JAY-JAY POV
"Percy, are you okay?" I asked, stepping closer, my voice softer now.
He quickly shoved the photo out of sight, his movements too fast, too defensive.
"Yeah? Why wouldn't I be?" he replied, forcing a smile that didn't reach his eyes.
I froze, studying him.
Percy never hides things. He's the one who laughs too loud, who wears his heart on his sleeve.
Seeing him like this—guarded, secretive—made my chest tighten.
"Percy…" I whispered, tilting my head. "You don't look fine."
His jaw clenched, and for a moment, I thought he'd break.
But instead, he shook his head, brushing past me with that same fake smile.
"Don't worry about me, Jay. You've got enough on your plate already."
I reached out, holding his hands firmly before pulling him into a hug.
"You can tell me whatever you want, Percy," I whispered against his shoulder. "You were there for me when I needed you… now it's my turn."
He hugged me back, tightly, almost desperately. For a moment, it felt like he was clinging to me just to stay upright.
I closed my eyes, letting him breathe against me.
His silence said more than words ever could.
For a moment, neither of us spoke.
Then, slowly, Percy pulled away, his eyes glistening.
"Jay… I wasn't just looking at a photo," he admitted, his voice trembling. "It was… my family."
"Mama, Papa… before your grandfather took Mama from us," he said quietly.
"He's also your grandfather," I reminded him gently.
Percy just rolled his eyes, bitterness flashing. "I haven't seen Papa since the accident… and I want to."
"Meet him," I finished for him.
He nodded, the sadness in his eyes cutting deeper than words.
"I'll see what I can do," I promised.
He looked at me quickly, almost panicked. "You don't have to."
"Idiot, shut up," I said firmly, squeezing his hand. "I told you—I'm gonna do it."
He just looked at me, his silence heavier than words.
"Papa is not coming any time soon, is he?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.
He shook his head.
I nodded, swallowing the ache in my chest. "I know. I'm used to it. I gave up on him a long time ago. If he wants to come, then he can. If he doesn't… then I'll just live my life like this."
Turning away, I headed toward my room, the weight of both our families pressing down on me like a storm I couldn't escape.
Behind me, Percy's voice cracked softly. "Jay… you're stronger than me. I don't know how you do it."
I paused at the doorway, my hand tightening on the knob. "I don't do it, Percy. I just… keep moving. Because if I stop, the pain wins."
I went upstairs and changed into my comfy clothes.
When I came back down, Felix was sitting on the couch.
"Jay, hi," he said.
I gave him a quick wave.
"Jay, one request," Percy called as he stepped out of his room.
"What is it?" I asked.
"Well… Felix's mom had to go out of state with Daila for work," Percy explained. "So Felix will be living with us for now."
I nodded without hesitation. "I don't have a problem with that," I said, heading toward the kitchen to grab something to eat.
"Really?" Percy asked, sounding surprised.
"Yeah," I replied, already digging through the cabinets for my chocolate.
A moment later, realization hit me. My stash was gone.
"PERCY!" I yelled, slamming the cabinet shut so hard the sound echoed through the kitchen.
Storming into the living room, I scanned the space. "Where is Percy?" I demanded.
Felix, still lounging on the couch, flinched at my tone and pointed nervously toward the door. "He… uh… ran outside."
I narrowed my eyes, glaring at the door like it had personally betrayed me. "Of course he did."
Felix shifted uncomfortably, holding up his hands. "Don't look at me—I didn't touch your chocolate."
I groaned, grabbing my jacket. "That snake is dead when I catch him."
I burst outside, and sure enough, Percy was already sprinting down the street like a fugitive.
"Percy!" I shouted, my voice echoing down the street.
"I swear to god, if you don't stop running right now, you're sleeping outside tonight!" I threatened, my words sharp enough to cut through the air.
He skidded to a stop, turning back with that mischievous grin plastered on his face.
"Jay, you can't do that to your handsome kuya," he teased, puffing out his chest like he was proud of himself.
