JAY-JAY POV
Today was the day of the awards.
If this wasn't for Shawn, I wouldn't be here.
Cameras, flashing lights, whispers—I avoided them for eight years.
But here I am.
In the car.
My heels tapped against the floor, my nails
glittered under the dim light, and the dress
I wore felt like armor.
Lip gloss perfect, hair flawless, but inside?
Chaos.
Every second closer to the venue made my chest tighten.
What if someone recognized me?
What if Section E was there?
What if Keifer saw me?
I gripped my clutch tighter, forcing a smile at my reflection in the window.
You're not the old Jay anymore.
You're untouchable.
You're Co‑CEO.
With that, I got out of the car.
The moment I stepped inside, heads turned.
Eyes followed me, whispers rippled through the crowd.
Some greeted me politely, others just stared
And then I saw them—my best friends from college, my partners in business
Noah, Lily, Alex.
"Jay! Over here!" Noah waved, his grin wide, signaling me to come closer.
I felt my lips curve into a smile, the tension in my chest loosening.
My heels clicked against the marble floor as I made my way to them, each step deliberate, each glance a reminder:
I wasn't hiding anymore.
"Look at you," Lily gasped, pulling me into a hug. "You're glowing, Jay. Absolute chaos in heels."
Alex laughed, shaking his head. "We knew you'd own the room the second you walked in."
For the first time in years, surrounded by people who saw me for who I'd become, I felt it—
Freedom, power, and the thrill of being alive.
"Jay!" Cj, the host—and my friend—greeted me with that mischievous grin of his.
"Hi, Cj, how are you?" I asked, side‑hugging him.
"Well, good," he said, eyes scanning me from head to toe.
"You look like you're good." His tone carried that familiar edge, the one that always meant trouble.
I narrowed my eyes. "What are you plotting?"
"What do you mean?" he asked, feigning innocence.
"You have the look," I said firmly. "Which means you're about to do something crazy."
Before Cj could answer,
Noah leaned in,
smirking. "Oh, he definitely has the look. Last time he had it, we ended up on stage singing karaoke in front of CEOs."
Lily groaned, rolling her eyes. "Don't remind me. I still have nightmares about that performance."
Alex chuckled, crossing his arms. "Honestly, I'm rooting for whatever chaos Cj is planning. Jay, you're too polished tonight. You need a little scandal to spice things up."
I shot him a glare. "Excuse me? I'm here to represent Reyes, not to start drama."
Noah laughed. "Jay, you are drama. You walk into a room and people lose their minds."
Cj smirked, clearly enjoying the backup. "See? Even your partners agree. Tonight, you're not just Co‑CEO—you're the headline."
I groaned, clutching my clutch tighter. "Why do I feel like I'm about to regret coming here?"
We all laughed, the sound bubbling up like champagne, spilling into the air around us.
I could feel eyes on me—curious, lingering, whispering—but I ignored them.
"Cj, maybe you could give us hints on who will be the CEO of the Year," I said, narrowing my eyes at him.
"Hey, you know if I told you, I'd lose my job," Cj replied instantly, raising his hands in mock surrender.
Noah leaned back, smirking. "Classic Cj. He loves dangling secrets just to watch us squirm."
Lily rolled her eyes, her tone dramatic. "Honestly, I think he enjoys the chaos more than the actual hosting gig."
Alex chuckled, his voice smooth and teasing. "Don't act like you're innocent, Lily. You'd spill the winner in a heartbeat if you knew."
"True," Lily admitted with a laugh. "But at least I'd make it dramatic."
We all laughed again, the sound spilling into the air like we owned the room.
"Jay, you're already 26. When are you thinking of dating?" Noah asked, raising his brows like he was interrogating me.
I rolled my eyes. "Relax, I'm still young. Twenty‑six isn't ancient."
"Oh shut up," Lily said, smacking Noah's arm before turning to me. "We went to college together, and all three of us had at least two exes during college—except you."
Alex leaned in, smirking. "She's right, Jay. You dodged every guy like they were exams you didn't want to take."
I laughed, shaking my head. "Maybe I just had better priorities. Like, you know, graduating."
Noah groaned dramatically. "Graduating is fine, but you missed out on the chaos. College dating was half the fun."
"Half the drama, you mean," Lily corrected, rolling her eyes. "Don't act like your exes weren't disasters, Noah."
Cj, who had been listening with that mischievous grin, finally chimed in.
"Honestly, Jay might be the smartest one here. No exes, no baggage, no embarrassing stories to haunt her at reunions."
