FEELINGS IN THE SPOTLIGHT
Chapter Fifteen

People screamed in excitement as celebrities arrived at the award show. Jack walked out the car and helped Mandy out. She was wearing a beautiful long red dress. Jack smiled at the crowd and they went crazy. He was wearing a black tuxedo with a black tie. Mandy took hold of his hand and waved at the people cheering. Jack looked at her and leaned closer and kissed her.

"You look beautiful," he said, smiling and she smiled back. They started to walk down the red carpet and Jack stopped and talked to a few reporters and actors who congratulated him for his nomination. He smiled and waved at people with Mandy on his arm, when all of a sudden someone caught his attention, it was Rose. She was beautiful and Jack couldn’t help himself but stare at her. She was smiling, she had the same smile he had once fallen in love with. Samuel walked to her and she wrapped her arm around his and they posed for pictures. Jack stared at her and wished he could remove Samuel with his eyes. She turned towards his direction and noticed he was staring at her. She acted like she didn’t see him and smiled and kissed Samuel. Mandy pulled his hand and Jack looked at her.

"Babe, Joe wants us to hurry in," she said, and he smiled at her and they started to head inside.

*****

Jack and Mandy were inside, waiting for the show to start. After about thirty-two minutes of waiting the award show finally started. The first awards were handed out then came the best actor category. Jack nervously took hold of Mandy’s hand she smiled and leaned over to his ear. "Don’t worry, you’ll win. I know you are, so don’t be nervous," she whispered.

Rose was sitting a few rows behind him and was with Samuel. She looked at the hue screen in front of them. The names and short videos of the actors started to play, then came Jack’s name. Rose stared at it and turned away after it was over. Samuel noticed her discomfort.

"Are you okay Rose?" he asked.

"Um...yeah…yes I’m okay," she said, and gave him a fake smile and he took hold of her hand.

The presenter was ready to announce the winner and Jack became very nervous. The presenter started to open the envelope and smiled when she read it.

"And the winner is…Jack Dawson, well deserved," she said, and the room started to fill with applause. Jack was in shock and didn’t move. Mandy started to laugh.

"Jack get up. You won," she said, and he woke up from his trance. He stood up smiling and hugged Mandy and slowly headed for the stage. Rose applauded, but didn’t look towards him. Jack finally got to the stage and grabbed his award.

"Um...thank you, thank you very much…oh, wow. Well, I would like to thank my family and my friends for always being there for me and supporting me. I would like to thank the people that I worked with on the movie it was a blast and...um…ha wow I didn’t think I would be so nervous," he said, and the crowd laughed. "I would also like to thank a friend of mine that doesn’t know this, but this friend helped me out, reminded me that I’m a human being, made me have fun...um...this person is strong and brave and made me see that I could still be a simple guy. This friend was awesome…I wish I could be like this person…um...wherever you are…you know that I’m talking about you. Maybe we could grab a burger sometime," he said, and the crowd laughed and Rose was shocked when she realized he was talking about her. "I’m sorry, friend," he said, smiling and waved at the crowd and started to walk away and the people applauded.

Jack walked backstage and Joe walked to him to congratulate him.

"Hey, pal, that was cool, you won for a second time. Oh, and great speech…who were you talking about?" Joe asked, and Jack stayed quiet.

"Oh...um…this old friend that I miss talking to," he said, and Joe looked at him in confusion. The time came for Jack and Rose to present the music group. Rose was very nervous as she started to walk backstage and a lady helped her and showed her where she had to go before and after the presentation. Rose said hi to some friends that were also backstage. She waited until it was her turn to present. Jack walked behind her and he stopped. She could feel someone behind her so she turned around. He looked away and the lady came for them. Rose looked at him and then at the lady. They followed her, but didn’t walk together. She walked ahead of him and he stayed back. They stood at the entrance of the stage and the lady left while a man stayed with them to tell them when to go. They could hear the crowd and waited impatiently.

