Friday April 12

10 am

Atlantic Ocean

Jacqueline's POV

I got up early, probably an hour ago. My second day in this humongous ship. Just ate breakfast, freshened, brushed and dressed up all by myself. I was not that bad of doing these morning routines all by myself but I did small mistakes somehow.

Now I'm still reading Little Women, probably the second chapter. It tells that the girls' mother had left home because someone who she knows needed help. So while she was gone for awhile, her daughters made gifts for their mom and awaits for her arrival. When she just arrived after long hours, she told them to give breakfast to a family she's been helping. The girls gave their gifts to their mother and helped their mother out. A wealthy neighbor of theirs sent them dinner after giving away breakfast.

While reading this, I thought myself being humble to anyone else, no matter rich or poor. Also, I haven't thought of writing the letter to my parents yet. But I guess I need to think before writing. Otherwise, I might end up sounding like nonsense and mess up the whole thing. I just finished reading the second chapter but wondered if I can carry the book with me so I can keep on reading it. Oh well, I guess I'll have to carry it with me, I thought. I picked the book and carried it along.

I must go find Jenna in the second class deck. She might be ready to meet me.

Narrator's POV

In the steerage room, there were many crowded people everywhere. Some were sitting, other were sitting down. As if they were in a city bus, of course. Women were carrying her babies, kids were running around playing tag or hide and seek, men playing chess and old people chattering. In middle of the crowd, Jesse and Alex were spending time with Kenneth and Kristen. He introduced three of his friends to the brothers (one of them is surprisingly from first class but he came here to spend time with friends).

"Guys, this is Colten Hershel, Xavier Hedley and Ivan Brotherson. Ivan is from first class, but he came here to chat with us." Kenneth spoke.

The brothers greeted Ivan with handshakes and then to the other boys.

"Colten? You remember me? We used to be neighbors in our hometown before." Jesse suddenly asked him.

Colten's eyes widened a little; while Jesse brought him into memories, he began to remember it. A smile curved on lips.

"Oh! With Jaden?!" He realized.

Jesse nodded.

They laughed together and hugged at each other as friends.

"I wonder where Jaden's at now." Jesse spoke.

"You mean Jaden Belcher? He's here but in upper class. I'm not sure if he's busy or not." Ivan spoke.

"Well, I guess we might surprise him anytime." Colten told him and Ivan just chuckled.

Alex seemed a little bit dumbfounded when he heard the name Xavier. He seemed like he heard the name before. Maybe he knew him before! Well, for a long long time ago.

"Xavier...have we met before?" He asked.

A confused look crossed on Xavier's face but realization hits him, when flashbacks came into his memory. He remembered he used to play with Alex and Jesse a lot in the school playground.

"Oh my gosh, yes! How I didn't remember that?!" Xavier smiled and hugged Alex.

"Wait a minute, so you guys know each other?!" Kenneth asked with confusion.

"Yeah, we became friends since childhood." Alex spoke.

Kenneth understood it and laughed at himself for being stupid. Kristen just enjoyed seeing them recognize each other and reunite.

"Guess it's fate that they have met again to spend time here." Ivan smiled to Kenneth.

"Well, who knows?" Kenneth asked and looked at the four childhood friends reunited together.

Suddenly, an idea came into his mind to tell Kristen.

"Kristen...do you want to go outside on the deck?" He asked her.

"Sure, why not?" She smiled.

Just as they were about to leave, Kenneth spotted a rich-looking girl who just came down here in the steerage room. Kristen spotted at her too and curiosity began in her. He then realizes that it was the girl who caught Jesse's eye. She seemed self-conscious to herself because of steerage people staring at her. Some are in awe; others are curious.

"Who's that?" She asked.

"That's the girl of Jesse's dreams." Kenneth teased.

"Really?" She was surprised.

He nodded.

He then tapped on Jesse's shoulder and pointed at her coming towards him. Jesse turned and saw her. It was April. They smiled at each other.

"Hello, Jesse."

"Hello, April."

"May I speak with you...privately?"

"Yeah, of course. After you." He motions her ahead and follows.

He glances at his friends over his shoulder, one eyebrow raised, as he walks out with her leaving a stunned silence.

Ivan was shook of not knowing if these two had developed a friendship before.

"Is that the sister of my first class friend?" He whispered; amazement plastered on his face.

"Wait a minute, who are you talking about?" Alex asked Ivan in confusion.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I just recognized her of being sister of someone I knew." Ivan apologized to him.

