3 GUYS, A GIRL, AND A ROSE
Chapter Nine

Christina was getting ready to go to work. Jack was picking her up. Her hair was all curly and sprinkled with glitter. Her eyelids were covered with green eye shadow. She hadn't put her outfit on yet. She was just in a bathrobe and slippers. When she was putting on her lip gloss, she heard her doorbell buzz. She opened it to see Jack with his art portfolio in one hand and a cupcake in the other.

"Happy Saint Patrick's Day!" Jack said. He handed her the cupcake and kissed her on the cheek. "Hey, you're not ready yet."

"Nope…I am not. Thanks for the cupcake, by the way."

"Well, go finish up. We have to be out of here in twenty minutes." Christina put her cupcake on the coffee table and ran into her room.

She finished putting on her makeup and her outfit. She put on silver hoop earrings and a diamond necklace. She applied some perfume all over her body and retreated to the living room.

"Ready!" she said to Jack, who was sitting on the couch. He got up and turned to her.

"Wow!"

*****

Jack stared at Christina. She looked hot in her green leather jumpsuit, which showed a great amount of cleavage. Hotter than Jennifer Lopez.

"You look great!" Jack said. Christina went over to hug him. She smelled so good.

"Thanks! So do you." Jack stared down at himself. He was only wearing a button-down white shirt, a pair of blue jeans, and a leather jacket. The comment made him feel great anyway.

"Let's get going." Christina grabbed her purse and went straight for the door.

"You're not bringing a jacket?"

"Well, none of them match. Plus, in this thing, it will warm me up enough. It's not that cold outside, is it?"

"Nope. Not at all. Good weather for a March evening in New York. Only four days away from spring."

"All right, then. We're on our way."

*****

Rose felt weird. She had only met Jack yesterday, and she couldn't stop thinking about him. She thought it was crazy to go back to that pub tonight. She wanted to see him, though. She figured he'd be there, since that Christina girl worked there. It was an Irish pub. She figured something big must be going on there, since it was Saint Patrick's Day.

She had an outfit on her bed. An outfit she was sure would make Jack have his eyes popping out. She took off her robe to put on her leather skirt and a red tube top. She looked in her closet for shoes to wear, and saw the black boots that she never wore. She thought to herself, My mother will never let me out dressed like this, so she put on her leather jacket She let her hair hang loose. Her lipstick was red enough to match her top. When she was done making herself up, she looked in the mirror to make sure she looked good. Made sure she looked great.

She left her room and went inside the sitting room to see her mother reading a book.

"Rose, where do you think you're going dressed like that?" her mother asked.

"Mother, I'm eighteen. I think it's possible for me to go out and have fun."

"Dressed like that?"

"Yeah. Now, where's Thomas? I need him to drive me."

"He's downstairs with the car. It's right out front."

"All right then, Mother. Good night."

Rose went downstairs. She saw her driver speaking to the doorman.

"Thomas, I was wondering if you could drive me someplace."

"Yes, dear." She had always liked Thomas. He had treated her kindly, especially after her dad had died.

Thomas opened the car door for her and she went in. She couldn't believe how nervous she felt. She hoped Jack was there.

Chapter Ten
Stories