Love to Hate You

Chapter 2

Chapter 2

- It starts with a bang.

Pemberley High School of Academics is a big brick castle formed as a half moon, not round, more square. In the front cherry trees are standing in rows with pink flowers and a crystal looking lake. The back of the building has a big maze and different sports arenas. Tennis court, football field and a dance gym. People walking by have perfect faces and pressed uniforms. Everybody looks really, really, really rich. Designer bags, designer sunglasses, diamonds, Rolex watches and designer shoes. Everyone smiles, that kind of smile, “hello, my life is great. I have no problems in my life”. 

They look nothing like me, with my waist long slightly curly brown hair and big black oversize t-shirt dress. I have my best black Nike shoes on. They make my 155 cm long body look 157 cm on a good day. I also have a purple silk side-bag, made by sweet Jane. The bag has different zodiac signs, stars and my initials on it. I love it. Jane, I wish you can see me from heaven now. I try to hide my teary misty blue eyes. Take a grip Elizabeth Bennet. Don't let people see your weakness.  

"Hello Mr, Bennet. We have been looking forward to welcoming you and your sweet daughter to our eminent Pemberley High School of Academics and its facilities. Your resident will be cottage NR 23. Your daughter will be staying at room 234 with Miss Charlotte Lucas in the vest wing.", an older man with big round glasses and a fat belly says. He also has a greasy side cut and a gray three-piece-suit. 

Wait what? "Daddy, I will not be living with you?" My father always put all the facts on the table at the very end. "Sweetie you can visit me whenever you want, but this is a boarding school and the principal Mrs. DeBourgh insisted that you should live like the other students.”

Mr. Greasy continues with the same tone as my father. "The cottage has only one bedroom, a small kitchen and a living room/library. It wouldn't be fitting for you to live with your father." Finally, my Father has made arrangements benefiting his solitude personality. Now he don`t need to look at me everyday and remember the family he lost. He can focus on his work and forget about me. Great for him.

"I will find a new house for us after the semester. Where we can live during the holidays. Maybe we can travel around the country? This will be our new great adventure." If my father didn't look so optimistic I would say something, but he has a sparkle in the eyes I haven't seen before. I can see how much he looks forward to this. He even has a little new glow that I hadn't seen since, since everything ended. When the drunk driver in the big trailer smashed my family in the mountain Faluga. Stop Lizzie. This is not the place to start crying. This is not the place. I think of Jane's lovely angelic face with light blond curls and big blue eyes. She must be my guardian angel. Angel in life, angel in heaven.

People start whispering and making greetings to a girl my age. She comes up to Mr. Greasy, "Mr. Collins. Sorry I was a little late for Miss. Bennet's tour. The student meeting was running a little late." So Mr. Greasy is called Mr. Collins.

"Don't think about it Miss. Bingley, we all appreciate the good work you do for the student environment. " Did Miss. Bingley give me the evil eye? I don't know if it was me or… just me that she reacted to. I could sense a little aversion. The smile she gives me never reached her eyes.

"Well...Miss Eliza? LIZA? Bennet. I will show you the grounds and your new housing. As expected it will be more that you are used to… you know.. in sense of style. Not to brag, but this school holds an atmosphere like no other place on... let's say your side of the earth." The little witch winks at my father and gives me the eye. Daddy probably thought it was a joke.

She is a beautiful girl with strawberry blond hair and perfect teeth. She is 174 cm model-tall. Rolex gold watch. Chanel 5.2.2 bag. Chanel flats. Chanel everything. Jane used to show me all the fashion brands. That's how I know so much about design. Something gives me a creepy feeling that I am not welcomed here. Little Miss Perfect looks at me like I am an intruder. She speaks to me like I am a simple minded person, “Poor you. Probably never seen doors like these before. It is called double oak doors. Oak is a type of wood. Most classes are in rooms looking like this." The room is big. Comfortable chairs in half circles. Every chair had a little table you could move back and forth. It looked like a luxurious movie theater. I counted five rows. Big screen in the front. Podium and chair for the teacher. We walk further into the center of the school to a hallway area. I must say, rich people know how to spend their money on housing. 

"Here you can see the wall of fame. Not that it is expected of you to take a place on the wall. The wall presents all the high achievers in Pemberley High School of Academics. Valedictorians and categories such as best in debate, sport, music, art. The Darcy family are most represented in every category. Every year. Not that you are familiar with such a glorious heritage. Well well, we most all show mercy and kindness to those less fortunate. Those who are breeding on other people's success and wealth". She looks at me like I am the scum of the earth.

