Chapter 56– The "Normal" Day
Morning sunlight entered JJ's room softly.
Too softly.
Like even the sun didn't want to disturb her today.
JJ opened her eyes slowly and just… stayed there for a moment.
Looking at the ceiling.
Listening.
The mansion was already alive downstairs.
Percy yelling about breakfast.
Aries yelling at Percy for yelling.
Tita Gemma telling both to stop behaving like stray dogs.
Normal.
Everything sounded painfully normal.
And JJ felt her chest tighten immediately.
Because tonight—
she was leaving.
---
Not for adventure.
Not for chaos.
Not for one of her impulsive plans.
This time…
she didn't know if she would ever come back.
---
Her fingers moved slowly toward the drawer beside her bed.
Inside—
two folded tickets.
One passport.
Cash.
Care's and Lyra's letters.
And one decision heavy enough to crush her.
India.
A chance.
Tiny.
Uncertain.
But real enough for her to run toward.
---
JJ closed the drawer quickly when footsteps approached.
The door burst open dramatically.
Percy.
Of course.
"BABY SISTAH," he announced loudly, "if you don't wake up in the next thirty seconds, I'm eating your pancakes."
JJ stared at him blankly.
"…you're a criminal."
Percy gasped dramatically. "Wow. Good morning to you too."
Then he stopped slightly.
Really looked at her.
His smile softened.
"You okay?"
That question hurt now.
Because everyone asked it carefully these days.
Like she might break if they used the wrong tone.
JJ forced a grin.
"Obviously. I'm beautiful."
Percy rolled his eyes immediately.
"Delusional. But alive. We accept that."
Alive.
That word almost made her look away.
---
Breakfast Table
Downstairs looked warm.
Comfortable.
Home.
Tita Gemma was making coffee.
Aries sat reading something on his phone with his usual grumpy face.
Angelo had apparently returned late last night and now stood near the kitchen counter silently drinking black coffee like a mafia boss preparing taxes.
JJ walked in quietly.
And every single person looked up immediately.
Still checking.
Still making sure she was okay.
JJ hated how guilty that made her feel.
---
Percy pulled out a chair dramatically.
"Sit here, baby sistah. Near your favorite handsome brother."
Aries didn't even look up. "She has two brothers. Be specific."
"I'm obviously the favorite."
"You're obviously adopted."
"WOW."
JJ laughed softly.
A real laugh this time.
And the sound alone made everyone relax slightly.
Just slightly.
---
Breakfast became chaos slowly again.
Percy stole food.
Aries threatened murder.
Tita Gemma scolded everyone.
Angelo silently moved JJ's juice closer to her because she forgot to drink it again.
Small things.
Tiny things.
The kind people never realize become precious until they're almost memories.
---
JJ Watches Them Quietly
That was the dangerous part today.
Not sadness.
Awareness.
JJ noticed everything.
The way Percy talked with his hands.
The way Aries secretly checked if she finished eating.
The way Tita Gemma touched her hair gently while passing by.
Even Angelo.
Cold terrifying Angelo.
He looked at her more today.
Like he knew something felt wrong even without proof.
And maybe he did.
Because people who love you deeply eventually notice when your soul starts saying goodbye before your mouth does.
---
School
At school, Section E was trying painfully hard to act normal again.
Cin tackled JJ into a side hug immediately.
"ATE."
"I literally just arrived."
"And?"
Felix tossed her snacks.
David argued with Rory about assignments.
Eman was somehow yelling about cafeteria food again.
Calix dramatically announced he failed a quiz "because life is cruel."
Denzel and Grace were fighting softly over baby names already.
Freya insulted Endrix affectionately.
Mica sat beside Calix blushing every five seconds.
Rakhi stole Cin's fries.
Yuri laughed quietly at the chaos.
And JJ—
JJ looked at all of them carefully.
Too carefully.
Like memorizing mattered now.
---
Keifer
Then Keifer arrived.
And the entire world narrowed automatically.
His eyes found her instantly in the crowd.
Always.
No hesitation.
No searching.
Like his heart already knew where she was before his eyes did.
JJ's chest hurt immediately.
Not physically.
Emotionally.
Because she loved him too much now.
Dangerously too much.
---
Keifer walked toward her slowly.
Still handsome enough to annoy her.
Still carrying that calm confidence that disappeared only around her.
"Morning, wifey."
JJ rolled her eyes automatically.
"Shut up, ulupong."
Keifer smirked slightly.
"Profanity."
JJ immediately pointed at him. "Don't even—"
Too late.
He leaned down and kissed her quickly anyway.
Cin screamed in the background instantly.
"GET A ROOM."
Percy looked offended. "Disgusting. Romance before lunch should be illegal."
JJ laughed breathlessly despite herself.
Keifer smiled softer seeing it.
Then quietly asked near her ear:
"You feeling okay today?"
There it was again.
That carefulness.
JJ nodded immediately.
"Yeah."
Lie.
But smooth enough.
Keifer studied her for one second too long.
Then finally let it go.
---
Afternoon
The entire day passed strangely beautifully.
Small moments.
Tiny laughter.
Chaos.
Normal conversations.
Shared food.
Inside jokes.
JJ stayed close to everyone today without meaning to.
Or maybe she meant to.
Maybe this was her way of saying goodbye without saying the actual words.
---
At one point during lunch, she looked around the table quietly.
Everyone talking over each other.
Chaos everywhere.
Life everywhere.
And suddenly—
her eyes burned.
Because she realized something horrifying.
She wanted more of this.
More lunch breaks.
More arguments.
More Keifer stealing her fries.
More Percy screaming.
More Aries pretending not to care.
More years.
Not months.
Years.
---
Evening
Dinner at the mansion felt warmer than usual.
Maybe because JJ kept staring at everyone like she was trying to save the image forever.
Percy noticed first.
"You're being weird."
JJ blinked. "I'm always weird."
"No. This is emotional weird."
Aries narrowed his eyes slightly.
"…you sure you're okay?"
JJ smiled softly.
"Yeah."
Another lie.
Another one added to the pile she hated carrying.
---
Tita Gemma made her favorite food tonight.
Angelo actually sat through the whole dinner instead of disappearing halfway for work calls.
Percy kept making stupid jokes until JJ laughed hard enough to cough.
Then everyone went quiet instantly.
JJ waved them off quickly.
"I'm fine."
Again.
Again.
Again.
---
The Most Dangerous Moment
After dinner, JJ stood alone briefly on the mansion balcony.
Looking at the city lights.
Listening to laughter inside.
Her family.
Her people.
Her life.
Tears filled her eyes immediately.
Because tonight—
she was going to leave all of it behind.
Not because she wanted to.
Because she couldn't bear watching them break slowly while she died in front of them.
Especially Keifer.
Especially him.
---
Behind her—
the balcony door opened softly.
Keifer stepped outside.
His eyes immediately softened seeing her there.
"What are you thinking about?"
JJ looked at him quietly.
Too quietly.
Then smiled softly.
"You."
Keifer walked closer instantly.
Wrapped his arms around her waist gently.
Rested his forehead against hers.
And whispered:
"Good. Keep doing that."
JJ almost broke right there.
Because he had no idea—
that she was memorizing this moment like it might be the last one she'd ever get.