Jay's POV:
The morning air felt strange — too clean, too bright, too normal for everything that had happened.
Cole's car slowed to a stop in front of the school gates. For a second, none of us said anything. David leaned forward from the back seat, chin resting on the headrest.
"You sure you're okay?" he asked softly.
I nodded. "Yeah. I'm fine."
Lie.
Stella gave me that look — the one that could see straight through me — but didn't push. "Text if anything feels off, okay?"
"Got it," I said, forcing a small smile.
Cole didn't say much. Just stared at the road ahead, jaw set like always. "You don't owe anyone a word," he said finally. "Not them, not anyone."
I nodded again, fingers tightening around the strap of my bag. "I know."
I stepped out, closing the door behind me, and the sound of it felt heavier than it should've. The three of them stayed there until I disappeared through the gate — just watching. Like they didn't trust the world not to break me again.
The hallways felt different. Or maybe I did. People turned to stare — whispers followed, the usual mix of curiosity and fake concern. I didn't care. I walked straight to my class, eyes down, bag tight in hand.
When I entered, Section E fell silent. Keifer looked up first — his eyes flickering for a second, something unreadable there — then looked away. Yuri sat at the back, arms crossed, pretending not to notice me. The tension was still there, unspoken but heavy.
I kept my head down, went to my seat, opened my notebook, and started writing random lines just to keep my hands busy.
The day dragged. Through every class, through every stare, through every memory that tried to crawl back.
By break, I almost forgot how to breathe.
That's when Percy showed up.
"Hey sistahh missed me!??" he said,I was surprised to see him here because the last time I saw him was almost like a week ago at the club then he dropped onto the seat beside mine. "I brought lunch,let's go.I know you haven't eaten..."
I blinked. "You didn't have to—"
"Yeah, well," he cut in, half-smirking. "It's either this or I would be at the courtroom bailing you out for eating someone just because you are a lunatic when hungry "
That made me a bit annoyed but still laugh — the first real one in a while.
We ate quietly for a bit. Then he pulled out a small silver flask from his jacket and set it on the table.
I stared. "Percy, seriously?"
He shrugged. "Just a little. Takes the edge off."
I hesitated — then maybe for the first time in months, I didn't care. I took a sip. Burned going down, warm after. Another sip. The burn faded....
"So tell me where were you for the past week huh? " I asked him.. To which being him he answered "aww my sister missed me awww"
He said with a cheesy smile on his face but when I asked him seriously he answered "nothing sistah just company troubles. Anyway you tell ne what happened behind my back with ALL OF you know... "
A small, shaky laugh escaped me. Then I told him.
About them.
Keeper. David. Stella. Angelo.
The house. The condition.
The goodbye that felt like dying.
Percy didn't interrupt once — just listened, eyes sharp but calm, the kind of stillness only he had.
When I finally stopped talking, there was nothing but the sound of the wind and my uneven breathing.
"So they just… left?" he asked quietly.
"They had to." I looked away. " kuya Angelo made sure of it."
His brow furrowed. "What do you mean?"
I swallowed hard. " I knew about kuya Angelo deal and know exactly why he asked them to do it because it was easier if everyone hated him for asking them to leave me. So he made them walk away. Cut off all contact. Even burned whatever connection we had to keep me safe."
My voice cracked on the last part. "He said if he didn't, I'd be dragged into something I couldn't get out of."
Percy's jaw tightened. "That sounds like him — cold logic, even when it breaks you."
I nodded slowly. "Yeah. He said it was for my own good. I told him I hated him. And he smiled like that was exactly what he wanted."
The wind caught in the stillness between us — dry, sharp, too quiet.
Then Percy said softly, "You know, after what happened in the auditorium ,I should've guessed something was boiling under the surface."
I let out a humorless laugh. "You heard about that already?"
He smirked. "Jay, the entire school's buzzing. You practically set the place on fire. Teachers walked out, Yuri looked like someone cut his strings."
I pressed my palms to the cool concrete, trying to ground myself. "Yeah. I ended it. The engagement. Right there in front of everyone. He threatened me, and I made sure he regretted it before he could blink."
Percy let out a low whistle. "You really did that?"
"Mhmm." I gave a small, crooked smile. "Called him out, exposed his stunt, and made sure his investors dropped him before lunch was over. David said it'd send a message. Guess it did."
He looked half impressed, half worried. "You scare me sometimes."
"Good." I muttered, then hesitated. "But ...when it was over, I looked at Section E… and it wasn't pride I saw. Just silence. Keifer wouldn't even meet my eyes. Cin looked… hurt."
Percy's expression softened. "They probably don't know what to think yet."
"Yeah," I murmured. "They saw me tear down half the school and humiliate Yuri, and all they could do was stare. Maybe they think I've changed. Maybe I have."
He studied me for a moment. "You did what you had to do. Sometimes strength looks ugly before it looks right."
I smilled weakly "wow you do make sense sometimes"
He gave me fake smile...
For a moment, we just sat there — the rooftop quiet except for the hum of the city below.
Then Percy offered the flask again. "One last sip?"
I shook my head. "No. I already had too much."
He smiled faintly. "Then maybe it's good you finally did."
The bell rang in the distance, cutting through the calm.
I exhaled, steadying myself. "Let's go before they realize I'm drunk and dramatic."
Percy laughed, slinging his bag over his shoulder. "Too late for the second part."
And for the first time in months, I didn't feel alone — not healed, not fixed, just heard.