Netherfield Prep (Austen Reimagined: P&P #1) Read online

  “So, a date with the infamous Jax Cooper?” I said to Anne, who blushed demurely and smiled down at her lap.

  Charlie smiled behind his computer screen, while Marie only huffed in the most disapproving tone. She was on par to be the perfect match for Austin, at this rate.

  ****

  We’d spent half an hour after dinner getting ready, and Jax turned up right on half past eight.

  I hadn’t known what to expect from a dorm party at a prestigious boarding school full of kids too rich for their own good.

  But, when we walked into the Meryton Dorm wing, it looked like any normal teenage party to me. I followed Anne and Jax in as my phone dinged. I dug it out of my pocket and found a text message.

  Kate: It is so unfair it’s a Year 12 party! You sure you can’t swing us an invite? ;)

  I sighed, not bothering to reply because I had no idea what to say. What the hell was the protocol in these situations? I hadn’t even known it was just for our year, I’d just turned up.

  I could entirely imagine what Austin McSnooty-pants would say if I told my sisters they could come.

  “You all right, Lil?” Jax called.

  I smiled and waved my phone at him. “Just Kate bemoaning her lack of invitation.”

  “I’ll put their names at the door!” He smiled, then turned back to the guy at the door. “Yo, Adam, when Gemma and Kate Brewer get here, go on and let them in!”

  “Oh, I’m sure you don’t...” He waved a hand and I stammered to a stop.

  “It’s no problem, Lil.”

  “Jack, man!” someone called.

  He looked to Anne, who smiled shyly. “Go on, we’ll be fine.”

  He took her hand and kissed it. “I’ll be back in a bit.”

  “How is it one of them is ridiculously nice and the other is an utter wanker?” I asked Anne as I texted Kate back; I’d never hear the end of it if they found out their names were on the door and I hadn’t told them.

  “They’ve always been like that. Austin is just very... I think the polite term is proud.” She laughed, her eyes on Jax. “I don’t know why Jax hasn’t got a girlfriend, though. Plenty of girls would be more than happy to play the role.”

  I put my arm through hers. “Perhaps he’s one of those rare, decent guys who’s actually waiting for the right girl to come along to shower with all his love? Instead of just superficially sharing it about.”

  “You don’t sound like you put a lot of faith in love, Lil,” she said, squeezing my arm.

  “I’ve learnt not to put a lot of faith in a man’s love.”

  Anne laughed. “Yet, you encourage me? Why would Jax even want me?”

  “Because, much like him, you don’t seem to know how beautiful and kind you are. Besides, you, Anne, are not me; your man is right in front of you.” I nodded towards Jax, who was watching Anne as he talked to Austin and a blonde girl.

  She blushed. “And what about your man?”

  “I imagine it would take someone extraordinary to persuade me to fall in love.”

  At that moment, I locked eyes with Austin. For a split second, his face was almost tender and it felt like we were having some romance novel moment. Then, I heard the yell behind me and saw his look of utter disbelief before he turned to the girl next to him.

  “No. I’d rather be the proverbial crazy cat lady. At least the worst animals can do is die on you,” I said grumpily as my sisters hugged me, shrieking their thanks.

  Chapter Four: Austin

  Annoyingly, I hadn’t been able to keep myself from staring at Lily. The look of pure engagement on her face as she walked in was novel after all the years we’d spent doing this; there was at least one party somewhere, two nights a week in this place.

  Lily was standing with Anne while Anne stared at Jax. I had no idea what they were talking about, but Anne looked unsure and uncomfortable. Lily had just caught my eye when her stepsisters came rushing in, squealing. Any positive thought I might have had about Lily was washed away in a second at the reminder of who her sisters were.

  I had never met the parents, but the father seemed little better than a gold-digger. I imagined the mother’s first two husbands had been the same. Evidence suggested the daughters were as idiotic as their father-figure and after someone rich to coast through life. Lord knew there were enough of their type in the Longbourn Dorm wing.