I tilted my chin up with a grin. "What can I say? Excellence is kind of my thing."
Noah immediately jumped in, his tone dripping with mock seriousness. "Actually, not really. Your record isn't spotless. Remember that guy you punched because he tried to hold your hand?"
Lily burst out laughing, nearly spilling her drink. "Oh my god, yes! You didn't even hesitate—you swung before he could blink."
Alex smirked, shaking his head. "That was legendary. The whole campus talked about it for weeks. You basically became a myth after that."
Noah leaned forward, grin widening. "And the professor incident. You roasted him so hard he didn't show up for two weeks."
Lily nearly doubled over, laughter spilling out.
"That was iconic. The man looked like he aged ten years in one lecture."
Alex smirked, shaking his head. "Campus gossip was wild after that. People were saying we had a legend in our batch."
Cj clapped his hands together, eyes gleaming with mischief. "Forget dating drama—those stories are way better. You all turned college into a circus."
I raised my brows, pretending to look offended. "Excuse me, you all? I was the one who kept things interesting. Punching idiots, roasting professors… I carried the chaos."
Cj chuckled, shaking his head as he glanced toward the stage.
"Okay, guys, the show's about to start. I have to go. Good luck to you all." His grin lingered for a moment before he slipped away into the crowd.
"Bye," I called after him, waving lightly.
"Jay, I've been noticing those guys watching, they've been watching you since you came," Lila whispered, leaning closer.
Curiosity prickled at me, and I turned my head.
Keifer and Aries, Yuri, Percy were staring—eyes wide, expressions tangled in shock, surprise, and something dangerously close to joy.
It was the kind of look that made my stomach twist, like the past had just walked into the present without warning.
Their gaze locked on me, unflinching, almost as if they couldn't believe I was really there.
Lila smirked knowingly. "Told you. They look like they've seen a ghost."
I straightened in my seat, pulse quickening, trying to mask the storm brewing inside.
The crowd's chatter faded, the stage lights dimmed, but all I could feel were those two pairs of eyes—
burning with recognition, with history, with emotions I wasn't ready to unpack.
I know Percy didn't do anything but I wanted to leave my past maybe that's why I didn't reach out to him
I will talk to him soon
________________________________________
KEIFER POV
"Keifer, you coming to the awards?" Aries asked, his voice carrying that familiar persistence.
"Probably not," I muttered, leaning back in my chair.
The thought of crowded halls and flashing cameras didn't exactly thrill me.
"Come on, you've been stuck in your office since last week," he pressed. "Besides, Yuri and Percy are also coming."
I sighed, rubbing the bridge of my nose.
Aries always knew how to corner me. "Fine. It's tonight, right?"
"Yes," he said quickly, almost triumphant.
"Kuya, you're going to the awards, right?"
Keigan asked, his tone casual but expectant.
I gave a short nod.
"Good. Me and Keiran will also come," he added, sounding almost proud of the decision.
"Fine," I replied, keeping my voice even.
I studied him for a moment before asking,
"You're in your last semester of college, right? How's it going?"
"Good. It's easy, actually," Keigan answered with a grin.
That pulled a smile out of me. "Glad to hear it. Now go get ready for the awards tonight—you and Keiran both."
He nodded quickly, already turning toward the door, and I leaned back in my chair.
The thought of the evening ahead pressed at me, but seeing my brothers excited softened the weight.
****** AT THE EVENT ********
The moment I stepped through the doors, the atmosphere hit me like a wave.
Lights blazed across the hall, cameras flashed in rapid bursts, and the crowd buzzed with a restless energy that felt almost dangerous.
Something about tonight wasn't ordinary.
The air carried a pulse, like the whole place was holding its breath, waiting for something to explode.
My chest tightened—not with dread, but with anticipation.
When I stepped inside, the hall was already alive with chatter and flashing lights.
Yuri, Percy, and Aries were clustered near the entrance,
while Keigan and Keiran had already slipped off to meet their friends.
"Hey man, how are you?" Yuri greeted, his tone warm and familiar.
"Good," I replied simply, adjusting my jacket.
Aries smirked, shaking his head. "Finally. I thought you'd stay locked in your office forever."
Before I could answer, Percy swooped in with his usual theatrics, wrapping me in a hug.
"Hey, Keifer baby!"
I grimaced, trying to pry him off. "Percy, get off me."
He only laughed, tightening his grip for a second before letting go. "Still the same as ever. Cold as ice."
Aries chuckled, Yuri grinned, and for a
moment, the noise of the crowd faded.
