I lie there, staring at the sky for a few moments before I roll to my side and push myself up. On shaky legs, I slowly make my way home. After cleaning up my bloody nose, I change my clothes and begin to pack. It doesn’t take me long to pack my duffle; there’s nothing really that I want to take with me. The one thing I want to take, I can’t. With a sad sigh, I close the door on my room for the last time. Putting one foot in front of the other, I head in the direction of my future: my lonely future without Bailey.
As I pass McLaren’s, my eyes brim with tears as it hits me that I will never see Bailey again. With my heart in tatters, I continue to the docks.
The dock is in sight when I hear my name being called. Glancing around, I can’t see anyone, so I put one foot ahead of the other and I keep walking towards my future, my lonely non-Bailey future. Again I hear my name, but this time I recognise the voice. With a smile, I spin around to see a frantic Bailey racing to me. She’s panting in front of me. “You can’t get on that ship!” she shouts, tears cascading down her cheeks as she throws herself into my outstretched arms. “Please don’t leave me. I love you, Nate. Please stay.”
Dropping my duffle, I reach up with the pad of my thumb and I wipe away her tears, but my efforts are pointless as her tears continue to flow. “Shhhh, Bailey. I love you too, but I need to go, even though it pains me to leave you behind.”
“You can’t, Nate. Please don’t leave me,” she whimpers and begs me again. This right here is why I snuck away; I didn’t want to see her like this. Wrapping my arms around her, I pull her close to my chest and hold her tightly for the last time.
Stepping back, I grip her cheeks with my hands. I lower my lips to hers and I kiss her with everything I have. Breaking our kiss, I rest my forehead against hers. Closing my eyes, I breathe her in, and quietly whisper, “I will always love you, Bailey, always from here to eternity and beyond, but I must go.”
“If you love me, you will not get on that boat, Nate. Please?” she begs, her eyes are full of fear.
Before I can reply, a stern voice yells from behind her, “Bailey, get away from that boy, now!”
Looking up, I see her father glaring at us. She spins on her heel, places her hands on her hips, and says, “Father, I love him. I’m going to America with him.”
Tugging on her arm, I spin her around and gaze into her hazel eyes. “You really want to come on the Titanic? Start a new life in America with me?”
Nodding her head, she replies, “Yes, with all my heart, Nate,” as she wraps her arms around me tightly.
I’d love nothing more than for her to come with me, but I cannot offer her the life that he can. As much as it kills me to do so, I again push her towards her father, who is silently pleading with me to do so. “No, Bailey, you must stay here.”
“For the first time ever, I agree with him. Bailey, you need to stay here and marry William.” Lord Beckett’s face is pained as he says this, before sternly adding, “That is final.”
“No, Father, please?” she begs. My heart breaks seeing her like this, but I know I must do this for her. “Please, Daddy, please,” she begs again as I push her into her father’s arms. When she is in his grasp, he grabs her wrist and pulls her away from me.
Bending down, I pick up my duffel and I walk away from my one true love.
With each step I take, my heart breaks.
With each cry I hear from Bailey, my heart shatters.
With each breath I take, a piece of me dies.
It takes all the willpower I have to keep going, but I know that I must do this, even if it pains me to do so. Finally, I’m in line to board and I can no longer hear her cries. Instead, I hear excited murmurs of the passengers, the staff is issuing commands, goodbyes are uttered, tears are shed—both happy and sad, while those on shore cheer in excitement and glee. It’s exhilarating, but at the same time saddening.
Walking away from Bailey is the hardest thing I have ever done in my life but I know that I am doing the right thing…I hope.
Once checked in, I make my way to the upper deck. Walking over to the starboard side, my eyes take in the scene before me, and I’m still amazed that I’m doing this. I’m currently standing on the top deck of the grandest ship in the world, about to start my next adventure, but rather than happiness and excitement coursing through my veins, I have heartbreak and despair.
The engines roar to life, and soon enough, we pull away from the dock and we are on our way, finally the Titanic sets sail for New York. The fanfare from those on land as we depart is grand, just like the ship, and for the first time since boarding, a small smile escapes my lips. Staring out at to sea, I watch as we sail away from Southampton. My heart shatters once again and I sigh as a lone teardrop lands on the handrail.
7
Bailey
Waking up with a smile, I stretch out and my body aches from head to toe—not in a ‘Oh my God I’m dying’ way, but in an ‘Oh My God, I had the best night of my life. I want to do it again’ kind of way. Closing my eyes again, I reach over to where Nate is, but I’m met with nothing but a cold sheet. My eyes pop open. I look around our barn and my heart shatters. Nate is gone. “No!” I shout to the empty space.
Readjusting my clothing, I race out into the morning light and sprint back into town to find and stop Nate. I’ve never run as fast as I am right now. Heading straight to Nate’s, I bang on his door. “Nate, open up, it’s me!” I shout. I continue to pound on his door, but I know in my heart he’s not here. Resting my head on the cold timber, a tear falls down my cheek, splashing on the pavement below when I hear a ship’s horn bellowing in the distance.
Turning on my heel, I race down the street towards the Southampton docks. Rounding the corner at the end of the street, I see the back of Nate’s head and I yell out, “Nate! Nate!” I shout it over and over. It seems everyone but him turns around. With one final shout, “Naaaaaaate,” he looks over his shoulder. Our eyes lock, and just like the first time we met in McLaren’s, everything else fades away and it’s just us. He is frozen staring at me as I race to him, tears pouring down my face. When I’m in jumping distance, I leap and throw myself at him. He quickly drops his duffle and catches me, wrapping his arms tightly around my waist.
Lowering my legs, I pull back and stare at him, tears streaming down my face. He lifts his hand and with his thumb, he wipes away my tears. We stare at one another before he envelops me in his arms and I melt into him. Nate whispers sweet nothings to me and I beg him to stay, but he is just as stubborn as I am and says he has to go ‘for me blah blah blah.’ I don’t understand why he keeps saying that. He and I are meant to be together: I feel it with every fiber of my body, with every kiss, with every touch; we are two halves of a whole. The kiss he just gave me proves that. His hands are still gripping my cheeks when he whispers, “I will always love you, Bailey, but I must go.”
“If you love me, you will not get on that boat, Nate. Please?” I plead, but Daddy bellowing at us interrupts the moment.
Turning around, once again I beg for him to let me be with Nate, but my pleas fall on deaf ears. I must be in some parallel universe because Nate is now agreeing with Daddy. “Please, Nate. Let me come with you?” I beg once again. He grips my cheeks, tenderly places his lips on mine, and kisses me possessively one last time before he pushes me towards my father. Daddy holds me to his chest as Nate bends down, picks up his duffle, and walks away from me...from us.