Rachael was an absolute nightmare when she heard about mine and Rob's compromise, because the first thing that she thought I should do was get dressed up for him which was so not going to happen. Tonight was going to be simple.
However, I couldn't quite get out of shopping with her. So I dragged Tasha along with us, as Kirsty was going out with Aston today. She was the lucky one today; she could get out of it. I certainly couldn't.
And to make matters worse; the choice of her shopping wasn't that great. I was sure that I would thank her in the end, but with a shop like Victoria's Secret, there was a lot of…er…stuff that I didn't want her to try and get me to get.
''Ooh, you'll love this!'' Rachael exclaimed. I couldn't actually see; she had actually made me wear a blindfold, so that I couldn't see what I was trying on, until I got into the dressing room; and yes, she was making me try on too.
''Rachael, she really wont; it's too daring, I would never wear something like that.'' Tasha commented; which of course instantly got me worried. I couldn't wear something that was too daring, god!
''Why; what is it?'' I asked them, panicking. Rachael all but ignored me, and carried on talking to Tasha.
''Why not?'' Rachael asked her sulkily. God, why did I have to wear theses stupid blindfold! It was my big night, not hers. It wasn't as if we were even going to…well…go that far. We might just decide to go to sleep in each other's arm; which was more than enough for me.
''Because I mean look…it's not your typical underwear set.'' Tasha replied; sounding quite embarrassed about saying that.
''It's not meant to be darling; it's meant to impress him.'' She replied, before laughing in response. I heard Tasha sigh in response.
''It's still not Charlie is it; wouldn't you want her to be in more comfortable clothes?'' Tasha asked her. I heard Rachael running through the sets of clothes again.
''Still; I'm going to make her get drunk. You know Charlie will forgive me in the end.'' Rachael replied; sighing heavily. I frowned; hoping that Rachael would see me frowning. I wasn't in the mood for dress-up dolls today.
''Darling, don't frown; we have make-up to do when we get back yet.'' Rachel warned me; tugging at the sides of my lips. I sighed, and gave in; stopping frowning. ''That's better.'' She commented happily.
''Now let's get Charlie to the changing room.'' Rachael sighed; helping Tasha drag me to the dressing room. Rachael still wouldn't let me see though; so I had to count on them to help me put whatever horrifying thing on me.
''Right, are you ready?'' Rachael asked me.
''To get the shock of your life,'' Tasha added, making me nervous.
''Shh,'' Rachael warned her.
Tasha sighed. ''You won't like it, Charlie; I'm telling you.'' Tasha warned me.
''Shh,'' Rachael repeated, before taking my blindfold off.
I gasped in horror as I took in the tiny little thing in the mirror. Oh my god; would today get any worse. It was awful! It was the tiniest black bra that I had ever seen, with little mini frills on it, but that wasn't even the worst thing…
The tiny black panties were hidden underneath a small, ballerina skirt, which was strapped onto black stockings. Oh my god, did she expect me to actually wear this? Sure, it was pretty, but my god…just look at it!
I tried to grab the dressing gown hanging on the rack, but Rachael was already there first; pulling it off of me. ''Oh no you don't; you're going to stand there, and take it!'' She almost shouted at me. I knew what she was doing, but as she turned me back to the mirror; I couldn't look.
''Now…what is so wrong with that?'' Rachael asked me. I looked to Tasha-extremely flushed-who smiled in response at me.
''You do look really pretty Charlie.'' Tasha told me; trying to give me some sort-of confidence…but it didn't work.
''What's right with it!'' I shouted back. I could only find the bad things about myself not the good things. ''My legs look too fat, my stomach sticks out, and I have all these weird little things on my legs.'' I told them; pointing to my freckles in disgust.
I couldn't stand looking at my body in the mirror, without tops and jeans, and dresses. Rachael rolled her eyes and huffed at me in response, and took my hands away from my body, trying to straighten out the tension in my shoulders with her hands, so that I stood up properly.
''Those darling are called freckles.'' She pointed to my legs. ''They are natural to have; you know; a sign of beauty. You should take them as a compliment.'' I could only groan in response though. Who would want to see me like this?
''And seriously; your stomach is flat, and as for your legs…I'd die for them legs!'' she told me. I rolled my eyes; thinking she was just being funny. ''Seriously, you are so skinny, and you drive me insane when you complain.''
She turned me around, so that I was partly facing the mirror, partly not…but that was even worse. I groaned in response; not able to look.
