Title: Love Story
Rating: T
Disclaimer: I don't own Titanic, Gossip Girl or any of its characters.
A/N Thank you so much for the reviews! It was so exciting to read them! Please feel free to share any suggestions or ideas for the story!
Chapter 2
Blair Cornelia Waldorf brushed the dirt off her simple yellow dress and continued to scrub the counter in the pub. Normally she would never approve of such a scandalous act, but watching her friend, Vanessa Abrams, dance provocatively with the poor drunk was far too amusing. Old Pete smiled while slipping in and out of consciousness on the stool. Vanessa was excessively seductive and beautiful. She had caramel skin with black, tight curls, and hazel eyes; whereas, Blair was pale with long brown hair that curled slightly, brown eyes which were too big for her face, and overly pouty lips.
"How about you come dance with us men, darling?" Vanessa looked up at two men in their thirties who smiled at her.
"Which men?" Vanessa sneered while taking a long drag from her cigarette. Blair huffed. This was their daily routine at the pub. Blair would clean and serve the men while Vanessa shamelessly flirted or insulted them.
"Feisty," one of the men smirked. "How about just a…game of poker then?" Vanessa smirked and walked towards the men.
Good God. Blair began to panic slightly. She was barely eighteen and was serving illegally as it was. The last thing she needed was to get in any trouble because of Vanessa.
"Nessie, how about you come and actually help me out for once," Blair shouted across the bar. Vanessa looked up and motioned for Blair to come join her. "I'm busy!"
"Come on Blair. Join us in our game of poker. Look around, I doubt Ol' Pete is in need of another drink." Blair smiled nervously at the pub keeper, Fredrickson, who grinned and nodded for her to join the others. She huffed and slowly made her way towards the round, wooden table. The pub was crowded with dockworkers and the ship's crew. Everyone was cheerful and loud in excitement. Titanic was to set sail today.
Listening to the two men, Blair understood their accent to be Swedish. Her father had migrated a lot when she was younger and taught her everything she knew, including how to play poker.
"How 'bout it boys," Vanessa cheered and began to deal.
About an hour into the game, the four of them were playing a very serious hand. Vanessa and Blair exchanged a glance as the two men argued in Swedish. They had thought it would be easy money to be made from two young girls, little did they know. In the middle of the table lay bills and coins along with two third class tickets for RMS Titanic.
"I can't believe you bet our tickets," one the men yelled to the other in his heavy accent.
"You lost our money. I'm just trying to get it back. Now shut up and take a card," the other man shouted.
"Hit me again," Blair said taking a card and slipping it into her hand. Her eyes gave away nothing. The man licked his lips nervously and refused a card. "Moment of truth boys. Somebody's life is about to change," Blair spoke slowly gazing towards Vanessa.
"Nothing," Vanessa huffed angrily exposing her cards.
"Squat," the man threw his cards down in anger. Blair eyed the other Swed. He put his cards down and allowed Blair to see them.
"Hmm…two pairs." Blair looked defeated. She turned to Vanessa with a small smile. "Sorry Nessie."
"What?" Vanessa shrieked. "You mean we lost all our money?"
"Sorry, we have to quit our jobs today," Blair grinned slapping a full house down on the table. "Cause you're goin' to America! Full house boys!"
"Porca Madonna! YEAH!" Vanessa screamed jumping out of her seat. The table exploded into several different languages as Vanessa and Blair raked in the money and the tickets. Vanessa hugged Blair and pulled the barrette out of Blair's pinned up hair allowing her curls to fall loose. "Get ready girl! We're going to America!"
One of the Swedish men punched the other in anger. Vanessa shrieked and laughed out loud as the two men wrestled on the floor. Blair twirled around and danced with Vanessa in pure joy.
"Goin' home to the land of the free! On the Titanic! We're ridin' in high style now! We're practically royalty!" Blair cheered kissing the tickets as if she had won the lottery.
"You see? It's my destiny, like I told you," Vanessa yelled. "To go to l'America and become a famous, millionaire actress! Freddy, we're goin' to America." Vanessa smiled showing Fredrickson the tickets.
"No, my lady. Titanic go to America. In five minutes," the pub keeper replied pointing to the clock.
"Shit! Come on Blair!" Vanessa shouted grabbing her bag and Blair's hand.
"Course I'm sure if they knew it was you lot comin', they'd be pleased to wait!" Fredrickson winked and waved the girls farewell.
Blair and Vanessa, carrying everything they owned in the bags on their shoulders, sprinted towards the pier. They tore through milling crowds next to the terminal. Shouts went up behind them as they jostled slow-moving gentlemen. They dodged piles of luggage, and weaved through groups of people. They burst out onto the pier and Blair came to a dead stop – staring at the cast wall of the ship's hull, towering seven stories above the wharf and over an eighth of a mile long. The Titanic was monstrous.
Vanessa ran back and grabbed Blair, and they sprinted towards the third class gangway. They reached the bottom of the ramp just as Sixth Officer Moody detached it at the top and it began to swing down from the gangway doors.
"Wait!" Blair screamed. "We're passengers!" Her face was flushed and panting as she frantically waved the tickets in his face.
"Have you been through the inspection queue?" Moody questioned curiously.
"Of course! We're Americans," Blair lied cheerfully. Moody nodded towards her uncertainly.
"Right, come aboard."
Moody had the gangway reattached allowing Blair and Vanessa aboard. He glanced at the tickets then passed them through to another man. He looked at the names on the tickets to enter them in the passenger list.
"Gundersen and – Sven?" The man eyed them suspiciously upon reading men's names. Blair grinned and Vanessa stared at him with a deadly gaze. "Uh…very well then."
"Come on, Sven," Vanessa giggled grabbing onto Blair's arm. The whooped with victory as they ran down the white painted corridor.
The mooring lines, as big around as a man's arms, were dropped into the water. Cheers came from the pier as seven tugs pulled the Titanic away from the quay. Blair and Vanessa burst through a door onto the deck of the ship joining the others against the rail. Both girls yelled and waved goodbye to the crowd on the dock.
The crowd of cheering well-wishers waved heartily as the black wall of metal moved past them. Impossibly tiny figures waved back from the docks and the Titanic gathered speed.
Please Review
xoxo