Fred was interrogating Evelyn in the lock up. "Are you sure there's nobody else involved?"

"Yeah."

He sighed. "That's a lie of course, it looks like you are not going to reveal who your boss is." Fred went outside the lock up, he saw Trevor and Misty standing there. "Here for clues or here to see her?"

"Both actually," said Trevor.

"Did she give any information on the kidnapper?" said Misty.

"No, she is more determined about protecting her leader's identity than her own. You can go see her."

"What are you guys doing here? Especially you Trevor, haven't we talked about everything we need yesterday? Wouldn't it be kinda awkward to talk again today?"

Trevor smiled softly. "Will you slow down with your questions?" He handed her a package, "here."

"It was Mary's idea to give you this, since we all can't meet you at once," said Misty.

She opened the package. "Fortune cookies?"

"These fortune cookies have a message from all of us. You can break it randomly and read our messages," Misty smiled.

"Thanks... I guess. You people... Don't hate me for what I did?"

"We do hate your actions," said Misty, "however, we don't hate you. You have become our friend, that's why, we are ready to forgive you."

Evelyn smiled to herself. "It's the same for me."

"Hm?"

"Trevor probably told you that I have talked shit about you to him, but I did it because of your intentions to catch my Boss."

"I gave you a response and it will ruin a potential friendship, so I didn't," said Trevor.

"In reality, I wanted to be friends with you, you really remind me of my friend who died long ago. Not only that, it's been a while since I had girls as my friends. In fact, I never had a girl as a friend ever since I became an adult, I want to do girl stuff with a fellow girl."

"It's kind of the same for me. Okay then, it's fixed, once you get out of the jail, all we girls, me, you, Annie, Catherine, Meera, and Mary will have a girls party together."

"Oh, I will join too," said Trevor.

"It's a girls only party, you idiot," said Evelyn.

"I know that's why I will dress up as a girl and join you guys."

She laughed. "You are such a big idiot."

He smiled. "I'm glad you laughed, it was pathetic seeing you all depressed, it made me feel guilty."

"Thank you guys," said Evelyn.

"Time for us to leave," said Trevor.

At the house

Akbar was sitting in the dining room. 'Well, it's only us left now and it's easy to catch me. I don't know what's taking them so long, I'm ready to get caught already.' He leaned his head towards the chair. 'I'm really tired of everything,' he thought. He slowly closed his eyes and started to drift to sleep.

He saw a little girl pointing her pinky at him. "Promise me, you will forever be my friend."

He suddenly felt a light smack in his head. "Stop sleeping here, it will mess up your neck. Go and sleep in your room."

Akbar stood up. "Ugh Mary, you are so annoying, I'm not sleeping I was just resting my eyes."

"Yeah it definitely looked like it."

Akbar went to the living room and laid on the sofa, he put his right hand on top of his head. 'It's the anniversary today and I can't even come visit you... How pathetic,' he thought.

20 years ago

It was Akbar's first day at school, but Akbar didn't want to go. His parents somehow got him into the car and now they are on the way to the school. They reached the school and his parents are now struggling to get him out of the car, he's holding onto the car seats. "Stop it Akbar, you are a big child now, you shouldn't do stuff like this."

"I don't wanna go to school."

His mother looked around to see a kid who wasn't crying on her first day of school. "Look at that girl," she pointed at the little girl, his gaze went to her, "she isn't crying or being annoying, doesn't she look cool? Don't you wanna be like that? Look at that, even teachers like her."

He stopped crying and slowly loosened his grip onto the seat, his mother took him out of the car and accompanied him to the class. He was still hesitant when he reached the class and hid behind his mother. The teacher smiled and sent the same little girl who wasn't crying to get him. She walked to him and raised her hands for him to hold, he took her hands and she guided him to the class. Every kid was sad and lost all their energy, but that little girl cheered everyone up and those kids played together all day.

Akbar got used to his new life after a few days but one day one of the kids stole his toy and they fought with each other. The teacher saw them and stopped them. "Why are you fighting?"

"This Akbar hit me," the other kid said.

"Is that so? Akbar, say sorry."

