One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation (13 page)

“
I know that with your father not having much money, you might be worried about entering into the kind of society I aspire to, but I think being in this school will give you the advantage most other normal girls wouldn't be able to boast. Not to mention, your mother is in a good situation now, and if Madame Courtenay approves of her for her brother, she'll definitely approve of you. You'll have to learn to temper your sarcasm in her presence, but that shouldn't be too hard.”

“
Wyatt, I don't -”

He held me at arm's length, “I should have said this first, but – I love you, Elisa.”

I felt like I was going to be sick.

“
Look, Wyatt... I -”

Whatever I was going to say to rebuff him was lost. Why? Because he stuck his tongue down my throat. My first thought was that he didn't have a lot of practice in doing anything like that, because he was terrible. The second was blind panic. I did the only logical thing, which was to knee him in the balls as hard as possible. His eyes bulged, and Wyatt staggered away a few steps, before he dropped to the ground.

“
No!” I shouted at him, “To everything! No!”

“
Elisa –”

“
Are you
totally
insane?! I don't even like you as a family member! Why do you think I'd want to date you? And don't even mention marriage, because I swear I will kick you again!”

“
I – I don't understand,” he gasped, trying to force down the feeling of agony that was likely coursing through him.

“
Let me spell it out for you,” I said, “You and me, is never going to happen. I would rather drink petrol, and swallow a lit match!”

Wyatt swallowed hard. He nodded just once as if he was convincing himself of something. With whatever thought he had lodged in his head, he said, “I know that sometimes girls refuse someone, because they don't want to seem easy. But they go out with them in the end, so -”

“
This isn't one of those times, Wyatt. I won't go out with you, because I don't like you like that. In fact, I don't like you
full stop.
Why the hell do you think I've been avoiding you at every bloody turn?”

“
Shyness?”

“
Get out, Wyatt. Or at least let me leave. In fact, that's better. Because I need to gargle with some bleach.”

“
Elisa -”

“
Never
call me that. And if you talk to me as anything other than a teacher from now on, I'll be reporting you for harassment.”

“
Your mother -”

“
Has nothing to do with my life, and doesn't get to make my decisions! Conversation over, Wyatt.”

I didn't want to literally run out of the room. That would make people suspicious if they saw me, and I wanted to maintain the illusion that I had full control of myself. I didn't. Inside I was freaking out. Just because we weren't blood relatives, it didn't make it any less weird that Wyatt had come to my school with the intention of leaving with his future wife. The very idea of anyone being subjected to a relationship with that creep made my stomach turn violently.

I had a half day of classes left, but they were going to have to wait. As much as I wanted to see Gideon in my Music lesson, I thought that it would just remind me of the incident. That, and I didn't want him to know what had happened. Well, maybe I did. I wasn't so vain as to think it would make him jealous to know someone was interested in me. I just thought he might be a good person to talk to seeing as he knew Wyatt better than my friend. And they were going to rub it in that they'd called his infatuation totally correctly.

It was too bad we couldn't smuggle alcohol into school, because I really felt like I needed a stiff drink.

Chapter Twelve

Without any intention of coming back again.

Obviously I was mocked for the rest of the week by my friends.

Fortunately, Wyatt had heeded my warning. He didn’t talk to me at all, except in the capacity as a teacher. Even then, there was some clear resentment in his tone. Well, I couldn’t do much of anything about that. He could deal with the petty attitude in his own way. Less fortunately, that method appeared to be by talking to another one of my friends.

Georgia was just like me, but she had more patience for someone like Wyatt. Although neither of them said anything to me, there was a clear indication that their relationship was becoming far more than that of a student and teacher. I hoped that Georgia was just responding to the attention with politeness, and wouldn’t actually accept a dating proposal from him. She could do much, much better.

If I hadn’t been so worried about Jenny, I would have found the time to discuss it with her. But I’d never seen my best friend so cast down. She wasn’t just quiet, she was totally depressed. Charlie was really breaking her heart, and I didn’t think I could stand for it. Seriously, I had a good mind to give him a punch in the cheek for stringing her along. If he didn’t like her any more, the least he could do was to be up-front about it. That way, Jenny could deal with the hurt that came with it, and then move on.

