When She Was 18

A shadow from the past

Today is 14th April 1913. One year since that pathetic tragedy. Elena looks at that dress. She wears that one year ago.

Time is running too fast. 365 days ago, she still having fun in Titanic.With Edward.

Someone is knocking the door. She bets it is Charles. Yeah, absolutely right.

"What's up?" she asks.

"I have a surprise for you. Open the door," Charles shouts from outside.

"Wait...," she answers, opening the.door.

"Ta-da! For my lovely princess," he says.

"For me?" she asks.

"No. This is for an ex-debt collector," he jokes.

"Geez, you are annoying. But, thank you, anyway," she says.

"So, I want you to wear this tonight. I'll pick you for dinner at eight p.m. You better use some make up," he says.

"What's so special about tonight's dinner? We do 300 dinner in a year," she tells the fact.

"Every dinner is special, you know? And I want you to be happy tonight. Forget about the past," he says.

"Yeah, but lemme think about it today," she says.

"You are going to work?" he asks.

"Yeah, I spent all of my holiday to take care of you last year. Remember?" she asks.

"Yeah. But, hey, you didn't get holiday this year?" he asks.

"No. I'll get it next month. Just be patient, because you eat all of my holiday last year," she says.

"Um, yeah. So, I'll take are of your son," he says.

"Really? Oh, thanks. Restaurant crews is busy these last seven days," she says.

"But don't forget to have a dinner with me, tonight," he says.

"Yeah, I know. I'll use that dress," she promises.

"Great, I need to get back to my work," he says.

"You... Are working?" she asks.

"Yeah, because my boss is here," he says.

"How kind is your boss. He gives you lots of holiday a year, let you spend all of your time in the restaurant, and ask you to work just a few days in a year," she says.

"Yeah, but I always working everyday. I organize things to sell here. And that really make my pocket full of money," he says.

"You are work in the bussiness way, a flexibel way to get money. How lucky are you," she says.

"And you'll be the luckiest girl in the world if you marry me," he says.

"Damn you," she jokes.

"I need to work," he says.

"Yeah, thanks for taking care my son," she says.

"No, it's my duty for being a dad," he jokes. No, between joking and not.

"Shuh! Go! Go!" she says that like she says it to a fly. Joking.

"You'll sorry for doing that to your husband," he jokes.

"Whatever...," she says.

***

She looks at the mirror. Yeah, this dress is really cute. A white cute dress. She really love it! It really match with her slim body.

"Let's search for some accesories," she monologues.

"Um, bracelet, necklace, ring, umm," she is looking for the best accesories. And then she saw it. That necklace. She remembers it. She wears that one year ago, when she does party in the Titanic with the 3rd class pessengers.

She remembers that she does a great dance with Edward. The last night of Edward's life. She remembers her shadow in the mirror one year ago. Everything has changed. She can't see that wide smile again. That smile when she does her last dance with Edward.

She looks Edward's shadow. No, this must be a dream. But Edward is walks nearer to her.

"How long you'll stay?" she asks.

"As long as your imagination," he says.

"You... Are my imagination?" she asks.

"Yes, but no," he answers.

"So, are you... Alive?" she asks.

"It depend on your imagination," he says.

"No, I must be crazy," she says.

"It's okay. I'm crazy too. We can be crazy together," he says.

Charles...

"You are... Similar with Charles," she says.

"Whoever he is, I don't care. Whoever fills your heart, I don't care. I will always love you," he says.

"But...," she says, but stopped.

Edward is walking to her. Then he takes a necklace from the wardrobe.

"I love the dance we do that night," he says, wearing that necklace to her necklace.

"Yeah, me too," she says. Some tears is fallen to her cheeks.

"Don't cry," he says, swapping tears on her cheeks.

Charles is knocking the door.

"I gotta go," Edward says. Few seconds later, he is just some smoke.

"But," she says.

There's no answer.

"Elena, are you ready?" Charles asks.

"No, not yet. Five more minutes, please," she says.

"As long as you want," he answers.

She looks at her shadow in the mirror. Her eyes catches something. That dress. They have a same model, just a different color. How similar they are.

"Elena, are you ready?" he shouts.

"Yeah. Let's go," she answers.

"Your son?" he asks.

"Let's go to Ma'am Gertrude first. We need to drop my son there," she says.

"Yeah, but please open the door," he says.

"Okay, wait a sec," she answers.

***

"Two hot plate tenderloin steaks, please," he says to the waitress.

"As you wish," the waitress answers.

She remembers one year ago. That night, she had a dinner. With Edward.

And now, she is here, having a dinner. With Charles.

CHUSSSHHH. The hot plate make a noise in that restaurant.

"Ha! Let's eat, now," he says.

Elena turns her head back. There they are, a gang of girls, whispering how jealous they are. She laughs a little, then turns her head back.

"So, are you happy tonight?" he asks.

"Yeah, I am--," she says, stopped. Then she saw it. Edward! He is walking on the street, with an umbrella, because tonight is raining. Wears a black suit, like what he did one year ago.

He sit on a chair inside a cafe there. She runs outside. She runs to that cafe. To Edward's place. But when she is there, there's no Edward. Maybe, its just her imagination.

She grabs her necklace. And that necklace is real...