Rose smiled as she woke up the next day. For the first time in forever, she woke up feeling like the teenage girl that she was. Of course, the attack was still on her mind, but it wasn't the first thing she thought about as she slid out of bed and went about getting ready for the day. The first thing on her mind was Jack Dawson. His pretty blue eyes that looked at her with so much affection, his soft blond hair that brushes against her cheek, and his strong hands and arms when he held her. They were all In her dreams the night before. She didn't know how she was going to keep her hands to herself when he picked her up for school.
Skipping downstairs, she grabbed her purse and book-bag as she entered the kitchen to find Katarina at the stove just finishing dipping some eggs onto a plate.
"Good morning, Rose," Her stepmother smiled, placing the eggs on the table. "You were out late last night."
Rose blushed at the memory of her first real date with Jack. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to be. Jack and I were watching the stars. Did you know that a shooting star is a soul going to heaven?"
"No I didn't," Katarina chuckled, pointing at the eggs. "Teenage girls need breakfast, so I made you some eggs. Would you like some juice with that?"
Rose felt as if she couldn't possibly eat a bite. She was too full of nerves on the prospect of being in Jack's presence yet not being able to kiss and hug him like a girlfriend normally would, but she knew that she had to eat something. She'd regret it later in the day if she didn't. Sitting down, she smiled at her stepmother. "Sure."
"So how does it feel knowing that you can drive yourself to school now?" Katarina smiled,unaware of the decision that both Rose and Jack had made the night before.
"At first, it was a wonderful idea. But then I remembered I'd be arriving at school alone, giving Cal and his crowd a chance to harass me again. They leave me alone mostly when Jack's around, but I don't want to chance it so Jack agreed to keep picking me up here for school. Pretty pathetic huh? Too afraid to drive my own car to school because I don't want to arrive alone."
Katarina shook her head as she turned off the stove and poured herself a cup of coffee. "Not pathetic at all. It's understandable. Jack has been your rock and it's only natural that you're more comfortable arriving in what could be a hostile environment with someone you trust."
"I hate this. I hate living in fear. Some days I feel more scared than others, but it's always there. I don't ever think I'll feel like a normal girl ever again. Cal's attack will always be hanging over me, ruling my decisions. It's not fair," Rose sighed, frustrated. Last year, she came and went as she pleased and with who she pleased. She had never felt like she needed protection from anyone or anything. Now things were quite different. She just wondered when Jack would finally get fed up.
Katarina placed a hand over Rose's, her heart going out to the girl. She was so strong, yet so vulnerable at the same time for what had happened to her and for all that she had lost. "It won't always be like this, Rose. One day, that fear will be gone. No, you will never be forget what he did to you, but it will no longer hold such meaning over your life. Already, I see you taking great strides in moving on."
"But it doesn't feel like I am."
"I know. You'll probably feel that way for a long time, but trust me. You are. Not too many girls who have been through what you've been through would trust another man so quickly. But you trust Jack. So that's a step forward."
"I guess you're right. How do you know such much about rape and surviving it?" Rose asked curiously, wanting to get to know her stepmother better.
"Well...let's just say I have some experience in the area," Katarina sighed, for a second her mind going back to the attack that had happened to her so many years ago. Refusing to dwell on it though, she shook her head and gave an encouraging smile. "Plus I work for a shelter for rape survivors and run a support group. I've been doing that for some time now."
Rose stared in wonder, sensing that her stepmother had been through what she has as well. Rose wondered if she'll ever get to the same place in her life as Katarina. Would she be able to move past Cal's attack enough that she could turn it around so she could help others? Somehow she didn't think so.
The knock on the door cut into Rose's response. She quickly finished her breakfast and went into the foyer to find her father opening the door to Jack.
"Mr. Dawson, come in. Rose is just finishing breakfast," William ushered the young man inside, closing the door behind him.
"It's ok, daddy. I'm ready," Rose smiled at Jack, walking up and placing a small kiss on his lips, glad that they were out of sight of Julie for the moment.
"You two have a good day," Katarina came in, carrying the purse that Rose had left on the table.
Feeling embarrassed and discombobulated, Rose took the purse and smiled. "Thank you so much, Katarina. For everything."
"No need to thank me, sweetie. I'm here anytime you need to talk," her stepmother smiled and stepped next to her husband. "Have a good day you two."
Waving goodbye, Rose followed Jack outside and to the car.
