17
The next day Rose woke up a bit disoriented and surprised when she felt the warm body next to her. Her memory rushed back though when she looked up into Jack’s sleeping face. She smiled and ran a hand through his hair. Poor Jack. His life was as easy as hers was it seemed. Slipping out of bed, she decided to cook him breakfast. He was sure to be hungry when he woke up. Slipping out of bed she headed downstairs just as there was a knock at the door. Rose frowned and glanced upstairs where Jack slept. People never dropped by so early before. Could it be his mother and her Nazi boyfriend looking for Jack? Or perhaps it was Cal.
One thing was for sure. She couldn’t let them find Jack. Cal would tell Jack’s mother’s boyfriend where he was or they’d drag him away and most likely she’d never see him again.
"Rose it’s us," Helga’s voice rang out. "Open up."
Sighing with relief, she opened the door to see Helga and Fabrizio, who looked rather beat up.
"Oh my God, what happened?" she ushered them into the house.
"The Youths decided to retaliate. We were on our way here when we ran into them. Plus they questioned us to no end about Jack’s whereabouts," Fabrizio coughed.
"They didn’t follow
you here did they?"
"No. We made sure we had lost them before heading here. You
should have seen Helga. She found a rock and bashed one over the
head," Fabrizio laughed. Despite his injuries, he was in a
pretty good mood.
"What happened to your face?" Jack appeared at the bottom of the stairs.
"The youth again. They’re on the search for you Jack. It’s best that you stay indoors for a while."
"Great. I guess I’m fugitive number one now," Jack attempted laughter, laughter that did’t reach his normally cheerful eyes. "How are your parents Fabri? He didn’t hurt them did he?"
Fabrizio stared at the ground and said in barely a whisper, "He broke my father’s hand." He hadn’t wanted to tell Jack. He didn’t want him to feel bad, but he knew that sooner or later Jack would find out and feel terrible anyway.
"Shit. This is getting out of control. Now the people who help me are getting in trouble."
"Jack…don’t worry about it. My parents were glad to help, broken hand or not," Fabrizio tried to reassure his friend. He knew Jack would take the blame for his parents upon his own shoulders. That was just Jack. If something bad happens, Jack would feel like he was the cause, even if he was nowhere near the situation.
"But I do worry about it Fabri. What happened to your parents…it’s not right they shouldn’t be punished for helping me. I should never have gone there."
"Well we’re glad you did. You were in bad shape last night Jack. I don’t even like to think what could have happened if you hadn’t come to us," Fabrizio intently looked at his friend. "My father’s broken hand was not your fault. It was the Nazi’s. Do I make myself clear?"
Jack only stared at the ground and nodded. But silently he was thinking that it was much too dangerous to be around any of his friends, Rose especially. If anything happened to her because of him, he wouldn’t be able to live with himself. The best thing to do was leave and probably return to his mother’s and take the punishment that would be waiting for him.
"Why don’t we all go upstairs and listen to some music. Maybe it’ll take our minds off everything," Rose recommended, taking Jack’s hand once he reached her side. She was unaware of Jack’s decision to return home. If she was aware maybe she would have changed his mind.
"I’m all for that," Fabrizio smiled happily, getting to his feet, pulling Helga up along with him.
"Hey. Are you ok?" Rose noticed how quiet Jack had gotten as they start their way upstairs.
"Fine," Jack forced a smile, but everything was not fine. His heart beat a little faster in fear every time he thought about going back to his mother’s house. He knew that the fear would probably disappear if he just stayed here with Rose, but he couldn’t. He refused to put her in anymore danger then she already was.
Eight hours later, Fabrizio and Helga left and it was only Jack and Rose. They laid on the bed together, each caught in their own world. Jack was thinking of when he would return home and ways to avoid a violent confrontation with his soon to be stepfather. Rose on the other hand was thinking about how much she loved Jack and wanted to show him just how much. She just wasn’t sure how. Clearing her throat, she turned to her boyfriend and squeezed his hand to get his attention.
"I love you Jack," Her voice was full of emotion and her eyes sparkled with the love she felt, something so true and pure that not even the blackest hate could touch it.
"I love you too sweetie," Jack smiled, wrapping a arm around her shoulders, pulling her close.
"No…I really really love you. I…I just wish there was a better way to show it."
"Rose, you don’t have to show me how much you love me. I see it in your eyes, hear it in your voice. The fact that you’re letting me stay here is proof enough."
"Show me how much you love me Jack," Rose flirtatiously smiled, feeling more bold then she had ever felt in her life. She really wanted to be close to Jack. As close as two people could get, but she didn’t know how to broach the subject, so she decided to flirt, even hint at what she wanted.
"How do you want me to do that Rose?" Jack asked, already having a idea of what she meant, but he didn’t want to seem like he was jumping to conclusions. What if that wasn’t what she wanted? He didn’t want to come on too strong or scare her.
Rose snuggled closer until her mouth was right next to her ear. With a certain breathlessness, she whispered, "Take me to the stars Jack. Take me to the stars."
Jack looked at her, his blue
eyes bright with surpressed passion, concern, and love. "Are
you sure?"
Rose smiled and nodded. She leaned up and kissed him tenderly,
and then deepened in passion. She couldn’t wait to feel his
heart next to hers, beating in rhythm with one another.
"Nervous?" Jack asked, trying to gauge her reaction.
Rose just shook her head and kissed each of his fingers. She looks back up into his eyes and grasped his hand tightly. "Put your hands on me Jack."
Knowing full well not to disobey, Jack let her lead his hand to her right breast and before he knew it, she was in his arms and they were in a world of their own, floating above the stars.
After the love-making, Jack gazed lovingly into Rose’s green eyes, his love for her overwhelming him. She was a part of him now. He didn’t even know where she ended and he began.
"You’re trembling," Rose noticed, rubbing his sweaty shoulder in concern, worried that she had hurt him somehow.
"Don’t worry," Jack smiled down at her, his voice husky with bridled passion. "I’ll be alright."
Kissing his forehead, Rose laid his head on her chest and held him tightly, wanting to protect him from all the violence in the outside world. But sadly, the violence was going to disrupt their little world again soon enough, but their first time was something they never forgot.