Jay's POV
Warm hands slipped over my eyes, and before I could even flinch, a teasing voice came from behind.
"Guess who."
I froze — the tone was light, playful, but my brain took a second to catch up.
When the hands dropped, I turned—and my breath caught.
"Alex?!"
He grinned, just as wide and reckless as I remembered. "Wow, didn't think you'd recognize me that fast, Jasper Jean Mariano."
For a heartbeat, I just stood there, stunned, then I practically jumped out of my seat and threw my arms around him.
"Are you kidding me?! What are you doing here?" I laughed, the surprise bubbling out before I could stop it.
He chuckled, hugging me back, still a little dazed. "Apparently, the Peralta family knows how to throw a party. I was invited for their kid's birthday—guess who that turned out to be?"
I blinked, still trying to process it. "Cin? You're here for Cin?"
"Yup." He smirked. "Small world, huh?"
I stepped back, looking him over — he'd changed, but not really. Same messy hair, same faint scar under his jaw from when he dared me to climb the fence back in sophomore year, same energy that could light up a dead room.
"I can't believe this," I said, shaking my head. "You didn't even text, you idiot."
He raised his hands in mock defense. "Hey, I did! You're the one who went off-grid. No number, no socials—felt like you joined witness protection."
Rakki snorted beside me. "She basically did."
"Rakki!" I elbowed her, but she only smirked.
Alex's eyes softened a bit when he looked at me again. "Still the same Jay," he said quietly. "Maybe a little prettier, though."
I rolled my eyes, trying to fight the heat creeping up my neck. "You're still terrible at compliments."
"And you're still bad at taking them," he shot back, grin lazy, warm.
We both laughed, but somewhere behind me, the air shifted. That tension—the kind that told me Section E was watching.
---
Section E POV (Group Whisper Chaos):
Calix leaned forward, eyebrows shooting up. "Wait, who the hell is that guy hugging her?"
Rory squinted. "That's not one of us. He looks too confident."
Eren smirked faintly. "Confident? He's touching her like he's got rights."
Denzel chuckled lowly. "Look at her laughing—when was the last time she laughed like that around us?"
Blaster leaned back, eyes narrowing. "Never seen her wear a dress like that either… or heels. Damn and now she hugs a strange boy that's not one of us huhh."
Josh muttered under his breath, "She changed."
Mayo crossed his arms. "Changed or upgraded?"
Edrix gave a short, humorless laugh. "Upgraded away from us, maybe."
Felix whistled softly. "That guy's got guts. Walking in here, all easy, while Keifer looks like he's about to set something on fire."
Their gazes flicked toward Keifer, whose jaw was tight, fists clenched under the table. Even David's normally calm expression had hardened.
---
Jay's POV:
Mica whispered, "Jay… who's this now?"
"Yeah," Rakki added, her tone teasing but her eyes worried.
I smoothed my dress, "Just a friend from school."
Alex's smirk deepened. "Friend, huh? Interesting."
He threw a wink at me — then deliberately glanced at Section E.
The boys fell quiet.
The silence that followed was heavier than any glare.
And for once, standing there in those ridiculous heels, I didn't shrink.
I smiled — small, defiant — because they didn't expect me to stand that tall again...
The room felt split in two—the bright laughter and chatter from the kids' side, and the curious, watchful silence from Section E's corner.
I was still smiling at Alex when a familiar voice called out behind him.
"Is that Jasper Jean Mariano I see?"
I turned—and froze.
"Mr. and Mrs. Wilson?"
Alex's parents stepped in, grinning warmly. Mr. Wilson with his calm, steady presence, and Mrs. Wilson with the same gentle eyes that had always made me feel safe. Memories rushed back—weekend visits, shared meals, the way they treated me like family when Alex and I were little.
"Oh my god," I whispered, hugging Mrs. Wilson. "It's been so long."
She laughed softly. "Far too long, sweetheart. Look at you! All grown up. Cole must be so proud to have you living with him."
I blushed, awkward but amused. "Yeah… we manage."
Mr. Wilson chuckled. "And to think when you two were little, you used to hide in Alex's closet and eat cookies before dinner."
Alex threw me a playful glare. "Hey! She dragged me into it, remember?"
I laughed, shaking my head. "You're exaggerating!"
Mrs. Wilson wiggled her finger at me. "Exaggerating? You two were partners in crime. And Alex used to run to his big brother Cole every time you scared him."
Alex smirked. "True story. Big bro had to save me from her all the time."
I couldn't help but laugh again, the sound light and free.
---
Section E POV
Calix whispered, eyes wide. "Wait… she's laughing like that? At them?"