"What was that about?" Jack curiously asked, catching the warm vibes between Rose and her stepmother.
"Katarina is a rape survivor. She runs a shelter and a support group for women that have gone through the same thing," Rose explained, contemplative. "She moved past it and is now helping others. Can you believe it?"
"Sure. You'll move past it too, Rose. You already are," Jack smiled, taking Rose's hand, forgetting about her cousin in the backseat, who eyed the contact somewhat suspiciously.
Rose frowned as they pulled into the school parking lot. Jack noticed her frown and followed her gaze to see a slender blonde girl wearing black jeans and a sweater that she looked lost in walking beside the boy they had met at the party Friday.
"Who is she?"
"Annabelle Watson. The girl that was sent away when she dared to tell her parents about Cal's attack on her," Rose sighed, worry clear in her voice. "Cal's group has someone new to harass now."
When they entered homeroom, Rose saw that Annabelle was also there, sitting in the back of the room, but on the far side from her. Probably hoping to hide from any amount of attention paid to her. But Rose doubted that Annabelle would be able to avoid Cal and his cheer squad for long. She wished that there was something she could do to help, but it was all she could do to avoid them as well.
Rose tensed as she saw Madeline and Constance enter and saw their faces when they noticed who was in the room.
"Look at who dared to show her face in public again," Madeline loudly sneered.
"I can't wait for Cal to find out and put someone in their place. Really clear the air," Constance added.
Rose's heart went out to Annabelle as she watched her cower in her seat. She shuddered, remembering her own fear and how it had almost sent her jumping off the balcony of a skyscraper. If it hadn't been for Jack...
Thankfully, the teacher entered the room and all snickering from Madeline and Constance stopped. That was one thing Rose could say about the change of schools. At White Star, Madeline and Constance were the queens of the school. Their parents were huge contributors so their daughters were aloud to get away with murder. But here at JFK, everyone was the same. There was no special treatment, so Madeline and Constance had to tow the line with everyone else.
"Those girls are complete bitches," Helga hissed.
"Yes they are," Rose sighed, wondering why she had never seen the bad side of her so called friends until Cal had attacked her.
Rose's favorite class finally came at the end of the day. While Jack didn't have the class himself, he was an assistant, there to help his fellow art students understand the concepts of each technique. Today the students were to choose a certain artistic process they liked best. He noticed how Rose kept returning to the pottery station, a subject that was to begin next week. He went up to her and silently watched as she ran her hands along the instrument. She also seemed interested in the sculpting station as well. The more hands on, the more she seemed to admire it.
"You like creating things with your hands, molding them into shape," Jack observed, startling Rose out of her thoughts.
"Jack, you scared me," She scolded, then smiled, realizing that there was no Julie in the room and the teacher was looking away. She stepped up, taking both of his hands in hers. "Tell me it's October. I've been wanting to kiss you all day..."
Jack looked around, seeing that no one was looking at them, he leaned down and gently kissed her, letting his lips linger against hers for a few seconds. "Is that better?"
"Some. I didn't take in account how hard this was going to be, keeping it secret. It is romantic though, so that's a plus."
Jack smiled and gently stroked her cheek with his fingers. "It is. But romance is not what we should be thinking about right now. Choosing your favorite art form is." He kept his hand in hers as he turned the subject back to art, where it was supposed to be. "So you like sculpting and pottery?"
Rose shrugged. "I don't know. I suck at sketching and painting. I can't seem to make things emerge on paper as easily as you do, Jack. I even feel out of place when I try. But with pottery and sculpting, it's like my hands are itching to move and mold and create. I want to see where that urge takes me, what I can do. It's like..." she raised the hand that wasn't holding Jack's. "It's like these hands were made to work, you know?"
Jack couldn't help his grin. The way Rose described her creative urges, the fire and passion in her voice, it drew him to her even more. "That may be where your talent lays Rose."
"Plus Pottery makes me think of that awesome scene in Ghost...with Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze...you know, before he died...," She sighed wistfully.
Jack laughed and pretended to roll his eyes. "Girls."
"Hey! It was romantic!" Rose pouted. "And it's my favorite movie. Why don't you come over tonight and watch it? We can study, then watch the movie cuddled on the couch. I can order pizza or something. Maybe I can even cook for you. It can be our second official date!"
"That sounds nice..."
