Fall For You [The Jane Austen Academy Series #1]

by Cecelia Gray

  “Ellie and I do this every year,” Lizzie called down. “It’s tradition. You’re almost here.”

  Ellie and Lizzie smiled as Anne and Emma grumbled beneath them, slowly making their way up.

  Finally Anne reached the topmost branch. Lizzie gave her a helping hand as she shimmied to sit. Anne in turn helped Emma until the four of them were side by side on the heavy bough, their legs dangling twenty feet up.

  “This is crazy,” Emma said. “And I’m sure these silk jammy bottoms are ruined.”

  “We’re not done,” Ellie said.

  “Please don’t say this is where we jump,” Anne said.

  Lizzie and Ellie shared a secret smile. Lizzie would have thought she’d be jealous to share their first-day ritual with Anne, whom she’d always thought of as her nemesis, and Emma, whom she had always dismissed as an East Coast snob. But somehow, the ritual felt even better because they were all here together.

  Ellie and Lizzie held hands. Lizzie grabbed Anne’s hand and Anne followed suit, taking Emma’s hand.

  Then they held their fists up to the sky—and Lizzie and Ellie screamed at the top of their lungs.

  “We will be heard!” Lizzie shouted.

  Anne and Emma hesitated only a moment before joining in. “We will be heard!” Their voices lifted up to the sky, carrying up and over the grounds of the Jane Austen Academy and even echoing through the hills around Merrywood.

  Their screams slowly died down to giggles and laughter.

  A small crowd had gathered at the base of the tree, and a few classmates glanced up from the hill. They had plenty of time to climb down before a teacher, who wouldn’t likely be this far out this late after classes, discovered them.

  That’s when Lizzie noticed Dante standing a few feet away, looking up at her with such intensity that Lizzie almost looked away.

  But she didn’t.

  “We will be heard,” Lizzie said, more softly this time.

  Chapter Fourteen

  The next afternoon, Lizzie’s hands trembled as she assembled the list of signatures protesting the name change. Only 34 percent of the student body—almost all women—had turned in petitions. Not a single boy except for Edward and Josh Wickham had turned in signatures, and in the case of the latter, he’d made the offhand remark that his agent thought it would be good press.

  Still—34 percent was nothing to turn her nose up at. It wasn’t as if the other 66 percent had organized a counter-protest.

  “Do you want me to stay up with you?” Anne asked.

  “No,” Lizzie said. “I’ll close up when I’m done. Do you mind just shutting off the other computers?”

  “Not at all.”

  Anne walked around the Journalism room shutting off monitors while Lizzie scanned the signatures into the computer for inclusion in a special edition of the Gazette that she intended to forward to Dante’s parents…in secret.

  She’d decided not to publicize their names until she gave them an opportunity to come forward or comment.

  She debated leaving Georgiana’s signature off the petition. Georgiana didn’t know the petition was going to her parents, and Lizzie didn’t want to cause any animosity between them.

  “See you tonight. Are you sure you don’t want me to go with you?” Anne asked.

  Lizzie nodded. “It’s my responsibility.” After Anne left, she made quick work of compiling the final draft. She was more nervous about this edition than any other she had ever released. What if this was the last time she’d release the Jane Austen Academy Gazette?

  What if Dante’s parents freaked out and changed the name tomorrow? What if Dante told them how much he hated the girl behind the movement?

  Did Dante hate her? After all those things she’d said to him—some deserved, but some not.

  Part of her felt like he did—which shouldn’t have bothered her. She shouldn’t care what Dante thought, but she kept reliving details in her mind.

  Like the fact that he’d stood up for his sister’s honor—even if he’d done it in a stupid, violent way that had only got him suspended. Like the fact that he’d come across the country to be with her. She even remembered how protective he’d been when Josh Wickham had been overly touchy with Georgiana during their interview. How he’d been wary of her because he was worried she’d uncover and report Georgiana’s story. How much fun they’d had at Rick’s house.

  Yes, he was stubborn and proud, but then, so was she.

  Maybe everything that bothered her about Dante was what she knew to be true about herself, too.

  When she had the final copy, she printed it out, tucked it under her arm, took a steady breath, and began the walk to Bergie’s cottage.

  * * *

  “To what do I owe this pleasure?” Bergie asked as she studied Lizzie from behind her desk.

  No, not her desk, Lizzie thought. Anne’s desk, really. The fact that Bergie could sit behind it in what passed for a lime-green spacesuit in a science fiction film further proved to Lizzie that this woman had no business running her beloved school.

