CHAPTER 375 - VS RAM
JAY-JAY'S POV
"You show-off!" Ci teased him.
I tried to kick him, but my foot didn't reach. It's really hard when your legs are short.
"Did you just check math?" Yuri asked.
I shook my head, bringing the stick I was holding closer to check the marshmallow on the end. I was making s'mores, but since we were only using a small flame inside a tin can, the marshmallows weren't cooking properly. There were so many waiting to be toasted, and not enough fire to go around.
"He checked the other subjects too. My score is good, but I'm most proud of Math," I said.
"Great job. Just keep it up, maybe you'll be the top scorer for me," David said.
"Blurry," Ci whispered, so I hit him with the stick I was holding.
Ah shunga—my marshmallow!
I had forgotten there was something on the end of the stick. The marshmallow got stuck in his hair. I panicked and quickly tried to get it out.
"Oh no, my marshmallow!"
"That's gross! But kinda funny," the little boy teased again.
I glared at him. I had to get another marshmallow now, and it was really hard to roast them over that tiny flame. Ugh. Totally his fault.
David turned to me and handed me the stick he was holding.
"You can have this one."
I quickly shook my head. "No, it's yours. I can just heat up a new one."
I threw away the one I was holding.
"It's okay, I don't really like s'mores," David insisted.
Rather than argue, I just accepted it. I grabbed a graham cracker and some chocolate from the coffee table in the middle of our group. I was happy I could finally make a decent s'more.
I looked at Ci and showed off mine. His marshmallow still wasn't soft. He looked frustrated.
Hehe, jealous much?
"Because our fire is so small, how long is this going to take?" Mayo complained.
"Wait, sir—bonfires aren't allowed," Kit explained.
"The marshmallow softens quickly," Denzel said, showing off what he was doing.
He was probably planning to send a picture to Grace.
"Of course it's quick for you. You're hogging all the fire," Rory said, annoyed.
Denzel didn't even notice. He was busy taking photos of the s'mores he made. Like a kid documenting every step. I guess he just didn't want Grace to feel left out since she and Baby Grazel couldn't come with us.
I already miss Baby Grazel.
After this, I'll visit them. Maybe I'll bring a gift. Maybe we'll eat together too.
"Want another one?" Yuri asked, offering me a stick with marshmallows.
I shook my head. "Why are you giving me yours?"
He laughed. "So you can make a s'more faster. Yours'll burn if you wait too long." He held it out again.
I just agreed because he was right. I really am going to run out, especially with the little guy who can't wait. He's already eating the graham cracker and chocolate while still chewing his marshmallow.
While we were busy dealing with the culprits we were holding, Blaster's roar continued. He sounded like a cow grunting in the corner. He's been acting like that for a while now, but no one's paying him any attention.
"Won't that stop?" Kit asked.
"Not until later. His notebook is crying—it was left in the studio where he auditioned," Eren answered, and we all looked at Blas.
He just doesn't want to roll around on the ground.
"He tried to go back? What's in the notebook?" I asked.
"He composed a song. Everything's in there. I hope his acting plans and contact numbers of managers and producers are there too," Rory explained, and we both felt regret.
Shuta, love that guy.
That's why he's so frustrated. Even I would be devastated if I lost everything I worked hard for.
"Because he's stupid," Drew said, annoyed. "He flirts with the girls first before taking care of his stuff. Lucky guy, always flirting."
"Look!" Blaster snapped and roared again.
"You didn't try to go back?" I asked him.
"I did, but the girl I met was no longer there. I left it with her."
"You didn't put your details in the notebook? Someone might feel guilty and return it if they find you," Felix asked.
"I did. It's right in the middle of the notebook. You'd have to turn the pages one by one to see it," he replied and adjusted himself.
"You're really something!" Drew said, clearly irritated.
"What's the girl's name? Let me try to find her," Rory offered, and Edrix grabbed his phone to help.
Blas stopped roaring and seemed to think deeply before turning to me.
"I don't know. I can't remember."
His fellow Ulupong cursed him one after another. Instead of pity for losing something valuable, he got nothing but harsh words.
"Because you're so flirtatious!"
"You trusted a pretty girl with your stuff?"
"You're an idiot! So stupid!"
