Pride and Betrayal

By Evangeline

Jump to new as of September 12, 1999
Jump to new as of September 16, 1999
Jump to new as of September 26, 1999

Posted on Friday, 10 September 1999

Somewhere In South Carolina
Present Day

Elizabeth Bennet pushed her way through the crowded halls of Gillespie High School. School had just begun and in turn, her senior year. "Thank God, I'll finally be out of here in a few months." She made one final push, and made her way down to her locker. She fumbled with her back pack, emptying its contents. "Homework....homework...." With shoved her European History book in, as well as her American History book. "Too much, homework!" She thought ruefully.

"Hello."

Elizabeth immediately recognized the voice. It belonged to her boyfriend of a year and half, William Darcy.

"Hey, Will!" She greeted him, with a happy smile. She was always glad to see him. Even though they had just finished the last class of the day together, it seemed as if it had been an eternity.

"Are you going to the game tonight?" He questioned her.

"I'm not sure," Elizabeth replied uncertainly, although the answer had been planned.

"Well," he said, staring at his feet.

"I hope you do well on Saturday," Lizzie said suddenly. William did not reply, so she finished with, "I've got to go. Work, you know."

"Yes, well bye." Lizzie pulled her pack onto her back and nearly tripped over herself trying to get away. She violently pushed the doors from her path and stalked to the student parking lot.

Part Two

Posted on Saturday, 11 September 1999

Lizzie violently threw her back pack into the back seat of her car. Slamming the door as hard as she could, she then plopped down in the driver's seat. "Oh, William, where did we go wrong." She said softly, fighting tears. She was glad that the parking lot was already evacuated. Shutting the door, Elizabeth shut the car door, and turned the key. The car started up and then cut out. Lizzie sighed and started it again. The engine purred. "Second time's the charm," She thought ruefully. She reached down and clicked on the radio. "Now I can see that we're falling apart, from the way that it used to be....yeah...yeah." Normally, Elizabeth would have turned the channel, for the Backstreet Boys were not of her caliber. This song, however, spoke to her heart. She pulled from her parking space and then onto the road. Gloomily she viewed the sunny day. Her mind drifted as she drove towards home.

William and she were the odd couple at school. They never really showed any open affection to each other, fooling the teachers who were new to the school. Of course their relationship was as odd as their coupling. They had met back in junior high, and immediately disliked each other. William had been new to the school. He had been a scrawny kid with a mop of unruly dark curls. He was smart, very smart, actually. So smart that he charmed his way onto the debate team without auditioning. That had cemented their dislike for each other. Lizzy, being of the competitive sort was furious. One day it came down to them making pop shots at each other. "I'm going to make your life a living H*ll," he had said, his words stunning Lizzie into quietness. The nerd could curse, was her first thought. They had many bouts as the year progressed, but when they embarked upon high school, William was swallowed up. When they met next, they were sophomores in an honors English class. William had grown a foot, and know loomed over Lizzie 5'7 frame. He was still skinny, however, due to the fact that he ran on Gillespie High's cross country and track teams. "Metabolism," he would tell her later. They became friends eventually, and ironically. "Probably because Charlotte would have beat him up," Elizabeth thought much later.

That was their slightly psychotic friend, Charlotte. She was a poetic genius, but was misunderstood. They were all misunderstood and that was why they were friends. Shortly afterwards, William had shyly asked Lizzie out. Elizabeth had been shocked, though she had let her feelings for him deepen. They spent the next three months in each other's company. He had even took her to see a historic drama at the local college theatre, even though he wasn't into that kind of stuff. And than Summer came.... Lizzie went off to England for two weeks and then to New Orleans, but never did she hear from William. It broke her heart.

On the first week of their junior year, they were friends again. Not just friends, holding hands friends. Everybody who knew just assumed they were going steady, but William had never finalized. Elizabeth, being the practical, but romantic person that she was, was troubled. Finally, she laid it on the line, we stay friends, or we go steady. William chose steady and they had been ever since....until recently.

