Well here's chapter 2! I'm so happy that everyone likes it so far! And I hope you all keep reading! Please leave reviews, and I will try to update asap. The chapters are a little short at the moment, but I think they should start to get longer as the story goes on. Anyways... thank you again, readers, and here is the second chapter:

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Serena's POV

I scurried around the room, putting my things in their place. I had several things to unpack, and while one of the stewards showed Adelaide around the suite, I hobbled about in my dumb high-heel shoes, setting my possessions on the dressers. There were also maids in the room helping my mother put away her things. One of them, named Daisy, came over to me and asked, "Can I help you with anything, miss?"

"No, I'm fine," I answered.

Then, as always, my mother came over to interfere, "Of course she could use some help. Here, Daisy, please take my daughter's jewelry into her bedroom."

"Mother, I can do that myself!" I argued.

"Nonsense. You should be getting dressed. We've a dinner to attend tonight, remember?" She stuck her nose in the air in that prissy way that she did when she was closing a conversation. I didn't need her words to tell me what she was showing me—'We're done talking about this.' God, I hated that look…

"I'll get dressed later. I want to go look around."

"You'll go no farther than the upper deck," Adelaide said to me. "You know those lower-class fools are always hungry for younger women like yourself. Remember, rape exists anywhere, Serenade."

Yes, my real name is Serenade… My friends back in England would call me Serena because it sounded so less… weird. But my mother had no respect for what I would and wouldn't like to be called. Whenever I told her I wanted to be addressed as Serena, she just repeated the same phrase she always told me: "The name you were given is the name you will keep."

Stupid, huh?

"I wasn't going far, Mother. I just wanted to take in the ocean wind. It's not every day I get to travel, you know…" I said that last sentence in a sharp tone, and I think she caught it.

Adelaide came over to me and lowered herself to eye-level with me, which wasn't much shorter than her own height. Her voice was low and menacingly quiet, "We've spoken of this before. Travel is a privilege. You earn your way around the world, and the way you're acting right now is not proper for a young lady. So I suggest you shape up."

I glared at her.

"Don't give me that look, Serenade, if you don't want to end up sitting in here the whole night."

I groaned softly, then met her eyes again. "I'm sorry. May I go now?"

"Yes, you may. Be back in fifteen minutes so we can dress for dinner."

I didn't wait for her to say anything more. I turned around and sped out the door.

The scene was absolutely beautiful as I stood near the ship's edge, staring across the vast waters of the Atlantic Ocean. It was just what I needed—fresh air and the wide open sea to drown out the sound of my mother's voice. In my opinion, all the money we owned had gotten to her head. She thinks that wealth means importance. In a way it does, but you don't have to smother anyone in it…

I pulled my rimmed hat from my head and let the wind race through my long golden hair. The breeze smelled fresh and clean, and it made me feel like adventure that was unfolding before me. It wasn't very often that I got to smell the outside—I was usually cramped up in our mansion or in a room with girls of my age and stature… To tell the truth, being rich wasn't really fun.

In fact, money was kind of like a dictator—it rules you.

But not me… I wasn't going to sacrifice my freedom for slavery to wealth.

No… My spirit is too wild and untamed for that. Money will never rule me. I am immune to its power. As for my mother, however…

It was already too late.

Wes's POV

I am now best friends with Shane, my bunkmate. Turns out he came from Spain and got a ticket to the Titanic from a rich man from France. He didn't say how, just that he did.

I sat up in my bunk and ran a hand through my messy blond hair. The room was cramped, and I needed to get out for a while. I slung my legs over the edge of the bed and jumped to the floor.

"Where are you going?" asked Shane, who'd been putting his clothes away.

"To get some air." With that said, I walked out the door.

As I made my way up to the upper deck, I passed several wealthy girls who, once again, stared at me with dangerous glares. I didn't do anything except watch frontward, not paying them much attention other than a passing glance.

When I reached the outside, I felt the wind rush over me, welcoming me to the sea. I wasn't looking for anything or anyone—I just needed to get away from E Deck. Upon turning around I bumped into someone.

"Sorry," I said.

"It's all right,"

It was a boy. His hair was brown and matted and he looked like he ate a lot… I'm sorry, but I can't lie. His accent was strong Scottish.

He held out a hand, "I'm Ray Kinkayde. Come from a long line of industrialists. I'm fifteen, but I'm gonna inherit my dad's business one day."

"That's great," I said honestly. "I… don't have anything to inherit."

"Oh really?"

"Yeah. My dad went broke a long time ago and now he lives on the streets with my six brothers."

"You the oldest or are some older than you?"

"No, I'm the oldest child."

"I see," Ray thought a bit. "I'm sorry. What was your name again?"

"Wesley. I'm called Wes. Last name's Altaire, like the star, but with an 'E' at the end."

"Nice to meet you. I've gotta leave now, though. Gotta help mother with her unpacking." Then he walked away.

I nodded as he left. It was good to meet other people on this ship, although telling my life's story over and over was kind of awkward. I went over to the rail and leaned over to look at the waves. Traveling across the ocean had been a lifelong dream of mine. To return to America… That's where we'd originally lived. I don't remember why we came to England, though. Something about my grandfather, I think…

I turned my head to the direction we were headed and froze suddenly.

A girl stood there, her hat in one hand and both arms out, her golden-brown hair flowing with the ocean wind. She looked elegant with the sunlight shining down on her, sketching her body in bright silhouette. Her dress shaping her figure…

She was the most beautiful thing I'd ever seen…