JAY JAY POV
Next morning
I sat on a chair in the middle of Percy's living room like a prison guard on night shift, because I couldn't trust those idiots for even one second. They were running around like drunk toddlers with muscles.
I hadn't slept a wink because one of them kept snoring like a chainsaw and the other two kept talking in their sleep about "rooster sticks" and "bathroom geography."
The sun was barely up, but the "Regret Parade" was already starting.
"JAY-JAY? WHERE AM I?" Aries asked, bolting upright on the sofa. He looked like he'd been through a blender. His hair was sticking up in five different directions
"Jay... can I get bed coffee?" Percy groaned from the other sofa, not even opening his eyes. He was draped over the side of the cushions, one hand touching the floor. "With... extra sugar... and a new soul... please."
Then there was Jare. My "responsible" older brother was curled up on the rug at my feet. He slowly rolled over, squinting at the sunlight as if it were a personal attack.
"Jay... my head hurts," Jare moaned, rubbing his temples. "It feels like someone used my brain as a punching bag."
I didn't care if they had hangovers. I didn't care if their heads were spinning. I grabbed the long wooden stick I had found in Percy's backyard earlier and started brandishing it like a sword.
"You! Assholes!" I yelled, swinging the stick and thwacking the sofa cushions right next to Aries' ear.
"JAY OWWW!" Aries yelped, scrambling to his feet with the agility of a frightened cat. He tripped over a stray bottle, looking completely betrayed. "My ears are ringing, Jay-Jay! Stop!"
I turned my sights on the "Handsome" brother
"JAY BABY SISTAH! PLEASE DON'T HIT ME! YOU'RE GONNA RUIN MY BODY WITH THAT STICK!" Percy screamed, jumping over the back of the couch and using a throw pillow as a shield. "NOT THE FACE! I HAVE A PHOTO SHOOT NEXT WEEK!"
"I'll give you a photo shoot with a black eye!" I swung the stick again, catching him on the backside.
"JAY! PUT THAT STICK AWAY! IT HURTS, ANGEL!" Jare yelled, crawling away from me on his hands and knees.
Angel. He only called me that when he was in deep trouble and trying to manipulate his way out of a lecture.
"DON'T 'ANGEL' ME, YOU LIAR!" I screamed, chasing him around the coffee table. "YOU BUNCH OF MORONS! DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA WHAT I WENT THROUGH LAST NIGHT? I HAD TO CARRY PERCY'S WEIGHT, LISTEN TO JARE'S ROMANTIC MEMOIRS, AND WATCH ARIES TRY TO FIGHT A ROOSTER!"
"It was a very aggressive rooster!" Aries defended himself from behind a large armchair.
"IT WAS A HUMAN BEING!" I hit the armchair with a loud WHACK. "While you guys were busy being 'trangenter' and yelling in the car, I was the one who had to deal with Yuri"
"JAY PLEASE PUT IT DOWN!" Jare yelled at me, his voice cracking with desperation.
I finally sighed and let the stick go. Aries, sensing a moment of safety, lunged forward and snatched it from the floor like he was disarming a bomb. He quickly hid it behind the sofa so I couldn't get it back.
"Make me breakfast," I commanded, looking at the three of them.
They were about to argue—I could see Percy's mouth opening to complain about his 'delicate' hands—but I raised my hand in a silent threat. They immediately shut up, scrambled into the kitchen, and started banging pots and pans around.
I sat back on the sofa, scrolling through my phone, but my brain was still stuck on the King of Assholes. Don't think about him, Jay‑Jay. Yeah. That's more like it.
I opened instagram trying to distract myself before my sanity packed its bags.
When will Ashtine and Andres finally say they're official? It's so obvious. Why are they letting the fans suffer like this?
After a while, Jare crept out of the kitchen, looking pale. He sat on the edge of the armchair, fidgeting with his fingers.
"Jay... when I was drunk... did I say something about Mia?" Jare asked quietly.
I didn't even look up from my screen. "Yeah. A lot, actually," I said sarcastically.
Jare swallowed hard. "What... what did I say?"
I looked at him and smirked. It was too easy to mess with him. "You don't remember what happened at all?"
Jare shook his head vigorously. "Nothing."
"Nothing?" I teased, letting the silence hang for a second.
"NOTHING!" Jare yelled, his face turning a bright shade of pink. "What did I say?!"