Jesse's POV

April and I went outside, walking side by side on the deck. The sun was shining bright; the ocean was sparkled under its light. We were just chatting about random topics. We passed people reading and talking in the sitting chairs. There were some people who glanced at us a mismatched pair, which made us feel a bit awkward. But we just kept chatting around.

"Actually April, I wonder where have you been for a long time before we met again here. Have you fallen off from heaven again?" I asked her.

She stood silent and looked at me as if I said something off-topic. But no, really. I know she is human but she has something special that caught me attention. What could it be?

She looked down and seemed really shy to answer.

"I really don't why you asked me that...I'm just human." She nervously admitted.

"I know you are. Everyone is human, including me. But I see you...having something really special." I spoke with all my heart.

Her lips curved into a small smile.

"Look, I know what you must be thinking while I was gone! 'That little rich girl...was she thinking about me?'"

I smiled at her.

"Not only that. I was also thinking that it was fate to meet each other again...and getting to know each other more than before." I spoke.

She softly chuckled; so pure she is.

I suddenly remembered the girl who called her for her brother. I wondered if she's related to her.

"The young woman who called you last night when we're about to leave the library, was she related to you?" I asked.

"Not really. She was my high school friend. I guess my brother had a liking of her." She spoke with a smile.

And we giggled together as a teasing for her brother.

Jacqueline's POV

I was carrying the book and walking with Jenna on the deck. Goodness, the sun had never been so brighter than before; I have to shade my eyes with my hand. I was currently reading the third chapter of Little Women but I stopped in the middle of it, just wanting to talk with Jenna.

"So anyways, does your parents accept that you should go to America all by yourself?" I asked her.

"Yes, they do. I was born in America but we moved to England when I was three. They wanted me to go to America again to explore everything new over there." She told me.

Gosh, if only my parents would act the same as hers...

"Aish, you're so lucky to have those parents, eh? My parents are so overprotective, they wanted me to stay in home, or take me whenever they need to go. The only place I go all by myself is just school. As I grew up, I don't feel like being stuck at home. I don't fit in there. I wanted to explore everything I have never discovered before. I feel like I'm destined to be free like a bird who stretches out its wings and fly. I decided to leave everything behind from my home. They should have known that they should stop nagging at me...and let me enjoy life. They might not understand what freedom is like for me. I'm pretty sure that I made my parents suffer, but that doesn't mean I regret it. I could be a risk-taker you know." I honestly spoke.

I wanted to have my own life and the way I want to, not my parents. I see that Jenna's very impressed about my honesty.

"Wow...I can see that you're independent. Not all parents accept their children to go explore new places because of safety concerns. Like you said, you could be a risk-taker. I see that in you." She told me.

"Yeah." I deeply sighed.

"Anyways, would you like to meet my new friends here in this ship?" I asked her.

She shrugged her shoulders.

"Sure, why not?" She smiled and I smiled back.

Alex's POV

I was sitting on the deck with Jesse, April, Kenny and Kristen. The other friends of ours just went to their accommodations but we'll just meet them again anytime. I was just chatting with Kenny and Kristen while my brother's chatting with his girlf---I mean his friend.

We were just looking at Kenny's recent sketches he made. They look absolutely amazing.

"I love this one, Kenny." She pointed at the sketch of a father and a daughter at the rail.

"Same as I do. I like the pair of hands holding each other I drew." He spoke.

"I like this one, too. Can I show it to Jesse and April?" I pointed at a sketch of a pair of hands holding each other and handed me the sketchbook.

Kenny nodded.

"Hey guys, check this out." I showed the recent sketches of Kenny to them.

They saw the sketches and looked impressed. I smiled at them enjoying sketches; well, I love to see drawings, who doesn't?

"I have been into drawing since I was a kid. I told myself once if there was something I was best at, then this part would belong to me." I heard Kenny telling Kristen.

"Really? Wow, you have a gifted talent. You see people." She spoke.

"I see you." He spoke.

Silence between them just lingered. Was he saying that he sees her? Whoo, somebody's in love!

"Whoa..." I started teasing at Kenny; Jesse and April followed me along.

Kenny and Kristen stared at each other for seconds; I'm sure she was blushing so hard; she seemed in a daze when looking directly to his eyes But she pushes the shame away by asking him...

"And?" She asked him with a smirk plastered on her mouth.

"You are a masterpiece that I don't want to share with anyone else." He spoke.

And there it goes the silence to linger between them again.

I smiled like an idiot of hearing his pick-up line at her. And I heard Jesse whooped at Kenny and Kristen as a tease.

"Kristen, he likes you!" He teased by showing hearts, making April playfully slap his arm.