Not that I wanted her to get hurt, but it was better than leaving her in emotional limbo.

It was when we were packing up for half-term that the news arrived.

Jenny turned here and there looking for her phone when it sounded. She was taking much more care in her packing than I was. I didn't like taking everything home with me, but it meant I could rotate out my clothes while I was there. The younger students only got a week off, but we were lucky enough to have two. I didn't think it was wise to leave my stuff unattended in the room for that long.

She read the message at speed, and then again more slowly. After the third scan of it, she sat heavily on the bed, her eyes watering with tears she looked determined not to shed. I didn't even ask before I snatched the phone out of her hand. The message was from Chantelle, and it was the first communication Jenny had received since the party.

Goin 2 Switzerland 4 hlf trm. C+W not comin bk. Hav a gd brk!

“
What does she mean that they’re
not coming back?
” I asked, “They’ve only been here two months! That’s so stupid, what was even the point?”

“
I don't know. Why Switzerland?” Jenny asked.

I recalled what Gideon had told me. It was the only connection they had to that place, and it was, “It's where William's sister goes to University. I guess they could be seeing if there's an institute out there that'll take them on, but it's totally ridiculous. She has to be wrong. Charlie wouldn't just go and not tell you.”

“
But he has. It is what it is, Beth. I can't do anything about it.”

At least Lisa and Chrissy had enough sense between them to keep quiet. It was for the best. If they'd said anything insensitive, I might have
accidentally
knocked their trunks down the stairs on the way out of the dorm. I hugged Jenny tightly, hoping that the embrace could express how bad I felt for her in place of words. It was hard to say anything that wouldn't come across as patronising.

I decided on saying, “Maybe the break will be better for everyone. It could just be that he needs to cool down over how we all behaved at the party. After a couple of weeks, it'll be like this whole stupid thing never happened.”

“
Do you think so?”

“
Absolutely! I've seen the way Charlie looks at you. He's totally in love.”

Of course I sounded confident.

If I didn't, she never would have believed me.

Okay, so I did think that Charlie was in love with Jenny. It was so obvious, their feelings were practically flashing in neon. But I also knew the kind of girl Chantelle was. If she'd dragged her brother away with the intention of putting emotional distance between him and Jenny, then it might just work. I couldn't really say that to my friend. She was upset enough without having little things like truth and logic thrust at her.

“
Look,” I rubbed her back gently, “If you want to come and stay at my place for a while, you're welcome.”

“
Really?”

“
Of course! We can go to the beach and stuff. It'll be freezing, but at least it'll be empty. Want to?”

Jenny nodded, “Okay.”

“
Right, you go home to your Mum for a couple of days, and then get Ben to drive you. I'll let Dad know, and I promise I won't let him cook for us.”

“
Why can't I come to your house?” Lisa asked, “I love your Dad!”

“
Yeah, in a totally creepy way. Besides, there's no room for all of us.”

“
So mean.”

“
So
not sleeping on the floor just so you can both fit in my bed,” I corrected.

Meg cleared her throat so softly I nearly missed it. She observed, “I think that Charlie will come back, too. He's nice.”

“
See? Even Meg knows it,” I elbowed Jenny gently, “Cheer up, and get packing. You're usually done by now.”

“
That's so I can help you. You're terrible at folding anything.”

“
Very true. And you're totally neglecting me right now. I don't know if I can forgive that.”

Jenny laughed despite the hurt I knew was building in her chest. Charlie was getting such a slap the next time I saw him. Yeah, I thought there was a chance he was going to come back. But no boy got to make my best friend look like that. She was so much better than anyone he deserved.

Ungrateful git.

I didn't stop to ask Wyatt what he was doing during the break, because I really didn't care. But while I was waiting outside for a taxi to the train station, I happened to see Gideon chatting to another teacher. Our eyes met, and he made excuses to cut their chat short.

He jogged over, and I tried not to be too happy that he seemed keen to be in my company. I smiled when he joined me, and asked, “Did you think you were going to leave without saying goodbye to me?”

“
Never,” he winked, “I wouldn't forget my favourite pupil.”

The not being happy thing wasn't working well for me.

