Kie1993- Thank you. I hope you like this chapter.

Nette0602- Thank you I hope you like this chapter.

Authoress Note: I hope you enjoy this chapter.

Chapter 7

Birthday Ball

January 1, 1908

I awoke that morning and I groaned. Another year older and still no luck with finding a husband. My step-mother was already angry with me since I hadn't found anyone yet. I carefully got up out of my bed and heard a knock on the door. I grabbed my robe quickly slipping it on. "Come in." I said softly.

Mary came into the room. "Good morning Miss and happy birthday."

I smiled a small sad smile. "Thank you Mary."

"Your father has a gown for you that I have right here." She said holding out the box to me which was fairly large for her to be carrying.

"Oh he did." I said walking over to her. I quickly took the top off of the box. "My god..." I said as I carefully pulled out the black dress that had silver skillfully put into it. "He didn't have to get this." I said even softer.

"But Miss it's your birthday." Mary said with a smile.

"I know that." I said softly.

"Shall I help you into it Miss?"

I nodded my head. "Yes, Mary." I said softly.

Mary began her work for the day. She helped me get dressed into the gown that my father had bought for me for my birthday. "Miss are you ready for your birthday party?" She asked softly as she tied my corset up. She then helped me into the gown.

"I am as about as ready as I can be. How can I be since my father decided to have a ball for me which I don't think is a really good idea." I said softly as she tied up the back of my gown to keep it in place.

"Well, Miss it isn't everyday that you turn 25. Plus your father wanted the best for you." Mary said as she began to work on my hair.

"Yes, did he tell you anything about who was going to be here this after noon?" I asked softly as she styled my hair into a beautiful updo.

"No, he didn't Miss. I am sure he would've said who he invited."

I shook my head lightly. "Father isn't always one to tell me when he invites people for a birthday ball." I said softly as she put a little gold band in my hair.

"Well, I am sure who ever is here will make your day."

I smiled a small smile.

"Miss have you talked to Mr. Andrews at all?" She asked softly as she began to put my makeup carefully onto my face.

"The last I heard from him was when he got the order for the Titanic." I said softly. "That was last year."

"Miss I am sure that you will see him soon. I mean you and him are very close."

I laughed lightly. "Thomas and I are friends. That's all we will ever be. He has a big ship to start building. It doesn't matter if I go and see him. This is his shot to be the master ship builder on a big project." I said softly as I dabbed a little bit of perfume on the side of my neck.

"Well I am sure if he is invited today you will be glad to see him again. I mean I haven't heard you not talk about him. Sorry Miss that wasn't my place."

I smiled and looked at her. "It's alright Mary. I guess I kind of talk about Thomas more when I miss him." I said softly as I put a necklace that was pearls. I put a pair of pearl earrings in my ears before I faced her. "How do I look?" I asked even softer.

"You look beautiful Miss. Your father is waiting for you downstairs. He wants to take you into the ballroom when you get down there." Mary said with a smile.

I smiled. "Thank you Mary."

"Will that be all Miss?"

"Yes, Mary."

She curtsied before she left my room.

I took a deep breath and looked at my reflection once more before I headed out of my room. I walked out of my room and down the stairs. I saw my father waiting for me at the end of the stairs.

"You look beautiful as always."

I smiled and placed a kiss on his cheek. "Thank you father for the gown."

"You are welcome." He said as he placed a kiss on my forehead. "Your step-mother hopes you'll find someone here at the ball tonight to marry."

I let out a sigh. "There is that m word again. I don't know why she is so dead on me getting married. I want to marry for love like you did father." I said softly.

Father offered his arm to me. "I know you do Valarie. I would ignore her for now. Try to find someone that you really like."

I smiled and took his arm. "I will father."

"I know you will make the right choice for you." He said as he squeezed my arm lightly. "You ready to see who all came for this day?"

I giggled. "Yes, father I am."

We walked into the ballroom of the house as I called it. I knew it was just the room where we held extravagant parties. It didn't matter who the party was for we went all out.

"Close your eyes." I heard father say.

I closed my eyes like I was asked to. I wasn't allowed to see what he was going to be showing me very shortly. I felt father move my arm from his and he held it for a quick second before handing my hand off to someone else.

"Open your eyes now Valarie."

I opened my eyes and my eyes began to water a little bit. "Thomas..." I said softly. I was in shock to see him there.

