Random Shakespeare

Chapter 8

     "-and she said yes! Can you believe that?" Jackson said at the dinner table over their chicken Marsala with linguini that his father had made thanks to a new cookbook he had gotten the week prior.

     "Of course she did!" His father said happily in his deep, booming voice. "I raised my son to be a charmer!"

     "And I raised him to be a gentleman, which I'm sure he will be when this date happens." His mother said, looking at him sternly.

     "Of course I am, I'm not going to ruin this by being a dou-"

     "No cursing at the dinner table." His mother interrupted him.

     "Sorry, mom. I meant, by being an idiot." He said, cutting off a piece of the chicken and chewing it slowly, savoring it.

     "Dad, you need to make this again, this is great!"

     His father laughed his unique and booming laugh. "Well, maybe you should try it sometime. The best way to a girl's heart is to cook her a great meal."

     "That is completely true." His mother agreed. They all laughed and went back to their dinner pleasantly.

     Suddenly, it was Friday, and Rae had no idea where all the time went! She was supposed to have a few days to figure what date curtesy was for frozen yogurt and discussing Shakespeare! So, she did the only thing she could.

     She called her best friend for help before school started.

     For a while, Kaitlyn and her had been rocky because of her behavior after her mother's death, but Rae slapped some sense into her. Afterwards, they became friends again, but decided not to publicize it. Kaitlyn didn't want her sister to feel left out, and Rae didn't want her father to think she was consorting with degenerates.

     "I need your help." Was Rae's desperate plea to Kaitlyn at 6:30 in the morning. She had finished her shower, using one of her favorite washes that smelled deliciously like apples.

     "Well, good morning to you too. Thank you for asking how I am this lovely morning and for waking me up fifteen minutes earlier than normal to make sure I get a good start on the day and-"

     "I'm going on a date after school today." Rae interrupted Kaitlyn's sarcastic jibe. There was silence on the other end of the telephone, and Rae was worried that Kaitlyn had experienced a shock from the phone that caused paralysis. If so, she would need to call an ambulance immediately.

     "Come again?" Came a shocked reply after a few more minutes.

     "I have a date after school today and I have no idea what I should be doing." Rae repeated, her voice starting to pick up speed as the reality of the situation set in and caused her to panic. She was going on date! Rae could feel herself start to breathe more rapidly and could feel the strangest tickling in her stomach. Was she going to throw up?

     "With who? Rae, you were the one who told me about the gang kidnapping kids, are you sure your date isn't one of them?" Her friend asked.

     "It's Jackson from Drama club and he's taking me out for frozen yogurt. Doesn't exactly sound like a kidnapping to me." Rae snapped, running her hand through her long hair in worry.

     "Hey, no need to get sarcastic with me just because you're about to have a panic attack." Kaitlyn said.

     "Oh crap, I think I am having a panic attack. Maybe I shouldn't go to school today, I feel dizzy and my stomach's doing something weird and my heart's beating really fast and I'm sweating a lot and I just can't focus! But if I don't go and Jackson thinks I bailed on him and doesn't come to the date and then I miss out on something great or what if the dates the absolute worst experience of my life or what if he does end up being part of that gang and he kidnaps me and tortures me and-" Rae's body forced her to take in a big breath, interrupting her rant and sending the much needed oxygen to her brain.