Friendship Has No Goodbye

Chapter 16

As mentioned before, Jack and Selene became really good friends since Christmas. She trusted him with her thoughts and opinions. On a particularly depressing day in January, she asked Jack to meet up since she wasn’t doing so well. Ben, who had revealed his feelings for Selene about a month ago, would send her really sad texts. He desperately wished for her to say yes. He would send her depressing post, put sad Instagram stories, and even send her emotional texts. Selene didn’t know how to handle him and needed someone to talk to.

They met at McDonald's, Jack, who had managed to lose his money, used his backup money to buy some drinks and food for both of them. While discussing her problems with him, she started to tear up. “Dare you cry in front of me,” Jack told her. She denied that she was crying but he could make out that she really was going through a rough patch. Jack immediately urged Ash to meet up with them, because he knew she would feel much better with his presence but Ash declined, saying that he was busy.

And so when Selene need him and would have appreciated his concern, he couldn’t make it. While she talked about her concerns, as Jack was best friends with Ash as well as Ben, he did not take sides, instead he advised her to follow her heart. Ben had recently told Jack and Michael about his feelings for Selene, so Jack talked it up for neither Ash nor Ben. And then they talked for so long they didn’t realize how the hours flew by. She even confessed her feelings for Ash and Jack was really glad to hear it because after all, Ash had been behind her for so long. After they both parted ways, Jack went to Ash’s place to see what exactly he was busy with and to talk about Selene’s feelings.  

When he met up with him, he realized the real reason Ash couldn’t come. It was because he was busy playing computer games with his “best friend” (None of the group members really liked Ash’s friends much as they weren’t a good influence on him). You could imagine Jack’s frustration. He explained to Ash how he shouldn’t turn his back on his girl especially when she really needed him. Ash regretted not meeting her and decided not to make such a mistake again.

Jack with Nayo, Ash, and Selene started going on double dates together. They had lovely dates at the beach, McDonald's, Cafe Coffee Day, and even at the movies. It was filled with inside jokes, unforgettable memories, and cute moments between each couple. Since living as teenagers is expensive, they ran short of money. Alisha emptied her purse out on several occasions just so the guys could take their girls out.

They were really grateful to her as she helped them out a lot. Selene finally confessed her feelings for Ash to him during one such date and his mind was on cloud nine. She didn’t want a relationship for the time being as she didn’t want to ruin the bond they had. But just the fact that she liked him back was enough for Ash to be floating among the clouds.

But happiness doesn’t always last long and soon there were the dreadful prelim marks to see. During December, since some of them didn’t give their exams seriously, they had gotten really low marks. These students included Ash and Jack too. The pair made a pit stop at Alisha’s place before heading to their own places. They borrowed a red pen and changed their marks. Jack kept his marks a little realistic while Ash leveled it up so much (Children, please don’t do this). Ash had even changed his marks in the paper itself, not only the overall, but Jack missed that important step.

Alisha and her sisters gave them advice that they had better study for the exams because they wouldn’t be able to do this antic over there. Due to missing out on the step, Jack’s parents found out about the changed marks but they let it go and told him to work hard for the upcoming board exams. In the evening when they met up with Selene, she was livid and told them that they had better do well and study better the next time. Nayo who was also really concerned with Jack’s marks made her anger clear to him. Ash and Jack decided to buck up for the actual exams.