Jay-jay's POV
Late! Late! Late! Late!
Damn it! Ci-N didn't wake me up. He just let me sleep and left without even bothering to wake me.
I'm so embarrassed. After I let him stay in my room, he didn't even make an effort to wake me up. He even turned off my alarm!
So embarrassing!
I checked the time on my phone. That's it! I won't make it. What's worse?! I can't find a ride. Either the jeepneys are full, or they just won't stop for me.
So frustrating!
It's still early, but I already smell like the afternoon. Total mess!
I'm half-walking, half-running. And I didn't even have a proper breakfast. Since I woke up late, I just grabbed some bread and left.
I stopped for a moment at a corner. I was really out of breath. And I wasn't going to make it anyway, so what's the point in running?
"Jay-jay!" someone called out.
I looked across the street. A guy was waving at me. It was Rory! I waved back and he crossed the street toward me.
"You're late too," he teased.
"I overslept. You?"
"Woke up late too," he replied.
We walked together. We didn't even bother rushing anymore. No use.
"Do you live around here? Don't you live near Edrix?" I asked.
He came from a subdivision across the street. Edrix doesn't live there. I know they live far apart.
"No... I slept over at my girlfriend's house," he said and suddenly smiled.
Gotcha!
There it is...
He scratched the back of his head and smiled at me. This guy! He even looks proud of the mischief he did.
"Is that really how you guys are? Is it required for guys to... you know, have that?" I asked.
It was such an awkward question, but I couldn't help being curious.
"Not really... Sometimes it just happens. Especially when you give in to temptation," he answered.
Temptation, huh? Good thing I didn't give in during New Year's. If I had, my life would've ended at the hands of Kuya Angelo.
"Ahh..." I said while nodding.
Then he suddenly gave me a mischievous grin. I shot him a sharp glare in return.
"You've never had experience, huh?" he teased.
Almost— I mean, no!
"H-ha? Don't ask me things like that!"
"Why are you blushing?"
I quickly covered my cheeks so he wouldn't see. Ugh! Why did this conversation go there?
"Don't worry. Once you and Keifer get together, you can ask him to teach you," he added, then burst into laughter.
That jerk! Idiot!
I glared at him and gave him a hard punch on the arm to shut him up.
"Ouch... That hurt," he complained while rubbing his arm.
Do I really look like I need lessons in that kind of thing? And from Keifer, of all people?
Ughhh! Don't think about it!
Why does my heart ache a little when I suddenly imagine that Keifer might have already done those kinds of things? I shouldn't care about that or what he does in his life—unless he's bothering me.
What if Yuri has, too?
I don't know why, but it feels weird thinking that all of them might've done it. They're guys, they have their own lives. But deep inside, there's a part of me that's still concerned.
Not that I'm saying they shouldn't explore...
I just went quiet as we kept walking. We were just one corner away from school when Rory suddenly grabbed my arm and pulled me in another direction.
"Hey! Where are we—"
"Sssshhhh... Don't look back. Someone's following us," he whispered.
I felt a wave of fear. I wanted to look back to see who they were, but Rory told me not to.
We walked faster. We turned into a narrow alley.
"Call Keifer," Rory ordered.
I quickly took out my phone. I was about to call Keifer when Rory suddenly pushed me, making me lean against a wall.
I was shocked to see the people following us now fighting Rory alone.
"Rory!" I shouted.
One of the guys started coming toward me, but Rory blocked him. I couldn't move. I couldn't even do anything to help him.
"There's the girl!" yelled a new group of guys that had just arrived.
"Jay-jay! Get out of here!" Rory shouted. But I couldn't move. I couldn't leave him.
"Jay-jay!"
I stopped thinking and ran to help Rory. I just started kicking and punching anyone who came close.
"I told you to leave! Why are you still here?!"
"I can't leave you!" I shouted back.
"Ha! You think the two of you can take us? There are more than ten of us here!" said one of them.
"What do you want from us?!" Rory asked.
"That girl! We know she's Keifer's girlfriend!" one of them replied.
What?!