Surrounded by them, I felt the strange pull of the night grow stronger—
like the universe was setting the stage for something I couldn't yet see.
After that chaos at the entrance, we finally moved deeper into the venue.
We threaded through the crowd until we found our seats.
Aries dropped into his chair with a grin, Yuri was already scanning the program, and Percy kept waving at people like he owned the place.
Keigan and Keiran had vanished toward their friends, leaving me with the familiar trio.
We were talking about business and life, the usual rhythm, when Percy suddenly stopped mid‑sentence.
His smile froze, eyes widening like he'd just seen something impossible.
"Percy, what happened?" I asked, my voice sharp with concern.
But he didn't answer.
He just stared, stunned, like he'd seen a ghost.
Aries followed his gaze, then Yuri.
Confusion flickered across their faces—until I looked too.
And then my breath caught.
No way.
It was Jay.
My Jay Jay
Alive.
Radiant.
Confident.
She moved through the crowd with ease, laughing, talking, her presence lighting up the room like she belonged to it.
Shock hit first, then disbelief—and then something warmer, something I hadn't felt in years.
Happiness.
Pure, unshakable happiness.
Yuri's voice cracked, disbelief dripping from every word. "How… how is she alive? We buried that thought eight years ago."
Percy's eyes shimmered, his usual theatrics gone, replaced by raw emotion. "I don't know how… but I'm happy. God, I'm so happy she's alive."
Aries leaned forward shocked, writing his tone bursting with relief. "My sister… my sister is really alive. Keifer, you were right. You said she couldn't be gone, and you were right."
I couldn't answer.
Words refused to come.
All I could do was stare.
The girl I thought I'd lost forever—the one whose absence had haunted me for eight long years—was right there.
Alive.
Breathing.
Laughing.
She moved through the crowd with that same effortless grace, her smile lighting up the room like nothing had changed.
And yet everything had.
My chest tightened, my heart pounding against the weight of disbelief and joy.
The girl I loved so much, the one I mourned, the one I thought I'd never see again… she was alive.
Alive.
And in that moment, the world felt like it had been rewritten.
Then it happened—some boy across the room called her name, his hand lifting in a casual signal for her to come over.
My blood boiled instantly.
The sight of him pulling her attention, like he had some right, sent a surge of anger through me.
My jaw clenched so tight it hurt.
"Who the hell is he?" I growled, my voice low and sharp, eyes locked on the stranger.
Aries glanced at me, startled by the venom in my tone.
Yuri leaned forward, trying to catch a better look.
Percy's grin had vanished, replaced by wary silence.
I followed his gaze, and my heart nearly stopped.
She walked over to that boy, her laughter spilling out—the same laugh I'd missed for eight years, the one that used to echo in my memories when nights felt too long.
But she wasn't the same Jay I remembered.
She was more beautiful now, softer, more girly in ways that stunned me.
She never loved dresses or heels before, always choosing comfort over glamour.
Yet tonight, she wore them with effortless confidence, every step commanding the room.
And then I saw it—her lips glistening, catching the light.
Lip gloss.
A detail so small, yet it hit me like a punch.
Because when she smiled, when she laughed, it felt like her lips were calling my name, pulling me closer, daring me to believe this wasn't a dream.
The girl I thought I'd lost forever was alive, radiant, and more breathtaking than ever.
And I couldn't look away.
She turned—her eyes landing on us—and for a heartbeat, the world stopped.
She froze.
I froze.
Eight years of silence, of believing she was gone, collapsed into that single moment.
Her lips parted slightly, shock flashing across her face, raw and unguarded.
For the first time in eight years, we saw each other.
Truly saw each other.
But then, just as quickly, she masked it.
The warmth vanished, replaced by something I couldn't name—distance, maybe even hatred.
A wall slammed down between us, her expression polished, untouchable, as if the Jay I once knew had been buried beneath this new version of her.
My chest ached.
I wanted to move, to speak, to break through that mask.
But all I could do was sit there, staring, drowning in the storm of recognition and rejection tangled together.
The girl I loved was alive.
But the girl I loved might not love me anymore.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
💙🔥 Author's Note 🔥💙
How was the chapter, guys? 😭💭
Drop your thoughts in the comments—I love reading every single one 🐧💬.
Target:
👉 20–25+ comments 🎯✨
And here's a question to motivate you all 👀💙:
1Q: If you were in Jay's shoes, would you show up at the award show after 8 years… or stay hidden forever? 🌌👗🔥
or
2Q:Which Section E boy would survive longest in a zombie apocalypse, and who would get eaten first? 🧟♂️🍕