witching hour.

I’m going to live the best hot girl summer life just for you. Everyone else might as well just stop because I’ve already won the summer. I didn’t want to tell you but my biggest fantasy has always been you in crocs. Can’t believe you’re making my dreams come true. When did you cast the love spell? Was it the day we met? Bet it was because that’s the day that I made one for you.

I will, I promise. Just know that Gail is going to come out at some point and do some dumb shit. I’m going to need you to send someone to get me out of jail when it happens. We’re going to be the most romantic people at that baby shower. Evan will be so jealous. We sure can! I’ll order us some on Amazon and bring them over for our now very tame girls nights.

But sliders are just as comfy and just as easy to put on and they’re more stylish. It would take a lot of bribing and a lot of money to get me to wear crocs.

Why anyone wears anything other than comfy grey sweatpants is really my question. I think you’re living the good life with being able to wear them all the time. Crocs on the other hand..I don’t know but they’re good beach or garden shoes.

I am so happy for you, congrats! I bet that has to be the hardest part. I’ve had friends that have lost their minds thinking about names. I’ll be a fun aunt!

I look incredible in a crop top so hell yeah. I’ve been working out a lot lately so I’ve got my summer bod all ready just for this. I mean, if you weren’t already pregnant, the second I saw you in some crocs you would be. That’s just the effect they have on people. Anyone who says otherwise is lying. You mean to tell me I’m not already under your spell? 

Don’t worry, you can live your hot girl summer through me. I’ll make sure I have all the huzzah and wear really cute outfits that’ll put everyone else to shame. Wow, crocs? I don’t know if I’ll be able to handle that. We all know crocs is the most attractive piece of footwear anyone could have.

Don’t worry, Taissa. While you’re busy creating a life, I’ll be busy doing all the drinking for you. Just promise not to judge me too much when I show up to the baby shower hungover, okay? I’m so excited for you and Ev. Wear all the grey sweatpants you want, you deserve it.

Okay I’m all for the fuck hot girl summer, it’s a social construct to make women feel like they aren’t beautiful unless they are at the media’s standard of ‘beautiful’ but I draw the line at crocs.

Wait, you’re pregnant?! No way congrats! I’m so happy for you, do you know what you’re having yet, and will you let Aunt Alex see her after she’s born?

               the rather YOUTHFUL smile gracing painted lips only grew wider. jack truly was unlike ANYONE she’d ever met. unconstrained by convention ; unbothered by his limited means, living however he PLEASED. there was absolutely no way she couldn’t have been drawn to him upon their first meeting. she would’ve done anything to be like HIM. the night he’d joined ‘ her crowd ’ for dinner, she’d listened to his spiel– which had been FAR more impacting than any other conversation she’d ever heard– the rest of them had simply lacked substance, more often than not. it was then ; that she’d realized her invisions of freedom were undoubtedly in reach. “i SUPPOSE you’re right. i wouldn’t want to UPSTAGE the others, truly. surely, if i’d have shown them how i can stand on the very tips of my toes, no other would’ve even been considered for the part.” she couldn’t help but chuckle after her last sentence, her tone SEVERELY laced with sarcasm. since that night, marrying jack had only ever occurred to her in a DREAM and now ?? she’d been presented with the possibility of it truly happening & she couldn’t be more THRILLED. “jack, there’s nothing i want MORE than to grow old with you. we’ll be drinking cheap beer and riding horses into our nineties. i do hope you’ll never grow tired of me because we’ve got many, many years to come.” it’d been a statement she’d thought of when they were aboard the ship– though, THIS time, she’d do everything in her power to ensure it stays true. “i believe it should be JUST the two of us. i’d only need to spend the MOST significant day of my life with the one who matters most, really.” simply, tilting her chin towards the sky, she struggled to maintain a straight face. “forgiveness ?? why, you must first prove your worth, mr. big artiste.” jack’s lightheartedness, wit, and willingness to play along would certainly always bring a smile to her face– regardless of the situation. truly, only a FEW of the many things she loved about him. “jack, you’ve truly saved me in EVERY way possible– and i don’t believe i’ll ever be able to thank you enough. i don’t know what i’d ever done to deserve someone as REMARKABLE as you. as long as you’ll have me, i promise– we’ll never be parted again.” just hearing those words for the FIRST time was almost enough to make goosebumps grow on her skin. in turn, her grip on him had tightened, too. “have you been here long, jack ??”

