ISABEL (Sample)

Chapter Four

Author's Note: been having some problems on both my stories whose chapters I have rewritten twice and yet vanishes into thin air. I beseech you all to be patient with me. It seems I ve no choice than to go through the stress of rewriting them a third time. Will update them as soon as possible. Thanks.

Christine sat at the kitchen counter doing her homework. Her mum strode into the kitchen and spread her arms apart, giving a small twirl in her knee-length lilac gown.

"How do I look?" She asked, beaming.

Christine paused with the tip of her pen beneath her chin as she examined her mother for a moment. "You look great!" She smiled.

"Gosh!" Her mother fluttered her hands in front of her face excitedly like a school girl. "I'm so nervous!" She approached the counter. "Can't even remember the last time I was on a date."

Christine rolled her eyes.

"C'mon baby, how do you feel when you go out on a date? I mean..huh... What do you do? How do you act?"

"Mum..." Christine drawled. "I've never been on a date so you are asking the wrong person."

Her mother stopped in surprise. "Oh!" She suddenly seemed sad on her daughter's behalf. "Do you think it's a bad idea going out on a date when you have never had a chance to?"

Christine gave a frustrated sigh. "You are not going to cancel your date because of me mum. You have waited for this a long time."

Her mum slipped onto a stool opposite her. "What about you? I want my daughter to enjoy the good things of life other girls her age does."

"I'm not complaining!" She stated trying to concentrate on her home work again.

"You are almost seventeen, Christine!" Her mother watched her keenly.

Christine dropped her pen on her note and leaned into her chair. "Mum, what part of the constitution says I'll go to jail or probably wind up dead if I don't date before I turn seventeen?"

Her mother hesitated for a while, stuttering. "No part of the law actually... But I'm concerned for you, Christine... You're...."

"You are always concerned for me, mum." She interrupted.

Her mother leaned forward and peered into her face with an expression she couldn't read. "Or... Are you huh...are you into girls? It's okay to tell me you know."

Christine's eyes widened in shock. "Mum!... How could you even think of such a thing!"

"What?!" She shrugged. "You left me no choice."

She shook her head wearily. "I'm not a lesbian... and it's not like I don't wanna date... I really do want to but the dude I'm crushing on might never ask me out, probably not even in the next life."

Her mother regarded her solemnly. "I thought we agreed you'd work on your self esteem?"

Christine scoffed. "I'm a nobody, mum. There are hundreds of pretty girls in my school and I don't stand a chance. I don't even have friends, to begin with."

"Maybe if you stop being too picky and thinking so low of yourself, things might finally work out!" Her mother chided.

Christine cocked an eyebrow at her mother. "Did I just hear you say that or I heard wrong?!" She gave her mother an accusing look. "You talk casually about being picky when I inherited that trait from you."

Her mother bit her lower lip nervously trying to hide a smile. "You're certainly like your father." She muttered finally smiling.

Just then, a car honked outside the house. Her mother leapt off the stool. "That must be him!" She hurried out of the kitchen with Christine on her heels. Her mother gave herself some finishing touches, grabbed her purse and turned to face no her.

"Will you be okay alone in the house or would you like to go to a friend's and I'll come pick you when I return?"

Christine folded her arms and gave her mother an amused stare. "News flash once again, I. Have. No. Friends. I'll stay in, you just hurry along and have fun, I'll be fine."

The doorbell rang. Christine and her mother glanced towards the door. "Are you sure?" Her mother looked worried.

Christine chuckled. "It's not like you're leaving behind a five year old or something." She held her mother's shoulders, nudging her towards the door. "I can take care of myself."

Her mother stopped right before the door as the door bell rang again. "Okay baby, just lock the door when you're about going to bed. I took my keys, I'll help myself in when I'm back."

Christine shook her head clearly amused at her mother's attitude. "Are you really worried about me staying home all by myself or just nervous about your date?"

Her mother paused feeling caught. "I hope I don't make a fool of myself out there, that's all... I mean he's such a nice guy and I don't want to ruin things..." She whispered so her date behind the door wouldn't be able to hear her.

"You look great mum. I believe you will do just fine."

Her mother halted with a doubtful look and slight frown. "...but do you think this gown is...."

Already frustrated by her mother attitude, she almost yelled. "Just go already and stop keeping him waiting!"

That seemed to give her mother some courage. She grabbed Christine in a tight hug and opened the door before her date could ring the bell for the third time.

"Oh!" He said, stepping back to admire her, clearly pleased with her appearance. Her mother stood next to him and made introductions.

"Lincoln, meet my daughter, Christine. Christine, my date, Lincoln."

"I've heard a lot about you, Christine." Lincoln leaned forward to shake her hand, beaming.

Christine quietly scrutinized him. He looked to be in his late forties and he was way taller than her mother and had brownish black hair. The side of his eyes exposed some fine lines when he smiled and his voice was deep.

Her mother finally broke the ackward silence and said cheerily. "We better get going!"

He nodded his approval, held her hand and led her down the short steps. Christine stood in the open door way watching him open the door for her mother to get in, went to the other side, got in, said something that made her mother laugh as he started the car, then he turned into the street and slowly drove off.

When the car was out of sight, Christine closed the door, turned the lock and put the door chain in place. When she walked past the sitting room to the kitchen, she noticed the TV was on. She frowned not remembering switching on the TV, even her mum had been so occupied by her date to switch on the TV.

She made her way to the TV and switched it off. She turned and walked into the kitchen to finish her home work not noticing the fluttering of the sitting room curtains from a strange breeze.