One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation by Natalie Penna Read Free Book Online Page A

when she was spending so much time with Chantelle. Of course, I still got to see her in the dorm afterwards.
     
    “ God, I’m bored,” I complained quietly.
     
    Not that I wanted anyone else’s company.
     
    Regrettably, the other girls were all a little bit too silly to take her place. Chrissy and Lisa always got overexcited about whatever we were discussing, Meg drifted off into her own head and lost track, and Georgia had too many additional classes to make a lot of time for me. I mean, she was an amazing friend, but it was really difficult to find a place to chat in her schedule.
     
    Still, being alone was better than being with Chantelle.
     
    Which was why I didn't approve when she found me.
     
    “ All alone again, Blake?” she sneered at me, “Don't you have your other little friends around? I thought the girls in your dorm room all stuck together like a pack.”
     
    “ Weirdly, I am capable of enjoying my own company. I guess that's not something you're used to having to do.”
     
    “ True, I always have people -”
     
    “ I mean because there's nothing about your company to enjoy, actually,” I said, “What do you want? If you're here to annoy me, can you put it off until later? I do need a break from your kind of arrogance now and again.”
     
    She bristled at first, then took a deep, calming breath. I didn't think I'd ever seen Chantelle try to retain her composure around me when it was just the two of us. It was kind of amusing to watch. Well, I'd assumed it was just us. That was when William and Charlie strode over. William didn't wave, but Charlie threw his whole arm into the gesture.
     
    Was five minutes to myself really so much to ask?
     
    “ Hi, Beth,” Charlie dropped his jacket, and sat cross-legged on it. After the deluge the night Jenny had been outside, it had been relatively dry. But he probably wanted to avoid grass stains on his uniform. He nodded at the guitar, “Are you a musician?”
     
    “ I'm a dabbler, and a time waster. But I'm pretty proud of that. Are you here to ask about Jenny? I don't know anything more...”
     
    “ No,” he smiled, “I've been visiting more frequently. Her mother said it was okay for me to do that. Actually I thought it would be good if we spent more time together. I mean, we're all Jenny's friends, so we should get along.”
     
    I almost snorted with laughter.
     
    Look, I did like Charlie, and I would have been happy to get along with him. He was like a puppy, and I couldn't imagine anyone would hate him. It was just completely impossible for me to ever think of William or Chantelle kindly. When Jenny wasn't there, I had no reason to be nice to either of them.
     
    “ You can't really object to our company, can you?” Chantelle asked, knowing very well that I would if there was a way, “You hardly even know William.”
     
    “ I know enough.”
     
    Oh, I hadn't meant to say that aloud.
     
    “ Do you know he has a sister? She's musical, too,” Charlie said.
     
    “ Except she's not a dabbler, as you called yourself,” William commented, “She takes it seriously.”
     
    “ I can well imagine. I mean,” I smirked, “If she's related to you, she probably takes everything seriously.”
     
    “ You say that like it's a bad thing,” Chantelle said, “What's wrong with being serious? Nothing. In fact, William has absolutely zero faults.”
     
    “ Really?” I asked. I then turned to William, “Wow, congratulations on being totally perfect. You should give lectures on how to achieve that.”
     
    “ I'm not perfect. I just try not to act in a way that leaves me open to being made fun of, or picked on. That's just common sense.”
     
    “ Or pride,” I said, “Or vanity. Or arrogance, really.”
     
    “ Pride isn't bad if you have something to be proud of. And I'm proud of -”
     
    “ Being better than other people?” I asked.
     
    He opened his mouth, then closed it again. It looked like he was carefully trying to think