Rose walked to the first class lounge holding her ribs in shock. She didn't feel the excruciating pain yet, but she did feel uncertainty behind the numb over cloak that held her anguish captive. Maybe she was wrong, and maybe that wasn't at all what Jack had said. Maybe she had simply misunderstood him because after all, he was whispering and she could've heard wrong. But she couldn't go back now that she had left. Jack probably was angry at her as well, and she didn't want to face him knowing what she did was a mistake. Rose then couldn't help but to laugh in at herself. She had thought Jack was being selfish. Hah! She was the one being selfish, by not caring what happens, and that was what Jack had been trying to teach her all along. Maybe this was a test, and perhaps she didn't pass. What if Jack didn't love her anymore?
She walked passed the fire place and paused. What was she trying to do anyways? Did she really expect much anything to come out of this romance other than shame, and regret? But she thought to herself, and the answer was no. She regretted none of this. She decided that it was time to change out of the white dress she'd been wearing the night before, and change into one of the noon outfits she'd packed for herself, and hastily walked into her stateroom.
Behind the door Cal awaited her, and Rose didn't attempt to run. She could go back to Jack when she had the nerve, but she knew she'd eventually have to decide what to do. "I've been waiting for you, Rose. I knew you'd be back eventually," Cal said without emotion. Rose nodded and stared at the floor. What else could she do? "Ah, Rose is not speaking," he asked rhetorically. Rose kept her glare at the floor and decided to speak, just to prove him otherwise, "Yes, I am," she spoke calmly. Cal laughed quietly to himself, and put his palm on Rose's cheek, and stroked it gently up and down. Rose moved her head in slight irritation, but he took it as a welcomed greeting.
She was simply trying to ignore him as much as possible, and thought she could accomplish this task. The one good thing about Cal was that he wasn't like the other first class men who wanted to do things with their significant other's and then make a child as a trophy, so she never expected anything from him. She had only kissed Cal once, and that was when he proposed. She had only known him a month before that, but she accepted for the very same reason she was even in that room that moment. She had remembered the kiss as a guilt trip, and nothing but a way of using the mouth, and for some reason she was beginning to think she was getting ready to experience it again.
But what could she do? She couldn't attempt to run, because that moment Cal's lips touched hers. She kept her lips as still as possible, trying not to give him the satisfaction of enjoying himself. He then realized this, and pushed Rose back against to wall, and starting kissing her with as much enthusiasm as he had. Cal's lips felt nothing like Jack's. They weren't as warm, and she didn't feel as comfortable kissing Cal as she did Jack. Jack and Rose's lips were a perfect match together, almost like they had been molded just for each other.
Cal had then put his hands on Rose's hips, and she felt all of the sudden…content. It was like sparks had went off, and she was being told what to do by her body, and she couldn't control herself at all. Her lips started to move with the rhythm of his, and he noticed that too. He then kissed her with more enthusiasm than before, and she replied urgently and put her hand upon his face. Cal's lower half then pushed her hard up against the wall, and she embraced him with both of her arms around his neck, holding onto him with dear life.
She tried to tell herself to stop, but couldn't. How could being right about things feel so wrong? Cal then put her on the sofa and stripped her down to her stockings. She felt so invaded, and there was nothing she could do now. She had let the first class way of marriage submerse her.
So, she kept still for minutes, letting him take advantage of her. It wasn't at all pleasant, but signs escaped her regardless of how she felt. She wished Jack would come and rescue her from this awful imprisonment, but she remember something he had said earlier and finally figured out what it meant. Only she could save herself.
Through the sweat she put her hands on Cal's shoulders to push him off of her, but she was too late. It was over, and Cal jumped off of her and put his britches back on. "I was right," he spoke a few seconds later, "You are a whore to a gutter rat. I just thought I'd show you that," and he gently touched her face and guffawed bellows. Rose looked into the cushions in the couch, and let the tears consume her. "You son of a bitch…," She whispered blankly, "Bastard."
Cal unfortunately didn't hear her, because the arrogant fool was already out of the room. Rose couldn't do anything but to move on from this terrible event, and let it go, which was easier said than done. The good thing was that she didn't have to try to get the stubborn dress off, but the dark side to that was that Cal had done that for her. She stood in the full length mirror in front of her, and saw that her shoulders had dark spots forming bruises, and let the fact that Cal had basically raped her sink in.
Rose didn't bother asking Trudy to help her with a corset, so she just put on stockings, followed by a glittering, yellow dress that had small traces of blue in it. She ran her fingers through her hair once, and touched up her make-up and then set up from the vanity. Her mother then walked in carrying her small hand bag that she wore while making her rounds. Rose kept her eyes focused on her image in the mirror, and her mother walked over.
Ruth put her hand upon her daughter's shoulder, and leaned down so that her reflection would show in the mirror as well. "You've made a fine choice Rose. Caledon is an excellent match for you, and will treat you like a real jewel," she whispered, caringly. Yes, he treated her like a jewel, like he cared about nothing else than it too. Rose made a mocking face in the mirror, and then looked down. "Rose, I know best. I know that when we get off this ship you'll agree that you made a significant choice," her mother cooed.
"I know I'll make the right choice mother," Rose replied looking up at her. Ruth smiled thinking that her daughter finally understood the importance of marrying Cal. "I know I'll be happy," Rose repeated in the same tone, but this time she had a hint of a smile. Ruth by now was grinning largely.
"I know I'll be happy, because Jack makes me happy. I love him," Rose grinned back. Her mother's face went blank, and she snapped, "Rose, no! You're making the wrong choice! You'll get sick of him eventually. Why throw away everything on a romance that you've had for a couple of days? You're throwing away your future." Rose was standing up now, and she held her head up high. "No, mother. I'm throwing away your future as a first class, lazy woman. If you knew me at all you would understand that this life has made me unhappy. I finally feel… free. I feel like I belong with someone. I have no money either, mother. If I plan on surviving, don't you?" Rose questioned her mother, and walked away.
She opened the door to the hallway, running. But this time she knew where she was going. She held apart her arms, and ran headlong for Jack.
