(A/N: Thank you for the review and follow:) )
It was the day before classes began at JFK High. Ever since she fled the dance, Rose had spent all of her time indoors, hiding out from her "friends". She was in no mood to talk to them and answer their questions about why she had dumped Cal and why she had left the party so quickly and without saying good-bye. She had just wanted to be alone to think and plan out her next move. And plan out her next move she did. She had sent Trudy out shopping for some new clothes, clothes that said I'm a normal teenage girl, not the stuff she normally wore at White Star Academy. She also called her hair dresser over and asked her to get rid of her luxurious curls and to lighten her deep red hair and to cut it so it was shoulder length and more manageable. She also asked Trudy to pick up some new makeup.
Jack's words about reinventing herself now that she was at a new school had stuck with her and that was what she was planning to do. Gone would be the first class girl with expensive tastes. Gone was the girl with the deep red hair and fancy make up that attracted boys like Caledon Hockley. In her place would be a new girl. A reinvented girl. A girl who was not a shattered version of herself. A girl that was over looked by men like Caledon Hockley. A girl with simple taste.
Her mother of course nearly died when she saw Rose's new look. Which wasn't until the morning classes began.
"Rose Wilma Jean Dewitt Bukater, what in the world have you done to yourself?! You've ruined your beautiful red hair, what are these simpleton clothes and the make up…you look like a peasant!"
"That is the idea, mother," Rose answered, not looking at her mother, not wanting her see how her reaction had hurt her. Oh well. Best to look like a peasant than someone that attracted Caledon Hockley like the old Rose did. "I am going to a public school now. It's best to fit in with the rest of the students."
"I knew I should have sent you to Cunard Acadamy," Ruth mumbled.
"Oh mother, stop being so melodramatic. You'll give yourself a nosebleed," Rose rolled her eyes, buttering her breakfast roll.
"Honestly Rose. I don't know what is wrong with you. You are luckier than most girls in this town, yet you want to throw all of that away and walk around dressed like you are a daughter of a maid instead of the daughter of a successful business woman."
Rose looked at her mother, wondering how she would react if she told her the truth. That Caledon Hockley had not only abused her, but had recently ripped her of her virginity, dignity, and honor. That he had basically destroyed her life. Would she send her away like the other girl's mother had, or would she believe her? Dare she even trust her mother? She sighed sadly, wiping the idea of telling her mother out of her mind. No. She did not trust her mother. She'd probably take Cal's side, saying that she probably provoked it.
"You will at least drive your car there," Ruth stared at her daughter.
"I was planning to ride with Trudy…"
"You will not ride to that school with the maid's daughter, Rose! People will think that you're on the same social level as her! I will tolerate these other changes, but I will not have people thinking that my daughter came from a lower class home. I may be forced to send you to public school with the rest of the peasants, but that does not mean that we have to travel like them or even dress like them for that matter."
"You are so full of shit, mother. None of this classism stuff matters. The sooner you realize that, the better," Rose grabbed the car keys as she got up from the table.
Ruth sighed, giving up on the conversation for now. Rose will never see her point of view. "Have a good day at school, dear."
Rose just shrugged and walked out the door, not at all sure what kind of day it was going to be. She did know that sooner or later she would have to see Cal, so most likely it wouldn't be a very good one.
After calling Trudy and letting her know that her mother was making her drive herself to school, Rose got into her own Bentley and made her way to JFK High.
…..
Rose glanced at the clock on her dashboard as she pulled into the school parking lot, which was a lot more crowded than the White Star Academy's parking lot had ever been. Pushing down her nervousness and hoping not to run into Cal, Rose got out of her car and made her way toward the looming brick building about ten feet away. Rose tried to keep out of people's way as she moved through the crowded parking lot, keeping her attention straight ahead. She didn't want to crash into anyone, especially not Cal.
She was nearing the entrance, thinking that she had actually made it when she did actually crash into someone, knocking them both to the ground. She heard a girl angrily snap that she should watch where she was going, but when she looked up to see who she had bumped into, it was no girl. In fact, her eyes met familiar warm blue eyes that took a second to spark with recognition.
"Rose?" Jack asked.
"Hello again," She stammered, picking up his portfolio, handing it out for him to take.
"You look different and nice," Jack grinned, causing Rose to blush.
