Chapter 26 – Temporary Things
Morning started wrong.
Not chaotic wrong.
Not Percy-screaming wrong.
Something quieter.
JJ woke up late.
Very late.
Which immediately meant disaster.
"OH MY GOD."
She launched herself out of bed like the world was ending.
Downstairs, Percy was already yelling dramatically:
"BABY SISTAH HAS RISEN FROM THE DEAD."
Aries sighed into his coffee. "We're going to be late."
JJ came sprinting downstairs half-ready, hoodie hanging off one shoulder, hair still messy.
"WHY DID NO ONE WAKE ME."
Percy pointed at Aries instantly. "HIS FAULT."
Aries looked offended. "Why me."
"Because you look responsible."
JJ grabbed toast from the table while running.
And then—
her foot slipped slightly near the last step.
A sharp pain hit.
Not huge.
Not dramatic.
But enough.
Enough to make her body freeze for half a second.
Enough to make her vision blur slightly.
Enough to remind her.
Temporary.
Her grip tightened against the railing.
Ten months.
Maybe less now.
The thought came quietly.
Cruelly.
JJ inhaled slowly.
Forced herself upright.
Smiled immediately when Percy looked over.
"See?" she said casually. "Still alive."
Nobody noticed the way her hand trembled slightly after.
Nobody except—
Angelo.
He looked at her for one second too long.
But said nothing.
---
Lunch Break Disaster
School stayed normal for exactly three hours.
Which was honestly impressive.
By lunch break—
chaos exploded.
A scream echoed through the corridor.
Then running footsteps.
Cin burst into Section E first.
"THE TERRACE."
Everyone stood instantly.
"What happened?"
"Grace—"
That was enough.
Everyone ran.
---
The Terrace
By the time they reached the rooftop—
students were already gathered.
Teachers shouting.
People panicking.
And there—
standing near the edge—
was Grace.
Crying.
Shaking.
Too close to falling.
JJ's stomach dropped instantly.
Denzel looked pale beside everyone else.
Completely frozen.
"What happened?" Rory asked quietly.
Mica whispered:
"…she's pregnant."
Silence.
Then Freya added bitterly:
"And Denzel told her he wouldn't take responsibility."
Every head turned toward Denzel.
JJ's expression changed instantly.
Cold.
Dangerous.
She walked toward him immediately.
"Tell me that's not true."
Denzel looked away.
And that alone answered enough.
JJ grabbed his collar suddenly.
"What is WRONG with you?!"
"JJ—"
"No."
Her voice snapped sharply.
"She's standing there alone because YOU got scared?"
Denzel looked shaken now. "I didn't know what to do."
"So you abandoned her?"
"I was panicking!"
JJ pointed toward Grace.
"SHE is panicking."
Silence.
Denzel's breathing got heavier.
"I didn't mean for this to happen…"
JJ's anger softened slightly then.
Not gone.
Just redirected.
Because she understood something suddenly.
He wasn't cruel.
He was terrified.
Still stupid though.
Very stupid.
JJ let go of his collar slowly.
Then quieter:
"You love her?"
Denzel looked up instantly.
"…yes."
"Then act like it."
---
The Edge
Meanwhile—
Grace's crying got worse.
"I ruined everything…"
"No you didn't," Freya shouted back immediately.
"Yes I did!"
Teachers were trying to talk her down carefully.
Nothing worked.
Everyone looked terrified she might actually fall.
And then—
Keifer stepped forward.
Completely calm.
Too calm.
JJ immediately frowned.
"What are you doing."
Keifer ignored her.
Looked directly at Grace.
And said—
"Then jump."
Silence.
Absolute silence.
Everyone froze.
"WHAT?!" Percy screamed.
Aries looked horrified.
Even JJ stared at him like he lost his mind.
Grace blinked at him in shock.
Keifer continued calmly:
"If you think falling solves everything… then do it."
"Keifer!" JJ snapped.
But he kept going.
"You fall today," he said coldly, "and tomorrow the world still moves."
Grace froze completely.
Tears still falling.
Keifer's voice stayed steady.
"People cry. People blame themselves. Then eventually… life continues."
Silence.
Wind moved sharply across the terrace.
Then Keifer added quietly—
"So if you're waiting for the world to stop because you disappeared…"
A pause.
"It won't."
Something changed in Grace's face then.
JJ saw it instantly.
Not hopelessness anymore.
Reality.
Raw.
Painful.
Real.
And suddenly—
Grace stepped back from the edge.
Everyone inhaled sharply.
Denzel moved instantly.
Straight toward her.
"I'm sorry," he said immediately, voice breaking. "I was scared. I'm still scared. But I'm here."
Grace looked at him silently.
Denzel continued shakily:
"I'll take responsibility."
Then quieter:
"…I love you."
Grace broke down crying completely after that.
But this time—
not alone.
Denzel held her carefully while she cried into his shoulder.
And the entire terrace finally breathed again.
---
Aftermath
Later—
everything calmed down slowly.
Teachers handled the situation.
Students dispersed.
But Section E?
Still processing.
Cin whispered, "Today was insane."
Felix nodded. "Like… emotionally insane."
Rory looked at JJ. "You attract problems."
JJ sighed tiredly. "I know."
Then—
Calix pointed dramatically.
"SHE'S OFFICIALLY THE MEDDLER."
Percy gasped. "THE LOVE DOCTOR."
Freya smirked slightly. "More like emotional babysitter."
JJ groaned. "Please stop giving me titles."
Too late.
Cin stood dramatically on a bench.
"ALL HAIL JJ MARIANO, FIXER OF IDIOTS."
Everyone laughed.
Even Denzel a little.
Grace looked embarrassed but calmer now.
And JJ?
She looked at all of them quietly for a moment.
Friends.
Chaos.
People she accidentally started caring about too much.
Then her chest tightened slightly again.
Temporary.
The thought returned.
Sharp.
Cruel.
JJ smiled anyway.
Because right now—
this mattered.
Even if it wouldn't last forever.
---
Ending – Keifer Notices
As everyone headed downstairs—
Keifer slowed beside her.
"You okay?"
JJ blinked once.
Then smiled lazily.
"Why wouldn't I be."
Keifer studied her carefully.
Too carefully.
Like he noticed something wasn't right.
JJ immediately bumped his shoulder lightly.
"Don't stare at me like that, Watson."
Keifer leaned closer slightly.
"…you looked sad earlier."
JJ's smile weakened for half a second.
Then returned instantly.
"You're imagining things."
Keifer didn't answer.
Because for the first time—
he wasn't sure she was telling the truth anymore.