THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter forty-two: Hot pursuit)

Chapter Forty-two

Hot pursuit     

   Paige checked her messages before gym class. She’d just received some awesome and unexpected news that she’d been hoping for. She’d applied for a newly devised scholarship to UCLA and was in the final selected group. If all went well during her senior year, the scholarship was hers.

   In light of this good news, Paige had resigned herself to dealing with Darcy later. She had a smile on her face as she got ready for gym class, pulling on her dad’s old sweater. As she walked outside, she collided with Darcy.

   “Hi,” he said, he wasn’t dressed for sports.

   “Hi,” Paige said, confused.

   “You were great in our final debate.”

   “Thanks, but Mackenzie nailed it.”

   “Well, she had a better topic…”

   Paige wondered if Darcy had slept. She would have brushed past him by now but he’d cornered her in a confined space and there was nowhere else to go – except class. Paige just couldn’t work Darcy out. He was so prideful and changeable and then he’d go and do something nice, like compliment her out of the blue. This didn’t hide the fact that he’d done something so not nice she never wanted to speak to him again. He’d talked Ryan out of dating her sister.

  Of course, this was the moment Darcy unwisely chose to speak to her.

  They had their seconds alone and it was now or never.

   Darcy cleared his throat.

  “Paige, I was wondering…”

  “Yes?” Paige said as she pulled back her hair. Paige had no idea why Darcy was even talking to her now.

   “Um… Well… I was wondering…”

   “Uh huh,” Paige was already half way out of the room and on her way to gym  practice before Darcy caught up with her.

   “Hey, wait up.”

   “What do you want Darcy?”

   “Well, a moment… with you. Alone, if you’re not too busy.”

   Paige looked at the half empty gym. The crowd gathered on the other side of the room. Once again, there was no getting out of this. 

   “What do you want, Darcy?”

   Darcy ushered Paige to the side, where the walls were covered with various freshman projects. Paige noticed Rebel’s name all over one of them, it was her kind of art work too – modern, random.

  “I’m wondering, I’ve thought about it a lot and I’d like to know if you would come to the prom with me.”

   Paige stalled.

   “Uh… What did you say?”

   “I’m asking you to go to the prom with me. That’s the way it’s done here in America right? You have to ask someone? It’s my last chance to go to a high school prom. My family are heading back to Australia, so…”

   “Oh...”

   “So, are you going with anyone?”

   “No.”

   “Me either. I want to go with you.”

   “Is that the way you ask girls out Down Under?”

   “What do you mean? I’m new to this. In Australia we just hang out in groups. Besides, girls mostly approach me. They think I'm the hot one. I don’t have to ask them out. It's the other way around. It took a lot of courage to even attempt this... connection. You didn’t exactly give me any encouragement.” 

   “It’s always about you, isn’t it Darcy?”

   “What do you mean? I’m trying to be nice. I want to be friends. I thought we were becoming friends. Besides, you haven’t given me an answer.”

   Paige paused for a moment, suddenly believing in the sincerity of his question. She was conflicted about the boy, but not about her answer.

  “No Darcy, I don’t want to go with you.”

   “Why not? C’mon it’ll be fun.” Darcy's face was red. He couldn’t believe he was being refused.

   “I… I’m thinking of going by myself. Maybe I don’t need a man to make me feel whole.” 

   “Huh?”

   Paige turned and ran off down the hallway. On the way out, she ran straight into Mackenzie and Ryan, who looked quite sheepish.

  “Hey Paige. Why are you crying?” Mackenzie asked.

  “Oh, just motor!” Paige said brushing Mackenzie aside.

  “I told you what she’s really like,” Mackenzie sniped to her brother as they walked down the hall to find Darcy.

   

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter forty-one: The trouble with Darcy)

Chapter Forty-one

The trouble with Darcy

   That morning, in home room, Darcy arrived early. Dressed in his coolest clothes, he had all of the debate notes sorted for their team and had even highlighted Paige’s suggestions.

    “Hi,” he said to Paige, trying to act cool.

    “Hi,” Paige said, wishing she wasn’t required to acknowledge him.

    Darcy never understood why she blew so hot and cold. He was trying to warm her up today because he had something he wanted to ask her. Even though he knew it was wrong, so wrong.

