She hates me.

Will was thunderstruck. It had been eight long months since he had last seen her. The girl who�s memory he had unaccountably treasured. He had whiled away countless hours daydreaming, staring at her ribbon, keeping it with him always � the only memento of that magical dance between them. He had spent his nights fantasizing of the moment when he would see her again. How many scenarios had he had built up in his mind of meeting his dream girl again? Each one always ending the same way: holding her in his arms, he would gaze deeply into her eyes and kiss her sweet lips. Never had he imagined their reunion to be like this!

To Will�s horror, those lovely eyes were now stormy and throwing daggers at him. With her mouth set in a straight line, and her hands on her hips, her posture left no doubt that she had heard everything he said. Overwhelmed by the unexpected surprise and confusion of seeing her, he looked over at Charles for confirmation. Was this really happening? His head was reeling. He then followed Charles�s shocked eyes and noticed the girl at whom he was looking. Bingley�s angel. William couldn�t help but think this is not how their long anticipated meeting was supposed to happen. Perspiration forming on the back of his neck, he tried to think of something � anything to say. There must be some way for him to apologize, to tell her he didn�t mean it. Certainly not about her. As desperately as he wanted to say something � he couldn�t. His tongue suddenly felt too big for his mouth. He turned to Charles, in need of his friend, but Charles was dumbstruck as well. Will�s throat went completely dry. Unable to speak, all he could do was remain silent. Better that than to choke out some form of gibberish. He wanted to reach out to Elizabeth but her eyes said no.

Elizabeth couldn�t believe her bad luck. She wanted to scream, it�s him, it�s him! Here she was, finally having a good time out with her sister � at Princeton. Princeton! It was excruciating. A party, in a gorgeous setting � a mansion no less, and who does she run into? The one person she hoped to forget and never see again: Will Darcy. The name had been ingrained in her head since she left him at the Longbourn mixer almost a year ago.

Looking back on that night, she wondered if she had done the right thing by running away from him. His eyes had been so sad, so wistful, the last time she had seen him. In hindsight, running away seemed childish. Often, when she dared to think of him, she regretted having fled. Thinking about it only brought back bittersweet recollections of what had turned out to be the most perfect moment of her life. She couldn�t help but think of his deep brown eyes and towering height. Those broad shoulders and perfect lips. Ever since that dance, he had been her favorite daydream. Upon hearing his spiteful assumptions she bitterly reflected on what a fantasy world she had been living in, pretending he wasn�t engaged. That it was she who he really loved, she was the one he wanted to kiss. Foolishly she�d let her imagination get away from her.

Hearing his prejudiced comments on younger sisters made her blood boil. He is a jerk! She was so angry she couldn�t help herself. Doing what any other self-respecting, intelligent, grown-up, college girl would do � she told him off!

�How dare you! You � you," she searched for something scathing enough to say to him. "You snob! Who do you think you are with your preppy collegiate look and expensive tie!� Jane tried to stop Lizzy by putting her hand on her shoulder, but Lizzy was on a roll and shrugged it off. �What makes you so great, Mr. High-and-Mighty? You arrogant, presumptuous � "

�Lizzy!� Jane hissed, aware of the small scene they were creating. Lizzy was surprised at herself that she lit into him so fiercely. One side of her was angry, the other hurt. All the feelings and emotions she had been holding in for the past eight months, her secret fantasies were crashing down around her. She was devastated that he wasn�t the nice boy of her cherished memories and daydreams.

Will�s eyes reflected his surprise at her outburst. My God, she's so angry! He was speechless, too dazed to do or say anything. He had never been on the receiving end of this type of tirade. With a final frustrated stomp of her foot and one last look of anguish, she quickly turned and fled from him � again!

There she goes! She�s always running away from me! Exasperated, Will ran his hand through his tousled curls and made a move to follow her, �I�ve got to go after her, I can�t let her go on thinking the worst about me.� Charles stopped him with a calming hand on his shoulder.

�Will, I don�t think you should follow her.� Warily eyeing Charles, Will stopped.

�But I�ve got to, I can�t let her think � �

�Leave her alone, let her sister � let Jane talk to her.� Charles said, looking at Jane.

Angrily brushing the tears from her eyes, Lizzy ran down the front walk of the large brick mansion, pushing through the old wrought iron gates in front. She leaned against the brick wall that surrounded the property and tried to catch her breath while waiting for Jane.

