I can't pinpoint the exact moment I realised that I wanted to lie naked before Jack Dawson, posed in a way that would make me look as beautifully radiant as the French girls who had shared their most intimate beauty with him while he was in Paris. I longed for him to see me, not as a society girl, but as the faithful, unadorned Rose.
The truth is, those women were proud of their nudity, confidently revealing their bodies, flaws and all, to a talented young artist. Even a model who had lost a leg felt no shame; such a loss didn't diminish her beauty. What emerged from that particular sketch was the understanding that Jack had truly seen her, not just her body, but her entire essence, and captured it on paper. Jack had a gift for seeing people: their physical forms and the depths of their souls.
It was in the gymnasium that I felt the difference between us. A dangerous barrier had been broken down, and looking into those truthful blue eyes, seeing my inner thoughts reflected in them, was terrifying. Jack knew of my feelings.
I love Cal, my fiancé. I had tried to convince Jack, a man I was developing feelings for, but I had failed. I couldn't. I was scared, haunted by my mother's words from that morning and Cal's frightening outburst at breakfast. Leaving Jack behind to return to the bridge tour took a lot of strength, as if nothing had happened and a chance at freedom had never been offered, as if I didn't wish to take it.
Jack was honest, above all else, and it was true: I could only save myself from this situation. I did, after realising how trapped the other person was. A young girl had been trained to sit delicately at tea and taught how to eat a piece of fruitcake. That vision of a child was me, both now and at that age. A perfectly cultured woman is expected to behave impeccably, to marry Cal, and to fulfil every expectation except the unexpected. But in a moment of rebellion, I tipped a cup of tea into my lap and left the First-Class Lounge, leaving my mother and her society friends gaping in shock. It was a small act, but it was a step towards my freedom, a defiance against the suffocating norms of my world. It was a declaration that I was daring to be different, to break free from the constraints that society had placed upon me.
In a moment of rebellion, I tipped a cup of tea into my lap and left the First-Class Lounge, leaving my mother and her society friends gaping in shock. It was a small act, but it was a declaration of my defiance against the suffocating norms of my world. I was daring to be different, to break free from the constraints that society had placed upon me. My courage was a beacon of hope for those who felt trapped in similar circumstances.
I found Jack at the bow. His face was austere, his hair tangled in the breeze, and soon after, my fingers were tangled in it as he kissed me. His hands wrapped around my waist. At that moment, we seemed to fly above the entire ship and soar across the sea like some great bird. It was then that I decided to taste my freedom. I longed to feel his gaze upon my body, to see if he viewed me as tenderly as my soul.
Jack had seen into my soul, just by spending one perfect day with me. He saved me, not just from death but from myself as well. His lips were soft, graceful, and slow. It felt like every part of me was on fire; he was my only connection to my true self and life. His hands at my waist and my fingers clutching his hair were the only aspects of reality I could grasp. Jack had stolen my breath, and my heart beat only for him. I placed all my trust in his hands. I trusted him with the Heart of the Ocean, and when he took the weighty blue jewel into his hands and examined it with such clarity, I barely cared about how it sparkled, not in comparison to the blue of his eyes. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated freedom and love. It was a moment of pure, unadulterated freedom and love.
Jack, I want you to draw me like one of your French girls. Wearing this.
All right.
Jack hadn't taken his eyes off the diamond, still examining its icy depths until I spoke again.
