They said the Titanic looked long enough for somebody to walk to America, and Fabrizio's steps weren't far from it. He was eager to arrive to the stateroom and never go out. He could live in the school forever, right? Because he wasn't planning on stepping a foot on the cruise again "Che cazzo... AAH WHAT YOU DOING HERE?!"
"Uh... it's my cabin?" Jack watched diverted how his best friend dramatically entered the room and wondered what the gossip was.
"I thought you were with Rose" He apologized
"She had work to do with Molly and Tommy and I had to ice my wrist... do not change the subject! What happened?"
"My... my stutter is back"
"Really?"
"Yes. I was in the buffet the... the... the Rooftop Specialties where-"
"Yeah, I know. We go almost every day to play Roblox because of the Wi-Fi"
"Yes, well, I wasn't playing this time, I was reading. But then this... this waiter comes to me, and..."
"Yes?"
"I forget how to speak English! I got nervous. He asked me if my food was good and then if I tried cheese tea"
"And why are you so nervous?" He raised an eyebrow; Fabrizio was hiding something.
"BECAUSE I have social anxiety Jack!"
"Right. And then?"
"He asked me if I had a boyfriend"
"And what did you say?"
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN WHAT DID I SAY?! HOW DARE HE! How ... how ... RUDE OF HIM TO ASK THAT. You know what? I'm never going there again, that's it. We're never returning, there's way more interesting food around the cruise and the school cafeteria is as good as any other buffet on board. We don't have to go elsewhere"
Jack put the ice aside and sat on the edge of his bed. He was well aware that if he laughed it would be very bad for him, he couldn't help it, the situation was hilarious, and his roommate was being quite dramatic. "We go there, because there's good Wi-Fi..."
"They changed the password. They change it every 5 hours actually, since passengers started to use it without consuming"
"How do you know that?"
"Sean told me"
"Oh, the stutter has a name"
Fabrizio couldn't stand anymore; he jumped into his bed and hugged a pillow for comfort. Just when everything starts to settle, here comes this guy to confuse him...
"He pronounces it different... he says shun, very quickly, very... staccato: shun. And his voice is like... calming but you don't want him to stop talking, it's like healing" Jack was happy because his best friend was starting over, he had been through some very rough times, and he always had been there for him. Now it's his turn to find someone and be happy in that relationship. "And he's such a gentleman! Very... polite and... how do you say... perfect"
"Why don't you ask him out?"
"What? No. I mean... We could hang out right?"
"You don't wanna ask him out on a date?"
"No! What part of I don't like guys do you not understand!"
"You want him as a friend?"
"Yes"
"You like him as a friend"
"Yes!"
"I'm your friend, how can I never hear you talking that way about me... or! How can I never make you nervous?"
"Because it's different! You are like... cool and that's it"
"And Sean?"
"Sean has a different energy, he's like cute and... cuddly and... amazing and..."
"...and you like him..."
"...and I like h- No! Jack! Aren't you listening to what I'm saying? I. Don't. Like. Boys."
"Alright, alright..." Jack laughed, he's impossible.
"You're making a mess, clean that up"
The artist had left the ice at the center of his bed trusting it wasn't that hot for it to melt... unluckily, the mattress was still hot from the warmth of his body from when he was laying in it a couple of minutes ago. Now there was a huge wet stain on his bed. He turned on the rest of the cabin lights so he could see it better, since only the fairy lights were illuminating their conversation. The mattress was wet too, if he slept on top of it he would get sick. It was almost midnight and he was tired, he couldn't wait for it to dry.
"When they say ice it, they mean with a gel pack" Fabrizio said
"Where can i get one?"
"At the drugstore, we'll go tomorrow"
"I wasn't gonna be able to sleep anyways... I don't know why I keep having the same dream every night... we're on the actual Titanic and it's sinking and I've gotta look for everyone and Rose is there, and you are there..."
"Strange"
"I know!"
"You never remember your dreams"
"That's what makes it so creepy! The only dreams I remember are the things that happened to me. Do you think... maybe I'm cursed or something?"
"Who could possibly curse you?"
"I don't know... Hockley"
Fabrizio laughed "I don't think he's into that kind of stuff" The thought of Caledon Hockley doing witchcraft in order to keep a girl whom he didn't love was hilarious... but was it impossible?
"Everything happened since we found the necklace..."
"Maybe it is the necklace, it had a curse, didn't it? We saw it at the museum"
"Yeah, something about the stars... I'll ask Tommy tomorrow; he has to know. He has been obsessed with ghost hunting since we arrived. Meanwhile, can I sleep with you in your bed? When the stain dries I'll go back, I promise"
"Yes, don't worry" Jack grabbed his own pillow and secured his wrist before jumping in the other bed, spooning the younger with an arm and a leg around him.
"Imagine you're with Sean" Jack whispered as a joke
"WHY? WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT" Fabrizio panicked and slapped Jack out of his bed. His pants felt tighter "No! No... my mama's gonna kill me"
"What? Why?"
"I can't like men. I am a guy"
"Says who?"
"Says my mom!"
"Is your mom here?"
