London Times

I got back to the hotel room in a little under fifteen minutes. It was lucky that we were staying in downtown London because I would have never made it in time otherwise. I scurried back up to our room and pulled my dress out from under the bed. I couldn't believe I'd spent so much on a single dress which I was most likely only going to wear tonight. It was a beautiful gown, a bright red and strapless, with a ribbon wrapping around the bottom. Ellie picked it out, seeing as Dougie hadn't told me where he was taking me, I'd wanted to keep it casual. I went with the more natural look, keeping the make up to a minimal and grabbing my clutch I'd bought yesterday. I gave myself one last look in the mirror when I was ready. The girl starring back was near unrecognizable, just like when I went to the club only this time she was stunning and not, slutty. I took a deep breath, straightening out my dress.

"I can't do this." I shrieked, running for my cell phone. I needed to call Ellie.

"Please enjoy the music while your party is reached."

"'Cause this is thriller! Thriller night, and nothings gonna save you from the beast about to strike! You know it's Thriller! Thriller night",

I let out a groan. Ellie and her Michael Jackson. I began tapping my fingers impatiently against my thigh.

"Shmell-"

"Ellie!" I shrieked. "I can't do this! Come save meee!" I couldn't go out with Dougie. I barely knew Dougie! And the last relationship I'd rushed into ended in disaster. I heard her laugh, which was of course something she would do. She was so insensitive, and besides Ellie laughed at practically everything. I hated when she laughed at my emotional break downs though.

"Katie, Katie calm down. Breath hon, in" I did as she said, but it only made me think of Dougie. That night at the club, he'd actually tried to help me... "And out." I let it out. "Are we good?"

"Mhm." Was all I could manage. For some reason, I felt sorry for Dougie. He did nothing wrong and I was afraid to go out with him?

"Okay, now what's the problem?" As if it wasn't obvious.

"I can't do this! What in the heck was I thinking?!" I was panicking.

"Katie, look just calm down. It'll be fine! You can't keep thinking that just because Ricky was a jerk, that every guy is a jerk." She was right. Okay, I just had to remember to breath, and give Dougie a chance. Maybe he wasn't a jerk like Ricky, there were plenty of other fish in the sea. Maybe Dougie was my fish. I nodded to myself.

"You're right. See, this is why I needed to call you." I knew it was a mistake, before it came out of my mouth. Ellie's head was going to swell.

"Well, anytime. That'll be a dollar fif-" I rolled my eyes and hung up before she could finish. I had to hurry down to the lobby because I'd spent too much time freaking out. I saw Dougie standing just by the door and felt like an idiot when I noticed he was in a pair of worn out skinny jeans and an old Hurley t-shirt and hold a...bouquet of...peanuts? I frowned, slowing my pace as his eyes nearly bulged out of his head.

"Whoa." He looked me up and down. "You look..." I smiled while Dougie thought of the right words. "Whoa." I laughed, I guess I'd take it.

"Is that a good whoa or a bad...whoa?" I knew the answer, I just thought I'd ask. He looked me over again.

"Definitely a good 'whoa'." He then frowned looking down at his jeans. "But...you might not wanna wear that where I'm taking you..." He held up the bouquet of peanuts, handing them to me. Peanuts?

"Thanks...Dougie?" If this was our dinner, I'd probably should have ordered room service before he got here. "Where are we uh..." I moved a peanut over before it fell out. "Where are we going...exactly?" He smiled.

"You'll find out but first, we should probably go find you something else to wear." Five hundred dollars for a stupid dress, and I was even wearing heels.

A few minutes later we were up in the hotel room. I was sitting on the bed, while Dougie rummage through our bags looking for me something to wear. It was becoming increasingly difficult to watch him, especially from the angle I was sitting. I bit my lip, tilting my head slightly.

"Okay," He stood up and I quickly looked at the lamp. "You don't mind if these get dirty do you?" He was holding up a pair of my skinny jeans, and one of Ellie's t-shirts. It was her ugly gray one that said, 'For Those About To Rock' in scratchy letters across the front. I hated that shirt.

"Nope." I chirped, exchanging the peanuts for the clothes. Dougie smiled and motioned for the bathroom.

"Hurry, don't wanna keep 'em waiting." Keep who waiting? Alright, so Dougie was cute, sweet, funny, and a tad on the strange side.

I was mad, I won't deny that, but as I sat in the passenger's seat of Dougie's car I couldn't have been happier that I was out of those heels and in a pair of comfy converse.

"What kind of music to you like?" I shrugged. I'd already gone through the CD's in his car, and the majority of them were bands I'd never even heard of.

"I listen to a mostly pop and country, but if the tune's catchy I don't really mind."

"Pop and country?" Dougie looked over at me in disbelief.

"I said anything catchy too..." I pouted, attempting to defend myself. He laughed, reaching into the little cubbie hole beneath the stereo for a CD without looking.

