Jayjay POV
The sun was the first thing that woke me.
It slipped through the curtains like it always did—warm, bright, and annoying.
"Jay! Wake up!" someone banged on my door. "It's time for school! Come down for breakfast!"
I groaned and rolled over.
When I finally sat up, reality hit me.
I had slept straight through the night.
No dinner.
No late-night snacks.
Nothing.
I stared at the clock and laughed softly.
"How did I miss food?" I muttered. "Sorry, food girl. I promise I won't ever do this to you again."
I freshened up quickly.
When I checked my shoes, my mood dipped.
One slipper was still ruined—the one I'd messed up trying to clean yesterday. Completely useless.
Luckily, I had another pair. Two extras, actually.
"Saved," I whispered, slipping them on.
I opened my door and stepped out.
"What took you so long?" Angelo asked, already ready to leave.
"Oh please," I replied. "Nothing serious."
We headed down.
At the table, Aunty Gemma looked at me carefully.
"Jayjay… what happened yesterday? I didn't even see you come in."
"I was tired," I said quietly.
"You skipped two afternoon periods and came home early," she said. "That's not normal."
"I felt sick," I replied. "So I came home."
She studied me for a moment, then sighed.
"Alright."
"I'll ask Aries to drop you at school," Angelo said.
"No," I replied instantly, grabbing my bag. "I'll go myself."
Before anyone could argue, I walked out.
On the way, my phone buzzed.
Hex calling.
I answered.
"Hello?"
"Jayjay! How are you?" Hex smiled through the screen. "How's the new school?"
"It's… okay," I said.
"Is anyone bullying you?"
I shook my head. "Nah. It's cool."
Shouting suddenly echoed nearby.
I looked up and saw a small crowd—boys gathered around a fight. One boy wore the same school uniform as me.
"I'll call you later," I said quickly. "I'm almost at school."
Before Hex could reply, I ended the call.
I tried to avoid the scene and walk around.
"Jayjay."
I froze.
I turned. "You know me?"
The boy scratched his head. "Same class."
"Oh," I said flatly.
He walked beside me. "Sorry about the prank yesterday."
I stopped walking. "Wow. Someone actually apologized."
He sighed. "Not everyone agreed with it."
I scoffed. "Your class president is a gago."
He chuckled nervously. "Yeah… but he's also funny. And kind. Sometimes."
"Whatever."
I slowed my steps. "Can I ask you something?"
"Sure."
"What happened between Keifer and Ella?"
He looked around, then lowered his voice.
"That's not really something we talk about."
I crossed my arms. "Tell me and I'll buy you chocolate. Or I'll owe you cafeteria info."
He blinked. "Deal."
"So," he began, "Ella used to be in Section A. She and Keifer were dating. Then things got bad. She started treating him badly."
"And?"
"One day in the cafeteria, Keifer caught her kissing another guy."
My eyes widened. "What?"
"That's why there was a fight. Big one. That's also why Keifer got banned from the cafeteria."
I swallowed. "Do you know the guy?"
"I think his name was… Aries."
"Aries?" I frowned. "You mean Aries Fernandez?"
He nodded. "Yeah. That's him."
"Okay," I said calmly.
The school gate came into view.
Without another word,I suddenly turned away.
"Hey—where are you going?" he asked.
"The washroom," I replied casually.
I walked off, leaving him standing there—completely shocked.