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Rayane walked aimlessly through the familiar streets, his mind a tangled mess of confusion and regret. The breakup with Jack had left him feeling lost, unsure of how to mend the shattered pieces of their relationship. Jack's anger still burned in his memory. He knew his involvement with the Booster was probably the worst decision he ever made, but the worst part wasn‘t even the empty letter - it was the emptiness between Jack and him. The thought of Jack, which once filled his body with love and the sense of a home, now changed into a crucial pain that wrapped itself around his body like a cocoon.
Rayane replayed their last conversation over and over in his mind, searching for a clue, a sign, anything that might help him find a way back to Jack's heart. He knew that regaining Jack's trust would be an uphill battle, but the thought of giving up on their love was unbearable. Each step felt heavy with the weight of his mistakes, yet he clung to the hope that somehow, some day, he could make things right.
As he stood outside the building where Jack lived, Rayane took a deep breath, trying to tell himself he was ready to face all the mistakes he made. He had to find a way to explain his actions, and to show him that despite everything, their love was worth fighting for.
For a moment Rayane hesitated at Jack's doorstep, his heart wildly pounding in his chest. After their conversation at school, he had tried to give Jack some space, but the need to explain his actions gnawed at him, even though Damien had already told Jack everything, he needed to tell him. He needed to give him the explanation he deserved.
He knew Jack wouldn’t want to talk to him. He was stubborn, and Rayane understood just how deeply hurt he was. That’s why he had to take a deep breath before making his first genuine attempt to apologize for his actions.
For a moment, Rayane's mind drifted back to the sinking feeling in his chest when he had approached Jack to ask about his mother. He had been genuinely worried about Jack and his family. Even though Jack was pushing him away, the news about Audrey had shaken him deeply. Despite being prepared for rejection, the reality of Jack's words and the pain were too much to bear.
Taking a deep breath, Rayane knocked on the door, hoping for a chance to make things right. He knocked again, but there was no answer. He was desperate to make things right, he couldn't leave without speaking to Jack. Just as he was about to leave again, Damien approached.
"Hey, Rayane," Damien greeted after the door opened. "What are you doing here?" It was a strange question, because both of them knew exactly why he was there.
"I was hoping to see Jack. I need to talk to him," Rayane replied, his voice tinged with anxiety.
"He's not home," Damien said. "But he'll be back soon. Why don't you wait with me?"
Rayane wanted to decline, but before he could even protest, he was already guided inside by Damiens gentle hands behind his back. At the kitchen counter, Damien offered him something to drink, but Rayane politely declined. Normally, he would‘ve helped himself, but he was also thankful for Damien‘s efforts to make him feel a little more comfortable with all of it, even though he could sense the distance between them.
Damien turned to Rayane, his expression immediately changed into a serious one. "Rayane, I know it’s difficult between-," he began, but Rayane broke him mid-sentence, knowing what was coming.
"It's about the Booster, isn't it?"
"Yes," Damien confirmed, leaving a small pause for Rayane to swallow the nervousness he suddenly felt. "When you sold that stuff, you hurt a lot of people. Did you know Violette ended up in the hospital because of an overdose?” Damien didn’t wait for a response. His eyes focused and big blue eyes darted on him as he was a target to shoot. “At first, I was furious with you. But Violette doesn't blame you entirely. She blames herself for not seeking help from us, her family."
Rayane looked down, guilt washing over him. He wanted to explain himself. "I'm so sorry, Damien. I never wanted anyone to get hurt."
"I know," he said, his tone softening. "But you need to understand that your actions have consequences. You not only put yourself in danger but also Jack, this family and all your loved ones. You need to live with the awareness of the damage you've caused."
Rayane nodded, his cheeks flushing a deep red. He knew about the damage he had caused. He knew he wrapped himself into a hole of disaster. "I know. I just want to make things right."
"Forgiveness can't be forced," Damien continued. "Nothing you say will heal the wounds you've left. It takes time.”