    Paige was different to him in every way. They were polar opposite. Darcy struggled against his feelings for her. He told no one, not even Ryan, but he couldn’t help himself. He liked Paige Bennet more than any girl he’d ever met. She was so different, so remarkable, so amazing.

    As he flicked on his iPOD he quickly switched off his home page. The younger Bennet girls were splashed all over the social pages with a website directing him to even more compromising photographs. They were famous now, for all the wrong reasons. He hoped Paige wouldn’t see this.

    They’d supposedly participated in a girls gone wild type film made by Rys Wickam’s production company. The outakes of his music video shoot were on his smart phone and about to go viral, according to Mackenzie who swiftly texted Darcy. Darcy had heard all about it in the locker room prior to class but he’d tried to ignore the gossip. Paige seemed oblivious. She never ever switched on her phone before home room (when she studied) or debate class. Darcy wondered what to do, but first he had to get something else off his chest.

    Today, Paige seemed extra scary, walking around in her hot girl that didn’t know it way, with her awesome intelligence and turn of phrase. That scared Darcy a lot. Now she was hunched over her notes chewing the end of her pencil, lost in intellectual thought.  

    “Hey,” Rys said, he was seated on the other side of Paige, making Darcy increasingly jealous.

    “Hi,” Paige replied, “Hey, I heard some stupid rumor…”

    “Don’t believe any of it,” Rys replied, “I’m deleting all the photos,” he added, checking his text messages.

    What photos? Paige thought.       

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter forty: Rumors)

Chapter Forty

Rumors

    Rys cornered Paige as she was looking for her folder in her locker the next morning at school.

    “Hey, are the rumors true?”

    “What rumors?”

    “The rumors that you and Shiloh are going with Darcy and Ryan to the junior prom? Because I couldn’t believe you’d go with Darcy, even if I’m not available.”

    “I… I’m not planning on going with anyone. I mean, no one’s even asked me.”

    “So, if he did ask you, you’d go?”

    “That’s a hypothetical question.”

    “Whatever. Anyway, you won’t mind hearing what someone told Wednesday.”

    “Who?”

    “Mackenzie Bingley.”

    “What does she know about this?” Paige had long suspected Mackenzie had a hand in this whole dating disaster.

    “Well, I got talking to Wednesday on the weekend, at some charity event she was helping out at and she mentioned the whole story. Apparently Mackenzie had been laughing about what a dope your sister was to actually think Ryan would be interested in her...”

    “Uh huh…” Paige wasn’t shocked and realized Rys looked disappointed when she didn’t show her anger.

     “Anyway, she said her brother had been just as deluded about Shiloh and was fully intending to ask your sister to prom. To her credit, Mackenzie admitted Shiloh was both pretty and one of the nicest girls she’d ever met, but then Ryan changed his mind.”

   “Why would he do that?”

   “Well, apparently, his father questioned his taste in girls.”

   “What do you mean?”

   “He wanted to know why Ryan would take some unknown girl  when he could take the girl of a partner his dad was doing some bank deal with.”

   “Are you serious? Ryan doesn’t seem like the kind of guy who would be so into  money.”

   “Well, I don’t think he is. In fact, he started arguing with his dad about it until…”

   “Until what?”

   “Until Darcy agreed… with Ryan’s dad.”

   “What do you mean?”

   “He told Ryan that he didn’t think Shiloh was into him anyway and it might be easier just to go along with his father’s request to take the daughter of his work colleague. Apparently she’s friends with Mackenzie too…”

   “Really?”

   “I only told you because I thought you’d think it was funny.”

   “Hilarious,” Paige said without smiling. “Thanks for sharing.”

   “Hey, I wouldn’t be too bothered, I’m so over school proms… and debate club. You and Darcy are welcome to an Easy A. I’m so over study. Oh and FYI? I’d love to take you to prom, girl, but I’m over them too.”

    But Shiloh wasn’t, Paige thought.

   “… Hey, cheer up, Paige. I’d totally have asked you if I were even going to be here…” he droned on. Suddenly Paige realized what a fair weather friend Rys had become since the rush of popularity he’d experienced online dating. Or maybe that’s who he had always been: the egotistical bearer of bad news.  

