YAYYYYY, updating sooner than usual :D haha, told you I would :)

And just to reward you guys for sticking with me, heres an extra long chapter :D

Enjoy :D xoxo

"You look so beautiful" exclaimed Jane as she finished the final touches to my hair.

I spun around to face and mirror. The girl I saw was the most beautiful person I had ever seen. Her makeup was flawless and not a hair was out of place. I could hardly believe it was I staring back at me.

"Wow" I sighed.

"You like?" She asked, still grinning.

"I love it, Jane, how could I not" I said while I rose to embrace her.

She giggled and replied "I'm glad".

I spun myself in front of the full length mirror so that my dress would spray out. It was the most beautiful piece of clothing I had ever seen! I still didn't know how my mum afforded it but she told me it wasn't for me to worry about that.

The brown ruffles of the dress swooped down to delicately as the sheer layer of sparkles draped over them. The whole bodice glittered and shimmered slightly as the light hit me. I still couldn't believe that this was reality. It felt as if I was in a fairy tale.

I heard the doorbell ring through our house and the knot in my stomach instantly tightened. What if George didn't like my dress? What if he thought I looked stupid? I exhaled deeply, calming my nerves.

I heard my mother's voice greeting George downstairs.

"Well don't you look dashing?" I heard her exclaim.

His musical laugh wafted up stairs "Nothing compared to your beautiful daughter, I'm sure" he said charmingly.

I poked my head out from behind the wall in an attempt to get a good look at George before he saw me. My mum was right when she said he was looking dashing. His styled fringe was swept skilfully to the side and he was dressed in an officer from the militia uniform. I couldn't help but smiling. How did he know that I was a sucker for a man in uniform?

"Lizzy, we can see you, come down" called my mother. I instantly pulled my head back and hoped they would just forget about me. The knots in my stomach were getting tighter and tighter until I felt a comforting hand on my shoulder. I turned to find Jane standing there with the biggest smile on her face.

"You look absolutely stunning, there's nothing for you to worry about" she said encouragingly.

I smiled genuinely at her before once again calming my nerves and began to walk down stairs. I swear I heard George sigh. I extended my hand and he helped me down the last few steps.

"So what do you think?" I giggled, spinning in a little circle to give him a full view.

"Perfect" he said with the most adoring smile.

I couldn't help but feel all the blood rush to my face and I ducked my head in an attempt to hide my blush.

"Thank you. You clean up pretty good yourself." I said happily. A wave of dejavu hit me like a tonne of bricks and an image of Darcy standing at the bottom of his steps before we went to the Bingley's party flashed to my mind. I quickly shook my head and plastered a smile on my face.

There was no way in hell that I was going to let Darcy ruin tonight. Tonight was almost the beginning of my new life. My simple life. The life that I wanted. At least that's what I told myself as George lead me outside.

I instantly gasped when I saw what awaited us. It was a horse drawn carriage and all!

George must have noticed my jaw hanging open because he just laughed and said "Nothings too good for my beautiful girlfriend"

He helped me up onto the seats before sliding in beside me. George took the reins in his hands and gave them a light flick. The horses immediately sprung into action and began happily trotting down our street. I waved to my family who were all standing at the front door watching us.

I rested my head on Georges shoulder for most of the way to the prom. It just felt so natural and sweet to be here with him. A fleeting thought crossed my mind that it felt almost too relaxed, but I quickly dismissed it.

"So how do you like tonight so far?" he asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Wonderful" I said happily, "I still can't believe you never told me that you could drive a horse drawn carriage!".

He chuckled and replied "My dad and I used to own a stable and we were around horses a lot. I guess I just picked it up then".

We made small talk for the rest of the trip that ended all too soon. George helped me down from the carriage and we walked arm in arm to the hall.

I walked into the assembly hall and was baffled at the extent of the decorations. The whole place was set up like an 18th century ball room. Pillars were placed in every corner; drapes hung magnificently form the ceiling and couples dressed in elaborate clothing spun in circles on the dance floor. A string quartet was playing classical music which wafted through the air while other couples stood and mingled.

"Wow" I sighed.

"You want to dance?" George asked, offering his hand.

"What a gentleman" I giggled as I took his hand as he led me to the dance floor. He spun me once before he drew me to him and started a simple waltz.

"I didn't know you could dance" I said, shocked by the way he skilfully spun me around the dance floor.

"I have many skills you don't know of" he said with a wink of his eye as he spun me again.

A moment later, we passed a familiar couple. Darcy and Caroline. There was a pleasant smile on his face but it didn't reach his eyes. His eyes were dull and glassy, as if his mind was miles away…

Finally he noticed me staring at him. His eyes drew me in…as if he was seeing into my soul. The world stopped turning in that moment and there was only me and him in this large hall, everything else became cloudy and fuzzy.

His eyes suddenly changed as he started to move away from me… they were almost apologizing… if that's even possible.

"Lizzy! Are you okay?" asked George, bringing me back to earth.

"Ah, yeah, I'm fine" I stuttered, refusing to make eye contact with me.

"You sure? You look really distracted" he asked, sliding his hand up my arm. It felt so wrong to have him touch me so intimately.

"Yes, I'm sure" I said, stiffly nodding.