Rayane looked away, knowing how much damage he had caused and how much he had taken for granted. “He won’t forgive me,” he whispered, almost too quietly for a human ear to hear, but Damien heard and took a deep breath.
“You need to work on yourself to be better. Only then can you hope to be forgiven. Jack loves you, but love isn't enough without truth and honesty."
Rayane ran a hand through his hair, realizing how focused he had been on winning Jack back without considering the others he had hurt. “I’m sorry for what I did to Violette. I didn‘t know that the Booster could actually hurt anyone. When I found out, I tried to stop it. I really tried to-,” his voice broke once again. "I'll do whatever it takes for you to forgive me. I'm trying to make up for my mistakes. I’m trying to be better. I‘m trying to be better for Jack because-.. because I love him," Rayane stumbled.
„I know,“ Damien simply said, and with the tension in the room began to ease, the mood started to lift up a little, even if Rayane felt the weight of every word like an anchor that was still holding him down.
Damien and Rayane talked for a while and eventually the nervousness disappeared into a more relaxed conversation. But the mood shifted when the door opened and Jack entered, being followed by a surprised Lizzie who noticed him first.
„Rayane, glad to see you again,“ she announced with a high pitched voice, a mask that was meant to capture Jack’s attention.
Jack lifted his head, his expression darkened at the sight of Rayane. „What are you doing here?“ his voice filled with anger.
„I need to talk to you,“ Rayane announced.
He could hear Lizzie and Damien trying to disappear behind him through the corridor to give them privacy, but Jack noticed as well.
„I‘m leaving,“ Jack said coldly. „Lizzie and I are going to the event at the Palliote.“
His eyes flicked to Lizzie, urging her to hurry up. Rayane immediately sensed Jack‘s discomfort and desire to avoid talking to him.
„Ah yes,“ Lizzie agreed, hurrying to their room to grab something. She returned too quickly, and they left without another word, leaving Rayane unable to say what was on the tip of his tongue.
Knowing that Jack was aware of his intentions, Rayane had sensed a glimmer of hope. In school they had that fleeting moment of connection, but now he realized that maybe he made it all up in his head.
Standing in that place, at that exact time, he understood that Jack was slipping away from him. Tears welled up in his eyes, blurring his vision as he struggled to keep his composure. The weight of his mistakes pressed down on him, and the anguish became too much to bear. He had to look away, unable to endure the pain of seeing Jack who was angry, hurt even and he was the cause, again.
When the door closed for good with a loud click, Rayane faced his deepest fear. Hope turned into realization: Maybe this wasn’t meant to be fixed. Perhaps they weren’t destined to live their happily ever after like Rayane had imagined their life to be. Maybe giving Jack the space to heal was the best thing he could do. And maybe one day they would find a way back to each other.
Jack‘s POV:
Jack walked down the hallway with Lizzie, trying to keep his mind off the growing anxiety that had been plaguing him since the breakup. Lizzie had been trying to distract him with light conversation, but his head swept off even if he tried to concentrate. With the work he did for his exams and the breakup, it was nearly impossible to think straight.
"You know, you really should come to the beach party this weekend. The Palliotte is going to organize another event," Lizzie said, nudging him playfully. "It'll be fun, and you could use a break."
Jack forced a smile. "I don't know, Lizzie. I’m just not in the mood for parties."
"Come on, Jack. You've been locked up in your room too much. A little fresh air and some fun could do you good."
Before Jack could respond, they turned a corner and spotted Diego and Rayane ahead of them. The familiar sight of Rayane sent a pang through his heart, but he kept walking, determined to show he was unaffected.
As they approached, Jack couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
"After the TIG, I'm moving to my mom's in Toulouse. With Jack, it's lost. I’m giving up—nothing holds me in Sète anymore," Rayane said to Diego, his back turned to them, unaware they were passing by at that exact moment.
