Chapter 122: First Public Date
A little over one week later...
After we had arrived back in Vegas once we had completed filming, Cheryl and I spent some quality girl time together, as we both felt it had been a while since we had spent some time alone with each other.
We had lunch, spent the afternoon shopping, all while talking about our relationships. Although my relationship with Zak seemed to highlight the conversation more than Cheryl and Aaron's.
Typical Cheryl.
After we were finished shopping, we then met up with Diana and Ashley for dinner and a movie. We had called them earlier in the day to ask if they wanted to join us for a girls night out, and they both had happily agreed.
It had been a tiring day by the end of it all, but it had also been great spending some time alone with the girls.
In the meantime, Zak had been busy the last part of the week with meetings and viewings of houses with a realtor, since he was still insistent on moving after my terrible incident in the basement of his current home on Halloween.
I had tried to convince him that it wasn't necessary, and that I would be fine to go back to his house – even though I was actually nervous about the idea – but Zak wouldn't have it. He also brought up his previous statement, that he wanted to start fresh.
Now, after what felt like a long week, it was Friday, and Zak and I were going out to dinner for date night. Not only was it going to be a date night, but it was actually going to be our first "in public" date night, since all our previous dates had been spent at his place or at mine.
He didn't want to have dinner at his house because he still didn't want me in the house after my incident. We were initially going to have dinner at my place, but Cheryl had come down with a cold, and I didn't want to bother her by having us around, so I suggested to Zak about going out.
At first he was a bit unsure, only because he knew of my social anxiety, and was concerned if anyone recognized us – especially him – that it would ruin the night, but I assured him that it wouldn't.
I'd have to meet fans at some point, right?
~*~*~*~*~*~
After getting a shower and blow drying my hair, I was standing in front of my mirror – clad only in a oversized bath towel, putting on my makeup.
I was also dancing and singing like a fool, as I had put on my "The Hits: Chapter One" CD by the "Backstreet Boys" to listen to while I was getting ready.
Oddly enough, the song that happened to be playing now – "The Call" - was the same song that had played the first night we all went out to a club. The celebration night of me having officially joined the crew – and Cheryl had dragged me onto the dance floor to dance.
How times have changed...I thought, as I continued working on my makeup.
If someone had told me that night, that in a little over six months time, that I'd be dating Zak, that I would have my first kiss, and become less shy and insecure about myself, I would of laughed.
I couldn't help but smile to myself as I danced and sang along to the song.
"Lemme tell you the story, 'Bout the call that changed my destiny, Me and my boys went out, Just to end up in misery, Was about to go home when, There she was standing in front of me, And said hi, I got a little place nearby, Gotta go....OH!" I sang, but then nearly screamed when I happened to turn around, and I saw Cheryl standing in my doorway. She was holding her phone up, clearly recording me.
"Cheryl!" I groaned in embarrassment.
Cheryl and Zak both start laughing...
Wait...what?!
"Who are these 'boys' you speak of? And if you're cheating on me with a woman...I want in!" Zak's voice emitted from Cheryl's phone.
"You FaceTimed me dancing and singing to my boyfriend?!" I jokingly whined at Cheryl, although still incredibly embarrassed.
"Yep!" Cheryl exclaimed cheerily, her voice nasally from her cold. "I heard you turn the music on and knew you'd at least be singing, so I FaceTimed Zak and told him to be quiet, then walked to your room," Cheryl explained, looking like she had just completed the greatest mastermind plot of the century.
"Oh my god," I muttered in embarrassment, and grabbed the nearby towel that I had used on my hair, and threw it at her, which she barely dodged.
"Hey! I'm sick!" Cheryl pouted, and I couldn't help but laugh, Zak laughing again as well.
"Don't be embarrassed doll, you were cute," Zak said, and I focused on his face on the tiny screen of the phone. "Love your outfit by the way," Zak added.
"I'm going to get you back for this Bagans," I jokingly warned.
"Me?!" He jokingly yelped. "It was Cheryl's idea!" He added, laughing.
"Yeah yeah," I said, laughing myself and walked over to my bedroom door. "Now if you don't mind, I have to get ready," I said, looking at Cheryl.
"Leave the phone behind Cheryl!" Zak exclaimed excitedly and Cheryl and I both laughed, while my face also flushed.
"Arrrrg!" I jokingly yelled out in frustration as I shut the door on the both of them, and heard Cheryl and Zak's laughter from outside the door drift away as Cheryl walked back down the hall.
I laughed as I shook my head to myself, but had a smile on my face as I resumed putting on my makeup.
~*~*~*~*~*~
A short time later...
I looked myself over one last time in the mirror, wanting to make sure I looked okay, and that I hadn't forgotten anything.
Zak hadn't told me yet where we were going for dinner, but had told me the restaurant had a dress code of "business casual", or "dressy". After asking Cheryl's advice, I decided on the always dependable "little black dress".
