David's POV:
I was supposed to pick her up.
She beat me to it. Typical Jay — never letting anyone else have control for too long.
I turned when the elevator doors opened, ready to tease her about being late, but the words died.
She looked like every version of strength I'd ever seen — the kind you build from ashes. The black-blue dress hugged her shoulders perfectly, the silver heels made her taller, prouder. Her eyes were lined dark, her lips soft pink — the kind of effort you only put in when you're about to face your ghosts.
I wasn't the only one who noticed.
Section E had stopped mid-conversation. Even Keifer, that stoic idiot, looked like he'd been hit by a train.
Jay gave me a small, almost teasing smile when I walked up. "You were coming to pick me up?"
"Yeah," I said, trying to sound normal. "But seems like you didn't need me."
She smirked, the edge of the old Jay peeking through. "Didn't want to risk you making me late."
I laughed softly, shaking my head, but before I turned, she stopped me.
"Wait."
She reached into her bag and pulled out a jar — small, filled with 366 folded paper stars, each one bright under the lights.
"Give this to Cin," she said, voice quieter now. "Tell him… happy birthday."
My throat tightened.
"His birthday won't mean anything if you're not the one giving it."
For a moment, she hesitated — then exhaled and followed me inside.
Watching her walk through the doors, straight into that balloon-filled, chaotic, childish party, was like watching the end of winter.She was looking like the girl I had fallen for....
That moment I knew Cin was about to cry before he even turned.
---
Keifer's POV:
I wasn't ready.
I told myself I wouldn't care — that Cin's birthday was just another event, another room I could ghost through.Even though I had to leave for London I still wished to see Jay as much as I could...
Then David's text came in.
> She's coming.
And suddenly I was there, half-hidden near the balloon arch, pretending I hadn't been waiting the entire time.
The doors opened, and the noise in the condo thinned to nothing.
Jay stood there.
For a heartbeat, the world tilted.
She wasn't in her usual jeans and messy ponytail.
She was in a short, midnight-blue dress that ended just above her thigh — soft shimmer at the hem, matching silver heels, her hair loose and curled in a way that made every flicker of light chase through it. She didn't even look real.
The girl who used to hate heels, who once threw her blazer at me saying "I'm not dressing up for anybody," had just stepped into the room looking like the definition of contradiction — strength wrapped in grace, heartbreak painted in confidence.
Someone dropped a cup behind me. Nobody even flinched.
And me?
I couldn't breathe.
Every part of me wanted to look away — to spare myself — but I couldn't. The sound of her heels clicking across the floor might as well have been thunder in my chest.
Then Cin turned.
He froze, smile dying into disbelief.
"Jay?"
She nodded once, small but sure.
And when he ran to her — when she laughed and hugged him, when his shoulders shook against her — something inside me split clean down the middle.
She whispered something that made him smile through his tears, thumb brushing under his eyes like it was the most natural thing in the world.
I used to be the reason she smiled like that.
Now I was the reminder of why she stopped.
David's hand brushed my arm as he passed, quiet reassurance. I didn't respond. Couldn't.
Cin had her back now, and she had that look — the one that meant forgiveness.
And for the first time since losing her, I realized I might never get mine.
---
Section E's POV:
They'd all been joking seconds before — teasing Cin, complaining about the ridiculous mascot dancing near the cake table.
Then the door opened, and silence devoured the room.
"Is that—?"
"No way."
"It's Jay."
The laughter died. Forks stilled. Rory's jaw literally dropped.
Jay stood there like she owned the place — and somehow, she did.
Rory whispered, "She's wearing a dress."
"And heels," Felix added in awe.
"No, like… actual heels," Drew muttered. "The girl who said they're ankle torture devices."
Kit elbowed him. "Shut up, you'll ruin the moment."
None of them had ever seen her like that — not at a mission briefing, not during training, not even on nights out. Jay was the one who lived in boots and sarcasm, who rolled her eyes at mascara and called lip gloss a "trap."
And yet there she was — in a short navy dress, heels clicking, chin up, smiling like she'd finally found her voice again.
Cin saw her and lost it. The entire group watched him sprint forward, tears in his eyes, hugging her like he'd found a missing part of himself.
The sight pulled at every buried emotion they'd been trying to ignore.
Mayo looked away. "I didn't think she'd ever forgive us."
Eman whispered, "She's forgiving him. Not us."
Felix nodded slowly. "She's not ready to."
"Can you blame her?" Rory said.
From across the room, Keifer stood frozen — and the rest of Section E followed his gaze.
They saw the jealousy in his eyes, the heartbreak he couldn't hide. But under it, there was something else — relief.
Because Jay was alive, smiling, shining — even if it wasn't for them anymore.
Cin and Jay stood in the corner then, heads close, laughter spilling softly between them. She handed him the jar — the one David must've carried in — and Cin just broke down, hugging her again.
It was messy, emotional, painfully raw — and beautiful.
The group sat back, no one speaking. For the first time in a long while, Section E didn't look like a team of legends.
They looked like a bunch of kids who lost the best thing that ever happened to them...
~A/N I know guyss it's a bit short chapter but I had less of time you know I got my festival so yup survive this and trust me I'll post soon maybe 2 chapters idk anyway Lovee yaaa💘🦋