CHATROOM
LOVE
Chapter Sixteen
Thursday,
September 13, 2001
Jack and Rose walked into school the next day hand in
hand. All of their friends turned to stare at them, noticing not only the
hand-holding, but also the happy, secretive smiles they kept giving each other.
Dawn was the first to speak. "Okay, what’s going
on? Are you two an item now, or what?"
"We’re an item," Rose confirmed, grinning up
at Jack happily.
"Yeah," Jack added, making her laugh.
"I knew it!" Dawn clapped her hands
together. Turning to Tommy, she told him, "You owe me."
"You two were betting on this?" Rose asked,
a bit shocked.
"Well…yeah." Tommy looked a little sheepish.
"I don’t believe this!"
"Oh, come on, Rose. I was rooting for you
two," Dawn told her, stuffing a few blue five dollar bills that Tommy had
handed her into her pocket. "I knew you’d get together."
"Dawn!"
"Was I right, or was I right?"
Rose finally relented. "You were right." She
put an arm around Jack.
"Hey, no public displays of affection,"
Tommy told them.
"You’re a fine one to talk," Jack replied.
"Weren’t you making out with Dawn in the gym the other day?"
Dawn blushed. "I thought we were alone."
"You’re never alone at school," Rose told
her. "Haven’t you learned that by now?"
Dawn punched her playfully on the arm. Rose pretended
to be hurt, making everyone laugh when Jack kissed the spot to make it better.
The bell rang, signalling that it was time to go to
class. Reluctantly, the group broke up, heading in their separate directions.
Jack and Rose walked toward their classes together, still hand in hand.
"See you at lunch, Jack," Rose told him,
giving him a quick kiss. A passing teacher stopped, gesturing to them to get to
class.
Ignoring the teacher, Jack kissed her back.
"Yeah. See you then, Rose."