Not my best chapter, try to enjoy it anyway :)

I stare at my small assembly of clothing, looking like mere rags in the intricately carved cupboard in my room.

What do you wear to a Christmas party?

I've considered my general range of jeans and t-shirts too casual for the event. While the one and only dress Alice stashed in my bag what feels like years ago seems too formal. Granted, no one actually confirmed the dress code with me. Considering it now, I feel like a complete fool for not thinking to ask one of the Mystic residents.

The only parties I've been to were campfires on the beach and occasionally we'd join Billy for Christmas. But I doubted a Mystic Falls parties was anything like a bunch of idiots rough-housing in the sand after the high of a chase through the woods; or even anything close to a small meal and chatting shared over mom's singing Seth to sleep in the other room.

And at both of those functions I wore my general garb, slacks and t-shirts. Mom once forced me to wear a silly purple skirt, but that was when I was seven and it got ruined when I tackled Jacob into the mud anyway.

I have no doubt Emily would know exactly what to wear for a Christmas Party, she'd spend hours lecturing me about colour and material and the perfect shoes, she'd probably give me an impromptu make-up course while she was at it. Then again, I'd forget all that nonsense the next day. Because what use does a wolf have for the perfect shoes and carefully applied makeup when I spend most my time running around the forest anyway?

The memory of Emily stings a little, because she's exactly the person I'd phone for this sort of thing if I could stand to phone her. The next best option would be Alice, the fashionista vampire, but she'd probably coerce me into wearing the flimsy white thing she packed in my bag anyway. I've never known Alice to dress down for an occasion, be it a day at school or a dash down the aisle. I'm sure she'd dress me much the same way.

For a long while I continue to stare at my lacking wardrobe in faint annoyance, feeling as if the fabric within had somehow let me down.

My only option – as the very last option made me too nervous to function – is to ask Elena. I have the vampiress' phone number and I have a sneaking suspicion she'd enjoy the company, if just to inquire after the progress of her earlier favour. Not that I was going to broach that topic well, if anything I need to tell her that if she wants Klaus' help on her matter she ought to ask him herself. I can't risk another broken desk so soon after the previous.

Shit, where's Hayley when I need her?

Nevertheless, I find myself typing in the number on the landline that's strangely kept in the kitchen – probably because it's harder to replace landlines than desks, thus leaving the study as an unsuitable accommodation for the gadget. The receiver is pressed against the side of my face and I can't help but feel a little intimidated by the size, it's so rare to see a good old fashioned phone and not a cell phone so the concept feels foreign.

The dial tone barely rings twice before there's a click, followed quickly by, "Yeah?"

I pause, suddenly nervous if not a little annoyed at having to do this in the first place.

"I can hear you breathing."

I jerk slightly and clear my throat, "Ah, sorry, it's Leah…the wolf girl that works at the Grill?"

There's the soft sound of a snort followed closely by some rustling and a sigh, "I know who you are, Leah," there's a second's pause that I don't even have the time to stuff full of babbling nonsense before Elena talks again. "Is everything all right? Do you need my help with something?"

I shake my head then remember she can't see me. "Sorry, I just…well, I'm a little lost." I twirl the phone cord around my finger, staring unseeing at the trillions of tiny spirals. "I've never been to a Christmas party, I'm not exactly sure what it entails and this probably sounds really stupid because who doesn't know what to wear to a party, right? I mean, what era was I born in to be this inept at picking a stupid outfit for something that probably isn't even important enough to warrant my worrying over-"

"Leah!" I freeze and slowly untangle my fingers from the cord, shocked the tips have grown purple from the lack of blood flow. "Just calm down," I nod, scowling at my bothersome prattling. "There's a reason why you called me, so don't worry about it. We'll figure this out together."

She pauses and when the silence drags on for more than ten seconds I assume she's awaiting a response. "O…kay, sure, thanks,"

"Good," I hear her drag in a deep breath, "Now I haven't gotten anything or myself to wear yet, so how does some shopping sound?"

