Jack and Rose: Present Time 2 Junior Year
Chapter Fifteen
The lyrics on this page are from "A Moment Like This" by Kelly Clarkson.
"Are you sure you're ready for this?" Rose asked, squeezing Tonya's hand as they were walking into school.
Tonya nodded. "I'm sure."
Christmas break had just ended and Tonya had enrolled back in school. She had been home schooled when she had been with her dad, so she was excited about going back to Santa Monica High School.
"This is going to be great, Tonya," Jack said, who was walking on the other side of her. "You get the opportunity to shock a bunch people."
Rose rolled her eyes and then kicked a rock his way. Tonya just laughed. "Yeah...I'm sure there are people who don't know about me yet." She sighed. "I'm scared to think about what they will think."
"Everyone's gonna be so happy that you're back." Rose squeezed her hand again.
After they entered the school, they walked over to Tommy's locker, where Fabrizio and Dominique were already at.
"Hey girl!" Dominique said excitedly, hugging Tonya.
"Hey," she said, smiling at Dominique, and then giving Tommy a sad sigh. Tommy starred at her and didn't know what to think. The whole group seemed to get quite, so Fabrizio said something about letting Tommy and Tonya have some time alone and they all split.
"I'll walk ya to class," Tommy said with Tonya smiling as a reply.
They walked for a few minutes in silence, until Tommy finally mentioned something about the weather, making Tonya laugh.
"What?" Tommy asked cluelessly.
"Tommy...you're talking about the weather. Don't you have anything to say about New Years?"
Tommy thought back to that night...
Rose and Jack had held a party at their house to bring in the new year. It had been days since Tonya had turned up alive. No one thought she would be up for having a party, but she simply replied, "I was never really dead." Enough said.
At about 11:30, Tommy and Tonya decided to go out on the patio next to the pool, where no one else was. Tommy had demanded to talk to her alone when he noticed tears in her eyes when their song, "Honey" by Mariah Carey came on.
"What was that in there?" Tommy asked, holding her hand gently as they sat on two dark green patio chairs. Fabrizio had been appointed DJ of the night, so no doubt it was his plan to play their song.
"I'm sorry, Tommy," she said, beginning to cry again.
"No...no...no, don't cry anymore." He wiped away one of her tears with his thumb. "Everything's gonna be alright. We're together." His words seemed to make things worse because Tonya continued to let her emotions out with her tears. Tommy paused, "We are together, aren't we?"
Tonya's expression showed that Tommy had hit it right on the spot. "I don't know," she sobbed. "I just don't know."
Although Tommy knew the right thing to do would have been to stay there and comfort her, but he just couldn't. He got up, without saying a word, and went back inside, leaving Tonya there with her guilty tears.
Tommy then went upstairs, to Jack's room, where he knew no body would be. The party was downstairs...or so he thought. He walked in on Jack and Rose making out on Jack's bed. "Oh...I'm sorry."
"Tommy," Rose said, getting up from the bed, knowing something was wrong. "What happened?" Jack seemed as concerned as Rose. "Why aren't you downstairs with Tonya? I heard your guys' song playing."
"She doesn't want to be with me."
"What?" Jack asked in disbelief.
Tommy sighed and then sat down on the edge of Jack's bed. Rose sat next to him and put her arm around him. "What happened?"
"She doesn't love me anymore," Tommy said, trying his best not to cry. "I guess I can't blame her...it's been almost two years." He sighed. "I just thought that love we had was more special than that."
A slight breeze came blowing in through the window, making Tommy shiver.
"I think I know what this is all about," Rose said, getting up from Jack's bed and slowly walking in circles around the room. "She talked to me briefly about it."
"What?" Tommy asked with pleading eyes.
"She lost her baby, Tommy. Your baby." Rose took Tommy's cigarette out of his mouth that he had just lighted and began smoking it, causing Jack to laugh slightly, despite the situation.
"I know. You'd think she'd need me..." Tommy replied.
"She does need you, Tommy, that's the thing! But...you haven't even discussed it with her. She thinks you don't care about your baby that was killed."
"I thought if I mentioned it, it would only upset her!"
"Tommy..." Rose kneeled down next to him. "Talk to her!"
And, with that Tommy raced out of the room to find Tonya.
Rose put her cigarette out and then sat next to Jack. He put his arm around her. "You thought you were pretty cool smokin', huh?"
Rose laughed. "I though it would add effect." She then put on a serious face. "I hope they're going to be al..."
"They will," Jack cut in. "I know they will."
Tommy ran back to the patio, where he thought Tonya would still be...but she wasn't. Was it too late? He began to search frantically for her. "Have you seen Tonya?" He asked partiers as he passed them by. They either shrugged their shoulders or shook their heads. Just when Tommy was about to give up, he found her in the front yard, starring up at the sky.
He approached her. "Tonya."
She turned around.
"I'm sorry...I'm sorry about not having a heart-to-heart talk about our baby...I just didn't want to upset you. But, now I can see that we do need to talk about it and sort out all of these crazy feelings."
Tonya smiled slightly.
"I love you, Tonya." He looked like he was about ready to cry. "I will never love anyone as much as I love you...this may sound stupid...but we're meant for each other. Look at all we've been through." She looked in his eyes, taking it all in.
They could still hear the music from inside.
"I just want you to know that I love you," Tommy finished. "And that no matter what you decide...I'll always be there for you."
Tonya's smile grew bigger and she flung herself into Tommy's arms and they shared a passionate kiss. Who knew what the future may bring?
Tommy smiled. "Of course I remember New Years...that was a great night."
"Of course it was." Tonya giggled.
"It caused the best thing in the whole world to happen," Tommy said, smiling at her again.
"What is that?" She asked.
"This." He took her hand in his and together they walked. Hand in hand.