Not Without You

Jack Mason looked around the crowded room, taking in the faces of his childhood friends and neighbors. These were the people he had grown up with, those he'd come to respect and even love. They were also the ones who made him feel small, year after year. The ones who called him "hood rat" as if it was his real name.

He'd learned to shrug off their comments, humiliation had been his daily companion for as long as he could remember. But tonight, surrounded by the laughter and chatter, Jack felt a hollow ache inside, wondering what true friendship meant.

Jack had been raised by his grandmother, Grandma Grace. A kind but weary woman, she'd struggled every day to make sure they had food to eat, gathering discarded plastics and recycling them for coins. Jack never knew his parents. His only family was Grandma Grace and the old stories she told him about love, loss, and fate. He knew they'd survived only because of her grit. But Grandma Grace had also kept one story close to her heart-a story that was his own.

Jack knew he wasn't her biological grandson. He'd never known why his parents left him, but he often wondered if he'd been abandoned because he wasn't worth loving. And yet, Grandma Grace had once told him the full truth of his birth: how she'd found him alone with his dying mother on a farm in the middle of nowhere.

The memory of her story came flooding back.

Years ago, when she was much younger and freshly divorced, Grandma Grace had been forced to leave her home. She had no family of her own and no one to turn to, so she'd returned to the old farm she'd inherited from her parents. She planned to drop off her few belongings and start searching for a small apartment in town.

That's when she found her. A woman dressed in fine, expensive clothes was lying in the dirt, crying out in pain. Grandma Grace had nearly dropped her suitcase in shock. Why would a wealthy woman be giving birth, alone, on a farm? Without hesitation, Grandma Grace rushed to her side, using her skills as a former nurse to deliver the baby safely.

The woman, exhausted and bleeding, managed to hold her newborn just once. With a shaky breath, she whispered, "Call him Jack... Jack Mason." She gestured to her purse lying on the ground nearby.

Grandma Grace handed it to her, watching as the woman pulled out a glinting necklace and an ID card. "This necklace is the Mason family heirloom," she murmured weakly. "My name is Rita Mason. I'm the only daughter of the Mason family, and they'll come after me if they find out I'm alive. Promise me you'll keep him safe... Promise me..."

In the last moments of her life, Rita gave Grandma Grace the details of her life, her escape from a family that had betrayed her, and the story of how she was nearly killed by her personal, bodyguard-a man who had pitied her enough to spare her and leave her with a chance to survive.

"Tell him who he is when he's eighteen," Rita whispered, clutching her son's tiny hand. Then, with a final breath, she was gone.

Since that fateful night, Grandma Grace had protected Jack like her own. They'd moved to a secluded village, deep in the mountains of Racoon, where they could live quietly and away from any lingering threat. She'd held on to Rita Mason's credit card and ID, but fear had kept her from ever using it. Instead, she did her best to raise Jack with what little they had, always careful to protect the secret of his birth.

Now, at seventeen, Jack who had grown up a strong, intelligent, happy, healthy, and handsome teenager, sensed that there was more to his life than he knew. His grandmother's guarded nature, the whispers she held back, and the name Mason-everything felt like pieces of a puzzle he was too close to solve.

In his heart, Jack still wondered if love had a place for him. After all, if he'd been truly loved, would he have been left on a farm, his only legacy wrapped in secrecy and heartbreak?

But the answer was closer than he thought, and soon enough, his world would change in ways he couldn't yet imagine.

The room was buzzing with laughter and chatter, but Jack felt each laugh and glance like tiny knives. He tried to ignore them, to block out the mocking voices, but the sting of humiliation cut too deep. He took a deep breath, then stood abruptly, heading for the door. Just as he reached it, he turned back to where Lucy sat, expecting her to follow him.

"Lu, aren't you coming?" he asked, his voice tight with frustration.

She shook her head, her expression indifferent. Jack's heart sank. Today was her seventeenth birthday, and he had saved up every spare coin he'd earned at the Homestead Cooking Hut just to bring her here for a celebration. He wanted to see her smile, wanted to make her happy. But instead, they'd run into old classmates-the same ones who'd made his life miserable in school, mocking him and calling him "hood rat." Jack had hoped things might be different tonight, but Fabian Grey, the popular rich kid, was here, and he'd stirred the whole group against Jack. Again.

Lucy glanced away, her face unreadable. "Just go, Jack," she said softly, but the words stung. "I'm not leaving with you this time. Please, just go and stop embarrassing me."

Jack's heart ached at her words. Embarrassing her? Was that how she saw him now? He depended on Lucy in so many ways; she was his one refuge from the world's cruelty, his anchor when he felt lost. She'd stood by him before, but tonight, something felt different.

Fabian, lounging on a nearby bench, leaned back with a smirk, loud enough for everyone to hear. "The hood rat's been told to leave! You really can't take a hint, can you, Jack?" He snickered, and the group erupted in laughter, their sneers pointed like daggers.

Jack clenched his fists, keeping his gaze locked on Lucy. "Lu, are you for real? You're really not coming?" His voice softened. "I still have other plans for you tonight. I told you I had a surprise..."

She shook her head again, avoiding his gaze. Her silence said everything he needed to hear. Jack's chest felt tight. Was she tired of being known as "the hood rat's girlfriend"? Had she grown ashamed of being seen with him? Or was it Fabian, with his money and confidence, who had caught her attention?

