Chapter 5: Pink Heart

I called Karen immediately and told her all about it. Karen listened, but not with the fullness she had been days ago. She was too obsessed with Kai. That hurt me a bit, but I would evenutally get over it.

I'm in love with Jack! I'm in love with Jack! Bee bee bee!!! I'm in love with Jack!!!!!

I was so incredibly happy. I was so happy. Even though Karen didn't care as much as I was used to her caring, I was still happy. Popuri would listen, and so would Ann. Elli would listen to Jack. HA! I was so unbelieveably happy. I couldn't wait until the next day to go to the library.

I didn't have to wait until the next day.

I was sitting in my room, just lying on the bed and thinking about Jack, when I heard a knock on my door.

"Yes?" I called, a bit annoyed that my mother was bothering me.

"Heyyy Mariaaaa!" A voice called. Oh my gosh. That was Jack.

He was at my door?

"Jack?!" I called out.

"You decent?" He asked flirtatiously.

"Yes, I am, but Jack, don't open the door, no-!"

Jack didn't listen. He slung open the door and tackled me onto my bed. I laughed and blushed. Oh. My. Gosh. He is in my room. He is in my room!!!!!

"Nice room," He commented, looking around. I had STUFFED ANIMALS in my room from when I was a little girl! I was sooo embarassed.

"Yeah right," I said, and he looked at me.

"No, really," He said.

I blushed and he kissed me on my forehead. "Let's get outta here," he said.

"Alright," I whispered. He grabbed my hands and pulled me off the bed. He took me out of my room, and my mother wasn't very happy with Jack holding my hands. She wasn't happy with Jack at all. She looked sour.

He took me outside, and we ran to the mountains. When we were there, he picked me up and twirled me around. We laughed. He put me down and kissed me. I was so in love with Jack.

But, he didn't know that I was in love with him.

That could create a problem.

* * *

I tried calling Karen seven times. The line was busy. I didn't know who to call. I was happy, but I was sad. How was I going to tell Jack that I was in love with him? Especially since he hasn't told me he loves me?

Does he love me?

What if he doesn't?

I turned on my bed and looked out of the window. Jack and I had fun today, and I was so happy to be back together with him. The light in my window shined on the ground outside. It was dark. It was beginning to get cold. It would soon be autumn.

* * *

I saw him come in the library door. He looked sad. He sat down in the chair, and didn't say much. I didn't know what to say or do, myself, either. Today was the day I had to tell him.

"Jack?" I asked.

"Yes," he answered, looking down at the ground, not listening, really.

"I have to tell you something, Jack," I said. He was silent.

"Are you listening?" I asked.

"Yes," He answered.

"Jack, I... uhh... I...." I started. He looked at me with his adorable look.

"Jack, I love you!" I shouted.

Jack didn't say anything.

He didn't say anything at all.

He got up, and he left. He left me crying there.

I woke up. There was no way I could tell him. Not after this nightmare. There was no way. I couldn't tell him for the rejection.

* * *

I went into the library. That dream seemed so real... I thought. I felt faint.

May came in, and she left. I was in a trance through my entire library period. I can't stand him not knowing, I thought to myself. Jack himself even came in, and I was guarded.

"Maria," He said. He looked sad. He sat down in a chair and didn't say much.

Oh. My. Gosh.

He looked sad. He didn't say much.

Did I just predict the future? And if I did, he doesn't love me?

I looked at Jack, and I did everything I could to hold my tears back.

Why me?

Jack looked at me and back down at the floor.

"Maria, I have to tell you something..." he started.

What if he was going to break up with me?

I cried. I couldn't hold it in. I laid my head on the desk, and I cried. He came over to me, and he hugged me.

"Maria, what's wrong?" He asked.

"I... I... I... don't.... know..." I said. And I didn't. What was wrong with me? Since when do I feel love like that?

"Maria, you can tell me, sweetheart," he said.

I looked at him, and he looked at me.

"Jack, I... I..."

My thoughts and speaking were interrupted. Harris walked in. The next few moments were like a daze.

"Jack, she's crying!!! What did you do?!" Harris was angry. I was near fainting.

"I didn't do anything. I had to tell her something, and she started crying!"

"Did you break her heart?!" Harris yelled, and nothing more was said. Harris pounced on Jack.

They fought. They rolled in the floor.

"I love Maria more than you do!" Harris commented.

"No you don't!" Jack said.

I fainted.

* * *

I saw something. Something bright. It looked like it was glowing. A firefly! I had to catch it. But I didn't have enough strength.

"Maria, Maria..."

The 'firefly' turned out to be the light above me. Where was I?

"Maria." The voice called.

Who was that?