I crossed my arms, glaring at him. "Handsome? Kuya? Percy, the only thing you are right now is dead meat."
He laughed nervously, inching closer with that guilty grin.
"Come on, Jay, don't be mad. The chocolate was calling my name," he said, voice dripping with fake innocence.
I narrowed my eyes, crossing my arms. "Calling your name? Percy, it was screaming mine. You just kidnapped it."
He came closer, flashing that guilty grin.
"How about double the chocolate?" he bargained, his tone almost pleading.
I crossed my arms, narrowing my eyes. "Triple it," I shot back without hesitation.
"Fine," he said with a sigh. "Let's go inside."
"I'm going out for a walk," I replied, already turning toward the street.
Percy groaned, rolling his eyes. "Fine, but hurry up," he muttered before heading back into the house.
I was just walking, trying to clear my head, when I reached the park.
And then I froze.
Keifer.
Yuri.
Both of them standing there like the universe had decided to test my patience.
Oh god. Why are they here?
Keifer's eyes locked onto mine instantly, that dangerous grin tugging at his lips.
Yuri, beside him, stood tall and confident, his expression unreadable but sharp—like he'd been waiting for this moment.
My stomach twisted, the air suddenly heavier.
"Jay, I thought you were coming tomorrow," Keifer said, jogging up beside me, his grin tugging at the edges of his face like he'd already won something.
I shot him a glare, my steps quickening. "And I thought you were supposed to leave me alone."
Keifer smirked, keeping pace with me easily. "You know I can't do that. Not when you're here."
"Hey, Jay," Yuri greeted, his tone calm but sharp.
I didn't even bother replying. Instead, I pulled out my phone, grateful for the distraction. A notification lit up the screen—it was Ben.
BEN:Jay where are you?
ME:At the park.
BEN:Do you want me to come? I'm bored, plus my sister wants to play.
ME:Sure.
BEN:Great, give me 10 minutes. I'll be there.
I exhaled, relief washing over me. Ten minutes. Just ten minutes until Ben showed up.
Keifer leaned closer, his voice low, sharp. "Who's that? Don't tell me it's Ben again."
Yuri's eyes flicked to my phone, his expression unreadable but heavy. "Jay, stay away from that Ben."
I clenched my fists, sliding the phone back into my pocket. "It's none of your business."
Keifer's jaw tightened, his grin fading into something darker.
"It is my business because you're mine," he said, his voice low and possessive.
My chest burned, anger rising like fire. "I'm not yours, Keifer. I never was."
His eyes flashed, a dangerous mix of jealousy and desperation. "You can say that all you want, Jay, but you know I won't let you go."
Yuri stepped closer, his tone cutting through the air. "Keifer, stop. You're making it worse."
Just then, Ben came jogging up, his sister trailing behind him with a ball in her hands.
Thank god.
Keifer immediately flared at Ben, his jaw tightening, eyes burning with jealousy.
"Fix your face," I snapped at Keifer, my voice cutting through the tension.
Ben slowed, blinking at the scene. "Uh… did I miss something?"
Keifer's glare didn't waver, but Yuri stepped in, his tone calm and cold. "No."
Ben frowned, glancing between them, then back at me. "Jay, what's going on here?"
I forced a smile, shaking my head. "Nothing worth your time. Let's just play."
Keifer scoffed, muttering under his breath, "Nothing worth his time, huh? We'll see about that."
Yuri's eyes narrowed, watching Keifer carefully, as if ready to step in if things exploded.
And me?
I clung to Ben's presence like a lifeline, determined not to let Keifer's storm drag me under.
"Kuya, is she your girlfriend?" his little sister asked innocently, clutching her ball.
Ben turned red instantly, stammering, eyes wide. I didn't say a word.
Keifer's fists clenched, his whole body coiled like he was seconds away from punching Ben.
I stepped forward quickly, my voice sharp. "No. I'm his best friend."
