'Stop assuming'
If we read the word 'blue' written in yellow, our brain will read 'yellow', because it's designed to make assumptions, based on what it knows, or what we've been taught.
'Stop assuming' if it was that simple...
Jack had tried everything to stay awake that morning, drink coffee, wash his face, chew gum... but nothing seemed to work. He was falling asleep in the middle of a scolding...
Flashback
Fabrizio didn't take long to fall asleep, when he did, Jack sprinted back to the party. It was 12:10 am. Upon arriving he searched for the redhead, but she was nowhere to be found. Instead, he found Tommy.
"Jack! Listen. Before you say anything..."
"Where's Rose?"
"Before you say anything, I just want you to know that I didn't know what was in that cup"
"What do you mean? Where's Rose?"
"I also didn't know she hadn't eaten all day..."
"Why are you telling me this? Where is she?"
"And she didn't tell me it was her second cup"
"Second? It was her third. What cup are you talking about?"
"The other one that was at the table"
"That was mine! It was vodka Tommy! Did she drink that?"
"Yeah, she seemed like the kind of person that could handle her alcohol"
"Tommy she's eighteen and she gets tipsy with a glass of wine!"
"Well, I did not know that!"
"Where is she?"
Before Tommy could answer, Jack spotted Rose between the crowd dancing shameless on a table, enjoying the cheering from the ones around her who encouraged her to go lower.
"Shit. Why do I have to babysit everyone tonight?!"
In the middle of his complaints, Jack quickly made his way to where she was. He knew perfectly the wooden table wouldn't last longer. Before she could fall, he grabbed her arm and helped her down. She did not want to stop, so he picked her up, bridal style.
"Aaalright, i think that's enough" He had some trouble lifting her up, maybe the weakness had something to do with the dark circles under his eyes and excess of physical activity from the last couple of days.
"Jack!"
"Back to your room young lady"
"Nooo! I don't wanna go!"
"Party's over"
He put her down and she kissed him. Passionately, she grabbed his hair and twisted it as she deepened the kiss. Jack pulled back, breathless
"Rose... we... we can't"
"I need you"
"You're drunk"
"I need you. You saved my life"
Jack didn't know how to respond. His mind was so overwhelmed he just let go and enjoyed the moment. He caressed her cheek and kissed her back. Rose gladly parted her lips and allowed his tongue to go deeper. Both of their bodies were receiving an electrifying sensation of light all over them. They needed more.
Rose found Jack's hand, took it and placed it on her hips, the other one squeezed gently until it made her moan. Satisfied, he pulled out of the kiss to play hesitate. The warm and salty taste of his lips traveled from her neck to her collar bones. The muscular memory of their bodies took them back to Nassau, they felt like they were in the water again.
Jack realized this couldn't last any longer before they needed to go somewhere more private. His room was discarded, so was hers... At the last minute, he didn't have to decide, Rose had taken the initiative herself to find a solution for their problem...
"Jack I can't... please... stop"
"What's wrong?"
"I've never... done anything"
Jack stopped and kissed her cheek with all the strength of his heart. Right after, he hugged her. Now, not only his heart wanted her, his mind and body wanted her too. They needed her. They loved her. He loved her.
"C'mon, let's go for a walk"
Jack took her to a deck where they would go unnoticed: the entertainment deck, with all the bars and the casino. He made sure she had her shoes on and led her inside. He didn't know the AC was on at this hour... he figured it must be on at all times. He took off his jacket and put it on her shoulders. When they went in the elevator, they just looked at each other with their fingers intertwined and mischievous smiles. The change of temperature did affect Rose, the heat may well have been the result of hours of dancing or alcohol, she didn't want to stain with sweat Jack's jacket, so she put her hair in a bun. They walked to the outside hall of the deck and talked about everything their minds could follow.
"What was that song you were singing? Come Josephine"
"In my flying machine" Rose continued
"Going, up she goes! Up she goes!" They sang, detuned as they could be.
"Something... about a beam?"
"Balancing on the air?"
"In the air she goes"
"Where?"
"There she goes!"
"Up up a little bit higher!"
"Oh my! The moon is on fire..."
Once Jack was sure she had sobered up, he led her back to her suite. It was 1:50 am. Pretty early for him, but he knew they would have to get up at 6:30 tomorrow... or, today. He didn't have a first-class card so they said goodbye at the elevator.
"I don't wanna go back"
"Call me when you wake up. Drink plenty of water, and get some rest, okay?"
"Yes daddy..."
'She's so drunk' Jack thought and made a self-reminder of bringing this up in a future conversation.
End of flashback
An elbow on his ribs interrupted his thoughts. It was Fabrizio trying to wake him up. The principal's speech continued...