"Well... no"
"So?"
"No but you don't understand..."
"You know what? You're right, I don't" Jack said as he turned off the lights "I probably never will, but just so you know, I'm really happy for you buddy" Jack said and climbed back on the bed, this time taking up as little space as possible on the other side. He could only hope for less than two nightmares tonight, his body felt heavier, his breathing was becoming steady, he started to feel the movement of the ship sailing away from Vietnam.
"Jack"
"Yeah?"
"If I were to like men... which I don't, but... hypothetically... our relationship wouldn't change would it?"
"Of course it wouldn't, why would you think that?"
"Well, we kind of live together and see each other naked..."
"Fabri stop overthinking. It wouldn't change a thing, you're my friend. Try to sleep, okay? At least one of us has to be awake tomorrow in class..."
"Tomorrow is B Day..." he mumbled
"No, it's not"
"Yes, it is... I switched classes..."
"What?!" Jack sat up "How could you do that to us?"
"I'm sorry! I couldn't stand seeing Helga and her friends in class... I didn't concentrate and my grades were hurting it"
"Ugh Fabrizio!" Jack sighed in frustration and laid down again. Now who was going to cover up for him when he sneaks out? Who was he going to talk to in class? I guess I have to pay attention... by no matters I'm sitting close to the business major tomorrow...
"Jack! The boats are all gone!"
"This whole place is flooding, we gotta get outta here"
"There is niente this way"
"Alright... let's go this way, alright?"
Jack hated waking up at six even on days when he had nothing to do, his body had gotten used to the schedule. At sea, they had to seize the day and take advantage of the sunlight, so their first class started at seven. Everyone attended the first lecture, then each major headed to their respective classes in different places, the art students were often found in the cafeteria or outside the school, the business majors stayed inside the auditorium and the cinema, the chefs headed to the kitchen of course and the science fields shared the outside deck with humanities.
"Sorry I fell asleep" Jack said with a horse morning voice. He realized he hadn't moved back to his bed and spent the night on Fabrizio's. He got up and stretched, he noticed the stain was dry, but his bed was cold as ice... going back to sleep wasn't an option. He grabbed a pair of cargo shorts and a t-shirt, and he headed straight to the shower.
Just yesterday he was fighting with Fabrizio on who took longer in the shower and now he had to get ready all by himself... the only thing that motivated Jack that morning was going to see if Tommy could help him put an end to his nightmares. Since no one was pressuring him, he took his time to smell every bottle in the bathroom, why does Fabri need all this stuff? I wash my hair with soap and that's it. In no less than fifteen minutes and with his hair still wet, he knocked on the door at the end of the hallway.
"Morning Sven, is Tommy here?"
"He went for a coffee before class starts"
"Alright thanks, have a good day!"
He understood they didn't invite him in because their cabin was too small, made of of two bunk beds, a closet for the four of them and a small bathroom. Jack followed the hallway to the school's lobby and headed left to the cafeteria. He could recognize those orange curls wherever.
"YO TOMMY!"
"Morning boyo" Tommy greeted him as he covered his plastic coffee cup and placed the stirrerin the hole so it wouldn't spill. They started walking towards the auditorium.
"I'm offering you the opportunity of a lifetime" Jack continued selling "A beautiful cruise to Thailand, all expenses and all meals included and the most important thing... me not messing with you the rest of the trip. All of this in exchange of a little information..."
"I ain't doing your homework"
"No, no, nothing about that. I wondered if you knew about the heart of the ocean?"
"The necklace?"
"Yes, does it have a curse or something like that?" They class hadn't started yet, students kept arriving and finding their seats, other ones preparing their notebooks and other ones their tablets or laptops.
"It's not a curse... sit down. Look. Do you know why the actual Titanic sink?"
"Because they were going too fast?"
"Because they wanted to arrive early to make the tabloids. They wanted money, recognition, to bloat their egos. The Titanic was a disaster that taught humanity to stop thriving for money and fame, that avarice was going to end them. We know the Heart of the Ocean sailed on the Titanic back in 1912, this necklace was a little bit similar... it gave the owner the right to brag and proclaim themselves the richest, because they owned the royal jewels. The thing is... there was this guy named Brock Lovett, a famed treasure hunter that was known for searching the ocean for sunken ships in an effort to discover articles of value. His most famous discovery was Spanish gold. Critics challenged the salvage rights and ethics, but Lovett claimed that he worked alongside museum experts and his findings were treated with respect.
Around 1997 he became obsessed with the wreck of the Titanic and began looking for the necklace. Eventually, he found it and sold it. The same story was repeating itself, humanity didn't learn, we keep thriving only for money, for likes, for followers, and we forget the most important stuff.
So you see... It's not exactly a curse, but the legend says that when the stars align, the Heart of the Ocean will return to where it belongs, at the bottom of the ocean. Not for us to put a price on it, but for us to remember why it's there in the first place"
"What does that mean? When the stars align? Does it mean that humanity has to learn its lesson?"
"Everyone has their own interpretation of that... there isn't a correct one really"
"So you're saying... it's gonna sink ships until it finds its way back to the bottom of the Atlantic?"
