Jay-jay's POV
Section E has been kind to me—despite all their mischief. Of course, I've had conflicts with some of them, aside from the usual with Keifer and Yuri.
There was Eman, because I messed with his stuff. But we quickly made up after helping out at their restaurant.
Felix, because of what happened between Aries and Percy. We got along after I helped him get back on the basketball team.
Blaster, when we got into a petty argument during a group activity, but that was settled quickly.
Mayo, because of that damn capoeira and parkour—and of course, because of Kit's attempt to kiss me. He was jealous! We only made up after I punched him.
And now, it seems like I have a new enemy. Someone who's against me and seems to be holding a grudge. But I never expected things to escalate this far.
"When do you plan on telling us about you two?" Josh asked straight up.
"About what?" Edrix asked, clearly confused.
"What are you talking about?" Yuri shot back at him.
My heart pounded rapidly. The same question kept running through my head—does Josh know about our engagement?
Impossible!
How could he have found out? We made sure no one knew. Unless...
"I heard you..." He stood up, looking at me before turning his gaze back to Yuri. "...When are you going to tell everyone that you're engaged?"
"What?!"
"Is that true?"
"Since when?!"
"Are you two just playing with Keifer?"
One after another, they all stood up, their eyes darting between me and Yuri—waiting for either of us to answer.
Damn it!
I looked at Josh, silently pleading, but he just rolled his eyes at me. What did I ever do to him? Why is he so angry with me? Have I messed up their section so much that he hates me this much?
"Well?! Is no one going to answer?!" Felix asked angrily.
I couldn't answer. I couldn't think of anything to say. Because it's true! The engagement is real, but we chose to keep it a secret from them.
"Keifer! Do you have nothing to say?!" Rory asked him in frustration.
"That engagement is a deal between their families. Jay-jay and Yuri have nothing to do with it. End of discussion." he answered calmly.
"Of course, you know about it... how could you not." David said sarcastically.
Keifer immediately shot him a sharp glare. He stepped towards David but I quickly moved in between them.
"Keifer! Stop it!"
"Don't you dare talk to me like that. You think I'm stupid?!" he shouted at David. "...I know what you're doing behind our backs. I know you're working for Percy!"
"What?!" Felix yelled angrily and immediately stepped toward David. "...You have contact with Percy?! Is that true?!"
"Damn it! What else don't we know?!" Drew shouted in rage.
"Why don't you answer that?!" Denzel yelled at him. "...Did you really think we didn't know you've been gambling again?!"
"That's none of your business! Worry about your wife and kid first that you can't even support!"
Denzel's fist flew straight into Drew's face. Mayo rushed in between them, trying to break up the fight.
Chaos erupted again. Everyone was either fighting or trying to hold someone back. I clung to Keifer, who was still arguing heatedly with David, with Felix joining in.
"Stop acting innocent! Don't think we've forgotten the things you've done!" David yelled at Keifer.
The King had had enough—he charged straight at David, ready to throw punches. I ended up in the middle. I didn't know what to do anymore. Everything was spiraling into chaos—everyone fighting, everyone trying to stop a fight.
I felt completely defeated. This is my fault. There's no one else to blame but me. They wouldn't be like this if it weren't for me.
"This is your fault! You should've left our section when you had the chance!" Josh shouted at me in anger.
M-my fault...
I wanted to answer him. I wanted to defend myself against everything he was saying. But all I could do was look at him as my tears fell uncontrollably.
"Don't talk to Jay-jay like that!" Ci-N shouted angrily before lunging at Josh.
Now the two of them were fighting, too. I tried to stop them, but they just pushed me away. My legs gave out, and I dropped to my knees, feeling weak.
"Stop..." My voice barely came out, but I needed to make them stop. "...Stop it! Please!"
No one was listening. I took a deep breath, trying to hold back my tears. I straightened up so I could see all of them. They had to stop.
Enough! Stop already!
"Stop it already!" I shouted, but no one paid attention to me.
"FOR GOD'S SAKE, ENOUGH!" I screamed with all my strength.
Slowly, one by one, they stopped and turned to face me. I wiped my cheeks, still drenched with tears.
