Hurricane Rose

I

"Honey, don't forget your project for AP Psychology! You worked so hard on it." My mom yells as she brings in my jello model of the human brain. I stand up to put it in the fridge, but I am interrupted by my dad.
"You know son," he said, "that is not a one hundred percent accurate model. You see..." He started droning on, so I tuned him out. My dad is William Brass, one of the worlds best neurosurgeons. He knows it too.
"... Anyway Asher, if you'd like I could bring in a real brain for your class to see. Shouldn't be much trouble at all." I shake my head no, and sadness crosses his face. Backtracking, I say,
"It's only because my teacher has a very weak stomach. She doesn't really like seeing anything dead that may have been alive at one point. " I flash dad my biggest smile, and he smiles right back.
"I get it, I get it. That makes sense. What a thoughtful boy you are too. Karen, we sure have a thoughtful son." They both turn and smile at me.
"Uh, I gotta go so I'm not late. Gotta get to calculus early to study for a quiz today, and I have to drop my brain off." I grab my jello brain, grab my car keys, kiss my mom bye, and I'm out the door.
I open my car door, and set the brain on the passenger seat. As I turnover the engine, someone taps me on my shoulder, making me jump and scream.
"Jesus, it's too early for your girly scream man."
"Well maybe if you told me when you decided to sleep in my car then you wouldn't have to hear it. What happened this time man?"
The man in my car is my best friend, Nate Prat. His mom is a junkie and his stepdad is a drunk, so sometimes he will sleep in my car, since he has a key, and won't tell me.
"Sorry dude, I was going to text you but it was like two-thirty in the morning. Figured you'd want sleep instead. Coffee run please?"
"Not till you tell me what happened. "
Nate sighs, but gives in.
"Nancy went after Drew with one of her needles, and then Drew came after me with a broken bottle. So I scrammed. No big deal, they'll both forget by tonight. Now can we get coffee? Please?" He's practically begging, but I know the real reason he wants to go so badly. I start the car, and say sure. Not before I teased him though.
"You wanna go se Bree don't you. Who cares about coffee when you have Bree. "
I start laughing and Nate pinches me in the shoulder.
"Shut up man. That's not funny." He scowls as we pull out of the driveway.

"So what's up with you and Bree anyway, dude?" I ask Nate as we pause at a light
He sighs, and replies, "Honestly I have no clue. We flirt and stuff at school and the coffee shop, but whenever I try to get her number she gets scared or something."
"Well why don't you ask her out on a real date? Buy her flowers and take her out to dinner. I bet she would like that more than you just trying to get her number."
"Maybe... Maybe. Why don't you take your own advice? Ask Rachel out, bro. God knows it's past due. I'm not the only chick-" I interrupt him by slamming on the gas, and he hits his head on the roof.
"Jesus, Asher. Are you trying to kill me or something?" I laugh as we pull in front of the coffee shop. We get out of the car and walk inside.
"We have twenty minutes to get to school, Nate. Make it quick."
He nods, and we go to the counter.
"Hey, Bree. What's up?" He asks shyly.
"Nothing much, I get off in like ten minutes. But I mean I have to go to school so..." They both laugh nervously.
"Anyway, what can I get you guys? Wait, Nate let me guess your usual. A large black coffee with... two sugars?"
Nate looks kind of surprised, but nods.
Bree smiles bashfully, and says, "I've been working on remembering your order. You guys are here almost every day anyway. Oh, sorry Asher, I almost forgot about you. What do you want?"
"I'll take a iced mocha please, with an extra shot. I was up late studying."
"No problem. I'll be right back with your drinks. Maybe I could hitch a ride with you guys to school?"
Nate looks at me.
"Sure, Bree. No problem. Plenty of room."
She smiles.
"Thank you! Your drinks are on the house, so don't worry."
She walks away to make the coffees, and I turn to Nate.
"C'mon man. You have to ask her out now. She's going to say yes. "
He shifts from one foot to the other.
"But she's so pretty... What is she says no, or worse, says yes? Then what do I do?"
"You take her on the perfect date, which I will help you plan."
Nate's face turns into a mask of determination, and he nods. I pat him on the back, and roll my eyes. Bree walks out with our drinks, and stands next to us.
"I'm off now, so whenever you guys are ready to go. "
I look at Nate pointedly, and gesture my head in Bree's direction.
"Hey, um, Bree... I, uh, had a question, for um, you."
"Yeah?" She starts to smile.
"Well... Do you... You-"
"For pete's sake this is hard to watch. Bree," she turns towards me, a little disappointment in her eyes, "Nate is too nervous to do this so I'm going to do it for him. He really likes you, and he would like to ask you out on a date. A real, nice, fancy date. He would like to take you out to dinner at Klass. What do you say?"
Nate looks totally embarrassed, and much to his surprise, Bree readily agrees. Her eyes are lit up now.
"What time should I be ready by?"
Nate is still too stunned to talk, so I answer for him.
"Be ready by 6:30."
She nods cheerfully, and starts towards my car.
Nate can only whisper, "Pinch me," before we drive to school.