Fabian gave Jack a pitying look and called out mockingly, "Look, Jack, if you're that desperate, I can give you some cash. Or you can wait and pack up the empty bottles-maybe make a little something for Grandma Grace." He leaned forward, a cruel smile curling his lips. "I mean, I'm not heartless. You know you do not have a right to be with Lucy, you never have and never will, I will take everything that makes you happy, I have the money, the ability, and the power, hood rat"

Jack swallowed, feeling a lump rise in his throat. His hand twitched at his side, and for a moment, he wanted to say something back, to defend himself, to shout at them. But he knew it wouldn't make a difference, after all, he was a poor child and a hood rat who had a poor grandmother who could barely protect herself. The only thing that hurt was Lucy's silence. She was his last hope, his one friend in a world that had turned its back on him. And now, she was turning her back too.

"Take care, Lu," he said softly, barely above a whisper. He watched her for another lingering moment, hoping she might look up, that something might change in her face. But Lucy kept her eyes averted, the distance between them growing unbearable. He could hear Fabian's loud mockery and others laughing at him, this memory would haunt Jack for a long time to come.

Without another word, Jack pushed through the door and stepped into the night, his heart pounding with anger, sadness, and a hollow sense of betrayal. The stars above the Homestead Cooking Hut seemed dimmer tonight, and the streets felt lonelier than ever. He walked, his footsteps echoing against the silent road, each step taking him further from the life he thought he knew and deeper into the unknown future waiting for him.

Jack wandered through the quiet streets of Racoon, the soft glow from the streetlamps casting long shadows on the pavement. The cold night air stung his face, but it was nothing compared to the ache in his chest. He had spent so many days saving up for Lucy's birthday, just to give her a night to remember. And here he was, walking home alone, without even a "thank you" or a glance back.

As he made his way toward the tiny cabin he shared with Grandma Grace, his mind swirled with unanswered questions. Maybe he had been foolish to believe Lucy would ever look at him as more than just "the hood rat." Maybe, he thought, he'd always be just that-someone to laugh at, someone to pity. Someone... without a future.

By the time he reached the cabin, the heaviness had settled into a cold, hard resolve. He stood outside for a moment, looking at the familiar sight of the chipped paint and the worn front steps.

Back at the Homestead, Lucy felt Fabian's arm draped around her shoulder, but his touch was empty. She glanced toward the door, an uneasy feeling settling in her stomach. Maybe, she realized, she'd just made the biggest mistake of her life. But it was too late to chase after Jack and she knew Fabian wouldn't let her leave just yet

Jack still very upset heard a voice coming from inside the cabin having a conversation with Grandma Grace, he quickly adjusted his facial expression as he pushed the door open and walked in.

''Jack you are back, how did it go?, Grandma Grace asked, as she looked behind Jack hoping to see Lucy but the door was gently closed by Jack.

''Grandma can we talk about it later, he looked at the visitor it was Aunty Charity, Grandma Grace's friend, their next cabin neighbor, hello Aunty Charity, you look beautiful as always, Jack chimed in. Aunty Charity blushed'' Oh Jack you are such a sweet talker, Lucy is so lucky to have you''. Here sit down let's all have a chat, she patted the chair but Jack politely refused ''Aunty Charity, I need to get some rest, I'm extremely tired. Charity smiled; ''These young children these days are always tired, okay run along till some other time''.

However, Grandma Grace noticed Jack looked unhappy and waited till Charity left before knocking on the door. She shared this room with Jack but always gave him privacy.

"Jack?" Grandma Grace's silhouette appeared in the dim room, her face a mix of relief and concern. "You're back early. I thought you'd be out longer, celebrating with Lucy."

Jack hesitated, unsure what to say. "Things... didn't go as planned," he mumbled, trying to keep his voice steady.

She looked at him with the kind of understanding that only comes from years of experience. "Sit down, Jack," she said softly, guiding him to the small couch in the living room. The familiar creak of the springs beneath him was oddly comforting, grounding him after such an overwhelming night.

Grandma Grace sat beside him, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "I know that look," she said quietly. "Something happened tonight."

''Grandma why I'm I so unwanted by everyone, my family, ex-classmates, neighbors, I feel the whole world just hates me, Grandma, why? I feel cursed, Jack was someone who would not shed a tear for anything or anyone but today because of how Lucy had joined others against him Jack sobbed bitterly. Grandma Grace was almost tempted to tell him about the wealth left behind for him by his mother but she remembered what Rita had said; '' when Jack turned Eighteen years old.

'' You are not hated by them, they only fear your strength, I know in years to come you will be among those to change history and be great, just be patient, it's only just a little longer. How is Lucy she asked?'' Jack's body stiffened, he just didn't want to hear that name or think about the crowded room, all he wanted was the comfort of his Grandma. ''She finally left me, Grandma, he reluctantly replied.

Immediately trying to change the topic he chimed in again; ''Grandma you keep saying I will be among those to change history, how? A pauper like me, with no hope of attending college or university? I get paid peanuts at Homestead Cooking Hut, we can barely feed well including the plastic waste that you sell which I know you don't deserve to be selling at your age, he paused as tears rolled down his cheeks, Jack just felt his Grandma always said these things to make him happy.

'' Jack you will be great and I know it. The world will hear of you and as for your ex-classmates...well, time will tell.

Jack looked down at his hands, his fingers twisting together as he tried to put his feelings into words. "I don't understand, Grandma," he said, his voice wavering. "I thought Lucy cared about me... but tonight, she... she chose them over me. They all laughed, and she just... stayed there."