Still, I felt sorry for him. He was always focused on that notebook. He often got scolded in class for it. Ci and I almost fought over it once.
We all looked at Keifer, the newcomer. He had a plastic bag with just two packs of marshmallows, graham crackers, and chocolate.
"Here," he said, placing the bag on the coffee table.
He sat next to me and wiped the corner of my lips. I told him about Blas' notebook and what we'd talked about. He seemed to already know, because he just shook his head while Blas continued roaring. I offered him what I was holding.
"Try it."
He did, biting the s'mores I was holding.
"That's nice."
"Aren't s'mores delicious?"
He shook his head. "No."
"What do you mean by 'nice'?"
He smiled. "Being fed by you."
Suddenly, the Snakes cursed all at once. Someone even walked out but came back quickly—probably worried his marshmallow might get stolen.
Go ahead, act all you want.
"Tangina, I just want s'mores!" Blaster said, annoyed.
"I wish I brought Mica here," Calix said as he pulled out his phone to text his girlfriend.
"That's what you get for flirting with a stick," Felix said, waving the stick he was holding in the air.
Is it my fault your love life is weak?
They're lazy. I wish they had brought their own sweets. But of course, Kuya wouldn't allow that. Maybe he's just jealous.
"What did you learn from the ones you reviewed? Besides the ones you answered," Keifer asked.
"There are many. I hope I can answer a lot on the exam," I replied.
"Alright, let's see what you learned," said Ci, so we all looked at him.
What could he be thinking? We waited for him to finish eating the marshmallow. When he did, he shook his hand.
"Game," he began. "How many seas are in Asia?" he asked.
I was just thinking about what to answer when Drew suddenly spoke, and everyone's attention shifted to him.
"Nothing."
What do you mean, nothing?
Almost everyone was surprised by his answer. I guess he forgot that the Philippines is surrounded by sea and we're in Asia.
Damn, my brain kicked in real quick.
"Gago! What's wrong with you?" Edrix said, annoyed.
"You're really stupid," Denzel added, about to hit him.
"There really isn't! The spelling of Asia is A-S-I-A. Where's the C?" he explained angrily.
He kinda has a point.
Keifer and David laughed softly. The Ulupongs cursed Drew one after another, and Felix almost slapped him with the stick he was holding.
"He's right, there's no C in Asia," Eren added, fueling the chaos. He was next in line to get picked on.
"You're another idiot!" shouted Kit.
"Sea, not the letter C? What the hell," Josh said, annoyed, slapping his forehead.
"I think we need to review again," Yuri said while scratching his head.
You can't make this up.
I would've probably laughed, but if I hadn't reviewed, that might've been my answer too.
And I would've even said it proudly—with a smile and maybe a round of applause. I'd be the next one they'd call stupid.
Good thing I reviewed earlier. Studying really helps. Makes you feel smarter. I even feel like I can ace the exam... in my dreams.
"One more, I'll ask again. Quick math," said Ci, and we all listened. "345 x 938?"
Gago, how can I answer that without a calculator?
"Get real!" I complained.
"211,240," Rory answered, and we were all surprised.
It was unbelievable that he could answer so fast. He's smart, sure, but not usually that quick.
"Panic! That's not the answer," Edrix said, annoyed.
"He said speed up, not mess up. You're the real idiot!" Rory snapped back.
He's right. I was still trying to figure it out.
Edrix grabbed the stick from Felix and pointed it at Rory. Rory ran to avoid getting hit, and the others immediately chased after him.
Well, they're not thinking like me anymore. Does this mean my brain has leveled up? Just kidding—I'm still full of nonsense thoughts. But I really need to fix that because this is getting serious. Kuya was right in what he told me.
My only opponent in learning is myself.
I think about food more than school lessons. I don't want to use our family issues as an excuse because we do have good days. I have many opportunities. But I also don't want to blame myself too much, because there are things I just can't control.
Maybe that's what I need to do—discipline myself in the things I can control, and for those I can't, instead of crying, I'll just look for another solution. We're going to college. I can't carry this attitude anymore.
Damn. I'm amazed at how my mind works sometimes. Is this... growing up? We looked toward the door when we heard Sir's voice.