"No, that's not what I said"
"Unless humanity has a change of heart?"
"Again, that's just my interpretation of the legend"
"We have to throw it to the ocean then!"
"It's just a legend, Jack, it's not reality. And in reality, that's not your necklace, it's Rose's. It doesn't concern us what she does with it" Tommy understood the silence of his friend "Oh no, you're not talking her into throwing it to the ocean"
"I wasn't gonna do that..."
"I know you. Look, why don't we go to the buffet afterwards and use the internet for research?"
Jack remained quiet while Miss Catherine started her class talking about Thailand and its culture. She explained they would be sailing to Egypt and through the Suez Canal to reach Europe for the last leg of the trip. Two hours later, he rushed to get out of the auditorium to get Fabrizio, three heads are better than one.
"Why! Why did you have to drag me into this?"
"Oh sorry, you had plans?" Tommy sassed back. Fabrizio cursed under his breath; he had sworn not to return to this place. As soon as the Irish lad turned around and started walking towards a table, he took the opportunity to talk to Jack... or beg, rather.
"Don't tell Tommy please, please, please" He whispered and gestured to his confident
"I won't, but if he finds out it's not my fault, you're too obvious. Besides, if he had a night shift yesterday, he shouldn't be here today this early"
"You're right" He said and sat down, Jack had a point.
"Good morning, my name is Sean and i'll be your waiter today" Fabrizio glared at his friend with a thousand knives. They did it on purpose! "Would you like to try the buffet, or would you prefer taking a look at the menu?"
"I think I'll look at the menu" Really? He never orders from the menu! He's only making me see Sean more times than I intended to "And I'll have a coke meanwhile"
"You know what? I'll try the menu too" Are you kidding me? "And another coke"
"What about you?" Eye contact. Why did he have to make eye contact?
"Uh... I... um..."
"Leri sera mi sono accorto che fai fatica con l'inglese, ti senti più a tuo agio se parliamo italiano?" He was polyglot! What?
"Uh... si, io... cosa hai?"
"Did he just forget how to speak Italian?" Tommy whispered to Jack since they were sat next to each other, Fabrizio in front of them,
"Right. My friend here is going to look at the buffet later, it would be only two menus, thank you" Jack interjected
"My pleasure, I'll be back with your drinks"
Sean left; the poor boy finally let out a breath. They didn't have to tell him he was as red as a tomato; he felt the heat of it. It only remained to hope that Tommy did not notice the sexual tension.
"What is going on here?"
"Nothing, I just... I forgot..."
"Yeah, we saw... why do you act like you lik- oh..." Too late.
"No! I don't like him. I don't like boys. I just got nervous that's all"
"Palms sweating, butterflies inside..."
"Jack stop! Stop teasing me, I mean it"
"Alright, alright I'm sorry"
"Now don't you dare bother the little meatball. We have research to do" Tommy said as he opened up his laptop. Both knew Fabrizio couldn't handle teasing very well, and he was serious about wanting them to stop. They couldn't help it, that's all.
"Here you go, two cokes... and i managed to get a cheese tea before we sailed. It's on the house, I hope you like it"
His best friends had never tried that hard to hold a sound. He was definitely in for the teasing now.
"Are you ready to order?"
"Not yet, we'll call you if we need you. Thanks Sean" Jack interjected again. They could manage a plan, couldn't they? Maybe Fabrizio could go to the restroom while they ordered? Nothing going on that they couldn't handle.
"Of course"
"Excuse me, what happened last night?"
"Nothing... he asked me out for tea"
"Look man, I don't know if I'm intruding too much but... if you don't like him, you better put a stop to it. He's getting his hopes up"
"Tommy's right, if you don't want anything you have to tell him. The sooner, the better"
"No, no, you're right. I'm going to put an end to it. Excuse me..." Fabrizio stood up and went looking for Sean. The other two switched their attention to the article on the screen.
"Jack look, it's a family jewel. This article is from 2001 and it talks about the relationship between the DeWitts and the Hockleys. It says a Hockley bought the necklace back in 1912 for his fianceé. Damn, they're definitely old money... you don't have any idea who you're dating dude..."
"Old money?"
"Families that have been rich for centuries. Families that are so well known in society that even have been good friends with the royals"
"Is Rose old money?"
"She is. Hockley too. Old money families are dangerous Jack, they could make you disappear along with every trace of you, like you never existed" You have to know how to choose which battles you want to fight...
"Look. I've been having nightmares about the sinking of the Titanic. I keep hearing these voices screaming for help... sometimes you and Fabrizio are there too. I need to know why this is happening because I haven't been able to rest for days"
"There's a psychologist on board I think..."
"No Tommy, it's the curse I know it. I need to get rid of it"
"What you need, is therapy"
"They're going to think I'm crazy! They'll lock me up for hearing voices!"
"We all already think you're crazy"
"Tommy I'm serious... I'm sure someone is trying to tell me something..."
Fabrizio returned to the table with a much calmer atmosphere, not wanting to give any further explanations.
"What happened?"
"We're going out for dinner next week"
"Good thing you don't like him..."