I was about to tell her where to put that wealth when people around us started to whisper and...bow their heads a little? It was like the King walked into the hallway, even little Miss Strawberry blond straightened her shoulders and checked her complexion. I looked around. In the end of the hallway I could see a man descending the stairs walking towards us, on his right side a blond haired man followed. Both were wearing uniforms. 

"Sister!” The blond man greets. 

"Brother. Mr. Darcy. I am currently giving this... this Eliza person a tour of our eminent school. I was just showing her The wall." She talks about that wall like it as a personality. Caroline walks towards Darcy and plays with her hair. I think she tries to be sexy. That girl is desperate. 

Mr. Darcy looks at me. Actually he stares at me. Mr. Darcy would draw attention from across the room anywhere he goes. His eyes are direct and intense. Aura reflects dominants, like a real alpha male controlling his pack. Something gives me the feeling that to involve myself with a man like him would cost a part of my soul. He is very handsome. I give him that. Dark slightly curled hair. It is trimmed on the sides and a little longer on the top. He is tall, maybe 192 cm towering over me. Strong face structure and perfect straight nose. Greek God meets Henry Cavill. He has Burberry shoes and a Patek Philippe watch.

Miss. Bingley tries to get Darcy's attention with, “I was going to give my little project of the day a view of the backyard. I think it's best for this poor thing to not be shown more today. It's hard for the less fortunate to take all of Pemberley in. We thank the great family of Darcy's for this amazing school and the rich lands of Derbyshire. ELIZA, you don't know. Oh, eh. Darcy's family owns all of this. The school. The earth you now walk on. All of Derbyshire. You should see Pemberley manor. The greatest estate of our time." Greatest stare of all time I almost added. 

Mr. Darcy continues to stare at me. He must think I am a freak, or like Miss. Bingley he thinks I am a very stupid and poor looking person. I was sticking out like a sour thumb. Mr. Bingley start to look at me when he realize that I have caught the eye of his friend. The difference is that he has a kind look in his eyes, "Miss. Eliza? Nice to meet you. I am Charles Bingley. Caroline's brother and this is my best friend William Darcy. We are attending year 13. It's unusual for us to meet new people in the middle of a year. We all heard great things about your fathers teaching. I guess you are academically blessed like him and that you are a really nice person." Charles' greeting is sincere. 

"My name is Elizabeth Bennet… my fam… father calls me Lizzie for short. Not Eliza. I guess it is my daddy that got the brains. I have my art." He looks thoughtful with his baby blue eyes. Mr. Bingley is probably 189 cm tall and with a strong build like his friend. They definitely work out. Mr. Darcy probably has a six-pack under that white school shirt. Not that I care or anything.

Bingley continues, "Sorry Miss. Lizzie. Can I call you that? Lizzie? I guess you are amazing in art. We would love to see your work one day." He looks at Darcy. Darcy did not recognize this. He probably did not care. Bingley was the first nice person I have met in this gloriously gloomy place. 

"You can call me Lizzie. Nice to meet you Charles and… and.. William?" I try to sound friendly. This is probably my only change to make a friend here.  

Darcy greets me with his chocolate colored eyes, "you can call me Darcy. I doubt we will interact much." Not much for hospitality. It is probably for the best that we settle the relationship from the start. It is not like Mr. Darcy and I have much in common. So much handsomeness is not worth this rudeness. I am Sorry for Mr. Bingley that he has a friend like William D. 

"Yes. My King. I doubt we will interact much. You and I are not made from the same material I think. Plus, I guess you have a lot of work to be done. Hard to make new friends when work is calling. I hope your efforts are rewarded with your face on the wall. Little me only transfixed in art, walking in the woods and reading. We will probably never see each other. I take that back. I will probably see you in the hallway. Attending the same school and all. Good luck with the face on the wall." I bow a little to show my "respect".

Charles starts to laugh, “Oh, Miss. Bennet. Haha! You are so funny. Darcy you should see your face now. Don't look so stricken. She is only making a joke. Finally a woman who can speak her mind! Humorous! Miss, I think we will see a lot more of you. Next Friday is this old man's birthday." He looks at William Darcy. "Turning 18 years old. Bring Miss Charlotte and come. The theme will be an 18th century costume party.”

Miss. Bingley is furious, "don't you know how to speak to your superiors? I doubt Darcy wants… wants a nobody attending his birthday party. A slug." 

Before I have the time to answer, Mr. Darcy quietly replies, "I am already on the wall. Madam." He bows. To mook me? Turns and leave. 

Charles speed after Darcy and says, "YOU must come Lizzie.  NEXT Friday 9 p.m. Pemberley manor. Remember the theme. Wait Darcy." Miss. Perfect forgot to show me my room. She tagged along like a lost puppy after the glorious Mr. Darcy.  I was finally alone. Time to explore the grounds and look for room 234.