Chapter Thirty-Six

Six Steps To Betrayal

I own nothing except Melissa, Kate, and any other OC's that I create.

If you haven't seen Moulin Rouge!, you probably will have no idea what I'm talking about this chapter. Sorry about that.

Thank you to my reviewers!

Moulin Rouge! started at 1:00 that afternoon. Kate sat next to Will, but didn't say much. Jack took part of the sofa, inviting Melissa to sit with him. She shook her head and remained silent. Melissa couldn't look at either him or Kate. What did they do out on the lake?

Melissa didn't want to be here. She wanted to take the car and go home – even if she didn't know how to get back home. She'd follow the signs that read "Minneapolis." It couldn't be that hard, could it?

Jack hated this movie.

Yes, it had a ravishing courtesan (it was a miracle! They even had whores in this movie! And they had drinking!), but he hated the romance. Jack didn't believe in love, and now there was some man who was very whelp-ish, singing about love on top of a building.

What was this?

Melissa wasn't looking at him. It was obvious that she was mad. Or was it because she was close to that time of the month? What was it called? Lizzie seemed to have it a lot...PMS?

Kate looked happy to be watching that, but she wasn't cuddling with William like he thought that she would. He was on her mind, he had to have been.

He took his compass out of his pocket and subtly opened it. It pointed right to Kate.

Why was Kate mad at Will? All of a sudden, after that boat ride with Jack, she had hardly talked to him. What was wrong? What had Will done that made her angry?

He put an arm around her. She didn't make eye contact with him, nor did she lean into him like she loved when she did. She was just...there...looking blank.

Will brushed a strand of brown hair out of her eyes. Not even then did she look at him.

He figured that it was just a passing thing. Whatever she was mad at would be cured by the end of the day.

Why does this movie always seem to come up in my life? Kate thought.

Just two months ago, she sang "Come What May" with her now ex-boyfriend, Scott. Now, it was the speech before "El Tango De Roxanne" that seemed to pertain to her.

"We have a dance in the brothels of Buenos Aires," said the Argentinean in the movie. "It tells the story of a prostitute and the man who fell in love with her. First, there is desire."

Kate flashed back to when she was talking to Will about her life (and, ironically, sharing a song from Moulin Rouge! with him).

"You won't have that feeling inside of you when you heard their name like you once had," Kate said, "and you'll start liking other people And eventually, they're not the first thing that you think of in the morning and the last thing that you think of at night."

"How do you know?" Will asked.

"Because I'm feeling that right now," she said, looking him straight in the eye.

"Then," the Argentinian on the movie said, "passion."

Memories of her and Will having their first kiss together while dancing to "You're Beautiful" ran through her mind.

"You're beautiful, Kate," Will said.

"Then," the Argentinian said, "suspicion."

"Kate," Will had said while in her guest bedroom at the cabin. "I don't want you near that pirate. Do you understand?"

"Jealousy."

"He's too clingy," Jack said, while on the boat with Kate. "And if you try to break up with him...he'll be devastated. Who knows what he'd do..."

Jack was obviously jealous of the relationship that she and Will had. Jack wanted to be Will.

"Anger."

The sword fight a week ago between Will and Jack...looking back, all along it was just for Kate: who wanted her more.

"Betrayal."

Kate thought about last night when Jack and her were outside and the needle was pointing to him.

"When love is for the highest bidder," the Argentinian continued, "there can be no trust."

"Love is nothing but a game," Kate said. "It goes to the highest bidder."

Jack spread his arms out. "I have a bed."

"Well then...looks like you're the highest bidder."

"Without trust, there can be no love. Jealousy, yes, jealousy will drive you mad."

Kate looked at Jack, who was looking at her. She saw that in his hand was the compass.

She knew where it was pointed to.

Will and Kate were making dinner that evening. Kate had suggested chicken on the grill, which no one seemed to object to.

The two were outside on the deck. Kate had just flipped the chicken and was now sitting down on the wicker chair next to Will. She looked out at the water.

Jack.

Freedom.

"What's wrong?" he asked.

Kate tore her eyes away from the lake and looked at Will. "Nothing. Why?"

"You've been quiet all day and you've had that look on your face. You're distant." He put her chin in his hand.

Just one look in his dark brown eyes felt like someone was sticking a knife in her heart, then twisting it. She felt horrible when she imagined her and Jack kissing. And his eyes, normally kind and loving, would turn icy and lonely.

"I'm fine."

Silence.

"What's wrong with Melissa?"

"I don't know. She hadn't talked to anyone, not even Jack. I think they got into a fight."

"He didn't mention that they got in one."

"He wouldn't have."

She took his hand, both of their palms meeting. She kept her eyes on his. "Tell me you love me."

He gave her a questioning look, then said, "I love you, Katherine."

Good, she thought, I needed that extra dose of guilt.

Melissa had said nothing at dinner. She didn't look at anyone. She ate slowly, just staring down. Kate asked her if she was alright, but all she did was nod. She didn't make eye contact with her or say anything.

Melissa called it an early night at 8:00, then went to her bedroom and shut her door. Kate thought that was odd, since first, she never went to bed at 8:00, and secondly, she always kept her door open when she slept.

Kate figured that there was no point in staying up late since all Jack wanted to do was drink more beer (which he happened to have an endless supply of stored away somewhere) and talk about his pirating days. Will looked like he was in agony, hearing pirate tale after pirate tale.

"So that's when I discover'd Tortuga," Jack said. "Seemed like a nice place when we were sailin' up t' it...then when me crew finally landed...I found out it was a better town than I could've imagined...I found Giselle. And that night, she and I–"

"Jack!" Will said. "There is a lady here! She does not need to hear another of your vile pirate stories–"

"Actually," Kate said, standing up. "I was going to go take a bath. And probably go to bed afterwards. I'll see you all tomorrow." She walked to the bathroom.

"I was about to say that I had enough pirate tales, too," Will said.

Jack chuckled. "It's just you and me, boy. Now we can get to the good part. And so–"

Kate shut the bathroom door before she had to hear anymore. She started drawing the bath and reached for her green shampoo and conditioner bottles. She soaked in the warm water for half an hour and shaved before she dried off.

Once in her bedroom, she changed into her pajamas, turned on her laptop, and saw that it was 9:30.

Just an hour and a half to go.

Melissa's Blog Entry

I can't even look at them anymore. I'm still speechless. I don't love Jack anymore. Kate is no longer my friend. The damage is done.

Love,

Melissa Rose

I'm ready.

God, I'm a horrible person.

Will is not going to find out. It's just a one night stand. You're going to give away your flower.

Don't you feel a little bit guilty, though?

No. I'm sick of not having freedom. I deserve this. I deserve to decided what I want to with my life!

Fine. You know what? It is your life, Kate. You'll just have to deal with the consequences.

Why am I having an argument with myself? More importantly, why am I losing?!

XOXO,

Kate