SUMMER IN SANTA MONICA
Chapter Three
"Jackson! Rose! Time for school,"
Ruth and Tom yelled from downstairs.
Rose ran down the stairs, cheery as can be.
"What's got you in such a happy
mood?" Tom asked.
"It's not going to be every day I get to
drive your BMW," Rose said.
"I know. Where's Jack?" Tom asked.
"He's still upstairs in his room,"
Rose said, grabbing the cereal, a bowl, and a spoon.
"Jack Dawson! It's seven o'clock!"
Tom yelled.
"Big deal," Jack said, walking down
the stairs.
"Jack, you'll only be going to school
for a month," Ruth said, kindly.
"Yeah, and I'm popular, so you will be
too," Rose said with cereal in her mouth.
"Swallow, and then talk, Rose," Tom
said.
"All right," Rose said, with food
still in her mouth.
"Young lady..." Ruth started, but
Rose swallowed and started talking again.
"Look, tomorrow you can drive Dad's
BMW," Rose said.
"First, he's not your dad, second, I
don't want to drive his BMW," Jack said, then ran upstairs to get dressed.
"Fine then, I'll drive both days,"
Rose said, starting upstairs beside him.
"Ladies first," Jack said.
"Shouldn't you be going?" Rose
said, waiting.
"What are we going to do with those
two?" Ruth asked.
"You tell me," Tom said, listening
to them gripe at each other.
"Well, summer vacation will give them
time to bond," Ruth said, sipping her coffee.
"I hope so. How long can I put up with
them yelling at each other?" Tom said, referring to the fight upstairs.
"Shut up! I don't talk to losers!"
Rose yelled.
"Then how did you get to be
popular?" Jack asked.
Rose ran downstairs with a lavender blouse
and jeans on. "Mom, Dad, will you tell him to leave me alone?"
"Why should I? She's yelling at
me," Jack said. He was wearing baggy jeans and a basketball jersey.
"Jack, do you have anything better to
wear?" Tom asked.
"Come on, Dad, he'll fit right in, my
boyfriend Greg wears that kind of stuff all the time," Rose said.
"Thanks, but I can talk," Jack
said.
"You two need to get going," Tom
said, tossing Rose the keys.
"All right, let's get going," Rose
said, grabbing her backpack.
"Yeah, let's hit the road," Jack
said, grabbing his, too.
Rose and Jack got in the car and fought the
whole time.
"How fast are you going?" Jack
asked.
"Fifty-five, why?" Rose asked.
"That might be why everything known to
mankind is passing us," Jack said.
"Shut up, you jerk off," Rose said.
They fought the whole way, then got to
school.
*****
"Hey, girl," Rose's friend Tasha
said.
"Hey," Rose said, stopping to talk
to her.
"Who's the hottie?" Tasha asked.
"My stepbrother, Jack Dawson," Rose
said.
"Bet you feel lucky," Tasha said.
"He is such a jerk. He gripes about
everything--how I drive, dress, act, talk," Rose said.
"I think you're lucky," Tasha said,
closing her locker.
"Start a club. I think everybody
does," Rose said.
"Let's get to homeroom. The bell's going
to ring," Tasha said.
"All right. I think Jack is going to the
office anyway," Rose said.
"Yes," Tasha said, and they walked
into homeroom with Mr. Warner.