Chapter 2:The Vase
That's the first time ever that I've actually been glad to hear those words. I make my way up the stairs to my room with dad following behind me. As soon as I step into my room I see Jack to my left, sitting on my bed. I quickly shut the door.
"Hide!" I whisper urgently. Jack jumps to the floor on the other side of my bed near the wall.
"Crystal, don't slam the door in my face." My dad walks in.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to."
"I'm locking you in now." He announces. As if he needs to announce that to me again. He walks out, closes the door and locks it.
I'm alone in a room with Jack Sparrow. Oh my gosh.
"That chap your dad?" I see a hat appear and those eyes again. He gets up and walks around the bed to stand in front of me. Inches away. I take in a deep breath of air. He's so close.
"Yes." I notice his scar. "We should clean that up."
He winks at me and says, "Aye, we should." His black eyes meet mine and I feel my stomach plummet.
"Erm, th-that door is not going to unlock till early morning so you'll have to, erm, make yourself at... home. You probably had somewhere to go tonight but all this-"
Jack takes off his hat and slowly chucks it on my cabinet. I gulp.
"You should sleep on the bed. I'll camp on the floor. Near the wall. Savvy?"
I turn around and walk to my water jug and open a draw to take out a clean white cloth. Why does he have to be such a bloody gentleman? He's supposed to be a pirate! Although, I'm glad he said it instead of me.
"Yes."
"My apologies. Tonight didn't turn out the way I hoped... " He turns and sits on the bed and puts his face in his hands. I damp the cloth and sit next to him on the bed. I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm going to have to gently wipe blood off his perfect face... My hand is shaking.
"Jack? You're going to have to sit up..." Jack sits up and looks at me. His face is even closer to me than it was before. I can see every pore and his eyes are black pools of water. I slowly take the cloth and raise it to his face.
My hand is really shaking. I'm actually really nervous.
"Nervous of me, are ye? Don't worry, I won't bite."
That's great. Now he can read my thoughts.
I give a nervous laugh and gently dab the cold cloth against his face. The blood is transferring from his face to the cloth and although I can feel his eyes on me there is absolutely no way I'm going to look at him. I swear if our eyes meet while I'm gently dabbing his face I'm going to cry. Or laugh. Or something. I gently sweep the excess blood off.
"There's still like a scratch there, should I-"
"No, love, it's ok. All it needs now is some sea salt and water."
I get up and walk back to the cabinet and water jug. What the hell am I going to do with this cloth of blood? I open the draw where I got the cloth and quickly put it back in and shut the draw closed. I turn to see his eyebrows raised at me. So now he must think that I'm a weirdo. He gets up and struts to my broken window with a pillowcase covering the hole. He inspects it. Now he must think that I'm really bonkers. He probably thinks that I did it.
"What happened here?"
"Pirate."
"What?"
"A pirate swung in through my window. He smashed through the glass and I started screaming and reached for my gun. When he saw me aiming it at him, he jumped back out." I also add with bitterness, "Then my dad rushes in, also with a gun, and sees me aiming it at the window. He now thinks that I tried to escape by shooting down the window."
Jack turns to look at me and smiles. "What's his job then?"
"He sells weapons. Guns, gun powder, swords and all sorts of stuff."
"That's interesting."
"We have a gun in every room. That's so stupid."
"Is it, love? You don't talk about your old man too fondly."
"I would. If there was anything 'fond' to say."
"And your mam?"
"Don't even get me started."
Jack grins and walks to the door.
"It's locked." I say instinctively.
"Aye." He replies, and then starts inspecting the hinges and lock of the door. Now I think he's the weird one. Suddenly, he says, "Knocked Bob out good, didn't ye?"
"I didn't mean to. He just... scared me."
"So you smashed a vase over his head." Now he's starting to make it sound like this whole thing is my fault. Which it wasn't.
"If you think that this was all my fault, then-"
"Did I say it was your fault, love?"
"No, but you were-"
"Or are you just assuming that that's what I think?"
"No, you were hinting it! Bob should've been more polite. Not roaring in my face as if I was deaf!" My temper is getting the better of me. "He might've done something! I hardly know him. He could've smashed the vase over my head and-"
"I wouldn't have let Bob touch you!!" Jack says over me, drowning me out completely. We're both staring at each other, livid. I realise that I'm leaning on the cabinet. There's an awkward silence after his last words.
