Just need to apologise for the typo in the last chapter. I was debating whether to call my character Amber or Charlotte and I got myself kinda confused and ended up writing Charlotte in the summary when I had actually decided to call my character Amber. Sorry bout that but I've sorted it out now. Just for the record, her name is going to be Amber not Charlotte. Thanks to the people who told me about the typo, I wouldn't of noticed otherwise. I really need to learn to proofread.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything that you recognise.
Chapter Two
Amber looked at Captain Jack Sparrow in shock, wondering where he had come from. She hadn't even heard him approach. Jack's normally cocky and conceited expression that Amber was used to had completely changed to one of determination and anger and his normally playful looking eyes were now cold and stern as he glared at the rum- thief, his sword still pressed against his neck, glinting in the moonlight.
"Why don't you leave the lady alone, eh?" Captain Jack Sparrow sneered in a would be reasonable voice.
"No! She's mine. I saw her first!" the man snarled, talking about Amber as if she was merely an object not an actual human- being.
"I'm not anybody's," Amber growled, her eyes narrowing at the man. Captain Jack Sparrow pushed the man forwards, his sword still pointing at him.
"I suggest you go now," Jack said, cocking an eyebrow calmly.
The rum-thief glared at Jack and a growl emitted from his lips. He thought better of it though. He turned and sauntered off down the cobbled path, drunkenly. Amber watched after the man thoroughly relieved that he had gone.
"Some men don't know how to treat a lady," Captain Jack Sparrow said, a wry smile playing on his lips as his eyes lingered over Amber's chemise which was showing through the part of the dress which had been torn. Amber covered herself up and shot Jack an icy glare.
"You didn't need to help me. I could of handled that you know," Amber hissed furiously, swinging around and charging off towards the direction of the tavern.
Amber studied the damage of her dress through the gloom of her cellar. Tears stung her eyes as she thought about what had just happened. She knew she could of handled it. She knew she would have been able to fight him off herself. She'd had worse happen to her before. Why did stupid Jack Sparrow have to come to her rescue?
She didn't need a MAN to rescue her. She knew she could manage fine on her own. Now, everyone would think she was losing her touch. They'd think she was weakening to Captain Jack Sparrow by allowing him to save her. She was certain she wasn't going to let people think that. One thing she did have for sure, was determination and she was determined to prove that she could survive in Tortuga on her own.
Amber couldn't help but feel bruised and humiliated by what happened. Especially the fact that her undergarments had been forced to be on show for anyone to see. She wiped the tears gathering around her eyes, furiously, as she selected some black thread from her box so she could set to work at repairing her dress.
The next day was like any other day in Tortuga. Amber spent the very early morning at the beach appreciating the fact that she could sit and think peacefully without any interruption.
Then, it was time to suffer through her long and gruelling shift at the tavern. A shift full of rowdiness and serving drinks to disgusting, disrespectful costumers. It was an understatement to say that Amber was fed up.
Amber looked up from the counter she had just finished cleaning. Someone had been thrown onto it and there had been shards of glass everywhere.
Her emerald eyes scanned the pub looking for any costumers she should serve drinks to.
Amber noticed Jack Sparrow sitting on a table not too far away from her. He was with a short, slightly chubby man who Amber knew was a regular at the tavern- everyone called him 'Gibbs.'
Amber noticed that they had just finished draining their glasses of rum. She knew that she should go over their and retrieve the empty glasses but she didn't really want to. She still felt slightly embarrassed over what had happened yesterday night and she knew that Jack would come up with some cocky remark about it if she went over.
Amber looked around and noticed that all the other barmaids were occupied so she couldn't ask one of them to go over. She sighed in deeply as she began to walk towards their table. She didn't want what happened yesterday to prevent her from doing her job. That would just be silly.
Both Jack and Gibbs looked up as Amber approached.
She picked up the empty glasses and said, "Would you like a refill?"
Jack nodded, "And get one for yourself, Amber. Join us for a drink. See, I took your advice and remembered your name this time,"
"Pity you didn't take my other advice…or perhaps you did and the brothel girls rejected you too," Amber retorted coldly.
"No, why would I want a brothel girl when I can have a drink with a charming lady like yourself?" Jack replied, a hint of sarcasm in his voice.
"That's never stopped you before," Amber said, harshly.
Gibbs had to stifle a laugh at this and instead of flying into a rage, like most men would in Tortuga, Captain Jack Sparrow just gave Amber a wry smile and said, "So is that a drink with us. Yes or no?"
"No! Really, Jack, your more persistent than I gave you credit for, the answer will always be no," Amber said, slightly frustrated that any insulting comment she threw at Jack just seemed bounce off him and not irritate him at all.
"Even after I saved you last night…" Jack said, still with a smug smile.
There was a stony silence and Amber gave Jack a piercing glare. She didn't want to be reminded about that.
"Gisele will give you, your drinks," Amber's voice was icy. She turned on her heel and marched off towards the bar.
Jack turned to Gibbs and raised his eyebrows slightly as if to say, 'What's her problem?'
"You really blew it with her, you know that?" Gibbs said, an amused expression spreading across his plump face.
Jack Sparrow chose not to answer and just rolled his kohl- rimmed eyes instead as he took the drinks off Giselle, who also gave him a cold glare.
"It doesn't reflect on you mate," Gibbs said, trying to sound reassuring, "She's like that with every man. Has never been so much as civil to one. Still a virgin, isn't she?"
