, and certainly as sincere.

After awkwardly kissing his cheek, Rachel walked away.

Will went back to the theatre, that night. This time, we watched the whole movie, and he loved it.

Chapter 20

Posted on Sunday, 27-Sep-98

There is only one word to describe what one subject occupied the minds of Rachel, Ricky, Will, Charlotte, Billy, Lizzy, Henry, Cos, Lise, Johnny, Katt and William: Bathing suits. The group had planned to meet at Sun Beach, the private beach belonging to the South Seas Plantation resort, at ten in the morning. For Lizzy, Charlotte, Billy and Will, it was to be the first time that vacation that they were going to spend the day at the beach. Billy, Charlotte, and Lizzy had obviously just arrived in Florida two days prior. As for Will, he was not fond of Florida weather. The sun reflecting off the blindingly white sand was, he knew, very dangerous. If not properly protected, one could easily acquire sun poisoning or heat stroke, not to mention a very harsh burn. Furthermore, he didn't like the way the extremely salty water burned his eyes and made his lips crack and dry up. The fact that huge stingrays freely floated near the shoreline also put a damper on his spirits. He didn't want to be teased by Ricky for acting like a baby, though, so he merely covered his pale, golden-toned skin with SPF 25 and made sure to bring plenty of water and the bottle of sunblock.

He dressed in baggy, navy-blue Tommy Hilfiger trunks slung around his trim hips. His firm calves were shown off to perfection. He covered up his washboard stomach, toned chest and muscled biceps with a T-shirt as added sun protection. He put on his dark, protective Oakleys and was ready to go.

Lizzy was not looking forward to a day at the beach, either. Her delicate, pink and white complexion was clearly not made for lounging in the sun, so she made sure to cover with layers of SPF 45. She wore a white one-piece and a huge, white T-shirt to reflect the sun off her, along with a hat and some Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis-esque sunglasses. She brought a towel, a bottle of sunblock, a book and a huge bottle of Evian with her in a backpack. Though not anticipating the day ahead, she didn't want to spoil Charlotte's fun. She plastered a smile on her face and spent the time walking to the beach meditating and telling herself that it would be lovely to sit and read while sitting under the shade of an umbrella and being lulled into a state of relaxation by the water lapping at the shore.

Once everyone had arrived at the beach, little groups were, again, formed. Cos, Lise, Johnny and Henry decided to go snorkeling near a little reef a mile or so down the beach. Katt and William rented a figure-eight tube (the kind two people could sit in) and floated off as they happily talked and kissed and laughed. Ricky and Rachel were the lively ones, running around in the water, splashing each other and having races. Billy and Charlotte took advantage of the fact that Captiva boasted some of the area's most rare and lovely shells to go and collect. Lizzy and Will were the solitary ones. Neither wanted to swim nor play in the sand. Instead, the sat next to each other in cabanas. The cushioned lounge chairs sheltered under huge, umbrella-like canopies afforded a comfortable barrier from the sun.

Lizzy took out her portable CD player and headphones. She popped in Bach and began to read the Arts & Leisure section from the copy of The New York Times she had purchased earlier this morning. Will, too, had brought his CD player with him. He happily turned on Rachmaninoff and looked at the Gulf. After a few moments, however, he realized that the dramatic swells of music made an awkward contrast with the water that pathetically swayed with the tiny waves. He opened his CD portfolio and searched for something a bit more airy. In the short silence between two songs, Will's ruffling took Lizzy's notice. She turned off her player and looked at him, curiously. Her gaze soon drew his notice, and they looked at each other through their dark lenses.

"What are you doing?" she asked him.

"I was listening to some music and looking at the water, but the moods of both didn't exactly coincide."

"What music, may I ask?"

"Rachmaninoff," he said, simply, and she understood. They laughed together.

"Yes. I can see how listening to him could make the water seem especially lifeless." They laughed, again.

"What were you listening to?" Will questioned, recollecting himself.

"Bach. It was a Requiem, but I wasn't looking at the water, so it didn't really matter."

He smiled. Lizzy realized, with a pang of embarrassment, that he was being very nice. But so moody, a voice nagged in her head. First not saying anything to me; then insulting me when I was within hearing distance; asking me to dance immediately afterward; dancing with me at school; avoiding me like the Plague for weeks; insulting my younger sisters...and now, he's talking about music with me! She didn't know how to make heads or tails of him.

