"I really don't see what all this fuss is about." My sister Rose DeWitt-Bukateur says, squinting up at the Titanic from underneath her hat.
"But Rose!" I exclaim, taking her arm, "It's the Titanic! It's the ship of dreams, the unsinkable ship!" I cry, throwing my free arm up in a gesture towards the ship.
"Lily, control yourself!" Rose frowns, pulling her arm away from mine. "Really, we're first class. You can't go around acting like that - you could end up in third class."
I completely disagree with the class system, it's so unfair. All human beings should be treated equally, regardless of the amount of money they had. But no one else seemed to agree with me.
We queue up to board the ship and I see Cal take Rose's arm. Cal is my sister's fiancé and they are set to marry when we arrive in America. They're not a match made in heaven, but nothing's ever perfect.
I look up at the ship, it really is truly magnificent! I've never seen anything so big in my life! I take out my sketch book and one of my good pencils and begin to sketch the side of the ship and the four gold funnels at the top. "Really, how you can sit and sketch for hours, I really have no idea." Rose says and I quickly snap the book shut. I'm very private about my drawings; I don't like anyone to see them.
"Isn't this exciting, Rose!" I say, changing the subject. "I can't wait to see our room!"
We arrive at our designated rooms and I take mine next door to Cal and Rose. "I'd like to set out my pictures." I hear Rose say as I shut the door. Rose always says that she can't feel at home without her pictures, yet she can't appreciate the time it takes to create them, unlike me.
I decide to unpack later and head out onto the deck a few minutes after the ship leaves the dock to try and get a drawing of the harbour done before it's out of sight. I find a small bench and open a new page in my sketch book, roughly sketching out the shape of the harbour and the crowds of people waving us off.
The wind starts to pick up as we get further out to sea and I find it harder to keep my papers in my sketch book. Suddenly, a gust of wind blows my book open and pages flutter out onto the deck. In a panic, I get up and rush around trying to save as many as I can. A few have blown right along the deck so I have to pick up my skirt and run along, something I can imagine Rose never doing.
I stop when I see someone picking up my drawings. It's a young man, quite obviously from third class from the way he's dressed. He starts to look through them as I walk up to him. He looks up as I approach. "I guess these must be yours, Miss." He says, with a slight accent.
"Yes, they are." I reply, taking them back.
"They're very good, if you don't mind my saying so." He says with a smile.
"Why thank you." I say, clutching my sketch book.
"You really have an artist's hand." He replies, "I draw too, you know." He adds, when he sees my face.
"Really?" I say, suddenly intrigued by this young stranger. "Maybe you could show me some of your drawings?" I say and he nods enthusiastically. There's a moment of silence and I use that to make my exit. "Well, I better be going. But thank you for saving my drawings, Mr..." I pause, realising I don't know his name.
"Dawson, Jack Dawson." He says.
"Well, goodbye Mr Dawson." I smile and turn away from him and start to walk back down the deck.
"Wait!" I stop when I hear his voice. It has a sort of musical ring to it that makes my heart flutter. "I didn't catch your name."
"Lily DeWitt Bukateur." I say and he raises his eyebrows.
"You'll have to write that one down for me."
I laugh and quickly write down my name on a piece of my sketch paper, then hand it to him. "Goodbye Mr Dawson."