  “Kill me now, Cass. I mean it,” I said, turning to her.

  She laughed. “Just try to put on a decent face and have some fun.”

  I glared at my brother as the Brewer girls continued to giggle incessantly. “Was this your doing?”

  “Lighten up, Oz!” Jax smiled. “They wanted to come.”

  “Jax, if we opened the doors to everyone who wanted to come, then we’d end up with the whole school here,” I sighed.

  “You know how I hate to agree with Jax, but even I think you could do with a little chill-out,” Cassandra replied, folding her arms. “This isn’t even your party, Austin.”

  Jax laughed. “You think that’ll stop him complaining about everything wrong with it?”

  “If you’re so particular, why don’t you have your own damn party?” Cass asked me.

  “Because parties are a waste of time where all we do is sneak in alcohol, girls throw themselves at you, and you have to clean up.”

  “I’m not seeing the problem,” Cass replied.

  I sighed again and raked a hand through my hair. “Have you no…decency? There are more important things than getting drunk and…fornicating!”

  Cass snorted. “What are you? Grandad? Who calls it fornicating anymore? Calls it like it is, Oz; sex. And you could use some, might get your panties out of that knot!” She picked two cups off the table behind her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, there’s a young lady over there with my name on her. Or, she soon will.” She sauntered off.

  “Likewise, brother,” Jax said, looking hesitant.

  “Just go, I will be fine on my own, I assure you.”

  “Cass is right; you need to unbunch your panties, Oz.”

  “I do not need to have sex!” I hissed a little too loudly.

  “I didn’t mean to say you did. Or that you should. I just think you’d do well to relax a bit, man.” Jax clapped me on the arm. “Dude, you’re just getting more wound up as years go on. We’re not even eighteen yet, you’re not supposed to be this uptight until we’re middle-aged, married to women Aunt Celia picked out for us, and have ten kids between us that we despise.”

  “Someone has to follow family protocol-”

  “Like you do with your long hair and your tattoos?” Jax interrupted.

  “Aunt Celia abides them.”

  “Aunt Celia abides them because she thinks you’re going to marry Fleur and she knows Fleur likes you as you are.”

  “Allow me some personality, Jax,” I said, picking up a cup.

  He nodded towards it. “I’ll take that as a first step. The rest, I know is the fun-Austin dying to come out, but who’s being squashed by some obligated bastard.”

  I almost choked on my beer. “Did you actually just call me an obligated bastard?”

  He grinned at me. “For the love of God, Oz, have some fun, for once in your life. You can go back to being your stuffy, paradoxical self tomorrow.”

  “I promise nothing,” I said, then drained my beer to let him know I was considering his words.

  “Good, now, excuse me; I have a lady to woo.”

  I watched him walk over to Anne and Lily. Gemma and Kate had wandered off to seduce Lord knew who. They smiled and chatted for a few minutes, until Jax led Anne to the dance floor and Lily went and sat on a couch with a cup in hand.

  I scanned the crowd, seeing Cass up against a wall with some girl I didn’t recognise from the back. I huffed and leant against another wall, absent-mindedly biting on the rim of my cup.

  I wasn’t going to pretend not to notice the amount of girls wh
o threw me cautiously hopeful looks. But, I kept my face stern for each one of them, knowing if I so much as hinted an interest I’d be flocked despite my reputation. I’d spent years cultivating it, always being the surly, disliked twin.

  Aunt Celia had, in no uncertain terms, told me if I dated anyone, I’d be in serious trouble. And, I believed her. Not that I’d met anyone worth dating. All the girls at this school were either related to me or saw me as nothing but a means to a comfortable life. None were intelligent enough to hold my interest for long, even the few times I’d considered breaking Aunt Celia’s rules.

  Which is not to say I hadn’t taken a girl or two to bed. But, each was strictly a one-time thing and, if they hadn’t known that going in, they knew it soon after.

  I drank my drinks in relative peace, watching the party go by. It was a wonder none of the adults shut these things down. I suppose, they knew if they did, they’d hear from more than one wealthy parents’ lawyer.

