Ellie and Darcy, and other bad first impressions

Chapter 12: the day i found a passion

Later after the party I was texting Lottie when Jane came in.

"So how'd it go?" I giggled. Jane carried on per usual 'lovely, enchanting, fairytale, bla bla bla'.

I noticed you were dancing with Darcy" she said with a smirk sitting up on my bed.

"Only because he cut in on Rick. Honestly what would you have done?" I said sarcastically

"Well, I know Rick is annoying but I thought Darcy was the 'bane of your existence'"

"That's not the point. He was rude to Jack and I want to know why. I'm pretty sure they have a history. Oh well I'll probably ask Jack in the morning" I said sighing and leaning back against the pillows. I tossed my phone on my bed when Jane asked
"What's that?"

She was looking at the floor and eyeing a piece of Navy blue cloth. She got off the bed and picked it up. I sat up too.

"Ellie Bennett, is this what I think it is?" She said appalled

"Oops" I shrugged trying to play it off.

"You know" she said rejoining me on the bed "he agreed when Charlie said you looked good tonight"

"He was probably talking about himself" I added

Whatever, goodnight" she said leaving the room quietly

The next morning I stayed in bed, regretting the night before. Close to lunch I got a text from Jack

"Froyo?" He asked

"Of course" I replied

We used to go to froyo all the time. We actually met there.
"Of course you get cookie dough" Jack chuckled

"And you get peanut butter, gross" I said making a face.
  We sat down at a table outside.

"So, I didn't know you knew Darcy" I said picking up some cookie dough on my spoon.

"I didn't know you knew him either, especially not that well" he said raising an eyebrow

"Ugh, a it was, was a favor to get me out of an awkward situat- not the point. How do you know him?" I asked

"Well, I told you I had a brother and sister right?"

"Yes of course, wait, him?" I gasped

"Well, kind of. You see my mom left when I was born and my dad and Darcy's dad were best friends so we automatically grew up together. Then when I was ten and Darcy was twelve my dad died. His father just assumed I was to move in with him and that was the plan. I was hesitant though because Georgie was so little and I didn't want to intrude on the man who was like my second father. Besides the Mrs Darcy had died only two years earlier of cancer. Of course Mr Darcy took me in and raised me like a second son. He even offered to have my name changed, but I didn't in honor of my father."

"So why don't you two get along if you were like brothers?" I was genuinely confused

"Well, when I was eighteen he died and Darcy being the oldest, and biological child, he got a hold of the will. Mr. Darcy had told me before he died that I was in it. Darcy however, refused to give me the money and threw me out. I had no family except for my grandparents who were really old. And technically I was old enough to live on my own. I had my bank account but it was under the Darcy name. So I went to Georgie, who was only thirteen at the time, and she gave me enough to get out of town. So I went and rented an apartment for a while then after my grandma passed I moved in with my grandpa and have been ever since."

"What a sleeze. You could use that money to help pay medical expenses and get a place of your own." I was appalled. William Darcy was such a jerk. "He denied you money after you considered him a brother, how dare he?"

"I know, but he and I haven't been on excellent terms ever since" his phone began to buzz "well that's the alarm for the train. I have to head home. It was really awesome to see you again Ellie"

He kissed me on the cheek and disappeared. I got up, threw our trash away and hurried back to work.
I still couldn't believe Will Darcy could do such a thing.

I drove home thinking. I was about to give Darcy a second chance. He had given me his clothes, he had been nice to Jane and Mrs. Lucas, and most of all he had saved me from an awful night with Rick. But how could one man be so selfish?

That evening I pulled into the garage and walked into silence.

"Mom" no response "dad" I heard something in the dining room. I walked in to find my parents conversing quietly across from Rick.

"What the crap is going on I said

"Oh, nothing Elizabeth, sit" I obeyed my mother and sat next to my father across from Rick.

"If you don't mind I would like to talk to Elizabeth alone" Rick said. My eyes felt as if they got as big as saucers.

"Oh of course" my mother agreed quickly

"Dad" I mumbled. He said nothing and walked out of the room.

Elizabeth, as you know I am the manager of Collins Computer Company and am under the gracious supervision of Mrs DeBourgh" he said standing up, beginning to Pace.

"Yes i-"

"And she had suggested that we make some changes to make the company greater than it already is. So she has decided to honor me in saying I can hire an assistant manager, that fit within her standards of course and so Elizabeth, you seem dignified and intelligent so, how would you like it?"

I stood up trying to get the correct words to come out of my mouth.

"Of course you will need to move right away. You are more than welcome to stay in the apartments within the building. I live in one myself and it's close to Mrs. DeBourgh-"

"Rick, I seem to notice you have ignored the fact that I haven't given you an answer" I said holding out my hand as if to keep him away.

"Well Elizabeth this is a once in a lifetime opportunity to-"

"To what?! Have an office job? I want to teach children to have a love of books, to love raw imagination and to thrive on creating their own story. I refuse to give that up for staring at a computer just because the pay is good. I'm sorry but I cannot accept your proposal"

I stormed out finding my mother and father around the corner. I ran out of the house, up the street and turned on my secret trail. I walked to the little pond that I considered my own for so long and sat under my favorite tree and cried. I was not only crying for Jack but I was crying for me. And for once I had a passion and for the first time I wasn't afraid to stand up for it or myself.

  After about thirty minutes I was walking down back to my house and saw Rick's car speeding up the street. I walked inside my house to

"Elizabeth Bennett, call him right now and say that you've made a mistake"

"I will not" I shouted

"Yes you will. You need this job"

"No mom, I don't. I want to teach and I don't care to be a trophy wife either and you and I both know that's where it was heading" I said trying to push past her

"Rob" my mother said looking for my dad

"Ellie if you do not accept this job then your mother will never speak to you again. However, if you do then I will never see you again" he said quietly.

I ran up and hugged him like I did when I was little but I was relieved

"Thank you dad" I said crying into his shirt

Hey y'all. It's been a fat minute I know but welcome to life. So this was a crazy chapter but oh well. Soon Ellie will have to try something new with her new found confidence. Anyways thanks for reading bye💛💜💛💜💛💜-eli