"How about Blink?" He held up the CD and across it was 'Blink 182' and a yellow, red, and green circle. I frowned.

"I'd never heard of them." Dougie let out a girlie gasp, turning his eyes from the road to give me a horror struck expression.

"Where have you been woman?!" I couldn't help but laugh as he popped it into the CD player. We'd listened to Blink 182 until we pulled into the deserted parking lot, of the London Zoo.

"Surprise!" Dougie shouted as he turned the car off, throwing his hands in the air. I guess this now explained the peanuts...sort of...

"Dougie, that's sweet but..." I glanced around the empty parking lot. "I think they're closed today." Dougie shook his head, getting out and walking around to open my door for me.

"Nah, I had today reserved special, for us." He reserved the Zoo? I mean, of all things...the Zoo. "We get to go play with the animals." Dougie had a huge, child like grin on his face as he grabbed hold of my hand and headed toward the entrance. I cleared my throat.

"That's really sweet Dougie but..." He stopped, turning to look at me with a worried expression.

"You don't like animals. Shit! Harry told me I would've asked you first but I didn't think about it and-"

"Dougie." I placed my hand on his cheek to get him to calm down and look up at me. It wasn't my 'dream' date but, he had gone through all the trouble to reserve the zoo for me. Not to mention, I liked animals. Some scared the living daylight outta me, but I could do with a cute little chimp or penguin. "I love animals." I gave him a warm smile and his returned.

"You're going to love this." And he continued pulling me towards the entrance.

"Dougie." I whimpered as Peanut, the ten ton elephant got closer towards my outstretched hand. I was shaking like a leaf and I wanted the throw the stupid peanut at the monstrous thing and haul tail it outta there. Of course, the trainer said that it would be best if I didn't make any sudden movements. "I'm not loving this." I heard him walk up behind me, placing his hands on my waist to probably keep me from shaking so much.

"Katie, it's just a ten ton elephant." I pulled my eyebrows together in a frown, and turned, slowly, to glare at him.

"Really Dougie? I hadn't, noticed!" I loudly whispered the last part. This was not the same a chimp or a penguin. Definitely not the same! He laughed, grabbing my wrist and holding it up higher. I cringed, closing my eyes as Peanut's trunk reached out, sucking the peanuts from my hand and tossed them into his mouth. I then spun around, hiding myself in Dougie's chest letting out a squeak, "Let's go let's go let's go!" I jumped back and forth on both of my legs, trying to push Dougie back. He wouldn't budge.

"I think he likes you." What? I turned around to find Peanut, leaning down on his two front legs with his trunk outstretched towards me. I backed into Dougie.

"What do you think he wants?" I choked. Dougie laughed again,

"A kiss." He wasn't being funny, and I think he noticed that when I didn't laugh with him. "He probably just wants another peanut, here." I felt Dougie place another peanut in my hand. "I'm right here, nothings gonna happen." I turned back around and he smiled down at me. This is going to sound stupid, but I somehow found courage in his smile and took a deep breath, turning around to face Peanut. I think he was a little closer than before.

"Okay." I sighed. "Last peanut, Peanut." I extended my arm as far as it would go, only his trunk flew past my arm and wrapped itself around my waist.

Now, I panicked.

"Dougie!" I screamed, leaning back and pushing on his trunk as though I could actually make him let go of me. My feet left the ground and my breath caught in my throat. I shook my head, shaking my arms towards Dougie, hoping he would just reach out and take me away from this ginormous creature. He did nothing though, but laugh at the expression on my face. I mocked him in my head, 'I'm right here, no thing's gonna happen' except I gave him a girly accent.

"It's okay Katie, just stroke his trunk." Dougie instructed, clutching his stomach. Tell me, what did I ever see in him. I did my little breathing exercises.

"Alright Peanut." My voice was barely over a whisper as I began stroking, instead of pushing, his trunk. His skin felt rough, and vaguely dry. You know, it wasn't really all that bad. He made his little, elephant noise and my body tensed up.

"Stroke Katie." Dougie repeated.

"I am stroking!" And as if he actually understood me, Peanut sat me down, gently brushing his trunk against my arm.

"Now, was that bad?" I wanted to turn around and beat the crud outta him...but he was right. I smiled up at Peanut, reaching out to stroke his trunk.

"I guess not." I reluctantly admitted. "So." I wiped my hands off on the back of my jeans. "Where to next?"

"I didn't know you were so afraid of elephants." Dougie laughed again, handing the little chimp that was in my lap a piece of banana. I smiled down at him, he looked so adorable in his little diaper...the chimp obviously.

"I'm not." He laughed.

"Well, it didn't seem that way to me." I rolled my eyes, smiling as the baby chimp snatched the whole banana out of Dougie's hand and scrambled back into my lap, throwing one arm around my neck as he stood up on my knee. "I see how it is then mate!"

