Pride and Prejudice Chapter 11 *NEW!!!!!!!*

Oct 19, 2007 19:30

Chapter 11

Disclaimer: I DO NOT IN ANY WAY SHAPE OR FORM own Johnson ‘N’ Johnson or have ANY affiliations with it… you’ll understand why soon :)

“I had a really nice time tonight Matt…” Jane said as they stood in front of her flat.

“Me too.” Matt said smiling at her. He leaned in and gave her a soft sweet kiss before winking one more time at her, then walking away into the cold city.

Jane sighed before walking up the stairs to reach her flat’s door, her mind thinking about the date they’d just had.

Matt had been the perfect gentleman- being a business man who worked for a grand corporation, he had taken her out the most expensive and exclusive restaurant in London. He had attempted to enquire about her work and Jane tried to explain that she didn’t want to- alas it didn’t work. When she told him who she was he wore a surprised expression on his face- but was not impressed. Instead Matt simply shrugged it off.

Jane didn’t know how she felt about that, but she didn’t think too long about it. Matt liked to talk a lot which worked out well for Jane who wasn’t much for saying words rather than writing them.

Matt had asked her if she’d wanna go out with him again, able to find no excuse of why not to Jane agreed. Sighing as she looked for the right key to open her door to her newly bought flat, she pondered as to whether she made the right decision or not…

“How does a month sound Nessa?” Johnny asked Vanessa as they walked out of the coffee shop heading back towards his flat.

“Sounds good. And we tell them we broke it off between us right before Jim and I had relations- I don’t want them printing I cheated on you.” Vanessa said rubbing her hand over the small bump growing in her belly.

“No problem Van, we’ll set them straight.” He sighed.

“Are you going to be ok Johnny?”

They walked into the apartment complex as Johnny smiled at her.

“I’m always ok, I just wanna enjoy us being ‘together’ for the next month- maybe find some peace in my life before the chaos of the press comes. Don‘t feel bad for me though, you have a good guy with you and a baby on the way- you deserve happiness.”

Johnny took her hand and gave it a squeeze as they reached his door.

“Why won’t you open!” A woman next to them shouted, Johnny and Vanessa looked at her. She was Johnny’s new next door neighbor who obviously hadn’t done much in her life alone. Her long brown hair was covering her whole face as she madly shook the knob to her door.

She shook the key in the lock and began to kick the door, absolutely frustrated that the knob wasn’t turning. Finally the door nearly flew open surprising the woman nearly making her fall.

“are you ok there?” Johnny asked, he and Vanessa stood hand in hand staring at this woman who obviously seemed more wired than a normal human being.

Finally she moved her long straight hair out of her face turning to them, “I’ll be fi-.”

Jane stopped mid-word along with her breath as her eyes caught sight of someone she had regretted letting go everyday for the past 10 years.

“Johnny?” She said in a voice so soft it was barely audible. He looked not too much different from what she remembered him.

When Johnny had stayed with the Austen’s for the summer 10 years ago, his hair had been short and spiked and his face clean shaven. Now, his hair was down to his jaw and a goatee grew on his face, his skin was even darker than she remembered- and Jane could’ve sworn his eyes had never been that deep of a shade of brown.

“Jane…” he said her name like a breath of fresh air. Johnny could tell immediately that Jane had most definitely grown up a lot. She wasn’t the girl she once was. Her hair was a lot longer, and she seemed more pale than what he remembered. But never the less, she was breathtaking.

“Aren’t you going to introduce me?” Vanessa asked, breaking Johnny and Jane from their trance.

Jane noticed them holding hands, and worst of all she noticed the bump that was this short, petite, blond Frenchwoman’s belly. ‘Johnny’s baby’ Jane thought, a million emotions rushing to her all at once.

“Uh… yeah. Vanessa this is Jane Austen- and old friend of mine. Jane, this is Vanessa my…”

“Girlfriend.” Vanessa finished for him, assuming the role they had both agreed on. “are you really Jane Austen? As in the writer?” She asked with wide eyes.

Jane laughed uncomfortably. “Guilty.”

“OH MY GOD!” Bellowed Vanessa, Johnny had never heard her so excited about something. He didn’t even know Vanessa read Jane’s work. “I love your stories!! Especially ‘Pride and prejudice’- it’s my favorite of all time!”

“thank you, thank you very much.” jane said softly, never had she felt so uncomfortable in her life, and she could tell by looking at Johnny who had his head down that he felt the same way.

“Please, I insist that we all go out to dinner tomorrow night. Me, Johnny, you- and a boyfriend if you have one-”

“Husband, Nessa.” Johnny cut her off.

“no!” Jane said loudly, Johnny raised his eyebrows at her.

“I’ve never been married.”

Johnny’s face relaxed comfortably, it felt as though a ten year guilt had been lifted from his shoulders.

“But I’ll happily invite my boyfriend Matt.” Jane added, ‘look at him he has a girlfriend and a soon to be family- we’re just friends… remember, just friends…’ she kept thinking to herself.

“that would be wonderful! Why don’t all four of us meet back here tomorrow?” Not waiting for an answer Vanessa continued to give Johnny a light kiss on the lips. “I’ll see you both tomorrow.”