"Jack come on!" The girl he was with grabbed his arm and pulled him away before he had a chance to take his portfolio.
"Jack wait!" Rose followed him, without thinking. She tried to keep her eyes on him as the girl pulled him through the crowd, further away from her. "Jack, you forgot…"
"Rose, there you are! And goodness gracious what have you done to yourself?" Madeline Astor stepped in her path, causing her to lose sight of Jack all together. She sighed, inwardly cursing her friend's timing.
"What does it look like?" Rose nearly snapped, annoyed at her friend for getting in her way and making her lose track of Jack. She sighed in defeat. "I did a makeover. I felt it was time or a change. New school, new look."
"Not bad. You almost fit in with the JFK kids though," Madeline eyed her outfit. "Non-designer clothes Rose? Are you feeling ok?"
"I'm fine, Madeline. I just lost sight of someone I bumped into. He forgot his folder," Rose rolled her eyes, ignoring the criticism of her new wardrobe. She didn't care what Madeline had to say. Cal hated non-designer clothes, which was her goal. Plus Jack said she looked nice. He obviously liked her new look, which gave her a thrill somehow. Something that she had thought she'd never feel again when thinking about a boy.
"Turn it into lost and found," Madeline shrugged.
No way was she going to do that! She may not know Jack, but she did know that he had helped her when she was at her lowest point and that did not earn leaving his property at the school's lost and found. No, she wanted to give his folder back personally.
"I'm sure that I'll see him again sometime today. I can give it back to him then," Rose shook her head, hugging the portfolio to her chest. A part of her had to admit that the portfolio was her doorway to seeing him again. To look into those blue eyes and see them light up with a smile, just for her.
She shook the thoughts out of her head. She was starting to sound like the old Rose when she had a crush. She would get all kinds of lust-filled daydreams about the boy she was crushing on. But those days were over. That Rose had a chance to get the boy of her dreams, to gain his attention and his affections. This Rose, the Rose she was now…she was damaged goods. No boy was going to want her, least of all a beautiful boy like Jack.
"What homeroom do you have? Constance and I have a Mr. Andrews."
"So do I," Rose glanced at her schedule. "And it starts in ten minutes. We better go…"
The girls dashed into the school and quickly found the room. Madeline was the first to enter and found Constance who had saved her and Rose their seats. Rose looked around and gasped when she glanced at the back of the room to see Jack, who was looking at his desk, not seeming too happy. Of course he wouldn't be, he had lost his folder. The girl who had pulled him away was sitting beside him while there was a dark haired boy and a blond curly haired boy sitting to the other side of him and to the back of him.
"Rose!" Constance waved her over, just to be ignored.
Swallowing down her nervousness, she approached Jack.
"You again?" The girl who had pulled Jack away glared.
Rose decided to ignore her too. She was here to talk to Jack. "Jack?"
Jack looked up and his eyes widened in surprise and what Rose conveyed as pleasure. He was happy to see her again or was he just happy to see his folder? She couldn't tell.
"Rose?"
"You um…dropped this and was pulled away before you could take it back," She handed him the folder. "I didn't look inside it, don't worry. I just thought it'd be best to give it back to you personally instead of turning it into lost and found..." She stopped talking, fearing that she was beginning to ramble, something she did only when nervous.
"Thank you Rose, I really appreciate it. You have no idea how much," Jack smiled.
The last bell signaling the start of homeroom rang and Rose was again called, this time by Madeline, who was staring at Jack in wonder. She probably never saw someone so handsome in real life.
"You're being paged," The mean girl glared.
Rose just rolled her eyes at the girl and went back to addressing Jack. "Well, I guess I better get to my seat. I'll see you later, Jack?"
Jack only smiled in reply. Rose went to join her friends feeling rather satisfied. Jack had smiled at her.
"Wow, what a cutie," Madeline stared at Rose. "No matter what you dumped Cal so fast."
Rose's good mood evaporated just like that. "I dumped Cal way before I even set eyes on Jack, Madeline."
"Too bad he's poor. I wouldn't mind going out with him if he could buy me expensive gifts," Constance sighed.
Rose just rolled her eyes. Her friends were so shallow. She wondered why she was even still friends with them. Especially when she knew that they'd side with Cal if she ever spoke up about what he had done to her.