"All right go," the man said, and the announcer said their names.

"Please welcome former movie couple Jack Dawson and Rose Bukater." Jack and Rose stood in front of the crowd and waited for the music to stop and for the audience to stop clapping. Then Jack started.

"They say that a great love story on the big screen isn’t any good if you don’t have a great love song with it, translating the character’s great and passionate love to music. Great music inspires great love stories," he said, and looked away to the audience after he was done reading off the screen in front of him.

"Or the other way around, great love inspires great and magical love music that makes us either smile or cry by the wonderful rhythm or lyrics…or both. A great love song always reminds us that no matter who you are, love can touch you and change you; it reminds us of the great power of love. Please welcome Celine and the song The Power of Love," Rose said, and the crowd applauded and then became quiet. Jack and Rose started to walk backstage and went their separate ways.

After the show was done Jack and Mandy were invited to a private party with a fancy dinner by Randy. Little did they know that Rose and Samuel were also invited.

As they arrived to the party, Samuel and Rose hugged and talked to Randy and other famous guests while the rest of the invited people arrived. They sat at a long table that was for about twenty-five people. Samuel helped Rose sit down and he sat to her left. Randy sat at the front of the table and his friends sat around him. They were laughing and talking until Jack arrived with Mandy. Randy stood up and greeted them. Rose looked at them and then became uncomfortable.

"Hey, Jacko!" Randy said, and walked to him and gave him a hug. Jack smiling hugged him back.

"Hey, Randy, how are you? This is my girlfriend Mandy," Jack said, smiling and Randy shook her hand. Randy showed them in and pointed to the table. Jack noticed Rose with Samuel and stayed quiet. He noticed the only available seats were the ones in front of Rose and Samuel. He slowly walked with Mandy towards the table and helped her sit down and the sat in front of Rose. He looked at her but she didn’t look at her. It was like she was pretending she had never known him. For a reason he did not know of, this made Jack angry inside. In the beginning of the dinner Jack kept stealing glances of Rose. He never stared at her or at least he tried not to.

"So, Mandy, I hear you are great on the runway," Randy said, smiling and she smiled.

"Um...yes I guess. My career is my number one priority. I work hard you can say. My career is the most important thing for me," she said, and Jack smiled at her.

Oh, I guess you found your soulmate, Jack. Someone that thinks like you, Rose thought, looking at Mandy. She seemed fake and annoyed Rose. Ugh…perky and annoying, but great body. I guess Jack found what he was looking for, Rose thought.

"So, Rose what can you tell us? I mean I’m pretty sad that you didn’t win anything," Randy said, and a few others agreed.

"Oh, well, it’s just an award that nobody is going to remember I won in years to come. I’m pretty happy with the movie. It was great," she said, and Jack looked at her.

"Yes it was Rose. I’m proud of you," Randy said, and Rose smiled at him. A few minutes later Rose was making everybody laugh with her story of high school. Jack was trying not to laugh but it was funny.

"So, there I was with my prom dress torn and stained. It’s all over the year book. Which sucks let me tell you that," she said, and everybody laughed.

"I’m sure you looked beautiful Rose, with cake on your head…but beautiful," Randy said, and Rose smiled. Jack smiled and Randy looked at him.

"So, Jack, have you always been the popular guy?" Samuel asked, and Jack looked at him and his smiled went away.

"Uh...not really, I was sort of a …dweeb," Jack said, and the people around laughed.

"Jack Dawson a dweeb?" Samuel asked, laughing.

"Yeah…I’m still a dweeb only one thing is different. Ah…women love me," Jack said sarcastically and everybody laughed and Mandy slapped his arm and Jack smiled. "So, how about you Sam, any embarrassing things we should know?" Jack asked, and Rose looked at him.

"Oh, well…no, not really I’m perfect in every way," Samuel said sarcastically.

