Annebella_199
Legacy Name: Annebella_199

Clutching the letter I ran inside, holding it close to my heart, smiling to myself. Running up the stairs, I rush past Max. "What's that?" He asks, his eyes searching.
"A letter, from Jack."
"Why do you still keep in touch with him?"
"He's my best friend"- plus he actually listens to me, I thought. "Shoo, don't you have something you have to do now?"
"Fine, fine, read your little letters from Jack, tonight, I better get what I want." Giving me a look, he walked out of the room. Rolling my eyes, I slip my fingers under the slit. Tearing the envelope open, I realized something was wrong. Jack didn't write the letter, it was typed. One sentence stood out "We are sorry to inform you that Jack Dawson was one of the thousands that died when the Titanic sank." I sat there, motionless. My eyes kept reading those three words over and over again, each time wishing that it wasn't true. It couldn't be true; he was supposed to come back to me…my world ended.
"This will be the best day of your life, I swear."
"Why do you have to go Jack? Can't you stay here in Chippewa Falls with me?"
"I have no family here Annebella, I have no future, and there's nothing to offer here in America. Going to Paris, maybe I can get lucky there, maybe I'll make my name. All life is a game of luck, like a deck of cards; you play with what you're dealt."
"Marry me Jack, then you'll never have to leave me."
"I can't Annebella. I have ten bucks in my pocket, and nothing to offer you. There are plenty of fish in the water, promise me you'll try."
"None of the are you, but the waters I will test."
"Once I become worthy of you, I will marry you."
"Max has been watching me Jack; he's just waiting for you to leave."
"Don't worry Annebella, he promised me to take care of you until I come back"
"I guess… So where are you taking me?" I wondered, seated in the basket of his bicycle, he was taking me somewhere. If only I knew where. Stealing his hat, I put it onto my head.
"It's a surprise, you'll find out when we get there." Gosh, he was being so difficult; getting a straight answer out of him would take ages. Sighing, I gazed up at the clouds. Looking for shapes and pictures, I leaned against Jack.
"None of this makes any sense."
"That's why I trust it; life's too short to not take chances."
"Please stay here, I would die if you left me." Not answering me, he scowled.
"Annebella, do you really think that I would desert you here in Chippewa Falls? I'm going to Paris to start earning some money, and then once I made enough, I'll come back here to you."
"Promise?"
"Promise." His dark-grey-almost-blue eyes smiled. We arrive at the nickelodeon, and I laugh, "This is your idea of a surprise?"
"Yes, just you wait, it's a new one, and you're going to like it!" He puts his hands on my waist, and I jump into his arms. Headed into the theatre, I see that we are the only people there. It was a remake of Romeo and Juliet.
Giggling I said "Haven't we seen this before?"
"Not this version." I snuggle next to him in the seats, and lose myself in the movie. He whispered every line in my ear. Suddenly, he pulled me up; Romeo was asking Juliet to dance. Kissing my hand he asked, "My Lady, would you join in this dance with me?"
Curtsying I said, "Of course fine sir, I would love to accompany you in this dance." His eyes danced. The music bridged and became the jitterbug. We started dancing, his messy, blond hair flopping around. On the screen were photos of us mixed in with my favorites of his drawings. As each came on screen, a memory came to mind.

A drawing of the lake that Jack went ice fishing at. He told me this story so many times that I knew it by heart…
"When I was younger, my Dad took me ice fishing. Imagine, to be able to go fishing in the middle of winter! I was so excited. I wanted to catch the biggest fish. Then, I stepped onto a patch of thin ice. Scrambling, I tried to get back the safe, thick ice, but then it broke. And I fell through. Water like that, it hit me like a thousand stabbing knives. I couldn't breathe, I couldn't think, at least not about the pain. Then I got hauled up by my Dad, boy was I glad. From then on I thought that life is a gift, and I don't intend on wasting it. I'll never know what hand I'm going to get dealt next." His eyes were a hard steely grey when he said this.

A picture of Jack and me on his bike. A drawing of me in his lap. We were traveling by our usual means of transportation, me in the basket of his bike, to the lake. Our secret spot, where nobody could bring us back to reality.
"Where will you sit, when I have our picnic basket and my sketchbook on the handlebars?"
"Why I guess I'll just have to balance them on my lap" Grinning, I took the basket off of the handlebars and sat on top.
"Annebella, you are so stubborn." He teased.
I laughed "And you aren't?" He started pedaling; I lifted my arms out "Jack, I'm flying!" Laughing we made it to the lake. Pulling the blanket out of my arms, Jack spread the soft, red blanket onto the grass. "Are you ready for the meal fit for a queen miss?"
"My kind sir, I am always ready." We idly ate our lunch, me resting my head on his lap, daydreaming, and watching as the world passes us by. Sitting, he pulls out his sketchbook.
"Stay where you are, don't move." I smile up at him, he always gets hit by inspiration, and has to draw. I lazily reach up and twirl his hair. Wrapping it around my fingers, I stare into his eyes, more blue today then grey. They look at me longingly, the thoughts behind them untold. I loved moments like these, when he drew me. Jack's eyes mesmerized me. Finishing his drawing, he just stares into my eyes.
Suddenly, he gets up, yelling "I'm king of the world!" he rips off his shirt and dashes into the lake. Hot behind his heels, I chase after him, pulling off my sundress; I splash into the cool clear water.

A drawing of an apple. It was a drawing he drew when we spent the day picking apples one year.
"This is the most perfect apple there is. You can't find one that's more red, or ripe. You simply just can't." About to bite into the apple, Jack calls out "Wait! Since you said this apple is so perfect, I shall draw it."
"Why?"
"So we can savor its perfection after you have eaten it." Whipping out his sketchbook he looks me in the eyes, "Unless you only want to see it once, hey I would draw another apple, but it just wouldn't be perfect." Sighing, I agreed. He could draw the apple.
When he finished, he showed it to me. It was the perfect drawing of the perfect apple. Taking a bite out of it, I smiled. The juices dripped down my chin; it indeed was an amazing apple. I tossed it to Jack who caught it without difficulty, and he took a bite. His whole face lit up, he agreed with me. Tossing it back, we quickly finished the apple, leaving me with the core and the seeds.

The slide show ended, and so did the song. Reaching up to whisper into Jack's ear, I said "Live your life, don't forget about me, but don't let me tie you down. Just promise me you will come back, whether it's to marry me of to show me your new wife, promise me you'll come back."
"I promise." Jack swept me up into a kiss, and we spun around the room. Lips finally parting, we were both gasping for air. Jack thanked me for the night, and left for Paris. Leaving me behind, in an empty theatre, with only memories.

Max walked into the room, saying something about what was wrong. I paid him no attention. Jack was gone. Jack was coming back, and his ship sank. Jack died. I looked up to Max and burst into tears. I guess I will only have second best. Max was nothing compared to Jack. Heading off into the horizons, Jack left. And never came back. Never glancing back, your eyes only looking forward.