…..
The day was going good. She had her first two classes with Trudy and Madeline. Her third period class with with some other White Star Academy girls that she was on speaking terms with, and there was no signs of Cal just yet. But that all changed in fourth period, Senior English. Cal was sitting towards the back in one of those desks that had room for two people.
"Sweet Pea!" Cal waved, leering at her. Rose felt sick. People were expecting her to sit with him. She saw Constance sitting with Madeline, both grinning like Cheshire cats. Of course. This had all been planned. She had never felt so deeply betrayed before. She looked around the room for somewhere else to sit, anywhere else and her breath caught.
There was Jack, sitting by himself, looking concerned for her. He probably recognized Cal's voice and remembered how she had fled the dance that night. He nodded towards the empty seat next to him, as if inviting her to sit there. He even had a small encouraging smile. He was indeed her hero. He knew that she didn't want to be near Cal and that she couldn't possibly run away this time, so he was inviting her to sit with him, which she gladly accepted, much to Cal, Madeline and Courtney's surprise.
"Thank you," She quietly replied as she took the seat next to her hero.
"He sounded familiar, so I figured you didn't want to sit with him. Plus you looked kind of green at the thought," He whispered back, not wanting to attract too much attention. "Are you ok?"
"Now I am," Rose smiled, happily.
"That's my seat you're sitting in," a unfriendly voice spoke. Rose looked up to see the mean girl from earlier. Great.
Jack quickly stepped in. "First come first serve, Julie. You should have came in on time."
"Jack," She stared at him in disbelief. She couldn't believe that her cousin. "Come on, you can't be serious."
Jack just gave a shrug, as if he was helpless in the situation. "School rules."
"Mrs. Dawson, please go sit with Mr. Hockley if you need a seat. He's going to need a partner anyway, thank you," Mrs. Brown the Senior English teacher walked in, placing her briefcase on the desk in front of the room.
In a huff, Julie Dawson stormed over to Cal's desk and took the seat that had been meant for Rose. Cal, himself looked rather stormy as well.
"Welcome to Senior English!" Mrs. Brown announced once the bell rang signaling the start of class. "I hope that you are happy with the seating arrangements, because the person beside you will be your partner in this class for the remainder of the year."
Rose could only smile at Jack, who, to her delight, was smiling right back. She had always loved English, but she had a feeling that she was going to love it even more this year. In fact, English may turn out to be her favorite class.
…..
Lunch found Rose sitting on the cafeteria with Trudy. She was now actively avoiding Madeline and Constance, betrayed by their scheme to get her to set next to Cal in English. Thank god for Jack. She didn't think she'd be able to survive a year of having Cal as a partner in what was her favorite subject.
After English had let out, Julie had dragged Jack off straight away, looking rather pissed and Rose had left the room right after, avoiding Cal, Madeline and Constance. She had entered the cafeteria and was waved at by Trudy who invited her over to sit with her and her group of friends.
"So how are you finding JFK so far, Rose?" Sarah Peterson, the daughter of a maid to one of her mother's friends asked.
"It's big," Rose played with the peel of her orange, not feeling hungry at all. She was worried that Cal would show up and this time there would be no avoiding him.
"It's not half as scary as it seems on the first day though. Just remember the cliques, and you'll be fine," Trudy chuckled.
"Cliques?"
"Yeah. Over there, you have the bohemians," Trudy nodded over to the table not too far away, where Jack, Julie, and some other teens she recognized from her classes were sitting. "They're artists, musicians, actors, something creative. Jack there is the artist of the group and can sketch or paint anything."
"Not to mention he's rather easy on the eyes," Sarah giggled.
"Yeah. But to even get a chance with him, you have to go through his cousin Julie there, who hates everyone," Trudy giggled.
So Jack was an artist. That folder she gave him back this morning must have been his portfolio. She couldn't help but wonder if he was any good. She always loved art. The act of creating something from nothing,or capturing life on paper, it was just so fascinating to her and to know that Jack was an artist…it made him even more interesting.
"I think Rose definitely has a thing for Mr. Dawson," Sarah chuckled, noticing how Rose kept looking over at Jack, who was too busy sketching in his portfolio to notice that he was being observed.