All of a sudden, I hear a rumble of footsteps from my parents' room.
"Jack hide!!!"
Jack dives, again, to the other side of my bed and this time slots himself under my bed. I hear the key in the lock and my dad steps in.
"Why are you yelling?"
"No reason."
His eyes shift past mine to my cabinet. And then they widen.
"Who's is that?"
"What?"
I turn to see Jack's hat on my cabinet. Shoot. I'm in for it big time.
"Its mine."
"Yours?"
"Yes."
He picks it up and inspects it. I bet it smells like Jack. He can tell I'm lying. Oh no. He can tell. He then does something very unexpected. He starts looking through my wardrobe.
"Got it from a trade?" His eyes are full of fury but there's no other alternative but to lie again.
"Uh huh."
"Go to sleep."
He takes Jack's hat, marches out and locks my door. Again. I walk over to my bed and put my head under it.
"He's gone."
"Aye, with my hat!"
Jack crawls out and I help him up. When he straightens up we're standing centimetres apart. His eyes are locked onto mine. I study his beads, his hair, bandana, eye make-up and scar, not wanting to forget any of it.
"Jack," I whisper, "I'm sorry for my assuming."
"Crystie," he whispers in my ear, smelling my hair, "I'm sorry for yelling."
I start giggling madly; this all seems so weird and funny. A pirate's in my room and my dad has just taken his hat. This is so not a normal day for me! It also feels that at any moment we could get caught or that this could all slip away.
Jack pulls away, looking at me.
"What's so funny?"
"Everything!" I giggle, and while I'm at it I chip in, "Can I take my clothes off?"
"What?" jumps back Jack, totally shocked.
"Well, I can't go to sleep in this! I have to put on my night dress!"
"Aye, or you could go to sleep naked?" Jack grins, turning his back to me.
"What did you say?" I giggle and start to take my dress off but then stop. I remember that I'm wearing a corset and will need help. From Jack. I pull off my dress and chuck it on the cabinet.
"Erm, Jack? You're going to have to undo my corset for me!" I giggle, walking backwards and lifting my think curly hair up. He turns to look at me, shocked, but then starts undoing the back without speaking. Halfway through this I realise how seductive this might be for him and lose my giggles. We're both not saying anything. I hope he doesn't think I was asking him on purpose. What if he gets the wrong message?
"Turn around when you've finished." I say, a little too sharply.
"I was going to."
Now he thinks that I don't trust him. I can't win can I? I can't bloody get something right. He turns around again and I take my clothes off and put on my nightie. He doesn't turn around once. Of course he doesn't. I told him not to... Not even once...
"Want to know what happened two nights ago?"
I'm wearing my nighty but its easier talking to him with his back to me. "Yes."
"Ye came down to the docks, near the harbour with my ship there, wearing pirate clothing. You also carried a sword. You went to the tavern, got drunk, stumbled out. Bought the vase for 15 silver pieces. Sold it to Bob for 9. Told us yore address, name and how dad doesn't approve of your trading. Ye also told Bob how fat he was." Jack pauses after this and I wonder where this story is going to end. "So he took your sword and broke it in half and gave it back to you. I punched him and escorted you home 'cause you forgot your way."
I waited for him to say something else but he turned around to face me. So he knew I had my nighty on. What's he playing at?
"Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"
This completely throws me aback. What kind of question is this? I consider it, for a moment and then realise that all the events of tonight has been caused by me not trusting Jack. The vase issue, the 'assuming' and the corset business. I give in.
"No." Its true, he's never given me reason not to trust him.
"Right. Lets go to bed."
What did he just say?! I'm about to object until he walks round to the other side of my bed and lies on the floor. I feel bad about this. After what he's just said and all.
"Jack, you can sleep on the bed if you want. I'll sleep on one side under the covers and you can sleep on the other side."
"Love, I didn't mean that much trust!" He jokes, but he gets up and lies on the bed anyway. I walk around the room blowing out all the candles. I get into the bed and hear Jack's voice.
"Do you like living here?"
"No." I reply instantly.
"Steady on! You don't like one thing about this place?"
"Yeah, just the docks."