''God; whatever you do don't get pregnant; you'll be panicking about your weight all the time rather than the poor baby.'' She told me, making Tasha laugh, and me flush a bright red in response. God, I wouldn't even know where to look if I got really fat like that.
''Now, look.'' Rachael demanded; as she straightened out my shoulders once more. She pulled my hair out of my messy ponytail, and attempted to brush it a little. ''Don't you think you look a little pretty?'' She asked me.
''You do actually look pretty, Charlie. Seriously; I know it's quite revealing, but it's better than just a normal bra set.'' Tasha was right; I was more covered than what I would be in just a bra and panties, but still….stockings!
''Exactly…and it's been confirmed that stockings are to be found extremely sexy.'' She told me, making me grimace. I wasn't used to this all…dressing up. She certainly hadn't bothered with Michael, because she hated him.
''I have been in a relationship before Rachael…like I have been here before with Michael.'' I reminded her; in-case she had forgotten or something.
She huffed at me in response, as soon as I had mentioned Michael. ''Yeah exactly; that's Michael. He wasn't exactly a person worth getting dressed up for.'' She complained, making me a little annoyed. I had still loved him.
''Hey-'
''-Look; we're not here to talk about Michael, are we?'' She asked me. ''Today's about you and Rob; and he will love it, I know he will.'' She smiled at me reassuringly. I nodded, and took a deep breath, to calm me down.
''Right all we have to do is go to forever twenty one; get you a nice dress, and then we'll be done.'' She told me, making me a little calmer still. ''And then-to chill you out-we can both have a cigarette, okay darling?''
Woot; the idea of having a cigarette actually made me very happy. God, it was what I needed admittedly. I laughed at her in response. ''Such a good role model, eh Rach?'' I asked her sarcastically; still laughing.
She laughed with me. ''Of course, darling; smoking is good for you.'' She laughed, making Tasha roll her eyes. I knew why; Tasha hated smoking, but I couldn't help it. Michael had got me into that bad habit.
When we got back into the Victoria Secret's shop; Rachael got a few other things. She brought me some mascara, liquid eye liner, normal eye liner, pretty eye-shadow, red lip-stick, lip-gloss, foundation, powder, and a shimmer for mw to wear.
She left us to get lunch for twenty minutes, and came back with a small bag. I watched her suspiciously, as she set herself down, and refused to mention the small, plastic bag in her hands. I mean she could at least tell us who it's for.
''What you got there Rachael?'' I asked her confused. She just smiled at me; still not getting anything out of the bag.
''It's for you…it's er…needed.'' This made me confused; what was she going on about. Even Tasha was confused too.
''Rachael, what are you talking about?'' I asked her confused. She watched me closely for a second, before rolling her eyes at me.
''Something you might need…something that will come in use when it gets too intense.'' She tried spelling it to me, but I was still confused. What was she even going on about? She wasn't making sense.
Tasha still looked a little confused, so I decided to ask again. When confused; it's better just to ask, right? ''Rachael…I'm still not sure what you're talking about here.'' I admitted; still confused. She huffed in response.
She leaned towards me; and whispered. ''I brought you condoms.'' She spelled it out for me. I flushed red, and leaned away from her instantly; of fucking course, you idiot, it seemed obvious now. But…I was sure that we probably wouldn't even get to that stage.
Tonight was just about compromise, not…sex. We were just going to spend some time alone from everyone else, while they went out, and just see how it went. I was more than sure that tonight's activities would definitely not lead to anything remotely close to sex.
''Rachael, it's going to be a waste of time…we probably won't use them.'' I told her, because it was true. Her forehead furrowed in confusion as she tried to work out what I saying.
''What do you mean?'' She asked me confused. ''You're not planning on…not making him wear one, are you?'' Ugh, oh my god, why did she have to be so embarrassing? I flushed red, and looked away quickly; trying to gain myself.
''Rachael; because we probably won't go that far tonight!'' I spelled it out for her; trying to be as quiet as possible. I didn't want anyone looking round, and guessing what we were talking about. It couldn't get much more embarrassing right now.
''After what we just dressed you in?'' She huffed. ''Darling, he won't be able to resist you, even if he wants to.'' She told me; chuckling at my embarrassment.
I desperately needed a subject change; it was too embarrassing to carrying on talking about this. ''Okay, subject change please!'' I demanded; making the Girls laugh. It was good to see that I was making someone laugh at least, even if it wasn't something I found at all funny. It was embarrassing, to say the least.