"...your parents will be contacted immediately, and since none of you are willing to confess, we have no choice but to cancel the winter formal"
The auditorium was filled with gasps, moans and wailing in general, at the end of the day they knew there would be consequences... at least no one got expelled.
After class they all returned to their respective cabins... except Tommy. He didn't even want to look at his roommates, they said they would sneak in a few beers, and they brought a whole bar instead, not to mention the cigarettes and the weed brownies. Jack had another matter to address with Fabrizio... he knew Tommy would be arriving at any minute, so he had to make it quick. He started as soon as he closed the room's door.
"So let me get this right... you realized you started to act effeminate, so you blamed it on the alcohol so nobody would judge you?"
"Pretty much"
"Fabrizio, you have no idea how sorry I am for falling for that... and I'm sorry I haven't given you the confidence to be yourself around me"
"No! It's not that... I just... I don't know... I've never acted like that before... I don't know what got into me..."
At that moment Tommy walked through the door.
"Fabrizio are you gay?"
"Dude, you cannot show up and ask people about their sexuality"
"We're friends, aren't we? We should know this stuff. For example, i know Jack's pan"
"What? Oh wow, nice assumption"
"Oh c'mon, don't tell me after all those years of being a gypsy bohemian you didn't try stuff"
"I'm not going to answer that, and Fabrizio is not going to answer your question either"
"I just wanna hear it from you, not from the hall gossip"
"Well not everyone is that open, if you don't wan-"
"Stop! Both of you! Tommy's right... we are friends after all..." Fabrizio then proceeded to close the door Tommy left open and leaned his back on it "I don't think I am"
Jack sensed the tears coming, and he tried to grab his friend's hand so he could give him some strength, or even protection if he needed it.
"I know I am effeminate; I know I like certain things I shouldn't but... that doesn't mean anything! And I'm worried about Helga, I really like her, she's great... I don't want to disappoint her..."
"You're not going to disappoint her. Why would she be disappointed?"
"Because the whole school thinks she's my beard"
"To hell what other people think" Tommy interfered
"I can't believe i'm saying this, but Tommy's right. Fabri, the only thing that should matter to you is what happens between you two. If you two love each other, the rest of the world doesn't matter"
Indeed. His friends were the support he needed right now.
"Thanks guys"
"Group hug!" Jack demanded. Tommy pulled out of the hug seconds after.
"Sorry guys, not into hugging"
"I am, come here you little meatball" Jack said and hugged Fabrizio the hardest he could. "So when's the next party?" Jack joked
"Ha-ha. I don't think I ever want to drink again. I don't want this to happen ever again in my life!"
"If you don't, then you should stop that Ru Paul obsession of yours" Fabrizio chuckled at his best friend's alibi "It must be illegal to watch that many episodes a day, i'm tellin' ya"
The mood was lightened. The winter formal was cancelled but they were somewhat happy. On the other side of the ship, someone had woken up with a sharp hangover...
It was already 11 am and Rose hadn't gotten out of bed. Her mother had gone out, she knew it because the suite was quiet. She got hungry, so she put a pair of sunglasses and headed downstairs. To her surprise, Caledon had ordered breakfast and was waiting for her in the balcony. He tipped the waiter who headed to the door. Rose sat on the chair in front of him.
"I had hoped you would come to me last night..."
"I was tired"
"Your exertions below decks were no doubt exhausting"
"I see you had that undertaker of a manservant follow me"
"I didn't have to. Your dress stinks of alcohol, cigarettes and I don't know what else... you will never behave like that again, do you understand?... What is that on your neck? Put your hair away"
Fuck.
"I'm sure it's nothing, it must be an allergic reaction or-"
"I'm not stupid, Rose. You arrived at 2:30 am last night! You will not go out that late without me again. Do I make myself clear?"
"I'm not some foreman in your mills than you can command, i'm your fiancée..."
"My fiancée? MY FIANCÉE!" Cal exploded. He swept the breakfast china off the table with a crash and moved to her in one shocking moment, glowering over her, and gripping the sides of her chair, so she was trapped between his arms.
"Yes! You are! And my wife... in practice, if not yet by law. So you will honor me, as a wife is required to honor her husband! I will not be made out a fool! Is this in any way unclear?"
Rose shrank into the chair. She saw Trudy, the suite's maid, out of the corner of her eye frozen, partway through the door bringing the orange juice. Rose signaled her to go, and let out a breath she didn't know she was holding when she heard the door close.
"My father was right... you've got to teach them to respect you... maybe you wouldn't be so spoiled if you had received correction as a child, however, we will fix that right now..."