As Rose admired her beautiful reflection in the water, flower crown and all, the boys started to get anxious to leave.
"We need to get back to Piggy and the littluns." said Ralph.
"Nobody cares about Piggy or the littluns." Jack shot back.
"I do." said Ralph, looking somewhat hurt.
Jack simply laughed. Rose awkwardly pretended not to hear the conversation, not wanting to get involved.
Roger shot up. "You know what? Why SHOULD we care about Piggy and the littluns? All they'll do is slow us down. We know what the island has, let's-"
"It doesn't matter," Ralph said. "We have to stick together, no matter what."
Rose joined in after having been tempted to say something. "Guys, I think Ralph is right. We have to go back for everyone else."
"What is wrong with you?" Jack and Roger exclaimed at the same time.
"Nothing. It's just-"
"What? You're worried about the littluns?" Jack asked. "You don't need to deal with them. Haven't you enjoyed being away from them?"
"I-I enjoy the break. I just think that I should help them."
"Please. You're such a hypocrite. You were the one who just yesterday whined at Ralph and the littluns for having to do too much work, or whatever." Roger said.
"I-I didn't yell at them. I just-" Rose was cut off by Roger again.
"You just freaked out because you couldn't hand one day of work. Because you're a whiny, spoiled brat. Not to mention a girl."
"A girl? What do you m-"
"You know what I mean! You're stupid and whiny and weak."
"That's not just a girl thing, you know," said Ralph bitterly. Jack nodded quietly.
"Well-it's different when it's a girl, they're worse than..." He trailed off. "Girls are...well they're different." Roger's confidence went down. "They don't have it in them to be strong in the first place. Boys do."
Everyone suddenly went silent.
Rose simply stared at Roger in disbelief. There was no way that he could be so rude with her - especially when it was because she was a girl. She stepped forward towards him, and sang:
"Every day is so wonderful
And suddenly it's hard to breathe
Now and then I get insecure
From all the pain, feel so ashamed"
He remained quiet, powerless from her voice's strength.
Ralph looked over at her, seeming to be proud of her for having the courage to stand up for something that she believed in. Jack smiled. He was friends with Roger, sure, but even he would admit Roger could be rude sometimes. If he was a good friend, he'd probably stand up for Roger, but his feelings towards Rose were too strong. Simon simply looked on, grinning from ear to ear.
She belted out to Roger, seemingly soaring:
"I am beautiful no matter what you say
Words can't bring me down
I am beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring me down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today"
Jack stepped in, joining her for the next verse:
"To all your friends you're delirious
So consumed in all your doom
Tryin' hard to fill the emptiness, the piece is gone
Left the puzzle undone, ain't that the way it is?"
They seemed to harmonize perfectly with one another, and smiled as they sang together. They sang together for the chorus, with Simon and Ralph adding in harmonies.
"'Cause we are beautiful no matter what they say
Yes, words won't bring us down, oh no
We are beautiful in every single way
Yes, words can't bring us down, oh no
So don't you bring me down today"
Roger could only stare at them as they finished the song triumphantly.
"But you guys- you- I mean-" he stumbled over his words, completely defeated. "Jack...how could you? I thought we were friends!"
"Not when you treat Rose like that," Jack said. "If you ever talk to her - or any of us - in that way again-"
"Let's just say you'll be in trouble," Ralph said, joining in. Rose stayed quiet.
oger stayed quiet, too, but especially because he had been defeated. He could barely nod. "Sorry."
"Glad we've agreed on that," Ralph said. "Now let's head back to the others." As much as Jack disagreed with Ralph's idea, he still nodded in agreement - especially because Rose wanted to go back, too.
They began to walk back to where Piggy was with the littluns. Rose realized that it felt like weeks since they had left the beach, but it was really only about a day. They walked in silence before Rose realized that Simon was lagging behind, and she slowed her pace to walk with him.
"You okay?" Rose asked him.
Simon stopped, frowning. "I'm still scared."
"Scared about what? The dream?" He nodded tearfully. "Stop it. It's not going to happen and you know it." He looked up at her. She knew that he was still afraid - but he soon ran up to the rest of the boys.
Rose sighed and quickened her pace once again to catch up with the boys. She fell into step in between Ralph and Jack.
Jack was discussing a new song for choir with Roger, and was arguing with him over which parts they would sing. So Rose turned to Ralph and started talking.
"So, listen," Ralph said. "I've been wondering about something."
"Yeah?" Rose prepared for the worst.
"I think you know how Jack and I feel about you-but I'm wondering if you feel the same way about me."
She stared at him quietly. This was the first time that either one of the boys had directly stated their feelings. "Well..." She glanced at Jack for a second - thinking about how much she liked him AND Ralph. "I really don't know yet-"
"But you have to know, right? You have to like only one of us."
"I just-"
"You don't have to tell me. You just have to know."
"Alright, fine." She looked at where she was going. "I really care about both of you as people. It's just that-" Rose trailed off, wishing someone would interrupt her. Since nobody did, she was forced to continue speaking. "It's just that I have a lot on my mind- besides you guys. I mean I have this one over here to look out for, too." She gestured towards Simon, not using his name, since she didn't want him listening in. He seemed to be lost in his own world, anyway.
Ralph nodded. "I understand. I'm just saying, though, that you'll have to choose one of us at some point. We've all got different things in mind for this island..." he said, trailing off and looking at Jack and Roger.
Rose knew exactly what he meant. Ralph and Jack never agreed on anything (except if it involved her, of course) - if they couldn't agree on larger issues, so much more could be at stake.
"I mean, what if I don't want to choose?" Rose asked. "I feel so pressured- I mean don't take that the wrong way- but I just feel like maybe we should focus on things other than-" Rose stopped talking, realizing that Jack and Roger had stopped arguing, and it was silent other than the sound of her voice. How much had Jack heard?
"Other than what?" Jack asked.
"Other than, uhh, relationships." It fell right out. She couldn't help it.
"I see." He turned back, frowning, and Rose felt like slapping herself. What had she done
