It was finally the day of the Christmas party at my workplace. It's been two weeks and neither I or Tom helped each other just yet. We simply talked more, went to cafes, did walks deciding on the 'big plan'. I chuckled slightly at the memories, getting a strange look from Leah who was rushing around the apartment while getting ready.
" Charlie why are you not getting ready?" She huffed, stopping and crossing her arms as she looked down at me sitting on the sofa. I looked up at her and sighed,
" I don't have anything to wear..I don't think I should go" I muttered. I could sense the big talk Leah was going to throw at me right at this moment, but before she could, there was a knock on the door. We both exchanged confused looks, and Leah sent me to get the door while she carried on getting ready. It was still ages till the party but it always took Leah the whole day if not more to do everything.

I walked over, opening the door to see none other than the tall brunette standing in the doorway. He wore a grey suit and a light blue tie, matching his blue eyes. His hair was combed back and styled with a bit of gel, to keep it in place. I couldn't help but wonder what exactly he was doing here right now. He glanced at me, his warm smile slowly falling to form a frown,

"Why aren't you getting ready?" he questioned as I stepped back to let him come in. I shrugged in reply to his question,

"I don't think I should go" I muttered, fiddling awkwardly and sitting down on the sofa. Leah walked through the main room a couple of times, waving at us before rushing away again. What was the point of going to the stupid party anyway? What can I change what Evan thinks about me? Nothing. Besides I have nothing to wear. Well nothing good for sure. What if I made a fool of myself like every single other time?

Like when I fell into the pool on Richard's birthday party... Who's Richard? My boss. The short man with the buffy beard and a caricature plump face. It's hard to keep from laughing whenever he passes by really. Especially when he's angry. It's one of the reasons people get fired all the time, funny if you look at it from the side but an absolute bummer if you're one of the workers. Unless you're Evan, then you're VIP even for Mister Shorty. Whoop anyway that brings me back to the thought of not going to yet another party for the embarrassment.

"Give me one good reason?!" The male's sudden question shook me out of my thoughts, making me look up to his face. His eyebrows furrowed and his hands crossed over his chest. It was funny actually. Like he was telling me off for something. I rolled my eyes and sighed,

"I have nothing to wear" I simply snapped the first thing that came to mind, repeating my earlier statement. He may be close to me and we may be friends, but he wouldn't understand how worried I was about that one party. Would he? My eyes darted across the room as I tried to avoid eyecontact. His warm hand grasped my own, pulling me up to stand beside him. He had an amused expression on his face, and yet something was telling me he had a mischievous plan of his own.

Since he'd been in my house before he knew where everything was by now and simply pulled me after him to my bedroom. I took a seat on my small but cosy purple bed and watched the man look through my wardrobe as if it were his own. There were times he'd bite his lip in thought while holding two things and times when he'd just freeze, but in the end he finally pulled out my one red dress I was too embarrassed to wear. I never put it on apart from that one time in the shop that I tried it. The fabric was soft and fit perfectly around all my bumps and curves, yet the fact that it was so open around the chest scared me. I simply couldn't wear it anywhere. I'd feel judged... probably hope to fall through the ground on the spot.

Tom walked over, holding the dress out   with a small grin.

"I am not wearing that" I instantly snapped, shaking my head.

"I don't see why not! You want to impress Jason and I guarantee this is your chance to do so" Tom tried to assure me, his eyebrows furrowed as he stared down at me, holding his hand with the dress outstretched towards me.

I stared up at the male before letting out an exasperated sigh and grabbing the red fabric out of his surprisingly delicate hands. The grin returned to his face, happy with victory as he walked out, leaving me to change. I took a quick shower and then returned to getting ready. The dress, let down hair, brunette locks that hung down halfway down my back and red lipstick along with soft eye makeup that brought out the bright green eyes.

With slight hesitation, I stepped out of the safety of my room. Tom sat on the couch, leaning his head on his hand as he stared down at the carpet-less ground in thought, his eyebrows furrowed and his muscles tense. The fact that he hasn't noticed me, made my anxiety raise to its top as I remembered what I was wearing, but before I could turn back to my room-

"Charlie! My god you look so amazing where the hell have you been hiding this dress!?" Leah quizzed as she pulled me further inside the main room. Tom looked up when he heard Leah and his eyes instantly widened, his lips parted in awe as though he caught his breath. I could feel my cheeks burn a crimson red as Tom 's eyes trailed down to my chest without him realising it.

"Isn't it nice Tom?" Leah smiled, turning to the male and pulling him out of his thoughts.

Tom instantly looked up, gulping and standing up, "Y-yes certainly!" he cleared his throat awkwardly as he walked over closer to me, "You do look absolutely astonishing tonight"

"T-thank you" I stuttered, fiddling with the red fabric with worry. The fiddling stopped as soon as the man took one of my hands and moved over to stand beside me.

"Time for the ball Ma'am"