He smiled lazily and brought his lips to mine. He closed his eyes as he deepened the kiss but I kept mine wide open. I searched for Darcy's face in my peripherals as George kissed me. When I finally found his eyes in the crowd I could see the pain he was feeling echo in them.

All of a sudden, a wave of guilt washed over me and I felt horrible about kissing Wickham. How could I do this to Darcy? After everything he's done, he still doesn't deserve this treatment.

"Seriously, babe, are you okay?" George asked again. I hadn't even noticed we had stopped kissing.

"I…ah-" I started.

"It's not that time of the night when the gentleman asks another lady of which he didn't invite to dance" the head master announced over a microphone.

"May I have this dance?" asked Darcy who was suddenly by my side.

"Um…sure" I mumbled, still a bit confused by the sudden change of events. Wickham grinned and offered his arm to Caroline who was still attached to Darcy like a leach.

Darcy led me to the dance floor as the song started.

"You're in my arms and all the world is calm
The music playing on for only two
So close together and when I'm with you
So close to feeling alive"

I rested my head on his shoulder as we slowly danced around the room.

"How could you do that to me?" he asked abruptly.

I lifted my hear "Do what to you?"

"Kiss Wickham like that?"

"Well he is my boyfriend-"

"What happened to us?"

"A lot for things happened, but the main this was that you said your reputation was more important than me"

"No before that…"

"What? When you were a jackass on our first date?"

"You have to understand that I didn't expect her to turn up… and her parents were there-"

"That is seriously all you care about isn't it! Your reputation, what people think of you"

"No, of course not-"

"Then what do you care about?!"

He opened his mouth to say something before casting his eyes to the floor.

"That's what I thought" I muttered before I pushed away from him and ran from the hall.

"A life goes by, romantic dreams must die
So I bid mine goodbye and never knew
So close was waiting, waiting here with you and now forever I know
All that I wanted to hold you, so close
So close to reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
And now you're beside me and look how far we've come
So far, we are, so close"

I clutched at my sides as I ran though the school grounds. The only sounds were my strangled sobs, the brushing of the hem of my floor length dress on the concrete and the echoing sounds of the music that I left behind me.

"Lizzy! Elizabeth!" called someone in the distance bit it was hard to hear over the blood pounding in my ears and the throbbing of my headache.

I loved him so so much and he didn't give a shit about me. I was just another one of his accessories. Disposable. Worthless. Nothing.

It was becoming hard to run in high heels so I kicked them off and kept running. I started to feel my exhaustion set in and my heavy dress was beginning to feel like it was made of lead.

The calling of my name was getting closer and closer. I sobbed loudly and let the tears come streaming for my eyes. The pain from my raw eyes only increased the pounding in my head. Why was this happening to me? I thought I wanted simple. This is anything but simple!

"Lizzy! Stop!" called the voice just before I felt the soft skin of his hand on my wrist.

"Get away from me! Don't touch me!" I yelled at him, pulling my wrist from his grip violently. Darcy flinched, my words had obviously stung him like a slap to the face.

"Please, let me explain" he pleaded as he pulled me to him by the waist.

"Get off me!" I yelled again, struggling against his grip and pounding his chest with my fists. "Get the hell away from me!"

"Lizzy! Just listen to me!" he shouted, grabbing my wrists.

"No, I don't want to listen to any more of your pathetic excuses" I sobbed as I struggled against him. I twisted so that I was facing away from him but he didn't let go of my wrists. I now had my back pressed to his chest, my arms crossed over my chest and his arms around me… not the best position to be in at the moment.

"I should have done this on our first date" he said softly as he slowly kissed my exposed neck. "I should have run after you that night. I'm so sorry I didn't, and I will torture myself for the rest of my life. But please, just listen to me. Please…please…please…" his voice cracking on the last plead.

I almost melted in his arms… I wish I could have… that I just could stay there and let him kiss me… slowly washing away all the hurtful things we have done to each other… live in this moment for eternity… but I didn't. I couldn't. Not after everything that had happened. I finally broke away from him, running in the direction of the road.

"How could I face the faceless days, if I should lose you now?
We're so close to reaching that famous happy ending
Almost believing this one's not pretend
Let's go on dreaming for we know we are
So close, so close, and still so far"

My breath came in short gasps as I ran, listening to his feet pounding on the pavement, just behind me. My throat was seizing up, I couldn't breathe. I was suffocating.

"Please, Lizzy! Stop!"

I ducked my head as more tears came, streaming continuously, but I kept running.

I heard his footsteps stop just before he called out "I love you, Lizzy, please just stop and let me love you like you deserve to be" he called one last time.

I almost stopped. Almost.

So heartbreaking :( thanks soooooooooooooo much for reading though :D if you wanted to hear the song that I imagined playing in Darcy and Lizzies dance its "So Close" by Jon McLaughlin :) Yes it's from Enchanted, but I thought that was just one of the most amazing scenes I had ever seen so I wanted more than anything to try and replicate that :D haha, thanks again for reading :D if you liked it, it would mean the world to me to hear what you thought :D good or bad :) I'm always up for constructive criticism :) haha, love you all :D Only a few more chapters to go :D Stay tuned for more soon :) xoxo