"Well, let’s not talk about that," Rose said, and Samuel started to laugh. Rose laughed with him and Jack stared at her smile. It was still beautiful and it made him feel the same way. He stared at her and didn’t care if she noticed anymore.

She is still the same. Beautiful, and I can’t help feeling this, Jack thought and kept looking at her she raised her head and caught him staring at her. She looked at his eyes looking at her. For a minute everybody else seemed to have disappeared, they just stared at each other. Jack looked at her with warm eyes and slowly smiled at her. Rose didn’t know why he was smiling, but she slowly smiled back. She finally looked away.

"Um...I’ll be right back," she said, and she stood up and headed for the restroom. Jack looked at her leave and he stood up and turned to Mandy.

"I’ll be right back," he said, and went after Rose.

He walked to the restroom and saw a woman walking out. He wanted to know if anybody else was in there besides Rose but he didn’t know how to find out. Then something clicked in his mind.

"Ma’am!" he said, looking at the woman. "Is there a very tall lady with a long, very long dress in there?" he asked, and the lady looked at him strangely.

"Um...no, there is only one person in there, she is a blonde girl," she said, and Jack smiled.

"Oh, well, thank you," he said, and the lady walked off. He watched her leave and then looked around to see if anybody was looking towards him, but he saw no one and quickly walked in the restroom. Rose was washing her hands and was startled by the way the door opened so fast and then she was in shock when she saw Jack.

"What in the hell are you doing in here?" she yelled and he closed the door and locked it. He walked towards her.

"So, are those the first words you say to me after six years? What in the hell?" he said sarcastically and stood in front of her.

"Jack if you haven’t noticed you are inside a women’s restroom or is there a secret to need to tell me?" she said, and he smiled.

"Ah…I miss that since of humor. I need to talk to you," he said, and looked at her seriously.

"We have nothing to talk about Jack. You and I have not spoken to you in six years and I plan to keep it that way," she said, walking towards the door. He quickly walked in front of her.

"Let me just talk to you, please," he said, and she looked at him and gave him a weak smile.

"Okay, talk to me."

"I’m…I…I’m just…"

"That is you. You never know what to say," she said, and was going to leave again but he grabbed her arm.

"I’m just tired of the silent treatment," Jack said, and she frowned. "You act like you don’t know me and you just walk by and ignore me," he said, and she acted shocked.

"I…I do that? Wow. Then you must be blind because you do that too. Wow we have so much in common. You ignore me and I ignore you, it all works out. What do you want Jack? For me to act like nothing is wrong and be like friendly miss perky out there?" she said.

"What? Who are you talking about?" he asked.

"Oh, don’t act like you don’t know. Miss oh, my modeling career is the most important thing in the world for me and blah blah. She is so annoying," Rose said, and Jack laughed.

"Oh, don’t get jealous, because Mr. I know everything out here is also a pain the ass. I’m perfect in every way. Oh, I could slap the hell out of him. Looking at me like he knows me, rich mother…"

"I don’t know what you are talking about Jack. Samuel is a great guy and he is responsible not like others that are to afraid of something serious," she said, and pushed Jack away. "Why does it bother you that I have moved on? You selfish son…"

"Oh, sorry I didn’t mean to hurt your feelings about Samuel, I know he can be boring honey you chose him, now…"

"Boring? You think he is boring?" she asked, laughing.

"Well, he hardly talked and when he did I almost died."

"Well, you are wrong; he is much more fun than you that is for sure," she said.

"Really…wow ha. Rose, why are we even fighting?" Jack asked, and she looked away.

"Oh, about that little shout out that you did during your speech, that was very sweet but no thank you I’m on a diet, no burgers," Rose said, and Jack looked at her.

"Why are you like that with me? What did I do to you?" Jack asked, and she became angry.

"What do you want Jack?! To be my friend, to have an excuse to talk to me again, you want to destroy my life?! I finally forgot about you and I don’t want you to ruin my happiness!" she yelled.

"How did you do it?" he asked, getting closer to her.

