Theme song: An Irish Party in Third Class-Gaelic Storm
The party down in the third class galley was the most exhilarating feeling that Thomas had ever taken a part in. This party was indeed very alive, compared to the one he was in earlier, where he was just sitting and listening to banter, and that they were doing nothing interesting in particular, just that he only needed to sit at the table, and feigning interest as the men around him talk politics and such, the things he had no interest in. Down here in third-class, no one cared about status, fame, money, or even royalty. Everyone here seemed to enjoy themselves, letting their cares convert to dancing and other fun festivities that the third-class had to offer. He was also shocked that he shared a grand ship with these people as well, but he felt he belonged with this class more than where he was.
Thomas took a seat, next to a drunken man who was also eyeing him intently, thinking he was a female passenger who had come from the upper classes. Like an Irishman he offered his glass, only to fall off his seat. Others laugh at the man, while a couple of men offered a helping hand to the sauced man, and helps him back to his seat. Meanwhile Jack is up on the platform, dancing with a little girl who appeared to be no older than five. There were also a few more on the platform, as he watched two friends twirl with each other, others were clapping with the rhythm of the jig of the Irish music.
"Is it okay for me to put my hand here?" Fabrizio asks Helga, as he places his hand on her waist, and she nodded. "Okay." They both swing around the platform to the jig. Thomas continues to watch them, until a Swede approaches the lone man sitting at the table. He began to ask something to Thomas, to which he replied, "I don't understand you." and continues to watch his 'boyfriend' dancing with a little girl on the platform. It was already hot and stuffy as Thomas had on only his shirt, as he removed both his jacket and vest. Just then Tommy appeared with three glasses of beer, and he offered Thomas one. Thomas takes the beer, and he watched Thomas, contently as he drank his fill. Suddenly, there was a loud crash, and Thomas averted his gaze, as a man was being helped up from his drunken stupor. Another man seated from Thomas was laughing as hard as he can, even slamming his glass down on his table, and the liquid shot out of the glass. He was soon helped back on his feet and was given another round of drinks. Thomas laughed, and continued to clap to the music. Jack and Cora Cartmell continued to dance to the very end.
Soon the music stopped, and everyone cheered, with Fabrizio yelling "Bravo!"
Another jig began to play, and Thomas heard a slight familiar Western beat into the Irish music as it began to start. Jack turns his attention to Cora, telling her, "I'm gonna dance with him now, alright?" pointing to Thomas. She slowly nodded, then he grabs Thomas' hand, trying to pull him up to the platform.
"What?" Thomas says, not comprehending what is happening, as Jack excitedly pulls Thomas from his seat.
"Come on," Jack says, excitedly.
"No, Jack, wait." Thomas yelps, but Jack had a firm grip on Thomas, and he was out of his seat.
They both stood at the platform, and Jack smiled, among the cheering crowd.
"Jack, I can't dance. Not like this." Thomas says, looking down at his clothes.
"We're going to have to get a little closer..." Jack says, smiling, as pulls Thomas closer to his body, "...like this." Thomas felt a little nervous, as he had never gotten close to any one before. His heart began beating even faster now, even before the festivities got started. Jack soon took in Thomas' scent, a mixture of vanilla, soap, but what he noticed was Thomas' lush hair, as he smelled shampoo of sorts, all mixed in with a tinge of cigarette and champagne, and Jack loved it. Meanwhile Cora was a little saddened, as she was forced to watch from the sidelines, and Jack had to dance with a man who looked more beautiful than him. He tells her, "You're still going to be my best girl, Cora." With that, she felt better, and gave him a small smile. Soon, Jack and Thomas were away, jumping to the rhythm of the music.
"I don't know the steps, but let's go with the flow." Jack says, as Thomas tries to keep up. Soon, they were hopping all over the galley, in tune to the music, as Thomas was trying to catch some air, as he was already out of it, but nonetheless, he was enjoying himself, something he never got to do in a long while. Jack soon saw his friend Fabrizio and Helga up on the platform, and he wanted to go up there too.
"No, Jack, wait." Jack pulls Thomas up. With the music playing, he felt like he was in an old western bar again, as the platform had a wooden base. With Jack performing his footwork, it reminded him of an old 1890s style pub, and with music playing, it felt like it had a little bit of western vibe, with the Irish jig mixed in. He also performs his footwork, to the beat of the jig. Thomas lets his hair fall as he performed, then watches Jack perform before he was thrust back into dancing once more.
Meanwhile back in the upper first-class Smoking Room Cal and the other men were engaging in a sort of political discussion, in stark contrast to the fun Thomas was having several decks below, amongst the third-class.
Tommy was engaged in an arm wrestling match with the Swede that tried to talk to Thomas earlier. Thomas grabbed both beers while the men continued to arm wrestled, and handed one to Jack, before he nearly downed the entire glass, while Jack looked on, astonished. Thomas looked at Jack, with a little froth on his lip. He smiled once more, before letting out a loud burp, and a small hiccup escaped, and he seemed to lose his balance.