Thomas smiled at me. "Valarie."

"What are you doing here?"

"Your father invited me here. He said that we didn't get to see much of each other and thought that this would be a good way for us to see one another." He said with a sheepish smile.

I smiled at him. "I suppose that would be correct." I said softly. I felt my cheeks turning red, but I wasn't able to stop it anyways.

"Would you like to dance?" He asked with a smile.

I nodded my head. "Yes, Thomas I would love to."

Thomas led me out onto the dance floor twirling me before getting into the proper dance position for the waltz. "How have you been?" He asked me softly.

"I've been good." I said with a smile. "What about you big head ship builder." I said with a giggle.

"I have been good, been fairly busy with running the plans by Mr. Ismay." He said with a small smile.

I laughed lightly. "I guess we both been busy." I said as pushed myself closer to him.

"So what have you been up to?"

"Sailing mostly." I said as I looked up at him into his beautiful light brown eyes. "But then again that is always the answer I give which is very true." I said with a small smile.

"Well at least it is something other than going mad right?" He said with a smile. "Why do I feel like someone is staring us down?"

I looked over his shoulder and saw my step-mother who was giving me a disapproving look. "That would be my step-mother." I said groaning lightly.

"Why would she be staring us down?"

"She would want me with someone better. Someone who already has a name and money." I shook my head. "She doesn't like the fact that I am still unmarried at 25."

"I'm 35 and unmarried." He said shaking his head. "And she wouldn't approve of a shipbuilder to have your love."

I shook my head. "Probably not, but aren't you seeing someone already?"

His face flushed. "Yes, I am courting someone."

I felt a pang of jealousy go through me. I loved this man, but he was with another. I thought we would've ended up with each other, but it hadn't happened. Time just wasn't on our side for our friendship to bloom into something worth while.

"Valarie come here." I heard my step-mother say.

I groaned. "Thank you for the dance Thomas." I said softly placing a kiss on his cheek.

He kissed my hand. "I will save a few more dances for you Valarie."

I smiled. "I will be glad if we can have a few more dances Thomas." I curtsied before walking over to my step-mother. "Yes?" I said softly.

"This is Andrew Hart. He wishes to marry you."

My eyes went wide. "You can't do that."

She glared me. "I can and I will."

"I won't marry. I told you countless times I won't marry unless I am in love."

"Well then you'll be much older then you are already."

Andrew looked at me. "Miss Smith I would love to marry you. Your mother."

"She's my step-mother." I corrected him.

"She agreed that I could have your hand in marriage."

"No... I won't accept it."

"You will Valarie. So help me god you will be miserable for the rest of your life you live here." She hissed out at me.

"Excuse me."I said softly. I quickly left the room going outside to be alone. I took deep breaths of the cold night air. "She can't do that." I said to myself. "She just can't." I felt a hand on my shoulder and I turned around looking at the person that put their hand on my shoulder. "Thomas." I said softly.

"What happened?"

I wiped the tears that had fallen from my eyes. "My step-mother had agreed to an arranged marriage." I said softly.

"What?" He sounded heart broken when I told him that.

"She wants me to marry Andrew Hart. An Oil Tycoon's son." I said softly. "I don't want to marry him Thomas."

"It seems you have your hands tied." He said softly swallowing a little harder then he needed to causing his Adam's apple to bob slightly.

"I really hoped I didn't have them tied." I said softly. "I wanted to be happily married to someone that I loved very much. I guess I won't get that chance now." I let out a sigh. "I guess it was bound to happen anyways." I looked over at Thomas. "I know you're engaged to be married too. I guess we both got what we needed didn't we."

He had a look on his face that I couldn't read. I think it was him trying to say that neither one of us got what we truly wanted.

We spent hours talking about everything that we didn't have a chance to catch up about when he had his big important meeting with Ismay. I guess I knew in a way that we both could try and be happy. He was going to be married soon and I guess I was too.

That is the end of this chapter. It didn't turn out as well as I wanted it to turn out, but then again some of the flashbacks don't always work out the greatest. Any ways review and let me know what you think about it. In the next chapter should Valarie try and talk to her father about the ice burg warnings that he has been getting and try to coax him into heeding the warnings and not be very successful? Should I try to save Thomas in chapter 9? Well anyways I need some kind of ideas. I actually have a writer's block for now.