"Teach-"

Akbar was interrupted by that same little girl. "No Teacher, he's lying. He took Akbar's toy, that's why he fought with him."

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"Thanks Jodie, now Denny, say sorry to Akbar."

"Sorry."

The little boy made everyone else not talk to the little girl in return for candies, the kids stopped talking to her. Akbar went to the kids. "You guys are such meanies, my mother told me that you shouldn't do horrible things for your own good. If you do so, Allah is going to hate you and he won't bless you."

The kids ignored him and continued to isolate her but Akbar always played with her. After a few days the kids missed playing with Jodie because she was every kid's favourite classmate and was jealous of Akbar to be able to play with her. All the kids stopped getting bribed and started talking to her. Eventually, Denny also became her friend.

It is now the end of the academic year, Jodie, and Akbar are now best friends. "I have this band to give you because you guys are my friend, show me your hands," Jodie put the bands on her friends' hands.

"Thank you," said Akbar.

"This is the proof of our friendship," she raised her hands, clenched them, then raised her pinky and looked at Akbar, "promise me, you will forever be my friend."

He crossed his pinky with hers, "we will!"

Present

Akbar opened his eyes. "Did I fall asleep again?"

"Yeah you certainly did," said Catherine who was sitting at the corner of the sofa. She took out a handkerchief. "What kind of dream were you having? Here, wipe your tears off."

He touched his cheeks to find it wet. "Oh, it... it's because of the weather."

"Probably, but wipe your tears anyway."

"Yeah," he sat up and took the handkerchief from her hands. The room went silent.

"Do you need some time alone? You don't look fine," said Catherine.

Akbar wiped his face. "From what I understand, nobody here looks fine. It's like they are having bigger burdens than the world leaders," he looked at Catherine, "even you Catherine."

Catherine turned her gaze and slowly stood up. "I take that as yes."

Akbar laughed. "How is that a yes? Anyways, good thing you aren't gonna bother me anymore."

He gazed at the wall for about a minute. 'I promised her that day that I will forever be there for her. I don't want to break my promise.' He sighed, 'I have told you to get that thought out of your head.'

16 Years ago

Akbar is now in 3rd grade, luckily Jodie got admission in the same school Akbar took admission in. It was another day in school, he was waiting for Jodie but she didn't show up that day. That week went by but she still didn't show up.

Akbar's mother came to pick him up from school, he ran to his mother and got in the car faster than ever and slammed the car door. "Hey, what was that, little man?" Akbar didn't say anything. She got in the car and drove it off.

She peeked through her rearview mirror to see her son gloomy. "Tell me how your school is going."

"It's going good."

Akbar's mother Raziya decided to talk with his teacher the next day. The next day, Raziya accompanied Akbar to his classroom instead of letting him walk there alone. Teacher smiled. "Hello," she then looked at Akbar with that smile plastered on her face, "get inside dear." Akbar walked into the classroom. "You can leave now, he's safe in our hands," The teacher said.

"That's not why I am here, I'm here to talk."

"Talk?"

"Yes, my son has been pretty down lately, is anything troubling him? You are his teacher so you must know."

The teacher thought for a moment. "I think it's because of the fact that his best friend hasn't been coming to school lately."

"Best friend? You mean Jodie? She hasn't been coming to school?"

"Yes, we plan on visiting her home today. We too are worried about her."

"Can I join too?" said Raziya.

"Yes, you can come with us this evening."

"Thanks."

That evening, Raziya and Akbar accompanied the school staff on their visit to Jodie's house. They reached her home and pressed the calling bell, her mother Hisa opened the door narrowly. "You are... Jodie's teacher."

"Yes and we are here to ask why she's not coming to school. Is she sick?"

"Y..yes, please leave now."

Raziya noticed something in Hisa's face whose other half was hidden behind the door. "Hey... can you come a little forward," said Raziya.

"Uhm, I'm kinda busy now so-" Raziya pulled her forward. Her left eye was bruised.

"What is this?! Are you ok? Is Jodie ok?!"

"It's just our family issue, please leave."

The teacher said, "Mrs.Rodd, you have to tell us if there's any problem."

Hisa fell to her knees. "My daughter is at gunpoint, you guys are putting her life in danger."

"By whom?" said Raziya.

"By her own father," she sobbed.

Raziya was shocked to hear this. "Okay, go back inside like none of this conversation happened and get her to safety. I will call the cops," Hisa closed the door.

The police arrived shortly after, broke into the house and caught Jodie's father.

Hisa offered everyone to get inside and have tea, they got inside and sat in the living room. Jodie was happy to see her friend after so many days so she ran to him and held onto his hand. "Let's go play outside." Akbar agreed to her preposition.

Hisa brought the tea and snacks, and put it on the coffee table, then sat with them. The teacher said, "so, why was your husband threatening to kill his own daughter?"

"He never went to work nor tried to find one. All these days... I was trying my hardest to earn for the family but that bastard was wasting money on alcohol. I still kept up with the shits he made me go through for the sake of our daughter. However, I recently lost my job and that guy held my daughter as a hostage, he wanted me to get him food and alcohol everyday on his table. He prohibited my daughter from getting outside or to take her with me, so that I won't run away with my daughter."

Jodie's Father was sent to jail but he broke out of prison two months later.

"Thank you for taking care of my daughter while I'm at my work," said Hisa.

"Don't worry, I'm glad you got yourself a new job," Raziya paused and thought about something. "I heard your husband broke out of prison, are you going to be alright?"

Hisa smiled. "We won't, I know we won't but we have to be."

"I have a surprise to give you tomorrow," said Jodie.

Akbar tilted his head in confusion. "What kind of surprise?"

"It's not a surprise if you reveal, you know?"

"Okay I'm taking my leave," said Hisa. Hisa looked at her daughter. "Let's go, Jodie."

"See you tomorrow," said Jodie.

Both of them walked to the exit, Akbar followed them, he stopped in front of the gate and waved Jodie goodbye.

A truck hit both the mother and daughter the moment they entered the road, the blood splashed all over Akbar's body. Hisa ran to them, but Akbar stood there still, all he could see was the lifeless body of his friend under the truck.

Hisa and Jodie died that day, the driver of the truck who killed them was Jodie's father.

Akbar changed after that day, he ignored everyone in his class and never made any new friends.

Years went by and he became a 5th grader. Akbar was sitting in front of the lake. He saw a rock laying in the ground, he took it and threw it towards the lake. "Eight. You always used to lose to me back then, I wonder if you would have beaten me today."

He suddenly saw a stone passing by his side and hitting the lake, it skipped 10 times.

"I just did."

He looked back instantaneously. "You are... not Jodie."

"Of course I am, if being Jodie helps you cheer up, I will be Jodie. Wanna challenge me?"

He looked towards the lake. "No, I'm not interested."

"I thought you would love to play with Jodie again. Maybe it's because I finally defeated you, you are scared of me now."

"Two things. One, you are not Jodie. Two, I'm not scared of you."

"I won't believe it until you get ready for a rematch."

"Okay then." They played it once again and Jodie won again. "I think that's the end. I'm going back home," said Akbar.

"You are a loser who can't defeat me huh?" said Jodie.

"That's not like it... okay then, let's play again." They played a lot of matches but Jodie won every time.

"How about we arm wrestle then?" said Akbar. This time Akbar won.

"I have many game suggestions to see who's the best of best," said Jodie.

"Okay let's play then." Akbar spent the whole day playing games with Jodie.

"Oh, it's become dark, I have to go home. See you tomorrow," said Jodie.

"Let's play again tomorrow, I had so much fun today. By the way, what's your name?"

"As I said, I'm Jodie if that cheers you up, bye."

'Wait, weren't we competing? I totally forgot...' Akbar thought.

He became friends with Jodie and met Jodie's friends too, he saw that Jodie was highly respected and well loved, Jodie had an influence over everyone. 'You are really... Jodie,' Akbar thought.

Present

'Jodie and her are not the same person, she died long ago. You made a promise with your first friend not this Jodie,' Akbar thought.