promptly, the fiery-haired girl reacted to his touch, her head tilting in the direction of his hand. STILL completely enticed by the warmth radiating from him. long since THAT disastrous night, she’d been left with an awful ache in her heart. a void in her chest that only HE could fill. truly, she NEVER held such feelings for cal. their engagement was MERELY to save her mother from a life of seamstress work .  . and yet, rose was often called the selfish one. while cal’s love was POSSESSIVE, jack’s was real and true. cal desired to keep her hidden from the world, while jack did nothing BUT encourage her to seek out and follow her dreams. he was everything she’d ever needed. “oh, jack. i can’t even begin to tell you how often i’ve LONGED for this moment. the many, many times i’ve dreamed of it.” though, she still wasn’t FULLY convinced that this wasn’t one of her dreams and even if it were, she NEVER wanted to wake. her lips, too, curved into a wider smile, much like his. “yes, really. for a while, actually– even made quite the name for myself, too. starred in a few silent films– though, i never got the role of a BIG lead.” while speaking, she couldn’t help but feel the slightest pang of guilt. even though, she knew he’d be HAPPY to hear that she’d lived on, accomplished things, and stayed true to his promise– she still wasn’t able to EXPERIENCE it all with him. “mrs. rose dawson. i do like that. a lot. say we’ll get married, sometime soon, but it doesn’t have to be anything too extravagant. just something simple, yet rather beautiful.” the amount of people set to attend her and cal’s wedding had been quite OVERWHELMING, and it was definitely planned against her liking. her sudden SORROW had not been only held for cora but for TRUDY, mr. andrews, fabrizio, helga, and all of the others who’d perished that night, despite having such a FULL life ahead of them .  . but of course, she held the DEEPEST sorrow after she’d lost HIM, which she’d faced every day since. “you ought to never underestimate the talent of a first class girl, mr. dawson.” she simply reminded him, a low chuckle escaping her lips. when she felt his lips pressed to hers again, she easily kissed him back– knowing she’d NEVER get enough of the feeling. upon him pulling away, rose kept her face just inches from his. “i don’t believe i would’ve, either. i was just searching for a way out. a way to get from my mother, from cal, from my whole crowd .  . and then, you came along. you looked at me DIFFERENTLY than anyone ever had. you see people and you SAW something in me. you didn’t look at me as if i were this delicate little flower, you knew i was capable of so many things. to which, i finally realized it, too.” now, her arms were thrown around him, as she buried her face into the crook of his neck. “i love you, jack.”

the girl reveled in his warmth. it was quite honestly one of the most pleasant things she’d ever felt – for the LONGEST time, she’d been left with the memory of his hand frozen to hers, as she lay, their bodies numb in the below-freezing atlantic .  . and NOW, she’d been greeted by his golden hue and cordiality. “well, heaven or not – as long as i’m with you, i believe i’ll be fine.” completely LOST in his eyes, she continued to listen to him speak, very intently. his voice like MUSIC to her ears. the sweetest sound she’s EVER known. “jack, you don’t have to convince me of that. you’re more of a man than that insufferable bastard would EVER be. i never loved, cal – truly .  . and you know, i’ve never paid much mind to the mundane things in life. i’ve got you. we’re here. you’re here. it’s the one thing that truly matters. the ONE thing i could truly want.” she concluded that maybe now wouldn’t be the right time to discuss cal’s fate .  . how he’d lost all of his fortunes and offed himself. it was rather ironic, to be frank. “jack – THAT night. only ONE ship responded to the distress calls. i’d boarded and a steward had asked me of my name. i told him dawson – rose dawson. has quite a nice ring to it, doesn’t it ??” when she’d finally saw the statue of liberty that night .  . like for most, it’d become a symbol of freedom and only reminded her of the promise she’d made to him. that she WOULD continue on. do whatever her heart desired .  . and she did just THAT. at the mention of cora, rose couldn’t hide the sudden sadness that washed over her face. she couldn’t remember seeing the little girl aboard the carpathia with the rest of the steerage nor could she recall reading her name among a list of survivor’s that’d been published in the following days but she just DIDN’T have the heart to tell him. though, her attention almost immediately returned to the man in front of her. lips wreathing themselves back into a WARM smile as she followed his lead. “horrible ?? i do beg your pardon, mr. dawson – i don’t quite recall YOU being the one to stand on the very tips of your toes that night.” she knew he was only teasing, of course – but still, she feigned shock. “the night we were at dinner. before i’d met you, i’d felt as if i’d watched my whole life right in front of me while surrounded by an endless cycle of mindless chatter .  . and then, YOU. god, you were everything i’d needed. everything i’d ever dreamed of.”