Author's Note: So sorry once again for the long gap between updates! A lot of stuff has been going on.
I really wanted to try to have more than this written before updating, but I literally just finished writing Chapter 142, and was so happy with it, I wanted to get it up.
Hope you enjoy the update! Please review. :)
Chapter 141: Aaron's Request
Once Zak and I arrived at the "Eiffel Tower Restaurant", we headed inside and checked in with the maître d and he took us to one of the round circular booths that overlooked the Bellagio Fountains.
The restaurant was gorgeous, decorated in black, red and white colours, and had a combination of tables and circular booths. It was dimly lit inside – as there was plenty of light coming from the Las Vegas Strip via the large floor to ceiling windows.
It definitely gave off a date night vibe.
(Link on my profile for Twitter and Instagram picture)
I had been texting with Cheryl on the way to the restaurant, so I knew she and Aaron hadn't arrived yet. Once Zak and I were seated in one of the circular booths, I texted Cheryl to let her know we had arrived.
Within a minute or two, Cheryl and Aaron were directed to our table, and Zak and I stood up to greet them.
"Hey Munckin!" Aaron said cheerfully, smiling as he gave me a hug. "So good to see ya!" Aaron added.
I laughed at him referring to me by his nickname for me, and hugged him back.
"Good to see you too," I replied, smiling at him as I pulled back.
I turned to Cheryl, who was just pulling back from a hug with Zak, and we both smiled at each other.
"You look fantastic!" Cheryl exclaimed, before embracing me in a tight hug.
"So do you! I love your dress," I said, hugging her back.
Cheryl was wearing an olive green, knee length dress with a black coat over it. Aaron was dressed up in a dark grey suit.
It felt great to see them again.
Zak and I hadn't seen them in a while, and we didn't see much of each other during my recovery either, mainly due to my depression.
I realized in that moment that I had missed Cheryl a great deal.
Our friendship had changed immensely since my accident.
When I woke up from my coma, the first time I saw Cheryl had been overwhelming. She had been so afraid she had lost me, and she ended up going on with one her of fast spoken speeches she often did when she became upset and emotional.
She started by saying she was sorry for not having been the type of friend that I deserved, and that if I never wanted to see her again, she would understand. I responded in confusion, asking what she was talking about. She explained that she realized – with a great amount of guilt that it had taken a near death experience for her to come to the realization – that she shouldn't have been so hard on me all the time about the way I was. She felt horrible that she had always been pressuring me to do or say things when I was uncomfortable, and for pushing me to dress in a certain way. I tried to tell her that it was okay - seeing how distressed she was - but she insisted that it wasn't. She said that she never meant to hurt me, or come across as judgmental. It was just her way of trying to help me to be more confident, but she realized the error of her ways, and said she should have been more supportive.
Knowing she was being completely honest and genuine, I admitted that at times her behaviour had upset me, but that even though it may not have been the best way to help me, in the long run it probably had. I told her she would always be my friend, and she promised to never treat me like she had before, ever again.
Since our talk, Cheryl had been nothing but supportive, and never once pressured me or judged me like she used to.
Cheryl smiled at me when she pulled back, and I smiled in return.
"Alright, come on, don't get sappy on us, ladies," Aaron teased, causing Cheryl and I to laugh.
"Oh stop it, tough guy," Cheryl teased.
Zak and I laughed, and then we all sat down. Cheryl and I moved in to sit next to each other in the middle of the circular seat, while Zak sat on my other side and Aaron sat on the other side of Cheryl.
After we all ordered some appetizers, drinks, and our main courses, we engaged in casual chit chat – catching each other up on our lives since we had last seen each other. Even though he was participating in the conversations, Cheryl and I both noticed Aaron seemed a bit quieter than usual, and seemed distracted.
While Zak and Aaron were caught up in a conversation, I leaned closer to Cheryl.
"Is Aaron okay?" I asked quietly, feeling concerned.
"I don't know, he's been distracted since we knew we were coming out with you guys tonight," Cheryl said quietly, glancing at Aaron before looking back at me. "I asked him if there was something wrong, but he insisted everything was fine," Cheryl added, looking concerned herself.
I immediately wondered if it had to do with the initial reason Aaron had asked Zak and I to come out tonight – Aaron had wanted to ask me something. I assumed that whatever Aaron had on his mind, that he didn't want Cheryl to know about it, so I played dumb.
"I'm sure it's nothing, he's always been open with you," I said quietly, rubbing her back a bit for comfort.
She smiled at me and nodded, but I could see she wasn't entirely convinced.
I felt bad, and wondered if I should try to get Aaron's attention and somehow get him to ask me whatever it was he wanted to ask me, but with Cheryl sitting right next to me, I couldn't see how I could possibly get him to talk to me without Cheryl noticing.
Aaron suddenly made a teasing remark about something Cheryl had said earlier in the day when they were cleaning their house, and Cheryl immediately became defensive, but in a playful way.
I saw Zak give me a questioning look, one that said "is everything okay?"
I smiled a bit at him to reassure him that I was okay, but partially shrugged my shoulders to also indicate I wasn't entirely sure.
After we finished our appetizers, I felt the need to make a quick trip to the restroom.
"Zak, can you let me out, please? I need to visit the restroom," I said, picking up my purse from the seat next to me.