"Hey, you still have me," Diego interjected with a small laugh which sounded forced, masking the hurt of losing his friend.
"I know, but I just feel... lost. Maybe a fresh start is what I need!" Rayane’s voice was filled with desperation.
Jack heard those words, and a fresh wave of pain and anger wandered through him. A fresh start? He gave up. The realization cut deeper than he expected.
He could feel Lizzie’s intense stare. She knew he was affected by it. Even if he tried his hardest to hide. Those words definitely weren’t meant for his ears, but now that they were out, Jack didn’t know how to process them. He had thought that if Rayane left town, he would finally feel better. He had actually wished for it many times when he laid awake at night. But instead of relief, a cold panic gripped him.
"I’m going to the bathroom. Just go ahead. I’m going home after. Don’t wait," Jack announced, his voice strained. Before Lizzie could intervene, he disappeared into the crowded hallway, the weight of Rayane's words heavy on his heart.
When Jack looked into the bathroom mirror, he could see his already pale face looking even more ghostly. With a few splashes of water, he tried to wake up from what felt like a nightmare.
"Nothing holds me in Sete anymore," Rayane had said. Those words replayed in an endless loop in his head. How Jack had wished Rayane would just disappear, taking all the pain with him. But now that he knew Rayane actually planned to leave, it made him feel nothing but sick.
He stared at his reflection, his once vibrant curls hanging limply in his face. The rosy cheeks that once felt sore from laughter were gone, replaced by small shadows under his eyes. Is this what his life was going to look like from now on? Was he doomed to feel alone and broken forever?
Jack shook his head, feeling another wave of anger toward Rayane. Once again, Rayane was trying to make things easy for himself, fleeing from reality and not thinking about how his actions affected Jack. The anger rose inside him, making him feel hot and cold at the same time. The heat within him was unbearable, while the cold run through him like an aggressive ocean battling a rough sea.
He couldn’t bear it any longer. With fast, determined steps, Jack left the bathroom. He didn't even notice where he was going. He just needed to flee. He knew Lizzie probably hadn't left yet, so he slipped out through the school's backyard, pulling out his phone to send her a quick text with shaking fingers: "l'm fine, don't wait up." He didn't want her to worry, but he couldn’t face anyone right now.
As he walked, the emptiness gnawed at him. Every step away from the school felt like a step further into a void he couldn't escape. His mind kept circling back to Rayane's words, each word twisting the knife deeper into his heart. How could Rayane think he could just leave everything behind, especially after all they had been through? The betrayal and the pain were too much to bear, and for the first time, Jack truly felt the weight of what it meant to be abandoned.
His legs carried him away from school. Away from all the places he already knew until he didn’t even recognize the signs and small houses next to him. Along the waterline he carried himself elsewhere. His mind clear, but at the same time full of thoughts. Full of things he wanted to scream at Rayanes face.
When small raindrops started to sink above him, he at first didn’t notice. People passing by, hiding from the rain, making their way back to the city while Jack ran out of town. Out of everything.
Raindrops dancing on his face and for a moment Jack thought it were his own tears crashing down but with all of this information he was sure there was no tear left to escape his eyes. When he finally stopped there was no one around. Just a few small houses looking like there was no one home at this time of the year. Jack brushed through his damp hair. The rain had made its way to slowly sink into his shirt and jeans but he didn’t care. The rain would stop soon.
„He‘s leaving,“ Jack thought. „He‘s leaving,“ he said to himself. Making the words finally real.
Jack could feel the hole inside his body threatening him. He felt like the small wind that came with the rain could carry him away at all times. He felt broken, like a piece of a delicate vase that could not be repaired by the finest person in this world. Panic rose up. He would be gone and Jack never had the chance to even tell him what he hated most about him. He would be gone and Jack would’ve never screamed at him the words he was so desperate to lose. He would be gone and Jack would never be able to listen to his soft voice again.