"Who doesn't have a thing for Jack Dawson," Trudy laughed. Even she had a small crush on Jack, who had always been nice to her but hadn't shown any interest beyond friendship.
Rose just smiled. She had to say that she liked Trudy and her friends. The friendship between them was genuine. Just looking at them, it was obvious that there was real sisterly love there and if someone hurt one, they could turn to each other and be believed. Rose wished that she had someone like that in her life, that she wasn't alone with this secret that was much too big for her.
She glanced over at Jack's table one last time and to her surprise, he was looking right at her, studying her. There was something in his blue eyes that just touched her. They told her that she wasn't alone. She could trust him. Could she? Dare she? If she told him the reason why she felt so hopeless, why she was terrified of being anywhere near Cal,would he believe her? Something told her that he would and that he would look out for her. Which was ridiculous. She didn't know Jack and he didn't know her. Saving her life, covering for her, it just meant that he was a kind, compassionate person, not that he was willing to be her friend or anything more than that.
His lips curved into a warm smile and he winked at her, causing her smile right back. Maybe…just maybe he already was her friend, the only real friend that she could trust not to sell her out to Caledon Hockley.
…..
Rose's luck in avoiding Cal ended after the next to last class. Rose was coming out of her classroom when with the help of Madeline and Constance, he cornered her. She looked around for help, but there was no one in sight.
"Sweet Pea, finally I get you alone," Cal leered at her, his brown eyes reminding her of how they bore into her as he ripped her apart that night. She shivered and looked over at her so called friends pleadingly, but they were too pleased with themselves, happy to help Cal supposedly get his girl friend back, when what it really was helping Cal intimidate his recent victim.
Rose forced herself to stay calm. Freaking out in the middle of the hallway was probably what he wanted and she was done giving Cal what he wanted. She just wanted him gone.
"What do you want, Cal?" She forced her voice to stay calm.
"I want to know why you have been avoiding me and telling people that we broke up, which is absurd."
Rose stared at him as if he had two heads. "Do you really think I'd stay in a relationship with you after what you did to me? Are you so deluded?"
"Did to you? Sweet pea, I didn't do anything to you that you didn't want," Cal laughed it off, glancing over at Madeline and Constance who also laughed, as if this was some joke. Rose couldn't help but feel betrayed. She knew that they'd take his side, but to actually see it…it tore at her.
"I didn't want that. I had clearly said no, I screamed no, but that wasn't good enough was it?"
"Rose stop being ridiculous. Do you want to end up like Annabelle?" Constance warned. She didn't get Rose. She would do anything to be in her shoes,to have the attention of Caledon Hockley, but like Annabelle Watson, she didn't appreciate it and was using the ridiculous excuse of rape to show how ungrateful she was for such attention. "Just apologize to Cal, get back together so we can all go back to normal."
Rose glared at Constance, for the first time, really hating her. She hated her almost as much as she hated Cal. "Fuck you Constance. Your opinion doesn't matter here. You weren't there. No means no, which means it's rape. I hope to god it never happens to you. And you Cal, it's over between us. I don't want to see you, hear from you, I don't want anything to do with you ever again! You're lucky I don't go to the authorities!"
Cal laughed. "Go to the authorities? Who is going to believe you Rose? No one. Not your friends, not your mother, and certainly no police man who is probably on my father's bill anyway. Look, just stop this and I'll forget and forgive everything. Come on, Sweet Pea. Starting a new school, you don't want to be cut off from your friends now do you?"
"Friends? What friends? Your friends, because they are certainly not mine," Rose glared.
"Careful Rose, we may get insulted," Madeline frowned, not liking how this was going at all. She knew that Rose was in a mood, but to make this accusation against Cal, it was insanity and now wanting to push her friends away? Maybe she did need help like Annabelle did.
"Madeline, I really don't care. You helped him trap me like this…this is not what a real friend would do and then you take his side. I expected it, but I guess that's what I get for hoping for the best. Just leave me alone. All of you," She managed to push pass Cal and take off towards her next class. She heard them behind her,walking at a brisk pace, hoping to catch up and talk some "sense" into her, but she sped up and as soon as she saw the room number, she pushed through the door and bumped into Jack, who seemed surprise to see her.
"Rose?"
