Immunity Fire

Chapter 20

TWO YEARS LATER

Life has been empty since Alex and Zain parted ways. Everyone just felt like they were repeating the same routine over and over again.

Alex felt bored for the past two years, knowing he feels lonely with nothing happening. He kept constant track with his private Swordplay lessons with Alberron. He pushed himself to do what he hated the most; after six months in his second year, he felt warm to Alberron's methods. He pushed harder and harder than ever before. He kept fighting the thoughts about Zain to concentrate; but sometimes, he couldn't.

Natalie has been busy with her own time. Lucas couldn't find ways to annoy Alex without getting into trouble anymore. Everyone had their own mission to take on; yet it seems to be the same one but with no dependency on anyone but themselves.

Natalie's archery skills grew stronger and stronger; strong enough that she never misses a shot. She felt really conflicted with the story between Alex and Zain. She felt like she had to pick one side to be around with. She felt terrible for them. "I was right", she thought to herself, "Friendships are not meant to be on this island; they will crush and consume you into pain and suffering. I should have listened to myself from the very beginning." She couldn't face Alex nor Zain, so she decided to choose neither because she would feel guilty for betraying one and getting caught into a massive fight. She didn't want to get involved in anything anymore, so she decided from now on to shut herself out from everybody. It was as if the things between Alex and Zain actually hurt her.

Zain runs to Little Blue deep in the jungle whenever he doesn't have a lesson; that way he can hide from Alex. He was just too embarrassed to talk to him that whenever he sees him, even in a lesson, his legs begin to shiver and his heart races. Somehow a massive button is pushed and it makes a big difference.

He struggled with his lessons because his fear constantly distracted him. The only time he felt fearless was around Little Blue.

Zain punishes himself every night in his sleep, telling himself that he should have kept his mouth shut when he expressed his feelings that night. He should have been focusing on surviving more dangerous things out there than just a toxic relationship.

He couldn't even tell what he had with Alex anymore. They are most certainly not friends anymore. But he couldn't decide if they were either acquaintances or nothing; nothing as if the best times together in the Bronze City have been completely erased.

"I am such a coward! I am such a coward!" Zain kept repeating to himself every day and every night. Sometimes when he sees Alex dishing himself third year meat during the Lunching Hour, he runs away and starves himself; enough to get people to notice that he has gone unhealthily skinny and pale. Whenever he is scared to eat he would go to the beach and drink the strong salt water and either spit it out, or swallow it till eventually he begins to vomit.

Zain couldn't take this pain anymore. He felt like he would rather die than live through this hell but he is too scared to run away from it. He was caught in between what he really wants to do; for he felt trapped and caught in a life he was forced to have; a life that no one would ever want to bear. He couldn't even remember the last time he smiled. He couldn't even think of one good memory to please him; he wanted to pretend that his times with Alex never happened. Whenever trainers, including Barlows, try to help him, he lies that everything is okay or make excuses like he was stressed. Some people were afraid of his sadness; they didn't know what to do with him. Zain felt like his pain was chasing everyone away and that is how he honestly liked it.

Sameness has kept put, while change seemed to be out of sight.