MORE THAN THAT
Chapter Twelve

Monday, October 6, 2003
Next Day at School

A bunch of emotions were going on in Rose's head. The thought of committing suicide had shook her up. Feelings of just not wanting to live anymore had hit her hard. Relief had swept over her when Jack came and talked some sense into her.

Rose opened her locker and searched for her physics book. She stared at the pictures she kept in there. They were of Cal and her or just of Cal. It made her feel sad that no other person was in there. In the center of the locker door was a mirror. Her reflection scared her. Her face was pale and her hair was a mess, not in the orderly fashion she kept it in.

"Shit!" She cursed when her math book fell out of the locker. When she picked it up, she saw Cal's reflection in the mirror and jumped. She turned around and smiled at him.

"Sweetpea!" he said, hugging her. "You look a fright today!"

Oh, gee, thanks! Fucking asshole! she felt like saying.

"I am still tired." Rose had barely gotten a chance to sleep when Jack had dropped her off. So many thoughts had been keeping her up. If Jack hadn't been there, she would have been long gone. None of the people she saw every day would be seen today. It would have been announced that she was missing.

"Ah, well, I must get going. I have to get my books from my locker. Later, Sweetpea!" Cal said. He kissed her and went off.

Rose went back into her locker to take what she needed. From the corner of her eye, she could see Jack with his friends. She heard his voice as he laughed with them. She sunk her head into her locker and wished the day to go by fast.

*****

The moment Jack entered the school building he wanted to see if Rose was there. Instead, he was immediately wrapped up in his friends’ conversation.

"Mr. Malone is making it seem as if this test is gonna be a killer! It's gotten me all nervous!" Christina complained about their history test.

"Oh, please, Chris! When do you ever fail a history test? You are practically his favorite!" Fabrizio said.

"I know another person who she is the favorite of!" Tommy said. Christina blushed. He pulled her by the waist and kissed her.

"I envy you guys!" Jack said as he smiled at them.

"You hear that, sunshine? He envies us!" Tommy said.

"Oh, stop with this cuddliness! You are gonna make Hannah cry!" Fabrizio said.

"Oh, shut up, Fabri! You never called me by a pet name!" Hannah said with her arms folded.

"I call you toots! Ain't that enough?" Fabrizio asked. Hannah slapped his arm. "What?"

"You two are like a married couple!" Jack said.

"Ya hear that, Hannah? We're like a married couple! Who needs cute pet names? We could have the house on the hills. I live like a king and you my queen! I expect dinner at six sharp!" Hannah rolled her eyes and walked off. "Hey, Hannah! I'm joking!" Fabrizio yelled as he walked after her.

"Anyway, we'll see you later, Jack! Come on, sunshine. We got a few minutes left to homeroom!" Tommy said.

"Bye, Jack!" Christina waved and ran off with Tommy.

Jack opened his locker, laughing at the thought of his friends. They had all found someone except for him. The one girl he had found was taken by a man who abused her. He couldn't believe what Rose had tried to do. It had scared him to death, especially when she had slipped on the railing. He had thought her hand was going to slip from his. Why would she do such a thing? Jack asked himself. His thought was interrupted when he saw Rose burying her head in her locker.

Go up to her, Jack! Ask her why she planned to kill herself, Jack said to himself. He closed his locker, carrying his English books. Slowly, he was walking towards her. His heart was pumping fast. It felt like it was going to pop out of his chest. He felt his palms getting sweaty. Before he knew it, he was right in back of her. He tapped her shoulder and she jumped. Turning around slowly, she sighed.

"Oh, hi. Jack, what's up?" she asked. There was a strange look in her eyes, her voice sounding like she was frightened. Her skin was pale and her hair looked messy. However, he thought she still looked beautiful.

"Not much. I was more concerned with what was up with you."

"I'm fine. Just fine. Everything's fine."

"Good to hear that." It felt awkward to talk to her, especially since she'd told him to leave her alone and not talk to her at all.

"Well, see ya!" She closed her locker and ran into homeroom.

Well, Jack, you spoke to her. Are you satisfied? the voice in his head asked. He felt as if it were useless to talk to her. She was never going to tell him anything. The day I get a chance with Rose will be the day pigs can fly!

*****

In homeroom, Jack drew in his portfolio. He scribbled out the drawing and crumpled it up. When announcements were over, he could heard Jennifer starting up her usual conversation with Rose.

"Oh, my God, Rose! So, like, where did Cal take you on your sweet sixteen last night?" Jennifer asked. Jack couldn't believe it. Rose had tried committing suicide on her own birthday.

"Oh, just to the city," Rose said. There wasn't much enthusiasm in her voice. Then it hit him. The only possible reason for her contemplating suicide was Cal. It was the only reason he could think of for Rose wanting to end her life on her own birthday.

"Well, what'd he get you?" Jennifer asked.

"A blue, heart-shaped diamond. It's called the Heart of the Ocean," Rose said in a low voice.

"Cal is so sweet!" Jennifer said.

"Ha!" Jack said out loud. He could hear Fabrizio, two seats back, roaring with laughter.

"Ew! What are you laughing at?" Jennifer rolled her eyes at Fabrizio.

"Oh, just how you say the stupidest things!" Fabrizio answered back with a huge smile on his face.

"I think you should mind your own business!" Jennifer's tone was sharp. She heard Jack laughing and turned to face him. "And you! I was talking to Rose! Stick your nose somewhere else!"

