WHAT IF?
Chapter Five

The next morning, Rose packed her stuff to leave New York and go back to LA. Then, she told Jack she’d drive on the way over. After that, she left and went to Jack’s friend’s apartment. As she drove over there, she began to think about the night before. Why had she gotten nervous the night before? And why had she stopped Jack? To get her mind off of her thoughts, she turned on the radio. She listened to Faint, by Linkin Park. She felt much better and began to think of something else.

*****

Back at Fabrizio’s apartment, Jack picked up Fabrizio’s clothes from the ground. Mike helped him, too.

"Fab, pick up your shit, man!" Fabrizio put the last dish in the dishwasher and walked over to help them. He began to vacuum the carpet. Then, everything was clean.

"Happy now, Jack?"

"Yes, I am."

"Jack, I know Rose is your girl, but in that music video for Sugar Water that she made, she looked hot. I mean, she looked fine, especially in those hot pants."

"Stare at her with those eyes of yours, and I’ll rip them out." Jack glared at him as he backed off. Fabrizio laughed.

*****

Rose took the elevator, then reached the apartment and knocked on the door. Fabrizio looked though the peephole and saw Rose standing there with a cute face. He took a deep breath and opened the door. He tried not to panic.

"Hi. You must Fabrizio." Fabrizio began to imagine her Sugar Water video, then snapped out of it when Jack came up behind him.

"Sorry. He’s excited to see you in real life."

Jack invited Rose in. She looked around. "Don’t tell me you guys cleaned this up because of me." Rose looked at them and crossed her arms. Fabrizio and Mike looked at Jack.

"Anyway, I’m Mike." Rose shook his hand.

"And I’m Fabrizio." He shook her hand, too.

"Jack always talks about you guys."

"Really? What does he say?" Fabrizio asked.

"He says that you guys have been friends for a long time and other stuff." Fabrizio looked at Jack.

"Have a seat. Do you want a drink? We have...Fabrizio, what do we have?"

"I’ll check." He walked over to the refrigerator. "We have--beer."

"I’ll take one." The three of them looked at her. She gave them a cute smile. They looked away.

Mike came back with the drinks.

"So, how long have you been drinking?" Fabrizio asked. Jack glared at him.

"Since I was fourteen, because it made me feel better and made me forget things." The room was silent for a moment.

Jack looked at her. "Why?"

Rose looked at him. "Because I didn’t feel loved by my mom." She looked at him and took a sip, then looked away.

That Night

Fabrizio’s club was loud with the music. There were a lot of people there. They danced along with the music. Rose walked into the club and people began to ask her for pictures or autographs.

Rachel was on the dance floor when people began talking--talking about Rose. She realized where people were going and she followed. She moved the crowd out of the way.

"Rose! Rose!" No answer. She tried again. "Faith! Faith!"

Rose looked up and saw Rachel. She got up and walked towards her and grabbed her arm. "Hey! What are you doing here?"

"Faith, come on. You know what I’m doing here."

Jack got behind her. "Hey."

"Hey. Um…Rachel, this is Jack Dawson."

"Rose, you’re the luckiest bitch ever. I’m Rachel, Rose’s longtime friend."

Jack looked at her. He wondered why Rose began drinking and whose fault it was. "Hi."

Rachel heard her favorite song. "Hey, Rose, wanna dance?" she asked.

Rose looked at her. "Don’t tell me that you’re just like Kai."

"No, I’m not gay. I just wanna talk to you." Rose nodded. They walked to the dance floor. The lights flickered.

Rose and Rachel danced and talked. Jack watched from the table. Fabrizio and Mike were shocked to see Rose dancing freaky as another song came up, Chinese Burn, by Curve.

"Jack, your girl is wild," Mike said. "I’m going to the dance floor."

Jack nodded and followed him. Jack and Mike walked through people, then moved them out of the way as they reach Rose. Jack got behind her. Rose, in surprise, quickly turned, then smiled. She looked deep into his eyes and back around again. Rachel did the same to Mike. Then Rose and Rachel grabbed each other’s hands and danced. Jack tried his best to separate them, but Rachel would get in front of him. Seconds later, the song was over. Rose was about to leave, but Jack grabbed her by the arm.

"We need to talk."

She nodded. They walked into the hallway. "Rose, what’s the matter with you?"

Rose looked at him in shock. "Jack, what are you...you think that I’m drunk, don’t you?"

"Rose..."

"You think that I started drinking because of Rachel, don’t you?"

Jack put his hand on her face and looked at her. He shook his head. "No."

"Then what?" Jack just shook his head. He was about to walk away, but Rose grabbed his hand and kissed him.

"Sorry."

*****

Rachel was waiting for Rose when Fabrizio walked up to her.

"Hi."

"Hey. I love the club. I’m Rachel."

"Fabrizio. I’m the owner."

"I know."

"You know Rose." She nodded. "For how long?"

"Since we were little. Her mom didn’t like me."

"Why?"

"Just...well, we used to sing in this band. We loved to play instruments. But as we got to that age, we used to sneak out and go to parties."

"At what age?"

"Fourteen or fifteen. We’d get into a lot of shit, especially me. People always saw me as the bad one, but I’m a good person. But when Rose began to get famous and began to sing, we were separated. But, hey, you need to move on." Fabrizio had never known about that Rachel and Rose.

Rose walked towards Fabrizio and Rachel. "Hey, gotta go."

"Oh. You’re leaving?"

"Yeah."

"So, when can I call you, because tomorrow I’m leaving."

"To where?"

"LA. I’m staying there for a while."

"Me, too. I’ll see you at the airport." Rose grabbed her jacket and left.

In the car, it was silent. Rose was a little bit wasted, but she could think well. Jack noticed that, too. "Do you wanna go back to the hotel or to my place?"

Rose looked at him. "Hotel."

"Rose, are you okay?"

"Yeah, I’m fine. That is…I’m just a little bit tired." Jack drove back to the hotel and walked Rose to her room.

"I’ll pick you up tomorrow early, because…you know…rented car."

"Okay. Love you." She kissed him, then shut the door.

Jack stood there in shock until Rose opened the door again. "Did I just say love you?" He nodded. She grabbed him and kissed him again, and waited for him to say it back.

"Love you, too."

She smiled. "I’ll see you tomorrow."

He nodded, then left. She shut the door behind him, then changed.

*****

The next day, Jack picked Rose up. Then, they went to the airport, where they saw Rachel. Jack didn’t like Rachel, but he’d try to get along with her. While on the airplane, Rose and Rachel talked. He didn’t mind the conversation.

*****

As they arrived in LA, Rose’s mom was waiting for her. Rose reached her. Ruth hugged her. Rose was in shock.

"How was New York?"

"It was great. Jack took me places, and I met his friends."

"Really? Thank you, Mr. Dawson."

"Jack."

"Jack." Ruth smiled. Rose didn’t like her mother’s attitude.

*****

Jack and Rose reached home. Jack realized that Ruth lived a few streets down from Rose.

"Home, sweet home." He went upstairs with her and carried her luggage to her room. Rose helped. She lay on her bed. "My comfy bed."

Jack laughed at her. She got up and hugged him and kissed him. They looked at each. Jack began to have second thoughts. "Rose?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think it’s time for me to move in?"

Rose looked at him. "Wanna move in?"

"Your decision."

"Okay. When do you wanna move in?"

"Next month."

"Okay." She kissed him.

Chapter Six
Stories