3 GUYS, A GIRL, AND A ROSE
Chapter Ten

Christina and Jack searched for Fabrizio and Tommy.

"Christina! Jack!" Tommy yelled for them. Christina and Jack headed for the table.

"Hey, guys!" Christina and Jack greeted them. "The place looks great. We did a good job, boys!"

"Yeah, we did," Fabrizio said.

"When did you guys change the light bulbs green?" Jack asked. The pub was all lit with green lights.

"After you left!" Tommy added. Christina's boss, Mr. Smith, came up to her.

"Christina! You did an amazing job. Thank you for staying after work! I'm giving you a bonus on your paycheck. For setting up last night, you don't have to work. Just have a good time. You and your friends can have free drinks for the night." Mr. Smith went back to talking to people.

"Ya hear that, guys? Free drinks, and I'm two years underage!" Christina kissed Tommy on his mouth. "I couldn't have done this without your help!"

"No problem. Anything for you!" Tommy's face was beet red.

"What? No credit for Fabrizio? I helped, too, you know!" Fabrizio said.

"Of course!" Christina hugged Fabrizio and kissed him on his cheek. "Couldn't have done it without you boys!"

"How come Tommy gets a kiss on the mouth?" Fabrizio joked.

"Spontaneous act of thankfulness!" Christina answered back. Tommy's face was all flushed and his smile was stuck on his face.

"Christina, you didn't show me any loving today!" Jack said. Christina hugged him tightly.

"You always get love! These boys deserve it tonight."

"We're men! Not boys. Actually, Fabrizio, I don't know about you," Tommy joked.

"Shut up!" Fabrizio said. "I'm not the one who stares at Christina's boobs all the time. By the way, ya looking hot tonight, babe." Tommy was embarrassed by what Fabrizio just said. Jack was laughing continuously.

"Thanks, Fabrizio! I know all you boys look at them anyway. Don't be embarrassed, Tommy!"

"Yeah…I don't keep stacks of porn all over my apartment like some people I know!" Tommy stared at Fabrizio.

"What can I say? I'm a big fan!" Fabrizio answered back.

"I'm gonna go get a drink" Christina went to the bar as Jack followed. She went behind the bar to get a glass.

"Can I get one also?" Jack asked. Christina grabbed a glass for him.

"What do you want?"

"Anything. Make me a special one from you."

"A Manhattan Special will do." She mixed the drinks and gave it to him. They both drank, saying nothing.

"Let's dance!" Jack said. Christina made her way around the bar and Jack grabbed her hand to the middle of the floor. Usually, there was never dancing at the pub, but tonight an exception was made. The tables were moved to the side.

Jack and Christina danced. First they weren't so close, but then Jack pulled her closer. Christina just couldn't resist. They got lost in each other. Jack and Christina looked deep into each other’s eyes. Jack moved his head closer to hers, their lips almost touching, but someone bumped into Christina.

"Sorry, miss," the man said. Christina just shook her head. She was pretty upset. Jack had almost kissed her and this idiot ruined it.

"Let's go sit down," Jack said. They walked to the table where Tommy and Fabrizio were sitting. They didn't speak a word. Christina just sat there, wishing that they had kissed…again.

*****

Tommy was sitting next to Fabrizio while Christina was talking to Jack at the bar.

"You know you wanna go there and interrupt any conversation they're having right now," Fabrizio said, sipping his beer.

"Whatever." That's all Tommy could say.

"Why don't you just ask her out on a date?"

"Because she's like in love with Jack. She just sees me as Tommy, the sweet guy from Ireland, just a friend."

"At least hang out with her more."

"Yeah. I guess."

"Asking her to go shopping with you was one step up."

"You're right."

When he looked at the bar, they weren't there anymore. His eyes searched for them and he saw them dancing. Then something in his heart stung. He saw them almost kiss.

"Tommy!" Fabrizio yelled.

"What?"

"Stop staring at them! They're on their way over here." Tommy just stared down.

"I know that just hurt witnessing what you saw." Fabrizio quickly shut his mouth. Jack and Christina sat down.

"So, as I said before, Tommy, the Yankees are the best baseball team ever." Fabrizio pretended to be having a conversation, so that they wouldn't know they were watching. Tommy just looked at him like he was weird. He had a lot going on his head. Christina was in his head.

*****

Rose stopped Thomas from driving. "This is it. I'll call you if I need you to pick me up or I'll just take a cab."

"All right, Miss Rose. Have a good night." Rose got out of the car and waved to him. She saw the sign--Lucky Seven's. She was nervous, but she went in anyway.

She saw people laughing and dancing. It was hard for her to see because of the green light. Her eyes immediately scouted for Jack. She looked around. Then she saw him with that Christina girl at a table and two other guys. They were all laughing.

She made her way in their direction, not knowing what she was gonna say, not knowing what she was gonna do.

"Hello, Jack." Jack turned around and stood up.

*****

"Hey, Rose!" He was surprised to see her. She looked beautiful.

"I was around, so I decided to come in." He just nodded at her.

"Rose, you met Christina."

"Yeah, I remember." Rose stuck out her hand for her to shake, but Christina just smiled.

"This is Fabrizio, and that's Tommy."

"Nice to meet you."

"Same here," Fabrizio said. Tommy just waved.

"Here. Have a seat," Jack said. He pulled out his seat for her to sit on.

"Thank you," she said, and sat down.

Christina got up from her chair and left to the bar. He wondered what was bothering her this time. Tommy got up to follow.

"I see a hot girl on the other side of the room. I'm gonna go check her out," Fabrizio said, and got up. Jack sat in the chair Christina was sitting in before.

"So anyway, Rose. What's up?" he asked.

"Nothing, really. I was bored. I needed to get out."

"Oh. That's cool."

"I wanted to thank you for saving me from that hideous guy last night."

"It was no problem."

"Yeah."

"So, is that why you came? To thank me?"

"I guess. I don't know."

"Well, why don't you tell me about yourself, Rose?"

"What do you want to know?"

"Anything."

"I don't have much to say."

"I'll start. I'm a twenty-two-year-old young man. I moved here from Wisconsin."

"Interesting."

"Yeah, isn't it? Now you go."

"I'm eighteen years old. I used to live in Philadelphia. I moved here after my father died. It's just me and my mom."

"Interesting. Sorry to know about your dad. My parents died when I was fifteen." Jack had his art portfolio on the table. Rose was looking at it, curious to know what it was.

"What is this thing here you have on the table?" she asked.

"It's my art portfolio. I've been drawing since the death of my parents. Would you like to look at my work?"

"Sure." Rose took the art portfolio and looked inside.

"Well, Jack, you have a gift. Well, these are interesting." Jack knew she was referring to the nude pictures.

"Yeah, drawn from life."

"Hmm." Rose flipped through the portfolio. "You have plenty in here of your friend."

"Yeah." Jack was happy that he had left the portrait of her at his apartment. "She's one of my biggest inspirations."

"That's nice, Jack. She's beautiful."

"Yeah, she is. She's my best friend." Jack suddenly remembered that he had almost kissed her when they were dancing. He was starting to feel glad that it didn't happen. He was actually thinking that he wished he could kiss Rose now.

Chapter Eleven
Stories