Netherfield Prep: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice'

by Elizabeth Stevens

  “I will thump you again if I have to,” I said as we stopped outside Anne and Lily’s room, and knocked.

  By now, Jax was too far gone with laughter. “You could get a fleur-de-lis! That would be very fitting. She’d totally love-”

  I grabbed him in a headlock. “Are you sure you want to continue that sentence, brother?” I growled, but I smiled at the idiot grin on his face.

  “Okay, okay. No fleur-de-lis and no- Lily!”

  “That’s right. I’ll fill it one day, but-” It was my turn to breathe out heavily as he elbowed me in the side.

  “Lily, hi,” I heard Jax say.

  I looked up, with Jax still in a headlock, and found Lily at the door, watching us with a bemused expression on her face. Her hair was pulled up in a messy bun; my fingers itched to brush the wayward strands from her neck. She had a pen in her smiling lips, wore a short floral dress and pink sneakers, and held an open book in her hand.

  “By all means, don’t let me interrupt whatever brotherly incident is occurring here,” she laughed, opening the door wider.

  “Who is it, Lil?” Anne asked.

  “Um…it could be entertainment, come to alleviate our study boredom. Did you order anyone from the MMA league?”

  I dropped Jax quickly. Which turned out to be more literal than I’d intended when I had to grab him to stop him falling over.

  “Lily, nice to see you. You look lovely,” Jax said, finally finding his feet.

  “Thanks, Jax. Anne’s inside.” Lily nodded her head and stepped aside. Jax rushed in like a child to a tree on Christmas morning. “Austin.”

  “Lily.” I cleared my throat and raked my hair out of my face. “Sorry about that.”

  “Nonsense, it’s not every day I see you looking like a normal human being,” she laughed. “I expect I don’t want to know what’s being filled one day?”

  The hint of suggestion in her tone made me smile despite myself. “Nothing important, Jax was just overstepping his bounds.”

  “I wouldn’t have thought twins had boundaries,” she said, cocking her head to the side.

  “There aren’t many, but-”

  “Jax manages to cross each and every one?” she smiled.

  I nodded. “You sound like you grew up with one of your own.”

  “A Jax, or a twin?” she replied, but continued before I could answer. “No, it was just Mum and me at home. Dad, Claire and the step-mongrels were always a world away.”

  “You say that like you dislike them?” I asked, taken off guard by her comment.

  She laughed. “I love them, but they’re sisters. You can’t but love to hate them.”

  I looked to where Jax and Anne were chatting animatedly. Well, Jax was chatting animatedly, Anne looked like she’d just been cornered by a rambunctious man-child. Which, I supposed, wasn’t too far from the truth.

  “And Anne?”

  “What about her? I don’t know much about her sister, but she seems a very…intense girl,” Lily replied, following my gaze.

  “No, I mean how do you feel about Anne?”

  “Oh! Of all the sisters I might have been stuck with in life, she’s the one I can’t find fault with. I feel like I’ve known her forever.”

  I raised an eyebrow at her, but was spared reply when Jax and Anne came over to us.

  “Right, we’re raiding the party stash and it’s drinks in Charlie’s tonight.”

  “What party stash and who’s Charlie?” I asked.

  “Williams’ party stash and friend of Anne’s and Lily’s. I said we’d bring Cass.” Jax beamed.

  Now I knew exactly what he had planned for the night.

  For the millionth time that week, I wanted to tell him to sod off. Sitting around drinking was the last thing I wanted to be doing, and the last thing Cassandra should be doing. Still, faced with the looks on the faces around me, I did little more than sigh, roll my eyes and nod.

  “Fine, but I’m not telling Williams we stole his good booze.”

  ****

  Later that night, the nine of us were sitting around Charlie’s dorm room. Turns out, Williams hadn’t left yet and was more than happy to bring his best booze when he heard the Brewers were going to be there – sigh. And, Charlie’s roommate had left for the holidays already.

  We’d all probably had too much to drink, but we’d seemed to lose track of ourselves as we sat and talked, or told jokes. Lily was still wearing her short floral dress and she looked beautiful. In fact, I thought she looked more beautiful than she had earlier that day. Although, that could have been the whiskey talking.

