Searching for Mr. Darcy

Scene Twelve

"I don't believe you!" Talia said as soon as Maisie walked in the door.

"What are you doing here?"

"Spending the night.  Douchy McDoucheface is staying over with Carrie tonight.  I walked in on them having sex in our kitchen."

Maisie grimaced.  She was glad to see her friend, and angry at her at the same time.  She gave her a half-hearted hug, then plopped onto the couch.  Dashwood immediately jumped into her lap.

"He seriously left you there, in the middle of the restaurant, without saying anything?"

Maisie nodded and rubbed the top of the cat's head.  Dashwood purred.  Talia paced back and forth in front of the couch.

"Why? It doesn't make any sense.  You look adorable, you're intelligent, witty when you want to be..." she trailed off, nose screwed up, forehead wrinkled.

"Could it be that his mother did not tell him how she set up the date?" Maisie asked, a slight edge to her voice.

"Huh?"

Maisie rolled her eyes.  "He didn't know about the 'Searching for Mr. Darcy' thing.  He thought I knew his mother, and that's why she set us up."

Talia whistled and sat down.  "And you explained it to him?"

"I showed him the page."

"Sweetie, what in the world did you do that for?"

Talia's sympathetic face was too much for Maisie to handle.  "You think I should have lied to him?" Maisie spat out.  "He obviously didn't want to be there to begin with, only came as a favor to his mother.  Did you see his picture?  The man was gorgeous - why the fuck would he want to spend time hanging out with me?"

"Oh, Maze-"

"Let's just forget about it.  I'm not doing this again.  It was a mistake.  I'm going to shut down the page and forget that this ever happened, okay?"  She jumped up, angering Dashwood, and went to her room, closing the door before Talia could follow after her.

Talia just had no idea.  How could she?  She was beautiful, and thin, and vivacious.  Men lined the block for her.  She could never understand what it felt like to be in Maisie's shoes right now.  How she'd worked so hard, year after year, to accept herself for who she was.  To be happy in her own skin.  To not sweat the fact that she'd never be anyone's fantasy.  She'd gotten so good at believing she was okay with everything, but one crappy date was all it took to send her spiraling.

Talia knocked softly on the door.  "I'm sorry, Maze."

Maisie sat on the edge of her bed, pulling a pillow covered in cat hair onto her lap.

"Please let me in."

"The door isn't locked," Maisie muttered, but not loudly enough for Talia to hear her.

"If you don't let me in, I'll call for reinforcements.  I've got your mother's number all ready to go, I just need to press send."

"It's unlocked!" Maisie called out.  Talia twisted the handle and let the door swing open.

"Are you really going to let one bad night ruin the possibilities available to you right now?" Talia asked, leaning against the doorframe.

Maisie threw the pillow down.  "You know where the extra blankets are.  I'm going to bed.  Good night."  She pushed past Talia and went into the bathroom to brush her teeth.  By the time she was finished, her friend had already made a bed up on the couch and was changing into a pair of borrowed, too-large pjs.  Without another word, Maisie slipped back into her room and laid down.  She allowed herself a minute to wallow before turning out the light and falling asleep.