You Jump, I Jump >> Jack Dawson (Titanic)

FIVE; something good

Jack's POV

As I lay in the bottom bunk of the shared room I had to spend my nights in, the thought of Elizabeth never left my mind. I imagined the day tomorrow would bring, the things we would talk about, the things we'd do, and the memories we would make and share. Something about that Elizabeth was stuck in my head.

Just the fact that a girl so beautiful would care enough to listen to me try to help her and to help me in return, then proceed to invite me to see her again baffles me. The more her name floats through my brain, the more attached I feel to her. Like my thoughts found her and latched on so tightly to her as my I did when she was falling of the ship, except there was no danger of losing her.

My heart beat in my chest, each thumping pressing into my chest as I remembered the look on her eyes on the balcony. Remembering how I had though her hair was sand colored, when it was actually reddish brown when seen up close, and realizing how different the setting sun can make a person look. Despite the difference in the color of her hair, she was even more beautiful up close, and would only get more beautiful the more I would see or think about her face.

Thump, my heart spoke to me. Thump. Her name. Thump. Elizabeth Evangeline Evergreen. Thump. Her eyes. Thump. Her wavy brown hair. Thump. Her voice. Thump.

My heart went crazy for this girl. How is it that I've only just met her this one time and my entire being is so enchanted by her everything that I can't fall asleep without her coming to mind? Whatever the reason was, it kept me breathing, and kept my heart pounding in my chest as I prayed for the next day at noon to come faster than it should.

> later >

I ran out of the room, down the hall, and out the door to the edge of the balcony. I looked down over the front of the ship, seeing everyone around talking and laughing below me, but my eyes scanning for only one person. The moment I saw the familiar wavy hair, I smiled so wide that my face hurt a little.

I ran down the stairs, leaping over a railing and running most of the way to her. I slowed down and casually walked up next to Elizabeth, my heart racing in my chest. I couldn't tell if it was from me running or from standing next to Elizabeth, who smiled from ear to ear back at me. "You came," she said.

"Of course I did," I replied. "Why wouldn't I?"

"I don't quite know, actually," Lizzie replied.

> later >

For the next three or so hours, we both walked around the ship talking about our lives up to this point and how we both had parent problems. I learned how she had grown up with a rich family who just wanted her to be married off to someone else where they had the only benefit, which outraged me to the core.

"So your dad is forcing into marry that guy for what? Money?" I asked. "That's, if I may say, absolute bullshit! Why can't your dad just accept that you want to marry someone you love rather than someone with money? They can have both, if you find the right one, but I don't find flattering with expensive gifts a form of love, personally."

"I know, it's completely unfair. What if I fell in love with someone who's got nothing but 10 bucks in their pocket with a heart worth a thousand diamonds, but wasn't loved by someone because they had no money to marry into?" She asked.

"I would find that repulsive, especially considering how closely I relate to the one denied for lack of money," I answered.

"Elizabeth!" She turned around suddenly, seeing her father up on the first class balcony, furiously staring us down.

"I've got to go, Jack," Lizzie said in a scared voice.

"Wait, Lizzie, please-" She took my hand but quickly let go and walked away.

"Lets go!!" Her father barked, causing her to run up the stairs away from me, leaving me behind with no answers. I looked down at my hand when she was out of sight, finding a note that read:

Meet me where we
first met, tonight. 11.

"You little-" I said to myself, smiling and looking back up at where she'd just been. She's driving me crazy.

Elizabeth's POV

"Who was he?!" My father's loud voice boomed through the room as he threw my down onto the sofa. "Who was that you were with?! You're getting married a day after we arrive in New York and you're running off with some slave boy!!"

"He's not a slave boy!" I yelled back.

"Well he's sure dressed like one!!"

"What does it matter to you, anyways?! All you care about is your stupid money! You've never cared how I felt!! You only want me to marry James for his money! Besides, Jack is just my friend!! Can't I have those now?! Or must I be cut off from everyone but those who want me for their financial aid?"

"I don't need your financial aid!!" He shouted back. "It's you that needs mine! And I'm marrying you off to a well rounded man who I trust and you should too!"

"Well, I don't want to marry him! I want to know and love whomever I marry! Not do it for the money, lile you want me to! I'd rather jump off this ship right now and end my life before spending the rest of it with that snob!!" I stormed off out of my parents room and locked myself in my own, crying into my sheets.

Oh Jack, I thought. Why can't you just be here right now and save me from this nightmare?