She grabbed his arms, hearing Cal and the girl's footsteps, coming after her. "You didn't see me."
"But…ok..," Jack stammered as Rose ducked behind a canvas to hide, just as Cal and the girls came in.
Cal glared at Jack as if he was just a pest in his way. "Did a girl come in here?"
"Uh, no. Not yet. Wait a few minutes and this room will be full of girls," Was Jack's answer, picking up an easel to set up against a nearby wall. "Do you guys have class in here?"
"Do we look like bohemians to you?" Cal snapped, annoyed that he had lost Rose again.
"This is artistic expressions, I'm pretty sure that this is her next class," Madeline bit her lip, feeling worried. Rose definitely wasn't herself right now. The new hairstyle, the clothes, sitting with her maid's daughter at lunch, and now the ridiculous accusations she threw at them,pushing them away…she didn't know what was going on with her friend.
"Damn it. We'll just have to talk to her after school then. I can't miss business technologies. Father would have a fit," Cal growled, pushing past the girls and out into the hallway. Madeline and Constance left right behind him, also not wanting to miss their class.
Once she was sure that they were gone and never coming back, Rose stepped out of her hiding place, her legs feeling as if she was walking on Jelly. Jack frowned and immediately went over to her and wrapped an arm around her to support her.
"Hey, are you ok? Come over here and sit down for a minute," He led her to one of the tables. So far, it was still just the two of them in the room.
"I'm fine. I'm just a little shakey," Rose sniffed, feeling as if the emotions that she had been keeping at bay all day were about to overwhelm her. She had just been ambushed by her rapist and people she had once considered friends. She had never felt more frightened and more alone than she did right now. At that moment, she wished that Jack hadn't stopped her from jumping off that balcony. It would have been better than this.
"It's ok. Just take some deep breaths. You'll be ok," Jack reassured, not letting go of her hands. The girl was pale, shaken and the look in her eyes…he had seen it before in his sister's...before her death. To see it in Rose's eyes, it made him rage. But he wouldn't ask about it. He won't bring it up unless she wanted to. She didn't know him from Adam and he didn't know just how much she trusted him. Yeah, he's helped her, but he knew it would take more to earn her trust.
"I'm sorry Jack. You seem to always have to save me in one way or another. You must think that I'm a real damsal in distress," Rose sighed, looking down at her hand in his, realizing that just that simple gesture was making her feel steady again. By holding her hand, Jack made her feel like she could face anything now. "You most definitely are thinking, poor little rich girl. What must she know about misery?"
"Hey, I don't mind playing the knight in shining armor here. And no, I wasn't thinking that at all. I'm thinking that I can be your friend if you like."
Rose looked at those blue eyes and again felt safe and cared for. Something told her that if she told Jack what Cal had done to her, he'd believe her. He wouldn't be full of excuses and accusations against her. "I'd like that very much."
"Well then, consider us friends," Jack grinned. "If you ever need anything from me, even if it's to be a go between for you and the other White Star Academy crowd, I'll do it. I'll cover you."
"We just met, my first day of school, and you're already putting yourself out there for me."
"I tend to move fast like that," Jack chuckled.
Rose managed a smile. She looked around. "So this is my last class and I have it with you?"
"Actually this is my free period. I'm just helping Mr. Ismay. I'm supposed to be sitting up easels right now," Jack chuckled.
"I'll help," Rose got to her feet, wiping all that had happened with Cal from her mind. "I need to do something."
"Ok, but before we start, I have to ask…would you like it if I walked you to your car after class? Maybe that Hockley fella won't bother you if you're not alone."
Rose nodded, liking the idea. "I'd appreciate it. Thank you Jack. You've been, .well you've been like a guardian angel to me."
Jack just smiled as the class began to fill up with students, including Jack's friends and cousin. The bohemian clique Trudy had called them.
…..