“
Have you spoken to Wyatt?”

“
I'd be lying if I said he wasn't – er –
vocal
about what happened between you. From what I understand, I should be wearing some kind of cup in your presence.”

I snorted with laughter, and clasped a hand over my mouth to stop myself. I couldn't help it. I knew that it could really be damaging to a guy to be struck in such a sensitive place, but he really had deserved it. Any man who forced himself on a girl was asking for a serious injury, in my opinion. There was no excuse for it at all.

“
Sorry,” I said, my voice still trembling with laughter, “I shouldn't -”

“
No, by all means. Anyway, I'm happy he's not interested any more.”

“
Why?”

“
I just am.”

I blushed, “I – uh – I have to go home during the holidays. What about you?”

“
I'll be staying with some friends. But I'm looking forward to spending more time with you when I get back. I'm impressed with your guitar playing.”

“
Really? I'm not. I suck at it.”

“
You're better than some people, but with practice, you could be brilliant. Maybe some private lessons are in order.”

I already felt like my heart was going to burst out of my chest when we simply spoke in private. Having him directing my fingers over an instrument, and humming soft music to me in that beautiful voice of his was going to kill me. Still, I didn't object to the idea. In fact, it really gave me something to look forward to. I just wouldn't be able to tell Jenny about it. The thing was, I knew that if I did, then she would be genuinely happy for me. And I didn't want her to feel like she had to be when she was grieving a lost relationship. She deserved time to be miserable, and not have to put on a smile for other people.

“
Look, if you're in Cornwall in the next couple of weeks, drop in and see me,” I said, “If not, I'll see you when I get back. And I will definitely take you up on those lessons.”

Gideon grinned, “It's a date.”

The taxi couldn't have arrived at a better time, because I really needed to sit down. That man was dangerous. He had a talent for taking the breath right out of me with just a flash of his dashing smile. It should have been illegal for anyone to be so attractive.

Dad had no objection to Jenny coming to stay. I mean, why would he? He loved her like she was his own daughter. Our house was pretty small, with only three bedrooms, and a large garage beneath it. And I didn't mean like a little private place for us to store our cars. I meant a professional garage, with petrol pumps outside, and sweaty mechanics working with precision machinery.

I couldn't complain.

It was a small seaside town. Most of our trade came in the summer, when the tourists brought cars that weren't really designed to cope with tight, winding cobbled roads. There were a lot of collisions, breakdowns, and nasty arguments with insurance companies to be had during those months. Dad was always on hand to come to the rescue, and he did pretty well out of it.

It wasn't what he'd wanted to do for a living, nor the career he'd started out in. But he still enjoyed it well enough, and it paid for us to live without having to rely on my Mum too much for money. Sure, she paid for my education, but that was all.

“
Hey, welcome back!” Eric greeted as I stepped out of my cab at the end of my journey.

I was tired, but he didn't care. He wrapped me up so tightly in a hug, that my feet left the floor, and all the wind was crushed out of me. Eric was about Wyatt's age, but he hadn't bothered with university. He said that all he wanted in life was to earn enough to survive, and to be free to surf in his spare time. Well, there was no shortage of surf on the beach. The owners of the seaside café, Lana and Zeke, also had a store where visitors could rent boards.

I wriggled free of Eric, and was immediately scooped up by Max. His mohawk was as bright as usual, with flecks of green in the black. Thankfully, his girlfriend Poppy was coming by to meet him. She called, “Put her down! You're scaring her, idiot!”

“
Nah, I'm not,” he did let me go, and then ruffled my hair with one of his oily hands, “Welcome home, missus. How's school?”

“
Boring. Hi, Poppy! I missed you!” I said, and hugged her around the middle.

“
Oh, I see,” her brother Lewis said, “You missed
her,
but not the rest of us?”

“
Yeah, got a problem with that?”

“
Of course you missed me. I'm the only sane person around here. Well, besides Lana. She said she's sorry she couldn't come by, but you know how newly-weds are.”

“
Yeah, and I can't believe I missed the wedding! So unfair!”

Poppy patted my shoulder, “Don't worry. Joe took a million photographs, and I'm sure you'll be subjected to them before you go home.”