  I watched Jax and Anne dancing, trying to determine what sort of girl Anne was really. I’d found out in the last few days that she was a scholarship student who wasn’t the brightest girl but kept her grades up well enough to keep her there. No doubt, her family had sent her to Netherfield in the hopes of finding her a potential mate who would give her a free ride. I didn’t know what it was about Netherfield, but the scholarship students all seemed to be the same.

  Jax’s face was beaming with excitement every time he looked at her. I knew that look well; it was the look that usually ended once I’d explained to him the object’s real intentions for him. Why, then, he thought Anne would be any different! I tried to gauge her feelings towards him, but found her expression not obviously decipherable. She seemed to be enjoying herself, but there was a hesitancy to her that made me wonder if she was actually all that interested in my brother.

  After a while, they walked over to the table next to me. Anne called Lily over and Jax headed over to me while the girls talked.

  “I see you’re still nursing that beer.” Jax nodded, picking up his own.

  “I’ll have you know, this is my third or fourth, thank you,” I replied.

  “Oh, you must be having so much fun!” Jax teased, then looked over his shoulder at Anne. He nudged me. “So, what do you think of Anne?”

  “I’m sure I don’t know. I haven’t spoken to her.”

  “Well, that’s hardly my fault, is it? It doesn’t take much to go up to a person and say hello to them. Oh, Lord, just don’t look like that when you do!” Jax shoved me and I wondered what the hell my face had looked like. “Go on, go and find yourself a pretty girl, and have a good time.”

  “You seem to have secured yourself the prettiest girl who hasn’t had her tongue down Cass’ throat.”

  “Oi, oi. Why don’t you go talk to Lily, while I talk to Anne? Lily’s a very pretty girl.” We both looked over to the girls, who stood near us.

  “What’s that famous quote? ‘She is tolerable, but not handsome enough to tempt me’?” I replied lazily, smirking.

  Lily’s head snapped up. Her green eyes bored into mine and I suddenly felt like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, complete with fading smile.

  “Go back to your date, Jax. I’ll only bring you down tonight, mate,” I said, flexing my neck and avoiding Lily’s glare.

  Jax clapped me on the back. “I don’t doubt it, brother. Just, try to have some fun of your own, aye?”

  “You leave me to myself, Jax. Go back to your wooing.” I sculled the last of my beer and held my cup out for Jax to fill it up again.

  He looked at me seriously for a moment, until I nodded and waved the cup at him.

  “You sure you’re all right, then?”

  “I will be when you stop dicking about and pour me another beer,” I growled, not sure where my foul mood was coming from. Well, my fouler than usual mood.

  Jax just nodded and poured it before he went back to Anne. I noticed Lily was gone, but refused to pay much attention. Instead, I watched the people in the room. Cassandra, in typical fashion, flitted her way from one girl to another, even those who had previously never showed an inclination for their own sex; but, when it came to Cassandra Morley, very few people could say no. Gemma and Kate shamelessly flung themselves at anyone who’d have them. Jax and Anne spent time dancing and talking, then Jax would apologise profusely when someone called him away for a moment. And round again we’d go.

  Meanwhile, I filled up my cup again and again, and made sure no one came near me but Cass and my brother.

  ****

  An annoying sound buzzed in my ears. It was the opening bars to Don’t Fear the Reaper.

  I groaned. That was my ringtone.

  I opened my eyes and, for a moment, had no idea where I was. There were pink posters on the wall above my head. My ringtone played on and I felt movement beside me. I looked around and saw two blonde heads snuggled up either side of me. I also noticed I was at least naked to the waist.

  Lord, what did I get myself into?

  “Austin, pick up the damn phone,” one of the girls muttered as she rolled over.

  I extricated myself as best I could and found my jeans on the floor. I pulled my phone out of the pocket and found Jax calling. I groaned again and answered.

  “What?” I barked as I pulled my pants on.

  I heard a chuckle on the other end of the line. “Well, I see you didn’t die at least. Where the hell did you get to?”

