Pride & Pre-Med Curriculum

Chapter 3

"Miss Bennet, we meet again."

"You're that pompous Mr. Darcy."  She slurred thickly.  "You know, my friend and I have a theory about you."  She giggled, a wobbly finger pointing at him. 

"How interesting.  I would love to hear your hypotheses as I escort you back to your house.  If I may?"  He held out his hands to assist her to her feet.  She took his hands, but her limbs were pretty much the consistency of jello, so she nearly ended up pulling him down upon her. 

"Whoops!  Lizzy fixed her face in a stern rebuke,  "Have you been drinking, Mr. Darcy?  That is really most unbecoming behavior from one in your position."  Then she erupted into giggles again, mumbling something about "too straight-laced'.

"Let's try that again, shall we?"  This time he heaved on her arms and as soon as she was vertical bent and let her momentum carry her over his shoulder and straightened to grasp the back of her legs.  He carried her out of the house and she giggled, blowing kisses and waving from Will's ramrod straight back at all the frat brothers staring moodily after her.  Only a few of them gave her half hearted waves in return.

As Will walked through the foyer, he looked up, quite shocked at the his own reflection int the hall mirror.  He hesitated, watching the image of Lizzy's shapely backside for several long moments before noticing his own entranced expression.  Shaking his head, he decided he probably should not be carrying her on display in this manner through the neighborhood.  He would be a in dozen more fights before he got her home.

"Miss Bennet, are you able to walk?" 

"Sure, Sparky." she replied flirtaciously and slapped him on the rear playfully. "Anything for you."  But as he tried to slide her from his shoulder, she was once again as limp as a noodle, sliding down his body with her own and clinging weakly as she stumbled, trying to stand.  The action made Will painfully aware of her soft curves.  He held her tightly against him, vehemently wishing he could drop her.

Her ankles wobbled and twisted in the high heels, unable to hold her up.  After repeated tries, Will was exasperated.  "Why don't we try it without the shoes, humm?"  He leaned over, still supporting her waist and she lifted each foot so that he could remove the high heels from her feet.  He tried diligently to not notice her long shapely legs as he was doing so. 

"My friend and I think you're so grumpy because you need a girlfriend."  She continued.

"Really?  Well do you have any suggestions or should I start holding interviews immediately?"

"Interviews?  Oh dear, that will take too long.  You need someone right away . . ." 

Once her shoes were off, however, she seemed to still not be able to stand properly.  Resigned, he decided he would have to carry her after all.  He slipped his hoodie off first and wrapped it around her, quickly zipping it up.

"Oh," she was surprised, "thank you.  I never would have guessed you were so chiv- chiv- *hiccup* -gallant, Mr. Darcy."  He scooped her up in his arms, thankful someone had left the door open.

"Well, we all have our little faults."  He said it acidly, but  it was lost on Lizzy, as she was contentedly snuggling her face into his chest and closing her eyes already.  She was asleep before they reached the curb. 

He tried to ignore the fact that he already knew where she lived, unwilling to admit he might have an unhealthy fascination with the girl in his arms.  The four blocks to her sorority took their toll on Will, although not in the conventional sense.  It wasn't that she was too heavy a load to bear.  It wasn't the lustful bent most men would have experienced, carrying a scantily clad, unconscious young woman, either.  But as Will progressed down the street, he kept glancing down, drawn to the softness of her cheek and the sculpted perfection of her delicate lips. 

His breath hitched in his chest as she snuggled even closer, nuzzling his neck as the fragile lashes on her cheek fluttered.  She was restless, moving enough to make the curling tendrils around her face tickle Will's neck. 

So, it was with great relief when he reached her house and once again, conveniently found the door open.  He carried her straight to the nearest couch, stiffly deposited her on it and turned, exiting without word or explanation. 

Jane had been looking for Lizzy and stopped Alicia, one of the sisters, to ask her if she had seen her. 

"She's on the couch."

"Really?  She wasn't there earlier-"

"Oh, some guy brought her in a couple of minutes ago and left her there."

"Who was he?"

"He didn't talk to anyone.  I didn't know him.  You can try asking her, but she's out cold."