Page 79 of Of Fate & Forbidden Desire

“Hello?” Her voice drifted to me, making me even more curious.

“I just wanted to drop this off for Charleene.” Rosie answered, making me frown.

“Oh, thank you.” Dina replied, before shutting the door and returning to the sofa with a brown paper bag in hand.

“This is for you,” she said, holding it out to me.

I took the bag gently as though it would bite me and peered inside. Nestled amongst some tissue paper was the white dress I’d tried on. My bottom lip trembled as I lifted it up.

“Do you want to be part of The Nicenevin Coven?” Dina probed gently, interrupting my focus on the dress and making me think carefully about my answer.Did I want to be a Coven member?I wasn’t sure.

“I dunno, maybe?” I answered honestly, with a yawn taking over my face.

“Why don’t you go have a rest, I’ll wake you in time to get to Ally.”

Grateful of her offer, I jumped up off the sofa, spinning to give her a peck on the cheek before almost running to the bedroom. I hung the dress on the door of the wardrobe, before throwing myself down fully dressed onto the bed. Staring at the lovely dress, it didn’t take long for my heavy eyes to fall closed.

“Babe? It’s time to get up.” Dina said, shaking my shoulder gently as her words took a couple of minutes to register in my mind.

“Just five more minutes?” I whined, rolling over onto my back.

“If you intend on helping Ally, you don’t have five more minutes.” Dina laughed as I forced my eyes open.

“Really?”

“Really.” She deadpanned back at me, raising one of her eyebrows and smirking.

“Fine.” I said, pushing myself up on my elbows, “How long do we have?”

“About ten minutes before we need to set off.”

“Ok, I just need my bag of tricks.” I said, sliding off the bed and standing.

“Your what?” Dina sniggered on her way to the door.

“My make-up bag.” I replied, grabbing the fairly large black bag and slipping the strap over my shoulder, before following her to the living room.

Knocking on their front door, I don’t wait for an invitation, before excitedly pushing it open and striding inside.

“Hello?” I called, drawing both Lilah and Jace’s attention from whatever they were arguing about.

Lilah looked amazing in her long black dress and flat black sandals. Her hair was as it usually was, a dark frizzy riot. I swear she looked like she stuck her finger in an electrical plug socket every morning. Jace was wearing an all white suit whilst he paced in front of the living room window.

“Could you hide this in your bag?” Lilah asked on the way up the stairs, holding out a delicate silver chain, with diamonds in the shape of snowdrops dangling off it. The diamonds caught the electric lights and threw rainbows over the stairs. Nodding, I held out my hand and she placed the light jewellery into my palm. I slipped the delicate jewelled chain into my make-up bag so that Ally wouldn’t be able to see it until she was fully ready.

“She’s in the bath.” Lilah explained, as she opened Ally’s bedroom door and let us both in. I placed my bag on her bed as Lilah went to the ensuite's door and knocked.

“What!” Ally snapped from the other side and I exchanged a worried glance with Lilah; she sounded in a delightful mood.

“Ally?” Lilah asked the closed door, raising her voice so she would be able to hear her, “You ok hun?”

“I’m fine Lilah, I’ll be out in a minute.” Ally called and we both heard sloshing water.

“Ah here she is.” Lilah exclaimed as the bathroom door opened, it was as though she thought Ally might have somehow absconded from the bathroom. With what she had to face tonight I wouldn’t have blamed her if she had. Ally, wrapped in a towel, gave Lilah a small smile, before turning my way. I couldn’t help but grin at my friend.

“You ready?” I asked, knowing if it was me, I probably wouldn’t be. At her nod, I reached out and yanked her fully into the room, “Good, because we don’t have much time.” I said, pushing her new dress into her arms and waving at Lilah to leave on my way out.

Closing the door behind us, I counted to one hundred silently in my head before tentatively pushing open her door again and praying that she’s decent. Mymouth almost hit the floor and an appreciative gasp left it, at the same time Lilah made a similar noise. Ally looked gorgeous in the white dress. It hugged her curves and showed off every asset she’d been blessed with. The beading caught the light and sparkles glinted as she moved carefully so as not to stand on the full length skirt.

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