"Bet I could win her over," Jack said, raising his glass to his lips.
Gibbs laughed aloud but then noticed that Jack wasn't joking.
"Are you serious?" Gibbs spluttered.
"Gibbs, I'm always serious," Jack said, "I've managed to charm all the women in Tortuga- at least twice- 'cept her. If I actually put some effort into it I'm sure she'll find me impossible to resist. Who wouldn't want to be with Captain Jack Sparrow, eh? I'm some sort of a legend here,"
"No way, matie, no way," Gibbs said, shaking his head, "You don't know Amber. She's impossible. Completely impossible! You know what they call her round here?"
"What?" Jack asked.
"The 'Man Hater.' That means she hates all men," Gibbs said.
"Really? I'd never of guessed," Jack said sarcastically.
"She even stabbed a guy once coz he pulled down her dress," Gibbs said, "Trust me, Jack. She knows about your reputation round 'ere. She'll be extra wary with you,"
"Well, I'll have to try extra hard with her then," Jack said, "I like a challenge,"
"She's more than a challenge, Jack," Gibbs exclaimed, "It would take a bloudi miracle for her to like you. I bet you won't be able to,"
"Did I hear the word bet?" Jack asked, his eyes glinting mischievously, "Fine Gibbs, I'll bet you… ten shillings if I get her into bed with me and…five shilling if I kiss her,"
"You're a fool, Jack," Gibbs said, sighing in deeply.
"That may be so," Jack said, grinning slightly, "Are you going to bet or what?"
"Yeah, course I am, but only coz I am so certain you'll lose," Gibbs said, taking a huge gulp of his rum before leaning over the table to shake hands with Jack, "The bet is on,"
Amber wrapped her shawl tightly around herself as she made her way towards the beach. The familiar cobbled street was eerily silent at this time in the morning. It was rather unnerving so it was understandable that Amber almost jumped out of her skin when she felt someone tap her on the shoulder. She whirled around and realised that it was Captain Jack Sparrow, staring at her jauntily with an amused expression on his face.
Amber's eyebrows furrowed. She was seeing to much of this guy and it was really bugging her.
"Is it wise for a lady as small as yourself to wonder around the streets so early in the morning?" Jack asked.
Amber glared at him, hating the fact that he was insinuating that she was small and defenceless, "Unless you are blind then you can clearly see that it is safer to walk the streets of Tortuga this time in the morning than it is any other time of day. There is no one around. Besides, what business is it of yours?"
"If there's no one around then there is no one to hear your screams if you, say… get attacked," Jack said, obviously referring to when he had 'saved' her yet again.
"If I get attacked, I'll sort it out myself," Amber said through gritted teeth.
Smoky could sense his owner's anger at Jack. He hissed up at him, stretching out a sharp claw as though warning Jack off.
"Oh, you have a guard…cat, I see," Jack said, smiling down at the cat who just continued to hiss up at him.
Amber just rolled her eyes at him before continuing on her way down the street. She was enraged to see that Jack persisted on following her. "Jack, I do not wish for your company, please leave me alone," Amber said, much calmer than she felt.
"I was just wondering. Why are you up so early? Don't you need your beauty sleep?" Jack asked, having to walk rather fast to keep up with her.
"I could say the same for you," Amber said, just wishing he'd go away.
"No I don't need beauty sleep, luv. I think I'm beautiful enough," Jack teased.
"Not about that," Amber said, not realising he was joking, "Why are you up so early?"
"I just am. Early bird catches the worm, as it were. Now your turn, Amber, what reason do you have to wonder the streets so early?" Jack asked.
"Same reason," Amber replied, obviously not answering him truthfully, "Are you going to persist in stalking me, Jack? Or are you going to leave me be before I have reason to hurt you,"
"Hurt me?" Jack said, raising his eyebrows, "You forget, luv." He tapped the top of his sword which was sticking out of it's holder as though reminding her that he had it.
"You wouldn't kill me," Amber said, uncertainly.
"And what makes you so sure of that?" Jack asked.
"You wouldn't of wasted your time in what you believed was 'saving' me the other day if you were just going to kill me now anyway," Amber said, agitatedly.
"True," Jack said, smirking slightly, "Why do you have so much of a problem over me helping you the other day, missy?"
"I didn't need any help. I would have been able to get him off me by myself," Amber said, looking at Jack with furious eyes.
"It didn't look that way to me," Jack said, "I rescued a damsel in distress, the least I expect is her swooning all over me,"
"I was no damsel in distress I can assure you," Amber snarled, "And there's nothing in the world I'd hate more than to swoon over you,"
Amber had passed the beach. She didn't want to go down there to her favourite spot with Jack following her. It was her special place and she didn't want him contaminating it.
"It looks to me like you don't even know where your going, luv," Jack said.
"I do," Amber said, frustrated, "But you aren't as smart as you think you are Jack. You haven't even noticed that I'm trying to shake you off,"
"No, I haven't noticed. You make it so not obvious by saying 'Go away Jack before I hurt you' y'know," Jack said, cocking his head to one side as he looked at Amber, who was glaring at the floor looking very frustrated and irritated by Jack.
"And yet you haven't," Amber said, roughly.
Right, I'm going to leave it here but I promise I'll update soon…if you want me to.
Please review. I'll be ever so grateful. : ) Xx