  Ha! Whiskey doesn’t talk!

  I’d barely been able to take my eyes off her, or been able to stop listening to her. I couldn’t quite be sure, but I think there were even a couple of times we had a proper non-insult-trading conversation. I was quite pleased by our progress. By now, I knew she liked books, she was intelligent, she was nothing like her younger sisters, and she was very pretty. She was still her father’s daughter, though…

  “Oz?” Cass hissed as she nudged me. “Oz, you’re staring and your smile is a little creepy…”

  I blinked. “Sorry, what?”

  Kate squealed, interrupting my train of thought, and picked up one of the empty bottles. “Who’s up for spin the bottle?”

  Gemma laughed along with her.

  Lily groaned. “What are we, in the nineties?” I heard her mutter.

  In my slightly drunken state, I giggled a little.

  “Go on, I’ll play!” Williams laughed.

  “Why not?” Jax said.

  “Because, it’s a game for tweens!” I replied.

  “Oh, come on, Oz, live a little. I’ll play too,” Cass said, knocking back another shot then shuffling so we were all sitting in a circle.

  “Fine, what are the rules?” I huffed, crossing my legs on the floor.

  “Rules?” Lily smiled at us all. “You have rules on this side of the world?”

  Cass laughed. “You don’t?”

  “No. You spin the bottle, whoever it points to, you have to kiss.” She shrugged.

  Cass whooped. “Well, as much fun as that sounds. At Netherfield, we do things slightly differently. You spin it and, when it stops, you either decide to kiss them or you do five shots.”

  Lily nodded. “Okay, that I can work with.”

  “Good, right who’s first?”

  “Me!” Williams yelled, lunging forward and sending the bottle spinning.

  It landed on Gemma and they shared a not so chaste kiss before pulling apart and it was Gemma’s turn. Gemma landed on Cass, who grinned and waited to see if Gemma was going to go ahead with it. Gemma smiled, threw back her drink and gave Cass a kiss.

  Cass’ spin landed on Lily. For a moment, Lily looked panicked. Then, she merely shrugged. Cass winked at me as she pulled Lily to her feet. Lily giggled and put her arms around Cass’ shoulders to steady herself. Looking at me very deliberately, Cass very tenderly brought Lily to her and kissed her hard. I shifted uncomfortably while I watched her.

  I am well aware about the whole guys getting off on two girls thing, but when one of them is your cousin and the other is a girl you think you fancy – there I said it! – then the whole sexiness of the situation is somewhat diminished.

  Cass ran her hands down Lily’s side, gave her a gentle slap on the bottom and let her go. Lily pulled away, flushed and laughing.

  “Right, well, tick that one off the bucket list!” Lily said, smoothing her hair.

  “You can tick it again any time you like.” Cass winked at her. “That was amazing.”

  I was well aware Cass was trying to get a rise out of me, and I ignored her fastidiously.

  We went round the group a number of times. Charlie passed up kissing the boys and I could guess why that was. Gemma and Kate seemed quite content to kiss anyone. Jax and Anne shared a kiss that threatened to get very heated before we pulled them apart with a laugh. Cass kissed everyone but me and Jax. Williams wou
ld probably have kissed a frog if we passed it to him and not remember the next morning. Lily had kissed Cass, Charlie, Williams and given Jax a kiss on the cheek. I’d so far kissed Gemma twice as fleetingly as possible, Anne, and even Williams launched himself on me at one point, throwing us both backwards with a laugh.

  Finally, Lily’s spin landed on me. I felt my heart begin to race and I couldn’t have told you if I wanted her to take it or not. She’d taken the shots in lieu of kissing Jax properly and the time it landed on Kate. So, she was possibly fairly drunk already. I didn’t think I wanted our first kiss to be something she didn’t remember.

  What are you talking about, first kiss? Who says you even get a first kiss?

  I looked into Lily’s eyes and I didn’t know what I found there. She blinked, laughed and cried, “shots! Get me shots!”

  Cass poured them out for her, laughing. “Is our Austin not good enough for those delicious lips?”