Lizzie felt a tear slide down her cheek as she thought about their history. She didn't know why, she should be glad that they were pulling apart. William had not been anything but trouble from day one. He was one of those strong, but silent if you're getting yelled at types. They had had numerous arguments in their time, but they had been one-sided. Lizzie would questioned Will's motives, but to no avail. He would simply say, "I'm sorry." Elizabeth had thought they were making progress when they moved out of this phase. But now, all she wanted to hear was, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry I said that. I'm sorry I hurt you." Elizabeth pulled onto the highway that led to her home. Flashing her turn signal, she maneuvered her car around a slow poke in the left lane. "Moron...."

This had all started just recently. They had had a great summer, albeit busy. When they were at home at the same time, they would catch a movie. Elizabeth had been happy to start school so she could see William all the time. Soon, however Lizzie noticed a difference in William. He started ignoring her a lot. Lizzie thought it was his preoccupation with cross country, so she gave him space. Then things got worse. All of the sudden, she was being excluded from their friends' activities, while William was being included. Lizzie finally figured out that the group was playing mother to William and had decided to exclude Lizzie. It hurt really bad, and that point on, she questioned their motives.

Things blew up one night and Lizzie called William crying one night. In his usual fashion, he said nothing. And then.... "I don't want to lose you, no matter what happens." He had said. Lizzie thought it terribly romantic of him. From that day on, she was determined to be true to him, and him alone. Lizzie had never cheated on William, but she had entertained a crush on another older man. Things had fallen apart with that, at least in Lizzie's mind it did, and she was ready to devote herself to the relationship with William. Lizzie was not interested in marrying him, however. She knew that they would be miserable. Although she had told him it was possible as long as he became a doctor. This was in jest of course.

However, once Elizabeth had made this decision things went wrong two weeks after her resolution. She turned into her driveway and opened the garage door. Lizzie ran up to collect the mail and then back into the house. She rummaged through he mail, looking for anything good. Lizzie absently poured herself a glass of tea and sat down at the table. William popped back into her mind. She relived his words over and over again. They had been simple, but they had cut deep.

It was on Wednesday, and Lizzie had received a one-hundred-six on her US history test and was ecstatic. She raced to her last class so she could tell William. He had been sick for about a week, so he was at his usual station over the trashcan. Mid-blow, Lizzie tackled him.

"Guess what!?"

"What?" William returned, blowing harder.

"I made a one-hundred-six on my history test."

He looked at her, shrugged his shoulders, and said, "I don't care.

" For a minute Lizzie's world rocked before his words registered in her brain. "Well, scr*w you too!" She yelled back and stomped off to her seat. From that point on, all things had been different.

Part three

Lizzie flashed a fake smile at her co-worker. It was an action that was a part of her personality now. She was the great concealer. Lizzie hated herself for crying, so she didn't do it much. Usually, when she was angry, Lizzie's job at the library was comforting, but not today. Work seemed to loom before her. When she got off work, she was to baby-sit, and then go home. It was true, she had decided not to attend the football game that night. One piece of advice her mother had imparted to her was that 'you don't have to reveal everything. A little mystique goes a long way'. Elizabeth had been heartened by her mother's plan of action.

"You are always the one to initiate contact between you and William. Pull away from the relationship, not the boy. Be cool and he will come running." Elizabeth had tried this, but to no avail. They still passed each other in the hallways and said nothing to each other. That was why today had been such a rotten one. Her plan was not working. In the past, after a few days, William would come running, but not this time. He appeared to be calm and as zany as ever. The class clown.

As Lizzie rolled the cart into the aisleway, she thought back to the conversation she had had with Charlotte. Their English teacher had a substitute today and so it was a do anything day. Lizzie had decided to read her European History homework, but found this impossible. Flouncing to the other side of the room, she sat down next to Charlotte. "You think they could be quiet!" Lizzie said tersely. Charlotte smiled and nodded vaguely. Their friendship had fallen away the year before, but now they kept each other company during their lunch break. Charlotte was the most unaffected person she knew, considered the majority of Lizzie's friends were the "in" crowd. Superficiality ruled supreme among these girls. Before long, however, Lizzie was pouring out her troubles to Charlotte. Elizabeth's friend took all of this in, while focusing on its subject who sat across the room. William was oblivious to the fact that he was being discussed. He was too busy being the life of the party.

"I think the majority of the things William does are oblivious to him."

"I used to think that too, but now, I'm not so sure. He is so different now."

"Yes, he is. he is nothing like the William I befriended as a freshman. Popularity has changed him. Superficiality has changed him." Charlotte said quietly.

