Prologue

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Disclaimer: This is the only disclaimer I will ever write, and you can’t say I never told you so. I DO NOT OWN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE OR ANYTHING ASSOCIATED WITH IT. The novel is solely Jane Austen’s and I bow down to her for her genius. I’m just a girl who wanted to write my own version of it.

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It is a truth universally acknowledged that a single guy who is rich, hot, and popular must want an equally rich, hot, and popular girlfriend.

Or at least a girlfriend.

It may not be obvious when he first moves into your neighborhood-and across the street to boot!-but you know all the other girls your age know this truth, and they’ll move in for the kill as soon as they can.

Of course, when you’re one of many girls your age, it’s hard to stand out. But then again, being a Moore does set you apart from everyone else.

My family is what people would call ‘different.’ My dad married my mom for her looks and supposedly because he loved her, but I figure it was mostly for looks. Nowadays he barely tolerates her incessant chatter.

There’s my older sister, Brianna, who is 19. She’s the one I’m closest to. I think she’s the prettiest and nicest of all five of us girls. Yes, people, I have four sisters.

I, Brigette Moore, am next in the family hierarchy. I tend to think I’m the most down to earth one, but everyone else calls me my father’s favorite. But hey, it’s not my fault I’m the only reasonable one with my feet planted firmly on the ground.

Then there’s Brooke, who is more of a nerd than anything else. She’s so obliviously in her own world that people can make fun of her to her face and she won’t say a word. She knows she’s an outcast, and to be honest, I don’t think she minds.

Brayden has got to be the most immature person I know, even if she is my sister. She’s at that age where boys are the only thing on her mind and all she talks about during dinner is how much she wants a boyfriend. I’ve told her time and time again that being desperate is not the way to get a guy, but apparently my opinion doesn’t matter because I’ve “never had serious relationship.”

Brylee, or Bry, as she is fondly called, is a miniature Brayden, which spells out h-e-l-l for the rest of us. If I thought one Brayden was bad, two of her is even worse. Pretty much Brylee tags along with Brayden, who seems to like having a little protégé.

And apparently, my parents are fond of names that start with B-R. I told you we were weird.

“Girls, look! The new neighbors are moving in!” cried my mother as she peered quite noticeably out the window.

Great, mother. Why don’t you just jump up and down waving your arms like a lunatic? I’m sure they won’t see you.

But my sisters and I, being the infamous Moores that we were, all scurried to take a look at the new neighbors. The Madisons, who lived across the street from us, were vacationing in Europe for the summer and had decided to take advantage of their absence in order to make some extra money. So they decided to rent the house out, and obviously these new guys had made the best offer. But why anyone would want to spend an entire summer in Santa Monica is beyond me.

“I see a boy!” squealed Brayden in delight.

“No shit, Bray. I almost thought he was an alien from another planet,” I said dryly.

Brayden threw me a dirty look just as Brooke said in her I’m-so-smart voice, “I don’t believe in aliens from another planet. And besides, why would they decide to settle across the street in the Madison’s house?”

“Oh do us all a favor and shut up, will ya Brooke? No one cares about your stinkin’ opinion!” said Brayden, rolling her eyes.

I had to hand it to Brayden, though. As mean and annoying as she was, sometimes her self-absorption came in handy, especially when it came to Brooke.

Poor Brooke. She’s had to handle all that crap from her younger sister for years. But I don’t pity her enough to come to her defense.

Sweet, caring, kind Brianna pities her enough. “Brayden, don’t talk to Brooke like that!” she scolded.

But Brayden knew Brianna wouldn’t push the matter further, so she didn’t say anything.

“There are two boys! Look, Bray, look!” cried Brylee.

“Don’t you think I see them?” said Brayden. “I’m looking out the same window you are, stupid.”

“The one on the left,” said Brianna so softly that only I heard her, “He’s kind of cute.”

“La la la la la, do I smell a crush?” I sang, smiling at her.

She blushed. “No, of course not.”

Brianna was always such a bad liar. She could hide her feelings well, but she could never lie about things like these. But I approved of the guy she was talking about. He was tall, with light brown hair and seemed to always have a smile on his face.

The other boy, his friend, I assume, since they look nothing alike, is taller with even darker hair. But unlike his happy-go-lucky friend, this one is scrutinizing his surroundings. He has this ‘I’m-too-good-for-anything’ atmosphere around him that even I can feel from all the way across the street.

So that was how our summer began.

And if you’re dying to know what happens next…well, you’ll find out soon enough.