Sanchez

chapter-14

Chapter-14

Two hours and forty five minutes.

That's how long the proceeding went. The long agonizing hours of their lives so, many questions were asked. Too personal, too uncomfortable they were doubted but, they say truth always find a way. Its funny how it all went down, nothing could make that moment more painful and serene at the same time. From one side they felt a ton of baggage been lifted but, a pinch they felt wasn't unnoticed. To see their former best friend losing the battle he himself started.

Mark will serve two years in prison and have to serve five hundred hours of community service. It wasn't harsh punishment but, enough to make him realize what he did; not be accepted and appreciated in eyes of laws.

Sanchez heaved sigh of relief and so does Jackson and Maya "that was something" she said "if it was some drama shit, I would be skyrocketing the IMDb charts."

"This chick is super weird" Jackson voiced his thoughts "let's get out of here" they all got up and like other people they too went out of the court room.

They were approached by their lawyer "are you ready to meet him?" the question was directed towards Jackson and Sanchez.

"Yes" Sanchez replied for both of them.

They were taken to a single small room with just few chairs occupied the space and there was him, Mark sitting lost in his thoughts. He seems defeated almost.

Sanchez cleared his throat to catch his attention. Which they successfully got "how does it feel like?" Sanchez asked "being on the other side, defeated"

Mark sat their quite just watching them with his numb cold eyes "you won't know how is to look from cold heart" he said after a few seconds "to ruin what you cherished the most" and his eyes flicked towards Jackson.

"Then why not speak" Jackson asked "you could have shared"

"And then" mark laughed that hollow laugh which sends chills around you "what could have you done?"

"Atleast helped you" Sanchez bit "but, you ruined everything" couldn't say more the emotions were too much for him, suffocating him to say more.

"But it doesn't matter now" Jackson muttered from his place "we are not here for reunion or anything. We are here to let you know never, I mean it never approach us. We hope you do get better but, whatever we had is done deal now. You wrote this part for yourself and only you can suffer in it. We had our bit now it's your turn, I hope it haunt you too like it did to us." Jackson poured his emotion his eyes spoke more than his words. His hurt was unthinkable to any of us.

"I did love you, you know" mark muttered "I did so much I still do. I know it doesn't matter now. I know you both believe me any way. But, I did love you; both of you especially Jackson. What done is done? We can't rewrite the stars. It's a final goodbye then" he spoke

Neither of them said anything for good two minutes but Sanchez couldn't take it anymore moved a little closer to where Mark was sitting "it was long overdue" and punched him right across his face hard. So hard he fell on the floor.

"Never show me your face" with those parting words they left their past behind those closed doors towards their future.

Nobody tells you the guilt you carry for someone's action is just as heavy as your own. Even heavier sometimes, the binding strings makes you vulnerable; lost and detached from your being and world too. One thing that Sanchez learned past few months is either you let it drown you or you find your shore because no one will help you until and unless you are willing to do it.

There are many Marks out their even worse but, you have to fight your won battles. You and I have to learn. It's hard very hard to cope but, somewhere and somehow you have to find the silver lining. We can't let them rule our days and night with tormenting nightmares. Such people feed from others fear making them feel bigger, important but, truth is they are nine. They are inferior bullied by someone or by their own sick mind.

"How does it feel?" Sanchez suddenly blurted out to Jackson when they were out of the suffocating room.

"Honestly" Jackson sighed "quiet good like a heavy curtain been lifted. You"

"Me" Sanchez "it's like finally I could breathe." he paused "you know but, when the ordeal with you happened and all that fiasco I kind of blamed myself that I couldn't help you nit even a little. It ate me alive but, now I think its true everything happen for reason. There is right time for every reaction. I understood it now." he shared his feelings.

"Hmm" Jackson hummed in agreement "I think you are right. So what's next?"

Sanchez shrugged his shoulder threw his arm, around Jackson's shoulders "now I need a good night sleep because I tossed and turned in anticipation all night."

Jackson laughed at Sanchez's goofiness "only you can think of sleep right now."

"Well" Sanchez said "I'm one of a kind."

"That my friend" Jackson matched his tone "is absolutely right" their fun filled conversation lasted just a few seconds before their families discovered them.

Sanchez's aunt is the one who broke the silence "so, how does it went"

"Fine" both the boys said together.

Sanchez knew his aunt can sense his relief through his eyes. She is better at reading people and even better knowing their hidden secrets.

"Just fine" Sanchez's mom enquired "nothing happened right"

"If you asking if we did something we shouldn't" Sanchez said "then I just socked him in face, that's 'all no biggie right." looked innocently at his mother face. Whose frown only deepened?

"Sanchez" his aunt warned him "what she asked?" he pouted

"let's go" Sanchez muttered "I need a goodnight sleep."

"it's just noon" his mom again told him

"Well details" Sanchez dismissed with flick of his hand and dragged Jackson behind him who complied without any complaints and others just trailed behind two happy teenagers. but, a voice halted them all in mid step much to Sanchez's liking.

"Sanchez, Jackson" Maya said and came jogging towards them her family too accompanied her.

"Now what" Jackson exclaimed and not in good way either

"I want to" Maya started "just thank you for doing this today. it means a lot to me." she thanked the again.

"It's not a big deal" Sanchez breathed out "it has to be done sooner or later."

"But still" Maya insisted "I'm thankful that you helped me when I needed the most."

"Yeah yeah" Jackson trailed of "you are thankful, we are thankful now let's not meet ever" he suggested.

"Like I'm dying to meet you" Maya grumbled "I'm here to thank Sanchez" he supplied

"We; you did he heard" Jackson pointed out "now shoo" made the shooing gesture at her. Their family just smiled at their interaction fondly; just happy to see them being their own self not the shell they were beginning to be.

"The way you act someone would think you like me" Maya bit back

"Oh honey" Jackson tusked "that would be my worst nightmare"

Sanchez laughed and said "he like bananas not cherries" which earned him slap from his aunt and mother both but, it didn't fazed him.

"Whatever" Maya grumbled "I just want to thank that's all. Well I see you around."

"Sure"

"Please don't" Sanchez and Jackson said simultaneously.

Maya just rolled her eyes at Jackson words and with the final goodbyes they went with their respective families. To heal and come to the terms life happened to them and they survived.