Elizabeth took this all in with growing dread. Her main goal was to save the friendship, if not the relationship. Was he worth it now that he had traded her in for the glitter of popularity?

Part Three

Posted on Saturday, 11 September 1999

Lizzie shut her car door and started the ignition. She had just gotten off work and was headed home. Dinner was waiting on her, and quickly devoured it. She had to be at the Rodgers' house at 6:45 to baby-sit their little girl. She arrived just in time to see the family off. Katherine, their little girl, was in a rare mood tonight. Mrs. Rodgers handed the screaming baby to Lizzie and said, "Just wash her up and put her to bed. She's exhausted." Lizzie nodded and waited until the Rodgers left. Taking the crying child back to her room, Elizabeth quickly undressed her and tried to calm her down. On a whim, Lizzie started whistling 'Mary had a Little Lamb' and it quieted Katherine. The baby stared at Lizzie for a moment, transfixed. It was just enough time for Lizzie to wash her up and place her nightgown on her. Katherine's face crinkled in tears again, and she let a loud wail in Elizabeth's ear. Lizzie bounced Katherine on her hip and placed her into the crib. The baby immediately curled up and stuck her thumb in her mouth.

"My job's done," Elizabeth thought ruefully, and made her way to the den. She watched television until her Aunt Gardiner, who was Katherine's godmother, dropped by.

"Hello," Elizabeth greeted, feeling her sprits lift. Her aunt gave her a hug and they settled back in the den.

"So, what has William been doing?" Her aunt asked, keenly aware that something was wrong.

Lizzie laughed at her aunt's perception. She described all of William's latest behavior and even included her own revelations on how popularity had spoiled him.

"So are you going to the game," Aunt asked. Lizzie thought for a moment.

"Not unless I can find a really good-looking guy to accompany me." Both laughed and Lizzie said, "Mr. Rodgers said one of his college students would be glad to take me. I would feel weird though."

Her aunt nodded with a smile. "Who are you playing tonight?"

"Robbinsville Tigers. It seems to be a waste of money considering we haven't beaten them in seven years."

"I would not want you to go anyway. The stadium is not in a great neighborhood."

"I know," Lizzie consented, suddenly wishing she were going. She would show William that he didn't have accompany her on every trip! "If only my cousin was in town, he would go with me. Of course I could call." Aunt nodded her head. Lizzie picked up the phone and quickly dialed her digits. Her mother answered on the other end. "Is Evan in town this weekend," She asked immediately.

"No, he won't be here until next weekend, the family is holding a baby shower for his mom."

"Oh, yes, well he is never here when I need him."

"Did you decide to go to the game?"

"Uh-huh. I thought I would take him to make William jealous, even though I am suppose to be above all that. Well, I would take him next week, but William has to work. I could always take Evan to the library." William worked at another branch of the county library.

"Wouldn't that be a little obvious?" Her mother asked.

"Maybe.... I could say that I didn't know he had to work."

"Do whatever, just call me with your plans for tonight."

"All right, I love you. Bye." Lizzie hung up the phone discouraged. So much for going to the game.

"I take it that Evan is not in town."

"Yeah, he's not. He's never here when I need him."

Her aunt laughed, and then said, "So you will not go to the game."

"No, I guess not, all the parking will be taken and I'll have to walk in the dark. I'd hate to expose myself to the thieves and rapists.

Aunt gave her a long-suffering look, and fell quiet as they heard the Rodgers come in. Aunt Gardiner exchanged greeting with them, and then they decided to order Chinese.

"Do you want anything, Lizzie?" Mr. Rodgers asked. Lizzie replied in the negative.

"I better be going. I've got a whole night to waste." Mr. Rodgers paid her and she left.

"I really want to go to that now. I could just stop and see if there is any good parking." Thus determined, Lizzie had to contain her excitement until she started into the parking lot. She found a space in a well lit lot, not far from the stadium. Lizzie quickly called home and informed them of her movements. She reassured her father that she was in a well lit area and she would take her cell phone. Elizabeth set out for the stadium. After paying for her ticket, she moved into court where seemingly everybody from both schools were intermingling. Lizzie saw her cousin, Marie, and started for her. Immediately she noticed a few guys from both of her history classes surrounding her. Lizzie's brow furrowed. Marie was only a sophomore, but had more popularity than Elizabeth could ever hope for. She tapped Marie's shoulder, and stood back.

