The very unusual date

Joe, my roommate, and his fiancée, Rochelle, came into our apartment. Rochelle came into the kitchen where I was. “Daris, would you be willing to go out with my sister?” she asked. 

“Is she going to school here?”

“No,” Rochelle replied, “but she is coming with my parents to visit me. I just thought it would be nice if she had a date so she could feel comfortable going to the big concert on Friday with my parents and Joe and me.”

“Sure,” I said. “I’d be happy to go with her.”

“When they get here tomorrow, I’ll bring her over to meet you,” Rochelle said.

Rochelle went back to be with Joe, and I went back to my studies. The next day I was busy with classes, homework, and wrestling. I had forgotten about meeting Rochelle’s sister by the time I got back to the apartment.

Another roommate, David, stopped me as I came in the door. “Hey, Daris, could you possibly do dishes for me tonight? I’ve got a big date. I will do them for you on your turn.”

“Sure,” I said. “I don’t have anything but studying tonight. I’ll get started right away.”

David thanked me and left. I filled one sink with wash water, soap, and dishes. I filled the other sink with rinse water. I rolled up my sleeves and had been busy working for a while when I heard Rochelle’s voice.

“Can I come in?”

“Sure, Rochelle,” I replied. “I’m back here in the kitchen. I think I’m the only one here.”

Rochelle came walking into the kitchen. Right behind her was a girl that looked a lot like her but was slightly shorter and someone more athletically built. Suddenly, I remembered I was supposed to meet Rochelle’s sister. I looked down at the front of my clothes, with water on them. I looked at my arms with soap to my elbows. I thought the timing couldn’t have been worse.

Rochelle didn’t even try to hold back her grin. “Daris, this is my sister, Mauren.”

I washed the soap off my hands and arms and dried them. I sheepishly held out my hand. “Nice to meet you.”

Mauren didn’t shake my hand for a moment. I couldn’t tell what the expression on her face was. Was she disgusted, angry, annoyed? I just couldn’t tell. But there seemed to be a slight grin behind her austere facade. Just as I was about ready to drop my hand back to my side, Mauren took it in hers. But then she looked me in the eye and squeezed really hard until she let go. Still, she never said anything. Mauren silently kept her frozen stare locked on me as Rochelle and I visited for a little while, then the two girls left.

The next day was the big concert, and Joe had purchased all of the tickets. When Joe, Rochelle’s father, and I went to meet the ladies, everyone seemed excited except Mauren. As we walked to the concert, I tried to get her to talk by asking her questions about herself. Sometimes she would answer yes or no, but mostly she ignored me altogether. After we took our seats, I tried again to engage her in conversation, but she stayed quiet. Finally, just when I was ready to give up, she turned to me with an angry expression on her face and poked me in the chest.

“Look, you. I didn’t want to go out with you. That was my sister’s idea. But there are two things I hate: men and athletes. And from my sister, I learned you’re both. So I also hate you, so just zip it!”

I knew that as loud as Mauren said it, all of the others had to have heard. I glanced at them. Only Joe seemed as shocked as I was. The girls’ parents grinned, but purposely seem to ignore the outburst, and instead talked about the concert. Rochelle kind of grinned and shrugged. That confused me, too. It wasn’t like Rochelle to set me up for failure.