"Mr. Dawson, are you finished with Miss. Dewitt Bukater. Other students may need your assistance," The teacher disrupted the conversation, giving Jack an amused, yet stern look.
"Have to go help the other students," Jack gave a regretful sigh, finding that he enjoyed talking to Rose about art. "I'll be there at six."
Giving Rose's hand one final squeeze, he moved on to the next student. Rose watched him, butterflies fluttering in her stomach. She couldn't believe that she had found someone like Jack. If only she had found him before Cal had found her. Sighing, she turned back to examining the pottery station, wishing that Cal would disappear off the face of the earth, that she would hurry up and fully heal so she can be a proper girlfriend to Jack, and that October would hurry come so her and Jack could fully reveal their relationship. As romantic as a secret relationship was, it was nowhere as easy.
Finally it was the end of the day and Rose was looking forward to going home and getting ready for the date with Jack that evening. She and Jack was heading to his car, when Rose spotted Constance and Madeline cornering Annabelle on the stairs.
"How awful can they be?" Rose frowned, watching the scene. She felt incredibly sorry for Annabelle.
Unlike Rose, she was unable to escape being sent off somewhere until the rumors about her and Cal had died down and now she had to deal with Cal's bully team, which she had come to think of Madeline and Constance.
"They can't get away with this. Their precious Cal is safe. So why are they still bullying her?" Jack asked, disgusted. He looked at Rose who seemed to have a determined fire in her eyes. The same fire that had refused to let her mother and these girls force blame on her. The same fire that had drawn him to her from the beginning. He wasn't surprised when she left his side to march up to the girls. He silently followed, curious about what she was going to do.
"For two girls that are supposed to be so lady like, you really are a couple of bitches, aren't you?" Rose crossed her arms, standing behind her former friends.
Madeline turned around and glared at her one time best friend. "Go away Rose. This has nothing to do with you. We're just letting Annabelle know that anymore disparaging of Cal's character will not be tolerated."
"Oh you mean telling the truth about what an unimaginable bastard and rapist Cal is won't be tolerated? Bad news, this isn't White Star Academy. Your bullying tactics are not going to work anymore," Rose folded her arms, feeling even more brave when she felt Jack standing close behind her for support.
"You would take her side, Rose," Constance turned her glare on Rose.
"It's not about sides, it's about the truth. The sad thing is, you two won't believe it. Not until it happens to you."
"You are crazy. Just as crazy as Annabelle. It really is too bad that your mother couldn't get you sent for help. There may have been hope for you," Constance looked at Rose with what could be construed as pity. "Instead you're slumming it and acting like Cal and your old friends are the enemy."
"She's no more crazy than I am. Than anyone that's put up with that bastard's abuse is! As for me 'slumming' it. Jack and his friends have more class in their little fingers than you and Cal possess in your entire bodies! And as far as I'm concerned, anyone that takes up with that rapist is the enemy. Friends don't hurt you and friends certainly don't defend the monsters that hurt you! So yeah. That does make you the enemy. And the fact that still, you're here harassing Annabelle proves what bullies you truly are."
"So the crackpot is out of the loony bin I see," Caledon suddenly appeared, causing satisfied smirks to appear on Madeline and Constance's faces. "And defended by equally insane ex."
Rose paled as Cal took a step towards her. She felt all the bravery that had filled her while confronting Madeline and Constance flee at the sight of her attacker. Jack must have sensed something, because he put himself between Cal and Rose.
"Back off Hockley," He defiantly glared, daring Cal to even try to get to Rose.
"Oh please. I was only interested in seeing if it was true. As if the little mouse had finally climbed out of her hole," He glared at Annabelle, who was clearly frightened. Smirking, he took a step towards her, but again found his way blocked by Jack.
"You really do have a problem with the word no, don't you Cal?" Jack stood his ground, refusing to be intimidated.
"You should learn to mind your own business. You want, Rose, you can have the little slut."
"You know, Rose is only part of the reason I hate you, Cal. Scum like you should be eradicated from the earth, but until that happens, decent people have to make sure that you don't don't hurt or come near your victims again. If standing between you and every girl in this school that you've victimize is something I have to do, I'll gladly do it."
"Oh please, the girl is a victim of no one. Neither is Rose. They're just mad because Cal dumped them," Constance rolled her eyes.
"Actually I dumped Cal," Rose glared. "Getting involved with him was the biggest mistake of my life that I'll probably never stop paying for."
