GHOSTS
Chapter Two

Moving about the main hall, I was feeling pretty content with myself, but yet I knew something was missing deep inside of me. I wasn't entirely complete. My ride arrived an hour before the expected time and caught me miraculously prepared to leave. While glancing into all the windows of artwork, I was amazed. Art has always been important to me since it's so engaging and creative. Looking at the paintings, I dreamt of places I desired to actually spend romantic moments, fully aware I had no one to share them with. In the past, I shared events with girls, but none of those relationships really mattered. They were sadly lacking in something and never felt quite right.

Suddenly, as if by some strange force, I turned my head and caught my first glimpse of her. She stood nearby, engaged in meaningless conversation with a chubby man, another gentleman with a leaner frame on her other side. I stared at her for endless moments, intrigued and mesmerized. There was something about this gorgeous, glowing woman that drew me in and peaked my interest. I knew I shouldn't stare, but I just couldn't help myself. All the memories I recalled only minutes before made absolutely no sense any more.

Then her eyes glanced my direction and as I saw the emotions flow over her enchanting features, I became concerned by the amount of grief that appeared in the crystal clarity before me. She had a loneliness and sadness about her that stunned me for a woman so young and beautiful. For a while, I watched the two men with her, curious if they were to blame somehow. A fake smile danced across her porcelain face, lighting up her disposition, but never reaching her eyes. That was obvious to me.

As she moved past me, she was so close, but yet so far. I considered reaching out to her, but my fear kept me back. Why would such an incredible and regal woman ever desire to be with someone as simple as me? In that instant, I felt like a peasant in the presence of a magnificent princess. From then on, the only thought that continued to cross my mind was that woman. I can't explain why.

On the stern, I decided to observe my surroundings. The sea reached far into the horizon, unconfined and flowing with all the spontaneity and recklessness that I loved. Despite the gloomy coverage of the clouds, the weather appeared exhilarating as the wind made it nearly impossible to keep my notebook open to the page where I began to pen my newly inspired poem. There was only one image in my mind, one emotion that continued to capture me. It was the young woman I had just seen moments before and the magnetic feelings that drew me to her. A piece of me already felt intertwined with her somehow and it seemed like fate we were to meet.

I glanced up and my heart nearly stopped. With grace and perfect dignity, the goddess stepped out from the enclosed promenade and onto the sun deck. Her auburn hair blew softly across her face, unspoiled by the fierce breeze, while her pale skin slowly began to grow rosy with the chill. Taking note of how her gentle, soulful eyes glanced around her surroundings, I compared her mentally to a romantic heroine in some epic novel. Demurely, her full, pouty lips parted as she seemed to revel in the same splendid scene I lost myself to only seconds before. Magically, the sun made an ever so brief gleam across her features, her hair shining more dramatically and her creamy, ivory skin glowing in its warmth. I needed to capture the beauty of her and my pencil immediately went to work, flowing effortlessly and flawlessly across the paper in my lap. There was no way I could allow myself to forget that scene.

She sensed my eyes on her and looked at me in a way that made my breath catch. There was slight annoyance and yet a flattered exchange made through her eyes. As she began to make her way to the stairs, I feared something would go wrong. She was the most beautiful woman my eyes had ever beheld before me and I didn't dare let her see the image I was creating of her in my notebook, so I hid.

Cautiously and with slight hesitation, she made her way around the stern, glancing about with curiosity. I heard her sigh. Then, her eyes focused intently on the edge of the ship and she peered back at the deck and once more at the railing, seeming entranced. Determined, she completed the journey and stepped slightly wobbly onto the bottom bar, glancing down, the fake smile gone. After a moment, she unclasped her wavy hair and let its red curls cascade freely about in the wind.

Knowing I had to talk to her, I crept up behind her, not wanting to scare her and afraid I was dreaming. "Hi," I greeted her as her head spun around. The blueness of her eyes astounded me. They were almost the clear window to her soul.

"Hello," she replied.

As she started to climb down, I got fearful she could easily slip after remembering a specific scene from a certain movie. That new thought hit me with such a magical feeling. All my friends after seeing the movie thought I really was Jack Dawson no matter how hard I tried to tell them I wasn't. It didn't help that I had a very similar background, view of the world, and a passion for drawing. I just enjoyed keeping sketches as mementos of everyday life, placed I'd been and where I wanted to go. Jack and I shared the same attitudes too and the same carefree spirit and as much as I hated to admit it, I was pretty much identical to Jack Dawson. The woman Jack fell in love with, Rose, was the woman of my dreams, the woman I always wished for. My friends would always joke with me that I was missing my Rose. But now, here she was right in front of me. I knew that as I gazed at her and saw all the same fire and passion reflected in her azure eyes. Maybe showing up an hour early was God's intervention to let us, with our two hearts and souls that matched Jack and Rose's meet.

After all, she was standing on the railing--the safe side-- her red, somewhat curly hair billowing around her soft, remarkably attractive face, and I was approaching her much like how Jack did while talking Rose out of committing suicide the night they met. Drawing in a deep breath, I tossed the ridiculous notion out of my head, but it wouldn't leave so easily.

But she stopped and just stayed there on the railing, looking back at the water very quickly. My eyes glanced back to where I had seen her before. Recalling the men with her, I asked, "So, was that your boyfriend?"

The nervous apprehension briefly left her eyes and she smiled. It was the most stunning smile I ever saw and one I thought would easily melt my heart. "No." She laughed. "That was my cousin."

