Scoring Dates

Jack walked around the museum for a while longer, and then headed back to his apartment. When he walked in, he noticed that Fabrizio was sitting at the kitchen table with his phone laying in front of him and twiddling his thumbs. "Hey Fabri, what exactly are you doing?" he asked.

Fabrizio looked up, startled. "Oh hey, Jack, I was just debating something," he replied, awkwardly scratching behind his ear.

Jack raised his eyebrows and gave Fabrizio a puzzled look. "Debating what?" he prodded, walking to stand over his friend's shoulder.

Fabrizio grinned nervously, and handed Jack the sticky note with Helga's number on it. Jack chuckled. "Oh I get it, you wanna ask her out but now you feel all shy and nervous, right?" he asked with a sly smirk.

Jack knew that his friend was good at landing chicks, but when it came to asking them out, Fabrizio panicked a bit. This particular fact was just one of the many things that Jack loved about his friend, because watching him suffer was always entertaining.

Fabrizio nodded. "Yeah pretty much," he admitted.

Jack clapped his friend on the back. "Oh come on, man up, Fabrizio! Just do it, considering she's the one who gave you her number... I doubt she'll say no," he reassured him.

Fabrizio smiled. "Yeah, that's true, but what if she does say no?" he asked nervously.

Jack grinned. "What if she says yes?" he argued.

Fabrizio laughed. "Okay, okay, I'll call her!" he yelled, jokingly punching his friend in the shoulder.

Jack chuckled and slid Fabrizio's phone closer to him. "Here, and try not to wet yourself while you're waiting," he teased.

Fabrizio rolled his eyes. "Ha-ha." He picked up his phone and punched in the number. His fingers were trembling.

"Hello?" answered the gruff voice of an older man. Fabrizio was shocked. He had expected to hear Helga's sweet sing-song voice on the other end. He looked at Jack.

"Dude... she gave me the wrong number!" he whispered as his smile faded. Jack patted his back sympathetically.

"Hello? Dahl residence. Is this some sort of prank call?" The man was still on the other end. Fabrizio had almost forgotten. Then, as if a lightbulb flicked on in his mind, he suddenly realized what the man had just said. Dahl residence...wasn't that Helga's last name?

He grinned and slapped Jack's hand off of him. "No wait, it is the right number I think!" he exclaimed.

Jack laughed at his friend's expression. "Phew, good!" he replied with a grin.

"Okay I'm hanging up now," the man's voice interjected. Shit I keep forgetting he's still here... Fabrizio's face reddened.

"No wait!" he choked out.

"Who is this?" the man demanded. Fabrizio could hear the fury rising in his voice.

"Uh... my name's Fabrizio De Rossi, I'm sorry, did you say this is the Dahl residence?"

"Yes, Olaf Dahl speaking."

"Is Helga Dahl home?" Fabrizio asked nervously. He could barely hold his phone because his whole hand was shaking.

"Yes she is, and she's also my daughter," the man replied stiffly.

"Do you mind if I speak to her?" Fabrizio asked as politely as he could.

"Hold on," the man said gruffly. Fabrizio could hear people shuffling around and barely audible voices.

"Hello?" Helga answered the phone.

"Guess who?" Fabrizio was grinning.

"Oh wait, is this that incredibly handsome guy from the food court by any chance?" Helga asked teasingly. After she said that, Fabrizio could hear a different male voice snickering in the background.

"How did you know?" he teased back.

"Wild guess," Helga responded with a giggle.

"So I was just wondering..." Fabrizio started.

"Yeah?" Helga asked.

"If you were doing anything tonight?" Fabrizio asked. His palms were sweating so much he thought that he was going to drop his phone. Jack was holding his breath, as not to bust out laughing.

"No, not really. Why?" Helga giggled. More snickering could be heard in the background. "Sorry, don't mind my OBNOXIOUS brother," she added, an annoyed edge in her voice.

"I was wondering if maybe you'd consider going out to dinner with me?" Fabrizio asked. He wiped some sweat that was dripping down his forehead with his sleeve.

"Sure, I'd love to," Helga said after a moment of hesitation.

"Can I pick you up around 7:15? Maybe go to that fancy restaurant a few blocks from The Water Tower Place?" Fabrizio asked.

"SHUT UP KJETIL!"

"What?"

"Sorry about that, and sure, I guess I'll see you at 7:15." Helga giggled.

"Wait, I don't know where you live!" Fabrizio laughed.

"Oh right, duh. Sorry, one second-" There was a pause, and Fabrizio gave Jack a thumbs up. Jack grinned and clapped Fabrizio on the back again.

"My dad's making me get off the phone, his brother tried to call so he wants to call him back. Here I'll give you my cell phone number and I'll text you my address," Helga said.

"Oh okay," Fabrizio said. He was smiling now.

