Happy 250th Birthday, Jane Austen…Kayleigh’s Knight Prologue

Today we celebrate Jane Austen's 250th birthday. There is no other author that had a greater influence on my love for literature or writing than Jane Austen. Her words are a treasure that has lasted hundreds of years and will continue to touch many hearts through the generations to come.

To celebrate Jane Austen's birthday, I am sharing the prologue to Kayleigh's Knight. It was inspired by the birth of my love for Jane Austen’s novels and British literature in high school. I will be forever grateful that have experienced her stories at a time that I needed them the most.

Cheers to you, Jane Austen!

Prologue

“We need more emotion. These are lines of love, so speak from the heart! Okay, please have a seat.” Mrs. Bello waved her hand dismissively, and Ellie and Travis hurried to their seats. I looked back to the Foundations of British Literature script on my desk.

“We need two more people,” Mrs. Bello murmured. She adjusted her red-framed glasses and glanced around the small classroom, pausing momentarily on a portrait of Jane Austen hanging on the wall.

She let out an audible sigh before catching my eye. “Oh, that will work nicely indeed!” After a moment of consideration her thin lips pulled into a grin. “Kayleigh, you will be Marianne.”

Marianne, the middle Dashwood sister from Jane Austen’s classic Sense and Sensibility. I tried to keep my face neutral, but inside I was thrilled. Marianne was my literary twin—the character I felt united with throughout the novel. I understood her romantic and passionate heart in more ways than one.

“And Chris, you will be our Mr. Willoughby!” Mrs. Bello clapped her hands twice, the bangle bracelets chiming with her excitement. Her obvious satisfaction with her chosen characters evident in her upbeat stance.

While the rest of the class seemed to relax into their seats, safe from being called upon, heat prickled my cheeks. Chris Winters, the football quarterback, had never looked at me, let alone said anything to me. This past year I’d watched him from afar, dreaming of what it would be like to talk to him or have him smile at me in that way that made my heart skip. It looked like that was all about to change.

I pushed my dark, loose curls over my shoulder and walked to the front of the classroom, my fair skin pink with anticipation. The script crumpled in my tightening grip, and I forced my hand to relax.

“Alright, let’s begin with—”

The bell rang before Mrs. Bello could finish. A mix of relief and disappointment washed over me. Chris watched me closely. His left dimple deepened as a smile grew. His brown eyes locked with mine, and I quickly averted my gaze and walked towards the door.

“Excuse me, Mrs. Bello?” His voice stopped me in my tracks. “Would it be possible for me and Kayleigh to read our lines next class?”

My mouth fell open in surprise at his question. Chris Winters wants to read lines with me?

“Why, of course! That would be delightful!” Mrs. Bello beamed at him. “It’s good to see the young appreciate the fine work of Ms. Austen.” She shot another glance at the portrait on the wall. “I look forward to seeing your embodiments of Marianne and Willoughby!”

She walked back to her desk and jotted a note on her large, flowery desk calendar before opening an old dictionary and flipping through the pages.

I adjusted my backpack and stared at him, too shocked to say or do anything more.

“I hope that’s okay with you.” Chris’ head tilted slightly to the side, and amusement glinted in his eyes.

“It would be lovely.”

It would be lovely? Apparently, I’m living in the Regency Era like Austen.

“Lovely,” he echoed back. “See you tomorrow, Kayleigh.”

Then he walked out the door, right past Maddie, who was waiting patiently for me. She rolled her eyes, and I followed her into the hallway. As I fell into step next to my closest friend since grade school, I felt like I was in a dream.

“I’m in love.” I sighed—a big, dramatic one that would make even Mrs. Bello proud. “We’re going to be Marianne and Willoughby.”

Maddie adjusted her tortoiseshell circular rimmed glasses. “You do know that Marianne doesn’t actually end up with Willoughby though, right?”

Of course I knew that, but it wasn’t the time to get technical. Love wasn’t something to put perimeters on. Love was a matter of the heart, just like Mrs. Bello said.

Maddie nudged me with her elbow. “I didn’t think Chris Winters was your type.”

“Isn’t he everyone’s type?”

She scrunched her nose. “No. Not at all.”

“You’re just not a romantic like me.”

“True. You do take it to a whole new level. Just remember, not everything is like a novel.”

I linked my arm through hers and pushed the comment from my mind. “Come on. Let’s get to algebra.”

As we passed Chris and his friends standing by the lockers, he sent me a look that promised this was only the beginning.