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter thirty-nine: guess what?)

Chapter Thirty-nine

Guess what? 

    The next morning Paige woke early. She’d made up her mind to buy a prom dress with or without a partner. There was no shame in going with friends and she wasn’t going to miss her junior prom. Her younger sisters also wanted a lift to Third Street Promenade. Rebel and Sia wanted to come too. Senta had elected to stay home and practice piano, she didn’t enjoy frivolity. Rebel rolled her eyes and wondered what planet Senta was living on.

   The younger girls kept whispering and giggling in the back seat and Paige arranged to meet them at a café for lunch after their commercial casting, since she didn’t trust them to spend the day all alone. 

   Paige was extremely proud of the second hand car she’d bought – she’d saved all her money since she’d started working on Saturdays to buy it.

    Shiloh was dropped off first and Coco was meeting her as well as Mackenzie. Paige had arranged to go to the library to do some research after she’d picked up her dress.

    Shiloh was the first to arrive back at the café.

    Mackenzie gave fake air kisses and acted all sorry before she’d even spoken.

    “Guess what? My brother can’t come. The boys are… they have another appointment they couldn’t change.”

    “Oh.”

    “What are they doing?” Coco asked, quite rudely, Mackenzie thought.

    “Well, Darcy’s father is in town and the boys are going to lunch at the golf club with him. But never mind,”  Mackenzie took Shiloh’s arm, “I know all the best brands, I’ve been doing my research and one of my fave designers from Sydney has just opened a store here and we get to pick out anything we like. I love shopping, don’t you? We need to move on. Perhaps Jesus has a different plan for us. Maybe we’re not meant to go to the prom with Darcy and Ryan…” she looked at Coco disparagingly, adding, “and whoever you’re going with.”

     Coco shrugged and tried to pretend she didn’t care.

     Shiloh pretended she didn’t care either. But she did. In the middle of her mani-pedi, Shiloh burst into tears. She excused herself and decided to go home early. If Ryan was going to ask her to the dance, he had hardly any days left to do it. Shiloh knew Mackenzie was right.  Ryan was never going to ask her to prom.

     Proof stood right in front of her.

     As she waited for the bus, she saw Ryan and Darcy crossing the road, and they were not alone. They were with two other girls – girls who wore designer heels. Ryan’s father was nowhere in sight.

    When Paige arrived home later that afternoon, after going to the library, she found Shiloh lying on her bed in tears.

    “What’s the matter?” Paige asked. “Did Mackenzie say something? We never should have let that girl into our group. Coco and Wednesday warned us, remember?”

   “It’s not Mackenzie’s fault.”

   “It’s always Mackenzie’s fault…”

   “No… it’s just that Ryan was supposed to turn up today and he kept us waiting for an hour then he texted to say he wasn’t coming. He had some meeting to do with his father. Then, after Mackenzie and I already bought our dresses, I saw Ryan and Darcy walking down the street, laughing and talking with two girls. Two girls who don’t even go to our school! They were rushing across the street and holding hands with Darcy and Ryan. How could I have been so stupid? They’re never going to ask us to prom now.”

    “Oh, Shiloh, it’s their loss. It makes no sense, he’s been so… into you. You are the prettiest, kindest, most wonderful girl I know. Darcy on the other hand, was never a sure thing. I have to be realistic about that. He always thought he was too good for me.”

   “That couldn’t be true.”  

   “It is.”

   “You are the best, most wonderful sister…”

    Shiloh was just as upset for Paige as she hugged her sister. When Shiloh cried some more, Paige hugged her in return.  

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter thirty-eight: verbal gymnastics)

Chapter Thirty-eight

Verbal Gymnastics

   That week in debate class, for the first time, Darcy sat next to Paige and Paige bit her tongue. It was almost summer and the second-eldest Bennet sister turned up to class in the prettiest dress Darcy had ever seen. Not for the first time, Mackenzie noted that Paige had curled her hair and applied a new fashionable shade of pink lipstick that Mackenzie had recently tweeted about.  

   “Big deal,” Mackenzie said as she took her seat on the other side of Darcy, “money doesn’t buy class.” She added under her breath as Paige walked up to the podium to start the debate rolling.

