A Modern Pride and Prejudice.

A few days after the James fiasco, I'd finally run into George Wickham in the street. It turned out he had made the excuse of being ill so he wouldn't have to see Darcy again. He felt that he had made the right decision and that it was for the best if they avoided each other if it were possible.

"I would've gone, really. It's just, well...I didn't want to end up having a brawl with him at some strangers party. It would've been impolite and I didn't want to ruin it for everyone else." he said apologetically.

I nodded in agreement, knowing that it made sense. "It's fine, I just...I wish you had gone. James followed me around half the night and Darcy even asked me to dance with him. It would have been nice to see a friendly face."

George laughed loudly. "Well, I'm sorry for having to abandon you! If I knew Darcy was gonna make a move on you, I would've shown up."

I smiled weakly just as his phone started buzzing. He looked at the screen, looking crestfallen. "I'm sorry, Lizzy, I have to get going. It was good to see you again though. Maybe we'll see each other again soon?"

I heartily agreed, waving him goodbye as it started to rain. I made my way home in a sort of daze, hardly taking anything around me in and barely noticing the rain as it trickled down my face.

When I walked into my house and shrugged off my coat, Jane hurried towards me, her mobile phone in hand.

"Lizzy, thank God you're here. I received a text from Carol fifteen minutes ago. She wanted to tell me that...that they were moving back to London. All of them." she told me, voice quivering. "It turns out that they're missing London and their family..."

"What!" I cried, pulling the phone from her hand and reading the text message for myself. Carol had written it rather bluntly. I had no question that it was all Carol's doing, she must have persuaded Charlie to leave.

"Perhaps Charlie will stay if - "

"No. No, he...Carol said they were all missing London. All of them, Lizzy." Jane said, looking forlorn as I scanned the message again.

"This was probably all Carol's fault, Jane! She's convinced Charlie to leave because she doesn't want him to like you! She's never liked it here, anyway." I seethed, cursing Carol and her scheming mind.

"She'd never do anything like that to me, Liz. There's no point bickering about this...if he's chosen to leave, I can't stop him." Jane mumbled, disheartened.

"Quit being stupid, Jane. He likes you, everyone could see it. I'm sure he'll ring you or text you or something soon."

Jane smiled faintly at me and as she turned to climb the stairs, I looked around wildly, distressed. Charlie had to phone her. Though Jane rarely flaunted her feelings, he must have had some sort of sense to realise that she liked him, too?

How could Carol be so selfish?

I didn't have long to dwell on the subject though because Charlotte poked her head around the door from the living room and beckoned me over.

"Lizzy, I've been waiting ages for you. You're mum said I could wait in here." she said, stepping into the hallway with me. "I have something to tell you."

I tried to look enthusiastic and interested but I was struggling with the weight of what Jane had just told me.

"What's that?"

"I have a boyfriend!" she smiled. "It's James...James Collins."

I dropped all pretense of being interested now. Instead, I gripped her by the shoulders and shook her a little.

"You can't be serious?" I gasped

"Lizzy, don't be like that. We've got a lot in common and...and he seems to really like me." she said brusquely.

"But he's completely ridiculous!" I didn't feel the need to mention he'd asked me out only a few days ago.

"God, Lizzy. Can't you just be happy for me? Besides, I wanted to ask you something." she said, her eyes pleading. "I know it's a lot to ask but he asked me if I wanted to visit his home town, to stay with his Grandmother for a few days. He said I could take a friend and well, I hope you'll come."

I looked at Charlotte, her hands clasped together. She certainly seemed like she wanted me to be there and I couldn't disappoint Charlotte, she was my best friend.

"Lord, I can't believe I'm saying this but fine. I'll come." I said. "Just keep James the hell away from me!"

Charlotte threw her arms around me in delight. "Oh, Lizzy, you're the best. I'll go and tell James."

I couldn't believe the things I did for my friends.