What did he just say? Girlfriend of Keifer?! Damn it... Where did that rumor even come from?!
"She's not, okay! That jerk isn't my boyfriend!" I denied.
"Like we're going to believe that?!"
Of course not! I know you guys are too dumb to believe what I just said. Where the heck did this gossip even start that I'm that jerk's girlfriend?
"We need to get out of here," Rory whispered.
"How?"
"Like this..." he said while looking around. Then he looked at me and suddenly—
"...RUN!"
He suddenly started running. I hesitated a bit, but then I ran too.
"Hey! Come back here!"
No way!
Why do they always yell that when someone runs away from them? Do they think saying that will make us stop?
"Jay-jay! Go back!" Rory shouted.
I was about to ask why, but then I saw the reason. More guys were coming from the other direction.
And when we turned around, the ones chasing us earlier were already there.
We were stuck in the middle. That's it. We're cornered.
"You're not getting away!"
Oh crap!
Four of them suddenly pulled out knives. Rory tried to shield me behind him, but it was pointless. We were surrounded.
"Just hand over Keifer's girlfriend and we won't cause any more trouble!" one of them said.
I'M NOT KEIFER'S GIRLFRIEND!
Damn it! This is exactly what I was talking about. This is all that jerk's fault.
"It'll be worse if I did that," Rory replied.
The guys with knives looked at each other, and then suddenly charged at us.
When I turned to my side, one of them was already coming at me. I couldn't move anymore, it was too late to dodge. I just closed my eyes and braced myself for the stab.
"JAY-JAY!"
Keifer's POV
Why isn't she here yet? If she overslept, she should've at least made it halfway through Sir Alvin's lecture. But two subjects have already ended and she's still not here.
Something is wrong.
I was about to get my phone from my pocket, but I stopped. She might get suspicious if I use it again to track her.
But I couldn't stop thinking about her. I was worried and annoyed at the same time. There were days she was late, but she always made it before our second subject. If she's going to be absent, she'd usually text or call one of us.
This is really strange.
"Why isn't Jay-jay here yet?" Ci-N asked while looking at Jay-jay's seat.
Same question I've been asking for the last two hours. I looked at Yuri. He was looking at his notes, but I knew what was going through his mind.
"Did she text or call you?" I asked. He shook his head without looking up.
Damn it!
Why are you making me worry like this? I had no choice. I took my phone and used it. For about a minute, I stared at it, waiting for the result. This was the only way to find her.
Then the result popped up. I stood up as soon as I saw it.
Hospital?
"Ci-N!" I shouted. He looked at me, confused. "Call your parents! Ask if there's a patient in the ER wearing an HVIS uniform!"
Even the others looked confused. Ci-N took his phone and dialed.
"Keifer..." Yuri called out. "Why?"
"Jay-jay..."
He stood up and looked at me straight in the eye.
"Keifer! I called a nurse in the ER," Ci-N said while waiting for someone to answer.
I couldn't wait any longer. What if something really happened to her?
Fuck! I don't know what I'd do if something bad happened. Not again!
"They said there's one... but it's a guy, last name's Abejar," Ci-N suddenly said.
So it's not her.
I should feel relieved, but I wasn't. I wanted to see her and confirm with my own eyes.
"Abejar? Isn't that Rory's last name?" Edrix asked, and everyone turned to look at Rory's seat.
What the— I just noticed. Rory isn't here either.
Wait! What if they're together?
I didn't hesitate. I immediately ran out of the room. I heard them calling me, but I didn't stop.
What if something happened?!
I got in my car and drove like a madman. No one could stop me now.
When I got to the hospital, I ran straight to the emergency room. There were a lot of patients. I was about to go to the information desk, but there were too many people blocking the way.
I had no choice.
I ran and checked every bed I could see, pulling back every curtain. Nurses were almost yelling at me for what I was doing.
"Keifer!" someone called out. I turned around. It was Yuri and the others. They were already here? Was I too distracted that I didn't notice how fast they followed?
"What's going on? Where's Rory?" Edrix asked.
But I couldn't answer.
I wasn't looking for Rory.
Where the hell are you?