  “I wanted to give you a courtesy copy,” Lizzie said, tossing the draft of tomorrow’s Gazette onto the desk.

  Bergie glanced down. She reached out one slim arm to slide the paper toward herself. “A list of names?” Bergie steepled her fingers and leaned forward in her chair. “What do you think you’re doing, Elizabeth?”

  Lizzie flinched at the sound of her full name. “I’m reporting the news.”

  “Organizing a protest isn’t reporting the news.”

  Lizzie stood mute, because Bergie had her there. She’d tried as hard as she could to stay unbiased, to stay focused. She’d reassigned features to other writers not just because she wanted her team to get the experience they deserved from Journalism, but also because she was seen as an open opponent to the new administration. Organizing the petition definitely fell outside her duties as managing editor.

  “This isn’t even half the student body—barely a third,” Bergie said dismissively as she studied the Gazette.

  “A third of over 500 students is over half the original enrollment,” Lizzie said. “That’s a lot of original families who are involved.”

  “Lizzie, Lizzie. We all know math isn’t your best subject. Probably not a good idea for someone whose heart is set on Georgetown.”

  Lizzie felt her entire body tighten, felt her heart sliding its way down to her toes.

  “See,” Bergie tapped the side of her head. “I do remember conversations from my tenure as a guidance counselor. Georgetown is competitive. I’m sure you know the historical numbers—they’ve never offered more than one annual admission to this Academy. Well, except for the triplets.”

  “So?” Lizzie forced herself to say.

  “I think we both know Dante is a given for admission. He has the grades and, unfortunately for you, he has the legacy. His father went to Georgetown.”

  “I repeat…so?” Lizzie said as tears sprang into the corners of her eyes. She would not give Bergie the satisfaction of unsettling her.

  “If there were ever a time when Georgetown were to offer two admissions, wouldn’t it be the year when the headmistress and the members of the Academy’s new trust wrote a personal note of recommendation? Which we’d be more than happy to do for a promising student, the kind who showed team spirit.”

  Lizzie’s throat went dry. Was Bergie saying what she thought she was saying?

  Bergie was offering Lizzie a bribe. Just like she had that first day of school. If Lizzie rescinded her petition, if she abandoned the effort to keep the school’s name, if she went away meekly, then they would give her Georgetown.

  Georgetown.

  Her dream. Her future.

  “What do you say, Lizzie?” Bergie asked.

  Lizzie looked into Bergie’s face, noting for the first time to fine lines etched into the corners of her eyes, her tightly creased forehead. Her thinly stretched lips constantly pursed in disapproval. The face of compromise. The fac
e of selling out.

  She didn’t want to have the same face.

  “I officially resign as managing editor.” Lizzie snatched up the paper and stuck it under her arm. “When Georgetown offers me a spot,” she said, “I’ll have earned it. On my own.”

  She turned to leave, her heart pounding. But even as she felt the fear of what she’d done, it was eclipsed by the joy of being back on her own two feet, on her own terms again.

  * * *

  Lizzie crossed the courtyard, breathing in a large gulp of air to settle her nerves. It was empty, which wasn’t surprising, as dusk was settling.

  But ahead in the darkness, she saw a figure walking toward her.

  Tall, striding, sure. Dante.

  She felt her pulse ratchet up.

  He hesitated a moment, then continued to walk toward her until they were barely a foot apart. He had a messenger bag over his shoulder and began to tap his hand against the bag, as though he might be nervous.

  She’d been lying to herself when she’d thought of his eyes as icy-cold blue. They were beautiful and warm.

  “I brought these,” he said, reaching into the bag to hand her a stack of papers.

  She took them from him, shivering when their fingers brushed.

  “What are they?” she asked. She began flipping through. Signatures. Lots of signatures. From boys, protesting the name change. “How did you get these?”

  “I asked,” he said. “And I signed one, too.”

  She could hardly believe it. So many names—they definitely had over half the student body now. Names of boys who hadn’t cared until they’d had a leader of their own.

  Why had Dante done this?

  “I can’t guarantee my parents will care,” he said. “They kind of let Headmistress Berg do her own thing.”

  “It doesn’t matter,” Lizzie said, smiling up at him. “It’s just that you tried. You tried.”

  “I talked to Rick, too,” he said. “About Anne. But…he’s still kind of sore over the breakup so I couldn’t do anything about that.”

  Lizzie nodded—she could hardly believe what she was hearing.

  “And I’ve been thinking, if you need to break the story about who the new owners are…Georgiana’s a big girl. Even over the past couple of weeks I’ve noticed how much more confident and secure she is, and I think that’s because of you. So if even if it means people find out….”