"Let's trade CD holders," she then suggested. "I want to see what you listen to."

He handed her his, and she did the same.

To their surprise, they had an amazingly similar collection. They both loved rap and classical and The Beastie Boys. They both had memorized every word to Third Eye Blind's self-titled album. They both thought Wyclef Jean's "The Carnival" was brilliant. But Will lacked Lizzy's group of feminist folk CD's, which she had named her "Lilith Fair Section". In it, she had Fiona Apple, Erykah Badu, Sheryl Crow, and Shawn Colvin...but Sarah McLachlan CD's dominated the bunch.

"I love Sarah McLachlan's music," she explained, taking off her sunglasses and gazing dreamily at the canopy that covered her. "I love her words; I'm a big Word Person. She's very poetic, very Shakespearean."

Will had several classic rock CD's. Lizzy had none. The oldest music she listened to was Bob Marley. He told her of his love for classic rock. Cream, the Rolling Stones, the Grateful Dead.

Lizzy had some other CD's which he didn't. After much teasingly persuasive talk from Will (who noticed these CD's at the back of her portfolio), she reluctantly admitted her secret fondness for The Spice Girls.

"Most people don't know. Only Jane and Charlotte and Charlie...and now you. Please, don't tell anyone!"

"I won't. It's nothing to be ashamed of, though. Everyone has their own tastes."

"If I had more self-confidence, I wouldn't try to hide it from people. But it's my private little thing. The skeleton in my closet."

He laughed, but not mockingly.

"What were you reading?" he then inquired of her.

"Arts & Leisure from The New York Times. I brought Travel, Sunday Styles and Money & Business, too, if you're interested."

"Already read The Metro Section, Week in Review, and the front page?" he asked.

"Of course. Over breakfast."

To her surprise and delight, he chose Travel instead of Money & Business (what she thought he would chose). Obviously, he preferred to be transformed into Greece and an exhibit of the Cyclades in marble at an Athens museum over reading about the NYSE.

"Thanks!" he said.

"No problem."

The two of them sat and read and talked happily throughout the morning...

Chapter 21

Posted on Sunday, 04-Oct-98

At around 12:30, the group reassembled. Charlotte eyed Lizzy curiously as she noticed that she had been having a tête-à-tête with Will. Lizzy blushed but kept an expression of composure on her face as if to say It was just a friendly chat. Charlotte knew better, but kept her thoughts to herself while trying to hide a smile.

There was a snack bar at the beach, but everyone agreed that it would be much nicer to eat in Cap'n Al's. Cap'n Al's was a nice restaurant that was air-conditioned and had beautiful views of the marina, not to mention great food. Rachel, Ricky, Cos, Johnny, Lise, Henry, Katt and William all dried off and put dry T-shirts over their bathing suits. The group then walked to Cap'n Al's. They were seated at a big, round table. Lizzy found herself in between Charlotte and Rachel. She was glad that she wasn't next to Will, for he unsettled her. He was sitting three seats away from her, next to Ricky, who sat next to Rachel.

"Guys, it's on us," Ricky said, gesturing towards himself and Will.

"Yeah," Will piped up. "Our aunt Cate is paying for us."

Lizzy sat quietly. Conversations were going on all around her. She listened with half an ear, but basically, she spaced out. When her chicken Caesar salad arrived, she ate it slowly. She hardly tasted it. She only had a few of the fries she was supposed to be sharing with Charlotte. Her glass of Coke remained untouched. Will Darcy...she couldn't figure him out. Why couldn't he just act one way, all the time? He confused her, he provoked her, but she certainly didn't think he liked her. She didn't know what to make of him. Lunch ended, and Lizzy had hardly eaten a thing.

Later that day, Lizzy used her calling card to phone Jane.

"Hello?"

"Janie! How are you?"

"Oh, Lizzy..."

Lizzy wasn't positive, but she thought she heard a faint sob on Jane's end of the line.

"Jane, what's wrong? Are you O.K.? Is it Dad or Mom? Katie, is she all right? Marissa, Lindsay...what happened, Jane?"

"It's Charlie, Lizzy. He doesn't trust me!"

"What? Jane, what are you talking about?"

"He called the day you left and told me that we had to have a Talk. At first, I thought he was going to break up with me. Oh, Lizzy, I know you don't believe in high school relationships, but I love Charlie. I really do! I got so nervous..."