"312-700-2217," Helga told him. "Sorry I didn't just give you my cell phone in the first place, it's just I'm kind of an airhead about remembering to charge it and I didn't want to miss your call, if you called, which you did," she added.

"Oh no it's fine, but at first I thought I had the wrong number!" Fabrizio laughed.

"Yeah, my dad always answers the phone, I was in my room. Sorry!" Helga apologized again.

"It's okay. Alright so text me your address, and I will see you at 7:15. I'll hang up so your dad can call his brother," Fabrizio laughed.

"Okay, bye!" Helga giggled and hung up.

Fabrizio looked at Jack. "YES!" he shouted, slamming his hands down on the kitchen table.

Jack laughed. "Talk about slap happy!" he joked.

Fabrizio got up and hugged Jack. "As my granddad would say-DIO MIO GRAZIE!" He did a happy jig around the kitchen.

Jack rolled his eyes and bust out laughing. "Oh God Fabri..." He shook his head and turned away.

Fabrizio smirked at him. "Oh yeah, you make fun of me, at least I have a date!" he laughed.

Jack shook his head. "How do you know I don't?" he countered, remembering the girl from the art museum.

Fabrizio shrugged. "Do you?" he asked.

Jack smirked. "As a matter of fact, yeah I do," he replied with a casual shrug.

Fabrizio eyed him carefully and Jack backed down. "Okay not yet, but I can get one. Watch."

Jack pulled out his phone and punched in Rose's number. Fabrizio shook his head as he walked into the kitchen and opened the refrigerator. He opened a can of orange pop as he plopped himself down on the sofa, and then plugged in his game system and set up his new controllers. Jack walked into the kitchen and sat at the table. He waited as the phone rang.

"Hello?" Rose answered.

"Hey it's me, Jack from the Monet exhibit," Jack said.

"Oh hello, Jack, it was lovely meeting you today," Rose replied.

"So I know you said maybe we could go for coffee sometime, and I was thinking, maybe if you're not busy tonight-"

"I'd love to!" Rose cut him off excitedly.

"Awesome, how about 7:15?" Jack suggested, winking sarcastically at Fabrizio.

Fabrizio turned up the volume on the TV just as there was a loud explosion inside the game he was playing. "TAKE THAT EVIL MUSHROOM LORD OF THE UNDERWORLD!" he yelled.

"What on Earth was that?" Rose asked through the phone.

"Sorry that was my ANNOYING ASS roommate, he's like a child always playing with his game system," Jack laughed. Fabrizio jokingly flipped him off.

"Oh, I thought a bomb went off!" Rose giggled.

"Nope, no bombs here!" Jack laughed.

"Well, that's good!" Rose laughed.

"Soo... how about we meet at the bookstore on the corner?" Jack asked.

"At 7:15? Okay, yes, I'll be there!" Rose replied happily. At least she sounded happy over the phone.

"Sweet, see ya then!" Jack exclaimed with a wide grin.

"Bye!" Rose hung up.

Jack walked into the TV area and unplugged the game system. "Hey, asshole!" Fabrizio yelled as he threw his arms up. "I was just about to blow up the evil mushroom goonies and you killed the power! What gives?!" he demanded, annoyed.

"You're not the only one with a date, I'm meeting this girl I met at the art museum today for coffee while you and Helga Dahl are on your dinner date," Jack informed him with a smirk.

"Good for you, but I hate you for screwing up my game! Now I have to start the ENTIRE level over again!" Fabrizio groaned, throwing down his controller.

Jack faked his best sad face. "You... hate me, Fabrizio?" he asked with a phony sounding sniffle.

Fabrizio scowled at him as he tried not to laugh. "Fine. I don't hate you... but I'm still mad you turned off my game," he snickered.

Jack laughed. "I'm sorry!" he apologized again.

Fabrizio stood up with a smirk. "Yeah, sure you are." He took a big swig of his orange pop. "What time is it?" he asked.

Jack shrugged and checked his watch. "5:02," he said.

Fabrizio shrugged, too. "I'm going to take a cat nap, then I'll get ready to pick up Helga," he decided, walking over to his bed.

"Okay, I'll just watch TV," Jack said.

"That's nice," Fabrizio said, climbing into his bed. He set his alarm for 6:15 so he would still have time to get ready for dinner and get to Helga's house.

Jack went into the kitchen and grabbed some potato chips. He sat down in front of the TV and turned on his favorite show. He chuckled as he shoved a handful of chips in his mouth. "Oh come on lady, the cat has a mustache..." he snickered.

Meanwhile, back at Cal's penthouse, Rose was sitting at the kitchen table. She gazed blankly out the window that overlooked the city. Suddenly, her mother walked into the room. She'd just returned from the day spa with some of her society friends. "Rose dear, are you alright?" Ruth DeWitt Bukater asked, noticing her daughter's blank expression.

