Shards of Blue Glass

A Night to Remember

When we reach Las Vegas around seven, the boys and I decide to head out to dinner.

    If only we could've foretold what would happen that night.

    We're waiting on our meals to arrive, so we talk. Then, a swarm of girls appears next to our table, giggling and pointing at Zak, who sits next to me. Then, they grab Zak's arm, causing him to turn away from talking to Mark, who sits on my other side.

    A couple of them ask Zak if he's Zak Prongs, a famous paranormal investigator, which he replies that he is. This seems to make them even wilder and laugh more. They cart off Zak to their table, and all of us look around at each other.

    I see Alex take out his phone, and see him turn the outward-facing camera to face him. "Zak just got carted off to another table by a bunch of girls. We're waiting to see if he returns in one piece."

    Jae and Mark laugh, and Alex turns the phone to face them. Jae chuckles and says,"They looked right at Saira and just walked away with Zak. Saira, how do you feel about that?"

    Alex's phone turns towards me, and I fight the urge to hunker down in my seat as my self-hate and low self-esteem rise to the surface. I've gotten better since starting the show nine months ago, but then we're either researching, interviewing, or getting scared out of our wits. Not much room for self-doubt.

    I laugh and smile, looking over at the table with the girls and Zak. "Well, it's kinda daunting to be looked straight in the eye by a bunch of girls, who then steal your fiance, and obviously don't want to return him," I say, and the others laugh.

    Then, we all see Zak get up and walk over to us, a bewildered look on his face. He sits back down next to me, and grasps my hand under the table. "Saira, I am very sorry. I had no clue what I was getting myself into with them," he says, looking down at the table, his mind still trying to process what happened over at the other table.

    "What happened, bro? Why do you sound as if you're gonna be killed if you tell Saira what happened?" Alex asks, and I still see his phone in his hand, silently filming Zak. "They entered their numbers into my phone. I have no clue how. I must've had it unlocked, and one of them slipped it out of my pocket when I was talking to one of the others. I'm so sorry, Saira," Zak answers.

    I laugh,"Zak, relax. I'm not mad at you for not looking after your phone. I ain't gonna bite you for talking to fans, either." Zak looks relieved and squeezes my hand under the table again. I smile and squeeze back. Alex laughs, as does Mark. Those two goofballs. Simple and quiet Jae simply smiles.

    My gaze drifts over to the girls' table, and I see them giving me dirty looks. I smile, an idea forming in my mind. "I'll be right back," I tell the guys, then get up, push my seat in, and walk over to their table.

    "Hello, girls. Did you have a fun time with Zak?" I say sweetly as I settle down at their table in an empty seat. They all turn towards me, and I see a few who have dilated pupils and seem shaky. One of these girls answers me, saying,"Yeah, we did. If only he didn't have a girlfriend."

    Another pipes up and says,"Girlfriends can be replaced." All of the other girls laugh, except for one, who watches me like a hawk. I cock my head at the girl who spoke, but my eyes are on the girl who watches me. "I heard he had a fiance, though," I say, and the girls all laugh nervously.

    One leans towards me, and I can smell the strong scent of alcohol on her breath. "Heard and seen are two different things, my friend. Rumors say he proposed to a girl, but sight says he hasn't." I smile at her, and place my left hand on the table, my silver ring glinting on my ring finger.