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Chapter 47 - two weeks later

two weeks later...

"I'm so excited for this!" Juliet beamed as she looked around the currently empty building.

The day had finally arrived for Aaron's big fight and the past couple of weeks had not been easy. Aaron had been training long hours all day, every day which caused nothing but worry in Sophie. However, she was more relieved that it was going to be over soon. After making a promise to him to show up in support, she had agreed to come while also bringing Juliet along with her.

It was the first fight they had been to together and it felt even stranger now that Juliet knew about Andrew. She imagined what it would have been like if he was still here. She wondered if they would have come along to these to support their brother and if their parents would have approved.

"But you look like you've just seen a ghost."

"I'm just nervous." Sophie laughed as her eyes skimmed over to the ring in the centre. "He's been training so hard for this because the guy he is fighting is naturally higher skilled."

"I know but he will be fine." Juliet reached out to squeeze her sister's hand. "He told you this."

She wasn't as sensitive or nervous by the danger of these fights. She had only seen a few and that wasn't enough to see the mess it could all get into. However, Sophie had grown up watching Andrew so she was a lot more aware. It was a key reason she had been scared off from coming to see Aaron and it was being made worse due to the stress he had been put under leading up to this one.

"Yeah... I hope so."

As Sophie took a much-needed deep breath to calm her nerves, she was just about to go and find Aaron before Jess' muttering brought her to a stop.

"Oh shit..." She trailed off causing Sophie to look at her in confusion.

"What?"

Following her line of vision, it didn't take long for her to catch on with what her eyes were so focused on.

"I haven't seen him since the party that night."

Jack was currently strolling into the building with a large group of his friends. He was completely unfazed by the many faces turning to gaze and gawp at him and instead kept his focus ahead. Jess hadn't seen him at uni over the past couple of weeks which was unusual considering he was usually so difficult to miss.

She didn't know where he had been but there was something really different about him. His hair was lighter, his skin had been inked with a few more tattoos and his whole aura just looked more content.

He had been a mess and full of anger at the party that night yet this version of him was completely different.

"Aaron said he's been at home." Sophie replied as she also watched him.

"For 2 whole weeks? Why?"

"I don't know... you saw more than I did that night but apparently he was in a bit of a state." Sophie began. "I think it was the anniversary of his mum's death. Apparently, he was trying to numb the pain by getting drunk out of his mind... but it seemed to work in the opposite way."

Thinking back to that night, the only memories Jess was able to hold on it were negative. Although Jack had been drunk, he had still completely cracked when he lashed out at Corey. He never came across like a violent guy however, now it all made some sense. She couldn't help but feel an intense pain and sadness for what he must have been going through while also not opening up or telling anyone.

Jack had thought that throwing a party with his friends would help him forget and shut out every feeling he was experiencing. However, it had failed and he had ended up letting them get the best of him.