"Wake up, Maria," The voice called agin. My vision cleared up a little bit. Jack was leaning over me, asking me if I was alright.

I didn't feel like I was in the room. I felt like I was watching from a window.

"Yes, I'm fine," the girl said.

"Good, sweetheart," Jack said.

She blinked a few times. She didn't sit up.

"Maria, I'm sorry," Jack said.

The girl looked up at Jack. She fainted again.

* * *

I woke for good this time. Jack was still there.

"Sweetheart?" He asked.

"W.. where...?" I started. Jack silenced me.

"You're in the midwife's home, since it's the only place to serve as a hospital around here." Jack said.

"What's wrong... with me?" Maria asked.

"You're sick. Someone said it's self-induced, like you've been crying a lot, or maybe you've been sad and it made you that way... Maria... have you been sad? Is it from when we weren't together? Or is it from recently?" Jack asked.

"N.. no...?" Maria studdered. Jack frowned. This was not the response he wanted. I started to get up.

"Maria, no, don't get up. Not right now," He said.

"Why?"

"Because you're sick and I don't want you to," Jack said. He pushed some hair out of my face. I could only imagine how terrible I looked in the bed.

"Jack, you look tired." I commented.

"I am." Jack said.

"Go home," I said.

"I can't," Jack shook his head, indicating that he couldn't.

"Why can't you?" I asked, puzzled.

"Don't want to leave you." He said, smiled, and laid his head on my stomach. I sighed, causing him to lean up and kiss my forehead.

"Go on back to sleep, Maria," He said.

"I'm not sleeping until I see you sleep, because you look sick yourself, Jack." I said.

He smiled and looked at me.

"Don't worry about me, Maria... I want what's best for you," He said.

If you wanted what was best for me, you would take me away from here and to your farm. You would ask me to marry you, I would have kids with you and we'd be happy ever after. I thought. I suddenly stopped.

Since when do I want to marry him?

I scared myself thinking those thoughts. I looked up at Jack. He was asleep on my stomach. I fell asleep myself.

* * *

I was better in a few days. I began working in the library again, and Jack visited me often in the week after my hospitalization.

"Maria, are you still alright?" He would always ask.

No, I wasn't. I loved him. I wanted to be with him for the rest of my life.

But I was scared it wasn't going to happen that way.

Then the worst that ever could have happen happened. It wasn't with Jack.

It was with Karen.

The phone rang.

"Maria. Maria. I have to... OH MARIA!" Karen said, and immediately started sobbing.

"Karen, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Maria, you did hear that, well... Kai and I broke up in the days you were gone. Well, he broke up with me. I was heartbroken, but I could have moved on."

"Yes...? So, what's wrong?" I asked.

"Maria... Maria..." she looked for the words to say it.

"Spit it out!" I said.

"I'm pregnant, Maria!"

I was taken aback. I couldn't speak. I didn't know what to say.

"Maria, I... I... I can't believe I let him take advantage of me... he did... and then... he broke up with me!"

"Oh, Karen, it's alright," I said.

"No, it's not..." Karen said and sobbed.

"I'll be right over..." I started.

"No! Don't! My father will have a complete cow, I'm not even suppossed to be on the phone right now! Maria, I can't get out of here, and nobody else can come in! I'm trapped! Don't.. please... he'll..."

"He'll what, Karen?"

"Umm... nevermind that I said that..."

"He'll what, Karen."

"Oh no, here he comes! I have to go, Maria! Bye!" She said as I overheard her drunken and screaming father running up the stairs.

I sighed and looked at my feet.

So Karen's pregnant. And not wed. And her father...

Her father?

I think her father is abusing her.

I picked up the phone. I dialed a number.

"Hello?" Jack answered.

"J.. Jack?" I said, crying. This was the first time I'd ever called Jack.

"Oh, Maria? What's the matter? No, nevermind, I'll be there in just a second," He said.

He was over there pretty fast. He must have run, because his face was flushed and his hair was wild.

"Maria, what's wrong?" He asked urgently.

"Kai... he's a complete.... he's a jerk," I said.

"Oh, Maria, what happened?" asked Jack, starting to get angry.

"Oh, no, Jack, it had nothing to do with me," I said.

"Well, what then?"

"He... broke up with Karen... right?"

"Yeah..." Jack said impatiently.

"He also got her pregnant." I said, and sobbed into Jack's chest.

"Oh, Maria," Jack said.

* * *

Soon, the entire town knew about Karen's news. And also that she was unwed.

Kai left town quickly. He didn't want to be seen in the midst of this chaos. Everyone acted as if they were happy for him, but he knew that they hated him secretly.

"Oh, Maria," Karen sobbed into her shoulder everyday. I couldn't stand to see my friend cry this way.

