JACK AND ROSE PRESENT TIME 2: JUNIOR YEAR
Chapter Nine
"At least talk to me, Rose," Jack
said as he pulled out of the parking lot of the hotel. He was really sick of
this. He knew that their love was strong enough to get passed this. It was all
just one big mistake. What else was he supposed to do? God knew he was sorry
for what he did, but you can't change the past.
Rose ignored him, and she laid her head
against the back of the seat, wanting this nightmare to be over. She never
thought Jack would do something like this to her. Why did this have to happen?
Life wasn't fair. Rose turned on the radio, wanting to show Jack that she
didn't plan on talking to him on the way home. She could have screamed at what
song was playing...
"This is a sign, Rose," Jack
muttered, listening to the sweet lyrics to their song. Rose sighed, believing
that maybe he was right. She knew deep in her heart that they would eventually
be able to work it out, but she couldn't forgive him now.
"I love you, Rose," Jack said.
"I want you to know that I will always love you, no matter what. Even if
you never take me back, and you fall in love with someone else...I'll still
love you. That's a promise."
"Thank you," Rose replied, hardly
showing any emotion at all.
Jack now understood that it would be a long
time before Rose forgave him, but he was willing to wait. That was what love
was all about. He sighed, it looked like it was going to be a long ride home.
Rose drifted off, remembering the first day
that her and Jack had met. It was the beginning of sophomore year, and they
both were only fifteen. She could remember that day so clearly...It seemed like
yesterday. In a way, she wished it was then. Her and Jack had no problems, and
their love was just beginning. It was the best...
"Hey Rose," Tonya said, waving her
hand in front of her best friend's face. "What are you looking at?"
Rose smiled at her friend, praying she didn't
see her starring at that boy, "Nothing..."
Tonya decided to turn her head around and
check things out for herself. She saw two very cute guys, and she could tell
that her and Rose both had the same taste in men. "Yummy..." Tonya
said with a laugh. "Doesn't he look good in them jeans?"
"I was actually looking at the one with
the hat on," Rose said back.
Tonya looked back around quickly and then
looked at Rose like she was stupid. "Don't you know who he is?" Rose
shook her head, and Tonya continued, "That's Jack Dawson. His parents died
over the summer in that fire...you didn't know about that?"
Rose shook her head again, "I heard
about that fire, but I had no idea that it was at his house." Rose had
seen both Jack and his Italian friend in school before, but she never had the
nerve to talk to him. Once she made eye contact with him, but said nothing.
But, he did smile at her. That had to mean something.
It didn't matter anyway. They ran in
different crowds. Rose was with the preppy, rich popular ones. Jack was with
the ghetto, not as rich popular ones. Not that Rose cared, but it was kind of
hard to just escape from it all.
"Let's go over and talk to them,"
Tonya said. Before Rose had a chance to argue, she was already being pulled
over there.
Both of the guys smiled at them, and Rose
took note that Jack looked straight into her eyes. "Hi," Tonya said,
not being shy at all. "You're Jack, right?" Tonya asked.
Jack nodded. "Yep, Jack Dawson. This is
my friend, Fabrizio," Jack said as Tonya studied the Italian guy.
"I'm Tonya Devereaux, and this is my
friend," Tonya said as she watched the chemistry between the two. They
were both starring at one another, unable to keep their eyes off. It was cute,
really, Tonya decided.
"Rose DeWitt Bukater," Rose said.
"I'm gonna have to get you to write that
one down," Jack said as Rose laughed. He seemed like a nice guy...
Rose put her hand out to shake Jack's, and
Jack surprised her when he shook it, and then kissed it. Rose felt like a
princess, she never knew people actually did that! "I see people do that
in movies, and I've always wanted to do it."
Making Rose laugh again, Fabrizio said,
"Looks like love at first site..."
Boy, was he ever wrong. Over the next couple
of weeks, Caledon Hockley had found out about 'his' Rose flirting with Jack
Dawson. So Cal, being Cal, told Rose that Jack had been spreading rumors about
her. Rose believed him because that's when her and Cal were friends...before he
reached his bad boy stage.
