Her anger shifted to confusion and she followed my gaze. I saw her eyes widen and I’m pretty sure she shrugged before turning back to me, her hands on her hips. She, like me, was still in her uniform, her tie a little askew.
“Was it worth it?” she asked again.
“What?”
“Was giving away a penalty, getting...Jax a red card and losing us the game three-nil, worth your ego? Are you quite happy now? Why don’t you take a shot at him now, where you won’t affect the rest of us!” she hissed.
I was still stunned by her lack of reaction to Anders. I did, in fact, want to go and take a shot at him now, even if only on her behalf. I knew the guy was a cad, but seriously, even I didn’t think he’d be that... Well, anyone who passed up Lily for another girl had to be an absolute idiot.
Instead of admitting any of that, I shrugged. “It’s fine, we have more games.”
She glared at me. “One game. We have one more game and we are drawing with them now. Like down to every single differentiating mark. If we don’t win the next game, then we’re going to lose the clash, Austin. Are you going to be an arsehole at the next game?”
I grinned at her lazily. “When you say arsehole-”
“Your right side is looking terribly bruise-free, Austin... I would be more than willing to help with that...” she said, her tone a warning.
Despite the pure fury and distaste on her face, I still wanted to pick her up and kiss her. Her hair was, for once, not flying around her head as she’d pulled it back in a braid, but curls were still escaping. My fingers itched to brush them back.
“What are you staring at?” she asked with a huff.
I blinked, realising I was probably just drooling all over her. “Are you not at all fussed about Anders over there?” was not what I’d intended to come out of my mouth.
She looked over, blinked a couple of times, then looked back to me.
“I have a much more obstinate man-child to fuss about right now-”
“I thought you were desperately in love?”
She snorted and shook her head. “You have some strange notions, Cooper. I liked him yes, but considering that sight doesn’t really bother me, I’m going to go ahead and say that I’ve never been much in love. Though, why I’m telling you, I don’t know. Just...” She sighed. “I’ll see you at practice. Still five?”
I nodded, unable to really do much of anything else at her statement. She left, not even looking in Anders’ direction. I felt a surge of indignity on her part and stalked over to Anders.
“Oi, Anders,” I said.
Before he had a chance to properly turn around, I punched him in the face for good measure, then walked away, heedless he was bleeding or that, based on how my fist felt, I’d possibly broken his nose. He might not have broken Lily’s heart, but he didn’t know that and he’d broken the heart of one person close to me already. In my mind, Anders was fair game.
****
I heard a squeal behind me and sighed, turning to find Claudine hurrying into the room with the more decorous Fleur following behind her.
“To what do we owe the pleasure, ladies?” Cass asked and I glared at her. She’d be an awful lot more welcoming of Fleur since Lily showed up...
“Mummy wants to do dinner on Sunday night.”
“Ah, rats, I can’t,” I answered instantly.
Jax’s look of confusion melted and he sighed. “That’s right. Dinner with Aunt Celia!”
I shuddered. “Yep.”
“Jax?” Claudine asked.
“Oh, uh...sorry...plans...with, uh...” He stuttered to a halt.
“Me!” Cass said.
“Oh, well you’ll have to both come!” Claudine smiled.
Cass and Jax exchanged panicked glances and I hid a smile, which was a lot easier when Fleur came to sit beside me.
“You have been very absent lately, Austin,” she purred in my ear.
“Sorry, busy you know, with the clash and all.” I tried to pull out of her embrace but failed.
“And you’ve been doing so well!” She frowned, her mouth an over-exaggerated pout. “Who’s the redhead?”
“What? Lily? Williams got her to help us. She knows her football and she’s not afraid to order us about.”
“She’s a funny little thing.” A thought seemed to strike her. “Do you think Hunter fancies her?”
“Williams? Fancy Lily?” I just about laughed, but then I stopped and thought about it.
