One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation Read Free Page B

loser.”
     
    I jumped, and turned quickly to face the petite Asian girl who’d spoken behind me. I didn’t hesitate to hug her joyfully, “Georgia! I missed you!”
     
    “ I missed you, too! I’m so sorry I didn’t get to see you over summer, but with Grandma -”
     
    “ It’s totally fine, we have a million lunch breaks together before the end of the school year to make up for it, and I want to hear all about Japan.”
     
    “ You bet. And I brought you back some sweets, like I promised.”
     
    “ You’re the best!” I held her hands in mine, “So, what’s the gossip? If anyone knows, it’s you.”
     
    “ About what?” she asked coyly.
     
    “ About the mouth breathers sharing our air in here. Come on, which boys should I be keeping an eye on this year?”
     
    “ Ohh, that,” she grinned, “You know that guy talking to Jenny?”
     
    “ Charlie? Yeah...”
     
    “ That boy is minted. Well, his parents are. And you’ll never guess who his sister is.”
     
    “ Someone famous?”
     
    “ Chantelle Brackenwood.”
     
    “ You’re joking! But he’s so nice! I mean, like, he smiles and everything! Is he adopted?” I asked.
     
    “ No, I swear. Blood relatives. And he transferred over here with their childhood friend. He’s called -”
     
    “ If you say William Davies, I might actually cry.”
     
    “ How did you know?”
     
    Typical.
     
    “ I know because I just threatened him a bit. But he was being really rude! You’ll never guess what he said -”
     
    “ What who said?” Charlie asked, beaming away at us, utterly smitten with Jenny already.
     
    I opened and closed my mouth a few times, and looked at Georgia for help. She held her hands up and shook her head. There was no way she was going to walk out into the minefield with me. I fished for a plausible response, “I - I was just saying how your friend William didn’t seem all that happy about the party. He - he might be tired, maybe?”
     
    “ Will just doesn’t know how to have fun,” Charlie laughed, “And he hates dancing. My sister’s the only one who can make him do it.”
     
    “ Oh, your sister goes here?” Jenny asked, “Do I know her?”
     
    “ It’s Chantelle,” I said, “Chantelle Brackenwood.”
     
    “ Oh. Oh. Well, she’s civil to - I mean - nice. She’s nice…”
     
    Actually, Chantelle was nice to Jenny.
     
    She just didn’t like me all that much.
     
    Jenny’s family had old money, and they were pretty respectable. Hell, even Lisa’s family could make the same claim. I had a broken home, a flighty mother, and a father with a full time job. We couldn’t boast country estates on three continents, or private helicopters.
     
    We were just normal.
     
    As normal as we could manage, anyway.
     
    That meant there was nothing to be gained from anyone being friends with me, save a meaningful relationship and a bit of fun. Therefore, Chantelle deemed me to be a waste of space.
     
    “ How about I introduce you to William?” Charlie offered Jenny, “He’d be really happy to meet you.”
     
    I nodded in encouragement so she wouldn’t feel guilty about leaving us. I’d much rather have spent the rest of the night with Georgia, anyway. She could tell me all about her summer, and I wouldn’t turn into one of the girls still struggling to get the attention of the members of the opposite sex.
     
    Of course, if I found out that William had treated Jenny with the same disrespect he had the other students, I might have to make good on that threat.
     
    “ I think I achieved something tonight,” I told Georgia when we were alone, “World record for the worst first impression on a person ever.”
     
     

 
     
    Chapter Three
    He is remarkably agreeable.
     
     
     
    “ So?” I asked expectantly as Jenny settled into the seat beside me.
     
    She set down her books, and took a pen from her bag. It didn’t matter how long she tried to put it off. I was going to have all of the gossip from her,