We went home then, to give me plenty of time for me to get ready for tonight. But as I had about three hours to myself; I had a shower first, to wash my hair, before having a bath, which I had to admit did calm me down a little bit.
I got dressed in my new dress; it was grey, and had a black belt around my waist. The short sleeve was black and white stripes, but matched the belt and was very pretty. But it had been the bra, panties and stockings that got me worried.
I had just managed to put them on properly, but I almost called for Rachael and Tasha to help me. I got out of the bathroom, and went to Rachael's bedroom, where she styled my hair. She curled little strips of it, and straightened the rest, so that flowed in with the style, and did my make-up.
I couldn't believe how different I looked when I looked in the mirror. I gasped in shock; how did Rachael even have that effect on makeovers?
''Oh my god; Rachael, Tasha; thanks so much!'' I thrilled; hugging them both at the same time and making them laugh.
''That's alright, Hun.'' Tasha replied as I let them pull away from me.
''Now…'' Rachel began; going through the stuff on her dressing table. ''There are four different boxes on this dressing table; take your pick.'' She explained to me, as I blushed like a silly school girl…but yet I couldn't help myself.
''This box is the chocolate flavored ones; I only got one of them though, because they don't smell that great, but you might like them.'' She grimaced. ''This one is better for your first time…it…its basically better for both of you, this one is more sensitive for you, and this one is effective for making it feel better for both of you, again.'' She explained to me, and although it was stupid; I was still blushing like crazy.
But this would be more embarrassing if this wasn't a friend of mine. At least it was Rachael. It would be a lot more embarrassing if it was anyone else.
''Well er…thanks Rachael,'' I smiled sheepishly. She just rolled her eyes at me, and handed me the lambini bottle, which I tipped back and drank.
''Have you got all that?'' She asked me. I nodded my head in response, and drank the lambrini drink until it was all gone; I needed that drink.
''Okay; we'll leave you too to it then. Rob's downstairs already, so come down whenever you're ready, alright?'' But no, it didn't work. I started to panic, and he was downstairs already. She realized this though, and got out a cigarette for me.
''Here smoke this, and put on some perfume on the side when you go downstairs. It will calm you down, alright?'' Rachael told me. I nodded, and said my goodbyes to Rach and Tash and went to the window where I smoked my cigarette.
Of course it did calm me down straight away, like how I knew it would. But as soon as I put the cigarette out of the window, I instantly started to panic again. I told myself not to be so stupid, and took in the packets on my side.
I chose the one that I remembered her saying that was better for the first time; because after all, I had had no help with my relationship with Michael. I felt just as nervous as if it was my first time, and not the second.
I put it in my bedroom drawer, just in-case, and made my way downstairs. I walked slowly down the stairs, to see Rob at the bottom of the stairs, near the front door, taking his shoes off. I tried to be quiet, but it didn't work.
He turned around abruptly, and met my eyes. I took in what he was wearing at the same time that his eyes trailed down. He had on a smart, white shirt, black trousers, to match his black tie, and the black shoes that he had just taken off.
Looks like I wasn't the only one to have gone a little…overboard with dressing up. Although I definitely wasn't complaining with just how…amazing he looked. The darkness of his trousers and tie seemed to only charm his beauty and outstandingly pale skin even more.
Finally, his eyes darted back up to mine after taking a long look at what I was wearing also, and it gave me a few more moments just to take in the gloriousness which was his hair. It was all messed up, and I could tell he'd been nervously running his hand through his hair like usual.
He looked amazing, stood there, like a figurine of the most perfect person alive. I knew that he hated being labeled as 'perfect' and 'beautiful' as said in an interview, but he truly was. There was no denying the truth.
''You look so beautiful.'' He murmured gently, as I reached his side at the bottom of the stairs. I suddenly cursed these heels; my legs were still killing me from falling over yesterday, and it wasn't the prettiest sight.
With my dress, I had my clutches at my side, limping along like an idiot, whilst wearing black, high heels. And when I say high, I mean high; Rachael's sense of tonight's fashion wasn't helping me limp along very gracefully.
''Thank-you…though these clutches are really not that great to use.'' I admitted sadly. Rachael had even run a thin line of a black decoration with flowers linked on them, to my clutches; just so that it matched my look.
I rolled my eyes, and grinned at Rob. ''You look very beautiful too, by the way.'' I commented; hoping that he would understand why I felt so uncomfortable. Tonight would be a big night, and I didn't feel that great hobbling on clutches.
