JAY-JAY POV
One week later.
Today I decided to go back to school—not just to sit still, but to finally change my section.
I'd already written the exam, and the results would decide where I belonged.
My hand still throbbed beneath the cast, every movement a reminder of that night.
The doctors had suggested I keep it on a little longer
Percy dropped me off at school, his car gleaming like he'd polished it twice just for the occasion.
"Jay, if you need me, call me," he said, leaning against the steering wheel with that confident smirk. "I'll wait right here. Don't worry—your most handsome brother is on standby."
I nodded, clutching my bag tighter.
Easy, Jay, I told myself.
Just go to Section E, grab your stuff, then get out.
No need to tell anyone.
No need to explain.
The thought of walking into that section made my stomach twist, but Percy's words echoed in my head, steadying me.
He was outside, waiting.
I wasn't alone.
I stood at the door of Section E for far too long, frozen in place.
Inside, I could hear them—their laughter bouncing off the walls, their voices overlapping in teasing and banter.
Classic Section E.
Always creating chaos, always alive.
Without even realizing it, I smiled.
The sound was familiar, comforting in its own messy way.
For a moment, it felt like nothing had changed.
But everything had.
I stepped inside.
The room fell silent, every laugh and tease cut short. They all stared at me like I was a ghost who had wandered back into their chaos.
"Jay, why didn't you come to school?" Ci-N asked, his sarcastic tone softened by the worry in his eyes.
I ignored him and walked toward my locker, each step heavier than the last.
On the way, I caught Keifer staring at me—his gaze sharp, unreadable. I froze for a second, my chest tightening, but quickly reminded myself why I was here. Just grab your things. Don't get distracted.
"Jay, what happened to your hand?" David's voice broke through, gentle and concerned, the kind of tone that made my throat ache.
"Jay, please talk to us na," Felix added, his usual sarcasm gone.
The seriousness in his voice made me pause.
Felix never dropped the sarcasm—it was his shield, his way of keeping things light.
But now, his eyes were steady, his tone raw.
I gripped the strap of my bag tighter, my heart pounding.
Everyone was watching, waiting for me to say something, to break the silence that had stretched too long.
I opened my locker and began pulling my things out one by one, stacking them carefully, almost too carefully.
"Jay, what are you doing?" Yuri asked, his voice sharp with confusion.
I didn't answer. My hands moved faster, stuffing notebooks and pens into my bag, as if speed could shield me from their questions.
"Jay, speak please," Calix added, his tone softer, pleading.
I kept my eyes down, refusing to meet theirs.
My chest tightened, but I forced myself to keep packing.
Don't stop.
Don't look back.
Just finish this.
I was finished. I placed my locker keys on the desk, tracing them with my left hand, memorizing the feel one last time.
Before I could stop it, a tear slipped down my cheek. I wiped it away quickly, hoping no one saw.
I was about to leave when a strong hand gripped mine, stopping me cold.
"What the hell do you think you're doing?" Keifer's voice cut through the silence, sharp and furious.
I didn't answer. I tried to pull away, but his grip only tightened.
"Answer me, damn it!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the room. I flinched, my heart racing.
"Keifer, let her go—she's hurt," David said, his voice trembling with concern.
"Yeah, Keifer!" others chimed in, voices overlapping, chaos rising.
Felix's sarcasm was gone, Ci-n's loud protests filled the air, Calix's voice in pleading
But Keifer didn't budge.
He shot them all a glare so fierce it silenced the room for a heartbeat.
I wanted to scream.
I wanted to run.
Instead, another tear fell, betraying me in front of everyone.
"Let me repeat my question—what the hell do you think you're doing?" Keifer demanded, his voice low but shaking with fury.
I yanked my hand free from his grip, my chest heaving.
"Why do you care?" I shot back, my voice breaking. "I was just a pawn in your revenge game… so why pretend like you care now?"
Keifer's jaw tightened, his eyes burning into mine. He stepped closer, voice rough but steady.
"I don't care," he said flatly, his voice like ice. "But I'm not letting you walk away like this." he said
"I'm sorry for every single one of you guys," I whispered, looking at all of them.
Confusion rippled across their faces.
"I'm sorry because you created the plan for two reasons. One—to get revenge on Aries. That didn't happen, so I'm sorry about that. And two—you wanted me out of Section E. I can fulfill that wish for you guys… so please, let me go."
The silence shattered instantly.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Ci-N snapped, his sarcasm gone, replaced with disbelief.
"Jay, no! That's not true!" David's voice cracked, his eyes wide with panic.
Felix shook his head, "That's not why we did it. Don't twist it like that."
Mayo slammed his desk, shouting, "Who said we wanted you out?!"
Calix stepped forward, his tone desperate."Jay, please… don't leave us like this."
Yuri tried to come closer. "Jay, stop saying that—you're Section E!"
"Shut up!" I screamed, my voice cracking.
"I'm not Section E. I will never be Section E!"
