Weeks of uneventful meetings at the support group passed sluggishly. Jack found himself dreading each meeting less than the one before. His search for the mysterious girl of his dreams quickly faded away and he convinced himself that it was simply a phase he had gone through. That perhaps it had been so long since he could enjoy the pleasures of loving a woman, that he conjured one on his own.
His mother saw how well he was doing, she was so proud and insisted he begin thinking of moving out. He had always thought it a shameful thing that he had to drop out of school in order to care for his widowed mother, he was endlessly laughed at by the support group but learnt to shut out their voices.
He had begun his search for a job, and found a well-paying one soon enough. He started saving up money slowly.
Jack had later come to know that the name of the quiet, kind girl who always sat three seats to his right was Lucy. He smiled at her name, finding it common, just like his own. She was a strange girl, never participated in group discussions and barely spoke to anyone.
Never to him. He often stole glances at her and found that she was already looking at him. She would shyly look away and try go recover. He wondered how old she was. Eighteen? She couldn't be close to his age, no one there was.
Jack liked to think that they were communicating in some sort of Morse code that no one else in the group would decipher. Glancing and nodding at each other. A glance that lasted three seconds often meant he was saying hello, she would reply with a slight nod and a barely audible sigh.
This became a routine he grew to enjoy.
But they never spoke to each other. He sometimes tried to approach her as she was leaving the small hospital basement but she always rejected his advances.
He soon stopped, but the teasing eye contact continued. She never really seemed happy, so he tried his best to silently keep her company.
It was then that Jack realised there are two types of people: those who were sincerely seeking help, and those who were stuck: only there to leave as quickly as they had gotten in.
Jack would be leaving the group soon, seeing that he had done so well in changing and being happier. He was ready to turn a new leaf, and was loving every moment of bliss.