"You're a beautiful gentleman, and yet you drink like my late father." Jack smiles.
"I might a little rich boy, but I can have the same amount of fun as these people." Thomas says, with a slight slur, and he wipes the foaming froth off from his lips. Then he points at Jack. "Especially with you." he smiled at him, before finally drinking his fill. Soon the Swede wins his round, after knocking both their beers off the table, then looks over at Thomas, as if to challenge him.
"No problem," he says, as Tommy moved out of the way. Thomas rolls up his sleeves, and takes his seat. They both clasped hands. This time, the Swede was having a hard time as Thomas was much stronger than he looked. The Swede was using all his might to overtake Thomas, while the crowd yelled and cheered, and one young woman wiped a sweat from Thomas' brow. Eventually, the Swede got tired, and Thomas wins his round. The Swede flexes his fingers, as the kid in front of him had a vise-like grip. Thomas stands back up, and joins Jack, before someone stumbles into Jack, making him knock over his beer onto Thomas. Thomas gasps and spat out the liquid as Jack led the man away, telling him to get lost. He turns back to Thomas, with a shock look on his face, but Thomas simply laughed it off, then continues to drink his beer as well.
Unbeknownst to Thomas, Mr. Lovejoy was sent to the lower class in search of Thomas. The place below was still hopping, people of various ethnicities gathered around, enjoying themselves to the sounds of Irish music. He finally sees Thomas, his dark hair flinging wildly as he was being whirled around with that vagabond. He had also appeared to misplace his jacket and vest that Cal had bought for him, back in Paris. Since he located Thomas, he felt his job was finished, as he turned to head back to first class.
Thomas wished this gigantic party would never end, but he knew he had to return back to his stateroom, as it was getting a little bit late. A passenger wanted to return the jacket and vest he had been temporarily wearing back to Thomas, but he told the man to keep them, sort of like a gift, and with that he left. Jack soon followed him as well.
Theme song: Caribbean Blue-Enya
Despite the bitterly cold North Atlantic night air hitting the couple Thomas and Jack strolled the boat deck without their coats. They were laughing and talking once more, until they arrived at the First-Class entrance, but they do not enter, not just yet, as they did want the evening to end. It had felt like it just started, but the fun they had below decks, it had indeed went by much faster. Even though the doors were closed they could still hear an orchestra band playing in one of the elegant dining rooms. Thomas leans against one of the lifeboats, as Jack leans against a davit. Jack looks at Thomas, even harder now, as he tries to find the right words.
"You're not one of them, Thomas. There's just no way." Thomas looks at him, as he smiles.
"Like?" Thomas raises an eyebrow, then turns to the endless night sky, as he was still leaning next to the lifeboat.
"You had fun back there. There's no way you're one of the first class. You had the charm, the charisma, that these people lack. Your energy was radiant throughout the night, and there's no way anyone could match that. It...its like you're sent to the wrong recipient, what, with all the fun, not caring, you have it within you." Jack even laughed.
"You even have the strength to take on someone much larger, and seemingly stronger than you, and yet, somehow..." Jack looks down at his own hands.
"Look, a shooting star," Jack looks up in time, as it flew across the endless, starry night sky. Thomas has his hands in his pockets, now standing away from the lifeboats, as he chews on something.
"That was a long one. You know, my father used to say that whenever you saw one, it was a soul going to heaven." Jack says.
"You know, I never heard that one before. That's a great one. Aren't we supposed to make a wish on it?" Thomas pulls out the tiny piece of splint from his mouth, that he had scraped off the side of a lifeboat, and had been using it as a toothpick. Once he was done he throws it overboard, the wind catching the pick, and sends it out to the darkness. Jack suddenly looks at him once more, and they both realized they were standing much closer than they really were. They both had the sudden urge to kiss each other, until suddenly Thomas asks, "What did you wish for?" in his softest voice, as he lightly strokes Jack's cheek.
Jack looked at this beautiful young man sadly, as a huge lump began to form deep in his throat. He swallowed hard, to contain his sadness.
"Something I can't have." He smiles sadly, as his eyes began to tear up. "Good night, Thomas, and thank you."
"No, thank you, for showing me the way." They both exchanged a long, warm embrace, then Thomas heads back into the First Class door, the door closing shut behind him, and he was gone.
Back to his world once more. Jack let his tears fall, as he found someone with a like mind as himself, only he was trapped in a world he despises, and was trying to look for a way out.
Jack finally arrived back to his cabin, as Fabrizio and the Swedes had already turned in for the night. He unties his shoes, then slowly crawls into bed, his tears lightly falling once more. Eventually, he smiles, as he finally falls asleep. So much had happened in one day, yet he enjoyed every second with Thomas. He still remembered his scent from earlier. God he smelled wonderful. He hoped, after all, there would be a future for the both of them, as he drifted off into a dreamful sleep.
The last image he had before finally drifting off to sleep, was the image and the sound of Thomas' laughter, in his soft yet deep voice, and of his subtle dimples.