Even if Jack held it for impossible but a small tear escaped his eyes. He would be gone and he would never be able to say how much he loved him.
A scream escaped his lips. He was filled with anger. He was furious. He felt like a piece of theatre when it comes to the person on stage who let out their anger by screaming it out into the world and he couldn’t even say it was nearly as refreshing as it looked like in audience.
He was angry. With Rayane for not having the guts to make things right again when he had the chance. He was angry with how easily he let Jack slip through his fingers after all the time they spent. He was angry because he took their future just to make his life a living lie.
His hands balled into fists. All this time Jack had brewed this anger up. All this time he had swallowed his pride to endure the pain, but he was done with it. If Rayane was leaving, he would make it as hard as he deserved it.
Rayane’s POV:
Rayane sat alone at home, his gaze fixed on the blank paper in front of him. It was the letter he had been struggling to write - a letter to leave Jack with words he had never been able to say in person.
Since deciding to move to Toulouse, the image of Jack's disappointed face haunted him. He longed to run back to Jack, hoping to hear him say he loved him, praying he would someday be able to hold him close again. But he had messed up. He had lost Jack, and now he doubted Jack would even want to speak to him, let alone know how deeply he loved him.
A knock at the door startled him. Rayane slowly pulled himself up to open the door, expecting it to be Karim or maybe Diego.
Jack stood on the doorstep, his shirt slightly soaked from the light rain. He must‘ve been outside for a while to be so drenched from it.
"Jack?" Rayane's lips parted in surprise, but before he could say anything, Jack pushed roughly past him into the apartment.
"You are leaving!" Jack's voice was sharp, his eyes dark with anger. He knew.
"I—," Rayane began, but Jack cut him off.
"You are leaving and you didn't even have the decency to tell me.” It wasn't a question, it was an accusation. Jack's voice trembled with hurt and fury. And Rayane couldn’t help but think he had every right to be angry.
"I... yes,“ Rayane managed to say, but Jack interrupted again, his voice rising even louder, a side of him Rayane had never seen.
"You dare to leave. You thought you could just get away with everything you did to me?" Jack's words hit Rayane like a baseball bat.
He felt his heart sink. "I didn't mean to hurt you," Rayane tried to explain, but Jack wasn't having it.
"You didn't mean to hurt me?" Jack scoffed bitterly. "You didn't even care enough to say goodbye properly. After everything we’ve been through. After all our plans. Our future,“ Jack choked on the words, his pain raw and palpable. Rayane swallowed hard. He hadn't expected Jack to storm into his apartment and confront him so forcefully.
"How did you find out?” he asked quietly, feeling small under Jack's intense gaze.
"How did I find out?" Jack's voice rose again, filled with disbelief and hurt. "You didn't even try to hide it. I overheard your conversation with Diego after school. You were just going to leave without even telling me," Jack's voice cracked, his anger tinged with sadness.
Rayane flinched. Jack had never yelled at him before. He had always been the calm one, even in anger, keeping his emotions in place. But now, Jack's emotions were spilling over, and Rayane felt the weight of Jack's pain crashing down on him.
"l'm sorry," Rayane whispered, his own voice trembling with regret. "I didn't know how to tell you.”
Jack shook his head, tears threatening to spill from his eyes.
"You didn't even give me a chance." The room fell silent, the tension was thick between them. Rayane struggled to find the right words, but everything felt inadequate in the face of Jack's hurt. "I tried to talk to you, but you weren’t listening,“ Rayane explained. His heart racing like never before.
Jack turned away, his shoulders slumping. "I can't do this,“ Jack murmured, his voice barely audible. He walked towards the door, leaving Rayane standing there, his heart breaking. As Jack reached the doorway, Rayane's hand instinctively reached out, but he was already too far away.