   Darcy turned to Mackenzie, “I think she looks really nice.”

   “Well, I didn’t say she didn’t look nice, Darcy. Anyway, you’re dreaming if you think I care that you guys got put together.”

    Mackenzie turned her head and started to smile at Rys. She was sure that would irritate Darcy and distract Paige from her impassioned speech about the importance of elementary school education. Both she and Darcy had prepared diligently – as an excuse not to talk about anything else. They easily won, as a team.

   That afternoon, Shiloh and Paige were finishing revising for exams at the school library. Shiloh had some exciting news to tell Paige but Paige was preoccupied with what she had heard Rys Wickam say about his dance video. He’d said there were ‘hot babes’ in it. Paige hoped those ‘babes’ weren’t her sisters.

   “It’s okay, Rebel told me she and Sia just hung out and danced – fully clothed.”

   “I hope so,” Paige said. “But our sisters are easily led.”

   By then, Paige and Shiloh had moved on to window shopping in Sunrise Central for prom dresses.

   “Oh, Shiloh, of course I hope Ryan asks you to prom. I have it on good authority that he plans to.”

    “Whose?”

    “Wednesday overheard him asking about corsages for a special blonde girl he was planning on taking to the junior dance. Of course, Coco asked outright, ‘do you mean, Shiloh?’ and apparently he stumbled and blurted out, “Yes.”

   “I’m so excited Paige, I can hardly sleep. I just wished you had someone planned to take you too.”

   “Well, Rys was going to ask me, or so he said, until he had to go on the startup weekend in Silicon Valley with his dad. It’s a pretty big deal apparently. Oh, and now he’s ‘friends’ with Mackenzie again, so who knows?”

   “Yes, well, I’d never expect Rys to put others before himself.”

   “Oh, Shiloh, we’re just friends. He’s so obviously going to be a player when he grows up. I’m really not that interested…”

   “Well, it’s pretty obvious he likes you…”

   “Maybe… sometimes I wonder if what Darcy said was true.”

  “Darcy does seem to have some good qualities and honesty is one of them. Have you noticed the way he looks at you?”

    “Who?”

   “Darcy Donovan.”

   “Oh.  Well, at first we really hated each other, then we just didn’t like each other at all, then we maybe grew to respect each other. And now…”

   “Now?”

   “Now, I think we are at a truce. We merely dislike each other after being forced to work together.”

   “If I didn’t like Ryan, I would have to say Darcy is the most handsome boy in school.”

   “He’d definitely agree.”

   “Well, I think, you are both alike. Both full of pride. That can make simple things complicated.”

   “Really, Shiloh? And what would I see if I were seeing clearly as you put it?”

   “Love.”

   Paige threw her sweater at Shiloh who was waiting for her sister outside the changing room.

   Just then her Shiloh’s text went off.

   Shiloh picked up her phone and squealed.

   “What is it?”

   “Ryan is coming with Mackenzie and me tomorrow.” The girls had planned to go to Third Street Promenade for lunch. “Mackenzie texted: he has something he wants to ask you!! She means me!”

   “Oh Shiloh, I knew he’d ask you!”

   “Now I just want Darcy to ask you!”

   “I sincerely doubt that’s ever going to happen.”

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter thirty-seven: Truce)

Chapter Thirty-seven

Truce

Rys began by stating his topic: “Why I think Feminism has delivered on its promise…”

“Well, to start with,”  Rys flicked his hair in that way that so many girls found attractive, but irritated most of his teachers no end  “…to start with, this seems so obvious. Like most teenage boys, I’m probably more than a little bit clueless about how it feels to be… a girl….” Darcy laughed… the teacher gave him a warning glance and Paige glared at him momentarily.  “… but I have so many awesome female friends, that I know are not only my equal but often ten times better than me, at so many things,” Rys looked directly at Paige, who blushed when he said this. Darcy noted the moment and kicked the front of the chair in front of him – quite lightly but enough to make Mackenzie turn around and smirk.

    And on and on Rys went talking about how feminism had delivered by highlighting the basic superiority of women in so many areas! It was a little over the top – taking the topic to the opposite extreme, but it won him extra points with the majority female voters.