"Look at yourselves!" I said, scanning them all. "...You're fighting over the pettiest things!"
"You don't understand." Felix said calmly, though the resentment was still evident in his tone.
"Then explain it! Make me understand!"
"Jay-jay... I'm sorry you got dragged into our mess—"
I immediately cut off Yuri. "No! If anything, Josh is right... I'm the reason you're all fighting."
"That's not true!" Calix insisted.
"There they are!" someone suddenly shouted.
We all turned toward a flashlight approaching us. The person holding it switched it off upon seeing that the bonfire was bright enough. That's when we saw who it was.
It was Sir Alvin, along with two organizers and two students from Section A. I straightened myself up, hoping they wouldn't notice the tension between us.
"Section E... What's going on here?" Sir Alvin asked calmly.
No one dared to answer. Everyone avoided eye contact. Only Yuri had the guts to step forward. He forced an awkward smile and scratched the back of his head.
"J-just a little misunderstanding, Sir. You know... some playful teasing that got a bit out of hand." he said, making an excuse.
"We received a report that you were fighting." Sir Alvin said as he glanced at all of us.
Yuri looked at us, silently begging for backup. None of us knew what to say.
Sir Alvin must have sensed the tension. He turned to the two from Section A and the organizers.
"It looks like there's nothing to worry about. Just a minor commotion." he explained.
"But Sir... They really were fighting earlier. They were punching each other." one of the Section A students insisted.
So, this was the one who snitched on us. But how did they even see that? I didn't notice anyone else around earlier.
"How about this... You guys go ahead. I'll stay behind and talk to them to clear things up." Sir suggested.
Although hesitant, the organizers and Section A students eventually agreed and left. Once they were far enough, Sir Alvin faced us again, his expression serious.
"Explain what happened." he ordered Yuri.
"It was really just a misunderstanding. We were playing a game earlier, and things got a bit heated." Yuri explained, still scratching his head.
Sir scanned all of us, and his gaze landed on me. I swallowed hard and lowered my head. I must have looked ridiculous, given that I had just been crying.
"You all better clean up and go to sleep. And throw away those alcohol bottles." Sir ordered, pointing at the empty bottles they had been drinking from.
Thank goodness it was Sir who saw them. If one of the organizers had noticed, we would've been in deep trouble.
I helped with the cleanup, but some people avoided me while others refused to even look at me. Even though we weren't finished yet, I decided to go back to my tent to grab some things.
I wanted to wash up. Maybe it would lighten how heavy I felt. I ran to the restroom, but of course— There was a long line.
Nice!
I had no choice but to wait in line. But with every passing moment I stood there, the heavier my heart felt. Now that they knew, I was sure they'd avoid me. They probably thought I had been deceiving both of them.
I was engaged, yet I still flirted with others. How stupid of me. I agreed to this engagement even though I wasn't even sure about my own feelings. I felt tears welling up at the corners of my eyes. I quickly wiped them away before they could fall.
"...it's true! They were causing a huge scene earlier!"
I looked toward the front of the line. Whoever was talking was speaking so loudly that they were drawing attention.
"They were throwing punches! We just couldn't understand what they were saying!"
A bad feeling crept up on me. Why did it sound like they were talking about us? I slightly hid behind the woman in front of me and kept listening to their conversation.
"What else do you expect from their section?" the other person replied.
"They're all so good-looking… too bad they're just a bunch of troublemakers."
"Exactly!"
"Poor Grace... She ended up with that boyfriend of hers. He's so useless."
I knew they were talking about Denzel. I was used to gossipy people, but when it's your own friend they're talking about, it really pisses you off.
"And what was the only girl in their section doing?"
"Nothing, of course... Just crying in the middle of it all. Probably because she couldn't stop her classmates."
"She probably thought it was cool to be in that section. Little did she know, it's hell."
They giggled softly. Even though I wanted to say something back, I just didn't have the energy. I was already feeling too heavy inside to pick another fight.
I endured the gossip from the girls at the front of the line. I stood there for a few more minutes before finally getting inside to shower.
