CHATROOM
LOVE
Chapter Two
Rose
and Dawn walked through Southgate Shopping Centre, stopping to look into every
store.
"You
really should buy something, Rose," Dawn said, stopping outside of
Reitmans. "Get something to impress him."
"Him?"
Rose questioned, looking at Dawn in confusion.
"You
know, the guy you’re going to meet at school, in front of the trophy
case."
"Dawn,
I don’t even know him!"
"So?
You’re still gonna meet him."
"That
doesn’t mean I need to buy something to impress him."
"Hey,
it’s a good excuse to go shopping. Come on." Dawn grabbed Rose’s arm,
dragging her inside the store.
"Dawn..."
"Come
on! You need something new anyway."
"Okay,
okay." Rose sighed, letting Dawn lead her toward a rack of jeans.
*****
"Are
you ready for school tomorrow?" Ruth asked Rose, coming up behind her.
Rose
looked up from the computer, where she had been surfing the Net. "Yeah. I
guess."
Ruth
sighed. "Look, Rose, I know you’re worried that Cal will show up at
school, but I don’t think he will. Not only does he have a restraining order
against him, but he’s finished with high school. I don’t think you have
anything to worry about."
Rose
turned to look at her mother. "I hope you’re right, but I still don’t
trust him. Too many restraining orders get broken, you know."
"You
haven’t seen him since last year, not even at the country club. He knows he has
to avoid you."
"Yes,
but still..."
"Everything
will be fine, Rose."
"I
hope so, Mom."
*****
Rose
walked over to the trophy case, waiting for JD_in_AB, whoever he was. She had
almost backed out, but Dawn had convinced her to go through with meeting him.
After all, she had promised to show him around.
She
leaned casually against the trophy case, trying to watch without making it
obvious. Maybe he won’t show up. She didn’t know whether to be relieved
or disappointed at the thought.
She was
getting ready to leave when a tall, blonde-haired guy walked up to her.
"Hi.
I’m looking for rose_bud2001. Would that be you?"
"Uh...yes.
Yes, it would. Just call me Rose. Are you JD_in_AB?"
"Yeah,
that’s me. Jack Dawson, formerly of the United States."
"I’m
Rose DeWitt-Bukater. I was about to leave."
"Sorry.
I didn’t know where the trophy case was."
"Yeah,
I guess that could make it hard to find. Anyway, I promised to show you around.
Uh...how about we start with the campus?"
"Okay.
Sounds good."
Rose
started for the door. "This way."