Jay-jay's POV
So many pictures but I only see one face. Percy's face.
"Excuse me, huh? I hid all his pictures." Felix's mother said.
"It's okay..."
"Mom.. I'm the only one here. You two can rest." Felix said to his mother. She smiled and nodded. She walked away,
We were currently at Felix's house. They wanted to know if we were talking about the same Percy.
When we got here, Felix's mother took out all their pictures. I suddenly felt embarrassed. Felix said that since Percy died, their parents' relationship hasn't been good. They ended up separating. Felix and her family have been struggling so it would be very important to him if he gets a scholarship for college. He said it would reduce his mother's problem.
I saw a girl at their door. She was peeking and looking at us. Her eyes were also blue.
"Felix, who is that?" I asked.
She looked at what I pointed to. "Ah, Dalia... Percy and I are sisters."
She looked like she had inherited Percy's eyes.
"This is Percy's father." She said as she lowered the picture in front of me.
His father is a foreigner. This is not my father either. Which means, he is not my brother. But why is Mariano the one she uses and knows about my brother.
"...This is his last picture before the accident happened."
Felix added and lowered the picture again.
There was a big difference in Percy's current appearance. He was a bit thinner in the picture Felix was showing.
"That's the Percy I saw." I said.
"So, he's alive." Keifer said as he sat next to me.
He seemed annoyed by what I said. I couldn't blame him. They were friends, but he didn't let them know he was alive.
"I just don't understand... Why did he introduce you by Mariano's last name? His last name is Collins." Yuri said.
I shook my head. Because even I didn't understand. We heard a car horn outside. Felix looked to see who it was.
"There they are." He said and opened the door wide.
Edrix and Rory came in. They were carrying laptops and they put them down in front of me.
"All the videos you'll see are just about him." Edrix said.
Keifer pressed play. The first video that was shown was of a fountain. A man in a hat and polo shirt was walking around in the video.
"That's him." Edrix said.
He was walking around the fountain and from the view they got, I could see him running towards the fountain.
He seemed to be going to meet me but he suddenly walked away. He stopped in front of a store and fiddled with his phone.
That must have been the time he texted me.
He walked away again and went straight to a bench and sat down. His place was near the entrance of Quantum Garden.
Shit! He was within reach of me earlier.
From his place, I was momentarily caught off guard by my running and approaching the entrance of the Garden.
He took out his cellphone and pretended to call someone. It seemed like this was the time for us to talk. There was a time when he glanced at my place. I also saw Keifer and the others in the video. They were hiding in a corner.
He put the phone down and it was obvious that he wasn't happy. In his extreme annoyance, he suddenly threw the phone in the trash can and walked away.
I saw myself running somewhere. I also saw Keifer following me. Until our classmates started approaching us one after another.
The video changed view and showed the people we were looking at. There he was, looking at them curiously.
What confirmed to me that he was the one wearing the hat and polo shirt was his facing the CCTV camera before leaving.
"We found this at the trash." Rory said and handed Keifer the phone he had in his pocket.
This looked like the phone Percy used to talk to me. But if he had thrown it away, how would he call or text me again?
"This makes no sense." Keifer said. "...Why is Jay-jay the one he's talking to when he's back? He doesn't even know her. Even then, Aries never mentioned anything about her!"
That's what I don't understand either. Why is he talking to me or why is it that I'm the first one he approaches?
"Unless..." Yuri said and looked at me. "...Unless he's up to something."
Keifer and Felix also looked at me. Even Rory and Edrix. I can't understand what they're doing.
"W-why?"
"He can use you to get back at Aries." Yuri clarified.
W-me?
Why would he do that? I just combed my hair with my hand. The tears I was holding back were starting to fall again.
Suddenly Keifer took my phone. I tried to take it back but he gave me a bad look.
"It's my phone!"
"I know! I just need to check something!" He replied annoyed.
I didn't know what he was looking at but he handed Edrix my phone.
"We're not sure what Percy's plan is... But Jay, you have to follow what we say." Yuri said.
I looked at them all.
"You need to tell us everything about your conversation with Percy. When did you first see him and if you notice anything." Keifer said.
"...You also need to tell us if he contacts you again."
"You also need to tell us if you see him again like before." Yuri added.
But if I do that, he might not show up for me again. I have a lot to ask him. I'm tired of thinking about things that have no basis. But I have to follow what they say. What if they're right?
What if he just wants to get back at me for what Aries did to him? And I'm the one he wants to use.
I gave them a curt nod. We talked for a while about what we should do. They still ordered me a lot.
Hi I couldn't help but look at Dalia. She was constantly peeking at us. She really caught Percy's eye. I approached her without Keifer noticing.
"Hi..." I greeted her.
She didn't answer. She just looked at me. She glanced at Felix for a moment, who was still talking.
"Brother said not to trust them." She whispered to me.
Huh?
"S-said Felix?" I asked. Why would Felix say that?
Dalia shook her head quickly and came closer to me.
"He's not... My brother." She whispered again.
S-it's Percy!
Did he show himself to his brother?
"S-it's Percy? W-when did you see him?" I asked her in a whisper.
She didn't say anything. She looked at Felix again and suddenly ran away. I was forced to follow her without telling Keifer.
We arrived at the Dirty Kitchen of the house. It was at the back and next to the laundry room. I looked around to find Dalia but a hand hugged me from behind and covered my mouth.
I tried to fight back but he immediately pulled me and forced me into the small bathroom. He leaned me against the wall while still holding my mouth.
That's when I saw who he was.
"Ssshhh..." he said.
I nodded quickly causing him to let go of me and immediately hug me tightly.
"P-percy..."
"Oh fvck! I can't stand not seeing you." he whispered to me.
I was confused by what he was doing. But I'll think about it anyway. I'm facing him now like I wanted to.
H e released me from the embrace and turned my face to him.
"Sorry if I need to hide from them." he whispered.
"W-what's going on? W-why won't you show yourself to them?" I whispered.
We had to lower our voices. The bathroom was small and our voices echoed.
"You won't understand it yet. But I promise you, once everything is settled I'll talk to them and explain."
I didn't know which one to say first. The questions were jumbled in my mind.
"P-percy... Is it true, s-Aries is the----"
"It's a very long story, Jay. But don't ever think that I'm getting back at Aries. I'm not like that, I'm not like Keifer."
Not like Keifer?
"I'm confused... I have so many questions for you. When can we talk properly?" I almost cried.
He touched my cheek and looked at me carefully.
"I can't answer that but once I have a chance, I promise you I will tell and explain everything to you."
"W-what do you really need from me? Why are you talking to me?"
"Because----"
A loud bang on the door stopped him. Both of us froze, almost holding our breath.
"Jay! Are you in there?!" Keifer's voice called out, clearly irritated.
I looked at Percy. His mouth opened as if to speak, but even without a sound, I clearly understood what he said: "I have to go." He quickly kissed my forehead.
He stepped onto the toilet and slowly pushed open the ceiling panel. He climbed up, and before closing it again, he looked at me and forced a smile.
Once it was shut, I finally opened the bathroom door — and there stood an angry Keifer.
"What were you doing in there?!"
"S-sleeping..." I tried to joke.
His eyebrows furrowed even more. "Get it together!"
"W-what else would I be doing in the bathroom? Of course, I peed." I answered and walked past him.
He followed me, his glare practically cursing me with every step.
We returned to the living room where the others were. I spotted Dalia, who gestured for me to stay quiet before running off. I knew what she meant. I won't say anything to them.