"You were talking about how Mia's lips were so good and how she's a really good kisser," I said, making a disgusted face. "You were basically giving us a play-by-play of your love life. It was gross, Jare. Truly gross."
Jare buried his face in his hands, looking like he wanted the floor to swallow him whole. "That's it?" he asked, his voice muffled.
"I think there was more. Maybe you should ask Mia," I said, leaning back and watching him squirm.
"JAY! What did I say to her?" Jare asked, panicking now.
"A lot. Ask her, idiot," I said, shrugging my shoulders. "Maybe you should figure it out yourself instead of relying on me."
"I can't just call her and say 'Hey, did I talk about your lips while I was wasted?'" Jare hissed.
"Why not? You did it in front of me, Percy, Aries, and even Yuri," I lied—well, halfway lied. He didn't say it to Yuri, but Yuri was definitely close enough to hear the "Rooster" insults and the "Mia" ramblings.
Before Jare could interrogate me further, Percy walked in holding a plate of half-burnt toast and some scrambled eggs that looked slightly suspicious.
"Breakfast is served, Queen of the Sticks," Percy said, looking exhausted. "Please eat so your blood sugar levels rise and you stop trying to murder us."
I took a bite of the eggs—which were surprisingly edible—and looked around. "Where's Aries?"
"In the kitchen," Percy whispered, leaning in close
Then, he turned and yelled at the top of his lungs, "ARIES BABY! JAY IS CALLING YOU!"
Aries dragged himself out of the kitchen, looking slightly more human but still incredibly pale. He slumped onto a chair at the dining table, resting his head on his hand.
"So, do we have to go to school today?" I asked him, hoping for a miracle that would let me stay in bed and avoid the world.
Aries nodded slowly. "Yeah, we do. We already skipped yesterday. If kuya knows we skipped two day we will die"
"Fine," I groaned.
We finished our miserable breakfast in silence. After a round of quick showers and desperate attempts to hide their dark circles, we finally headed to HVIS. The walk felt like a slow march to our doom.
I stepped into the Section E classroom with Jare trailing behind me like a shadow. He was still avoiding my eyes, probably still haunted by the "lips" comment.
"Talk to Mia when she comes back," I muttered to Jare as we reached our seats.
He ignored me, staring straight ahead.
"JARE!" I yelled, making a few classmates jump.
He ignored me again, his jaw set. Oh, so we're playing the silent game now? I felt the eyes of everyone in Section E on us. They were whispering, probably wondering why the atmosphere between us felt like a ticking time bomb.
I huffed and sat in my seat, ignoring the stares. But as I went to put my bag down, I froze. There was a note resting right in the middle of my desk.
I picked it up, expecting another threat.
Yeah, I've been getting a lot of death threats lately.
Fun to read, right?
Dear Jay.
Wait, wait, wait. Dear Jay? Since when did anyone who threatens me use the word "Dear"? It felt too soft, too polite for this place.
I continued to read:
We know what we did is wrong, but please try to forgive us even though we don't deserve it.
You helped Section E when nobody wanted to.
You always took a stand for us, even when things got dangerous, and we couldn't do the same for you...
I stopped breathing for a second. My eyes flickered across the room. The guys were all pretending to be busy—some were looking out the window, others were intensely studying their empty notebooks, and a few were whispering in the back.
This wasn't from the enemy. This was from them.
The note continued:
We're truly sorry that we brought you down. You always led us. You've been quiet lately, not talking to us, and Section E is not the same without you bossing us around. Please come back to us, Jay-Jay.We want to make it right. From today on, you don't have to be the one who stands in front. We're right behind you.
I looked over at Ci-n, who was trying to look busy with a pen.
"Do you know who wrote this?" I demanded, waving the paper in his face.
Ci-n shrugged, playing it cool. "No clue. Maybe the wind wrote it."
"Tell me before I hurt you," I threatened, leaning over his desk.
"Who else, idiot? It's from us!" Ci-n snapped, finally breaking.
I stood up from my seat, holding the letter like it was a piece of evidence. I scanned the faces of everyone in Section E who usually looked like they were ready to start a riot, now looking at me like I was their judge.
"Do you guys really think one letter will fix everything?" I asked, my voice echoing.
"Jay, we're trying," Felix said from his seat, his voice unusually quiet.
"We know the letter won't fix anything, but please na... at least talk to us," Calix added, leaning forward.