"Nope," Zak joked, causing all of us to laugh, before he got up from the booth.
"Ass," I joked softly after sliding along the seat and standing up, not wanting the other patrons to hear me.
Zak laughed.
"I'm gonna come with," Aaron said, standing up from his side of the booth.
Zak shot him a confused look.
"It's usual the women that go to the restroom together, bro," Zak teased.
Cheryl, Aaron and I laughed.
"Munchkin is right, you are an ass," Aaron said jokingly, but ended up laughing harder.
"Well, jeez," Zak said as he sat back down. "Kinda glad you two are leaving now," Zak jokingly said as if he was upset.
"We're the better duo of this foursome anyway," Cheryl joked.
Zak laughed as he nodded in agreement, while Aaron and I rolled our eyes, but we did laugh as he walked off toward the restrooms.
Once I had used the restroom, washed my hands, and checked out my hair and makeup, I walked out of the restroom to see Aaron waiting for me.
Now was the perfect opportunity to talk to him.
"Hey," I said, stepping over to him. "Are you okay? You're kinda quiet tonight," I added.
"Yeah, just kinda nervous about what I want to ask you," Aaron replied.
"Nothing to be nervous about, you can always talk to me," I said, rubbing his upper arm gently. "What's up?" I added.
Aaron smiled, fidgeting a bit, and then looked more serious than I had ever seen him.
"I uh…I was wondering if…" Aaron started, but then seemed to lose a bit of his nerve.
I felt my stomach tense up a bit from nerves, suddenly wondering if whatever he had to ask me was something bad.
"I want to ask Cheryl to marry me…" Aaron said, fidgeting a bit still. "I was wondering if you would help me look for a ring?" Aaron added.
My eyes widened in shock, and a smile broke out over my face as the tension left my body.
"Oh my god, Aaron!" I nearly squealed, excitement filling me as I lunged forward and hugged him. "Of course I will!" I said.
Aaron laughed and hugged me back, and the tension he had been filled with seemed to leave his body as well.
I pulled back to look up at him, and jokingly punched him in the arm.
"You scared me for a minute!" I scoffed, both of us laughing. "Why in the world were you so nervous about asking me that?" I asked.
Aaron laughed quietly again as he reached up and rubbed the back of his neck.
"I don't know…I guess I was worried you wouldn't approve…" Aaron admitted.
"Oh, Aaron," I said, smiling as I rubbed his arm again. "You make Cheryl happier than I've ever seen her, and not that you guys need my approval, but I definitely approve," I said honestly.
Aaron smiled brightly, looking like his usual self now, free from his nerves.
"Thanks, Ali," Aaron said.
I smiled and nodded.
"One thing though, can I tell Zak?" I asked, and Aaron looked confused. "He was dying with curiosity earlier…and even though he played it off as a joke, I think a tiny bit of him was actually worried you were going to ask me out or something…" I explained, laughing softly.
Aaron's eyes widened and laughed, shaking his head.
"Dude…that's crazy!" Aaron replied, then immediately looked a bit frazzled. "I mean, un…not that you're not a great girl, cause you are, I just mean-" Aaron rambled.
I smiled and laughed quietly.
"I understand what you mean Aaron, don't worry," I said.
Aaron let out a sigh of relief, making me laugh a bit more.
"So, is it okay if I tell him?" I asked.
Aaron nodded.
"Yeah, just make sure he doesn't say anything to anyone else. I don't want to risk Cheryl finding out," Aaron said.
I smiled and nodded.
"Of course," I assured.
Aaron smiled, and then politely held his arm out for me to hold on to as we walked back to the table.
"Come on, I gotta at least mess with him a little," Aaron said.
I laughed and jokingly rolled my eyes, but took a hold of Aaron's arm and walked back with him to our table, feeling a bit playful myself now that the tension was gone.
Two hours later…
"Alright, what did he want?" Zak asked suddenly.
I looked at him and couldn't help but laugh.
"What?" Zak asked, glancing at me briefly before looking back at the road as he drove us back to his house.
"I was wondering how long it would take you to ask," I replied, trying not to laugh. "I thought it would have been the second they were out of earshot," I added, teasing him.
Zak laughed as he shook his head.
"You gonna tell me or not?" Zak asked.
"Alright, calm down Mr. Jealous," I teased, causing Zak to scoff, causing me to laugh again. "He wants me to go ring shopping with him, he's going to propose to Cheryl," I explained.
Zak looked at me, eyes wide, before looking back at the road again.
"Holy shit, really?!" Zak asked, clearly stunned. "Wasn't expecting that," he added.
"No, why would you? Not like Aaron proposing to his girlfriend and asking her best friend for help was a more logical explanation than him asking the best friend out," I replied, teasing him further.
Zak laughed and reached over and jokingly smacked my arm, but he did it so gently, I barely felt it.
"Ok, ok, I get it! I'm a paranoid fool, stop teasing me," Zak jokingly whined.
I laughed before I leaned over and gently kissed his cheek.
"You're my paranoid fool," I replied, smiling.
Zak looked at me, smiling brightly at me before he looked back at the road.
"Damn straight," Zak replied.
I laughed at the fact he wasn't denying being a paranoid fool - despite the fact I didn't actually think that of him - and then smiled as I looked out the window to watch the scenery go by as he drove.
