Chapter 1

Elizabeth Bennet was a rational, hardworking, yet lively young woman. She lived in her own apartment, pleased with the quiet solitude and peace. While it was lonely, it was much better than her original home, which was only twenty miles away and full of every extreme of society that could possibly be found.

Her youngest sister, Lydia, went through at least three boyfriends a month and thought of nothing other than dating, her looks, and the next time she would visit the mall with her friends. Had their father and mother not restrained her, she would have regularly worn the most revealing clothes in public.

The next youngest sister, Catherine, better known as Kitty, followed Lydia around, trying to gain the same flair and attitude. Fortunately, she was less wild, since Lydia would usually reproach her for not finding her own friends to hang out with.

After them came Mary, their exact opposite. Being less abundant in good features, she resolved to study and improve her intellect.

Elizabeth was the eldest after Mary, and Jane was the eldest of them all. Jane was the sweetest, most good-willed, and most beautiful of the five sisters. Often, when Elizabeth had still lived at home, she felt she would have gone insane without Jane. Her younger sisters were extremely agitating, her mother was completely unaware of the family's unhealthy state, and her father had given up entirely.

Indeed, living by herself was not all too bad in comparison. She willingly visited her home every weekend to give her father some relief, and Jane, who lived an hour away, came back every other weekend.

One fine, sunny day at home, when she and Jane were together, she said, "I never thought I'd say this, but I wish my life was more exciting."

Jane laughed. "Lizzy, everyone wishes their lives would be better, but I understand. I wouldn't mind some excitement either."

"You're going to a party tomorrow! You have enough excitement!" Elizabeth said exasperatedly. She pouted with mock jealousy.

Jane shook her head and said, "Oh, please, don't talk about it like it'll be anything good! All these upscale people will be there, and I've got to make myself look nice and friendly to them."

"I think it's impossible for you to offend anyone. You'll be fine," said Elizabeth simply. It really was the truth.

"But I'll be introduced to new, smart people. I don't think I fit in," said Jane.

"If you didn't fit in, you wouldn't have been personally invited by your boss," Elizabeth told her. Jane was silent, as she could find nothing to say.

Suddenly, their mother's voice rose from the kitchen downstairs. "Jane, I want you to come down here, right now!"

Obliging, Jane left the room, and Elizabeth, having nothing else to do, followed her. They were both alarmed to see Mrs. Bennet with a very familiar, rather dangerous glint in her eye.

"I think, Jane," Mrs. Bennet began, "you left out a little piece of information about that party."

When Jane said nothing, she went on, "Mrs. Lucas from next door told me! Her daughter's going there too. You never told me your boss's son is going to be there! He's called Charles Bingley, right?"

Meekly, her daughter muttered a small "yes."

Mrs. Bennet beamed. "Well, let's pick out a dress and some jewelry right now! We want to make you look as good as possible, and maybe he'll notice you."

"Mom, I'm not there to go after Mr. Bingley's son!" Jane protested. Elizabeth concealed her laughter behind her hand, though she privately agreed.

"You have to get married sometime! You're twenty-five, and I say the richer, the better," Mrs. Bennet snapped resolutely.

Resigned, Jane went back upstairs with her mother to find a good dress. Mrs. Bennet suggested a blue dress to match Jane's eyes, but both of her daughters turned it down.

"What about this black one?" Elizabeth asked, after an hour of relentless searching and indecision. "You could tie your hair up in a nice bun with it, and maybe wear a sparkly necklace."

Mrs. Bennet observed it and ordered Jane to try it on. When Jane emerged from bathroom, they all found she looked stunning. The neckline of the dress was elegant and did not rest too low, and the skirt fell gracefully, just past Jane's knees.

"That with a bun, some shiny jewelry, and a pair of heels will make you look like a star," said Elizabeth, smiling. Jane blushed, and Mrs. Bennet then became stressed in the pursuit of good shoes.

When it was dinnertime, Mrs. Bennet was forced to be satisfied with Jane's clothing, and she gave long sermons to her about poise, grace, and charm. Elizabeth heard half of the speech and suppressed her amusement, as her father did the same.

Mrs. Bennet, taking a break, turned to Lydia and begged her to eat more.