Jane, silently watching the two young men, was confused. How could this man say such cruel things about someone he didn�t even know? In Jane�s opinion Lizzy was the most wonderful human being on Earth. It shook her to think of the unkindness shown to her little sister by this self-important friend of Charles. And, what was Lizzy�s reaction to this all about? She had never seen her sister react so rudely before, and with such passion! Had they met before?

Charles looked uneasily at Jane, her thoughts apparent on her face. He turned again to Will with a worried expression. Charles was torn, he just met the most wonderful girl and she was about to walk out of his life! As Jane made to leave, he stopped her with a cry.

�Jane, please wait. Let me come with you?� She saw his eyes imploring her to let him come with her and she acquiesced.

�All right.� She hated to leave him this way. She still wanted to see Charles again. She liked him. Walking beside her, Charles placed his hand gently on her back, glancing back at a sorrowful Will, tacitly letting him know he�d try to salvage what he could. When Charles and Jane entered the center hallway before the front door, Charles stopped her.

�I�m sorry about my friend. I know he didn�t mean it,� he apologized. �He hasn�t even met your sister. He had no idea what she would really be like. He hasn�t been himself lately, he�s been very irritable.� He tried to find some understanding in her eyes, but she prevented him by looking down at her shoes. She wasn�t ready yet to completely forgive his friend. �Believe me, he�s usually a great guy, he wants to apologize. Do you think your sister will listen to him and let him say he�s sorry?�

Jane was struck by his regretful tone and could no longer resist. She looked into his big blue eyes and wanted to believe him, but this was her sister they were talking about. She didn�t think it would be a good idea to let Lizzy talk to Will right now. She knew what Lizzy could be like when her feelings were hurt, and on top of that � angry? Definitely not a good idea.

�I think the best thing to do is to let me talk to her,� she said finally. �I believe you, Charles.� She smiled slightly. �I�ve got to go now, she�s waiting for me.� Waiting for him to make the next move, she didn�t know where to look.

�Jane, I want to see you again.� Charles said, taking her hand, �Can I call you?�

�Yes� she said casting her eyes down again, looking at his hand holding hers, �I�d like that.� She looked up and smiled. �You can reach me through the main switchboard at Longbourn.�

Charles beamed. �I will. I definitely will!� He wanted to kiss her, but wasn�t sure if he should or not.

�Well�� Jane finally said. �I better go, Lizzy�s probably waiting.� She turned around to open the heavy front door.

Charles found his nerve and reached for her shoulder, stopping her. Bending down he gave her a quick kiss on the cheek. �I�m glad we met, Jane. I�ll call you.� He nodded, as if needing to convince himself. �I promise.� She nodded shyly, and ran down the front walk towards the street, looking for Lizzy who was standing just outside the front gate.

�Here I am.� Lizzy stepped out of the darkness next to the wall she�d been leaning up against.

�Lizzy, are you all right? That was awful!� Jane immediately put her arm around her little sister and pulled her close for a hug.

�I�m a little better, waiting for you helped to clear my head. I can�t believe the things he said, what an arrogant � �

Jane�s remonstration cut her off, �Now Lizzy, wait a minute. Charles explained a few things to me.� Lizzy rolled her eyes, Jane always believed the best in everyone. �His friend, Will, had no idea who you were, he hadn�t even met you yet. He couldn�t possibly have meant those things about you.� Lizzy privately agreed with Jane on this point, but didn�t want to admit it. �He wants to apologize.� Catching Lizzy�s eye she smiled. �See? He�s not that bad.�

�You�re wrong, Jane,� Lizzy said stubbornly. �He may not have meant those things about me in particular, but they were pretty mean things to say about anybody, whether you know them or not.� She fumed when she thought about it. Acne? Overweight? I could kill him! What does he know anyway? My skin cleared up ages ago! She pouted and sighed. �Besides,� she said quietly, �he has met me before.�

�What?� Jane couldn�t help but be surprised her sister had kept this from her. �When did you meet?�

�Last year.� She looked into Jane�s eyes meaningfully. �Remember the mixer at Longbourn you let me come to?�

Jane covered her mouth in horror and understanding. �Oh no, not the boy?�

Lizzy nodded, �Yes. Will Darcy.� She closed her eyes, wishing she could forget the look on his face just now. Why did he have to be as cute as ever? His hair was a little longer, but it only succeeded in making him look even more attractive. She wasn�t sure if he recognized her or not. She thought about the way his eyes widened when he saw her. Was that alarm, or recognition? If he recognized me, why didn�t he say something? Lizzy answered her own question. Because you didn�t let him, stupid! She realized that wasn�t the only reason and abruptly spoke up, �I bet you didn�t know that he�s engaged either.�

�He�s engaged?�

�Yes.� Lizzy grimaced at the memory of her encounter with the witch in the ladies lounge at Longbourn last year. �She goes to Longbourn, too. She�s absolutely awful. Her name is Caroline Bingley.� Realization dawned on her. �Is she your new friend Charles�s sister?�

Jane�s eyes widened. Charles and Will are close friends, and Will�s engaged to Charles�s sister? Why didn�t he mention it? �That�s odd,� she said aloud.