Even then, the chatter didn't stop. I was starting to get irritated. My ears were burning. By now, their story had been twisted and exaggerated in ways I didn't even know were possible.
Damn it! More rumors!
I finished freshening up and stepped outside. The gossipers immediately fell silent, pretending they weren't just running their mouths.
Oh, now you acting innocent?!
I continued walking outside, each step feeling heavy. It was as if my body refused to return to our campsite. I hadn't gone far from the restroom when I suddenly stopped.
There was a Nuno sa Punso—no, scratch that. There was someone sitting on the rocks near where I stood. Only when they sensed my presence did they finally look up and stand.
I already have a clue who he is, even though it's dark where he's standing. He walked toward me, where the light was. I wasn't mistaken when I saw his sad face.
"Jay... I'm sorry about what happened earlier," Yuri said to me.
I shook my head. "You don't have to apologize. It really is my fault."
He held my hand. "Jay—"
"Let go of her hand."
I immediately pulled my hand away, startled by the cold, authoritative voice. Yuri and I both looked at him. It was Keifer, angry but trying to stay calm.
He stepped closer to me and took my hand, gently pulling me behind him.
"Yes, they already know that you're engaged, but that doesn't mean you have the right to hold her hand in front of me," he said authoritatively.
I lowered my gaze. I felt ashamed in front of Yuri. He was supposed to be the one doing this because he was my fiancé. But someone else was—because he wasn't the one I loved.
"She's not your property," Yuri said bravely.
"She. Is. Mine."
The tension between them was palpable. I didn't want any more fighting — I was already too exhausted. I tugged lightly on Keifer's hand.
"L-let's just go back," I whispered.
They kept glaring at each other like they were having a silent sword fight with their eyes.
Don't get in the middle! You'll get stabbed!
"K-Keifer," I said again, more urgently.
I thought they were going to take longer, but thankfully, he finally decided to walk away. I followed him, his hand still holding mine.
I tried to glance back at Yuri, but it was like Keifer has a built-in sideview mirror—he tugged my hand slightly before I could even get a proper look at Yuri.
Wow! I was speechless.
Once we got far enough, I yanked my hand away. He turned to me, clearly annoyed.
"Why did you have to treat Yuri like that?" I asked, trying to stay calm.
"Now you're concerned about him?" he asked sarcastically.
"I am concerned about her. My point is, things are already messy—"
"Then tell her not to make it messier!" he cut me off, almost shouting.
I stopped and stared at him, confused. I knew he was angry, but I didn't understand why he had to yell.
"What is your problem?" I asked, annoyed.
"Nothing… Let's just go back," he replied calmly and walked toward the campsite.
I was left staring after him. Maybe his brain was just malfunctioning again. I headed back to our site too.
When I arrived, the others were getting ready for bed. Some were still cleaning up, while others were talking. It was as if I had suddenly ceased to exist. No one acknowledged my presence.
I went straight to my tent and decided to just sleep. I wasn't sure if Ci-N would still sleep next to me. I hugged my Snorlax plushie tightly instead.
Tears welled up again as I felt the crushing weight of my emotions. It's all my fault. It's my fault they're acting like this. If only I had thought things through before making decisions.
Stupid Jay-jay.
Out of sheer boredom and exhaustion from crying, I eventually fell asleep on my own. I stirred slightly when I felt someone hugging me.
Ci-N was the first person that came to mind, so I just let it be. I went back to sleep. If only I could never wake up—so that all these problems would end.
I hadn't been asleep for long—maybe two or three hours—when I woke up again. I felt warm breath on the nape of my neck. Ci-N's hug was tight. Snorlax, whom I had been hugging earlier, was gone.
I tried turning around to check on Ci, thinking she might be using Snorlax as a leg rest again. But my eyes widened in shock when I saw who was actually hugging me and sleeping beside me.
You're not Ci-N!
I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming. Damn it! What is the King of Snakes doing in my tent?
I tapped his arm to wake him up, but he didn't budge. I was about to hit him hard, but I stopped myself. It had been a while since I'd really looked at his face properly.
Why do you look so innocent when you're asleep?
