Sink or Swim

6

Jane's POV

April 11, 1912 - 11:15am

I walked around A Deck for a while, absently playing with the sequins on my dress as I stared out into sea. Mother was currently having brunch with some of the ladies. One of them was a Molly Brown - full name Margaret. She was apparently new to the "rich life" since her husband recently struck it big. 

She had quite the mouth on her, but she was more entertaining than most people on this boat. 

Except for Harry.

I sighed as I walked to the railing and looked out to the blue water.

There was something about that man that I couldn't shake. I don't know if it was the fact that he was so carefree...or perhaps his attractiveness. But either way, I knew there was some factor that drew me to him and enabled me to become so enthralled with the way he lived life that he made me want nothing more than to jump off of this boat and swim to New York myself for the fun of it. 

I bit my lip as I got lost with my thoughts. I must have been up there for hours because I didn't even notice when the devil himself came up behind me and tapped my shoulder. I jumped, startled and turned around.

There he stood. He wore a white crisp shirt with ruffles on it and brown trousers with suspenders that, at the moment, hung loosely around his slim waist. His curls flew wildly in the air as the wind blew it around and his green eyes sparkled with mischief as he smiled down at me. I couldn't help but notice the dimples that appeared at the side of his head as he stood in front of me.

"Good morning, Jane," he smiled, "it's lovely to see you on this deck."

I nodded and managed a smile, "as it is you. How are you liking the ship?"

He smirked, obviously finding our attempt at small talk entertaining, "it's exquisite."

I nodded my head and watched him as he stepped up to stand next to me on the railing. He leaned his elbow on the metal bars and looked out at the big blue ocean before he turned his head back to me.

"Would you like to join me for a stroll through the ship?" he asked. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What for?"

He shrugged, "I'd like to get to know you a bit better, if you don't mind. You intrigue me."

I intrigue you? Clearly you're unaware of how I feel towards you, Mr. Styles.

I looked at him for a second, squinting in the sunlight before I licked my lips and nodded.

"Well alright," I said, "but only for a while. I have to join mother for lunch."

He rose an eyebrow and nodded, bowing his head slightly, "of course. The royal majesty does not like to be kept waiting, I assume?"

He held his arm out to me while he suddenly stood up straight. He had his other arm bent cordially behind his back and he forcefully stuck his chin up, trying to imitate the posture of a supposed "first class man."

I couldn't help but smile, only to quickly smear it off of my face.

"I don't understand how you can imitate someone like that," I managed to say. He snorted.

"Oh please," he said as we walked through the A Deck, "you were smiling yourself."

"Yes, before I realized how rude it was," I defended. He shrugged again and we walked in silence for a while. I had begun to enjoy the silence. It wasn't awkward; it was fairly comfortable. I didn't make eye contact with anyone else on the ship, in case they were first class. They wouldn't take too kindly to someone from their class spending their time with someone from the first class.