"You know Dawson, just keep pissing me off."
"What are you going to do, Cal? Attack me? Go ahead. Unlike the girls you've forced yourself on, I can fight back. Then again, that's your ammo. Attack the ones that can't fight back. Exert your control."
"Cal really should teach him a lesson," Madeline whispered to Constance.
"How about I teach you yours?" Rose glared.
"Just try it Rose."
"Gladly."
The coming confrontation was stopped by the arrival of Annabelle's brother. "Hockley, I told you to stay away from my sister. You and your bitches."
"Oh great. Another knight in shining armor to save the day," Cal rolled his eyes, turning around to face Derrick Watson who was storming towards the group, his face thunderous.
Reaching the small group, Derrick reached over and grabbed Cal by his shirt, pulling him forward until they were face to face. "I told you. Leave my sister alone and keep your bitches away from her as well."
"Hey!" Madeline and Constance huffed in protest at the name calling.
Rose smirked, not saying anything, but in her mind she realized that what Derrick had said was the truth. She didn't know when it happened, that Madeline and Constance had become Cal's biggest defenders, but it had and she found it awfully sad, because more than likely he was going to turn on them. They will be the victims and no will be there for them, just like they hadn't been there for her.
"Unhand me, you buffoon! You and Dawson, so quick to defend the ladies, yet you're the violent ones. Punching me to the ground, manhandling me..."
"Oh poor you, Cal! You've done much worse to both me and Annabelle than either Jack or Derrick here has ever done to you! Go cry yourself a river to my mother. I'm sure she'll have you," Rose ranted, having enough of the victim act from him. Caledon Hockley was no one's victim. That was a solid fact.
"Come along, ladies. I think we've done soiled ourselves enough," Cal straightened his shirt as Derrick released him.
"I won't be so easy on you next time Cal! I'll have my friends here too to take care of your girls! So you just stay clear!" Derrick growled, watching Cal leave with Constance and Madeline scurrying after him.
"What an asshole," Jack turned to Rose. "Are you alright? I saw how pale you got when he showed up."
"I'm fine. He was right though. You are my knight in shining armor," Rose managed a smile, stepping into his arms, not caring if Julie showed up to see.
"Yeah, thanks," Derrick spoke, helping his sister to his feet. "Looks like I had it wrong about you, Rose. At first, I thought you were like those two girls."
"Don't worry about. I can see why...I used to hang out with them until Cal..."
"He did it to you too," Annabelle spoke up, her face turning pale. "Oh god, it's all my fault. I should have gone to the police instead of my parents. I should have made sure that he went to jail..."
"Hey, none of that. There was no way for you to know that mom and dad would do what they did," Derrick comforted his sister.
"Don't be sorry. You were a lot braver than I was. You told someone you thought that you could trust right away. I was too afraid to do even that much," Rose tried to reassure the girl that she was not at fault for what had happened to her. "The only person to blame here is Caledon Hockley."
"You seem to be doing better than I did."
"No, not really. I was the biggest basket case...I'm just now feeling somewhat normal again thanks to Jack. He's been my rock. And who knows how I'd be now if White Star hadn't closed. Changing schools has definitely helped."
"Well, I'm getting her home. Thanks again," Derrick nodded, leading Annabelle towards the exit.
Once they were gone, Jack pulled Rose to him and kissed her long and deep. He smiled when he pulled away, stroking her cheek. "I am so proud of you."
"Why? I totally lost it when Cal showed up," Rose leaned against him, feeling a little breathless from a mixture of the kiss and the rush of adrenaline.
"You did, but not at first. When you saw them harassing her, you put yourself right between them in the line of fire. At the beginning of the year, you were doing your best to avoid those girls. But when you saw them giving someone else a hard time, you turned into Buffy the Bully Slayer," Jack chuckled.
"You've come a long way, Rose."
"Not far enough though. Will there ever be a day when Cal won't make me want to bolt and run?"
"I don't know. But as long as I'm around, he's never going to get close enough to hurt you ever again. That is a promise," Jack kissed her once again, before taking her hand. "Come on. Let's get out of here. There's a date to get ready for."
"That there is," Rose smiled, letting Jack lead her to the entrance, unaware of Tommy standing in the doorway, witnessing them kissing like the couple they were. The Irishman just smiled.
"Way to go, boy-o," He grinned before heading to football practice.