Chapter 3: Banished with Love
Four years had passed since Jake Thompson graduated from high school.
And those four years were a slow descent into silence.
No college degree. No job. No direction.
Every day felt the same—wake up late, scroll through old story drafts, stare at the ceiling, laugh at nothing, cry at night.
At first, his parents didn't say much. They loved Jake deeply—he had always been the one to help with the groceries, to fix small things around the house, to share a laugh after dinner. Their home had once been filled with his goofy charm, the occasional singing from the shower, his late-night anime marathons echoing through the walls.
But love sometimes comes with hard decisions.
"Jake," his father said one evening, voice low but firm, "we need to talk."
Sitting around the table were his older brother, Michael, and his sister, Renee—both successful, both concerned.
"You've been here for four years," Renee said, arms crossed. "No job. No school. You can't keep hiding here forever."
"I'm not hiding," Jake mumbled, not even meeting their eyes.
"It's time you take responsibility for your life," Michael added. "We all love you, but love also means letting go."
The decision was made.
They would give him just enough money to survive for a month.
After that—Jake would be on his own.
No anger. No shouting. Just a quiet goodbye from his mother, her hand trembling as she slipped a folded bill into his palm.
"I'm sorry, Jake," she whispered, eyes glassy. "This is for your own good."
Jake nodded. He didn't cry. He didn't argue.
Deep down, he knew it had to be done.
As he stepped out the front door, a single backpack slung over his shoulder, the house behind him felt strangely hollow—like it had lost its laughter.
And it had.
The next morning, the breakfast table was quiet. No jokes, no humming, no clumsy Jake spilling orange juice on the table.
His mother stared at the chair Jake used to sit in.
His father flipped through the newspaper, eyes unfocused.
"I miss him already," she whispered.
But when she tried to call him later that week, Michael gently stopped her. "He needs time, Mom. If we bring him back now, nothing will change."
So they waited.
And Jake?
He was alone. Truly alone.
But for the first time… he had no choice but to find out who he really was.