"I mean, I'm not afraid of them particularly." I had to pause as the chimp tossed his banana peel onto the floor and tried to play in my hair. Dougie leaned over, picking him up and placing him in his own lap. "I just don't like big animals that could kill me in one...stomp." Saying what scared me out loud, only made me realize how in danger I actually was. I think I actually kept my cool back there.

"Oh, so big animals are a no go." I nodded in agreement. "But this little fella, is a-"

"Yes go." I finished for him. He smiled nodding at the the baby chimp.

"So what else are you afraid of, just so I know what to steer clear of."

"Heights, spiders, and scary movies." I frowned, watching as the little chimp made his way over to his toys and forgetting about me and Dougie.

"Gotcha." He gave me a thumbs up, standing up and helping me off the ground.

"So what about you then? What's makes you scream like a little girl?" I teased as we made our way to the exit of the little chimp play area. It was obvious we were no longer wanted.

"Not too much really. Teenage girls can be quite scary." He frowned, looking down at his feet. I was a teenage girl. It hadn't occurred to me until now that I had no idea how old Dougie was!

"Teenage girls? How old are you?" I didn't look up at him because I wanted the question to sound as casual as I could muster.

"Turning twenty-two in November." Whoa, pedophile! Pedophile! He was turning twenty-two? I wasn't turning eighteen for another three months! Dougie was four years older than me.

I felt my heart begin to speed up. Why had had age not occurred to me until now? It was all my fault. I should have told him how old I was when he was flirting with me in the club. "What about you?" I choked on air, stopping to look back up at him. I had no idea where we were headed, I was just following him. "I mean, if you don't wanna share that's cool. I get the whole, girl's and there age thing." He smiled and shoved his hands into his pockets, turning to look back at the ground in front of him.

"Twenty-one in June." The wicked little lie slipped its way through my teeth before I could stop it. I was a horrible, horrible person. I could hear Ellie's voice in my head chanting, 'Liar, Liar, Pants on fire' which was ironic because she lied all the time about stuff like this. It wasn't my fault though, he made me feel bad for not telling him my age after he'd told me without hesitation.

"So we're only a year apart then. Wicked." He smiled, reaching down to hold my hand. I forced a smile in return. Something was telling me that this was all going to come around and bite me in the butt. I just knew it.

"Admit it, you had fun." I laughed, focusing out the window. I had loads of fun, well apart from the parrot pooping on my shoulder.

"I had fun." Dougie let out a satisfactory, 'Ha!'. We pulled into the parking lot of the hotel and I smiled over at him. "Thank you Dougie."

"Don't mention it. Hey, we should go get breakfast tomorrow, if...you'd like to."

"Breakfast? Don't guys usually ask for lunch or dinner?" I raised my eyebrow in confusion. Dougie shrugged.

"Yeah, but Breakfast is the earliest time you can eat, which means it's the soonest I could see you again." I blushed. He was so sweet! I had to focus on the design on Dougie's shirt. "Well, I guess I could climb the side of the building, all the way to the seventh floor and watch you sleep through your window." I frowned, looking up to see him laugh. "But that would be a little creepy don't you think?" I rolled my eyes, letting out slight giggle.

"A little?" Dougie smiled, gently patting the top of my hand.

"Well I'll see you tomorrow then?" I nodded, "Four a.m. sharp?" I felt my jaw drop. "Joke." I let out a breath. "I'll drop by at eight." I smiled, that was a heck of a lot better.

"Of course." I smiled stepping reaching for the door, only Dougie grabbed my arm, pulling me back.

"Now, hold up. I've been acting all gentleman like this whole time, don't go and ruin it for me now." I laughed sitting back in my seat. Dougie smiled triumphantly, getting out and hurrying over to open my door for me. "Thank you."

"Anytime." I replied, stepping out of the car. "Thanks for a... very adventurous day, Dougie." He held up his finger as if to correct me.

"Adventurous, but fun day. Right?" I laughed, nodding.

"Absolutely." I leaned over to him, kissing him on the cheek, hey, I wasn't fast, and biting my lips together. "See ya later Dougie." I noticed that his cheeks were slightly more rosy now, and I refrained from laughing.

"Eight!" He called after me.

"Oh!" I almost forgot, if he came to our room and woke my mom up at eight in the morning looking for me, I was chop liver. "Meet me in the lobby again." Dougie nodded, holding a thumbs up.

As soon as I was up in the room again, I let out a squeal of delight. Dougie was amazing! That was my first real date, and Dougie had made it extremely hard to top. Granted, the elephant incident had probably scarred me for life, it was the probably the best day of my life, so far. I let out a sigh, heading towards the suitcases to find the clothes I'd been wearing when I'd left Ellie and mom at Big Ben. Today was great, but I wasn't really smelling too great at the moment.