Oh wow! Thank you so much for all the reviews. It's great to see you're all enjoying the story. Keep them coming, they make me smile =D.
By the way I don't know if Helga was Austrian, and I don't know if there was a financial depression in Austria in 1912, but there is in this story it is fiction after all!
I do not own Titanic, but I do own Cassia. So yeah haha
I wasn't up to going to the party anymore. After today, I had never felt more heartbroken and let down, and Jack didn't even understand. I lay on his bunk, his pillow still smelt familiar and I held it close to my chest. The way things were going it looked like I was never going to be with him. I didn't like Rose. I just didn't. It wasn't just because Jack had taken such an interest in her. It was just her whole attitude in general, sucking up to Jack like a leech. How she acts like her life is such a tragedy. She can pretend she wants to be like us, but she doesn't understand what it's like to really survive.
There was a knock at the door. My heart skipped a beat at first, thinking it was Jack. I shook my head at this; Jack wouldn't knock on the door of his own cabin. I rolled off the bunk and headed for the door. I opened it and was surprised to see Tommy stood there.
"Oh hello," I said.
"Hi. Are you coming to the party?" He asked.
"No, I don't really feel like it," I replied sadly running my finger down the door.
"Come on. Don't stay in your room moping over Jack, come out and have some fun," Tommy urged.
"What makes you think this has anything to do with Jack?" I asked.
Tommy folded his arms. "Oh please Cassia. I have seen the way you look at him. I saw the disappointment in your face when he was left mesmerised by that girl,"
"I don't know what you're talking about," I lied.
"Ok, but sitting in your room alone all night ain't gonna make him come back any sooner," Tommy said and began to walk away.
I puffed my cheeks out. Maybe he was right; I mean there's no point whining over them. Shutting the door I changed quickly and escaped out of the room. I was going to have a good time tonight, regardless whether Jack was there or not.
0000
The party was in full swing. I smiled when I saw all my friends sitting at a table. Tommy, Will, Alanzo and Bert. I made my way over and sat down. I noticed Cora was already on the dance floor dancing with a few girls her age.
"Cassia, you came!" Tommy said.
I nodded. "What fun is there sitting in your room all night?" I said to him.
Will was dealing some cards. He began passing some to me. I smiled gratefully. It was really nice how they all treated women, one of the boys. Will had once called me. Which I suppose was true, like I said I'm not a girly girl, and I'm far from a lady like Rose or her snobby mother. I didn't really get chance to start the game though. Cora realised I was here and was desperate for me to dance with her. I wasn't bothered of course. Poker never felt the same when I wasn't playing with Jack anyway.
The night went on and on, and I actually found I couldn't stop myself missing Jack and couldn't help but think about what he was doing now. I noticed how late it was going and I was beginning to get worried. Jack had said he wasn't going to be staying that late. I knew he would probably be with her. That woman.
I shook my head at myself. Get a grip; I was turning into some kind of crazy person, could I not just stop thinking about him for five minutes?
I began to loosen up a bit. I remembered how I had pitied Jack before; I was going to be the one having the good time, while he drank champagne and eat caviar. I was talking to an Austrian woman called Helga, her English was surprisingly good. She was also very friendly, she was moving to New York with her family because there were more jobs available. Austria was suffering a terrible financial depression and her father had recently been made redundant. Also eager to start work Helga found it difficult to find a job. The whole family sold most of their possessions to start the new life they had always dreamed of.
I felt a pair of hands grab me from behind. I jumped round ready to smack the sleaze ball right in the chops when I couldn't believe who it was. Jack had finally returned, he was hardly recognisable at first. His clothes changed for a fine dining suit, with a bow tie and everything. His hair normally floppy in his eyes had been gelled back making his eyes an even more piercing blue.
"Did I scare you?" He asked.
"Just a bit, what's with the suit?" I asked.
"Oh Molly leant it to me, help me fit in a bit more,"
"You pull off the first class look rather well," I complimented tweaking the bow tie. It was then I noticed someone lurking behind us feeling very out of place. I could not believe it.
"And you brought Rose," I said through gritted teeth forcing a smile.
"Yeah I thought I would show her what a real party was,"
I couldn't help this burning rage build up inside me. Why did he have to bring her? Why! I thought after this dinner, it would be the last we see of her. Jack seemed to be emotionally involved with her now and I could feel him slipping away. Rose held her hands together and scanned the room as everyone's eyes fell on her. Why wouldn't they? She was wearing a red dress, with a black see through netting over it, which was studded with lots of diamonds. Her face was heavily made up, and her hair was clasped up in a silver crystal hair band with a few curls hanging down.