''Thank-you,'' he murmured, before holding out his right hand for me to take. I gave him my left hand after finding the nerve to let go of my clutch, and gave him my hand. He smiled in response, and leaned my hand to his mouth, where he kissed it gently.
I flushed a bright red color, biting hard on my lower lip as an overused, embarrassed habit. He released my hand to let me take hold of my clutches again. I walked into the kitchen with him where I got a shock.
The table was all set up properly, with a candle in the middle, and Rose petals on the table. He helped me into the room, even though I still had my clutches, and helped me sit on the dining table chair. I smiled my gratitude at him in response.
''I wasn't sure what you would like to eat, so I have to admit that I got a bit of help from Rachael and Tasha; who said that you quite like mushroom ravioli, so I got you that…is that alright?'' He asked me, sounding really nervous.
I nodded my reply, smiling at him. ''That's fine; sounds yummy,'' I replied; watching him as he walked round to the fridge, and prepared a salad for us both. It looked really yummy with tomatoes, lettuce, cucumber, and red onions.
That was the starter, and the mushroom ravioli was for the main course. It looked as yummy as it sounded, and although we weren't really keeping up a conversation, it wasn't awkward. We didn't really need to, but we were still talking.
I had just ice cream for pudding as I really was quite full, even though profiteroles and chocolate sauce were on offer. I was getting more and more nervous by the second, so I kept to eating things light; ice cream.
''Would you…like to go into the lounge?'' I looked at him, confused. We never went into the lounge very much, even though it was the nicest room in the house. I nodded, and let him help me into the lounge; still with my clutches in hand.
The walls were a dark wooden, the lounge sofa was a deep orange color, but nice all the same. The two mini tables were in front of the sofas, and matched the pulsing orange color, and had orange candles to match the styling of the sofa.
The floor was cream, to match the curtains going round the sofa, on a wooden rail. He helped me over to the lounging area, where he helped me sit down on the sofa. On the table was bowls of chocolate, and strawberries, and bananas but I was still too nervous to eat.
He sat down beside me then, and handed me a glass of wine; holding his own in his hand. I took it, and drank it back a little too eagerly. I was too nervous, and the wine tasted so good. I had needed a drink to calm my nerves.
He just smiled at me in response to my eagerness, and drank a sip from his own glass before putting it on the small table in the middle. He looked down at his hands; as he began to talk about…well about tonight.
''I promised that we would compromise,'' he began; clearing his throat awkwardly. ''And as much as I don't want to stop…you have to tell me if it gets too uncomfortable, or if it doesn't feel right, or whatever; alright?'' He asked me, making me smile.
He was so considerate to my feelings that I couldn't help but smile. It was so like him, to think of others feelings before himself. But he surely had to realize…that I couldn't possibly get him to stop, if we did.
It would be too hard to; there was no way that I could possibly say no to him; not now, and not ever. So I just smiled, and lied; nodding my head in response. He smiled back, and laced my hand in his easily.
''Would you like some strawberries…some chocolate?'' He asked me considerately; kissing the edge of my neck softly. I shuddered in delight; unable to help myself.
''No thank-you,'' I replied, dazzled by his beauty. How did he manage to be so…beautiful? I didn't understand it.
''Are you not hungry anymore?'' He asked in that considerate, worried tone of his. I smiled; trying not to notice how his lips were moving against my cheek, and right next to my chin. He kept kissing me; making it hard to concentrate.
''I erm…I'm just…a little…nervous.'' I admitted; gasping for breath as his hands pressed gently into my hair; pushing me a little closer to me. His chuckle echoed into my ear, tickling my skin there, and making me shudder in delight.
''I don't want you to be nervous.'' He whispered gently into my ear. He kissed the skin just below my ear, before pulling away a little bit, so that he could savor my expression properly. I hoped that I didn't look too nervous.
''I know…I'm fine, really.'' I whispered; looking down at my hands, away from his glassy-eyes, soft eyes that I felt burning into mine.
I looked back; rewarded with his timeless, beautiful smile. ''Would you…like to go upstairs?'' He finally asked me.
I nodded; smiling back at his embarrassment, glad that he finally had asked me. Because the truth was that yes, I really did want to go upstairs now. I was still nervous of course, but I would handle that. I knew that I could.
''Let's go,'' I agreed; lacing my fingers with his. He helped me up with my clutches…about to face the dreaded stairs; dreaded because it wasn't exactly great to use while having clutches. I was ready for this.
***