But what could I do about it?

Nothing.

Jack was worried about Karen too, but only because I was. I was really sad about her. But then again, I had my own problems. My problems that I had to tell Jack that I loved him.

I prayed everyday for an ending to this. I wanted to worry about myself. Not Karen. I wanted to tell Jack that I was in love with him. I wanted to marry Jack, and have kids with Jack. Without having to worry about Karen's baby.

It seemed my prayers were answered. After this event, Karen settled down.

The Harvest Festival snuck up on us unexpectedly. Karen was planning on not attending, but somehow I conned her into it.

"Karen, everyone will be there, and.. be happy, please?"

"I'll try," Karen said. This time, she wasn't crying.

The Harvest Festival began at 9 o'clock as usual. Jack and I walked together to it, and Jack didn't know it was yet another dancing festival. I knew he was going to ask me to dance, it sounds concieted, but I knew he was going to. He liked me more than any of the other girls, but I wasn't sure if he was in love with me.

Yeah, Jack asked me to dance, but Karen stood off sad. Jack asked me as soon as he found out that it was a dancing one, but the dancing hadn't started yet.

Karen stood by herself. Then someone walked up.

Rick.

Thank you, Rick.

"Karen, I've heard... um... but I... Karen, would you like to dance?" Rick asked when the dancing started.

"Uhmm, uhh..." she looked at me. I nodded. I knew Rick. He'd be the one to treat her right.

"Yeah, I'll dance with you,"

Jack and I danced alongside Rick and Karen. Rick stared at Karen and smiled. It seemed like everything was going to be okay, especially when Karen kissed him on the cheek at the end of the dance. Everything was going to be fine.

Jack walked me home, and I was happy.

Finally things were okay.

Except, I hadn't told him I was in love with him.

* * *

A week passed, and Jack came in.

"Hello, Maria," Jack said as he walked into the library. He looked particularly happy today. I thought today would be a good time to tell him.

Jack and I talked for a little while. Then he got up to leave.

I had to tell him.

"Jack! I... um... err... oh nevermind! Please forget it," I said apologetically.

"Alright," he said, shrugged and left.

I raced outside behind him.

"Jack! Wait! I... Jack.... I.. I.." I started.

"Yes, Maria?" Jack said, walking toward me.

I held my hand up. "Jack, I love you." I turned away. "But Jack, I'm so happy to love you. You are so amazing and... and..." I walked off to my house. Jack didn't follow me.

For some strange reason, I didn't cry. I didn't cry over him not saying anything. I was sad and depressed, but I didn't cry. I just sat in a daze.

Why didn't he say anything?

* * *

I finally fell asleep. I was so tired. I couldn't sleep because all I could think of was Jack. I left my window open. A cold breeze filtered through, and woke me up. There was no use. I curled tightly in my covers and...

"Maria?" A voice called softly, whispering.

"Maria???" It called louder this time.

"Yes?" I called back, sticking my head from the window.

"Maria, can you come out?" Jack called softly.

"Of course I can," I called back, climbing out of the window in my pajamas. I didn't care if Jack saw me in my pajamas.

Jack immediately swept me into a kiss.

"I love you, too," Jack said.

I was relieved.

"Maria, I was going to take you down to the stream and sit with you to tell you that, so it'd be more romantic, but I couldn't wait to tell you. When I saw you, I... well..."

"Spat it out," I said, and laughed.

"Yeah, but come with me to the stream anyway," Jack said.

We walked through the hills and over to the stream and sat.

"Maria, I am so in love with you," He turned to face me, "And I have a question to ask you,"

"Yes?" I asked.

He took out the blue feather.

The blue feather.

"I've had this ever since we got back together, and I've been meaning to ask you. To tell you I loved you. To ask you to marry me. But I've been scared. I was going to wait until winter, and then maybe ask you then... but... you told me you loved me... you have no idea how happy I am right now, Maria! Why, I must be the happiest man on earth!" He yelled. I hugged him.

"Will you marry me, Maria?"

"Oh, of course I will!" I said through happy tears.

* * *

The wedding took place in Autumn in the church.

I think I was the happiest woman in the world.

"Maria, you have no idea how happy I am to be married to you," I remember Jack commenting on our first day together.

He had no idea how happy I was, either.

:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D:D

Okay, please REVIEW! Anyways, I've set out to make fan fics for each character, and next I'm going to do Popuri's, since I haven't seen very many Popuri POVs 'round here. So consider this the first book of the series of Meeting Jack. Each one doesn't relate to another though. I just enjoy doin' dis!

Anyways, SEE YA! and REVIEW!

Currently working on:

Meeting Jack 2: Popuri's POV