Chapter 17: JACK IS NOT THE ONE HE USED TO BE!
That night Jack remained upset, he never felt so alone, he thought as if he lost the most precious thing, obviously losing your childhood friend is painful and it is not easy to forget the time you spent together, Jack was passing through the same trauma.
He was able to recall every moment that he spent with Alizy, he remembered when once he and Alizy were playing in the park nearby their locality, they were trying to kill a honeybee, and after a lot of struggle, they killed that honeybee as they both were very naughty so they decided to pack this honeybee and gift it to Alizy's mother.
"And Alizy you know how loudly your mom shouted even I got scared," he said and immediately look to his left, this memory brought a smile to his face, but soon that smile disappeared when he realized that Alizy is not sitting with him, she is not here rather she is nowhere.
The feeling that he will never see Alizy was killing him, he was frustrated, and he wanted to cry. He stood up, took that doll out of the cabin and put that in front of him, and said, "So, Alizy, do you know how much I love you, I just love your short hair, I just love to tease you" by saying this he started crying, he took that doll and threw it away,
"You are not Alizy, no one can be! She was the only person who used to listen to my useless ideas, who used to laugh over my senseless jokes, you can't be Alizy, no one can be!" he was crying bitterly.
He sat, placed his knees on the floor, and cried while looking at the ceiling, "Don't you know how much I miss you, Alizy come back! I am feeling so alone."
The tears wet his face, and he closed his eyes and the tears kept on coming, with the red face and wet eyelashes, he opened his eyes and said, "I promise, I will never ever tease you again, just come back! I promise I will even not call you or I will not come to your home, I just want you to come back! I know you liked me, but I kept on teasing you that is why you left me, alone! Oh, Alizy!"
He got up, took a deep breath, and went to the bathroom, turned the shower on without removing his clothes. He just kept on standing under the shower, he tried not to weep.
He put his hand on his chest, and said, "Alizy it hurts, it hurts so badly, I can't breathe properly, please! please! just come back, you always were my best friend, yes I do remember that after Stella I changed my behavior towards you, and I am very sorry" by saying this he grabbed his earlobe and said, " you are my buddy, my best friend, will not you forgive me?"
He was still crying, after half an hour, he turned the shower off, changed his clothes, and looked into the mirror placed in the bathroom.
His eyes were swollen, and his wet black curly hairs were covering his forehead, he went to bed to sleep.
The next evening, he went to Kevin's house.
He was shocked to see Andy and Stella there.
"Hey, Jack! we were just waiting for you", Andy said.
Jack did not answer.
"Are you fine?" Stella asked soon after noticing his swelled eyes.
Jack just looked at her and said nothing.
"He seems upset", Stella told Andy.
Kevin appeared, "Whoa, I love to see you," he said while looking at Stella.
"Why did you call me?" Jack asked carelessly.
"Whatever happened with Alizy was really heartbreaking, I just met her a few days ago and it is very hard for me to forget her, she was your childhood friend, I can understand how difficult it could be for you guys to come out from that trauma," Kevin said.
"Come to the point!" Jack said irritably.
"Jack calm down! yes, Kevin, you were saying something", Andy said.
"Yes, I just want you all to go somewhere, change in environment will help you guys to improve your mood and Jack! especially you! I want you to come with us, you seem so upset, I am being anxious about your mental health", Kevin said, but Jack interrupted,
"I do not want your sympathies!" Jack said with hate.
"Stop being so rude, he is just worried about us, stop behaving like this!" Stella said.
"I do not want anyone to care for me, and please don't call me again", Jack said and stood up to leave.
"It's fine, take your time guys, I just want you to take some rest from this depressing life, we will go somewhere, will stay there, and try to come out of this depressed life", Kevin said.
Everyone left.
Instead of going back home, Jack decided to visit Alizy's parents.
He went there and knocked at the door, Alizy's mother came, she was holding a handbag and there were a few suitcases as well.
"Aunt Helen! are you going somewhere?" Jack asked.
"Yes my son, we cannot live in this house, Alizy's memories hunt us, we miss her, and her father is sick for the last few days, doctors asked us to change the environment", Helen said.
"Can I just visit her room for the last time ?" Jack asked.
"Sure! but you will not able to come here again, as a new family will come to live here tomorrow", Helen replied.
Jack went upstairs, and opened the door of her room, he just kept on standing there, he was about to cry. He reminded the day when Alizy was so scared and he hide under her bed and tried to tease him.
Soon he left and went to his home, but he was unable to forget her.
The next morning, Andy's call woke him up.
"What?" Jack said soon after picking the call up.
"How are you?" Andy asked.
"What is it to you?" he questioned.
"Jack, I know you are not feeling well, I can understand your condition, please, let's join Kevin, you know we had a lot of fun with him, you like adventure and it is the best opportunity" Andy requested.
"I will think about it", Jack said carelessly and disconnected the call.
At night, he decided to go for a walk, while walking he headed towards Alizy's house, and just kept on standing he was looking at the house consistently and was thinking, that how he used to tease Alizy by throwing pebbles at her window.
A girl appeared from the window, Jack was still looking at the window and did not notice that girl.
She had short shadow-black hair, a cute doll-like face with thick eyelashes, and her eyes, her eyes were as deep as an ocean, soon she looked at Jack, and was immediately got attracted by his messed-up appearance.
"Why he is looking up? do I know him?" she questioned herself.
She went downstairs and opened the door.
"Yes?" she asked and with one hand she was tucking hair behind her ear.
Jack looked at her, he thought Alizy come out of the door, so he kept on looking at her and trying to find his Alizy.
"Do I know you?" she asked and Jack remained silent.
"Hello? Are you dumb or something? She asked.
He said nothing and turned to leave.
"Listen? I shifted here today, I got no friends so," she was saying but Jack interrupted her by saying, "none of my business!" and he left that place.
"That was rude!" she said to herself sadly and went inside.
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Maryam_Mayo
Maryam_Mayo This chapter brings the reader more near to the character of Jack. We learn the importance of a person or a thing after losing that. So the author has reminded the reader of this moral fact through the character of Jack. Jack himself unaware of his feelings for Alizy and her place in his life and the appearance of Stella made his feelings blur. But after losing Alizy, he came to know how much he loves her.
~Anam Siddiqui
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone