Short story...very short! Jack's regrets

[TheRealInja]

Gears are starting to turn again finally, this one has been sitting at the forefront of my mind and needed to get it out first. Just an idea, not a fully fledged story like I normally write. At least it's not smut ;3

Jack's Regrets

Jack found himself standing outside Mary's door, the cold winter wind whipped about him but he didn't feel the cold. Nothing could match the shard of ice that seemed to have replaced his beating heart. Slowly he raised his hand to knock in that special way he always did when he came by to pick Mary up for their dates. Nervously he thumbed at the ring in his pocket, brief flashes of everything that could've been danced before his eyes until he closed them and shook them away.
The house fell silent, but there was no answer at the door. He was not surprised though, he'd blown his last chance with her and he knew it.
Turning on his heel and heading back down the path to the street beyond, pausing as he heard Mary's door open and for a brief moment he thought he heard her begging him to come back. But it was too late for that now, she deserved to move on and try find her happiness without him.
A short walk later and he was standing outside his mothers window, he wanted to go inside and talk to her, but she seemed to be lost in her reverie looking through his childhood photo albums longingly and he didn't want to disturb her so late. He'd rather leave her be with fond memories of him tonight, instead of all the wrong he'd done in recent times.
Jack crossed the street to his best friends house, they'd met in preschool and had been as close as brothers ever since.
John had clearly been drinking, an open bottle sat beside him on the stairs as he stared down at the nearly empty bottle in his hand. His head hanging as he sang their usual drinking songs, pausing briefly to mumble "Jacky boy, you really fucked up this time. Ain't no sorry going to fix this one" John mumbled before taking another sip of his drink.
"I wish I could, with everything I had...I wish I could take it all back," Jack spoke out, his voice cracking with emotion.
"Why'd you do it?" John sighed
"I thought it was my only option..." Jack replied, his head hanging low and eyes downcast, unable to look at his friend in that moment. The wind died down, silence surrounded him and time seemed to stand still. Jack turned as he felt a presence behind him, a soft comforting hand reached up to rest against his shoulder.
"It's time to go, Jack" she said, barely above a whisper. A sad smile touched her pale lips, her eyes full of sorrow.
"I'm not ready..." Jack tried to protest.
"No one ever is, even when they know I'm coming." The hooded black figure smiled weakly, giving Jack a reassuring touch on the back. "You won't be alone though, there are others waiting for you."
Jack nodded almost numbly as the robed figure gently guided him towards the growing light.