  “Yeah, go on Lily, kiss him!” Williams said.

  “Go on, Lil!” Anne said, uncharacteristically vocal.

  “Do it!” Even Charlie had an opinion for once.

  I waited patiently to see if she’d change her mind.

  Lily cast me a glance, smile plastered on her face. “I’m afraid, as gorgeous as Austin is, he is one boy I will never kiss!”

  I hid the tinge of disappointment behind a smile. Cass opened her mouth to say something but I stopped her. “Leave her be. She doesn’t have to kiss me. Although, she’s missing out.”

  It seems Anne isn’t the only one being slightly uncharacteristic tonight, I thought as I winked at her.

  She took her shots and got distracted talking to Anne. Cass plonked down next to me and, very obviously, looked between me and Lily.

  “Why, I do declare, cousin. You have a crush.” She elbowed me and I nearly lost my balance.

  Only extreme drunkenness could be responsible for what came out of my mouth in response, “Lily Brewer’s pretty green eyes may well be the object of my admiration.”

  Chapter Seven

  Austin, Jax and Cass had left for a short trip home, and Anne and I were trying to bury ourselves in homework.

  It had been eleven days since the spin the bottle episode and, as drunk as I’d been, I still remembered the totally obvious way I’d refused to kiss Austin. Anne, though had lucked out when Jax had walked us back to our room and she’d apparently been given a very passionate kiss goodnight.

  “Stop thinking about it!” Anne laughed.

  “I’m not thinking about anything,” I totally lied.

  “Who are you trying to convince?”

  “Ugh. The guy is insufferable!” I threw down my pen. “Have you seen the way he looks at us? Like we may as well be bugs on the sole of his shoe!”

  “It’s not that bad.”

  “You telling me it’s a new thing? Or have you just stopped noticing it now you have another gorgeous face staring at you?” I teased.

  “He doesn’t stare at me.” She blushed.

  “He most certainly does.”

  “Who stares at who?” I heard Kate ask.

  I turned around and found my sisters in the doorway, wearing rather revealing outfits. “And, what are you two wearing while you’re not knocking on people’s doors?”

  Kate and Gemma giggled. “The exchange boys have just arrived.”

  “The who with the what now?” I asked, looking at Anne.

  “The Military College and the Netherfield boys have some intercollegiate sport competition going on from next week,” Anne answered, grabbing a handful of chips.

  “So, the Military College boys have arrived, yes?”

  “Yes!” both Kate and Gemma squealed, clutching each other in their excitement.

  “And they’re very attractive, young men?” I guessed.

  “YES!” Another excited squeal, this one almost something only dogs could hear. I winced and rubbed my ear.

  “Jesus, all right then.” I looked at Anne, who wore a small smile.

  “Come on, come on, they’ve just arrived! We can watch them get out of the buses!” Gemma said as she grabbed my arm.

  “Did you hear that, Anne? They’re getting out of the buses! We wouldn’t want to miss that!” I rolled my eyes as I finally let Gemma pull me to my feet.

  “Oh, no, she can’t go like that! Get dressed, Lil!”

  I looked down at my tracksuit pants and jumper. “I am dressed. It’s not like I’m in my negligée.”

  “More’s the pity, the boys might have liked that,” Kate said, winking. “Get changed, girls!”

  “It’s freezing out there. Are you seriously telling me you’re going out in that?” I nodded at their short skirts and cleavage-showing tops.

  “Yes, and you would too if you know what’s good for you!”

  “Gemma, I am not going into near snow in nothing more than what’s fit for an Australian beach at Christmas.”

  “But, Lily-”

  “Don’t ‘but Lily’, me. You want us to go and see these boys, I’m going as is.”

  Gemma and Kate exchanged a glance and shrugged, then looked back to me and nodded in resignation.

  “Fine, but don’t blame us when none of them look twice at you,” Kate said in a huff.

  “I can assure you, Katherine, I will not care.”

  Anne and I linked arms and we followed Gemma and Kate to the front driveway where four buses were parked.