I can't see Jack smiling but I imagine that he is.
"Would you like to leave?"
"Yes." Why am I telling him all this? Oh yeah, because I trust him.
"Tomorrow. With me."
I turn to my other side on the bed and come face to face with Jack Sparrow. He'd been watching me. His eyes bore into mine. He reaches out his hand and takes mine. It feels like I'm falling down... down... down. Very fast.
"In two nights, I'm leaving. I'm going to Mortule to look for a vase."
He's taking the mick. He really is. This is so funny. I'm trying not to laugh but my face is already contorting and I let out a burst of laughter. Jack lets go of my hand and sits up on his side staring at me in disbelief.
"And what's so funny, lass?"
"You're going way way way to another island to look for a... a..." I can't say it, I really can't. I'm laughing too much. "A... Vase!" This is hysterical! He must be joking. Unfortunately, he's not.
"Its a vase that turns water into gold."
I pause for a moment, looking at him blankly... Then I let out another howl of laughter. A vase that turns water into gold? Come on!
"It was made by a witch in a tribe and was stolen from the island. It was used and traded. The last place it was reported to be was here before going back to the island. Love, I'm actually serious."
"I'm so sorry Jack. It's just tonight. Tonight has been way over my head." I giggle, trying to control myself. "Talk about something else for the moment. Let me calm down."
"Okay." He looks at bit upset. "What are we going to do about Will and Bob?"
"When I wake up, we'll creep downstairs and wake up Bob. Send him back. Then I'll wake up Will and get rid of him."
"Isn't he your acquaintance?" Is he being serious?
"No! He's just the blacksmith."
"That's what he was. Well, I'll tell ye, love; he must like you for coming out all brave and defensive for ye. Sparks flying, eh?"
I decide not to dignify that. I'll let him think what he wants. For now.
"Good night, Jack." I sigh and turn over, my back to him.
"Good night, love." I don't know if it was me, but he seemed to have said the word 'love' a tad differently to all the other times he'd said it to me. "If you come on me ship you'll have to tone down ye laughter a bit."
I chuckle but stop when he, once again, takes my hand and kisses it.
That's the first time ever that I've actually been glad to hear those words. I make my way up the stairs to my room with dad following behind me. As soon as I step into my room I see Jack to my left, sitting on my bed. I quickly shut the door.
"Hide!" I whisper urgently. Jack jumps to the floor on the other side of my bed near the wall.
"Crystal, don't slam the door in my face." My dad walks in.
"Sorry! I didn't mean to."
"I'm locking you in now." He announces. As if he needs to announce that to me again. He walks out, closes the door and locks it.
I'm alone in a room with Jack Sparrow. Oh my gosh.
"That chap your dad?" I see a hat appear and those eyes again. He gets up and walks around the bed to stand in front of me. Inches away. I take in a deep breath of air. He's so close.
"Yes." I notice his scar. "We should clean that up."
He winks at me and says, "Aye, we should." His black eyes meet mine and I feel my stomach plummet.
"Erm, th-that door is not going to unlock till early morning so you'll have to, erm, make yourself at... home. You probably had somewhere to go tonight but all this-"
Jack takes off his hat and slowly chucks it on my cabinet. I gulp.
"You should sleep on the bed. I'll camp on the floor. Near the wall. Savvy?"
I turn around and walk to my water jug and open a draw to take out a clean white cloth. Why does he have to be such a bloody gentleman? He's supposed to be a pirate! Although, I'm glad he said it instead of me.
"Yes."
"My apologies. Tonight didn't turn out the way I hoped... " He turns and sits on the bed and puts his face in his hands. I damp the cloth and sit next to him on the bed. I can't believe I'm doing this. I'm going to have to gently wipe blood off his perfect face... My hand is shaking.
"Jack? You're going to have to sit up..." Jack sits up and looks at me. His face is even closer to me than it was before. I can see every pore and his eyes are black pools of water. I slowly take the cloth and raise it to his face.
My hand is really shaking. I'm actually really nervous.
"Nervous of me, are ye? Don't worry, I won't bite."
That's great. Now he can read my thoughts.
I give a nervous laugh and gently dab the cold cloth against his face. The blood is transferring from his face to the cloth and although I can feel his eyes on me there is absolutely no way I'm going to look at him. I swear if our eyes meet while I'm gently dabbing his face I'm going to cry. Or laugh. Or something. I gently sweep the excess blood off.