"Hey, Lizzie!" Elizabeth smiled in return. "You see those guys?" She pointed to the group of preppy guys. "They are hot, and in college." Lizzie immediately thought that they were out of Marie's league.

"Hey, Marie!" One called out, "Are you coming out tonight?" A puzzled look crossed her face and she responded,

"Maybe....I don't think so."

They just want to get her sloshed, Lizzie thought. "Come on, Marie," Elizabeth said, getting her attention, "walk with around to our side. I'm looking for you know who."

"Do I have to?" Marie whined.

"Please."

"Just a minute, then." Lizzie turned around and saw Luke Beringer standing on the fringes of the group.

"Hey Luke!" Lizzie called genuinely happy to see him. He was in her US history class and was the younger brother of one of Lizzie's so-called friends.

"Hey, Lizzie!" Luke said with a smile and stepped closer to her.

"Are you looking for girls too," Elizabeth asked.

"No, a friend of mine. But I haven't seen him."

"I didn't know you were into that." Lizzie said with a smile.

Luke gave her a dirty look and replied, "HE goes to my church." Lizzie laughed in genuine humor.

"Have you seen William?" Elizabeth asked quietly.

"Uh, no, but you really can't see anybody here."

He motioned to the large crowd. "Oh." Lizzie replied. "Wait a minute!" Luke said suddenly, "I asked him today if he was going to the game and he said he had to work."

Work? Lizzie thought. He wasn't suppose to work this Friday. A piercing stabbed Lizzie's heart. Well I guess I wasted my baby-sitting money. Luke turned to a group of girls and started talking to them. Eventually they dragged him off, and waved good-bye.

Lizzie now bereft, turned to Marie again. "Come on," Lizzie said, tugging at her arm. Marie came reluctantly, with one of her friends in tow. Once they arrived on the visitor's side, Lizzie released her and went in search of her own friends. Finally she found her friend John, who was drum-major of the Gillespie's marching band. She talked to him for a few moments before turning to some friends that had graduated this year. They were ex-band cronies, for Lizzie had been in band, but had to quit for the classes she wanted this year. She talked congenially with them for awhile, until the game ended.

She drove Christy, one of her better friends, down the hill and into the local K-mart parking lot. "See you later," Lizzie said and drove off. On the ride home, she relected. William must have taken tomorrow off, since his cross-country meet was in a town two hours away. Elizabeth felt her old accustomed friend, depression descend on her. This was not working and she would go crazy before it did. she could call William, demand for an explanation, an apology.... That would defeat the purpose, she told herself. When will this end? She asked herself and switched on her radio to drown out her thoughts.

Part Four

Posted on Thursday, 16 September 1999

Sunday Night

"I think you need to distance yourself from him."

"I can't," Lizzie cried, tears pouring down her face, "I love him! I never wanted to, but I do!" Elizabeth had been arguing with her mother for nearly an hour. "I just need to talk to him, and everything will be okay."

"You don't need to talk to him, that will defeat the purpose. You are always throwing yourself to him, if he really cared he would call you!" Her mother yelled, trying to make her daughter understand.

"I know, I know, so I will call and break up with him. I need to do something, or else I will go crazy!"

"Don't do anything. If you do, it will be awkward for the rest of the year. And then you will be really crying."

"I know, I know...." Lizzie replied, sniffing, and going to her bedroom. Tears started anew and hastily grabbed a framed prom photo of she and Will. Ripping open the back, she withdrew the picture and torn it into several pieces.

"I liked that photo," Her mother said from behind her, "you could have cut him out."

"I hated it, my feet were too big!" Lizzie replied, sniffing again and picking up a picture of her friends.

"Don't rip it up, you will regret it later." Her mother warned softly.

"I don't care! They are all traitors."

"Have you ever thought that this is for the best, that God might be trying to tell you something." Lizzie had thought of that, but she did not want to believe it. She and Will had never done anything wrong, it wasn't like he was a bad influence or something. So why God?