Cora bounced up to us and wrapped her arms round Jack's leg.
"Hey Cora," He said
"I missed you," Cora said sadly.
"I missed you too, but I'm back now. Want to dance?" Jack asked.
Cora nodded determinedly. Jack took off his jacket and bow tie and handed them to me. "Look after Rose will you?" He asked.
"Sure," I lied.
When they both went to the dance floor, I walked right past her and sat down at our table. This will show her that she's not welcome here. I thought to myself, but as I sat down and saw how uncomfortable she looked, despite of how angry she made me I felt bad.
"Hey Rose!" I shouted,
Rose turned round to face me.
"You going to sit down or what?"
Rose looked back towards the dance floor, completely ignoring me, I shook my head she really was impossible. However it seemed I was wrong when she came and sat down with us. She smiled a small smile at us all, heck maybe she wasn't so bad after all.
0000
"No you haven't got the accent right," Alanzo said to me. "Mi chiamo Cassia,"
"Me chiamo Cassia,"
"Not me mi," Alanzo repeated.
"Oh I give up," I giggled.
Alanzo had been trying for a good fifteen minutes to say my name is Cassia in Italian, but I proved I was hopeless. I glanced at Rose who watched Jack and Cora dancing. I raised my eyebrow at Tommy who returned the stare.
"So Rose, what brings you down here?" Tommy asked.
Rose looked at him. "Oh Jack invited me. I guess I wanted to see what it is like,"
"And what is it like?" I asked.
"Different," Rose simply replied while we all nodded.
"He likes to dance a lot doesn't he?" Rose said to me.
I shrugged. "I suppose,"
Rose didn't pursue the conversation any further. When the song had ended the dancers all stopped and clapped the band like they did after every song. As a new song begun to play, Jack knelt down to Cora and whispered something to her. Her shoulders sagged and she nodded softly. Jack then held out his hand to Rose pulling her up. On the dance floor they gazed at each other momentarily when Jack noticed Cora's sad gaze.
"You're still my best girl Cora," He smiled.
Cora smiled back at him but gave a cold stare to Rose. She came and sat down next to us while I remained shocked at what had just happened. I felt my body tense up as I saw Jack pull Rose closer to him and they began to dance. I turned my stare away from them though it was hard to ignore them when you could hear Rose's gleeful screams.
"I don't like Rose," Cora whispered to me.
"Why not darling?" I asked not really blaming her one bit.
"She's going to steal Jack,"
"Oh Cora there's no need to worry Jack won't leave you behind. You're his best girl remember," I said to her.
"No, not from me, from you!"
I didn't answer, I glanced back at the pair of them dancing, they spun round holding onto each other tightly laughing and whispering to each other. I could feel my heart shattering inside my chest, how could Cora of known this she was only six. It was then I realised how spoilt my night had become.
By the time they had finished dancing I was in a really bad mood; I turned away from the others and sat on a table just me and Cora. When Rose and Jack approached us I saw they were holding hands, which made me even madder.
"I'll just go get us some drinks," He said to Rose who sat down. "Do you want one Cassia?" He asked I shook my head. When Rose sat down, Cora removed herself and went back to sit with her father.
"He's amazing isn't he?" Rose said to me.
I just nodded.
"He tells me you have been friends for so long,"
"Pretty much forever,"
"I feel like I can relate to you both,"
I looked at her confused.
"Well with both his parents dying and your mother dying too. My father died of a brain haemorrhage two years ago. And when Jack told me how you were neglected by your father. My mother never appreciates me-," She began.
I felt this boiling rage erupt inside me. How dare she even try and compare herself to me. And Jack how could he? How could he tell a stranger about my mother?
"Shut up!" I shouted.
Rose stopped in mid conversation, and stared at me shocked.
"You're nothing like me. You're nothing like us. Were your parents both charred to the bone? Their bodies so unrecognisable the only way of identification was through dental records? Was your mother pretty much mutilated before your eyes? How can you even compare neglect and appreciation! My father beat me black and blue!" I shouted standing up now.
"Yes you're father died, and that's very sad. Ok so you're being forced into marriage, but you have everything. So please spare me the poor little me crap, because I don't think I can listen to it anymore," I said more calmly and walked out of the room. My last glimpse was of a saddened Rose with Jack holding two drinks in his hands. He looked confused about where I was going, but I just needed to be alone for a bit. Outside I tried to breathe deeply, but I couldn't help the sobs coming. I sank down the wall and wrapped my arms round my legs as I cried properly for the first time since my mother died.
I think this chapter really sucks but hey ho tried my best! Remember to review or I might start crying! Chapter 10 will be up soon my lovelies.
Leah xxx
