The day after the Math competition,  Rose wakes up on the sofa in her place. She yawns a bit in confusion.   How did she get home?  Why is she on the couch?

          "Good, you are awake," She hears someone say.

          "Whoa, who are you?"

        "Sorry, I did not mean to startle you. It is me, Justin."

        "Oh, I remember now, I met you last night at the arcade game part of the bowling alley."

         "How did I get home?"

        "Oh, that well, you  fell asleep at the marble bar part of the restaurant towards the end of the national math games."

           "I could tell you were tired, so I  drove you home."

           "I do not recall giving you my address,"  Rose frowns.

           "I  found the address listed on your driver's license  inside your wallet,"  Justin explains.

         Rose rolls her eyes in annoyance. Then, after she gets over her initial shock, she slaps him.

          "Ouch, what was that for?"

        " Thanks for bringing me home , but now my car is still at the bowling alley."

           "I did not think about that being a problem."

           "How am I supposed to get it back here?"

            "Well, uh, I could drive you back there,"  Justin offers.

         "Sure, fine, but just this once."
 

      Rose goes to her room, she then, enters the bathroom, removes her outfit, showers, dries off, gets dressed and brushes her hair.  After putting on her deodorant she looks around for her purse.

         "Have you seen my purse?"

          "Yes, here you go."
   

             "Thanks."

         "You are welcome."       

       Rose eats a quick breakfast and now is ready to get her car.  She glances at Justin and thinks he better not try anything.   

     "Alright, lets go."

      Justin notices she is quiet on the way there.  

       A few minutes later the two arrive at the destination.  Once there, Rose gets out, makes sure she still has her purse, and walks to her car.  She unlocks it, sets her purse inside, climbs into the driver's side, puts on the seat belt, and closes the door. She locks it, puts in the key, then drives off.

     Justin waves to her, but can tell despite his kindness towards her, she does not seem to like him. He figures that perhaps, this Max person is more important than she lets on then. He also, thinks it strange Max  would leave for such a special event and leave Rose behind.

     Rose arrives at her house soon. She smiles as she  pulls into the driveway to park. She unlocks the doors, gets out, locks the door back, and uses her house key to unlock the door. She goes inside where she locks the front door behind her. 

    Now, she sets down her purse, places the keys inside, and sits at the kitchen table to think.

       She hears a buzz noise on her phone.  

          Who could have sent her a text now?

             Rose decides there is only way to find out. She picks up the phone and looks at now.  She grins when she sees who sent it.

          Max's  text to Rose

        Rose, hi!  I miss you.   How are you?

         Rose's text to Max

          I am good. Miss you too.

       Bowling was not  the same without you last night.

         Max's text to Rose

         Rose, I am sorry, but I promise to go bowling with you in six months.

          Rose's text to Max

          Some new guy, Justin helped me win a stuffed animal out of the crank machine.

             He also took me to the restaurant nextdoor so I could watch the math nationals. 

              Max's text to Rose

               Oh, so you made a new friend.

           Max feels himself feeling jealous of this Justin guy.  He has no idea why. It is not like he has any claims to rose.  After all, she is his best friend, but their not together or anything.

         Rose sees the latest text and laughs. 

           Rose's text to Max

          Yes, I suppose. I do not expect to see him again anytime soon.

           Rose wonders what makes Max so silent.  Does he intend to ignore her now?

             Max sees the newest response and grins. He breathes a sigh of relief.

Max's text to Rose

  Two days from now will be the Science Nationals.  It will be on around 8 pm London time, so in Paris it is going to be 9 pm.   Hope you get to view it.

    I will try my best to do well.

     Max almost tells her she is on his mind a lot lately. Then, decides against it.  He figures maybe that would be to strange.  It is not like he ever told her before how he feels.  Besides, if he wants to be honest he only recently figured it out.

   Rose nods her head in agreement as she reads it.

    Rose's text to Max

     Alright, thanks I will be glad to see it.

     Hope everything goes well.

        Justin feels jealous of  Max.  He likes Rose, but he has no plants to try to steal her from the other guy. It is not a thing like him.  Not at all.

      Rose sighs as it dawns on her she she has no idea how to tell Max about her feelings for him.

   Find out more in Chapter 4

    bye, bye little owlets!

   -Summer out!