Part Five

Posted on Saturday, 25 September 1999

Lizzie's week started on a bright note. She and William, after spending Monday taking cheap shots at each other, managed to patch things up to some degree. They spoke to each other as acquaintances, but it was a definite improvement. Unfortunately, by the week's end, the bottom dropped out again. Elizabeth was extremely frustrated, for she had no idea what to do. Finally, disgusted with herself, she called William. This was easier said than done, however, she had to wait until her mother left the house. Lizzie knew her mother would not approve of her actions.

With a trembling hand, Lizzie picked up the receiver and dialed the number. It rang once, twice, thrice.... Lizzie was about to hang up when a voice picked up and said,

"Hello?" It was him.

"Hey, its me." Lizzie said non-chalantly, trying to mask her nervousness.

"Oh, hey." William replied.

"Can you meet me tomorrow for lunch?"

Dead silence. Lizzie held her breath.

"No, I can't. I have to go with my dad. You know how that goes."

"Can you meet me later then?" Lizzie asked tensely.

"Yeah, I guess." He said rather drolly.

"I have to go see the marching band at Landrum, but how about eight?"

"I guess."

"Forget about it!" Lizzie said, letting her anger have a free rein. "You are not interested, so...."

"What...." He said.

"It's obvious that you no longer care about us, I guess I was deceiving myself...."

"Wait...." William interrupted.

"It's true, you don't care about me anymore, I want to know why? Why are you acting like this? It all started with that comment you made about my grade in US History."

"It was simple sarcasm, Lizzie," William said rather harshly.

"I don't care what it was. It was mean and rude and you hurt my feelings." Lizzie shot back. Silence. "Why are you doing this?" Elizabeth asked softly.

"What am I doing?" William asked.

"This, this coldness, you have towards me! I treat my enemies better than you treat me. You never speak to and when I speak to you, you look at me like I'm the moron."

"I do?"

"Yes, you do. You always have time for everyone except me. I know your busy, but sometimes you are too self-absorbed! I thought I would never say that, but it's true!" More silence. "What are you thinking? Please tell me, and be honest."

"I don't know what I'm thinking right now."

Lizzie sighed and looked out the window. Her mother's gray car was pulling into the driveway. "Oh crap! My mom's home. If I suddenly call you Daddy, don't freak out. She won't want me on the phone with you." She heard him emit a slight chuckle. Lizzie walked into her sitting room, shut the door, and switched on the TV. The eleven o'clock news jumped from the screen. "Eleven already!? Where does time go?" There was no answer. "Are you done thinking?"

"I think so."

"Then tell me honestly. You can't hurt me anymore than you already have."

"I know this is going to sound crazy..... You remind me of my Dad.... He would never tell me why he was angry at me."

Lizzie laughed incredulously. "I never tell you when I'm angry? That's impossible! I tell you all the time. If I don't tell you, it is because I feel like I'm nagging you. You know three strikes and you're out. I feel like I use my strikes on trivial things, and when the big things come along, I'm already out, so to speak."

William didn't answer her.

"Listen, I want to stop this! It's driving me crazy," Elizabeth said, her voice breaking. "I unfortunately feel a lot for you, and I shouldn't tell you that either. They say that a boy gets afraid of 'commitment'. I don't understand, though. You said not two weeks ago, that you cared for me and you didn't want to lose me.... But from the way you act, it's as if you are trying to break from me. Actions speak louder than words, you know."

"I know," William replied for the first time.

"I don't want this to end.... I feel too much...." Lizzie said again, choking up. "I don't either."

"We have major communication problems....and affection problems. You know, I've done a lot of thinking. And watching. One day I was going done the hall and my cousin's boyfriend was at his locker. I noticed a sign on the interior door, then read 'I Love You'. I saw that it was from her. And I wondered, 'Doesn't that freak him out?' So I asked her and she said no. And so, that's why I drew you that picture with the anatomy of cross country. It was so you knew that I was thinking about you."

"Thank you." William replied in his voice that spoke of sweetness and embarrassment all at once.

"I have come to the conclusion that we are afraid of each other. And I'm going to go out on a limb and say that if you try to kiss me, I smack you upside the head."

He laughed softly and replied, "There is a reason behind that. But I'm not going to tell you right now."

"Ahh man!" Elizabeth exclaimed. "Wait a minute, you weren't molested or something?" She asked, in concern concealed as humor.

"Which time?" He asked, and she could tell he was smiling.

"No fair! That's not funny!" William laughed and Lizzie knew that he was slipping into the William-of-old.

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