Sink or Swim

14

Is this story still okay? Let me know.

Jane's POV

April 12, 1912 - 2:35pm

Harry pulled me towards the bow of the ship. He climbed up onto a metal grated platform and we walked to the very front of the ship, nestling behind the rails as we watched the sea move alongside us.

"I came up here with Fred on the very first day of this voyage," Harry said, as we looked out at sea, "you feel so royal. Like you can do anything up here."

I smiled and nodded, agreeing with what he said. It was true. You did feel like you could do anything when you were up here. I beamed to myself as I watched the ocean move past us, suddenly forgetting all of my problems with my mother and the fact that she wants me to immediately stop seeing Harry. 

I watched the water move, thinking about how many fish and creatures were swimming in that ocean as we stood there. I thought about how easy their lives must have been as they swam through each day, just bustling around the other fish. 

I felt eyes on me and I turned my head to look at Harry who had been watching me intently with a small smile on his face. He gave a full smile before he grasped my hand and tugged me to him, wrapping his arms around my waist as he leaned against the railing. I brought my hands up to rest on his chest and looked up at him.

I bit my lip as I thought about my mother's words. I wanted to let myself go and make my own decisions for once, but I just had no idea on how to do it. I felt helpless as I realized that no matter how hard I would try to be my own person, my mother would always be there to hold me back. 

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, after I had been silent for a while. I shook my head.

"I'm just thinking," I hummed, resting my head lightly on his shoulder. He hummed.

"About what?"

"Useless things," I said. He didn't question me further and dropped the subject as he continued to hold me. I sighed and nestled into him.

"Harry?"

"Hm?"

"Can we do something fun?" I asked, looking up at him. He looked at me puzzled.

"Fun?"

I nodded, "I want to do something that you would classify as fun."

He smirked and nodded before he leaned down and pressed his lips to mine in a quick kiss. He smiled as he pulled back and I offered him a small smile in return, still reeling from the words my mother spoke, telling me to stop seeing him.

~

"Don't peek."

"I won't."

I laughed as Harry held his hands across my eyes, slowly guiding me across the deck of the third class ship. I held my hands out in front of me, using them as an aid to keep from bumping into people.

It was night out, I could tell just by how it was a bit colder than it was during the day. We had stayed indoors all day, talking and playing cards in the third class parlor.

"Okay," he said, just a little more."

I laughed as he walked us further, startling slightly as my hands touched cool metal. I grasped the railings tightly and Harry let his hands go from my face. I kept my eyes closed, waiting for his command for me to open them.

I felt the hairs on my arm stand up as the cold air pricked at my arms. I jumped slightly, when I felt his body press against mine and his arms slowly wrap around my waist.

"Okay," he whispered, lips tickling my ear, "you can open your eyes."

I slowly peeled my eyes open and gasped at what I saw in front of me. The moon shone bright in the sky, hanging above us like a parlor sign, begging for our attention. The light from the moon reflected onto the water as the stars shined bright in the sky. I had been out to the deck to see the sky before, but there was something about tonight that made it seem even more alluring. 

I turned my head to look back at him. His green eyes were fixed on me as he smiled softly.

"It's beautiful," I whispered. He nodded and hummed as I turned my head back to look at the water. He pressed his head to the side of mine as we stood there. 

"There's nobody on this part of the deck at this time of night," he whispered, "and there aren't any clouds out so I thought we could come up here. Be alone."

I nodded as I bit my lip," Harry."

I paused. He squeezed his arms around my waist, "what?"

I turned around in his hold and looked up at him. He looked at me puzzled yet patient as he waited for me to speak. 

"My mother told me I mustn't speak to you anymore," I whispered, looking down at his shirt in front of me, "she said I should associate myself with.."

I couldn't bring myself to finish the last part, feeling overcome with guilt. He placed two fingers under my chin and tilted my head up. I was surprised to see a comforting smile on his face as his green eyes looked at me.

"With poor people?" he finished. I bit my lip and looked at him, helpless.

He sighed, "well, what do you want to do about that?"

I shook my head, "I don't want to stop associating myself with you."

"Neither do I," he replied, chuckling, "I must say...when I met you, I thought you were probably one of the most stuck up girls I had ever had the pleasure of knowing, Jane. But now? I understand you. You're trapped. You want to fly so badly but your mother keeps clipping your wings and you're just waiting for that perfect moment to break free when she's not looking."

I felt my eyes brim with tears as he spoke. For the first time in what seemed like forever, I finally had someone who had a rough idea of what I was going through. He didn't know everything about me, but the things he had a grasp on, they were completely accurate and that was more than enough for me.

"I can be that opportunity for you to break free," he whispered, bringing his hand up to caress my cheek, "I want to be that opportunity."

"I don't know what to do," I whispered. He shrugged.

"Don't think," he simply said, "don't think about anything. These next few days on this ship are the last few free days you'll have before you're married off to that banker or whoever. Do you want to know what I think?"

I nodded and he smiled.

"I think it's time for you to finally break free, darling," he said, "and I'm going to be there to watch you."

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They took Titanic off of Netflix and now I'm petty. Wowowow.

Anyways, hope you liked this chapter. Two more days until the sinking!!!

Vote, and comment!

Love,

S.