Once You've Tasted Love

Chapter 2

I stood there for another couple of minutes and couldn't believe it. Gary Barlow wants to take me out for dinner. ME! I blinked a few times and shook my head, this surely had to be a dream. But the picture was the proof. Or was this just another part of my dream? I quickly took a look into my book and there it really was. His signature and his phone number. His. Phone. Number. I couldn't really think straight so I decided to go back home, my knees still week and my skin covered in goosebumps.

As I closed the door behind me, I felt the need to speak to someone I could trust with this. Anna. I decided to send her a text.
"Hey Anna, got some really exciting news. Need to tell u. Can u come round today after work? Clara x"

I put my phone on the coffee table beside me and headed to the bathroom, my head still couldn't believe what had happened, but the butterflies in my stomach were there, I needed a shower to clear my head. As always, I began to think and worry about things, one of the things I hated most about myself. What did I even expect? A big love story? What did he even want? The same? Just a fling? I knew in the 90s it probably was like that, you know a quick shag with a fan because they were easy to get, but in 2006? I saw him for what, 5 minutes, but he was already so cute and adorable. Or was it just a trick to get into my pants, because men are men and all the same? Suddenly I felt fear. Should I really go to this "date"? Was it even a date?

After I finished getting ready, I started my laptop, I still had to find a job. I did have very good qualifications, but I wanted to start easy, you know, find an easy job and settle a bit, get to know some people and then maybe get a bit of a more advanced job.

After about an hour I found a job advertisement as a secretary of a small company in Paddington. I wrote my application and sent it off. It was nearly lunchtime and I started to get hungry, so I quit the job-searching for today. I looked at my phone and had one new message.
"Hi Clara, ofc. See u at 7. I'll bring some pizza with me and we can have a girls night, ok? Anna x"
"Nice, c u"
As I moved here yesterday, I still needed to go to the supermarket, so I decided to go out for lunch and then go shopping. Unlike this morning it was raining now, however I still didn't take my car. I promised myself that I would only use my car if completely necessary as traffic in London was the complete hell.

I was sitting in a nice little restaurant waiting for my meal as I suddenly remembered that I had to text Gary. My thoughts came back. Should I really do it? You know what they say: Never date your idol. I was scared, hands down, but somehow it did feel right. I mean what did I have to lose? If I didn't let myself fall for him that fast, I wouldn't have to suffer from a heartbreak so soon, but I was aware that it would probably end in a heartbreak, I mean he is Gary Barlow and I’m…just me. Little me.
Luckily, I had taken the same bag as earlier with me, which meant the book with his number was still in there. I saved the number into my contacts and began to write a text.
"Hello Gary, this is Clara. You gave me your number this morning and said I should text you. Have a nice day"
Sent. It felt strange. Good strange though.
When my food arrived, I put all my stuff back into my bag and started to eat.

The minute I was finished my phone beeped. One new message. Gary.
"Hello Clara, thank you for texting, I really appreciate it. You still up for dinner tomorrow? If you send me your address, I'll pick you up at 6:30. Have a nice day too, Gary"
He really seems cute.
-It's only dinner Clara. Calm down. He is a popstar. Don't get too excited. He surely goes on a date very often. Wait. I still don’t even know if this was a date? -
"Of course I want to. 6:30 sounds good to me. My address is 30 Portland Road. Where are we going?"
"Thank you. That's a surprise. But dress nicely. See u"
Wow. I'm going out with Gary Barlow. Wow.

Hi, yes I was a bit bored today so here is the next chapter. I only write this note cause I forgot to add at the beginning "Please mind that this is all fiction and never happened in any kind of way." (Although I think you are all aware of the fact that this is fiction. There is a reason it's called fanFICTION.
Take care x