"Time to sleep," he said, carrying a box of blankets and pillows.
"Let's go, Jay!" Ci shouted, but Sir cut him off quickly.
"No. Angelo's orders are strict. Jay will sleep in our guest room upstairs, while the rest of you sleep here."
Ci and I both got excited. But it's fine—we might just end up staying up all night talking and teasing each other. We need to be on time tomorrow. We can't be late, especially with Kuya around—he might even get into it with the Ulupongs.
No one had chosen to be rude yet.
"Me too?" Yuri asked, pointing at himself.
Keifer hit him in the stomach. "Probably."
It was their turn to make the bed outside. That's where they would sleep. Sir prepared big fans and electric insect killers. I helped them for a while, but when Sir called me to come in, I had to say goodbye.
When I entered, Ma'am Cindy was already waiting for me. I followed her when she called me. She took me to my room. But I was wrong—it was Keiren's room.
My things were there too.
"Let me know if you need anything," Ma'am Cindy said.
I thanked her and took my things to shower. The room had its own bathroom, so I didn't need to go out. I laughed when I saw children's toys in the bathtub.
After my bathroom ritual—which felt like some sort of sorcerer's arrival—I said to myself, Hello, I'm Barakuda.
I made my bed. I even took out my cellphone to chat with the Snakes and say goodnight to them. Maybe I was too tired, because I fell asleep without fixing my blanket or turning off the light.
I must have been asleep for a few hours when I felt someone fixing my blanket. I tried to open my eyes, but it was already dark in the room.
I let it be.
I was about to fall asleep again when I heard Sir Alvin's voice talking to Angelo.
"She's asleep," Kuya said.
"Congratulate her when she wakes up. She studied well," Sir said.
"Praising her is like praising a fish for swimming."
What does that mean?
I was shocked because I didn't quite understand, but it was clear he didn't want to congratulate me like Sir suggested. He's hard to please. I just wanted to feel that he was, even just a little, happy that I did well.
"Still, she worked hard. She deserves to be congratulated," Ma'am Cindy said. I think she was close to them, based on the footsteps I heard. "Don't talk there. She might wake up," she added.
"Whatever," Kuya replied, then walked away. "I'll sleep in the living room. Someone should watch in case he suddenly comes to the guest room without me knowing."
Who is he?
I'm in the guest room. Is he thinking someone might come in here while I'm asleep?
Who would do that?
I couldn't help but think of Kuya Angelo. Percy was right—it feels like he's just trying to push me away. I'm not trying to stay away from him, but every move he makes feels like he's building a wall between us.
He really needs someone to make him happy. He's getting older. I fell asleep again. It must have been deep because when I woke up, it was already morning, and I could hear the Snakes.
"I don't want to jog!" Ci-N whined, like he was drowning.
"All of you, get out now. Exercise!" Ma'am Cindy yelled at them.
"Can I at least say good morning to Jay-Jay?" Keifer asked.
"No," Ma'am answered quickly.
I could still hear many of the other Ulupong complaining. It was like they were being forced to exercise outside. I know most of them hate moving in the morning. Even at school, they don't want to move during Sir's class.
I finally got up when I heard the door close and everything went quiet. They must have all gone outside. I went straight to the bathroom to freshen up and change clothes. I planned to follow them.
After my run, I went straight to the kitchen to drink water. I paused when I saw Sir and Kuya drinking coffee while talking.
"Good morning," Sir Alvin greeted me.
I also greeted him and my cousin, even though my anger toward him still hasn't subsided. After drinking some water, I quickly ran outside to chase after my friends. The road here is clear, so I knew that was the only way they could have gone.
It felt like they had gone a long way because I couldn't see them anymore. I just kept running until I was out of breath. I should've had breakfast first—my stomach is starting to feel sick.
Calm down. Breakfast can wait.
I rested for a moment. When I regained my strength, I ran again. Those snakes are so fast—I couldn't catch up with them.
I stopped when I saw a car approaching. It looked like a pickup truck with many passengers in the back.
Maybe that's them.
That's probably why those crazy people were so quick to leave. Where's the exercise in that?
The truck stopped not far from where I was standing. I was about to get closer, but I froze when the passengers got off. They weren't my friends. Vipers don't have tattoos all over. They also don't try so hard to look cool. And they're definitely cleaner than this group.
