3 GUYS, A GIRL, AND A ROSE
Chapter Thirty-One
"Rose, I am glad you decided to come to
the party," Cal said to Rose, taking her jacket. "You look beautiful
tonight."
"Thank you, Cal. My boyfriend had some
business to tend to," Rose said. She wasn't comfortable there. All the
rich people who were stuck up were present. She hated these parties. It wasn't
even a plain old party, but a business/dinner party. Her mother had forced her
to come, especially knowing that Rose wasn't gonna be with Jack this evening.
"Oh, yes. What does your boyfriend
do?" Cal asked.
"He is an artist."
"Oh."
"Rose, why don't you sit next to
Cal?" her mother suggested. Rose shot her a cold look and rolled her eyes.
"Go now. Sit down. Don't be rude." Rose sat next to Cal.
Rose knew her mother had wanted her to break
up with Jack and go back with Cal. She wasn't gonna be forced back into a
relationship she hated.
"I have some news this evening. If everyone
would raise their champagne glasses," Cal said, and everyone raised their
glasses.
"I will be getting married to Elizabeth
Madison, daughter of Mr. Christopher K. Madison. I know we haven't even been
together a month, but I think it's time to settle down. Our businesses will
merge. Miss Madison is sorry that she didn't come." Rose smiled and saw
her mother's shocked face.
"See, Mother. Cal has moved on himself.
I am going home." Rose got up from her seat.
"Rose, you are being rude," Ruth
said.
"You're leaving so early, Rose?"
Cal asked her.
"Yes. I am tired," Rose answered
him.
"You just stepped in five minutes
ago."
"Yes, but I didn't get much sleep last
night."
"Well, it was good of you to come."
Cal gave Rose a polite kiss on the cheek and sat back down.
"I'll see you at home, Mother."
Rose gave her mother a kiss on the cheek. She went to get her jacket and left.
Her whole walk home she thought about Jack.
They had first kissed a week ago. First made love. The next day Christina fell
down the stairs. Christina wouldn't talk to Jack and now she was out with him. Christina
seems to forgive Jack too easily, Rose thought. Rose suddenly felt jealous.
She knew Christina's feelings towards him. She just hoped friends were all they
were.
*****
Christina and Jack had a quiet dinner. They
barely spoke. Christina picked at her food. Her head still hurt a little from
her fall. Every time Jack started a conversation, it fell short. After dinner,
they walked on the bay, still not saying much.
After looking at the water, Jack and
Christina walked to his apartment.
"What movies did you rent?"
Christina asked.
"The Exorcist," Jack
answered.
"Great. Scare me to death, why don't
you?"
"You don't wanna watch it?"
"No, I am fine."
Jack sat on the couch, thinking Christina would
sit next to him. She didn't. She sat on the floor. She was still uncomfortable,
not knowing what to say to him. The last time they were completely alone was in
the hospital room. They both knew how that had turned out.
Christina took her shoes off and lay down on
the floor. Jack continued to sit on the couch. They didn't say a word to each
other. She just watched the screen, not even paying much attention to the
movie.
She began to feel tired. Her eyes were
growing tired. She tried to keep them open, but failed to. She dozed off,
falling asleep on the floor.
*****
Jack didn't watch the movie. He looked at
Christina the whole time. An hour into the movie, she lay down on the floor.
The rest of the movie, he watched her.
"Christina. It's 12:15. The movie is
over." Jack touched her shoulder. After calling her name a few times, he
turned her around, seeing her eyes closed. He picked her up, bringing her to
his room and placing her on his bed. He covered her to make sure she was warm.
He took his art portfolio and art supplies,
sat on the chair. He began to draw her asleep like he had the night they
kissed. After drawing her, he looked at the picture. It was just as good as the
first one. He watched her sleep as he always had and smiled. He still loved
watching her.
He left the room and lay down on the couch,
hoping that things would be back to normal, hoping they could reconcile. Jack
soon dozed off.
Yeah, you still kiss me, but it's just on
the cheek
Yeah, you still kiss me, but it's just on the cheek
Yeah, you still kiss me sometimes, but it's just on the cheek
You pull away so easily.
And I still call you, but I get your
machine
And I still call you, but I get your machine
And if I'm lucky I guess, I get your roommate answering
But you're at the bar, or at Gene's.
And we go to dinner, but you won't hold my
hand
We sit at the same table, but we don't play with our feet
Yeah, we still go to dinner sometimes, but we don't sneak a kiss
When the waitress turns around.
And we still watch movies, but we don't
share the couch
And we still rent movies, but we don't share the couch
Yeah, we still watch movies sometimes, but you don't lay in my lap
The plot is slow, take a nap.
And you even stay over, but now we stay in
our clothes
Yeah, you'll even sleep over, but now we stay in our clothes
Yeah, you even sleep over sometimes, but we stay in our clothes
I'm only there so that you're not alone.
And you say that I hurt you, in a voice
like a prayer
Yeah, you say that I've hurt you, and your voice is like a prayer
Yeah, well maybe I hurt you sometimes, but let's contrast and compare
Lift up your shirt, the wound isn't there.
I guess that your truth, is just the ghost
of your lies
I guess your kind of truth, is just the ghost of your lies
Yeah, your kind of truth, darling, is just the ghost of your lies
I see through them all the time
So I'm pouring some whiskey, I'm gonna get drunk
Yeah, I'm pouring myself some whiskey, I'm going to get really fucking drunk
I'm pouring some whiskey right now, I'm going to get so, so drunk
That I pass out, forget your face, by the time I wake up.
Song: It’s Cool; We're Still Friends
Artist: Bright Eyes