JACK AND ROSE: PRESENT TIME
Chapter
Sixty-One
Jack sighed as he
lit up another cigarette. He had no idea how he was going to survive this. Life
without Rose? Could he handle it?
"Jack,"
Dominique said. "Don't smoke."
Jack completely
ignored her comment and looked up at the sky. Rose was gone. It had only been
about five minutes since the plane left. But, for Jack, it felt like eternity.
"I can't
believe she's really gone," Jack said, finally speaking. The group was standing
around Jack's truck, which was still in the airport parking lot. Jack couldn't
bring himself to leave.
"She'll be
back," Fabrizio said.
Jack shot an almost
frightened look at Fabrizio. "We don't know that..."
"Come
on," Tommy said. "Let's go home."
~~~~~~~~~
Rose sighed as she
looked out the window. She was still crying softly. How could she possibly live
life without Jack? And what about when summer ended? Going to a new school and
meeting new people. Rose didn't seem up to it.
Just then, Rose
noticed no one was sitting next to her. She wondered where her seating partner
was. Then someone came up to her...
"Rose,"
Caledon Hockley asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Cal?"
Rose asked, shocked. He was really the last person she wanted to see right now.
"What are you doing here?"
Cal smiled at her.
"I'm going to Paris to attend my uncle..."
Rose then knew what
he was talking about. His uncle, Steven Hockley, was a rich business man who
lived in France. He was even richer than Cal's father. Rose had no idea where
these people got so much money.
"What are you
doing here?" Cal asked, sitting in the seat next to her.
Rose sighed. It was
worse enough she had to go to Paris, but the trip there with Cal Hockley? She
didn't know if she was strong enough to survive it.
"I'm going to
visit some of my family..." Rose said. "Why didn't you take one of
your private jets?"
Cal laughed.
"Rose, I'm not as rich as you take me for."
Rose gave him one
of her looks that told him he was wrong. "Okay..." Cal said. "Maybe
I am..."
There was silence
for a few moments as Rose stared out of the window again. "How long are
you going to be in Paris for?" Cal asked.
Rose looked at him
with sad eyes. "Until my mother stops being a bitch."
"That could
take forever," Cal said, making Rose laugh.
Rose had to admit.
It was nice to know someone. Sure, Caledon Hockley had been an enemy of Jack
and Rose's since the beginning of the year, but he wasn't that bad. Rose
remembered he was once a sweet, loving boy. But, ever since freshman year he
had turned evil. Rose didn't know what it was. She figured it was peer pressure
and pressure from his own father.
"So...saying
good-bye to Jack looked tough," Cal said.
Rose looked into
his eyes. "So, I guess you saw it."
"Everyone saw
it."
Rose smiled.
"I love him so much."
Cal gritted his
teeth. How could she love Jack Dawson more than himself? Cal promised himself
not to show any resentment. The truth was, Cal liked Rose. And if he couldn't
have her as his girlfriend, he wanted her as a friend.
"See,"
Rose started. "Jack wanted me to run away with him. You know, so we could
be together. Now I wish I hadn't said no."
Cal nodded.
"So...you blew him off?"
"No!"
Rose said. "I just told him that his idea was impossible."
Rose then started
to cry. She felt stupid crying in front of Cal. He was Jack's worst enemy. Why
was she being so nice to him? He should be treated like dirt, like he treats
Jack.
"If you could
do it over, would you have went with Jack?" Cal asked.
Rose nodded.
"Of course. Now I know what a mistake I've made."
Cal than looked
into Rose's eyes. "I have an idea."