Oh I do love chaos, don't you? Sherlock/teenlock/sherlolly

Chapter 17

Dearest people reading this story, here is another chapter for you. I write this story slowly but hopefully some of you will still read it! Please leave a comment letting me know what you think if you do!        - WT xx

Molly was walking through the shopping centre in town, becoming increasingly more grumpy with every step she took. She had painstakingly spent the day in town trying on dress after dress for the Christmas Ball, but to no avail. She couldn't find any that were right, none looked any good on her. She felt frumpier and uglier with every single one she tried on. Every dress looked to her as if it was shaped for some skinny little stick woman, and they all clung in entirely the wrong places for her figure. Her mood darkened as she spotted some girls in her class walking on the other side of the walkway about to pass her, she noted their shining hair and glossy bags and laughing faces and felt like they were ridiculing her. They would fit into those dresses, she thought, they would look good in a bin bag. They grimaced at her as she passed them, a sort of nod at a kind of civility which meant she was not even worth bothering teasing. Their faces seemed to shout 'you absolute scum, you look like a bag lady.' To Molly that's what they were saying, but in reality perhaps they had hardly noticed her, but in her state she felt so low, everything seemed malicious.

Molly collapsed onto a bench clutching her bag to her chest and putting her head in her hands. She suddenly decided, it wasn't worth the torment, the stupid shopping, stupid dresses, stupid Ball. She just wouldn't bother. Having made up her mind about this she got up, still feeling miserable as she felt as if she'd given up on not only herself but Sherlock too.

And then as she was walking out. She saw it. The most beautiful dress in the world, it was in the window of a dainty little independent shop. The skirt was long and flowing in a pale pink colour and the fabric looked soft and delicate like chiffon, the colour was built up from layer by layer of underskirts. The bodice was silver and seemed to shine from the hundreds of silver beads sewn onto it. They formed a pattern of swirls and lines and it tucked in at the waist. She knew she had to try it on, this one last dress before she gave up on the idea completely.

-

Sherlock held up his arm to the light shining down onto his face, he was standing outside in the cold with John having a cigarette. That's to say he was smoking, John would not go near the things, and had only stood with him for the company.

"John."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"I can't go."

"What do you mean you can't. Of course you can, you'll be fine."

"I can't. Molly and she-"

"She's so excited Sherlock. You remember how she was telling you about that dress she bought the other day hmmm? The one she won't let you see?"

"Yeah but-"

"She spent a lot of money on that you know."

"Yeah but."

"No buts Sherlock, you're going."

"Mmm"

He looked up and stubbed out his cigarette.

"John? Who are you going with?"

John rubbed his nose and looked to the floor.

"Well I, I couldn't find anyone in particular who wanted to go with me. So I thought I'd just go along by myself, as it were."

"But, you'll be alone. It's not customary."

"Don't be silly, it's our class, I'm sure I'll find someone to talk to! I know everyone going."