Did Williams fancy Lily? Hunter Williams wasn’t one to fancy anybody. Aas Cassandra had said about herself; we just weren’t those sort of people. We partied, we played, and we had a penchant for waking up in someone else’s bed... But, we didn’t fancy people.
But, Williams had been different with Lily. He picked her up before practices, he laughed and joked with her in earnest, not his usual flirty, shallow way. Hell, he was even flirty and shallow with Cass and we all knew that wasn’t happening. But, with Lily...
My eyes found him across the room and he smiled. I smiled back and hoped it didn’t feel as forced as I thought it was. I was taking him to dinner with Aunt Celia on Sunday. Aunt Celia approved wholeheartedly of Williams. Why, I don’t know. Probably because he had the innate ability to charm anyone and Aunt Celia thought she saw a kindred spirit in him.
Aside from Jax, Williams was my best mate. We’d known each other long before we’d come to Netherfield, long before he’d been famous for his party stash. We’d shared everything, even the odd girl... But, not Lily. I was not sharing Lily with him...
“Oz, you right mate?” I heard Jax say and blinked myself back to the present issue of Fleur half on my lap.
“Sorry, thinking about...the clash.”
Jax nodded, understanding. I’d been using that excuse a lot lately. Whenever I failed to even make Lily smile, when I saw her laughing with someone else, when I remembered I could never be with her, I retreated and blamed Anders or the clash.
No one had questioned me, though Cassandra had looked disbelieving a couple of times. It’s not like she could really give me grief about unrequited...whatever this was. She had just about as much chance with Lily as I did... As long as my assumptions about Lily were correct...
I felt Fleur tap my forehead and I pulled away, annoyed. Undaunted, she giggled, “where do you keep going?”
She rubbed her hand over the bare spot on my chest. Not that she knew it was a bare spot, she hadn’t seen me without my shirt on since I got my first tattoo. Didn’t mean she hadn’t tried. Didn’t stop me feeling like she was trying to shred my clothes off every time she touched me and I physically had to stop myself shuddering.
“Just, got a lot on my mind at the moment, Fleur,” I mumbled, sliding out from under her.
I ignored Jax’s call, and shrugged away from Williams with a terse smile. He just smiled back like nothing was wrong. That was me, the great brooder; no one really cared when I was in a mood, because that was just Austin, the serious, angry, unapproachable Cooper twin.
But, I was feeling more and more like I didn’t want to be that Austin anymore. I wanted to be an Austin who could fancy whoever he liked, I wanted to be an Austin people didn’t scurry away from in the hallways, an Austin who trusted more than just three people... And, I wasn’t always sure about Cassandra these days.
How could I be that Austin and be the heir Aunt Celia wanted? How could I be that Austin and there still be room for Jax to be...well, Jax? Without some major changes, there wasn’t any room for that Austin and that Jax.
Could there be a world where I get Lily?
I had some serious thinking to do...
Chapter Twenty-Seven
I threw my arms around Charlie and gave him a big hug.
Oddly enough, we’d become closer since he’d left. He was constantly sending me emails and texts, telling me about his new life and laughing over Seb’s oddities. He’d invited me to stay with them for the weekend while they were down in Hertfordshire, staying in a very o
pulent little place. I looked around.
“This place is stunning,” I marvelled.
“Yes, and you’ll never guess who else is staying!” Seb said.
Knowing his interest in me was passed, I found him much less exasperating. “Who?” I asked.
“Lady Celia.”
I baulked slightly, but recovered. “Oh, good. Perhaps I’ll see her while I’m here?”
Charlie sent me an apologetic look even as Seb nodded excitedly. “Oh, but you will. She’s invited us to dine with her the whole weekend.”
“Has she now? Well, splendiferous!” I smiled, feeling anything but splendiferous.
“Quickly, get changed, Lily, and we will go and meet her.” Seb hurried out and I glared at Charlie.
He pushed his glasses up and smiled. “I did warn you to bring some good clothes.”
