One Word From You: A Pride and Prejudice Adaptation by Natalie Penna

student teachers.”
     
    “ Charmed,” Gideon greeted, and shook her hand politely.
     
    “ A pleasure to meet you. And this is...?”
     
    “ Wyatt, Ma'am. Wyatt Collins,” he introduced himself, and bowed his head to her like he was in the presence of royalty. Ms. Ayers struggled to contain a smirk at the display, while I resisted the urge to slap my hand to my forehead.
     
    “ Nice to meet you, Wyatt. Please, don't call me Ma'am. Girls, feel free to help yourselves to the buffet. But steer clear of the alcohol. The catering staff have been warned that you're not to have a drop.”
     
    “ So unfair,” Lisa complained.
     
    Chrissy pleaded, “Can't we have just one glass of wine?”
     
    “ No, but there's an endless supply of lemonade.”
     
    “ Very sensible, too. You know, I didn't have a drop until I was twenty-one. It's all nonsense this letting children drink at eighteen,” Wyatt said in a pompous voice, “Furthermore -”
     
    And he was off.
     
    I didn't think it mattered to him that no one was really listening. Once he got started on a subject, there was no stopping him. I inched away slowly, until I was at a safe enough distance that I could slip into the crowd unnoticed. I took Jenny with me, but the others were too far away to rescue. I trusted Gideon to look after them for the time being. But poor Ms. Ayers was stuck with Wyatt. At least until someone managed to distract him.
     
    Or knock him unconscious.
     
    Either would be good.
     
    “ I'll apologise to your Mum later,” I vowed to Jenny.
     
    She giggled, “It's fine. She's better at dealing with people like him. Oh, I meant to ask. Do you want to stay over tonight? Mum said it was okay, and she'll take us out into the city tomorrow.”
     
    “ I didn't bring anything with me.”
     
    “ You can borrow things. It's fine! And she wants to treat you, because you visited me so much. She likes spoiling us, you know that.”
     
    “ Yeah, but I don't like taking her money. It's as if I'm using you.”
     
    Jenny pouted, “Are you really going to make me go shopping on my own? I need you to share the pain.”
     
    That was one thing we had in common.
     
    The idea of trawling around bustling stores, with no set idea of what we were doing there, was one neither of us could bear. We liked to go out with a purpose, and get it over with quickly. Lisa and Chrissy were both more inclined to waste hours browsing things they had no intention of buying. I hadn't ever seen the appeal. I preferred to have a few beloved outfits that I wore until they weren't fit to be seen in.
     
    And even then I still wouldn't throw them away.
     
    I held Jenny's hands in mine, “All right, I'll do it. But only for your sake. It's nothing to do with the fact I am in desperate need of new socks.”
     
    “ New socks are always a necessity,” Gideon said from behind me.
     
    I jumped, and span so sharply on my heel that he had to grip my shoulders to stop me from falling. I hadn't seen him come after us, and was surprised that he'd shaken off Lisa. She must have found someone more appealing to trail after. I didn't think there was anyone at the party more attractive than Gideon, but that was down to personal taste.
     
    “ You know,” Jenny said, with a tone as mischievous as the one I'd used when I pushed her into Charlie, “I need to go and greet people. Mr. Wilson, would you escort Beth? If she's not supervised, she'll go into hiding.”
     
    It was funny how she was totally okay with talking to men she perceived to be teachers, but couldn't form a sentence properly in front of boys our own age. She'd been raised in the sort of environment that demanded social gatherings on a regular basis. So she probably associated older men with the kinds of people who were friends with her mother. I didn't think I could do that with Gideon, and proved as much when she hurried away. I blushed hotly, and suddenly felt exceptionally naked in my dress.
     
    I started to