The dress I had chosen was a black minidress that was form fitting, sleeveless, with thin shoulder straps, and a plunging, deep-V, sweetheart-like neckline with a twisted, knotted detail at the bust. It was a little more revealing than anything I had worn on a previous date, but I found a part of me wanted to look sexier this time around, and I also wanted a sort of "punk" vibe, so I paired the dress with a pair of black, high heeled platform ankle boots, that each had three silver studded straps in the front. I also had a faux leather jacket that I was going to leave open over the dress, just in case I got chilly, but would obviously take off if we went to an indoor restaurant.
To finish my "sexy punk" vibe, I styled my hair up in a Dutch mohawk ponytail style. Essentially, I created a Dutch braid from my forehead back to the crown of my head, and then secured my hair in a ponytail, using a section of hair to wrap around the elastic to hide it. I then used my curling iron to give some slight curls to the hair hanging down that formed the ponytail. I loved that the Dutch braid gave me a slight Mohawk look, and that the ponytail kept my hair back out of my face. And, since my dress showed off my shoulders and chest, I knew having my hair back would create a sexier look.
I then put in small, diamond stud earrings – two on each side, since I had two piercings in each ear.
Once I was pleased with my appearance, I picked up my jacket, and my purse for the night, and left my room and went down to Cheryl's room and lightly knocked on the door, even though it was open.
She looked up from her spot on the bed, where she was curled up amongst blankets and pillows – binge watching some of her favourite tv shows – and looked at me.
She let out a cat call type whistle as she took in my appearance, and I laughed, rolling my eyes slightly.
"Do I look okay?" I asked, spinning around fully to give her the full look.
"You look great!" She said, then a thoughtful look came over her face. "Except one thing," she added, as she got up from the bed and walked over to her dresser, and opened her jewelry box.
"Oh no, what?" I asked, as she searched through her collection of jewelry, until she pulled out a necklace, looking pleased with herself.
As she walked over to me, she motioned for me to turn around, so I did. Shortly after, I felt her putting the necklace around my neck, and then closing the clasp in the back. I turned back around to face her, looking down at myself in shock.
It was a simple, long choker lariat silver necklace. The necklace had a slight choker affect at the top, but it wasn't skin tight or uncomfortable. The part that shocked me about the necklace was the nine inches long chain covered in tiny diamonds that was hanging down between my breasts.
"But-" I barely began to speak, before Cheryl cut me off.
"With that kind of necklace, that's the whole purpose," Cheryl said, as if reading my mind. "To draw your partner's eye..." she teased, winking at me.
Oh god...
"If you weren't already sick..." I mumbled, playing with the necklace a bit.
"Trust me," Cheryl smirked, than grabbed me by the shoulders and turned me around to face the hall. "Now get going, and have fun!" She called after me, as I walked down the hall.
"Thank you," I said. "You sex obsessed fiend!" I jokingly added, and I heard her laughter as I walked down the stairs to wait for Zak.
~*~*~*~*~*~
Shortly after arriving downstairs, and just as I was finishing double checking my purse to make sure I had everything I needed for the night, the doorbell rang.
I silently took a deep breath to calm my sudden nerves as I walked over to the front door, setting my jacket and purse aside on a nearby table. Even though Zak and I had been on several dates now, and he'd definitely seen me showing more skin than this, I still found myself feeling nervous.
When I reached the door, I unlocked and then opened the door to find Zak standing on the other side, and my jaw nearly dropped in shock. His hair was styled in it's usual perfection. He was wearing black jeans – which were more fitted and dressier than what he normally wore - a black, button down, long sleeved shirt – which he had tucked in – and he was actually wearing a black tie!
"Oh doll...the hell with going out, we're staying in," Zak joked, wrapping his arms around me and walking me back a few steps, as he leaned down and placed a light and gentle kiss on my neck.
I couldn't help but laugh, smile and blush at the same time, all while feeling shivers run down my spine from his gentle kiss.
"And what about you?" I asked, as I reached up and put my hands on his chest and pushed him back enough to look at him. "You have your shirt tucked in, and you're wearing a tie!" I exclaimed, still in shock.
Zak smirked as he jokingly adjusted his tie a bit, with an air of "Yeah, I'm all that".
"Yeah well, I don't dress up very often," Zak said and then looked down at me seriously. "Only very special people get to see me like this," Zak added, smiling at me.
I smiled and stepped toward him again and leaned up and kissed his cheek.
"Well, you look very handsome, Mr. Bagans," I said softly, smiling when his cheeks flushed slightly.
"And you look exceptionally beautiful, Miss Wilde," Zak said, lowering his voice a bit, and I felt my face flush.
"Thank you," I said shyly, despite my hardest attempt to not get shy about his comment.
He smiled at me as he picked up my jacket from the table, and held it out for me to slip on with his help.
As I turned around and slid one arm into the jacket, he leaned down near my ear.
"You look so good, I don't know if I want to take you out where other men can see you," Zak teased, and I laughed.
"Oh stop it," I mumbled as I slipped my other arm into my jacket, and he pulled it up onto my shoulders before I turned around, lifting my ponytail out from the jacket.
"All set?" Zak asked, holding an arm out toward me, for me to link my arm with his.
I smiled as I grabbed my purse and keys, and then linked my arm with his.
"All set," I replied.
Zak smiled and led me outside, waited as I pulled the door closed and locked up, and then led me down to his car.