    When class ended after a heated discussion amongst both opposing teams the bell rang.

    The only person who, once again, hadn’t been paying attention to closing statements (because he’d been texting his sister again) was Darcy.  

   But Mrs Tartt wouldn’t let him go without a comment.

   “And what do you think, Mr Donovan?”

   “Huh? About what? Oh, well that was Rys and Mackenzie’s argument… I thought Mack did great.”

   “I’m asking whether you think it was better when males opened doors for females?”

   “Um… in some ways it was respectful and kind.”

   “Oh. Not sexist and condescending?” Paige asked.

   “Paige,” Mrs Tartt said, “you know not to speak out when it’s not your turn.”

   “Well, how can I not when his views are so obviously archaic?”

   “You don’t know that. I only said, it is considered a form of politeness to open doors for a woman.”

    “And what would you know about that?”

   “Oh, you know what I know Paige Bennet? It’s girls like you who punch above their weight that really give feminism a bad name!”

   Mackenzie laughed, she loved watching Darcy and Paige argue.

  “And it’s boys like you who make girls like me really want to…”

   At that point, Paige’s temper really got the better of her and she threw, actually threw her eraser at Darcy making the entire class shake their desks and chant “fight fight fight” as if there was about to be an all-out war.

    Mrs Tartt calmed the class and asked Paige and Darcy to stay back.

    “You know why I’m giving you both afternoon detentions, don’t you?”

    Darcy said nothing. Paige didn’t speak either. They were both hoping this – the one and only ‘incident’ of their junior year, wouldn’t affect their near perfect academic scores.

    Both Darcy and Paige wanted to go to UCLA. Well, Darcy was tossing up between that college and Oxford – where his grandfather went.

    Both stayed silent.

    “I’ve decided to pair you both up for next class. Here’s the topic. You can start work during detention.”

   For the first time, Darcy and Paige looked at each other – speechless. 

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter thirty-six: Duel)

Chapter Thirty-six

Duel

The dueling debaters were getting ready for class finals. The winning pair would get a much coveted and not-so-Easy A. This looked great on college applications – obviously. Various regional and sectional teams had been beaten along the way. Over the semester the team had dwindled down to these two pairs (yep, you guessed it) Mackenzie and Darcy and Paige and Ryan.

    Everyone was given alternate arguments to prepare for many possible topics.  These included:

Should the US allow human cloning?

Should the US have a draft for military service?

Has feminism delivered less than it promised?

Darcy’s eyes skimmed over the notes.

   Darcy was still reeling from the debacle of his grandfather’s LA vacation cancellation (his grandparents had decided to meet up with the family over summer instead) and break up with his fake girlfriend Mackenzie. Mackenzie had ripped up the contract when she found Darcy checking out a class photo of Paige – yet again… But he liked the topic this time and Mackenzie assured him they could overcome their ‘issues’ and still work as a team.

    Wait… Mackenzie was called first. Darcy had also researched both sides of the argument:

    Has feminism delivered less than it promised?  

    Mackenzie folded her gum inside the paper on her desk as she took to the podium, her hair newly curled, her shoes freshly polished, her skirt with just the right amount of pleats. That was the way to drive a man crazy. Darcy was sure to want her back, especially after she threw herself at him that night and they… but wait.

    Mackenzie looked up at the classroom stage lights. Strangely enough, she was pleased to be the center of attention. Paige and Wickam looked on intently, their fates hanging onto her every word, she’d better make sense to beat Paige. Darcy chewed the end of his pencil wondering how Mackenzie would play this one.

    “Opening arguments,” the teacher announced, “First up, Miss Mackenzie Bingley”

    “Good morning Ladies and gentleman,” (Rys’ eyes rolled)

    “Oh, I need to stop you there, Mackenzie. We generally end pleasantries before debate starts.”

     “Oh, well, I think it’s polite.”

      Rys laughed. Mrs Tartt looked on disdainfully.