�No kidding,� Lizzy folded her arms in front of her. �They deserve each other!� Lizzy hoped that if she stayed mad the truth wouldn�t hurt so much.

�No, I mean that I don�t understand why Charles didn�t mention it. Why did he want to introduce you to Will if he was engaged to his sister?� Jane was puzzled. �It doesn�t make very much sense.�

Lizzy was tired. �Oh, Jane, it doesn�t really matter. Let�s just get out of here and go back to Longbourn. I am thoroughly sick of Princeton University!�

Jane nodded in agreement. They walked thoughtfully, arm in arm, down Prospect Avenue to their Volkswagen Beetle. One sister wished with deep regret that she had never come to Princeton, her cherished memories lost in one heartbreaking moment. The other sister savored the memory of a pair of twinkling blue eyes and the feeling of a soft kiss on her cheek. I hope he calls.

Will was thoroughly disgusted with himself. How could he have given in to Charles and let Elizabeth run away like that? He cracked open another beer, remembering the angry and hurt look upon her face. She can�t possibly think I was really talking about her, could she? He considered what Charles had told him about her. A freshman at Longbourn? If she was a freshman now, she was still in high school when we met last year. His first reaction was one of horror and he shuddered at the idea. She�s too young for you, Darcy. He drained his beer, trying to shake the image of her. As the warmth of the alcohol began to envelop him, it had the opposite effect of what he intended. He thought admiringly of her fiery eyes and her long shining brown hair. Soft threads of auburn and gold glimmered in the dim light of his memory, while a pair of sparkling sapphires flashed before him, surrounded by sooty lashes. He now found himself warming to the idea of her age. It didn�t seem so important after all.

Charles�s sister, Caroline came bobbing over to them as he absently reached for another beer. She had obviously had a few too many drinks as well.

�Will, you�ve been ignoring me all night!� She giggled in what she thought was a naughtily sexy voice. �That�s not nice.� Her behavior only made Will loathe her even more. She sidled up to him, leaning in closer, speaking in a conspiratorial tone.

�What was going on with you and Charles and those �girls� before?� She made no secret of her disapproval in her tone.

Will rolled his eyes. Great. Caroline must have seen the whole thing. But his curiosity was piqued, �Do you know them?�

�Vaguely,� she eyed Will more closely. �They go to my school.� She was careful to speak in a bored accent, she didn�t want that little know nothing freshman getting her claws into her Will Darcy. �No one of any consequence.� she continued disparagingly. �No money, no fashion, and certainly no breeding. Their family is nothing.� Surely this would make Will think twice about his little dance with that �nobody� last year.

It was a point of pride to Caroline that she never forgot anything when it came to Will Darcy. It was almost unheard of for Will Darcy to dance with anyone. He just didn�t do it. Why, he hasn�t even danced with me yet! Her eyes narrowed approvingly as she thought of the conversation last winter with that little minx in the bathroom. Hmph, I fixed her. She inwardly laughed at the memory of Elizabeth Bennet hightailing it out of there as fast as she could. Lightweight, she thought smugly.

Will observed Caroline�s expression. What is going on in that devious little mind of hers? He couldn�t fail to miss the self-satisfied look upon her face. Fortunately for Will, Charles came up to them at that moment.

�Ready to go?� he asked Will.

�Yes, let�s go.� Suddenly fatigued, he headed for the door, wishing at that moment he could go upstairs to his old room at Ivy, instead of trekking across Princeton�s campus to the Graduate College, half a mile away.

Realizing their departure was imminent Caroline snapped out of her reverie and frantically turned to Will, tightly clutching his arm.

�William, you can�t be serious! It�s still early, let�s have some fun!� she cried, looking up at him.

