CH 13
THE SIDE NO ONE SAW
JAY JAY P.O.V.
Lunch. The loudest part of the day. But today..... IT FELT UNBEARABLE..
Noise. Laughter. Shouting.
Section E took over their usual space...
CI-N: "If you steal my food again, I will cry."
JOSH: "Cry."
DREW: "I bet he won't."
EMAN: "Stop betting on emotions."
Normal. Too normal.
I sat there. Quiet. Trying to eat. But -
CALIX: "So…"
I froze.
Not again.
CALIX:"You going to pass out again today?"
Not playful. Not teasing. SHARP...
A few shifted uncomfortably.Even Ci-n
CI-N: "Calix, stop—"
CALIX: "What? I'm just asking."
No.You're not.
Something inside me—
Cracked. Not anger. Not this time. It was something else.
CALIX:"Or do you only act tough until things get real?"
That did it. My vision blurred.
Not from rage. But from tears.
I stood up. Chair screeching loudly. Everyone went silent. I didn't even look at them..
I couldn't..
Then, I walked away.
Fast. The noise faded behind me. My chest hurt. Breathing uneven.
I pushed the music room door open.
Empty. Quiet. Safe. Finally,...
I walked in slowly.. THEN-
I broke. Tears fell. Fast. Uncontrollable.
I covered my mouth. Trying not to make a sound.
Everything I held back-.... Came out...
IN THE CLASS
Heavy silence...
CI-N: "…You messed up."
Calix didn't respond.f
or once—
He looked unsure.
RORY: "That wasn't a reaction."
EDRIX: "That was emotional."
CLASSROOM – LATER
The bell rang.
Lunch over.
But the mood—
Didn't change.
Sir Alvin entered.
SIR ALVIN: "Why does it feel like a funeral in here?"
No one answered.
Keifer stood up.
KEIFER: "Restroom."
Sir Alvin waved him off.
SIR ALVIN: "Go."
Keifer didn't waste a second.
MUSIC ROOM
I was still crying. Sitting on the floor. Head down.
When—
The door opened. I froze. Footsteps. Slow.
Then—
KEIFER: "…Jay."
His voice—
Was different. Not cold. Not sharp.
Soft. I didn't look up.
JAY: "Go away…"
My voice broke. He didn't leave.
Instead—
He walked closer. Then sat down. Not too close. But close enough.
A pause.
Then—
KEIFER:"I'm here."
I froze.
KEIFER (quiet):
"I'm not going anywhere."
That—
That broke me even more. I looked up. Tears falling nonstop.
JAY: "I didn't do anything…"
He didn't interrupt. Didn't judge. Just listened. So I kept talking.
JAY:"I didn't want to fight…"
"I didn't want any of it…"
"They made it look like I did…"
My hands trembled.
JAY:
"They expelled me…"
"They said I was dangerous…"
My voice dropped.
JAY:
"…Maybe they were right."
Silence.
Then—
KEIFER (firm, but soft):
"They're wrong."
I looked at him. Surprised. He held my gaze. No hesitation.
KEIFER:
"You didn't hurt anyone."
A pause.
KEIFER:
"That's what matters."
Tears fell harder.
Because—
For the first time—
Someone didn't see me as a problem.
DOOR OPENS
CI-N: "JAY—"
He stopped. Seeing us.
Then—
His expression softened.
CI-N (gentle): "Oh…"
More footsteps.
RORY.
EDRIX.
EMAN.
JOSH.
DREW.
…All of them.
Even—
Calix.
Silence filled the room.
Then—
Calix stepped forward. Awkward. Unfamiliar.
CALIX:
"…I went too far."
A pause.
CALIX:
"Sorry."
Everyone went still.
Because that—
Was rare. Very rare.
One by one—
They spoke.
EMAN: "We shouldn't have let it happen."
JOSH: "Yeah… sorry."
DREW: "I didn't think—okay I never think—but still sorry."
Ci-N walked closer.
Sat beside me.
CI-N:
"If anyone makes you cry again…"
A pause.
CI-N (serious for once):
"…we'll fight them."
I laughed weakly through tears.
Idiot.
Keifer stood up. Looked at everyone.
KEIFER:
"Go back to class."
No one argued.
That tone—
Was final.
KEIFER:
"Except you."
He looked at Ci-N. Ci-N blinked.
CI-N: "Me?"
KEIFER: "Stay."
The others slowly left. Even Calix. Glancing back once.
Silence. Just three of us. I wiped my tears slightly. Still shaking.
Then—
Keifer crouched down in front of me.
Closer now. Careful. Like I might break.
KEIFER (soft):
"You're safe here."
Ci-N froze.
Because—
He had never heard that tone before.
Not from Keifer. Not ever. I looked at him.
Still crying.
But—
Not scared anymore.
CI-N (internal reaction):
…Who is this?
Since when does Keifer talk like that?
For the first time—
Since I came here—
I didn't feel alone.