     Mackenzie continued…  “Once upon a time I would not have labeled myself a feminist. I Sometimes I think feminism has been bad for women and good for men because… well, the truth is, I think it’s taken away the need for men to do stuff – you know, be nice to us – woo us before they’ve tried to sleep with us (Mackenzie glared at Darcy) not that I’m advocating sleeping together before marriage – but… When I look back at what has been given to girls and women since our struggle towards emancipation started, beginning with… with… the suffragettes way back, like a hundred years ago, I think about the main issue of human rights – equality under the law – which is what all human beings strive for, I’d say here in the US women have been accorded those rights – but we still earn far less than men on average, for doing the same jobs…”

    The class, who’d arrived in dribs and drabs, sat in the back row as Mackenzie rolled her gum into a tissue, spellbound.

     Mackenzie shrugged before she continued:

    “I mean, really. Do we even need to have this discussion? I have to say, I thought this topic was really stupid, but anyway… Equality exists for everyone, right? WRONG! Equality exists for the majority – but there are heaps of peeps, not just women, who live in a great democracy like this one, like The United States of America but don’t get treated equally before the law… for various reasons.” Mackenzie then added, “I think it’s obvious that, like, decades ago, before the 1960s for example – my grandmother worked as a teacher,” at this point Mrs Tartt’s ears pricked up, “but only earned around seventy percent of the male wage for doing the same exact job. That’s so wrong, I’m sure you would all agree. So, obviously, equality is important. Where feminism went wrong is its focus on the small things. Like I said, if a boy wants to open my door for me…” At this point Rys could be clearly heard saying, “like that would ever happen,” under his breath. “For example, when a boy tries to open my door for me or carry my shopping I’m all, sure fine, but it doesn’t mean I can’t do it by myself. It might just mean I don’t want to. I mean, why would I need to if I have a man-servant of my own, for example?”

    At this point Mackenzie was starting to weird peeps out with her obvious love of the podium and power and had started to talk more adultly on the topic, even using the word “sexism” at least six times and Mrs Tartt was getting a bit worried the debate topic was getting into senior territory.

    “To conclude, I have to agree that feminism has delivered less than it promised by taking more than we expected. Many women are now forced to raise children and earn a living because men either can’t or don’t take their responsibilities seriously. However, let’s all agree that feminism has delivered much to teenage girls. I’m proud to call myself a feminist! I’m proud to have the rights I have – to wear what I like and be who I am. I expect equal pay for equal work and to be treated equally under the law of this great land. Because aren’t some women allowed to rule the world now? We could even become President… one day, couldn’t we? One day… just not to-day. That is why feminism has promised less than it has delivered... so far.”

    The class was silent. Then, they started to clap. Reluctantly Paige and Ryan joined in.

    “Well, thank you, Mackenzie, we were all quite.. surprised by your… argument.”

    “I wasn’t finished Miss Tartt,” Mackenzie smiled sweetly.

    “I think we all get your point. Step down now.”

     “I hadn’t realized, until today, how much of a feminist I am,” Mackenzie hissed under her breath.

     Someone laughed.

    “You may laugh but any female who accepts that she should be treated equally before the law is a feminist by association!”   

     The class was stunned by Mackenzie’s speech.

     “Let’s see you do better, Rys,” Mackenzie hissed.  

      Rys was next. He was slightly embarrassed to have to speak on this topic. Female subjects in general were quite irritating, but to see Darcy’s smug face was really the limit.

   

THE HOTNESS: A Modern Teen Pride and Prejudice (chapter Thirty-five: Next)

Chapter Thirty-five

Next

The older Bennet sisters slept in until their younger sisters woke them the next morning. It was a Saturday after all and the girls were filming Rys’ video at Venice Beach that afternoon. 

    Paige and Shiloh were lying in opposite beds talking about who they’d like to go to  Prom with as the younger girls shrieked and ran along the hall when they heard the car horn honking outside. Rys had kindly offered to pick them up and take them along to the set.

     Paige tried not to worry about what Darcy had told her.

    Besides, Shiloh was already planning the next dance. The Masquerade Prom was the highlight of the end of semester social calendar and every junior and senior attended.

    “Maybe I’ll go stag,” Paige said.

    “Maybe we both will if Ryan doesn’t ask me!” Shiloh replied.

    They both laughed.

    “We could always go together. Two sad sisters side by side.”

    “Or with Wickam,” Shiloh said. “though I’m a bit bothered by what you told me.”