Eren muttered under his breath, "And she's… so… comfortable. With them."
Rory frowned. "She's… confident. So confident. Not shrinking, not hiding. God… we weren't ready for this."
Felix added, "Cole's family? And she's living with him… okay, makes sense now."
Drew glanced at Blaster. "And she's teasing them back like she owns the place. Didn't see that coming."
Denzel smirked. "She's grown up. Comfortable. Not hiding. Not us."
Keifer's jaw tightened, fists clenched under the table. He said nothing, but every muscle in his body radiated… tension, jealousy, curiosity.
David's gaze was calm, assessing the entire scene, silently noting the dynamics and how Section E was reacting.
---
Jay's POV
Alex grinned at me. "You should come by sometime. Mom still misses you stole all her chocolate chip cookies before."
Mrs. Wilson nudged me playfully. "And don't think we forgot how you used to try convincing little Alex to do your chores for you!"
I laughed, shaking my head. "I was tiny! It's not my fault he was gullible."
Alex chuckled, winking at me. "And now look at you. Still the same troublemaker, just… bigger."
I glanced at Section E, catching the mixture of shock, envy, and curiosity on their faces. Some whispered to each other, unable to believe the side of me that they had never seen—light, playful, confident, and surrounded by people who genuinely cared.
I straightened my back, smiled at Alex and his parents, and felt a little thrill of defiance.
Yes. This was me. And I wasn't hiding...
Keifer's POV:
I froze the moment she stepped into the hall.
Jasper Jean Mariano. Jay Jay.
She wasn't walking—she was gliding, confident, radiant, owning the space without a single hesitation. Every head turned, but I didn't see anyone. All I saw was her.
Her eyes immediately found Rakki and Mica, and she drifted toward them with ease, like she was sliding into a world that was safe and familiar. They laughed softly, leaned close, whispered things I couldn't hear—but the way Jay's lips curved, the subtle tilt of her head, the ease in her stance—it was natural. Effortless. She wasn't putting on a show for anyone else, especially not Section E.
I felt it immediately—every muscle in my body tensed, my jaw ached from clenching.
She ignored us. Every single one of us. Calix, Eren, Rory, Felix… all of them were standing there, mouths slightly open, eyes wide. They didn't expect this. And maybe more importantly, she didn't care.
Then my eyes caught Alex.
She froze for a fraction of a second, then jumped slightly, eyes lighting up, and practically launched herself at him. She hugged him tight, laughing softly, and asked, "What are you doing here?"
Alex's smirk was infuriatingly perfect, the way he leaned back with that little devilish glint in his eyes. "Invited by the Peralta family," he said casually, "for Cin's birthday. And you?"
Jay's lips twitched, amused but pointed. "Here for Cin, obviously."
And then the little touch. His hand brushed hers when he straightened up—playful, teasing, familiar. Not intimate, not flirty in a crude way, but precise enough to make my blood boil. Every instinct in me screamed.
Her parents followed right behind him—warm smiles, teasing words. They called her out on old childhood habits, little quirks I knew she hated being reminded of, but she laughed anyway. That laugh.
That laugh.
I could feel a fire crawling up my chest, coiling around my ribs and tightening. Her ease with Alex, the casual way she let him joke with her, the way she smiled at him, the gentle brushing of hands, the way her eyes sparkled with recognition and amusement—all of it was a slap to my chest.
I wanted to step forward, to tell her she belonged to me, to yank her into my orbit and burn every other connection she had in the room into nothingness. But I didn't.
I couldn't.
And yet every fiber of me was on fire. Jealousy, fury, and something darker—a raw possessiveness that made me want to crush the floor beneath Alex's feet for daring to touch her, to joke with her, to make her smile in ways I had no part in anymore.
Section E was whispering amongst themselves. I caught Eren's gaze—wide, confused. Felix muttered under his breath. Blaster leaned toward Drew, shaking his head. But they didn't matter. Not anymore.
She was laughing at her parents' teasing, swatting at Alex playfully, her voice light and teasing. Every gesture, every look, every tiny flicker of familiarity she allowed him—she wasn't doing it to spite me. No, she didn't even notice me. She was living.
And I wanted to shatter that whole moment.
I stepped slightly closer, clenching my fists. My chest burned, my stomach churned. The fire in my veins screamed: She's mine. She's mine, and everyone else needs to get the hell out of her orbit.
But I stayed still, silent, watching every laugh, every flick of her hand, every teasing grin exchanged with Alex.
I had never felt so enraged and helpless at the same time.
And the worst part? I didn't want to ruin this for her...