"No, I can't!" Lydia said stubbornly. "I'm trying to lose weight. Eating that will make me fat!"

Kitty, who had been eating the exact thing Lydia had scorned, dropped her fork and ate no more of it.

"Actually, Lydia, you'd look better if you ate well and exercised. You can't get anywhere without both," Mary advised, taking another ladleful of soup. "Eating is healthy. Starvation is not."

Lydia glared at her and said, "Shut up, Mary. Nobody likes it when you talk."

Gravely and indifferently, Mary drank her soup in silence. Elizabeth and Jane both reprimanded Lydia for her mean words, but she ignored them and declared she was done with dinner.

"Before you go, young lady," their father told her, "I want to see your grades. It's about time they're due, and yours too, Kitty."

"I have an A in every class," said Lydia quickly, not meeting his eye.

"Let's see the report cards," Mr. Bennet said.

Slowly, Lydia left her seat and brought them in. She sat back down quietly as Mr. Bennet flipped through them.

"Your statement doesn't come in line with the actual grades, Lydia," said Mr. Bennet, his eyebrows raised. "Your highest grade is a C-, and your lowest an E. Kitty isn't much better."

He paused, reading the teacher's lengthy notes below the grades. Elizabeth, sitting next to him, was able to read them as well, and she was not at all pleased.

"Here it says you didn't turn in your Astronomy lab, the most major assignment of the quarter," Mr. Bennet said. "We let you off your chores for one night for that lab. What were you doing?"

Lydia shifted uncomfortably in her chair and did not reply, and Kitty piped up, "I think she was breaking up with her boyfriend over IM."

"Really, I thought she had gotten a new one that day," said Mr. Bennet. Kitty shrugged.

"And you, Kitty, you need to work harder! You only flip through Lydia's magazines all day," said Mr. Bennet.

Kitty started to complain. "But there was a really interesting article about–"

"I don't want to hear about any actors or actresses getting married for the hundredth time," interrupted Mr. Bennet. Reddening, Kitty lowered her head.

"You never ask Mary for her grades! Why don't you pick on her instead?" Lydia said huffily, crossing her arms and slouching in her seat.

Elizabeth, sensing her father's indignation at Lydia's insolence, intervened, "Because Mary rarely brings home anything less than an A."

Mary sat up a little higher in her chair, and Lydia, knowing no one was about to support her, stood up and stormed out of the room.

The rest of the evening was less noisy than usual. Kitty was too ashamed, and Lydia too angry, to speak to anybody. Mary was in her usual state, reading a book by the lamplight.

Mrs. Bennet, gaily ignoring what had happened, went to counsel Jane once more. Luckily, Elizabeth came to Jane's rescue and persuaded their mother that they needed their sleep, especially if one of them was to look her best the following day.

Jane and Elizabeth shared a room, and they talked for a couple of hours as they lay in bed.

"I'll drop you off tomorrow, wherever you need to be," offered Elizabeth.

"Thank you. You know, Lizzy, I am a little curious about Mr. Bingley, as in the son," said Jane.

"We'll hope he's nice and good looking," Elizabeth said, smirking in the dark.

Jane laughed and said, "I just remembered, we're allowed to bring a few family members if we want. Do you want to come with me?"

"Sure!" said Elizabeth happily. "Only, you didn't give mom a chance to dress me up."

Jane laughed and said, "She'll have lots of time tomorrow."

"You'll have to do something really good to me so I don't look too bad next to you," Elizabeth said.

"Come on, Lizzy! You're a lot prettier than you think!" Jane remarked seriously.

Elizabeth smiled. "I guess I'll say I look alright, nothing like you, though."

"There's more than one kind of beauty, and you're put in the right dress, we'll look equally good," Jane said, and before Elizabeth could prolong the subject, she added, "I think I really am sleepy now. Good night, Lizzy."

"Good night, Jane," answered Elizabeth. Within minutes, they were fast asleep.

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That may have ended somewhat abruptly, but I was too eager to get the beginning out and see what people think. Please review it so that I can know what to do better, but be nice. This is my first fan-fiction. Thanks :)

--Sharikaaria