Titanic - You Are Safe In My Heart

Poker Game

Jack POV:

I was sitting in a bar around a table with Sven and Olaf, and my Italian best (and only) friend, Fabrizio. We were playing a game of poker, me and Fabrizio against Sven and Olaf. I bet the two their tickets onto the grandest ship in the world, Titanic, which was currently docked not too far from the bar, boarding passengers. I didn't want to board because it was grand, I knew the tickets were only third class. I had to get back to America, I missed home, it ached like losing a body part. Sven and Olaf were speaking to each other in a foreign language, I couldn't understand what they were saying but most likely they were ridiculing us for betting their tickets. I couldn't blame them, if we lost, we lost everything.

"You are pazzo, Jack! You bet everything we have" Fabrizio complained to me. I knew it was his dream to set sail to America as well as it was mine but we also did not want to lose everything, especially since we didn't have a lot as it was. I took a drag of my cigarette. "When you got nothing, you got nothing to lose," I reasoned.

Sven and Olaf continued to make conversation among each other in their home language. I picked up a card from the deck and took another drag. I then took a deep breath. "Alright, moment of truth. Somebody's life's about to change." The four of us prepared to share our cards. My eyes shot at Fabrizio first. "Fabrizio? Niente" I said, studying the cards I was shown. Fabri repeated what I said, sighing for clear fear that he was about to lose his possessions all due to a stupid poker game. I prayed to God I would win this for us, I didn't want to be the cause of Fabri losing everything he owned. "Olaf?" Olaf showed his cards by placing them right way up on the table. "Nothing. Sven?" All was going good and then Sven showed his cards. I frowned and a gave Fabri a fearful look. "Uh oh.. two pair. I'm sorry, Fabrizio." I sighed as Fabrizio got upset and yelled at me in Italian. I gave him a sly smile. "I'm sorry! You're not gonna see your mom for a long time because... WE'RE GOING TO AMERICA!!! FULL HOUSE, BOYS" I yelled in happiness.

I had never felt this much rush or excitement, I couldn't believe it! I was going home! Me and Fabrizio grabbed the tickets and started cheering until Sven grabbed me by my collar, a look of anger on his face. As he pulled his fist back, I closed my eyes and prepared for the punch. I heard the sound of it hitting off but felt no pain. I opened my eyes and saw Sven attacking Olaf. Me and Fabrizio laughed.

As weird as it may sound, I kissed my ticket. "I'M GOING HOME!!!" I shouted, full of joy. I hugged Fabri and repeated myself once more. "I'm going home..." I said it quieter this time as the realisation hit me. I was actually going home... Fabrizios face lit up with joy as well as mine. "I go to America!!" He said, still laughing. The barkeep coughed and gestured to the clock, which read 11:55am. "Nah, mate, Titanic go to America. In 5 minutes."

We both exchanged worried glances and at the same time, we rushed out of the bar and made our way to the dock, running as fast as our legs would take us. As we ran, I yelled, "we're riding in high style now! We're a couple of regular swells! We're practically god damn royalty, ragazzo mio!!" Fabri as he struggled to keep up with my speed. Thank god the dock wasn't too far from the bar where we had our hand at poker. "You see, it's my destine!! I go to America, I become millionaire!"

As multiple crew members instructed people to get back as they weren't passengers of the ship, me and Fabrizio ran up to the ship and yelled for them to wait and explained that we were passengers. We showed the crewman our tickets and he asked us if we had been through the inspection crew. Shit, I didn't realise there was one, I guess we were so excited we must have ran past it, there wasn't enough time to go back, so I told a little white lie. "Of course. Anyway, we don't have any lice! We're Americans, both of us" The crewman hesitantly opened the door and we leapt onto the ship.

We then proceeded to make our way to the top of the ship and waved.at everyone on the dock as everyone else did. I didn't know anyone down there but it never hurt anyone to pretend to. Nobody had to know I was a loner. Fabrizio joined me in my pretentious state, both of us yelling out to nonexistent people that we would miss them.

"We're the luckiest sons of bitches in the world" I stated as we desperately searched for our dorm room. Eventually we found it and opened the door. It was a very tiny room but to me it was amazing. When you've been sleeping under a bridge so long as you can't afford to pay rent, even just to have a roof over your head is a blessing. We introduced ourselves to our roommates.