"There's still like a scratch there, should I-"
"No, love, it's ok. All it needs now is some sea salt and water."
I get up and walk back to the cabinet and water jug. What the hell am I going to do with this cloth of blood? I open the draw where I got the cloth and quickly put it back in and shut the draw closed. I turn to see his eyebrows raised at me. So now he must think that I'm a weirdo. He gets up and struts to my broken window with a pillowcase covering the hole. He inspects it. Now he must think that I'm really bonkers. He probably thinks that I did it.
"What happened here?"
"Pirate."
"What?"
"A pirate swung in through my window. He smashed through the glass and I started screaming and reached for my gun. When he saw me aiming it at him, he jumped back out." I also add with bitterness, "Then my dad rushes in, also with a gun, and sees me aiming it at the window. He now thinks that I tried to escape by shooting down the window."
Jack turns to look at me and smiles. "What's his job then?"
"He sells weapons. Guns, gun powder, swords and all sorts of stuff."
"That's interesting."
"We have a gun in every room. That's so stupid."
"Is it, love? You don't talk about your old man too fondly."
"I would. If there was anything 'fond' to say."
"And your mam?"
"Don't even get me started."
Jack grins and walks to the door.
"It's locked." I say instinctively.
"Aye." He replies, and then starts inspecting the hinges and lock of the door. Now I think he's the weird one. Suddenly, he says, "Knocked Bob out good, didn't ye?"
"I didn't mean to. He just... scared me."
"So you smashed a vase over his head." Now he's starting to make it sound like this whole thing is my fault. Which it wasn't.
"If you think that this was all my fault, then-"
"Did I say it was your fault, love?"
"No, but you were-"
"Or are you just assuming that that's what I think?"
"No, you were hinting it! Bob should've been more polite. Not roaring in my face as if I was deaf!" My temper is getting the better of me. "He might've done something! I hardly know him. He could've smashed the vase over my head and-"
"I wouldn't have let Bob touch you!!" Jack says over me, drowning me out completely. We're both staring at each other, livid. I realise that I'm leaning on the cabinet. There's an awkward silence after his last words.
All of a sudden, I hear a rumble of footsteps from my parents' room.
"Jack hide!!!"
Jack dives, again, to the other side of my bed and this time slots himself under my bed. I hear the key in the lock and my dad steps in.
"Why are you yelling?"
"No reason."
His eyes shift past mine to my cabinet. And then they widen.
"Who's is that?"
"What?"
I turn to see Jack's hat on my cabinet. Shoot. I'm in for it big time.
"Its mine."
"Yours?"
"Yes."
He picks it up and inspects it. I bet it smells like Jack. He can tell I'm lying. Oh no. He can tell. He then does something very unexpected. He starts looking through my wardrobe.
"Got it from a trade?" His eyes are full of fury but there's no other alternative but to lie again.
"Uh huh."
"Go to sleep."
He takes Jack's hat, marches out and locks my door. Again. I walk over to my bed and put my head under it.
"He's gone."
"Aye, with my hat!"
Jack crawls out and I help him up. When he straightens up we're standing centimetres apart. His eyes are locked onto mine. I study his beads, his hair, bandana, eye make-up and scar, not wanting to forget any of it.
"Jack," I whisper, "I'm sorry for my assuming."
"Crystie," he whispers in my ear, smelling my hair, "I'm sorry for yelling."
I start giggling madly; this all seems so weird and funny. A pirate's in my room and my dad has just taken his hat. This is so not a normal day for me! It also feels that at any moment we could get caught or that this could all slip away.
Jack pulls away, looking at me.
"What's so funny?"
"Everything!" I giggle, and while I'm at it I chip in, "Can I take my clothes off?"
"What?" jumps back Jack, totally shocked.
"Well, I can't go to sleep in this! I have to put on my night dress!"
"Aye, or you could go to sleep naked?" Jack grins, turning his back to me.
"What did you say?" I giggle and start to take my dress off but then stop. I remember that I'm wearing a corset and will need help. From Jack. I pull off my dress and chuck it on the cabinet.
