The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet

The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet Read Online Free PDF Page A

Book: The Secret Diary of Lizzie Bennet Read Online Free PDF
Author: Bernie Su
Tags: General, Juvenile Fiction
here,” I said, “but that was basically my entire small-talk repertoire. So, you could either lob the ball back in my court, or we could sway here in
silence for the remaining two minutes of this song.” I waited. “Your choice.”
    He said nothing.
    And I don’t know why. How hard is it to ask someone what kind of movies she likes, or what she studies in school? Basic chitchat stuff? Apparently for Darcy, lowering himself to converse
with a townie-dwelling occasional dancer who appreciates all the hard work that Ellen and Mrs. Gibson put into a wedding like this was too degrading a concept.
    So he just pulled his chin back farther and let the song end.
    “Thank you,” he said, after stopping abruptly when the music faded.
    No, Darcy, thank
you
for putting that dance out of its misery.
    We separated. Luckily, the band struck up another song, and the rest of the partygoers filtered back onto the floor, masking any embarrassment. And I have to admit, it
was
kind of
embarrassing. For him to not even pretend politeness? Way to make me feel like an unworthy troll.
    But I found Charlotte by my lovely shadowed spot on the wall, and she had a way of making me feel better about the whole thing—by laughing about it.
    “That was the most awkward dance ever,” she said. “Worse than your wedding dance with Ricky Collins in second grade.”
    “True. Ricky at least had been enthusiastic. Although he did have to get a cootie shot before touching me.”
    Charlotte laughed so hard, she got dizzy. “Whoa . . .” She closed her eyes. “Room spinning.”
    “Yeah, I think you’re done with the vodka tonics for now. Although you won the bet, hands down. No contest.”
    “Yup. Can’t wait to be invited to Jane and Bing’s wedding.” She smirked. Then turned green.
    “Let’s get some air, okay?” I said. I didn’t tell her this, but the idea of Jane marrying Bing at my mother’s urging made me want to turn green, too.
    Outside, Charlotte took some deep, easy breaths. The green faded from her face. We were about to go back in, when I heard two familiar voices from around the corner.
    “Can we go home, please?” Darcy said.
    “Come on, it wasn’t that bad. Could you try to enjoy yourself? A little?” Bing replied.
    “In a town that wouldn’t know a Barney’s from a JCPenney? I don’t see how.”
    “Well, you could try dancing again.”
    “Because it went so well the last time.”
    “It wasn’t that bad.” There was silence, and I imagine a sardonic look exchanged between friends that mirrored the sardonic look exchanged between Charlotte and me.
    “Listen, you’re having fun,” Darcy said. “You have somehow managed to find the only pretty girl in this town. Go back in and keep dancing with Jane Bennet. I’ll go
home and send the driver back for you.”
    “Come on, don’t do that,” Bing said. “Stay a little while. I want to introduce you to Jane. Properly. You’ll like her. She’s . . . I’ve never met anyone
like her.”
    I had to give Bing props for that. Whether or not he’s good enough for Jane, he’s got good taste.
    “I’ve never met anyone that smiles that much.”
    There’s that Darcy charm. Finding fault with
smiling.
    “And you know what,” Bing continued, ignoring his friend’s attitude, “her sister Lizzie is pretty nice, too. I bet if you asked her to dance again, she’d say yes.
Give you a do-over?”
    Before I could even wonder if I actually
would
give him a do-over, I could feel icy derision coming off Darcy in waves, curving around the corner to my hiding spot and leaving me
cold.
    “Lizzie Bennet is . . . fine, I suppose. Decent enough. But why should I bother dancing with her when no one else is?”
    My jaw dropped silently. So did Charlotte’s. I mean, seriously. Who the hell does this guy think he is? I didn’t really hear what was said next because of the rage flooding my ears,
but Bing must have worked some magic on Darcy (or more likely had some dirt on
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