I looked at the beautiful handwriting again. "You assholes... did you really write this letter yourselves?"
The room went dead silent. No one said a word.
"Answer me, you snakes!" I yelled.
"Mica and Rakki helped us," Calix blurted out, a guilty smile creeping onto his face.
I narrowed my eyes, I gave him a sarcastically simile "Mica and Rakki helped you? So you couldn't even manage a single page without help?"
I picked up a heavy textbook from my desk. "You Assholes can't even write a single letter without consulting outside sources."
"Hoy, Jay! You know we're not good at writing letters!" Rory defended, throwing his hands up. "We can barely read the chalkboard!"
"Oh? And what do you know how to do?" I asked sarcastically. "Beyond tracking people and finding out stuff you shouldn't?"
Rory and Edrix just exchanged a smug look and smiled at me.
"You two," I pointed the book at them like a weapon. "If you track me again, I will personally make your own grave with my beau–" I stopped abruptly, my face heating up. "With my hands!"
I was about to say my beautiful hands. Damn it, Percy! I blame you for this! Ever since he started whining about his "merchandise" and his "handsome aura" this morning, his stupid Narcissus energy was rubbing off on me.
I returned to my seat and tried to focus as Sir Alvin began the lesson, but my phone vibrated halfway through. It was a message from Grandpa.
From Grandpa: I'm coming to the Philippines soon. Don't worry too much.
My stomach dropped. Grandpa coming here usually meant one of two things: major trouble or him dragging me back to New York. I refused to go back. Not yet. That King of Assholes still hasn't explained why he left me in this mess, and I wasn't leaving until I got answers.
When the bell finally rang, I tried to make a quick exit, but Yuri intercepted me. He looked pale, almost trembling.
"Jay-Jay," he stammered, his expression terrified.
"What the hell do you want now?" I snapped, already losing my patience.
"Jay, the thing is…" He trailed off, looking like he was about to face a firing squad.
"If you don't start talking, I'm leaving. I have better things to do than watch you stutter," I said, turning to walk away.
"Jay, wait, please!" He grabbed my hand to stop me. I immediately shook him off, glaring at his fingers.
"The headmaster wants to talk to you... since you're supposed to be marrying me," Yuri finally blurrred out.
Shit. I had blocked that nightmare engagement out of my mind.
"Jay, please. I know you're mad, but just... try not to do anything crazy," he pleaded, struggling to find the right words.
"If you keep acting like everything is my fault, I'll give you a real reason to worry about me ruining things," I threatened.
"Please, Jay. I know you don't want to come, but think about Angelo's company. Everything depends on this dinner tonight." He looked at me desperately. "And please... wear red today."
In your dreams, I thought.
"I'll pick you up from Angelo's at 6:30 PM," he said. He lingered for a moment, staring at me as if searching for a sign of agreement, then finally turned and left.
I rolled my eyes, feeling the weight of the evening ahead.
"What was that about?" Jare asked, appearing at my side.
"Nothing important. Just useless garbage," I muttered.
"You're going home with Aries, right?" Jare asked. I nodded, and he leaned down to kiss my forehead. "Be careful. Bye."
I waited in the parking lot for Aries. When he finally showed up, he was being trailed by Ella, who was practically begging for his attention. Amy was standing nearby, watching the spectacle with her arms crossed and her eyes rolling so hard I thought they'd get stuck.
"Amy!" I called out.
"Jay!" She ran over and gave me a quick hug.
"How was your first day?" I asked.
"Not bad, except for the fact that Ella has been following your grumpy brother around like a lost puppy, begging for a chance," Amy said, glancing toward them with a scowl. "I really don't like her."
I smirked at her. "You sound jealous."
"Eww! Why would I be jealous of that?" Amy asked, her face flushing. I just shrugged.
Aries finally broke away from Ella and marched over to us. "Jay, you ready?"
I nodded, but Amy wasn't done with him yet. She pointed a finger at his chest. "You need to catch up on your schoolwork so you don't fail."
"And you need to smile more," Amy added sharply.
"What the fuck?" Aries snapped. "I'm the President; I was just saying you need to stay on top of things."
"And I'm telling you, as a responsible person, I shouldn't have to see your grumpy face every morning!" Amy shot back.
"Enough!" I cut in before they could start a full-blown war in the parking lot. "Bye, Amy!" I waved to her as I dragged Aries toward the car, trying to escape the drama before my 6:30 execution began.