Ben exhaled, still red, but managed a small smile.
His sister just shrugged, bouncing her ball again, clearly satisfied with the answer.
Keifer, though, wasn't satisfied.
His glare burned into Ben, jaw tight, every muscle tense.
"Jay, should we go?" Ben asked, reaching out and holding my hand.
Bad move.
Both Yuri and Keifer snapped their heads toward us, their eyes dark, their bodies tense like predators ready to strike.
Keifer's voice was low, dangerous. "Take your hand off her."
Yuri's tone was calmer, but no less threatening. "Ben, you don't realize what you've just done."
Ben froze, his grip tightening instinctively, confusion flashing across his face. "I… I was just asking."
Keifer stepped forward, fists clenched. "You don't get to touch her."
I stopped him with one hand pressed against his chest. "Keifer, please don't create a scene."
But he ignored me, trying to push past.
So I pulled him back—and did the only thing that made sense in that split second.
I kissed him.
Yup, you heard it right.
I kissed this six‑foot giant snake.
It was supposed to be quick, just enough to stop him.
Keifer froze for a heartbeat, then his grip tightened, dragging me closer like he'd been waiting for this all along.
His lips crashed against mine—hard, possessive—stealing the breath straight from my lungs.
It wasn't a kiss, it was a claim.
He devoured me, leaving no space to think, no room to breathe.
My mind screamed at me to shove him away, but my body stayed locked in shock, trembling under the weight of his intensity.
When I finally tore back, gasping, his eyes blazed with triumph, wild and unrelenting.
"See?" he whispered, voice rough and certain. "You can't deny it."
"Gago," I spat back at him, my chest heaving.
Keifer smirked, eyes blazing. "But you still kissed me. And you kissed me first."
"Kuya, you just kissed that girl again!" Keiran blurted out, his voice echoing across the park.
Behind him stood Youchi—Yuri's younger sister—her wide eyes fixed on us, shock written all over her face.
Keifer didn't flinch. He turned to Keiran, his tone playful and teasing "Keiran, respect her. She's your future sister‑in‑law."
Keiran snorted, shaking his head. "Future sister‑in‑law? You're delusional, Kuya."
I was still frozen, my head spinning, lips tingling from Keifer's madness.
"Asshole!" I yelled at Keifer, my voice sharp and furious.
Keifer smirked, unbothered. "Call me whatever you want, Jay. Doesn't change the fact you still love me."
I turned away, walking fast, wanting nothing more than to escape that snake.
"Jay, remember tomorrow. Six p.m.," Keifer called after me, his voice echoing like a challenge.
Ben, walking beside me, frowned. "What is he talking about?"
"Nonsense," I snapped, shaking my head.
"Jay!" Keifer shouted again.
I spun around, glaring at him.
"I love you, Mrs. Watson," Keifer said, his grin wide, his voice rough and certain.
"You fucking asshole!" I screamed back, fury boiling over.
"Love you too," he shot back without missing a beat, smugness dripping from every word.
That was it. My blood boiled over.
I snatched a stick lying on the road and hurled it at him with everything I had.
Keifer moved like lightning, easily dodging it, the smirk never leaving his face.
"Really, Jay?" he taunted, his voice low, mocking. "Is that all you've got?"
My fists clenched, my chest heaving, rage burning through me.
Yuri's jaw tightened, his fists curling at his sides, ready to step in.
Ben stood frozen, half‑laughing, half‑shocked, while Keiran muttered, "Kuya, you're insane," rolling his eyes at the chaos.
Keifer's grin only widened, his eyes locked on me like I was the only person in the world.
And me?
I was shaking, furious, knowing this snake wasn't going to stop until someone finally put him down.
"Keifer, let's go," Yuri snapped, his voice sharp, commanding.
I turned back, forcing myself to walk away, every step heavy with anger.
"So… you kissed Keifer," Ben said suddenly, his tone cautious but curious.