I lightly poked his sharp nose. There was no reaction from him, which made me smile. I took my time studying every angle of his face.
His skin was so smooth—mine would be embarrassed in comparison. Did you ever get acne? It seems like pimples would be too ashamed to stay on his face. Meanwhile, I only get one or two, but they're huge! At least they didn't leave deep marks on my skin.
I had only seen him sweat heavily once. But instead of smelling like sweat, he still smelled…nice. Does this guy sweat perfume or something?
My gaze drifted to his eyebrows. I suddenly remembered when I drew on his face with a marker, making his brows extra thick. My hand instinctively moved, reaching for them. I traced the shape of his eyebrows with my finger.
My finger slid down to his nose, and landed on his lips. His lips are better than mine—rosy and thin. How many people has those lips kissed? I didn't move my finger away from his lips. They were so soft, like they were well taken care of with lip balm.
A sudden wave of sadness washed over me. A strange ache in my heart. Whenever I thought about what he's been through, it makes me sad. I wish I had been there by his side during those times. I would have comforted him.
I propped my hands against my cheeks, so I could look at his face even more closely. My eyes lingered on his eyelids.
I remembered his intense stares—the kind that felt like they could pierce right through you—that deadly stare that could stop your heart if held too long. Sometimes, his gaze is so cold it feels like you'd freeze in place. But the one I liked the most was his gaze when it felt like he was trying to send me a silent message through his eyes.
His intense stare!But I never figured out what those messages meant.
"How do you love, Keifer?" I whispered, careful not to wake him. "...Me? I don't know. This is the first time I've ever felt this way."
And I didn't know that by feeling this, I would also end up hurting others.
"…I wouldn't be able to bear it if I lost you" I added softly.
My gaze dropped to his lips, and I felt strangely drawn to them. Slowly, I leaned in. You're asleep anyway, so you won't know about this.
Just a little closer, and the gap between our lips would disappear. But I suddenly stopped. His lips… they seemed to be twitching. I stared at them carefully and saw that they were slightly puckered.
Is he awake?!
"Keifer." I called softly.
I waited to see if he would move, but he didn't. I checked his lips again, but they weren't moving anymore. I kept watching him intently for a long time until my suspicions were confirmed.
"If you're going to kiss me... do it now." he said, his voice sounding hoarse.
I smiled and immediately smacked him hard on the arm. He opened his eyes and looked at me with irritation.
"You idiot! What are you doing here?" I hissed irritably.
"Sleeping, obviously." he answered, bored.
"Why here?"
He suddenly looked away and fell silent. If it weren't for the faint light from the bonfire filtering into my tent, I wouldn't have noticed the redness creeping onto his cheeks.
Keifer… blushing? No way.
"I..I just missed you." he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.
I couldn't help but smile. If only you knew. I missed him too. Even though we saw each other every day, it still felt like he was so far away.
"I miss you too," I admitted.
He smiled at me and hugged me. "Please... even just for now. Let me kiss you passionately."
I chuckled slightly. He sounded as if he was begging. I was about to say something when we suddenly heard rustling outside.
It was as if someone was walking around. Keifer immediately pulled away and signaled me to be quiet with his finger. I quickly nodded.
He slightly unzipped the tent and peeked outside. He stayed like that for a while, making me uneasy—was there really someone walking around our campsite?
But who?
Suddenly, Keifer fully unzipped the tent and stepped out. He put on his slippers and walked toward Yuri's hammock.
It was as if he was looking for something, but when he found nothing, he quickly returned.
"That was Yuri. He's not in his hammock, and his phone is also missing." he told me.
"Where could he be going?" I asked, grabbing my phone right away.
I checked the time—it was 12:14 AM. Where would he go at this hour? I stepped out of the tent, about to wake the others, but Keifer grabbed my arm.
"W-why?"
"I'm going to follow Yuri." he said, looking like he was deep in thought.
"I'm coming with you." I said, but he quickly shook his head. "...I'm coming with you."
"Jay-jay..."
"Please." I insisted.
Though reluctant, he gave in with a sigh. I put my phone back in my bag and grabbed a hooded jacket.
Where were we going to follow Yuri? We had no idea.