Jay POV
Six days. Six long days since I'd been in the hospital.
I could barely remember the first two. I'd been drifting in and out of sleep, the pain in my leg a constant reminder that things hadn't gone the way I wanted. The nights were the worst, when I could hear the hum of the machines and feel the weight of all that had happened.
It was afternoon when Angelo came into the room, looking like he always did—serious, a little too serious for my liking.
"Jay," he said, glancing at me with that look of responsibility. "You're being discharged tomorrow."
I blinked. "Tomorrow?" The idea of leaving the hospital felt foreign to me. Like I had become so used to the sterile smells, the quiet of the room, the comfort of having everything taken care of.
"Yeah," Angelo said, his voice softer than usual. "You're good to go. Just need a little more rest, and you'll be fine."
I sighed and let my head sink back into the pillow, a little more exhausted than I expected. I didn't feel ready to leave yet. But the thought of returning home made me want to forget all of this—forget the pain, forget the fear, forget all the things that happened.
The bathroom door clicked open, and there he was—Keifer, emerging with a towel around his neck, his damp hair sticking up slightly.
I looked over at him. "Wait, you're getting discharged today?" I asked, frowning slightly. "But why?"
Keifer looked over at me, a grin tugging at his lips as he walked toward the chair beside my bed. "Oh, come on, Jay. What, you'll miss me or something?"
I rolled my eyes. "You wish."
"Hey, at least I'm the fun one here," he teased, crossing his arms. "A little laughter never hurt anyone."
Angelo stood at the foot of the bed, giving us both a sharp look. "Jay," he said, with that tone of authority I knew too well, "You're getting out tomorrow, and Keifer is being discharged today. That means no more sulking around here, alright?"
I pouted a little, but it didn't work on Angelo. He was the adult, the serious one in the room. "Fine," I muttered, "I get it."
In the afternoon, after Keifer left to get changed, Aunty Serina came by. She was in a business mood, talking with Angelo about some proposal—about something I didn't quite follow. But she looked like she was in charge, and it made me admire her even more.
The conversation shifted when Keifer, freshly dressed, entered the room. He came in with a grin plastered on his face, clearly in a lighter mood than earlier.
"You know," Keifer said with a laugh, glancing between Aunty Serina and Angelo, "If you keep these proposals going, the kids might just end up being in-laws one day."
Everyone in the room froze for a second, and then laughter filled the space.
"Maybe," Aunty Serina teased, "but let's keep that thought for another time."
I tried to hide my blush. The idea of that kind of connection between us—me and Keifer—was still too much for me to process. I didn't say anything, but I could tell by the look on Keifer's face that he was enjoying my discomfort.
After they left, Angelo turned to me, his expression turning serious again.
"Alright, Jay. Aries will be coming by to take care of you while I go handle some business," Angelo said. "Aunty Gemma will be home to look after Hex. You're in good hands."
I frowned. "Wait… you're leaving me with Aries?" I didn't want to be alone with him—not after everything that had happened. Not after all the tension.
"I have to go," Angelo said, avoiding my eyes, "I've got business to take care of. You'll be fine with him. I trust him."
I groaned inwardly. "Fine. But if he says anything weird, I'm not dealing with it."
"Deal," Angelo said, a little smile tugging at his lips. "You'll be alright. Just relax."
I muttered under my breath as I lay back down, not feeling any better about the situation. Aries? Seriously?
Three hours later, Aries walked into the room. His usual smirk on his face. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed.
"I'm here," he said, his voice casual. "Got the boss's orders."
I didn't even look at him. I just stared at the ceiling. ""Just sit there quietly, alright? Don't talk about anything."
He raised an eyebrow but didn't comment. It was silent for a while, just the sound of the clock ticking and my own thoughts running wild.
Then, breaking the silence, Aries finally spoke.
"Jay," he said, his voice softer than usual. "We need to talk about us."
I turned slowly, looking at him. My expression was deadpan. "What are you talking about?"
Aries met my gaze, his expression unreadable. "I know you remember everything," he said quietly.
I felt my stomach drop, like someone had punched me right in the gut.
For a moment, there was nothing but silence between us. He was right. I did remember. And the memories hit me like a wrecking ball.
I didn't want to talk about it. Not now. Not with him. Not after everything that happened.
But he kept looking at me, his eyes filled with something I couldn't place.
My heart pounded. How did he always know exactly what to say?
I stayed quiet. Waiting.
"I…" He trailed off, running a hand through his hair. "I'm sorry, Jay. For everything. And I need you to understand that. Even if you can't forgive me right now."
The words hung in the air like smoke, thick and heavy. I didn't respond. I couldn't. Not yet.
We sat there in silence, both of us tangled in the past. The weight of what he said, of what I remembered, was too much for me to bear at that moment.
But in that silence, I realized something else: I wasn't ready to let go. Not of the anger. Not of the hurt.
I was only ready to be done with it.
"Just…" I started, my voice barely a whisper, "just give me time, Aries."
And with that, everything else faded into silence.