Class flew by for Rose. She loved Art Essentials. It was to cover everything having to do with art from painting, to sculpting, to making pottery her personal favorite. Not that she had ever had the chance to make pottery. Her mother thought it dirty work and unladylike. Ruth Dewitt Bukater could be so old fashioned sometimes, but Rose couldn't wait to try her hands at it. Her enthusiasm for all of it appealed to Jack even more. Any girl that liked art as much as Rose did was instantly alright in his book. Not only was she beautiful, but smart and creative and he wanted to do whatever he could to ease the pain she was obviously in, to take that look out of her eyes that had been in his sister's. He shuddered, wondering how a man could do such a thing to a woman. How could anyone cause so much pain and her friends stand by and do nothing? It boggled his mind. But regardless, Jack was determined. He wasn't going to leave this smart, creative, beautiful girl to drown in her own pain. He was going to help her. In honor of his poor sister if for nothing else.
Once class was over, he was by Rose's side, ready to walk her to her car. He knew that he would have some explaining to do to the others, but he didn't care.
"So how do you like the class?" Jack asked as Rose stood from her desk.
"I love it," Rose smiled, feeling somewhat happy and more in her element. Not to mention, having made a new friend in Jack had lightened her mood a great deal. "I especially looking forward to the sculpting and the pottery making. Just working with my hands, creating something out of nothing using clay and other materials, it's just…," She blushed, feeling herself rambling again. "You must think I'm some kind of geek huh? I've never done any of it before, but I just feel this urge to do it, you know?"
Jack nodded, knowing exactly how she felt. His need to sketch and paint from life. It was in his blood, just something he had to do. He had so much encouragement from his family that he just dived into it. He had a feeling though that Rose had no such luck. Swells didn't really like working with their hands and he could imagine Rose's parents not wanting to encourage their daughter's desire to create. "It's that way with me and drawing people, capturing them on paper. I just have to do it. My pops, he used to say that when one has a natural talent, it's in their blood to do it. They they won't be happy until they nurse and develop what god had put them on earth to do."
"So you think I may actually have a talent for it, Jack? Without even having done it before?"
"Yeah. I do. And even it doesn't come naturally, you can learn and practice and cultivate it. That's the great thing about art, Rose. It's something that you can grow to be good at if you're not good at it already."
Rose grew quiet as her and Jack walked towards the school's exit. She couldn't help but be in wonder of him. Jack had just met her, they had just become friends, yet he understood her in ways no one ever had. He was helping her without even being asked to, or told why. He just did it. She didn't know what she had done that was so good to have brought such a compassionate, kind, understanding person into her life, but she was glad that he was. She didn't feel so alone anymore.
When they reached the car, Rose felt a little foolish, finding no one there. Then again, maybe Cal hadn't had a chance to get there yet.
"Jack, thank you for everything you did today and Saturday at the dance. You really have been my guardian angel," Rose turned to him as they reached her car. "I don't know how I can ever thank you enough."
"There's no need to thank me, Rose. Anyone would have done the same thing," Jack waved away her thanks.
Rose's smile was sad. Jack had such an optimistic view it seemed. Sadly, he was wrong. Not anyone would have helped her. He had done more for her in just the two small days that they had known each other than her so called friends had ever done for her in their lives.
"Well, I guess I better go before Cal does show up," Rose frowned, clear worry in her eyes. If Cal showed up and saw her with Jack, there may be trouble and she didn't want that. Especially when all Jack was doing was helping her.
"Here," Jack opened his portfolio and tore out a piece of paper and then took out his pen and scribbled something on it. "My phone number. If you need anything, anything at all, even if it's just someone to yell at, give me a ring. It's my cell so I'll answer."
"Jack…"
"Hey we're friends now, right? Friends give each other their numbers," Jack reasoned.
Rose had to smile. "Right. I…um…hope that giving me your number won't cause trouble with your girlfriend." What are you doing Rose? Like you area in any condition to date anyone. Fishing for girlfriend info is not what you should be concentrating on right now.
Jack chuckled. "No girlfriend. Unless you're talking about Julie and that's just my cousin."
Rose couldn't help but be pleased. He was free, not that it meant anything, but it was still good to know. Were the girls in this school blind? How someone as handsome as Jack could not have a girlfriend was beyond her. "Well, I better go. I'll see you tomorrow, Jack."
"Drive safe," He stepped back and watched her get into her car. He waved as she smiled at him before driving away, returning to her world of luxury. He was still telling himself that all he wanted to do was help this beautiful sad girl through what had happened to her, but on another level he knew that he was attracted to her. Given more time, he could even fall in love with her. But that was a worry for a different time. For now, he was satisfied with just being her friend/guardian angel.