"Erm, Jack? You're going to have to undo my corset for me!" I giggle, walking backwards and lifting my think curly hair up. He turns to look at me, shocked, but then starts undoing the back without speaking. Halfway through this I realise how seductive this might be for him and lose my giggles. We're both not saying anything. I hope he doesn't think I was asking him on purpose. What if he gets the wrong message?
"Turn around when you've finished." I say, a little too sharply.
"I was going to."
Now he thinks that I don't trust him. I can't win can I? I can't bloody get something right. He turns around again and I take my clothes off and put on my nightie. He doesn't turn around once. Of course he doesn't. I told him not to... Not even once...
"Want to know what happened two nights ago?"
I'm wearing my nighty but its easier talking to him with his back to me. "Yes."
"Ye came down to the docks, near the harbour with my ship there, wearing pirate clothing. You also carried a sword. You went to the tavern, got drunk, stumbled out. Bought the vase for 15 silver pieces. Sold it to Bob for 9. Told us yore address, name and how dad doesn't approve of your trading. Ye also told Bob how fat he was." Jack pauses after this and I wonder where this story is going to end. "So he took your sword and broke it in half and gave it back to you. I punched him and escorted you home 'cause you forgot your way."
I waited for him to say something else but he turned around to face me. So he knew I had my nighty on. What's he playing at?
"Have I ever given you reason not to trust me?"
This completely throws me aback. What kind of question is this? I consider it, for a moment and then realise that all the events of tonight has been caused by me not trusting Jack. The vase issue, the 'assuming' and the corset business. I give in.
"No." Its true, he's never given me reason not to trust him.
"Right. Lets go to bed."
What did he just say?! I'm about to object until he walks round to the other side of my bed and lies on the floor. I feel bad about this. After what he's just said and all.
"Jack, you can sleep on the bed if you want. I'll sleep on one side under the covers and you can sleep on the other side."
"Love, I didn't mean that much trust!" He jokes, but he gets up and lies on the bed anyway. I walk around the room blowing out all the candles. I get into the bed and hear Jack's voice.
"Do you like living here?"
"No." I reply instantly.
"Steady on! You don't like one thing about this place?"
"Yeah, just the docks."
I can't see Jack smiling but I imagine that he is.
"Would you like to leave?"
"Yes." Why am I telling him all this? Oh yeah, because I trust him.
"Tomorrow. With me."
I turn to my other side on the bed and come face to face with Jack Sparrow. He'd been watching me. His eyes bore into mine. He reaches out his hand and takes mine. It feels like I'm falling down... down... down. Very fast.
"In two nights, I'm leaving. I'm going to Mortule to look for a vase."
He's taking the mick. He really is. This is so funny. I'm trying not to laugh but my face is already contorting and I let out a burst of laughter. Jack lets go of my hand and sits up on his side staring at me in disbelief.
"And what's so funny, lass?"
"You're going way way way to another island to look for a... a..." I can't say it, I really can't. I'm laughing too much. "A... Vase!" This is hysterical! He must be joking. Unfortunately, he's not.
"Its a vase that turns water into gold."
I pause for a moment, looking at him blankly... Then I let out another howl of laughter. A vase that turns water into gold? Come on!
"It was made by a witch in a tribe and was stolen from the island. It was used and traded. The last place it was reported to be was here before going back to the island. Love, I'm actually serious."
"I'm so sorry Jack. It's just tonight. Tonight has been way over my head." I giggle, trying to control myself. "Talk about something else for the moment. Let me calm down."
"Okay." He looks at bit upset. "What are we going to do about Will and Bob?"
"When I wake up, we'll creep downstairs and wake up Bob. Send him back. Then I'll wake up Will and get rid of him."
"Isn't he your acquaintance?" Is he being serious?
"No! He's just the blacksmith."
"That's what he was. Well, I'll tell ye, love; he must like you for coming out all brave and defensive for ye. Sparks flying, eh?"
I decide not to dignify that. I'll let him think what he wants. For now.
"Good night, Jack." I sigh and turn over, my back to him.
"Good night, love." I don't know if it was me, but he seemed to have said the word 'love' a tad differently to all the other times he'd said it to me. "If you come on me ship you'll have to tone down ye laughter a bit."
I chuckle but stop when he, once again, takes my hand and kisses it.