The next morning, the house felt heavier than usual.
Gema woke everyone early, cooking longganisa and eggs like always, humming softly. Lia came down first, quiet, hair tied high, eyes sharp but unreadable. She kissed Gema's cheek, grabbed her breakfast, and sat beside Kairav like nothing was wrong.
Meanwhile Jay, Aries, and Angelo stood at the stairs peeking like scared cats.
Jay whispered, "She still looks mad…"
Aries whispered back, "She looks like she's planning our funerals."
Angelo elbowed him. "Quiet, she'll hear—"
Lia looked up.
All three jumped and pretended to stare at the ceiling.
Kairav snorted.
At the table, Jay finally gathered courage and sat across from Lia. She tried to smile.
"Good morning…"
Lia took a sip of her juice.
"Morning, Kairav."
Jay deflated instantly.
Angelo tried too. "Good morning… sis?"
Lia didn't even blink.
"Eat faster, we're going to be late."
Aries muttered, "Bro… she skipped us like broken NPCs."
When it was time to leave, Lia walked ahead with Kairav, while the other three followed like guilty prisoners.
At school, the hallway went SILENT when Section E saw them arrive together.
Everyone knew Lia fought the boys from Section D yesterday like a one-woman army. Now she walked in with the same cold aura, classmates immediately stepping aside.
Lorenzo whispered to Freya, "Bro, look at her. She looks like she'll kick a whole classroom today."
Freya nodded. "I'm scared… but also impressed."
Cin whispered, "Aries and Angelo look like bodyguards who got yelled at by their boss."
Eren added, "Jay looks like she cried for three hours."
Jay smacked Eren.
"Shut up! I DID NOT— okay maybe like… two."
Inside Section E's classroom, Mica ran up to them.
"Guys! Why does Lia look like she wants blood?"
Angelo sighed. "Because she does."
Mayo asked, "What'd you guys do?"
Jay pointed at Angelo and Aries. "THEY kept a secret."
Aries pointed at Jay. "SHE also kept it."
Angelo pointed at both of them. "WE'RE ALL LOSERS."
In the corner, Kiefer sat up straight the moment he saw Jay's stressed face. He walked over and kissed her forehead.
"Hey. You okay?"
Jay melted immediately. "She won't talk to me…"
Kiefer frowned.
"We'll fix it. Together."
Meanwhile, Kairav approached Lia.
"You sure you don't want to forgive them yet?"
Lia said nothing. But the slight tension in her shoulders suggested she wasn't as angry as yesterday.
Still, she kept quiet.
Angelo watched them and whispered to Aries, "Did you see that? She TALKED to Kairav outside the house too?!"
Aries whispered back, "Bro, she switched siblings. You've been demoted."
Before their next class started, three students from Section E ran inside.
"It's starting!" Percy shouted.
"What?" Mica asked.
"Kaira is in the hallway."
The whole class froze.
Jay tensed instantly.
Aries and Angelo stiffened.
And Lia…
Lia's eyes finally lifted for the first time that morning.
Slowly.
Coldly.
Dangerously.
But instead of going out, she got up and walked toward her bag.
Everyone watched.
Jay whispered, "Is she gonna fight again?!"
Aries hissed, "NO— NO MORE SUSPENSION PLEASE—"
But Lia did something unexpected.
She pulled out her water bottle…
Then sat back down calmly.
Jay blinked. "That's it?"
Cin whispered, "Bro, that's scarier than when she wanted to fight."
Eren nodded. "She's plotting something."
Kiefer cautiously asked, "Lia… you okay?"
Lia finally spoke.
"I'm fine."
Everyone in Section E froze.
She spoke.
Kairav leaned back. "See? Mood improving."
Angelo felt hopeful. "Maybe she'll talk to us too—"
Lia turned to him.
"No."
Angelo died again.
Outside, Kiara was loudly talking to someone, clearly trying to gather attention.
Jay clenched her fists. "I swear if she says something—"
Angelo groaned, "Jay, not today—"
Then it happened.
Kiara's mocking voice echoed into the classroom.
"Hah! She thinks she's special just because she's rich? Please. Her life is pathetic."
Everyone froze.
Everyone looked at Lia.
Lia didn't move.
Jay whispered, "Oh no… oh no no no—"
Kiara kept going.
"Her father left her, her mother—"
The classroom doors SLAMMED open.
Everyone jumped.
Lia was on her feet without even realizing, eyes glowing with cold fury.
Kairav caught her wrist gently.
"Lia… don't."
She blinked.
And sat down again.
The entire classroom let out a synchronized exhale.
Jay quietly walked to Lia's desk.
"Lia… I'm really sorry. For everything. For hiding it. For hurting you."
Lia stared at her.
"Kiefer knew too," Jay said quietly. "He scolded me last night. We all want to fix this. Just tell us how."
Lia sighed and looked away.
"I needed one thing from all of you. Just one."
Jay's eyes watered.
"What?"
"I needed honesty."
Jay dropped her head on the desk.
"I know… I ruined that…"
A long silence.
Then Lia reached out and flicked Jay's forehead.
Jay gasped dramatically. "OW— WHAT—"
Lia finally smiled — a tiny one.
"You're forgiven. Idiot."
Jay SNATCHED Lia into a hug so fast Lia choked.
Aries and Angelo rushed over too.
Aries hugged them both. "Liaaaa I'm sorryyyy—"
Angelo cried loudest. "WE'LL NEVER HIDE ANYTHING AGAIN—"
Lia shoved them off.
"Get off me, you emotional potatoes!"
The whole class laughed.
Outside, Kiara suddenly peeked into the classroom, confused.
"Why are you all laughing?"
Section E glared at her altogether.
Kiara stepped back instantly.
Even without touching her, Lia won.
The bell rang.
As they walked to their next class as a group again, Kairav slung an arm around Lia's shoulder.
"Feel better now?"
Lia smirked.
"A little."
Jay added, "Just a little??"
Lia raised a brow.
"You want me to take back the forgiveness?"
Jay shut up immediately.
Kiefer laughed and kissed Jay's cheek.
"Very smart choice."
Aries slung an arm around Angelo.
"We survived, bro."
Angelo nodded.
"Barely."
Lia walked ahead of them, hair swaying, confidence restored, surrounded by her chaotic family of idiots.
Everything was finally back to normal.
Section E style.