Jane watched with wide eyes as the beautiful woman walked away happily. Johnny kept his eyes focused on the wall across from him. He knew at one point he should’ve probably told Vanessa about Jane- so that way she wouldn’t have assumed the role of girlfriend in front of her. But after hearing about this Matt guy, Johnny was happy that he hadn’t told her.

“So…” Jane began.

“so… do you want to come in for a drink?”

“I’d like that.”

“Nine year hiatus huh?” Johnny commented as they sat at opposite ends of his couch drinking their wine.

“Well, more like a 9 year writers block- but don’t tell anybody.” Jane and Johnny laughed, amazed at how long it had actually been since they last saw each other.

“Umm… I never got to thank you. I know it was you who had the real story printed 10 years ago- you pretty much saved my sanity, likeability and career. I’ve never had the chance to thank you for that.” Johnny said sincerely, staring deeply into her eyes.

“Oh, don’t worry about it Johnny. I mean it’s the least I could do- especially after you got me a publisher..”

An uncomfortable silence filled the room as they sipped on their wine. Finally Jane was unable to take it- she had to mention the one topic they were both avoiding.

“Good for you Johnny.” She said, Johnny looked at her confused.

“For what?”

“For getting what you wanted. You’re gunna be a papa soon- it’s what you’ve always wanted. Good for you J, I’m really happy that your dream’s going to come true.” Jane said meaning every word of it.

Johnny sighed as guilt filled him, he had to tell her.

“Jane I-”

“Don’t Johnny, let’s not talk about this anymore. Vanessa’s sweet and adorable, let’s leave it at that k?”

“Uhm… I really have to tell you-”

“Johnny, no. change the subject.” She pleaded. Johnny knew that there was no getting around her on this subject for now- it seemed that she hadn’t lost her stubbornness… just as she found he hadn’t lost his curiosity.

“So, who’s this Matt guy? Dated him long?”

Jane raised her eyebrows in surprise at his blunt question.

“No, not exactly. We just had our first date, you caught me right after it. …it was a very lovely evening.”

‘see…’ Jane thought to herself. ‘look at us we’re having a normal conversation about other people, everything’s going juuust fine- I hope.’

“I’m sure. So what does Matt do?”

“He’s works for a large corporation- a family business, ’Johnson’.” Jane said proudly, Johnny looked at her ridiculously.

“Johnson? As in Johnson ‘n’ Johnson- the pharmaceutical empire?”

“Yep.”

“Wooow…” Johnny sighed chuckling slightly before finishing off his glass. “Boy your family must really love him.”

“he’s a nice guy too ya know, kind and generous.” Jane snapped putting her glass down on the table.

“well he just sounds perfect doesn’t he? I’m sure he takes you will buy you a diamond ring as big as a baby’s fist just for you- and I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to breed with such fine blood-”

“You have no right to talk to me like that!” Jane shouted standing up, Johnny following suit.

“Hey hun- you’re the one who thinks he’s SUCH a great guy! Well, I feel so privileged to meet such royalty tomorrow night, it‘s not everyday one gets to meet a man who inherited money because of lotion! - tell me do I bow when I meet him?!”

“I can’t believe I thought we could be friends! You’re just as much of a jerk from the moment I met you!” Jane shouted.

“Friends Jane! Friends?! You forget darling- that’s not how the story ends!”

At this Johnny held up his right hand, her white gold ring still placed on his ring finger.

“It wasn’t real Johnny.” Jane said, defeated. Johnny was going to have a family, she had to do the right thing. “It was a foolish promise and I knew it from the moment you left. I only needed an ending to my story- and that just happened to be the best one.”

Her words stabbed Johnny, he couldn’t help but wince. Soon enough he found his strength in his words come back to him as he looked at her right hand.

“Then why do you still have my ring on after all these years?” He asked softly.

Jane clenched her fists, she hated how hard he was making this. Slowly she walked up to him, her stone-cold look never faltering as she looked him straight in the face.

“Now you listen Depp. Tomorrow night should be enjoyable- I need you to promise that you won’t taunt me or Matt-”

“absolutely not. I hope your boy toy has thick skin. And I hope you do too.” Johnny said bitterly looking straight at her.

“You won’t break me, there’s nothing to break. Just friends is what we are. No more. I‘m with Matt, you have Vanessa- and that‘s the way it is.”

Not letting Johnny say another word Jane opened his front door before turning once more to him.

“See you tomorrow- friend.”

She shut the door behind her leaving Johnny alone in a heap of his own emotions. He knew Jane was trying to keep them as just friends for the sake of his “family”, but what angered him is that she was refusing to listen to him about it.

First thing he knew he had to do was get Matt out of the picture-that would be the easy part. From there he knew his work would be cut out for him in getting Jane out of the ‘friend-zone’- even after he would tell her about Vanessa.

Letting each other go had been their biggest regrets. And even after all these years, he still wanted her more than anything in the world, and he was willing to work and do anything to make it that way.

After all these years Johnny still loved her. Now the question was if she still loved him.

COMMENTS WOULD BE AMAZING!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Once I get comments I'll post the next chapter of 'Love and Lust 2' !!!!
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