  “You did all this,” Lizzie said. Her heart was daring to hope she knew why, but part of her was still wary. “The petitions. Talking to Rick. Why would you do that?”

  “For you,” Dante said. “You know that, right?”

  “For me? But why?”

  Dante gave a half-smile. “You’re a problem, you know that, right? You…my parents…when it all goes public. Falling for you is going to mean drama.”

  “And?” Lizzie asked breathlessly.

  He leaned closer, eyes twinkling. “I like drama.”

  Dante’s warm lips touched hers, and Lizzie couldn’t stop herself from smiling beneath his kiss as he wrapped his arms around her.

  Epilogue

  “Well, well, look at this,” Emma said.

  Ellie glanced up from her bed. Emma was on her tiptoes in her ankle-wrap stilettos, her nose pressed up against the window overlooking the courtyard. “What is it?”

  “Oh, this you want to see with your own eyes.”

  Ellie jumped to her feet and walked over to the window. Dante and Lizzie were wrapped up in a kiss in the courtyard. Lizzie and Dante!

  She was happy for Lizzie—she was, but still, in a year that was supposed to see them growing closer together, there seemed to be more than ever keeping them apart. She shouldn’t be upset. She could hear her mother’s voice in her head: Strive to be what you are. One of her many pre–yoga class mantras that basically amounted to: Don’t force anything. So she couldn’t force Lizzie to be closer to her.

  “I thought Lizzie and Dante hated each other.”

  “Told you they liked each other,” Emma sang. “I’m always right about these things.”

  “Oh yeah?” Ellie crossed her arms. “Then predict something else that will happen.”

  “Hmmmm.” Emma walked back to her bed and crossed her legs as much as her tight red leather skirt would allow. “Let’s see…we have the Parents Welcome Weekend coming up just before Halloween. There should be lots of opportunity for drama.”

  “No, something specific,” Ellie pressed. “Something about me.”

  Emma leaned back on her arms with a sigh. “I know this much—if you’re fishing for what I think about you and Edward, don’t bother. I have a feeling about him, Ellie. He’s heartbreak. All the way.”

  Ellie snorted dismissively. Edward? Sweet, nice, likeable Edward?

  There was no way.

  But as she lay back on her bed, Emma’s words kept ringing in her ears.

  Heartbreak. All the way.

  THE END…for now

  * * *

  WIN A BRAND NEW KINDLE FIRE!

  I’m so excited about the success of my Gentlemen Next Door series and the launch of my new young-adult Jane Austen Academy series! As a thank you to my fans, I’m giving away e-readers to one lucky, random reviewer.

  Here’s how you enter:

  (1) Read one of my books (or two…or three…) – no purchase necessary – feel free to borrow it, steal it, or read the book over someone’s shoulder

  (2) Write an honest review for the book (or two…or three…) at any retail or review site or book blog

  (3) Email me at kindle@ceciliagray.com between now and June 15th, 2012 at midnight PST to let me know your reviewer name (sorry – “anonymous” doesn’t count as a name…) and the review site(s).

  Every review counts as an entry – including those at all retailers sites, social reading sites and blogs.

  Details here.

  * * *

  Cecilia's Booklist

  The Jane Austen Academy Series

  Young-Adult Novels

  Fall For You: A Modern Retelling of Pride & Prejudice

  A Modern Retelling of Sense & Sensibility coming Summer 2012

  The Gentlemen Next Door Series

  Historical Regency Romance Novellas

  A Delightful Arrangement

  An Illicit Engagement

  A Dangerous Expectation coming March 2012

  Fallen Idols Series

  Paranormal Chick-Lit Romance Novellas

  Falling

  Fading

  Fleeting coming Summer 2012

  About Cecilia

  Cecilia Gray lives in Oakland where she reads, writes and breaks for food. She also pens her biographies in the third person. Like this. As if to trick you into thinking someone else wrote it because she is important. Alas, this is not the case.

  Cecilia has been praised for “instilling a warmth and weight into her characters” (Romancing The Book Reviews) and her books have been praised for being “well-written, original, realistic and witty” (Quills & Zebras Reviews).

  Several of her titles - including A Delightful Arrangement (The Gentlemen Next Door #1) and An Illicit Engagement (The Gentlemen Next Door #2) - have spent, in her view, a shocking amount of time on bestseller lists for romance, historical romance and regency romance in the US, UK, Italy and Spain.

  She’s rather enamored of being contacted by readers and hopes you’ll oblige.

  * * *

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