CHATROOM
LOVE
Chapter Seven
Sept 7, 2001
Rose,
smiling, walked into the house, threw her bag on the couch, and went into the
kitchen to get herself a glass of orange juice.
"Who
was that boy I saw you with?" Ruth came inside from the backyard, talking
with the gardener.
Rose
opened the fridge. "What boy?"
"That
boy who just drove away," Ruth stated. "I saw him drop you off when me
and Antonio were on the side of the house."
"Oh,
that's Jack. We met online, and he goes to my school."
"Be
careful who you meet online," she warned her daughter.
Rose
sighed.
"Oh,
stop it, Mother. You'll give yourself a nosebleed." She threw her cup into
the sink and started to exit the kitchen, but her mother stopped her.
"Rose,
this is not a game!" Ruth snapped. "There are people out there who
could really hurt you."
Ruth
softened.
"I'm
sorry. You know I just do this because I love you."
"I
know, Mother, and I'll be fine," she assured her, not really sure herself.
*****
"So,
how has your week at school been?"
Jack
looked up from the magazine he was reading, to find his Aunt Margaret getting
ready to go out to a dinner party with his Uncle John. It was put on by John's
boss where he worked. John was his mom's cousin, but it seemed more appropriate
to call them aunt and uncle because they were much older than him.
"Not
bad. I made some nice friends--"
"That's
nice, dear," she interrupted, not really paying attention.
Jack
went up to his room and turned on his computer.
"Maybe
Rose is online," he said to himself, as he signed on to MSN.
rose_bud2001
is now online. The box at the bottom popped up.
Good
timing! He smiled.
JD_in_AB:
Hey
rose_bud2001:
Hi Jack.
JD_in_AB:
Listen. I know we barely know each other and all, and I'm stuck baby-sitting my
cousins...well what I'm getting at is, would you like to come over tonight and
watch a movie?
JD_in_AB:
Tommy, Fabri, Helga, and Dawn will be over here too
He
quickly added.
rose_bud2001:
Brb, I'll go ask
As if
on cue, Rose's phone rang.
"Hello?"
"Hey,
Rose. Are you coming over to Jack's later?" the voice on the other end
asked.
"I
don't know, Dawn. I have to go ask my mom. Hold on." She set the phone by
her computer, and ran down the hall to Ruth's room.
Rose
entered her mom's room, and sat on Ruth's bed.
"Mom,
is it okay if I go over to Dawn's tonight?" she lied.
Ruth
was in her powder room, checking a spot on her forehead.
"Who's
going to be there, and how long?"
"The
gang, and eleven o'clock."
"Ten
o'clock. Rose, it's a school night!"
"10:30!"
Rose argued.
"Deal,
but I want you in this house by that time."
Rose
jumped up and gave her mother a quick peck. "Thanks, Mom."
She
returned to her room and typed to Jack.
rose_bud2001:
Be there at 7:30
JD_in_AB:
Great! See you then
JD_in_AB:
Bye
rose_bud2001:
Bye
"HELLO?
ROSE? YOU STILL THERE? ROSE!" The sudden loud noise from the phone made
her jump.
"Oh
my God, Dawn! I totally forgot about you! Sorry."
"So,
can you make it?"
"Yeah."
Rose giggled.
"Great.
Pick you up at seven."
The
girls said their good-byes, and Rose made off to her giant closet to find
something to wear.