  I looked around but nothing seemed familiar, especially to my half-asleep, hungover brain. “I have no idea. Let me get dressed and I’ll head back.”

  “How many in the bed this time?” he laughed.

  “You’re not as funny as you think you are, brother,” I said, looking around for my t-shirt or shirt.

  “How many?” he insisted.

  I sighed, knowing he wouldn’t let up. “Two.”

  “Damn, boy! You sure know how to score!” Jax laughed and I winced at the volume.

  “And, how did your night go?”

  “Very well thank you. I walked Anne and Lily back to their room shortly after you left.” He sounded very smug.

  “Lily was still there when I left?” I paused as I pulled my button up shirt on.

  “I don’t know what it is to you, but yes.”

  “Did she see me leave with…” I looked at the bed, but still couldn’t tell who they were.

  “I still don’t know what it is to you, but yes.”

  “Do you know who I-”

  “Didn’t see their faces.”

  I groaned.

  “Austin, get out if you won’t be quiet,” one of the girls mumbled, throwing a pillow at me.

  I found my t-shirt, tucked it into my back pocket, pulled on my shoes and walked out of the room.

  “Where are you now?” I asked into the phone.

  “I was going to get some breakfast. Any idea where you are yet?”

  I looked around and saw Lily coming out of a room a few doors down. I stifled yet another groan. “I suspect I’m in Longbourn.”

  “What the hell are you doing there?”

  “Don’t ask me, I was smashed off my face apparently,” I snapped.

  “You don’t need to tell me.” He laughed. “Listen, I’ll be there in a bit. I was going to swing by and see if Anne wanted to come to breakfast.”

  I saw Anne come out of the room behind Lily. “I think she’ll meet you there, mate.”

  “Why do you say that?”

  “They’ve just left their room.”

  “Shit, can you ask her? Bring her to the dining room?”

  “Do I have to?”

  “I’ll love you forever.”

  I smiled. “You’re supposed to do that already.”

  “Yeah, well, I would, but you can be such an insufferable prig.”

  I laughed, which caused Lily and Anne to turn around. I didn’t miss the raised eyebrow and smirk from Lily
.

  “Look, man, I’ll ask, all right. I’ll meet you at the dining hall soon.”

  “You are my favourite brother.”

  “I am your only brother.” I smiled as hung up.

  Lily and Anne were heading my way, which I assumed meant the dining hall was that way. I tried to smile, but the smirk on Lily’s face was distracting and annoying.

  “Anne. Lily.” I bowed my head.

  Lily looked me up and down very pointedly.

  Chapter Five: Lily

  I tried my best to hide my smile, but I failed epically. “Austin.”

  To be honest, my amusement at his obvious predicament was the only thing keeping my mind off the amazing body he’d left on show. His dishevelled hair and unfocussed eyes gave him a very sexy look. Combine that with the jeans sitting low on his waist and his blue shirt open over a very naked chest… Well, I was very tempted to swoon.

  He must have spent a lot of time in the gym or something, because the guy was a fantastic specimen of humanity. I could almost put aside my dislike of him and imagine the wicked things he could do with that body.

  I laughed at the thought; he’d obviously been doing very wicked things the night before.

  “Something funny?” he asked me.

  I bit my lip to stop another laugh. “Only that I would have thought your pride would have made a morning after walk of shame an impossibility.”

  I knew I shouldn’t have said it as soon as it was out of my mouth. I saw his jaw clench and he took a deep breath as though he was wishing for patience. I thought he was going to say something scathing in return. In fact, I would have welcomed it. But, he just pulled his eyes to Anne.

  “Jax wanted me to ask you if you’d like to meet him for breakfast? I was just on my way there now,” he said.

  “Half naked?” I laughed before I could stop myself.

  Anne gave me an amused look and a small shake of the head. Austin sighed and proceeded to pull his shirt off. Soon he was standing in front of us in half his naked glory and I felt the need to scoop my jaw up off the floor.