That afternoon the gang met again in their usual place.
Under the big tree near the college.
But Jay was not the same.
She had barely spoken since morning.
Her eyes looked tired.
Her smile forced.
Ella noticed immediately.
She gently touched Jay's arm.
"Jay… what happened?"
Jay shook her head quickly.
"Nothing."
But her voice was already breaking.
Grace frowned.
Freya looked concerned.
Rakki leaned forward.
"That is definitely not nothing."
Jay tried to stay strong.
She tried to smile.
But the moment Ella pulled her closer…
Jay broke.
She buried her face in Ella's lap.
And started crying.
Not quiet tears.
But painful sobs.
Ella immediately wrapped her arms around Jay.
"Hey… hey…"
"What happened?"
Freya and Grace exchanged worried looks.
Rakki sat beside them.
Jay kept crying.
Her fingers gripping Ella's dress tightly.
Ella softly stroked her hair.
"Jay… tell me."
"Please."
Jay tried to speak.
But her voice kept breaking.
Finally she whispered through her tears,
"He's getting engaged."
The girls froze.
Freya blinked.
"What?"
Jay cried harder.
"Keifer…"
"Next month…"
Grace's eyes widened.
Rakki looked shocked.
Ella looked down at Jay softly.
Jay lifted her face slightly.
Her cheeks wet with tears.
"I thought…"
Her voice trembled.
"I thought I got him back."
Ella's heart hurt hearing that.
Jay wiped her tears but they kept falling.
"I was so stupid."
Freya shook her head.
"No you weren't."
Jay laughed weakly.
"I was."
Her voice broke again.
"I miss him so much."
Ella gently wiped Jay's tears.
"Jay…"
Jay closed her eyes.
And finally said the words she had been hiding for so long.
"I love him."
The girls fell silent.
Jay continued crying.
"I always loved him."
Her voice shook badly.
"I just didn't realize it."
Freya looked away sadly.
Grace sighed softly.
Rakki clenched her fists.
Jay buried her face into Ella's lap again.
"It hurts so much."
Ella hugged her tightly.
"It's okay."
"You're not alone."
Jay whispered weakly,
"But he's going to belong to someone else."
Her tears soaked Ella's clothes.
And the girls sat around her quietly.
Because for the first time…
Jay had finally admitted the truth.
She wasn't just missing Keifer.
She was in love with him. 💔