You Belong With Me

You know on TV shows, books, and movies when there's these two people who are like, obviously going to end up together but they insist on making it incredibly difficult for each other? Well for me, that's the real life story of two of my very best friends that I've known forever. For anonymity's sake let's call them...Elizabeth and Mr.Darcy.

Now, Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy's tale is epic. They've known each other since before preschool, they're families have known each other forever, and they're all around just meant to be. So, once upon a time, Mr. Darcy professes his love for Elizabeth but of course Elizabeth doesn't take him seriously. For whatever reason (pride, fear, stupidity?) Elizabeth turns him down. Now, Mr. Darcy picks up his pride and the pieces of his poor little heart and tries to move on. Elizabeth even suggests the village...escort to bring him out of his slump, after all they've always been best friends. Meanwhile, Elizabeth tries dating Mr. Wickham who is, in fact, a good-for-nothing son-of-a-bitch. Elizabeth doesn't find this out until later of course. After the dust settles and Mr. Wickham is long gone, Elizabeth realizes her true and devoted love for her best friend, Mr. Darcy. However, Mr. Darcy is now dating Elizabeth friend...Charlotte. Elizabeth resists telling Mr. Darcy her true feelings out of respect for Charlotte. However, Charlotte and Mr. Darcy don't last long because those kinds of relationships never do, obviously. Plus, it just so happens that Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy will be travelling out of the country together.

Now, at this tropical rendezvous Elizabeth and Mr. Darcy act on their (obviously mutual) feelings whilst slightly inebriated. Instead of talking about it afterwards or even, I don't know, actually saying HOW THEY FEEL, they merely ignore it and continue about their lives. I am proud that they made at least a definite step forward. Because, to any sane person (outside the situation, of course) it's obvious that they love each other and will eventually get married. It's only a matter of time. Anyone who's read Pride and Prejudice knows that Elizabeth eventually admits her feelings to Mr. Darcy's bitchy aunt and whenever he finds out he rushes to her and says:

“You are too generous to trifle with me. If your feelings are still what they were last April, tell me so at once. My affections and wishes are unchanged, but one word from you will silence me on this subject forever.”

To which readers are given Elizabeth's internal struggle: "Elizabeth feeling all the more than common awkwardness and anxiety of his situation, now forced herself to speak; and immediately, though not very fluently, gave him to understand, that her sentiments had undergone so material a change, since the period to which he alluded, as to make her receive with gratitude and pleasure, his present assurances."

Which all basically means they finally, finally, finally, told the effing truth. I mean seriously, Elizabeth just swallow that pride and give him the old one-two. Tell him like it is. Men can't do anything for themselves they need a little prodding. Especially this particular Mr. Darcy. You're gonna have to get right up in his face and say:

"Okay, here it is, your choice... it's simple, her or me, and I'm sure she is really great. But (insert name here), I love you, in a really, really big pretend to like your taste in music, let you eat the last piece of cheesecake, hold a radio over my head outside your window, unfortunate way that makes me hate you, love you. So pick me, choose me, love me."

Elizabeth's everywhere eventually have to say it. We all eventually have to give up that power, that pride and put it all out there in the open. It's scary and it can hurt like hell, but in the end saying it beats the hell out of never trying.

(Note: I'd like to dedicate this blog to "Elizabeth" I love you and I'm proud of you. Title comes from "You Belong With Me" by Taylor Swift)