Rose blinked and turned to look at her mother. "Pardon?" she asked with a faraway look in her eyes.

Ruth shook her head and walked over to the stove. "Nevermind," she said, filling the tea kettle with water and letting it heat up. She grabbed a mug out of the cabinet and an herbal teabag from the drawer. "Margot Friar's daughter Elizabeth just got engaged to a Harvard grad, and she invited us to the wedding! Isn't that wonderful news?" she asked, chattering mindlessly as she looked for a spoon to stir the tea with. "You know, Cal went to Harvard, too."

"Mhmm..." Rose mumbled, not really listening.

"Are you even listening to me, Rose?" Ruth demanded, turning to face her daughter, her hands on her hips.

"Of course, Mother," Rose lied, clenching her fists so hard under the table that she swore her knuckles were turning white.

Just then, the door opened and Cal burst in with his briefcase. "I'm home!" he announced, as if they were supposed to care.

Ruth rushed over and immediately took his coat for him. "Cal, would you like some tea?" she offered graciously.

Cal shook his head and sat down across from Rose at the table. "No thank you," he replied dryly.

He leaned over and kissed Rose on the cheek, causing her to cringe. "Actually, I'm leaving again soon, I have an all week business trip," he explained. Rose wanted to scream and jump for joy. Cal would be gone for an entire week. Now she wouldn't have to worry about him finding about her plans with Jack.

But then, the unexpected happened. Cal slid something across the table to Rose. She picked it up. Seeing what it was, her heart sank. "A plane ticket?" she asked in an obviously displeased tone.

"Yes. That would be a plane ticket, it's certainly not a movie ticket," Cal scoffed.

Rose turned away so Cal wouldn't see her rolling her eyes. "Why did you get me a plane ticket?" she asked flatly.

"Because, I need a date for this trip," Cal replied as it were the most obvious thing in the world.

Suddenly, Rose had an idea. She knew how to get out of this. She rubbed her forehead. "Oh Cal, I'd like to go, it's just that I'm really not feeling up to it...I have an awful headache," she lied. "But my mother hasn't really been out to many events lately, maybe she'll go with you," she added, executing her plan.

Rose knew her mother wouldn't mind being volunteered like that, because she knew how much Ruth loved all of her society events and would do anything to go to one. Sure enough, Ruth's interest was immediately perked. "Oh yes, Cal, I'd go with you if you would like," she said eagerly.

Cal glared at Rose. "Fine, we leave in an hour, so be ready," he snapped dejectedly. Ruth smiled and skipped off to her room like a giddy little girl. Cal stormed off to his own room and Rose was left in the kitchen. She sighed with relief. She'd dodged that bullet.

Jack was watching his other favorite TV show, when he heard Fabrizio's alarm clock beeping obnoxiously in the bedroom. Fabrizio slammed his hand down on the snooze button and climbed out of bed. He groggily rubbed his eyes and looked at the clock, it was 6:15, right on time.

Fabrizio walked into the TV room. "I'm gonna use the shower quick," he told Jack.

"Okay," Jack responded. He finished his TV show and then went to change. He traded his orange T-shirt and jeans for a blue and gray argyle sweater and blue dress pants. Just then, the bathroom door opened, and Fabrizio came out in his robe.

"Lookin' good, Jack!" Fabrizio smirked.

"Thanks, nice bathrobe," Jack laughed.

Fabrizio rolled his eyes. "Hey, shut it." They both laughed.

Fabrizio grabbed a black dress shirt, khaki dress pants, and a blue tie. He dressed quickly and stood in front of the mirror. He took a deep breath and puffed his chest out. "What do you think?" he asked nervously.

Jack grinned at his friend. "Nice! You look good, man!" he told him.

Fabrizio grinned, too. "I even have flowers for her," he said.

Jack laughed. "You really like this girl, don't you?" he pushed.

Fabrizio shifted on his feet and smiled. "Yeah, a lot." Even though he'd just met Helga that afternoon, he was positive that it had been love at first sight. He really hoped that Helga was feeling the same way.

Jack clapped him reassuringly on the back. "Go get her tiger!" he said with a wide grin.

Fabrizio let out a nervous laugh. "Thanks, man. Have fun on your date, too," he replied. He grabbed his leather jacket and car keys, and then walked out of the apartment to go get Helga. He checked his phone to see that Helga had texted him her address. Seeing that she had, he smiled to himself as he plugged it into his GPS, before taking off.

Back at Cal's penthouse, Cal and Ruth left on the private jet, leaving Rose all alone. Exactly what she wanted. She changed into a simple red dress and put a white sweater over it. She grabbed her keys and purse before heading out the door to meet Jack.

Jack took a deep breath and looked around his apartment. He put his coat on and grabbed his car keys, before shutting off all the lights. He left the apartment to meet Rose for coffee, locking the door behind him.

Opinions and concrit are always appreciated :)