"But, Janie...he...he didn't break up with you...did he?"

"No...," Jane said, and Lizzy let out a sigh of relief. "But Lizzy, it was almost as bad. He wanted to know if I liked him like a girlfriend should like her boyfriend. He told me that he was so happy this past year that we've been going out, but he was doubtful that I really liked him."

"How could he say that?!"

"I don't know. I'm too calm, too sedate, usually. I suppose I don't show my feelings as much as others. He wanted to know if I really was glad to be going out with him."

"Oh, Jane, what did you say?"

"I asked him how he could have had these doubts and never talked to me about them."

"Good for you! What did he say?"

"He said that he didn't really notice until recently. He said that it was something that just...popped up in his mind."

"What was he talking about?!"

"I...I don't know. So, I told him that I really needed to think about what he said to me. I called him back, today. I...I broke up with him, Lizzy!"

"Oh, Jane..."

Jane was crying, now.

"I didn't want to do it, Lizzy, but I couldn't believe that he thought I didn't like him. Why would I have gone out with him in the first place if I didn't like him?"

"I don't blame you, Jane. You were completely right in breaking up with him! But something is up. It doesn't sound like Charlie would do something like that. He knows you too well to think that you don't like him just because you're a composed person! Don't worry. It will all work out in the end."

"Oh, Lizzy, here you are using up your calling card and I'm ranting about my insignificant problem!"

"Jane, don't say that! I called to hear about you."

"Well, I'm sorry...so, how are you doing?"

"Fine, thanks..."

"Is it pretty, down there?"

"Yes, very pretty. A bit hot, but very pretty. How's the weather? How's Dad doing?"

"It's snowing like nobody's business. And Dad is fine. Would you like to talk to him?"

"Oh, yes, Jane!"

"Good-bye, Lizzy. I miss you. Have a great time!"

"Bye, Janie! I miss you, too. And don't worry about Charlie. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding."

"All right. Here's Dad."

"How's my favorite little Lizbeth?"

"Daddy! How are you? I'm doing fine."

"I'm just trudging right along. Your mother misses you. Not as much as me, though."

"Daddy, I miss you, too. But I'm having a good time."

"That's good. You're not charging this call to Mr. and Mrs. Lucas, are you? You're using a calling card?"

"Yes, Daddy, one of the ones you and Mom gave me in my Christmas Stocking."

"That's a good girl. I hope you're wearing sunblock? I wouldn't want you to get burned..."

"SPF 45, Daddy. And a hat. And a shirt."

"Oh, Lizzy, I don't mean to heckle you. I just want to make sure you're all right. I worry when you're away."

"You don't have to worry, Daddy. I'm doing all right. Really."

"Good. Would you like to talk to your mother?"

"Um...okay..." Lizzy rolled her eyes.

"Dear, how are you?"

"Hello, Mom. I'm good. And you?"

"Fine, honey. Are you enjoying yourself?"

"Mmm-hmm, Mom. And, yes, Cate de Bourg's house is very big."

"I was actually going to ask about her antiques..."

"We ate outside...I didn't see much of her furniture. But we're having a real, sit-down dinner at her place, tonight. When I call, again, I'll give you the 411."

"That's a good girl."

Lizzy sighed to herself. Did her mother ever think of anything besides wealth?

Well, no one else is home, right now. You should probably go. But Jane...Jane is doing very badly. You know what an angel she is -- she tries to put on a happy face. But I am afraid for her. All her crying could give her bags under those lovely eyes..."

"Mom, Jane never has bags under her eyes. Don't worry. She'll be all right. She and Charlie will be back together, soon. I just know it."

"Well, dear, that's very optimistic of you. Good-bye...oh, before you go, one piece of advice!"

"Yes, Mother?" Lizzy prepared herself for what she knew would be a pointless comment.

"You will never be as beautiful as Jane, but you do have three good points: your hair, your skin, and your body. If you go swimming, put a leave-in conditioner in your hair so you don't get split-ends. Always wear sunblock to protect that white skin of yours. And your figure! I know that this is your vacation, but that's no excuse to go on a starch-fest! Say away from fattening things. Drink lots of water!"

"Yes, Mother..."

"I love you, Lizzy. Have a good time."

"I love you, too, Mom. Good-bye."