“Yes, Anne did wonder why I was packing a whole suitcase for one weekend.” I grimaced.
“You’ve got something nice?”
“Trust me, I have enough nice things of which even my Dad would approve.”
Charlie beamed at me. “I’m really glad you’re here, Lily.”
“Me too.” I smiled and he left to let me get changed.
After last lesson, I’d had enough time to repack my bag at Charlie’s text – which had taken enough time in itself, thank God for Anne – and got the bus over.
I opened the closet in my little room and tried to decide what would be my most appropriate ‘meeting Lady Celia Cooper for the first time’ outfit. I selected a mauve cocktail dress, petite ballet flats and piled my curls up on my head.
“Lily, we’ll be late if you don’t hurry up,” I heard Seb call through my door.
I gave my curls one last grimace and sighed. “Oh, I am so going to have to do better than this tomorrow night. Oh well, what does her opinion matter to me?”
I flounced out the door, trying to put on my best confident smile. Never mind the fact I was about to have dinner with Seb’s darling benefactress – something he had reminded me of at least three times in the hour I’d been here – but I was about to meet Austin’s parent-figure.
Not that it matters to me. Why would that matter to me?
I ginned at Charlie, hiding my nerves, and took his arm. Seb charged ahead of us with his usual exuberance, prattling away.
“Don’t worry about your clothes, Lily. Lady Celia isn’t the sort of lady who gives much thought to one’s dress. She’ll merely be interested in meeting you.”
I shared a glance with Charlie, looking down at said dress.
“I think you look lovely. I’d totally hit on you,” Charlie whispered as Seb went on, talking about how wonderful Lady Celia was, and there was something about fireplaces I didn’t quite catch.
Seb led us to a small dining room where a very grand woman waited for us. She had shrewd blue eyes, and her hair was more brown, but the family resemblance was definitely obvious.
“Sebastian!” She smiled as we entered.
Seb bowed deeply and I stifled a giggle. Lady Celia’s stern gaze raked me from head to foot and back. I could tell by her expression that I was left wanting. Still, what could I do?
“Charles, this is the friend I’ve heard so much about?”
Charlie stuttered and nodded.
“Lily Brewer, your ladyship,” I said, really not wanting to curtsey, but also thinking she wouldn’t appreciate me holding my hand out.
“An Australian?” Her nose wrinkled like the word just smelled bad.
“Yes, Australian. Recent import,” I replied, trying hard for Charlie’s sake to keep my tone light.
Lady Celia merely raised one impeccable eyebrow and turned to Seb, who indicated we should sit.
Watching the woman, I was less surprised about where Austin came from and more surprised about where Jax came from. Of all the people in the world, this woman would appreciate Austin’s stuffy, proud nature. What she thought of Jax, I could only guess.
We sat through dinner, Charlie saying nothing and me just eating whatever was put in front of me and desperately trying not to drop food down my front. Seb and Celia seemed quite content to talk to each other for a time. Eventually, though, Celia’s gaze came back to me.
“Are you musical, Lily?”
I tried to finish swallowing without it all ending up in my windpipe. “Not in the slightest.”
“Your sisters?”
I bit back a laugh. “I’m afraid not. Gemma tried the piano for a while, but...well, it didn’t work out.”
It had most decidedly not worked out when her ‘piano lessons’ turned out to be an excuse for her to go and make out with one of the band guys. I didn’t think Celia needed to know that, though.
“Are you artistic?”
I paused. “No.”
“Do you play sport?”
“No.”
“Are you interested in humanitarian efforts?”
I locked eyes with her. “Sorry to disappoint you, Lady Celia, but no. I don’t hate the world or anything, I’m not some embittered feminist. But, my interests just don’t lie that way.”
“You seem to have very strong opinions for one so young.”
I shrugged. “What can I say, I know my own mind.”
She pursed her lips. “Indeed. You are going on to Year Thirteen then?”
I nodded. “All the better for getting into university.”
“Really, university? And what will you study?”