He pulled back involuntarily. Clearing his throat, Charles turned to her, aware of his friend�s discomfort. �Caroline, Will�s tired and we�re all going home.�

She was forced to realize they were not going to relent in their decision so she quickly changed tactics and tried to make the best of it.

�In that case, I need a ride back to Longbourn.� She put on her most pitiful look. �My friends have already left without me.� She conveniently neglected to mention that she told her friends to leave without her, angling for a better offer � from Will Darcy. �I was hoping I could get a ride with one of you.� She turned to Will and smiled a little too sweetly. �You do have your Jag, don�t you?� she batted her repaired eyelashes with an eerie catlike quality. William drove a Jaguar XKE roadster, but tonight, he and Charles had come together in Charles�s new Mustang convertible.

Visibly relieved to have a bona fide excuse, Will explained to Caroline that he didn�t have his car with him. Instead, Charles was prepared to drive Caroline back to her school in Meryton. As brother and � visibly disappointed � sister worked their way to Charles�s car, William called out his farewells and began walking towards the main campus, en route to the Graduate College. Caroline made one last ditch effort.

�William, why aren�t you coming with us? If you don�t come Charles will have to drive back all alone.� Ever cunning she thought this might convince him and perhaps she could even tempt him to sit in the back seat with her.

�That�s all right, Caroline,� Charles quickly stepped in, fully aware that William would probably prefer to be alone. �Unless you want to come, Will.�

�N-no, no, you two go on,� waving them off. �I�m going to walk.� He began to head down Prospect Avenue, �I�ll see you later, Charles. Good-bye Caroline.� He turned and strode on, chuckling and shaking his head � he could hear the high pitched complaints coming from Caroline about Charles�s new car. �It�s brand new, and it�s already a mess! You are such a slob, Charles!�

There was a crisp feel in the air that October evening as he walked through Princeton�s campus. A brisk twenty-minute walk to his rooms in the still silence of the night helped to clear his head of the chaos that surrounded him since he saw Elizabeth again. How ironic, the one girl he wanted to see turns up, and he manages to make the worst impression possible. He kicked at the dead leaves that rustled beneath his feet as he waited to cross University Place. Continuing on past the gray stones of the McCarter Theatre he climbed the final hill on which stood the ghostly Cleveland Tower, a tall gothic structure, silhouetted in the moonlight. Passing by the handsome stone walls of brown and gray that made up the rest of the Graduate College campus, Will continued on his way, minutes from the sanctuary he craved.

Deep in his thoughts, Will continued to ponder this evening�s horrors. Not only had he managed to ruin his chances with Elizabeth, but adding to his misery, the one girl he emphatically didn�t want to see, managed to throw herself at him every chance she got. Why couldn�t he tell Caroline to stop bothering him once and for all? His thoughts returned to Elizabeth. Why couldn�t you understand? Why did you run away again? Distracted, he crossed the quad and climbed the stairs to the suite he shared with Charles. Alone and able to give in to his despair, he threw himself on the bed and flung his arm over his eyes, going over the entire episode, step by step. If only I could do it over! Why? Why, did I have to say those things?

Reaching over to his bedside table, he turned on the radio, tuning in the local radio station. He recognized the opening, rangy, guitar chords of the song playing. The Beatles again. They were everywhere these days. He knew the song well enough and closed his eyes, softly singing along.

Click here for his song

Since she's been gone I want no one to talk to me.
It's not the same but I'm to blame, it's plain to see.
So go away, leave me alone, don't bother me.

I can't believe that she would leave me on my own.
It's just not right when every night I'm all alone.
I've got no time for you right now. Don't bother me.

Never before had the lyrics seemed so timely. It was as if they had him in mind when they wrote the song.

I know I'll never be the same if I don't get her back again.
Because I know she'll always be the only girl for me.

He sat up on his bed. It sounds like me! It�s exactly how I feel! The realization hit him hard. His eyes fell on her white ribbon, resident on his bedside table. I can�t get her out of my mind. Ever since we first met, I�ve felt she was the only girl for me.

Don�t come around, leave me alone
Don�t bother me
Don�t bother me *

With determination, Will began to form a plan. With luck, Charles would play a crucial role in helping him get back into Elizabeth Bennet�s good graces, thanks to her sister. I�ll think of some way to get her back. Will�s confidence began to grow. I�ll make myself completely irresistible to her. He refused to consider the possibility of defeat.

*Don�t Bother Me � performed by the Beatles, written by George Harrison � 1963 Northern Songs. All Rights Reserved. International Copyright Secured.

� 2004 Copyright held by the author.