Rose could barely tolerate Jack until that
day he asked her out...a year ago. She didn't even know why she said yes, but
she remembered that first day they met, and knew, deep in her heart, that he
never said anything bad about her. She was glad she never confronted him about
it...
Reality came back to her as Jack pulled up in
their driveway. Gosh, time had flown by. They were still not saying a word.
Rose was a little bit relieved that her mother wasn't home yet, she wasn't up
to dealing with her lectures.
Afternoon had come in, and Rose flopped onto
her bed. She could hear Jack shut his bedroom door, and she was glad he wasn't
going to leave the house. She knew that she would end up worrying about him.
Rose pulled out her diary, and began to write
until her phone rang. She picked it up, and it was Tommy. "Jack just
called me," he said in a deep voice. "Rose, let me hear your side of
the story..."
And, she told him everything. All about the
girl he slept with, the fighting, the whole deal. Tommy didn't judge, he really
wanted his two friends to get back together. He knew for a fact that they would
go crazy without the other. "How bout' I get Fabri and Dominique and we'll
come over, okay?"
"Alright," Rose replied. "I'll
tell Jack."
She hung up the phone, and walked to Jack's
room. Would their friends be able to help them sort out their problems? Maybe.
Rose hoped so. Their support definitely wouldn't hurt, that was for sure.
Rose knocked lightly on Jack's bedroom door.
"It's open," Jack called, sounding like his mind was elsewhere.
She walked into his bedroom slowly and found
laying in his bed with just his boxers, listening to his radio. He looked worn
out, and she felt a little sorry for him. "No," Rose thought to
herself. "Don't feel sorry for him...be strong." But, who was the one
who always told her to be strong? Jack.
"The gang's coming over," Rose said
with a little bit of worry in her face. "Do you wanna come downstairs with
me and wait for them?"
Jack sneezed, and turned his head and looked
at Rose. "What, are you talking to me now?" Jack said, acting rude,
but a smile appeared on his face. "I'm just kidding, Rose." He
climbed out of his bed and followed Rose downstairs.
As they waited for their friends to arrive,
they sat in silence, just starring at each other. Perhaps they were waiting for
the other to speak, they didn't really know. Thank goodness their friends
finally came...
Dominique ran over to Rose and hugged her.
"Tommy told me everything...how are you doing?" She asked, worried
sick for her best friend. Before she gave Rose a chance to reply, Dominique
started hitting Jack with her purse. "You slept with another woman? You
bustard!"
Jack was about to say something back to her,
but Fabrizio was yelling over them. "Stop it, you guys!" Fabrizio
sighed and looked around him. "Listen, Jack, Rose, you guys are the only
people I've ever seen that were this much in love. You've been through so much;
probably a lot more than any other couple has. You got past Cal, you got passed
John, you got passed Tony, and know you can get passed this!"
"Oh my God," Tommy said. "I
think this is the first time Fabrizio is actually making sense..."
Fabrizio smiled until realizing he was just
dissed. "Hey!"
Jack and Rose both looked at each other, and
Dominique set down her purse. Tommy lit up a cigarette, not really caring
anymore. "Sorry, Jack," Dominique said. She looked over at Rose and
smiled at her, not knowing what to say or do.
"I just don't know if I can trust Jack
anymore..." Rose whispered.
"Ah, you can trust the kid," Tommy
said, trying to talk maturely. "Rose, he told me the story with him and
that girl. He didn't touch her Rose...Trust him!"
Rose knew for a fact that Tommy was right.
Rose starred into Jack's eyes and knew she could not take it anymore. She had
to be with him.
She walked over and hugged him, relieved to
be back in his arms again. "Thank you Rosie," Jack said, kissing her
on the cheek. "I love you."
Rose smiled to herself and knew Jack was
truly sorry. "I love you, too," Rose said, hugging him tighter. Was
she stupid to forgive him? Maybe not. Besides, how would love survive if it
wasn't for forgiveness?