"Do what?" she asked, confused.

"How did you forget about me? How did you manage to forget you ever loved me?" he asked, and she looked into his eyes.

"It’s…it’s a secret and I can’t tell you," she said, smiling and he smiled but deep down he felt pain, even if he showed the opposite. "Did you forget about me?" she asked, and he looked at her and smiled weakly.

"Yes, I did," he said, and she gave him a smile.

"I’m happy for you, how did you do it?" she asked, and he let her go.

"It’s a…it’s a big secret and I can’t tell you either," he said, smiling and looked down.

"What we had…it…was fun and I don’t change my mind Jack, but I have moved on and so have you. There is no use in going back or trying to mend anything. We can’t go back to being friends either. There will always be that uncertainty, the one we felt before all this. I don’t want go back to that. Please just let it be the way it is," she said, and started to leave.

"Okay, you are right Rose, but can you do me a favor?" he asked, and she agreed. He staid quiet for a few moments and then smiled.

"Can you check if anyone is coming? I don’t want to be caught in a women’s restroom," he said, and Rose rolled her eyes and checked.

"Nope, there’s nobody coming," she said, and walked out and he walked behind her. She sat back with Samuel and Jack sat with Mandy. Samuel kissed Rose and smiled and Jack looked away in anger, anger that he didn’t understand. A few minutes later after the waiters cleared the table, Samuel looked around the room.

"Um...excuse me; can I please have everybody’s attention?" Samuel said, and everybody looked at him. "Thank you,...um...first I would like to thank Randy for inviting us," he said, and everybody applauded Randy and he just smiled. "Um...now to what I was going to say…I’m sort of nervous…um...a few months ago I met this unbelievable person. She is so magnificent and I just find myself being so happy with her," he said, looking at Rose and she smiled shyly. Jack rolled his eyes and looked away. "Rose I love you, I really do," Samuel said, and got on his knee. Jack looked at him and Rose. "Rose honey, will you spend the rest of your life with me? Will you marry me?" Samuel said, taking out a small box and opening it showing a diamond ring. Rose didn’t know what to say. She turned around and looked at Jack. He looked at her with a worried and sad face. His eyes begged her to say no. For a moment they just stared at each other. Rose didn’t know what to answer and Jack’s expression made her think about it many times. She nervously turned back to Samuel.

"This is for the best," she thought then she took a deep breath. "Ye…yes…I’ll marry you," she said, and Jack stood up and started to walk towards the bar. He didn’t know where to go; he just wanted to run away. Everybody started to clap and Rose looked at Jack while Samuel hugged her. Rose stood up and kept hugging Samuel and people started to congratulate them. Mandy walked towards Jack and laid a hand on his shoulder.

"What’s wrong Jack?" she asked.

"Nothing I just…I needed to get away from that table," he said, and she looked at him confused.

"Does it bother you that she is going to marry Samuel?" she asked.

"No…no it’s something else. It has nothing to…to do with them," Jack said, lying.

"I don’t believe you," she said, and Jack looked at her angrily.

"You don’t believe me…well, let me prove you wrong," Jack said, walking towards Rose. She stopped hugging a lady and Jack cut in front of the other people and walked to her and hugged her. She was not expecting it so she was a bit surprised. He hugged her tightly almost angrily. She hugged him back, not knowing what else to do. "I’m very happy for you! I hope you have a happy wedding!" Jack said while hugging her. It almost sounded like he was forcing himself to say those words. She didn’t believe him.

"Why thank you Jack," she said, and he let go of her and didn’t look at her. He looked at Samuel and smiled at him.

"You are one lucky man, my Sam," Jack said, and patted Samuel hard on the shoulder.

"Thanks Jack," Samuel said, and wrapped his arm around Rose. Jack just looked at them and frowned. Mandy congratulated them and walked towards Jack. Jack took her hand and started to walk out the restaurant.

Chapter Sixteen
Stories