****NoT eDiTed****

[RECAP]:

I sat down in my chair, drumming my fingers along the desk. It finally loaded, and I opened my email clicking open the one from Mr.Collins.

It said:

"By 10:30 a.m. you should be finished with all work. We are going to shop for dresses."

Dress shopping?

Oh lord.

*

My mouth opened in shock rereading the email again. Yep I wasn't dreaming. Just to make sure I pinched myself just for a good measure. Yeah definitely not dreaming.

Shaking out of my trance I headed over to the file cabinet and proceeded to look for the files: L7856, C8765, and X7895.

Only finding two of the files, I bent down to reach the bottom cabinet, searching the the files. My back started to strain so I squatted down, still searching.

An incessant cough came from behind me.

Startled I turned around quickly, twisting my ankle in the process. "Owwwww" I moaned, holding to my ankle.

"Ms.Diamond! Are you okay?" Mr.Collins asked.

I fixed a sharp glare in his direction, his eyes filled with worry. "What does it look like!" I snapped.

He held his hands up in a 'surrender' motion. "Just checking." He watched me as I tried to stand up clutching the wall for support.

He made a move to help me up before I felt another sharp pain in my ankle. A pained hiss escaped from my lips and I fell forward into his outstretched arms.

"Woah there. Do you think its broken?" Mr.Collins asked holding on to me and wrapping an arm around my waist.

I shrugged my shoulder in response feeling a shiver went up my spine, his touch tingling my waist. He led me back to my chair propping it up on the table.

"Stay right there, I'll be back with some ice." he said.

I nodded, watching him leave, then massaging the area around my ankle. My skin appeared to be red and I winced at the thought of my ankle being seriously damaged.

Mr.Collins came back an ice bag in hand placing it on top of my ankle.

He stood up looking at my ankle questioningly and back at me.

"What?" I asked curiously.

"You're still up to go dress shopping?

*

"I can't believe you forced me to go dress shopping with you!" I shouted angrily, slamming the door closed behind me and walking tentatively on my hurt foot.

"I didn't technically force you-" he paused, "Forcing you would mean putting a gun to your head."

I scoffed walking ahead and dragging my ankle behind me.

"Are you sure you are ok?" He kept pace with me, making long strides with his legs.

"Yes." I muttered.

"If you say so." he muttered back, holding open the door for me and stepping inside.

As soon as we stepped inside the store manager greeted us with a smile, "Hello, how are you today?"

"Good." we said in unison.

"That's great," she pointed her finger towards the back of the building, "there you will find any dresses that you are looking for."

I nodded and thanked her, trudging alongside Mr. Collins. He made his way towards the sitting bench and motioned for me to look around and turned his attention to his phone, so I left in search for dresses.

"Excuse me ma'am, do you need any help?" A salesperson asked me.

"Yes actually, I'm looking for a dress." I said adjusting the weight I was putting on my ankle.

"Oh? Well follow me I'm sure I can help you out." he said.

"Thank you." I said following him. He nodded his head and told me to sit on the bench so he could find something for my ankle. So considerate of him.

I stretched out my leg wincing lightly and resting my head on the back of the counter. The salesman soon came back with an elastic bandage. He motioned for me to lift my leg up, coming to sit next to me pressing lightly on the injury.

"Does it hurt?" he asked.

"Nope."

"Good that means it's not broken." he said, proceeding to wrap it around my ankle.

"You're planning to be a doctor?" I asked noting his skills.

"Yeah." he replied.

"Well you're going to be a great doctor." I said smiling at him.

"Thanks."

I nodded, returning my attention to my ankle as he finished up. "There, all done." he said. He stood up nodding to another salesperson aimlessly through the dress section. "She should be able to assist you with your needs. I'm not that good when it comes to dresses."

I giggled lightly sending him a parting wave and a 'thank you' I walked towards the saleswoman getting her attention.

"Ma'am? Do you think you can assist me with some dresses." I asked politely.

"Well darling you asked the right person, because I'm the best when it comes to this" pausing for a breath and looking at my astonished face, "just follow me darling."

*

"DARLING WHERE'S THAT BASKET I TOLD YOU TO GET?" the saleswoman, that I later got to know was Darcy, stood waiting hands on her hips.

I winced slightly apologising to customers on the way, "I'M COMING!", hopping on to the cart and pushing it to go faster. She shook her head at me when she saw what I was doing. "What? It's fun!" I said standing beside her. "Just like my daughter." she muttered.

She got out a measuring tape and wrapped it around my waist. "Hmmm. At least a good 35 inches" she said rounding it off to the nearest decimal.I didn't see how any of this information helped but apparently it must have for her because she suddenly fingered through the clothes placing some in the cart and I simply pushed the cart through the aisles.

"Are we done yet?" I asked in desperation, my ankle was starting to hurt.

"Almost honey! Three more!" she picked out a few more placing it in the cart and pushing me in the direction of a dressing room. Out of the corner of my eye I say Mr.Collins chatting with a young lady, giggling with whatever it was that he was saying. She seemingly seemed to be shopping as well.

Hmph. He wouldn't even know if I left without him, busy flirting with some girl.

I turned my attention back to the dresses, looking at the beautiful colors. Wow, Darcy was good. "Off you go now, I want to see your favorite dresses." Nodding I got the dresses out of the cart and got my number, going inside.

The first dress I tried was not that bad, but I'm not fond of pink so I put it in my "discard pile". The second dress was all black, but a little poofy on the bottom so I put that one in the discard pile too. The third dress I tried, I had to admit I really liked it, so I went out to to show Darcy.

"It's pretty." she simply stated.

I nodded heading back inside trying the fourth dress, it was a lighter pink than what I originally wore, it wasn't that bad, so I just put it to the side.

Four down Eight more to go.

The fifth and sixth dress I did not have to try on, I put it into the discard pile. I was getting tired of this quickly so I skipped the seventh dress and tried on the eighth.

It was lovely. The dress hugged my sides clinging to my curves and poofed at the bottom This was the one.

I went out to show Darcy. Twirling around she can get a good glimpse of the dress.

"Oh it's lovely!" she said clapping her hands together and clapping lightly.

"Thank you." I said giggling and curtsied. I returned back to the dressing room, taking a quick look at myself in the mirror, I went inside my dressing room. Closing the door behind me.

Looking in the mirror once more I found a figure standing behind me. I turned around, startled, then irritated when I caught sight who it was.

"Mr. Collins wh-"

"Shh-" he said putting his thumb on my lips, tracing it before dropping his hand.

I gave him a weird look as he stepped forward sweeping his eyes on my dress.

I caught his eye raising my eyebrows lightly. "Do you like it? My dress." I asked.

"Like it?" he leaned closer, his arms lightly clutching my waist as if he thought I would have sudden movements to his touch.

I felt his hot breath touch my ear, my heartbeat starting to pound with such a close distance. In fact I had started to hear it in my ears. Then Mr. Collins tightened his hold on my waist infinitely pressing closer to me.

"I love it."

*

Woah the infamous L-word lol.

Anyways this was an early update I was originally going to update tomorrow but here I am! Also thanks for the 800+ reads for my book. YOU GUYS ARE AWESOME!

Please leave a comment, vote and share!

-Starlight87

See you next time lovelies!