FROM NOW UNTIL ETERNITY
Chapter One
Rose DeWitt-Bukater stood against
the fence, staring ahead at the small group of teens leaning against their
cars, waiting to go home. School was out and cheerleading practice had just
begun. Her friends were all getting into position, but Rose never took her eyes
away from the group. She was waiting for him to appear. The blonde, blue-eyed
boy who had unknowingly held her heart since she had begun high school at
Connor High in Chicago, Illinois.
"Rose!" Leanne Reines
called to her best friend, a touch of irritation in her voice. "Are you
ready?"
"In a minute," was
Rose’s distracted answer. Her face lit up with a small smile as finally he
appeared, giving one of his friends, a dark-skinned boy with brown hair and
eyes, a high five. Jack Dawson. The boy she had liked since ninth grade, but
was too shy to go and talk to. He seemed nice enough in the classes she had
with him. But his crowd hated her kind, the popular, well-off kids, so she
didn’t bother, knowing he would shun her.
"Why don’t you just go up
and talk to him? You have homeroom, Spanish, English, and Algebra with him
every day. Talk to him, then." Leanne sighed. Really, she couldn’t
understand Rose’s interest in Jack Dawson. The boy was low income. He lived on
the shabby side of town. He drove a beat-up Saturn. Not the type of car that a
girl of Rose’s social standing would be caught dead in. She had to admit that
Jack was one of the hottest guys in school, but still…
"Because he hates me. Well,
his group hates popular kids, anyway. He won’t give me the time of day."
Rose sighed hopelessly.
"You don’t know that unless
you try. In fact, I dare you to go up and ask him to the dance this Friday. You
don’t have to ask right now, but tomorrow, at least."
"Leanne, no…"
"What’s wrong? Chicken?
Afraid he’ll say yes?"
Rose narrowed her eyes. She hated
it when people called her chicken or thought she was too scared to do
something. Nothing made her more angry. "Okay. Fine. You’re on. I’m going
to ask Jack Dawson to Friday’s after-the-game dance."
"Cool. Now, let’s get to
practice, shall we?"