Beyond The Fine Line

Chapter XIX - Under The Surface

St. James's Park was bathed in an eerie tranquillity. The usual hustle and bustle of the day had long since faded, leaving the park shrouded in a hushed stillness, illuminated only by the soft glow of lampposts scattered throughout its expanse.

The lake's calm waters reflected the dim moonlight, casting shimmering ripples across its surface. Tall trees lined the pathways, their branches swaying gently in the cool breeze, creating intricate patterns of shadow and light on the ground below.

Their footsteps blended with the night's stillness and the city's distant hum as they walked familiar paths towards their usual bench. It was in a secluded area of the park, away from the sight of random passersby. A place they had often found comfort in the past.

Victor's mind drifted back to the memory of that day they got detention. Since the beginning of the school year, Jay had worked his ass off to secure a spot in the exchange program at Institut Le Rosey in Switzerland. Victor knew how important it was to him. The program offered the opportunity to continue with education at the Institute for best exchange students. Something Jay could achieve, his ticket out.

Unfortunately, his mother failed to complete the necessary paperwork before the deadline despite multiple reminders from the school. Victor scoffed. She was too busy with work. He remembered that case. It was all over the news. As always, it was more important than Jay. His father may have been a megalomaniac bastard, but he was still better than what that woman put his friend through. As a result, Jay lost his spot and shattered like a glass.

Back then, it truly sunk in how alone Jay was... besides him, J.B., Vivi, and Tina, who joined their group a year before, there wasn't a single person in the world who cared about him. Still, Jay refused to tell others what happened and unwittingly isolated himself even more.

For a couple weeks, Victor had watched helplessly as Jay spiralled into the chain of self-destructive behaviours. Wild parties and reckless sex, drunken nights blurred into days. It was as if he was drowning and no longer cared what happened to him.

They were only sixteen, and Victor never felt so powerless. All he could do was watch the person, who went through hell with him, give up on their life so completely and utterly it scared the shit out of him.

That afternoon, Victor found him drunk out of his mind in the locker room by the gym. He tried to reason with him, promising they would find the way out as they always did, but Jay just shrugged it off. Then, he looked at him with these hollow eyes and a bitter smirk of resigned defiance.

"She feels sorry, so now I have ten grand a month. Might as well use it to drink myself into oblivion," Jay scoffed, tipping the bottle back for another swig.

"You're better than this," Victor persisted. "I know her shadow here is overbearing, but if you work hard as you did..."

"Because that's been working out so fucking brilliantly thus far."

"Then at least stick with me instead...," his voice trailed off at approaching footsteps, presumably a teacher. Victor didn't want to leave him alone through potential punishment. He grabbed Jay's bottle and took a large gulp just in time when the teacher opened the door.

As suspected, they were escorted to the Headmistress's office. Jay could barely stand on his own while Victor played the part, ensuring they weren't separated. He knew his father wouldn't go easy on him for it, but Jay had taken the fall for him many times in the past, so he could bear it this time.

Once left alone, Jay pulled out a bottle of 18-year-old Macallan. Victor had no idea where he kept it, but this whisky has had a specific meaning to them ever since. He tried to stop Jay from drinking even more, partially worried his friend would end up in hospital if this continued. Victor reasoned with him from every possible angle, but Jay wouldn't budge. At some point, he foolishly mentioned his mother.