"Oh, I don't know, I'm not good at-"

"Leah," she snaps and my spine straightens. "I told you to leave it to me. So, shopping. Tomorrow morning at nine. Outside the Grill. Wear something that's easy to change out of." She pauses to take a breath. "Lend Klaus' credit card or something, we might need it."

I take a moment to think over my next words. I don't want to ask Klaus for money for many reasons, none of which I'm particularly eager to share with the vampire on the other side of the phone. Also, I'm not keen on buying something that will make any kind of dent in my slowly growing bank account, especially when I'll probably never wear it again or it may be ripped, ruined and covered in blood if the night commences in anyway similar to the rest of my life. "I'd rather not. That doesn't feel right."

I can practically hear Elena rolling her eyes, "He can afford it and I have no doubt you've earned the right to a small splurge. Does he even compensate you for all his nonsense?"

"He doesn't have to; I'm here out of my own violation-"

"I honestly don't know what you see in him." She interrupts me and I contemplate hanging up because I really don't like where this conversation is headed. "But whatever, it's not my place to judge, heaven knows I've done some stupid shit involving guys." Another sigh, "Just ask about the card or if it really bothers you that much, then set a budget. You can tell me the numbers tomorrow. Don't be late, I'm starving and I really don't fancy a bite of wolf for breakfast."

As instructed, I'm outside the Grill at nine the next morning, wearing my most versatile pair of leggings – really the only pants I have that's comfortable, public worthy and doesn't look like I belong serving snacks in the local restaurant – and a loose black shirt.

Contrary to Elena's threat to suck me dry, she looks chipper when she arrives five minutes late. I have a feeling this has to do with the ominous tingle down my spine when strolling past the forest to get home last night. It was the only thing that kept me from bursting into my other furry self and spending a good few hours exploring the first settling of light snow.

"Good, you're here, I was worried I'd actually have to go find you," despite the tease in her voice, I can detect the hints of sullen hardness that can only have to do with Klaus if Elena's general attitude toward him is any indication. "Well, did you get the Dark Lord's credit card?"

I blink, biting at the apt description of my soul mate like sour candy, "No," I pat my pocket, "Got my own earnings right here,"

She pouts slightly and shrugs, "Okay, but don't complain when the numbers get steep."

"I don't plan to," Because, as I'd discovered last night while left to my inner musings, it really wouldn't be horrible to be pretty for just one night. It's probably not enough to win Klaus' heart or for some miraculous beauty transformation, but it wouldn't hurt to feel confident in my skin for a few hours.

"Great!"

"This sucks." Elena bemoans, stuffing her face into my pillows, and for the third time I wonder why the vampire is in my room, in Klaus' house, here.

I click my tongue, "I'm sorry I'm not fun to shop with," I don't mean it naturally, shops suck, none of them have something that suits me while still being affordable and reasonably worth the fortune I'd have to pay just to try it on.

Elena rolls over, splaying her arms and legs and staring at the ceiling. "This is a nightmare, right?"

"Nope," I purposefully pope the p, just to be annoying. Why is she in my room?

The vampire groans and pushes herself up. "What do you have in your cupboard?" I give her a dubious look suggesting that there really isn't anything worth looking at, but she gives me a scathing glare in return. "Show me."

Rolling my eyes, I pull open the doors to riffle through a few garments. I find a reasonably stylish top, that I've never worn and must have been one of those things Alice decided I needed to survive. I turn to show it to Elena but before I can utter a word, the vampire gasps.

Eyes wide and mouth slightly gaping, she points behind me, more enthusiastic than I've seen her all day. "That!" I turn my head to the closet, "You have got to wear that!"

That just so happens to be the handful of white chiffon generously donated from the Cullens' very own pixie vampire. I cringe, "But there's hardly enough fabric for it to be suitable to the weather."

Elena snarls, "Good damn it, Leah, if you don't wear that you're coming to the party naked and that's final."