Titan

Rose

Roselyn Foote stood outside the Alexandria Rink Center or "ARC" for short. She was indeed a redhead, as Drew described her, with long, thick, waist-length hair and fair skin. She was petite, standing at about five feet tall. Tiny, but shapely. A classical beauty.

She fidgeted as she waited for Constance to get off the phone. Constance convinced her to dress like a fool and now she was waiting while Constance had phone sex with that tool, Drew. The sooner this was over, the better.

Constance was always introducing her to guys that she knew or friends of guys with whom she was hooking up. Rose might not have minded if there had ever been one worth meeting. Constance was her best friend and she was a sweetheart, but there were times when Rose wanted to wring her neck.

When Rose heard that Drew Goodson had a friend who wanted to meet her, she wanted nothing to do with it. Rose had never met Drew, but she had seen his picture and heard enough about him. The picture was fairly memorable because in it Drew was giving the most awkward "thumbs up" she'd ever seen. To say it was "unnatural" was a kind way of putting it. He was a big goof who, for whatever reason, could slide into Constance's pants anytime. Maybe his weird mannerisms rubbed Constance the right way. He was probably like all of the other fake, slimy scumbags Constance dated. Whatever.

Constance and Rose had been best friends since the fifth grade. Their moms met at a PTA meeting and were friends ever since. Their dads hit it off, too, and they had cook outs on weekends. Rose had liked Constance, but she knew right away they weren't the same type of person. Even in the fifth grade, Constance's skirt somehow always ended up wrapped around her torso with her pink polka dot underwear out there for all to see. A slutty tomboy... But Rose didn't have many friends, so she kept her mouth shut. It did occur to Rose that she and Constance would probably grow apart in college. Time would tell. But Rose wasn't thinking about that right now.

"They're comin' out to meet us and we'll skate for free," Constance said. "Drew's friend, Eric, is reeaaal excited to meet you."

"Great."

"Oh, C'mon!" Constance wore a faux frown that all but said: Aww, dat's too bwad...

Does she have real emotions? Rose felt a frown she didn't show. Her face didn't change, however.

"Rosie, you never wanna meet any guys," Constance said.

Rose crossed her arms. "I don't know what you're talking about. I love meeting guys. But the ones you keep introducing me to wanna grab my ass two minutes in. Can I shake their hand first?"

Constance laughed, but Rose didn't really mean it as a joke. Constance's laugh was a gawky sorority laugh, but oddly genuine. "There. Be like that. You're so funny sometimes." She hooked her arm with Rose's and they walked to the entrance. "Just don't be too funny. Guys think girls who are funnier than them are D-Y-K-E-S. So, be cute; not hilarious."

Now Rose laughed. Constance wasn't always a ditz and Rose knew when she was playing with her. It helped her relax a little bit. This was why Constance was Rose's friend and she felt a little safer.

The automatic entry doors parted and two boys in faded navy blue uniform tees and smudged khakis walked out. Well, only the tall boy's pants were smudged. That was Drew; Rose knew it immediately. He was an even bigger goon than Rose imagined. He walked like an unbalanced robot with rubber for bones. Is that an attempt at swagger? The same weirdo grin from the photo was engraved on Drew's face and she half expected him to throw them the thumbs up, too. But then Drew's friend appeared from behind him.