Relieved, I smiled back, laughing with slight embarrassment. The sadness was still unable to be mistaken deep within her eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine. Why?" she asked, appearing shocked that I wondered.

"Just wanted to make sure." I could sense her questioning eyes and decided I should be a little more easygoing, but I was so in awe of her that I didn't know exactly what to say. "It's a nice day, isn't it?" I inquired, knowing full well it wasn't.

With a slight laugh, she replied, "Nice? It looks like it's going to pour at any moment."

She had caught me. There was no way to back out of that one. "I guess you're right. I'm more of a sunshine boy myself."

Her azure eyes lit up, pleased about something. "So am I." Then she stumbled briefly. "I mean a sunshine girl, of course."

I noticed her slightly wobble on the rail again and so I offered her my hand, desiring already to my own surprise to want to feel her close to me. "Here, let me help you."

For a moment, she spied at me with suspicion. Then her hand found mine and as our hands and eyes locked, I knew I lost my heart. She was incredible: gorgeous, intelligent, not afraid to speak up and she appeared fiery. In her eyes, I saw some sign of the same emotions but I couldn't be sure. There was trust and I wanted to be there for her. The expression on her face and in those clear eyes showed she too could see how I felt and there was no wall between us. I helped her down, but she lost her balance. I threw myself closer to her in order to catch and support her, smelling her sweet scent and feeling her skin that was as smooth as silk against mine, her warmth reaching me. "I've got you," I said reassuringly. Then, without even thinking, I muttered much like Jack Dawson, "And I won't let go."

The shock of our bodies colliding was too much for me and I mentally stepped back quickly. As my hand found the small of her back, I felt her delicate hand reach up my back to my shoulders, sending incredible sensations throughout my body. Our eyes quickly met again and I had to fight every urge to surrender to the arousal of the moment and kiss her. Her eyes were stunning, a deep, dark blue as beautiful as the sea on a sunny day and revealing every truth about her. I knew my eyes had to be too revealing. Easy, I kept telling myself. Don’t do anything stupid.

We started to pull away, but our hands, still connected from my prior offering, seemed to linger in each other’s for a few minutes, as neither of us could speak for what seemed like an eternity, as we gazed into each other’s eyes. I knew from then on she would always remain a part of my heart and would always haunt my thoughts.

Peering into her eyes even more, I was overwhelmed by their depth, her depth. She drew me in with those eyes and they became the most striking feature about her that would always remain dominant in my fantasies. "Are you all right?" I asked her, concerned.

Slightly laughing, she answered, "I'm fine. Thank you."

The only word that wanted to escape my lips was, "Anytime." Luckily, it brought about a smile on her enchanting face.

As we drew apart, I noticed out of the corner of my eye the appearance of her party and sighed. I had always been shy and realizing my bashfulness had almost cost me the lost opportunity of meeting the girl, I sighed. She must have noticed my change and she spied at me when I turned to her, the sad smile on my face. I couldn't say farewell just yet. Trying to think of any excuse to make it less obvious as to the reason I was leaving, I glanced hesitatingly to my watch. "I--I have to go, but I hope to see..." I was going to say see you again, but how was that possible? Covering my Freudian slip, I added, "That you have a good day." Then, noticing how much closer the others were, I quickly grabbed her hand, kissed it as a gentleman would, and raced off.

Even though it had been about an hour since I saw her, the beautiful young woman was still lingering in my thoughts. My mind was so consumed with our encounter that I couldn't fully concentrate on anything else but the drawing I had begun on the stern. I knew that once my friends arrived there would be no way to escape their prying questions.

She soon passed me, close enough to touch and yet so unaware of my presence. I watched her near the exit, her cousin heading back on board. Sitting down on a nearby bench, her eyes glanced back to the stern. Was it possible she was recalling our meeting? Could it be possible she felt the same emotions in regards to it as I did? One thing was for sure, it had poured just as she said it would. She had a sadness about her, a sadness she had been carrying for some time. I didn't know why, but I felt an urge to protect her, to see her smile as she did during my attempts at conversation on the deck.

Sighing, I headed down the ramp and made my way to her. I had to talk to her. "Hi again." I greeted, sounding simple enough even though it took every ounce of breath to get out.

Her azure eyes met mine again and her devastating smile lit up her face. No way could she be that pleased to see me. A teasing smirk danced in her eyes and slightly ridiculing, she asked, "Are you following me?"

"Call me whatever," I responded, deciding honesty is the best policy. "I've never done anything like this, but I'm willing to now."

Then, her cousin and his girlfriend began coming our direction again. They seemed to have just the perfect timing of interrupting our conversations. This time, she caught onto my nervous appearance and to my relief she made the first move. "I think I have to be leaving now. It was nice meeting you." Her tone conveyed some sense of the same despair I felt at our impending separation.

Offering my hand, I answered, "You, too." Then, I turned and gazed off at the sea as she began to walk off with them. As she walked away, she looked to me. I waved excessively at her departing figure. My Rose was disappearing into reality and I didn't want to lose that image of her.

Over the next few months, no matter what I did or what girls my pals introduced me to, the Rose from that day never left my mind. My mother and best friend thought I was obsessed, especially since it was unlikely I would ever see her again. Each night, I worked on the sketch of her, wanting it to portray her beauty so perfectly and cherishing the thoughts of our brief encounter. I had it pretty bad for a ghost of Rose DeWitt Bukater.

The End.

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