I whipped my head toward him, eyes blazing. "If I didn't, you'd be lying in a hospital bed right now."
Ben frowned, his voice low but insistent. "Well, when he pulled you back… you responded to him."
My stomach twisted, rage flaring again.
"Can you please talk about something else?" I snapped, my voice trembling with fury.
"Sure," Ben said, his lips twitching into a grin, "but I have to say—you're dangerous when you're angry."
He chuckled, shaking his head. "You cussed almost five times in one sentence. That's a record, Jay."
I shot him a glare, my chest still heaving from the storm we'd just walked out of. "Ben, this isn't funny."
But he only laughed harder, the sound sharp and mocking, echoing in the tense air.
Ben teased me all the way until we got to my house, his laughter echoing down the street like he hadn't just witnessed chaos explode minutes ago.
"Bye," I said flatly, slipping into my apartment, desperate for quiet.
"Bye, Jay. See you tomorrow," he called back, still grinning as he walked toward his own house.
I shut the door behind me, slamming it harder than I meant to.
"Wow, Jay, that was one hell of a walk," Percy said, glancing at his watch. "You were out for almost an hour."
I dropped my bag onto the couch, still shaking from everything. "Don't even start, Percy."
He smirked, running a hand through his hair like he was posing for a mirror. "Not now? Jay, everything is now when it involves me. I'm the highlight of your day, admit it."
I shot him a glare. "Highlight? More like headache."
Percy gasped dramatically, clutching his chest. "Ouch. Do you realize how lucky you are to even breathe the same air as me? People would kill for this privilege."
"Idiot," I said, smacking him with a pillow.
"Jay! Stop, you're ruining my hair!" Percy yelped, ducking dramatically. "Do you have any idea how long it took me to style this? Thirty minutes. Thirty!"
I rolled my eyes. "Thirty minutes wasted."
Percy gasped, clutching his head like I'd just insulted royalty. "Wasted? Jay, this hair is art. People would pay to look at me. Honestly, you should be grateful I live here—it raises the property value."
"Percy, stop your nonsense," Felix said, coming down from upstairs, his voice pitched higher than usual, almost whining.
Percy turned dramatically, hand on his chest. "Percy? Excuse me? I'm kuya to you."
Felix scrunched his nose, crossing his arms like a sulky kid. "Kuya? You're not my kuya. You're just… Percy. And your hair looks stupid."
Percy gasped, spinning toward the mirror like he'd been stabbed. "Stupid? Felix, this hair is a masterpiece. Thirty minutes of styling perfection!"
Felix stuck his tongue out. "More like thirty minutes wasted. You look like a rooster."
Percy clutched his head, groaning dramatically. "A rooster? Jay, did you hear that? He compared me to poultry!"
"Well, he's not wrong, you know," I said, smirking. "Where's my chocolate?"
Percy straightened instantly, eyes wide. "It will be there by tomorrow!" he blurted out quickly, like he'd been caught slacking.
"Fine," I muttered, heading upstairs toward my room.
I pushed the door open, collapsed onto the bed, and stared at the ceiling.
Mrs. Watson.
My cheeks burned, and I buried my face in the pillow, groaning. "Ugh, why would he even say that?"
The truth was, a tiny part of me liked it. The way he said it—rough, certain, like he meant it.
But no way was I admitting that. Not to him. Not to anyone.
"Future sister‑in‑law," I muttered, rolling my eyes, forcing myself to scoff. "As if."
Still, my heart was racing, and I hated that it was.
I pulled the blanket over my head, whispering to myself, "I don't like it. I don't."
But deep down, I knew I was lying.
+++++++++++++++++++++++
💙🔥 Author's Note 🔥💙
Sooo how was the chapter, guys?? 😭💭
Drop your thoughts below—I wanna hear everything 🐧💬.
And don't forget: comment on what YOU want to see in the future 👀✨.
Funny Question to motivate you guys:
👉 If Section E had to plan the future of this story, what would they do first?