Then someone familiar got down from the front passenger seat. I knew he hated me a lot. It felt like he was here to take me away.
Ram. Without jam.
"Sweety," he said with a smile.
I slowly stepped back. I wanted to run, but my knees were shaking.
"Aren't you going to greet me? Didn't you miss me?" he asked annoyingly. "Did you forget about me?"
I couldn't answer. I wanted to scream for help, but I was shaking, and it felt like something was choking me. I could fight, but I couldn't take all of them.
One of them took something from the back of the truck. I froze when I saw a bag filled with baseball bats, pipes, and wooden sticks. No time to stare. I can't take them all. I'm alone.
Keifer.
"Why did you forget me?" Ram asked, frowning. "I—I didn't forget you." He pointed to his nose. "You broke my nose." Then to his teeth. "I lost my front teeth." Then to his eye. "I almost went blind in one eye. All because of you."
But it didn't show. He still looked the same to me as he did the last time I saw him. But this wasn't the time to be watching him.
"That's it? Just a girl? You called us all here for a girl?" one of them asked irritably, pointing the pipe at me.
Ram laughed. "That's Keifer's girl. I thought you wanted revenge on him? Here's your chance."
The man shook his head. "I don't hit women. But to get revenge on Keifer? I'll smash his face."
Putangina, don't do that. No face-smashing, please.
I swallowed hard. I stepped back again. I had to figure something out—I couldn't just run. The snakes weren't here. I didn't know how far they had gone, but I was secretly praying they would come back.
I could run back to the house, but what could Kuya Angelo and Sir Alvin do against this many? Still, they were my only option now.
"Aw, she's gone pale," Ram said, pretending to be sympathetic.
His companions laughed. I needed a plan. You should've stayed in the hospital.
Ram stepped closer, making me back away again. He stopped, and they all laughed. He tried to get closer, but this time, I turned and ran back to the house.
Their loud laughter echoed behind me, but soon it turned into shouts, which meant they were running after me too. I pushed myself to run faster. My empty stomach wasn't helping.
Breakfast is really important in the morning.
I couldn't turn around, but I could feel them getting closer. My suspicions were confirmed when one of them shouted, "Hurry up! We're catching up to her!" and the others cheered.
I didn't know if I could take much more. I knew they'd catch up soon. So I had no choice—I screamed, even though I wasn't sure if anyone could hear me.
Can anyone hear me?
"BIG! HELP!"
I yelled, completely out of breath. My shouting made me even more exhausted. I was getting more and more tired—I guess I should've just saved my energy for running.
Sir Alvin's house was already in sight. Even though I knew I shouldn't have brought them here, I had no choice. Struggling to breathe, I screamed again.
"BROTHER!"
You should've heard me.
I was about to stop running because of the tightness in my chest, but when I saw Kuya and Sir Alvin standing in front of the house, hope surged through me. I ran even faster, as if my life depended on it.
"Jay!" my cousin called out, angry.
I burst into tears as I reached him and hid behind him.
"Brother… Ram," I said, my voice trembling.
He faced Ram's group, who had stopped not far from where we stood.
"Leave!" Sir Alvin shouted. "This is private property."
My teacher seemed like a completely different person the way he spoke. He looked ready to fight if any of them made a wrong move.
He used to be from Section E too.
"Are we going to jail?" Ram sneered. "Might as well go for the right reason—murder." He pointed at me.
I clung tightly to Kuya's shirt. He placed one arm protectively in front of me.
"Get inside and lock yourself in the guest room," my cousin whispered. "Now."
I forced my shaking knees to move. I ran inside the house, and just as I was closing the door, I heard shouting—curses mixed with the sound of pipes and baseball bats clashing.
I wanted to stop and look, but fear gripped me. I ran straight to the guest room and locked the door, just as Kuya said. I searched for my phone.
I immediately called Keifer, but all I heard was: Check operating service.
No load. Great.
I quickly sent a message to the group chat. My hands were shaking so badly, I didn't even know if I was pressing the right buttons. I managed to send it, but I froze when I heard a voice just outside the bedroom door.
"Let's just split up and check the rooms one by one."