JACK AND ROSE: PRESENT TIME
Chapter
Fifty
Jack and Rose sat
on the couch, waiting nervously for Ruth and John to come talk to them.
Finally, they
entered the room and sat on the two chairs facing the couch.
"John told me
about what happened," Ruth said. She gave an almost sympathetic look to
Jack. She looked at Rose and all Rose saw was anger.
"We've decided
what we're going to do about this situation," John said. Rose and Jack
looked at him with worried faces.
"We are giving
you one more chance," John said. "If you are ever in the same room
with each other, you must leave the door open. There will be no sexual
intercourse, there will be no more touching, there will be no more
kissing."
Jack and Rose
nodded, as if they were actually going to follow these rules. They just had to
be much more careful for now on.
"Is this
clear?" John asked.
"Crystal,"
Rose said as she put a piece of gum into her mouth. Jack nodded in agreement.
"Don't you
have anything to say?" Ruth said, looking straight at Rose.
Rose rolled her
eyes. "I'm sorry for being such a brat, John." And she really meant
it. John nodded, forgiving her.
"Thank God is
Friday," Jack muttered.
"You're
spending the night at Dominique's, right Rose?" Ruth asked.
"Yeah, I'll
try to be home early tomorrow."
"John,"
Jack said. "I'll be out with the boys tonight. We'll probably end up at
Fabrizio's house. I'll be home before noon." John nodded.
"Jack?"
John asked. "Don't you think you two are being a little to obvious?"
"What do you
mean?" Jack asked.
"You and Rose
are gonna end up together tonight. Come on, give me and Ruth a little
credit."
Jack acted like he
had no idea what he was talking about. "John, I swear, I don't know where
Rose is gonna be tonight but I'm gonna go to Fabri's house with Tommy."
John looked at him
and then at Rose. "Uh," Rose said. "I'm going to the mall at
seven, then I'm gonna spend the night at Dominique's with her and Alexia."
Ruth just squeezed
John's hand. "It's okay. I can tell when she's lying. She's telling the
truth."
Rose was actually
glad that her mother knew nothing about her. She was telling the truth, it was
just that all of the guys were coming too.
"Well, I'm
off," Jack said. He gave Rose a kiss - not wanting to be suspisious. He
wispered in her ear, "I'll see you at nine."
Rose smiled and
returned the kiss. "I gotta go get ready for Dom," Rose said, after
Jack had left. She ran up into her room to get ready.
Later that
night...
"What time did
the boys say they'd be here?" Alexia asked.
"Around
nine," Dominique replied, finishing painting her toes. "Aren't they
pretty?"
Rose nodded.
Dominique's toes had been three different colors in one day. She had a lot more
time without gymnastics.
Then, they heard
the door bell ring. Dominique jumped up to get it. The boys were going to spend
the night since Dominique's parents were out on business until Sunday.
"Hey
Dom," Tommy said, entering her house. They all greeted each other.
"What do you
guys wanna do, then?" Dominique asked after they were all gathered in the
living room.
"What's
this?" Alexia asked, picking up something off of the shelf.
"Magic eight
ball," Dominique said. "It doesn't work."
Tommy took it from
Alexia. "Will Fabrizio have sex tonight?" Tommy turned it over.
"Not a chance. Yep, it works." Fabrizio threw a pillow at Tommy.
"I know what
we can do," Dominique said in a daring voice. "Wanna go skinny
dipping in my pool?"
"Well,
no!" Alexia said.
Rose stood up.
"I will."
"Yeah, what
the hell," Tommy said.
"Well, if you
guys are, I am," Alexia said.
"Well, I guess
me and Fabri will, too," Jack said.
They all went
outside, with just a towel covering them. "Are you sure you guys wanna do
this?" Fabrizio asked in a scared voice.
"Of
course," Tommy said.
"Well, someone's
gotta get naked first," Dominique said. "We'll just have to see who
has the most guts."
Almost immediantly,
Rose threw her towel off and dove into the cold water. She came to the surface.
"Just a little cold," she yelled out.
Everybody looked at
Rose in shock. Jack took off his towel and dove in as well. Soon, everyone was
in. Fabrizio was the last.
"Ummm I don't
like that site of Fabrizio," Tommy said with a shudder. Fabrizio gave him
a sarcastic look.
"Know what
would really suck?" Alexia asked. "If Dominique's parents came home
to six naked teenagers in their backyard."
Tommy came over and
wrapped his arms around Alexia. "That would suck. But, I don't think we
have to worry," he finished as he started to kiss her neck.
"Please, not
now," Dominique said. "Oh my God!" she said.
"What?"
Rose asked.
Dominique just
looked shocked, after backing up from Fabrizio. She had accidently ran into
him. "Let's just say that Fabrizio was really happy when I bumped into
him."
Tommy and Alexia
started laughing as well. "Fabrizio, poor, poor, Fabrizio," Rose
said.
Fabrizio's mouth
dropped. "You wish!"
"No,"
Tommy said. "I think you wished for that one, buddy."
Fabrizio just
rolled his eyes. "Dominique would just want me to have one. She was the
one who seduced me on the beach!"
"Uh-oh,"
Jack said. "Here comes that whole beach story again."
Rose swam up to
Jack. "Hey honey."
"Hey
sweetheart, how you doin'?"
"Good. I can't
believe they let us off the hook so easily," Rose said, remembering the
talk with John and her mother.
"I know,"
Jack said. "We really lucked out this time."
"You're
telling me," Rose said.
"Rose,"
Jack said. "I always thought that my life was pointless. You know, it was
never exciting. But now, after meeting you, I think I'm the luckiest man
alive."
Rose smiled.
"Jack, you've given me so much. I don't know how I could ever thank
you."
"I do,"
Jack said with a smile.
"Come
on!" Tommy said. "We're gonna have swim races!"
Rose and Jack
laughed. They had a great year - not considering Tonya's death, Tommy being
suicidal, and the shooting. But, they hoped to be over all of the bad stuff.
Little did Jack and
Rose know that their summer would bring danger, excitement, mysteries, and love
all packed into one. It was going to be a summer that they'd never forget.