"Oww!" He overreacted, making themselves and me laugh.

Jenna's POV

Jacqueline and I kept walking and chatting around the deck. She asked me if I want to meet her friends and sure, I would love to. Who wouldn't want to make more friends? She then spotted her friends sitting on the bench. She seemed to have a bunch of new friends, all right. I was very surprised that how she would get new friends that fast.

"Ah, there they are. Don't be shy." She spoke.

"Oh, no. I'm not shy. It's just that...I don't know how you get a lot of friends that fast." I honestly spoke.

"Oh, well...beats me." She shrugged her shoulders and we chuckled together.

Jacqueline is one of a kind, I'm telling you.

We then walked towards her friends who are sitting together on the deck.

Alex's POV

I was chatting with Jesse and our friends, until I heard footsteps approaching towards us. It was Jacqueline and along with her, it's her new friend. But wait...is that the same girl I saw last night standing on the deck?!

"Hey, guys. I brought a new friend with me. This is Jenna Creese. We met yesterday so I just want you guys get to know her. She might be shy at first but she'll get used to it." Jacqueline introduced her to us.

Now I can see her face clearly; she seemed to be quiet and shy. Wait a minute, I think I recognized her before. Was she my...childhood sweetheart? She looked definitely pure as I thought, and yes, she is beautiful in this moment.

I'm nervous now, I feel my heart beating rapidly. Every step she takes towards the bench, my heart keeps pounding hard. I feel like my face going to get red and I don't want that to happen! I scooted over a bit more to give her space next to me. I was trying my best not to look directly at her eyes before she sits down.

I need to put myself together so I can look at her eyes calmly. I sensed that she is looking at me. I breathed in and out deeply to calm my nerves down. Although my heart's pounding hard like a hammer. I turned my head around and finally faced at her. And my eyes were focused on hers.

I feel like the time has stopped since the first second we looked at each other. Her eyes were filled with shyness yet serenity. I got lost into her eyes; she is something that I cannot explain.

Jenna's POV

I can't believe I didn't recognize Alex until now. He was an adorable, cute little boy and now...he has turned into a handsome young man. How would puberty hit him so hard?! But the pureness from his eyes is still there since he was a boy.

"It's been a long time since we last met as children, Jenna." Alex voluntarily broke the silence between of us.

"It has. I never knew that you would come here." I spoke.

"Neither do I. It's hard to explain why the time just went so fast." He chuckled nervously.

"Same here. After all those years of me exploring the nature around my hometown, spending time with my family and friends, studying...and now, here in Titanic seeing you for the first time after those years of childhood. I feel like I blinked for a split second. I see it." I told as if I can't believe it.

"I see you." He spoke with a smile plastered on his face.

What did he mean that he sees me?

"You see me as what?" I asked with curiosity.

"I see you and I...being pulled together by fate." He honestly spoke.

My heart pounded a bit quicker when he said that. He thought that it was fate bringing us together to meet again. I would think it's also fate, too.

Jacqueline's POV

I was standing at the deck, my back was laid against the railing. I'm seeing Jenna interacting with Alex, which is a good thing because she's having more friends this time. Jesse and April kinda flirting with each other.

And myself enjoying the nature surrounding me. The strands of my hair lets the wind I met Kristen and we started to get to know each other. She told me that she loved making crafts, writing her own diary and seeing Kenny's drawings. She then asked of what about me.

"Well, Kristen...I came from a rich family. In my childhood, I had a lot of friends to play games with. But as I grew up, I wanted to explore outside from my home...but they never let me go out all by myself. They don't really understand what enjoying life is about. It's not about money, fame, or anything material. Enjoying life is...happiness, freedom, full of unforgettable experiences...everything that comes out from the soul. I decided to move out instead of staying there and suffer the torture. But that doesn't mean I regret it. I'm too young be unhappy, feeling stuck inside of my home." I spoke out with all honesty.

I can see Kristen and Kenny paying attention of I was talking about.

"I see. You're just following your own path towards freedom. Your smile really tells us that you're finally free. You're following your own voice. I hope that one day everyone can see the differences you make and follow you." Kristen told her with a smile.

"Thank you Kristen." I smiled back at her.

"You know, we're all going to America for different reasons. Me as an artist already, I'm always welcome to try new things. If it is there for me to try, then I would like to give it a shot." Kenny told me.

Kenny's right about that point. Besides of enjoying my freedom right now, I want to try anything I have never tried before.

"I guess I should try new things when I go to America. Explore something new. That's my job." I spoke.