I grabbed Keifer's collar with my left hand, my cast pressing awkwardly against him. "You yourself declared in front of Section A that I'm not Section E—so why do you guys care now?"
I shoved him back, releasing him, my chest heaving.
"You all made me feel like a slut and a whore," I spat, my voice trembling.
"Especially you two," I said, pointing at Keifer and Yuri.
Keifer's glare burned into me, cold and unyielding.
Yuri's face twisted with guilt, his mouth opening but no words coming out.
The room exploded.
"Stop it!" David's voice cracked, his eyes wide with panic. "You're not that—you're never that."
"Jay, don't you dare call yourself that!" Ci-n shouted, slamming his desk so hard his earbuds flew out.
Felix shook and said it sadly "No one thinks that about you! Don't say it again!"
Calix stepped forward, his tone desperate. "Jay, please… don't hurt yourself like this."
Eman slammed his fist against a desk, his voice shaking. "Jay, you're family. Don't throw yourself away like that."
Eren, for once serious, stepped forward. "Jay, you're not that. Don't even say it."
Rory's investigative calm cracked. "Jay, listen to us. We care. We always did."
Denzel's pride faltered, his voice raw. "You're Section E. Don't deny it."
"You know what? I thought I had two guys after me. I thought my decision could either break a Section or unite them. Every second felt like hell. The last month—every single day—I woke up wondering how it feels to be dead!" I screamed, my voice cracking, tears streaming down my face.
"So please let me go," I said, my voice breaking, almost begging them. "Don't bring me back into this misery again."
Keifer stood frozen, his glare locked on me, his silence colder than ice.
And Yuri, guilt written all over his face, finally whispered, "Jay… I never wanted this."
I went out of the Section E door crying, my vision blurred, my chest aching with every step.
Percy was there, waiting for me.
Without thinking, I ran to him and hugged him, burying my face against his chest.
My tears soaked into his shirt, but he didn't move, didn't flinch.
His arms wrapped around me instantly, strong and steady, like he'd been waiting for this moment all along.
"Jay…" he whispered, his voice softer than I'd ever heard it. "I told you—I'm here. I'm not letting you break alone."
Behind us, I could still hear Section E—shouts spilling out of the doorway, voices overlapping, chaos refusing to die down.
But Percy's embrace drowned it all out.
For the first time that day, I felt like I could breathe.
"Ready to find out what section you placed in" Percy asked
I nodded and we went to the principles office
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
KEIFER POV
She was gone for a week.
The classroom felt different without her—too quiet, too heavy.
Section E carried on with their chaos, but I could feel the gap every time I walked in.
I mean, who could blame her?
After what I did to her… after the words I threw like knives.
I clenched my fists, jaw tight.
Don't worry, Jay.
Just one month.
One month, and I'll earn your forgiveness.
Even if I have to drag it out of the fire myself.
She finally came back to Section E.
But what caught my eye wasn't her face—it was the cast on her right hand.
My chest tightened.
What happened to her?
I wanted to go to her, to ask, to demand an answer.
But I couldn't.
My legs stayed rooted, my fists clenched at my sides.
So I stayed still.
Watching.
She went to her locker room, grabbed her stuff, and I knew she was about to leave.
I couldn't let her.
Not again.
Before she could step out, I grabbed her hand.
My grip was firm, unyielding.
I asked her questions, but she didn't answer.
When she finally spoke, she was breaking apart right in front of me.
Her voice cracked, her tears fell, and every word was like a blade.
I wanted to tell her she wasn't what she thought.
That she wasn't a slut, wasn't a whore, wasn't the names she threw at herself.
But I couldn't.
So I just stood there, silent, watching her shatter piece by piece.
And then she left.
The sound of that door closing was louder than any shout I'd ever heard.
I went home.
My house felt empty, colder than usual.
I grabbed a bottle and started to drink, each swallow burning but not enough to erase her voice from my head.
She wanted to die because of me.
Because of my silence.
Because of my words.
Because I let her believe she was nothing.
But she is not.
She is not what she called herself.
Not what the world tried to make her believe.
She is my everything.
And that's the part I can't say out loud.
Not to her.
Not to Section E.
Not to anyone
Don't worry, Jay. Wait one month. One month of misery. One month of a test for our love.
That's the promise I made to myself.
"Kuya, we're ready to go to London," Keigan said, his voice steady, pulling me back to reality.
I nodded, forcing my body to move, forcing my face to stay unreadable. I got up and walked outside, the cold air biting against my skin.
But inside, I was burning.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
💙🔥 Author's Note 🔥💙
So how was the chapter, guys? 😭💭
I need your comments on this one 🐧💬.
Do you want me to:
👉 Skip straight to when Keifer comes back from London ✈️💔
OR
👉 Give you a timeline of what happens in the one month he's gone ⏳✨
I'll be checking the comments tomorrow, maybe after 8 AM U.S. time 🕗✨.
So please make sure to drop your thoughts before then 😭💬—I want to see all your reactions!