Caught Up

First Dates

THAT NIGHT

DEMI'S POV

I was surprisingly calm as I was getting ready for my date with Ed. He'd texted me earlier with a few sparse details about the event, but the unknown didn't scare me in this instance. I trusted Ed implicitly. He was such a gem. 

I smeared on a layer of red lipstick to complete the look I'd chosen and sat down to wait for Ed to knock on my door. 

At the precise time he'd told me, a knock finally came. I bounded out of my chair and tossed it open. Ed stood there in a very nice outfit, and he looked me up and down approvingly.

"Wow," he said, pointing his hand at me as though asking for a handshake. I placed my hand in his, a little confused, but willing to play along. 

"Well," he continued, a smirk playing on his mouth. "I came to pick Demi up. You must be her roommate. I know it may be taboo of me to ask, but do you think you'd like to come to dinner with me instead?"

I laughed, smacking his shoulder. He grabbed my hand and pulled me in for a lingering kiss, then placed my hand in the crook of his elbow and led me down the hallway. He told me about his day on our way downtown. He asked me about mine, and I told him all the boring details as well. 

When we reached the restaurant, a lovely spot next to Lincoln Park called The Pasta Bowl, we ordered lavish food and Ed smiled generously at the red-headed waitress. She obviously knew his work, because her eyes were fluttering constantly as she stuttered the specials. I chuckled to myself, thinking how lucky I was to be the one on a date with this stud. 

Dinner was wonderful, and our conversation flowed as easily and wonderfully as it had been doing on text for the past few months. I talked about my job, my family, where I grew up, and what my aspirations were. Ed was a little surprised when I got to that part. 

"You want to be a journalist?"

I nodded. "Always have. I just think that the pursuit of truth is one of the noblest there is."

"Don't you write an advice column, though? Is that what you had in mind?"

I sighed. "Well, not precisely. But it's actually a great job. I have loved every moment of it, and I really feel like in some cases I've made a difference."

He smiled crookedly and shook his head. "I just can't imagine why you wouldn't want to sing. I mean, there are very few people with voices like yours."

I shrugged. The conversation moved on. I asked about his rise to fame, his relationship with Dani and the rest of his family, and other such essential first date questions. 

After Ed courteously paid the check, they headed down the street to enjoy a little nightlife. Before I knew it, we had decided to jump the fence into the Lincoln Park Zoo to  meet the chimps. 

When we got inside, we saw the moving light of a night guard on patrol, and Ed grabbed my hand to steer me quickly towards a safe hiding place. To him, this mean crouching beneath one of the benches beside the nearby bird cages, and it was all I could do to keep from laughing. 

"Ed, we shouldn't have done this," I warned teasingly, staring at the light that moved to and fro, looking for just such intruders as us. 

He rolled over onto his side and stared at me. "Nah, come on. I'm Ed Sheeran. If I can't get out of a little trouble, what the hell is all this for?" He smiled at me and I couldn't help but to smile back. 

He kissed me deeply then, and soon I was twisted  up in his arms. I didn't care anymore if the guard found us. It was all about him. And God it was a good night. 

It's so short, I know. I'm really not having a lot of luck with this story, but I'm trying!! I can't wait to see what happens with Sterling and Dani, though!