keifers (pov)
The beach was loud again—laughter, splashes, careless chaos—but it all faded the moment the unfamiliar yacht cut through the water. It stopped too close, too deliberate. And then he stepped out. Calm. Certain. Looking only at her.
"Still running?"
Jay didn't answer. Not immediately. She just stepped forward, slow and steady, like every movement was measured. Like she had done this before.
"You shouldn't be here," she said.
He smiled faintly. "That's not what you said before."
A flicker passed through her eyes—gone just as quickly. "I don't remember asking you to come."
"You didn't," he replied. "You ran."
The word hung there. Heavy.
Jay moved closer, her posture shifting—not loud, not dramatic, but different. Controlled. Dangerous in a way that didn't match the girl they knew. "Careful," she said quietly.
"Or what?"
"You already know."
He studied her, like he was checking if something had changed. "I was wondering how long you'd last."
"Long enough."
"Not long enough to disappear."
Silence settled again, thicker now. His gaze shifted past her for a brief second—toward the others. That was enough.
"Don't," Jay said sharply.
That tone wasn't hers. Not the one they were used to.
He noticed too. "That's new."
"No," she replied. "It's not."
A pause. Then she stepped closer, closing the space between them.
"If you want something," she said, her voice low and steady, "deal with me."
His eyes didn't leave hers.
"Don't even think about touching them," she added. "They don't belong in this."
"And you do?"
"Yes."
No hesitation.
"If you're here for revenge," she continued, "then take it from me. Not them."
The wind picked up, but neither of them moved.
"Because if you do…" she said, quieter now, colder, "it won't end well."
For a moment, he just looked at her. Then a slow smirk formed.
"We'll see."
And just like that, he turned—walking back toward the yacht as if nothing had happened. The engine roared to life, the distance growing again.
But the silence he left behind stayed—heavy, sharp, and impossible to ignore.
The yacht disappeared, but no one went back to normal. The water kept moving, the wind still warm, yet the space between all of them felt different now—quieter, tighter. Percy was the first to break, of course. "Okay… I'm sorry, but that was not normal," he said, looking straight at Jay. "That guy literally came for you."
"Percy," Honey said softly, touching his arm, not to stop him completely but to calm him down. She glanced at Jay too, worry clear on her face.
Freya stepped forward a little, arms crossed but her voice not sharp this time—just serious. "He knew you," she said. "And you knew him. Don't say 'no one.'"
Ella stood beside her, calmer as always, but her eyes didn't miss anything. "We're not asking to fight you, Jay," she added quietly. "We just want to understand."
Mica moved closer as well, her voice gentle. "Are you okay?"
Grace nodded quickly, agreeing. "Yeah… you don't have to explain everything, but at least tell us you're fine."
Denzel didn't say much, but the way he looked at Jay said enough—alert, protective, already thinking ahead.
Aries finally spoke, stepping in front of everyone else, his tone steady but firm. "Jay."
She looked at him.
"Who was that?"
For a second—just a second—there was a pause.
Then she brushed the sand off her hands like it didn't matter. "No one."
The answer didn't sit right with anyone.
Percy frowned immediately. "No one doesn't show up like that and say things like 'still running,' Jay."
"Percy—" Honey tried again, but even she didn't sound convinced this time.
Freya shook her head. "No. He's right." Her eyes stayed on Jay. "That wasn't random."
Cin, who usually joked about everything, didn't smile this time. "Yeah… that felt personal."
I finally spoke. "Since when does 'no one' look for you like that?"
Jay's eyes snapped to mine. Sharp. Warning. "Drop it."
Not loud.
Not emotional.
Just controlled.
That made it worse.
Ella noticed it too, her expression softening a little. "Jay…" she started carefully, "we're not against you."
Mica nodded quickly. "We're on your side."
Grace added quietly, "Always."
There was something in the air then—not pressure, not force—just… concern. Real concern.
For a moment, it looked like Jay might say something else.
But she didn't.
"I'm fine," she said instead.
Too quick.
Too practiced.
Aries didn't move. "You don't look fine."
"I am."
"You're lying."
That made her look at him again, a little sharper this time. "I said I'm fine."
Silence followed.
Not angry.
Not loud.
Just heavy.
Percy exhaled, running a hand through his hair again. "Okay, but if you're not gonna tell us who he is, at least tell us if we should be worried."
That question stayed there.
Jay didn't answer it.
Instead, she stepped back slightly, like she was already done with the conversation. "I'm going back," she said.
"Jay—" Aries started.
But she had already turned.
Walking away.
Not fast.
Not running.
Just steady.
Like she didn't want anyone to follow.
No one did.
Not immediately.
They all just stood there, watching her leave.
Mica looked the most unsettled. "I don't like this…" she said softly.
Freya sighed, but there was no attitude in it this time. "Yeah. Same."
Ella crossed her arms lightly, thinking. "She's hiding something."
"Obviously," Percy muttered. "But why?"
Denzel finally spoke, his voice low. "Because she thinks she has to."
That shut Percy up.
Aries was still looking at the path Jay had taken, his expression unreadable.
"She didn't look scared," Grace said quietly.
"No," Aries replied after a moment.
"She didn't."
I didn't say anything.
Because I had seen it too.
She wasn't scared.
She wasn't confused.
She wasn't even surprised.
She was ready.
And whatever that meant—
it wasn't over.