     They heard the car screech off into along the road as the horn honked.

    “Oh, I just remembered. They’re filming the video in Santa Monica today.”

     “That’s right,” Paige said. “I wonder… if it’s such a good idea?”

     “Well, they have adults on set the whole time,” Shiloh shrugged. Surprisingly, Rys had offered to pick the girls up and Mrs Bennet was very impressed.  

   Paige suddenly worried about the girls spending so much time with Rys. Some of what Darcy had told her had really sunk in, and she started to wonder if someone as serious as Darcy, and as arrogant, was also the only one telling the truth.

    Sure, Rys Wickam had always been friendly to her and not a creep, but wasn’t he friends with everyone? So much so that Paige had ignored his reputation as more than just a flirt. He had supposedly slept with at least three seniors – none of whom were still his friends. Paige thought this was seriously easy of him.

    Man sluts were so irritating.

    She’d put Darcy in that category at first, though he seemed exclusive  now – with Mackenzie. Paige rolled her eyes as she brushed her teeth. She wasn’t sure what was worse - a single Darcy or a Darcy with an accomplice.

     When Paige went down to breakfast that morning, her mother had a smile on her face.

      I have a prom date for you Paige.

      “Huh?”

      “Amadeus! I suggested…”

      “Are you serious?”

      “Paige, dear, he’s here with us until then – you know his other family decided to stay in Europe. Now, Amadeus has something he wants to ask you….”

     Amadeus hadn’t said a word to Paige since his arrival. He had spent some time studying her profile. He’d also offered to pass her the butter at the dinner table on more than one occasion. This morning he was looking decidedly worse for wear.

    “He-llo Paige,” Amadeus said hesitantly, as he looked up from sending a text to his parents.

    “Good morning, Amadeus.”

    “Um… ah… I believe it’s the custom… ah… I wanted to ask you if you would like to come to prom with me…”

    “Ah…”  Paige didn’t know what to say. Could she tell him she was hoping a boy who ignored and insulted her would ask?

     “Um…” Paige couldn’t think of an excuse without lying or saying something mean. At that point, her friend Coco walked into the kitchen. Paige had forgotten they’d decided to work on debates and then go shopping that morning.

    “Hey, Paige. I’ve been waiting outside in the car. I just texted.”

    “Hi. Just on my way… out…”

    “Hi Amadeus, what’s up?”

    “Oh, um, we were talking about prom.”

   “Oh, right, well, I’m putting a group together of all the exchange students if you wanna join?”

    “Ah…” Amadeus shrugged. “Sure… if it’s okay with Paige.”

    “That’s great. Perfect. You’ll get to meet everyone that way.”

     Amadeus didn’t look too disappointed.

   Paige realized this that morning:  Friends like Coco were gold.

   To Paige, Amadeus was the last person she envisaged as a boyfriend but Coco seemed to find something interesting in him. Although Paige was quite surprised, she was also glad.

     “I’m really just planning on going alone or in a group,” Paige said when her mother asked about Amadeus that night whilst they stacked the dishwasher.  

    “Are you serious Paige? You may regret that. It’s the junior prom.”

   “I don’t really mind, Mom. I have more important things to worry about.”

   “Well, I can’t believe you let your friend steal a perfectly good available male – now you could end up going alone and looking as if no one wanted you.”

   “Oh, mom, that is so 1998. I am fine with being single and going by myself if it comes to that.”

   “Well, your sisters won’t be – Shiloh already has a date planned.”

   “Really? You mean Ryan asked her?”

   “Not exactly, but he will ask her. Oh Paige, sometimes I worry about you. Shiloh is so sweet and kind and beautiful.  And you are very pretty also, but you are so forthright and studious, I fear you may miss out…”

   “Well, better to miss the prom than miss my travel trip to London, England.  Prizes are announced next month.” 

   “Even so, Paige, I think you should go upstairs and tell that boy your plans have fallen through and you can go with him.”

   “No Mom, no way.”

   “I’m going to speak to your father, I think you have to stop staying in and studying and start socializing.”

   “Mom, don’t worry about me, it’s Rebel and Sia you need to worry about…” Paige had a habit of being right about these things.