"Oh, Jen, if you only knew!" Jack said. He turned to look at Rose, whose face looked at him in disgust.

"Sorry." Jack turned back around, feeling like a complete idiot.

Dawson, you are an ass! he thought to himself. He wanted homeroom to hurry up so he could get up out of there. A minute later, the bell rang. He watched as Jennifer and Rose walked on by. He picked up his stuff and threw his book bag over his shoulder. Fabrizio stood by him.

"That Jennifer is such a bitch!" Fabrizio blurted out.

"She's a dumb one as well!" Jack said.

"Wasn't that funny what she said about Cal? Cal is so sweet!" Fabrizio mimicked her. Jack and Fabrizio left the room, bursting out with a roar of laughter.

*****

It was fourth period. They were all in history taking the test. Rose bit her nails as she took the it. She could barely concentrate on the thing. She had studied before she got ready to go out with Cal. Rose had to admit it wasn't much studying.

There were ten minutes left to the class when she finally finished. She placed her pencil in her bag and laid her head on the desk. Closing her eyes, flashbacks of last night popped into her head.

Her own birthday was ruined by the one person who claimed to love her. It's all my fault! If I hadn't looked at that guy, it would have never happened! I knew what he would have done to me in the first place! Rose thought to herself. She popped her head back up when she heard Mr. Malone's voice.

They passed their test papers and Scantrons up. She was a little shaken when Fabrizio passed his papers up to her and when she was handing them up to Jack.

Rose picked her bag up from the floor and placed it on the desk. Taking her cell phone out from the bag, she saw that there was a minute left to class. She looked through her bag for a mirror when she heard a note drop onto her desk. She opened it and it read: Meet me at the back of the library. Jack.

Back of the library? she thought. Who goes there? Then she caught his drift. No one went there, so it was a great place to go see him. Cal wouldn't be caught there in a million years. Neither would his friends.

A sense of relief swept over her when the bell rang. She immediately picked up her bag and ran out the door, passing right by Jack. As soon as she got out of the room, she bumped into Cal.

"Sweetpea! Are we off to lunch?" he asked with his arm around her shoulder. His grip on it was tight.

"I have to go talk to Mr. Malone right now."

"What for?" he asked, becoming suspicious. Rose caught a glimpse of Jack with his friends. He looked back at her and walked away with them.

"He wants to go over my grades."

"Aren't you doing good in his class so far?"

"Yes. He just wants to see if they are good enough to consider taking me into his AP Euro."

"Ah, well, see you later, Sweetpea! I love you!" Cal said.

"Love you, too." He kissed her forehead and walked away.

Rose felt guilty about lying. However, she did whatever she could to get away from Cal and go sneak off to Jack. She looked behind her to see if anyone was there. Nobody. Walking down to the second floor, she opened the doors to the library. Out of nowhere, she started to get nervous. Slowly, she walked to the back of the library. There she saw Jack sitting at the table. Rose's heart felt like it was flying just looking at him. He was by far the most handsome guy she had ever seen.

*****

The minute Jack got into the library, he went to the back. No one ever went there. No one ever really went to the library at all. The tables were vacant. He dropped his portfolio and book bag on the table and sat down.

It was only two minutes since he had stepped into the library, and already he was getting impatient. That was until he saw the heavenly creature. Her hair wasn't neat, and she looked pale. However, when he saw Rose, it was as if angels were singing and a light shone down on her.

"Jack, I shouldn't be here. I'm not even allowed to speak to you. I should just go," Rose said. She tried to leave, but Jack immediately stood up and grabbed her arm. She stood by the bookcase, where his arms trapped her.

"Rose, you almost did something stupid last night. Why?" Jack looked straight into her eyes, feeling electricity. There were tears in her eyes.

"It doesn't concern you."

"It's Cal, isn't it?" Rose rolled her eyes. "I'm right, aren't I?"

"Cal's my boyfriend. He loves me. I love him."

"Right."

"Is that all you wanted to know?"

"Rose, you are no picnic. You are a spoiled brat, even, but aside from that, although I barely know you, I can tell that you're the most amazing, astounding girl that I've--"

"Jack, I--" Jack interrupted her, just like she had.

"Let me try to get this out! Rose, you're…" He paused. "I'm not an idiot. I see the way he treats you. I'm not rich like Cal is and I have nothing to offer you. I know that. But I am too involved now. You jump, I jump. Remember me saying that to you last night? I can't turn away until I know you'll be all right."

"Well, I'll be fine. Really." He wasn't convinced.

"Really? Because I sure as hell don't think so. He's got you trapped, Rose, and you're gonna die if you don't break free. Maybe not right away, because you're strong, but sooner or late, that fire that I love so much about you…" He placed his hand on her cheek. "…that fire will burn out."

"It's not up to you to save me, Jack."

"I know. Only you can do that."

Rose started to get a strange feeling. Here was this guy that she never really spoke to because she had told him to stay away pouring his heart and soul out to her.

"I can't do this, Jack." She took his hand off her cheek. She tried to leave, but Jack quickly grabbed her hand. "I have to--" She was cut off by Jack, who was now kissing her. A whole bunch of vibes began to run through her body. It felt like paradise, kissing him. Cal never kissed her this way. Oh, my God! Cal! Rose immediately broke away. "I'm leaving! Please just stay away and leave me alone!" Rose snapped at him and ran out of the library.

Jack sighed and leaned his head against the bookcase. There went his heart, crushed to little bits and pieces.

Chapter Thirteen
Stories