Appearances May Often Deceive

Author's Notes: I tried my best at making this a parallel universe, by having all the main characters be the opposite sex then those in the book. The only exception I made was Aunt Catherine. I thought about turning her character into an uncle, but I didn't think an uncle would be determined to have his niece marry somebody. Also since this is a modern day version, no way would people talk about cousins marrying cousins, so I changed that part as well.

It also made more sense to have Darcy's mother be alive in the story, verses having Mrs. Reynolds. To me they fill the same purpose, of having someone there to explain how she was as a child.

Finally, the Wickham issue. I have thought of a couple different ways to incorporate Wickham into this story. However, I have thought about it a lot and I think it will just slow down the plot. I don't think Wickham needs to be added because Mike Bennet is doing such a good job misinterpreting Amelia's actions on his own. I could always change my mind later, or just choose to make a reference to Wickham in regards to Amelia's brother's past. I haven't completely decided that part yet.

This is the first time I have ever attempted to write any type of story. I've been working on it for weeks now, because I wanted to have most of it done before I started posting it. I hope you like it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Pride and Prejudice, its characters, names or its locations.

Prologue

I'm Mike Bennet and this is my life. I know that sounds cheesy, but I'm not sure how else to say it. I'm 27 years old and work as a mechanic for my father's auto-body shop. I listen to rock and play the guitar. Actually I'm not really that great at it because I hardly ever practice, but I'm good enough. I live in an apartment over my parents' garage with my older brother John.

John is a year older than me and is my best friend. Other people in my position might have been jealous or envious of John, if it wasn't for the fact that he is just such a great guy. John is easy to talk to and always listens to what you have to say. You can always count on him when you need help. Plus he's smart, good looking and a great athlete. All the girls love him, though he has always been the reserved type. Unlike me. I always say what is on my mind. I think it comes from growing up in a house with five other males. Oh my poor mother. I can tell how difficult it was for her at times to raise five boys. The experience caused my dad to go prematurely gray.

John is my father's pride and joy, his first born and namesake. The only one of us to inherit my dad's blond hair and blue eyes. Think of my brother as a younger, taller version of Brad Pitt. Pre-Angelina Jolie, you know around the time that Troy came out. Yup that's my brother, pretty hard to compete with in the looks department. I, on the other hand, was once told that I looked like Josh Duhamel It was by a couple of drunk girls, but I liked to think that alcohol can't blur your vision too badly. I, along with the rest of my brothers, inherited my mother's brown hair and eyes.

You never would have guessed that my mother, the intellectual, married the good looking, school jock. They met each other because my mom had to tutor my dad, in order for him to keep his grades up to say on the football team. I guess it's the whole opposites attract thing, because I honestly don't think they had anything in common. I can't imagine marrying someone who isn't like me. I think in order for a relationship to work, it should be based on similar likes and dislikes. People should have a common background in order for them to properly understand each other.

I've always been popular with the girls, but I've never seemed to meet the right one. A lot of girls seem to just agree with everything I say, and can't hold an interesting enough conversation for very long. I want more. I want a girl that is smart and funny. Someone who is kind, compassionate and good with children. Someone who could surprise me, keep me guessing, never knowing what to expect from her.

I know I'm asking for too much. That would be the perfect woman, and even if she did exist, what's to say that she would be interested in me. What's to say that she wouldn't already be taken. No matter how difficult it might be to find her, I don't think I could ever settle for anything less. So I am currently single. My younger brother Matthew is also single.

Matthew is 25 and currently enrolled in graduate school. He wants to become a college professor. I think the career suits him because he just loves to lecture us, even though none of us ever really pay any attention to what he has to say. My parents are very proud of him, but especially my dad. Any child that saves him money holds a special place in his heart. Matthew has always had his nose stuck in a book. So it wasn't a big surprise when he earned a scholarship to the local university.

My two younger brothers, Chris and Leo, are students at the local community college. Leo just turned 21 and Chris is about to turn 23. Chris should have graduated by now, but like Leo he cares more about his fraternity than going to class and doing actual school work. The only way they have gotten by is with the help of all the pretty girls that they surround themselves with. They constantly hit on the girls in their classes by asking them to tutor them, sense they never pay attention in the few classes they actually attend.

Chris might be older, but Leo is the one with all the bright ideas. Like the time we all went up to the mountains and Leo dared Chris to take the ski lift to the highest mountain and snowboard down it. Neither one had ever skied or used a snowboard a day in their lives. "How hard can it be?" was their only response. Jackasses! All the way down the mountain the idiots were scared shit-less. They're lucky they didn't get their dumb-asses permanently stuck in a tree.

Chris and Leo have always been an embarrassment to the family, even when they were younger. Once when we were in church, Leo and Chris kept fighting over an armrest. Leo was nine and Chris was ten. They kept pushing each others arms off the armrest, because each wanted it for themselves. Every time they just kept pushing the other's arm harder and harder. They were complete oblivious to their surroundings, because they were so concentrated on their little war. Leo finally got so mad that he stood up, and smacked Chris over the head with a book of hymns in front of everyone. My mother was so mortified, she didn't know what to do.

Another one of their oh-so-clever ideas even got them kicked out of their fraternity house. The stunt involved Chris and Leo bored and drunk in their room, with a lighter and several different bottles of alcohol. The stunt ended with a $3,000.00 bill sent to my dad and an eviction notice with Chris and Leo's names on it. All they had to say was, "How were we supposed to know it would light up that fast?" Thanks to their pyrotechnic display, Chris and Leo are once again residing under my parents' roof. My poor mom has never known how two handle them, so they have always sought out my dad. Their antics remind my dad of himself when he was their age, so he always makes excuses for them. He always tells my mom, "Boys will be boys," and, "Just some harmless fun."

I may not be the life of the party like my younger brothers, but I know how to have a good time. I'm a t-shirt and jeans kind of guy and make no apologies for it. And if girls don't like it, they can go talk to somebody else. I'm not going to pretend to be something I'm not. And I'm not the type of guy to give girls false compliments and lame pick-up lines just to get them into bed.

Lately, my dad has made it his mission in life to get all his sons married. It all started when a couple of his buddies were bragging about all the grandkids they had. Somehow someone mentioned how weird it was for my dad to have five grown sons, over the age of 21, and none married. Now he feels his manhood has been threatened, sense none of us have reproduced. He believes that he should have more grandchildren than his friends, since he raised five healthy boys.

His manhood and pride will not be appeased until he has all of us walking down the isle.