P&P

Chapter Three

"...and he loves the Dave Mathew's Band as much as I do, he's a hopeless romantic, and he doesn't actually believe in the zombie apocalypse, despite what his friends and family will say, but he thinks it would be awesome if it happened." Jane finally –FINALLY – finished her rant on Charles, or Charlie, as he prefers to be called. Charles was apparently too formal for him.

"What did I tell ya?" I gave her a look that said I told you so, and she continued to swoon. "I'm glad somebody found a decent guy last night." Charlotte and Lydia both found jerks. Lydia was in her room sulking over her public display of attention with a guy whose girlfriend was out of town, and Charlotte was still unhappy about being boyfriend-less.

And I certainly didn't find the man I'd eventually marry and have babies with.

"I heard what Darcy said about you." Jane said, looking down at me with concern. She always seemed to think I wasn't as strong as I looked, and I always said she was looking for any excuse to be a big sister to me. I was usually the one trying to protect her and Lydia. "Are you okay?"

"Of course." I said simply with a shrug. "I just hate that he made an opinion about me like that so soon. But I gave it right back to him, so I don't care." Jane smiled at my breezy reply. Nothing really got to me anymore, not after all of the disastrous relationships I've been through. I have been lied to, cheated on, used, the works. Every guy I've ever known has turned out to be a jackass.

"You're gonna find your knight in shining armor someday." Jane told me. I rolled my eyes, but she continued. "You are. The more you don't believe it, the sooner it will come! You are familiar with karma, aren't you?" She gave me a knowing look, which I waved off. She continued to give me the look and I narrowed my eyes.

"Pfft." Was my only response.

"And when you do," She continued this thought. "You're going to have to learn to bite your tongue."

"Jane, please," I started with an eye roll. "Why would I ever hold back my true thoughts for a trifling thing like love?" It was her turn to glare at me this time, but I wasn't backing down. "I don't even hold back my wit when I'm with you. And we all know how sensitive you are."

"So you're telling me that you wouldn't even think twice before hurting the feelings of someone you truly love?" Jane gave me another knowing look, and this time I had to think about her question. Although it didn't take long to arrive at an answer.

"I wouldn't love him if he couldn't handle it." I smirked and she rolled her eyes at me.

"You just don't get it." She said, a knowing smile on her lips. "But you're still young. There's plenty of time for you."

"Plenty of time to read in the solace of my bedroom and drink copious amounts of tea until I turn forty and it's time to buy my first cat." She playfully slapped my arm and I stuck my tongue out at her. "Or thirty, depending on how lonely and pathetic my life is then." Jane looked absolutely appalled.

"Come on, Lizzie!" Jane exclaimed. "You just graduated high school. You worked really hard, confining yourself to your bedroom for four years, and it paid off! You were salutatorian! You should be celebrating by going out into the world instead of getting lost in one that isn't even real." Jane said. Her words rung true. I didn't like going out, but maybe it was because I wasn't with the right people. A lot of my friends from high school have been known to ditch me at parties. But Jane and Charlotte never have. While I was born with a reading list I'll never finish, it would probably be good for me to skip a night of reading to be with real people.