Dreams Can Come True

9. Shopping

The door of the studio swung open, and there appeared Georg and Gustav. "Elise!" Georg exclaimed my name, a mix of astonishment and joy in his voice.
"Surprise!" I called out as Tom held up the coffee and handed it to the boys. "Thank you," they thanked me in unison. Gustav looked at Bill and said, "Wow, you're really lucky to have such a sweet girlfriend." I felt Bill put his arm around my shoulder, and I noticed the pride in his gesture.
"Yeah, I know," Bill replied with a smile. "I'm truly blessed." Georg patted my shoulder and said, "You guys are a great couple. Really."
"Thank you, Georg," I replied, feeling the warmth of the compliment.
Bill turned back to me, his eyes searching mine as he tenderly held my face. "Will I see you tonight?" he asked with a soft voice, filled with hope. My heart skipped a few beats. I felt a mix of joy and disappointment. I had planned a romantic surprise, an intimate dinner for two at a cozy Italian restaurant. I wanted to make our time together special, but the reality of the secret contract suddenly dawned on me.
I lowered my gaze, and my voice trembled a bit as I replied, "I had made a reservation at a small Italian restaurant as a surprise for the two of us." A shadow of disappointment crossed Bill's face. He understood. I continued with a nod in my voice, "But I completely forgot that we'd better not be seen together in public."
"Oh," sighed Bill. His eyes expressed regret. In a tender gesture, he lifted my chin and looked deeply into my eyes. "That's so sweet of you," he whispered with genuine gratitude. My heart melted at his touch and sweet words. Bill quickly thought and suggested, "Maybe we can have a pizza night at my place?"
"Perfect!" I exclaimed, the disappointment fading from my eyes. A wide smile spread across Bill's face. It was so typical of Bill to come up with an alternative plan right away. His ability to spontaneously make the best of any situation always made me laugh.
"Oh yeah!" exclaimed Tom, who had been listening in on our conversation. "Are you guys coming over for pizza too?" he asked Georg and Gustav, who quickly agreed. The planned romantic evening now turned into a cozy pizza party with the whole band.
I felt a mix of joy and a hint of regret as my romantic plans had changed. While the boys looked forward to the pizza night, Bill threw a guilty smile my way. He shrugged and whispered softly in my ear, "Sorry. We'll plan a night just for us soon." A wink followed, and I couldn't help but smile.

The sun was shining brightly as Bas and I walked into the shopping street, filled with trendy boutiques and fashion stores. The prospect of a day of shopping with Bas excited me. We entered a fashionable boutique where colorful dresses and trendy outfits caught my attention. The enticing smell of new clothes filled the air.
In the store, I picked up a few dresses from the rack and headed to the fitting room. Bas took a seat on a nearby chair as I surrounded myself with different styles and colors. A red dress with a deep neckline, a blue jumpsuit with wide legs – I was eager to hear Bas' opinion.
"And?" I asked as I emerged from the fitting room in the red dress. Bas looked up and whistled admiringly. "Wow, that looks amazing on you. Red is your color," he said sincerely. I felt flattered by his compliment and twirled around to show off the dress.
"Hmm, what do you think of this?" I asked, selecting a colorful dress to try on. Bas gave me an encouraging nod. "Nice color, it would suit you well."
As I tried on different dresses, Bas and I shared our thoughts and opinions. "Too floral," he remarked about a certain dress. "But this one," he said as I showcased an elegant black dress, "looks amazing on you. You should definitely take that." His honesty made shopping even more enjoyable.
"That looks fantastic on you, Elise!" he exclaimed as I stood in the fitting room for the tenth time. I laughed and twirled around in front of the mirror. His honest compliments gave me a boost of confidence.
After finding a few winning outfits, we ventured to the checkout counter. "Bill won't be able to take his eyes off you," Bas said as he held the bags. "You have a great style, Elise."
During our shopping trip, we stopped at a café for a well-deserved break. The sun was shining on the terrace, and we enjoyed a light lunch. "So, tell me, how are you?" Bas asked, taking a sip of his drink.
I smiled and took a sip of my iced tea. "I'm really great, Bas. This world here, with Bill, the rest of Tokio Hotel, and of course you, is everything I've ever dreamed of. I'm just happy."
Bas looked at me with a genuine smile and said, "That's fantastic to hear. And how is it really going with you and Bill? Tell me everything." I laughed and gave him a playful punch. "Oh, come on, you know I'm not going to share all the juicy details. But things are really good between us. He makes me happy."
Bas raised his eyebrows and said, "I'm happy for you guys. You really look good together." He looked thoughtful for a moment and added, "Maybe we should still go to a lingerie store. You could surprise Bill with something spicy." I blushed slightly and replied, "Oh, Bas, that's not really necessary." My cheeks were probably already red.
However, he was already standing up and said determinedly, "Come on, Elise, a little excitement in the relationship can't hurt. And I'm sure Bill will appreciate it." With a broad grin, he dragged me to the nearest lingerie store, and I couldn't help but laughingly go along with him.