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Lizzie was always an early riser. Even now, in the middle of the summer, she couldn't sleep past 7 in the morning. So in the summer, she just ran farther than during the school year. While she was running, her phone went off. She stopped, quickly caught her breath, and answered.

"Hello, Lizzie Bennet speaking. How may I help you?" She decided she was a morning person. No one should be this happy in the morning.

"You should have been a secretary."

"Charlotte Collins. How may I help you on this lovely morning? How is that cousin of mine treating you?" Best friends since elementary school, Charlotte was the only one who never thought Lizzie would be a teacher. She was also the last person Lizzie expected to marry her cousin.

Frankie.

"I'm perfectly content. And Frank is wonderful." Lizzie could hear the smile growing on Charlotte's face. "How's that George of yours?" Lizzie's heart sank.

"He left. After I told him about Jane and Charles being happy. He said some things about this mutual acquaintance of the three of us and then just left."

"You want me to kick his ass?" Lizzie's mood lifted again.

"Sure. And when you find him, punch him an extra time for me?"

Charlotte laughed on the other end. "Deal. So you wanna come visit?"

"Random, but yes. I would love to visit you. How's the renovations going?"

"They're done. Thats why I want you to come."

"Not because you missed me?"

"Miss you? Why on earth would I miss my best friend in the entire world? So I'll see you in a week?" Lizzie agreed and after a long conversation on absolutely every subject. Lizzie ran back to her apartment to pack.

~ONE WEEK LATER~

"Lizzie!" Charlotte threw open the door and ran out to the street. "What's going on?"

"Nothing. Glad you picked this week. I have to start school planning when I get back."

"Always working." Charlotte shook her head. "Come on in."

Lizzie walked in and knew at once this was her best friends house. The colors, the furniture, the decor was all to Charlotte's taste. And Charlotte had good taste. She was the top worker at one of the biggest interior designer's offices in Chicago, she had to have good taste.

"Does my cousin even live here?" She nudged Charlotte, who hit her on the shoulder.

"Yes. He got to do the basement. I got to do everything else."

"Smart." If Lizzie knew her cousin at all, she knew the basement would be a stylists nightmare. Frankie came out of a door under the stairs.

"Speak of the devil. How are you Frankie?"

"I'm fine, Elizabeth. How are you?" They embraced in an awkward hug. Frankie wasn't her favorite cousin, but he was the only one who lived within visiting distance, so they saw more of each other than they wanted.

"I'm good. Thanks."

"Did I mention about my new job. Such a wonderful employer. I am the personal accountant to Mrs. Catherine de Bourgh. She owns this house, as well as the other houses around us." He went into a long ramble about his employer, her land, her daughter, her daughters schooling, her job, and his job. Lizzie only paid attention when he mentioned a party.

"Did you say a party? Do I need to go to it?" Both Charlotte and her husband nodded.

"Why yes Lizzie. You are are guest and she wants to meet you. It is black tie, though. Did you bring anything like that?" He looked at her small bag.

"No." She scoffed.

"Well, Lizzie. The party is tomorrow. We can do a girls day and go shopping together." Lizzie sighed and agreed. "Don't look so scared, Lizzie. It will be fun."

"No. Charlotte, you have gone insane! There is no way I am wearing this dress. I tried it on, but I will not buy it." Charlotte had talked her into a monstrosity of a dress. It wasn't that it was a horrible dress, because it wasn't. It was a monstrosity because it was too perfect. The dusty rose color, the light sparkle the top of it had, the cut, the way it fit her body, was all perfect. The problem: it had no back. It laced three times with a cord and tied just under her shoulder blades.

'Lizzie, you look marvelous. I don't-"

"There is no back! I don't want people to think I'm asking for it."

"No one will think that. And don't worry, you won't be the only one with a backless dress. Trust me. You look great and it's your price range. You'll even have extra money for shoes. Now stop trying to talk yourself out of it. I won't let you leave this shop without this dress."

"Charlotte, I never pictured you as a shopper. What happened?" Charlotte laughed.

"I got married." Lizzie turned around and looked at herself again in the mirror. She did look good in it. And she would have extra money.

"Fine. I'll get it. Now help me get it off."

"Great. Now lets get shoes." Lizzie groaned. The rest of the day was consumed with shoes and jewelry and hair. By the end of the day, Lizzie wouldn't have minded if she never stepped inside of a mall again.

But when she was all put together, all she could do was smile. She wasn't used to the way she looked dressed like this, but she felt special. She felt like she could turn heads, which was a feat she was certain she would never accomplish. She still was nervous about the back of her dress, but who cared. She had decided that for tonight, this was her. She would go back to being six and play dress-up. She pulled up to Mrs. de Bourgh's home (or castle) and was helped out of her car.

I can do this.

She walked to the front door and handed her coat to the woman waiting for it.

"You look lovely, ma'am." She smiled widely.

"Do you think?" She blushed a little and fiddled with a curl.

"Yes." The girl nodded.

"Thank you." She took her ticket for her coat and put it in her bag. After getting directions to the ballroom (seriously?) she left the safety of the coat room and into something much more deadly.