He was leaving. And this time Rayane knew if he lets him go he had lost him forever. „I love you," Rayane finally said, his voice barely above a whisper. Jack froze, his anger dissipating as he looked at Rayane with a mixture of pain and.. longing. For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then, with a gush of courage and love, Rayane stepped closer to Jack, his voice shaking but determined. "Jack, please listen to me. I love you. I've always loved you, from the moment we‘ve met. I know I've made mistakes, but leaving you is the biggest regret of my life. Please forgive me it took me so long to tell you, but I can't imagine my life without you."
Jack looked into Rayane's eyes, his anger and pain momentarily forgotten as he saw the sincerity, the desperation, and the love that Rayane had kept hidden for too long.
"You've been my rock, Jack," Rayane continued to confess, his voice steady now with determination. "You've shown me what true love is, what it means to be cared for and understood. I've never been so certain of anything in my life as I am about us."
Rayane's eyes glistened with tears as he spoke from his heart.
"I know I've been terrified," he admitted, his voice trembling. "Terrified of losing you, terrified of how desperately I need you. But I can't let you go without telling you that I love you, Jack. I love you more deeply than I ever thought possible. I was just trying to protect you. When Bonello showed me that picture of you, I felt my world collapse. I fought, but he was blackmailing me. It wasn’t about that damn letter anymore. He was threatening you, and I-... I can't bear the thought of anything happening to you. I would give my life for you. I‘m sorry I let you down."
There was a moment of silence as Rayane's words hung in the air, the weight of his confession with a tinge of sensitivity between them. Jack took a step closer, his gaze unwavering on Rayane's.
Jack's eyes softened, his breath hitching as he took a step closer. He didn't say a word, but his hand reached out, trembling slightly, and gently touched his face. The warmth of his touch was a silent promise, a wordless understanding that spoke volumes. His fingers traced the contours of his cheek, lingering as if memorizing every detail. Just like they used to touch each other when Jack was still blind.
The tenderness in his touch contained more than words ever could. The fear, the love, the desperate need to protect him and be close to him. Jack's touch was like a lifeline, grounding them both in the moment, silently telling each other what their relationship was built of. Trust. Honesty. The fear of losing, but the strength of believing.
Without warning, Jack leaned in, capturing his lips in a feverish kiss. It was fierce, passionate, and filled with all the emotions they had been holding back. The world around them faded away as they lost themselves in each other, the kiss deepening as if it was trying to make up for all the lost time. Every ounce of fear and longing melted away, being replaced by the undeniable connection that bound them together. In that moment, nothing else mattered. They didn’t need to say something in order to slowly making their way into Rayane‘s bedroom.
His touch was burning itself into Rayane’s skin, so deep he couldn’t bear a second without it. Even if it felt familiar. The touch, the warmth, and the infinite feeling of adoration. Their intimacy wasn’t meant to go any further. It was just an innocent touch, an innocent kiss, but the feeling behind it was excruciating. Rayane had longed for it so much that he felt like he would explode any minute just by feeling Jack’s hand brushing his skin or his breath leaving a tingling sensation on his lips.
Jack stopped for a moment, his eyes darkened by passion. His cheeks a deep red and his breath quickened. “I love you, Rayane,” he whispered against his lips before leaning back in again.
They spent some time just lying together, their bodies pressed as if any space left between them would burn them alive. Rayane knew their relationship wasn’t going to continue from where they left off, but he believed there was still hope. Hope he would fight for until his last breath.
A few hours later, laying in Jack’s arms again had made him feel the release of the burden from the past weeks. All the fear and pain that had held his body captive until he finally broke free. For the first time, Rayane closed his eyes and woke up without another nightmare haunting him. But before he could open his eyes, he felt the space where Jack had been just minutes ago. It was empty. Jack was gone. All that was left was the smell of his perfume on the sheets.
Rayane stood up, feeling the weight of Jack’s absence like a physical ache. He walked to the letter on the table and noticed a note from Jack at the bottom: “Don’t give up. I love you, J!”