Jay-Jay's pov
I always forget that my brother doesn't need words to interrogate me.
He just looks.
That's it.That's the whole technique.
I come downstairs and Aries is already there, mug in hand, staring at nothing like he's consulting the stars or whatever horoscope people do before judging your life choices.
Great.
I pretend to focus on my slippers.
"Why do you look guilty?" he asks.
"I don't," I say.
"You do."
I blink.Of course he'd say that.
Horoscope-loving brother.
"I wanted to ask you something," I say, before I lose the nerve.
He raises an eyebrow. "Ask."
I inhale.Slow. Careful.
"Keifer and I were thinking of going to the movies tomorrow."
Tomorrow.Not today.Planned. Thought through. Safe.
The silence is immediate.
Heavy.
"No," Aries says.
Just like that.
I look up. "You didn't even think about it."
"I don't need to."
Of course not. Why would he? The universe already warned him, probably.
"Aries—"
"No," he repeats, firmer. "You're not going out with him."
My chest tightens.
I knew this would happen.I still hoped it wouldn't.
"It's just a movie," I say quietly. "In a mall. During the day."
"With Keifer."
"Yes."
He turns to me then, eyes sharp.
"You really don't get it, do you?"
The words sting more than I expect.
"Get what?" I ask.
"That I trusted him once," he says. "And he broke it. And now you want me to smile and let you walk into that?"
"I'm not asking you to smile," I whisper. "I'm just asking you to trust me."
He laughs softly, without humor.
"You always say that right before you get hurt."
That's not fair.
I feel it rise up in my throat—the urge to argue, to defend, to cry.I swallow it all down.
"I'm not a kid anymore," I say. "You taught me how to be careful. You taught me how to leave if something feels wrong."
He looks away.
That hurts more than his refusal.
"I really want to go," I add, my voice smaller now. "Not because of him. Because… because I want something normal for once."
That does it.
He exhales slowly, like he's tired. Like he's been tired for a long time.
"I said no," he says.
And that's the end of it.
Or so I think.
That night, I didn't sleep much.
I stared at the ceiling and think about how loving someone doesn't mean everyone else magically understands.I thought about how Aries always checks my horoscope compatibility before I even introduce a friend.
Typical.
The next morning, I'm still sulking when he calls my name.
"Jay."
I step into the living room.
He doesn't look at me at first.
"What time is the movie?" he asks.
My heart jumps.
"Four," I say quickly. "We'll be back before ten."
He nods once.
"Public place."
"Yes."
"Phone on."
"Yes."
He finally looks at me.
"You really want this."
It's not a question.
I nod. "I do."
A pause.
Then, quietly:
"Fine."
I freeze.
"Fine?" I repeat.
"You can go," he says.
My chest aches in the strangest way.
"Thank you," I say, before I can stop myself.
He sighs. "I'm not doing this because I like him."
"I know."
"I'm doing it because you're my sister," he continues.
I smile through the lump in my throat.
"Text me when the movie ends," he adds.
"I will."
As I walk away, I realize something.
Aries didn't forgive Keifer.He didn't change his mind.
He just chose me.
And somehow, that means everything.