  I could well believe these boys were from a Military College in their long jackets, hats and uniform pants. They had a very Captain Jack Harkness look about them. I couldn’t distinguish teachers from students; they all looked the same. A tall, wide-shouldered guy strolled towards us.

  As he got closer, he pulled off his hat and I started to wish I’d decided to change after all. He was all sorts of blond, blue-eyed perfection. He bowed to us before putting his hat back on.

  “It’s bloody cold for this time of year.” He smiled. He had a very distinct Australian accent.

  “Thank God, there’s someone else in this country from my side of the world,” I laughed.

  “Oh, hey, yeah!” He held out a hand. “Liam Anders.”

  “Lily Brewer. This is Anne, Gemma and Kate.”

  Liam nodded to them, but his eyes were focussed on me and I felt the sudden urge to blush. “What part of Australia you from?”

  “Adelaide.”

  “Ah, I’m a Melbourne boy myself. Well, Southern Vic. Grew up in Torquay.”

  “I’ve been there, it’s nice.”

  “Well, small world. We should get together over coffee sometime and reminisce about home. We can imagine we’re there, where the weather’s getting warmer instead of colder.” He winked.

  “That’d be great, yeah.”

  There was a crash and a yell, and Liam looked over his shoulder. “Sorry, ladies, I’d best see what the fuss is all about. Nice to meet you.”

  “You too,” Kate sighed, waving him off.

  “Well, he seemed nice,” Anne said.

  “I’ll bet you’re regretting not changing now, Lil,” Gemma laughed.

  “Why would she? He barely looked at her. Us blonds are drawn together,” Kate said.

  “You know, you guys are turning a little blue…” I said, pointing at them.

  “Nonsense,” Kate said, waving my hand away, “we’re fine.”

  We watched them unpacking their buses – oh, it was super thrilling, I promise; there was nowhere else I’d rather be – while Gemma and Kate sighed over practically every boy they saw. Finally, Mr Bembly came out and shooed us inside with a very distasteful look. But, Anne and I still had to hear all about the events we’d just witnessed.

  ****

  I’d managed to keep my scantily clad sisters in our room for the rest of the afternoon, playing games and even going along with the rating of all the eligible boys in the school – ugh!

  “What you really want is a guy from Rosings Dorm,” Kate said.

  “Which one�
��s that?”

  “The rich kids, people like Jax and Austin,” Gemma said, putting down another card.

  “And, why do I want one of these?” I asked.

  “A Rosings boy will set you up for life,” Anne replied, though I could hear the disgust in her tone.

  “Daniel says it all the time,” Kate said, nodding.

  “As does my mother.” Anne grimaced.

  “You go to this school to get a Rosings boy. It’s just how it is,” Gemma replied.

  I looked between them all. “Are you guys shitting me right now?”

  All three heads turned my way. Anne – thankfully – looked like she agreed with me. Kate and Gemma, however, just shrugged.

  “My dad told you to find yourself a Rosings boy and settle down?”

  Kate looked at me as though it was the most sound investment advice. “He found himself a Rosings girl, although not at school. We’ll probably have to, since the company passes through our cousin when Mum steps down as CEO.”

  “What cousin?” I asked. This was news to me; I’d assumed Claire’s investment company was going to Gemma as her biological daughter.

  “Sebastian.” Gemma shuddered.

  “What’s wrong with Sebastian?” I asked, betting the first thing out of her mouth was going to be that he wasn’t hot enough.

  Kate winced. “Think of Austin, only ugly and no charm.”

  Okay, that was actually worse than I thought it was going to be. “A stuck up snob with neither charm nor looks?” I clarified.

  They both nodded.

  “He seriously lacks either, but he tries it all the same.” Gemma wrinkled her nose.

  Even knowing how shallow the two girls could be, I was inclined to believe them on this occasion. They were quick to judge a guy attractive on his ability to charm as readily as on the set of his features.

  “Anyway, back to more exciting things. I’ve heard the boys from the Military College are all quite well off”

  “What are they doing at a Military College, then?” I asked.

  Kate looked around as though she were about to divulge some great conspiracy. “I heard they’re all the sons of wealthy parents who have misbehaved one too many times.”