I sighed, really not wanting to get into this with her. “Literature and writing.”
As expected, she wrinkled her nose in distaste. She sipped her wine before she spoke again. “And what do you plan to do with that?”
“I’m going to get my PhD, teach and write books,” I said, staring her down. “I don’t intend to just be someone’s wife; I will make my own way in life.”
She blinked and, for the briefest moment, I thought I saw respect in her eyes. Oh, no, that was just distaste again. My bad...
“I see. Well, I suppose it is the best option you have to you. What with Seb inheriting the company, you can’t expect to have much in the way of an inheritance.”
I scowled at her, thinking this woman had no business interrogating me like I was some nobody. I wouldn’t bother telling her about what Mum left me. She really had no right to know.
“No, I don’t suppose I can.”
She stared at me a moment before Seb anxiously turned her attention back to him.
I managed to get through the rest of dinner without giving in to the urge to throttle her. But, it was a close thing. I spent the remainder of the night wondering how incredibly fun family holidays at the Coopers’ must be with her and Austin. It was almost enough to make me feel sorry for Fleur. Almost.
****
I sat in our room, more like a small apartment really, reclining on the couch with Charlie. I had no idea where Seb was; he’d wandered off after lunch and said he’d see us later.
I’d waved away Charlie’s apologies for Lady Celia the night before and we were onto other topics.
“So, how is everything? How’s Annie?” Charlie asked.
I sighed. “She’s braver than I think I’d be. She seems to be pleased it happened, like she’s got no prospects now.” I shook my head. “I don’t know. I had such high hopes for Jax, but he seems little more than a puppet for Austin and Cassandra. He honestly seemed like he liked her, but at one word from them...he’s over her.”
“Do you know what they said?”
“No doubt it was the inferiority of her connections,” I scoffed.
Charlie gave a sad smile. “And, she’s really handling it well?”
I nodded, still surprised myself. “Yep. She was pretty down to begin with, but then she seemed to think it was her fault or something. I don’t know. Maybe it’s a coping mechanism?”
“She’s always been hard on herself, blaming herself over others,” Charlie said.
“Yeah, I figured as much. Shame really, she
and Jax would have been perfect for each other; they both seem incapable of hate.”
Charlie smiled. “And, what about Liam?”
I laughed. “He’s moved on to Regina something-or-other.”
“Queenie?”
I nodded. “That’s the one.”
“You don’t seem terribly upset.”
I smiled at him. “I’m actually not, surprisingly. I guess I didn’t like him as much as I thought I did.” I shrugged and sipped my coffee. “I will say-”
“Lily! Charles!” Seb’s voice preceded his entrance.
Charlie and I just had time to share a snigger before he entered.
“Look who I found!”
I looked up, my smile dropping as I saw Austin walk in behind Seb. But, my smile was back when I saw Williams behind him. I laughed and jumped up, giving Williams a hug.
Seb invited them to sit. Austin did so in a chair about as far away from anyone as possible, looking sullen and uncomfortable – so not much different to his usual expression, really. Williams, on the other hand, sat next to me on the couch and couldn’t have been more of a gentleman.
“I didn’t know you guys were coming. I guess her being here makes more sense now,” I said, smiling at him.
Williams, likewise, was smiling back at me very pleasantly. “Well, if we’d known you were coming too, we would have given you a lift. How did you get here?”
“Bus, much to Austin’s horror, I’m sure.” I smirked, throwing him a knowing glance.
Williams laughed. “Yes, I can just imagine Austin’s face if he ever had to catch the bus.” We both looked to him. “Yep, I think your face would probably look something like that, mate.” He chuckled and turned to me. “How have you been? I haven’t had a chance to talk to you since practice.”
I smiled. “Yeah, good. Busy with that history essay, but otherwise fine.”
“Killed many zombies?”
Netherfield Prep: A Modern Reimagining of Jane Austen's 'Pride & Prejudice' Page 18