JAY'S POV :
That hollow ache of invisibility sank deep, raw and unrelenting—I felt it fully now. Days blurred into nearly a week of silence from these snakes—seen-zoned, ghosted, erased.
Ci-N? Still vanished. Liar. Calls rang out to silence. Does he know about Aries? Is he dodging me too? God, please—no.
He is my only hope. I hope he doesn't ignore me like others.
Jerks even pried my records. Privacy pinged—no access without consent. Who do they think I am? Anyway, I let 'em peek. They need to know I'm Section E material. Dangerous. My file's filthier than theirs.
Scared them stiff, no doubt. Mine are worse than theirs. And that's just the official ones. The erased ones?
Kuya's money silenced my old school. But the unofficial sins? Pure cardiac arrest if unearthed.That's why the chaos paused… but the silence festered. This freeze? Maddening.Frustration boiled under my icy mask—I cared, damn it, more than I'd admit. Bursting would feel good, but no. Cool. Controlled.mIce mask on, cool as frost. Inside? I care—deeply, dangerously. About them. About him. Hold it together, Jay.
"Clean your room!" Miss Smith's order cracked like a whip.
Agreed! Our classroom reeked of neglect—wrappers, papers, dust-choked cobwebs like a slum's forgotten corner.
"No class if it's spotless," she added. Cheers erupted.
"Nice—early dismissal!"
"Game on!"
"Hustle!"
This is what they're good at—being active when there's no class.
Ma'am vanished; classmates bolted.
I rose—Keifer shoved broom and dustpan my way.
"Same old… Clean the room," he said, authority.
Tss. Protest died on my tongue—the room emptied, door slamming shut. Déjà vu, asshole.
"Why me?"
"You're annoying. Do it, or rot here." He sauntered out, locking me in again.
Frustrating.
No choice.
I attacked the filth: sweeping wrappers, banishing grime, scaling chairs for ceiling webs. Nearing the corridor wall, voices leaked through.
"Plan, Keifer?"
"Force her out."
"If stubborn?"
"Hell mode"
"Scare tactic?"
"Later."
Wrong target, fools. Hell mode, huh? Well, you should know, I am the Queen of the hell! And leaving section e? Impossible. I'm never leaving him! Never.
Trash bagged, I pounded the door. Keifer strode in, cronies crowding the frame. His gaze hit the ceiling—froze.
"What the..." he muttered under his breath.
"Dusted the covers. Cobweb nests," I deadpanned.
"Still filthy," he decreed..
Blind?
"Cleaner than your soul."
Eye dagger.
He Snapped —Felix forked the bag. Eyes dodged mine. Felix, please.
Then—dump. Garbage rained across the floor, stench blooming.
"Fuck?!"
"See? Dirty." Cocky smirk.
Laser eyes? I'd incinerate him. But those stupid feelings…
"Insane?!"
"Maybe."
He turned.
Bastard!
"Keifer!"
I lunged, hefting fresh trash.
"You're right—it is dirty."
Slam. Filth cascaded over his head, shoulders dusted like a trash heap scarecrow.
Whispers exploded at the door. His glare could've melted steel.
I rolled my eyes. What does he think? Yeah, I have feelings for him, but that doesn't mean I like him to be a brat! No way I'm leaving him like this!
"Shit!"
"She's screwed!"
"She's dead now."
"Call Yuri!"
If looks could kill… Damn! I'd already be six feet under.
"You STUPID WOMAN!" Kiefer roared.
Smirk locked. Chin high. Fight? Bring it.
"What do you think I am?! Your maid?! You— "
"Keifer!" Yuri loomed, brow storm.
Filth autopsy: floors, him.
"Explain. Kindly."
We locked eyes—like guilty kids before Mom.
"HE DID!"
"SHE DID!"
"ME?!"
Screamed in sync. Idiot, mimicking!
"COPYCAT!"
"YOU ARE!"
"STOP!" Yuri's roar shook the walls.
"Brats. Clean—or stay forever."
"Forever is a myth." I snapped.
Yuri shot me a glare. I rolled my eyes. Does he think I'm scared of him? In your dreams!
"I'm not going to clean this mess," Keifer stubbornly said.
"I'm class pres—"
"David's back," Yuri cut in.
"WHAT?!"Keifer snarled.
Who is David now? Is he the one who is the old and original class president of section e? I think yeah.
"He called me this morning. He said he's coming back," Yuri said.
"We'll talk about it later. For now, just clean up." He added before walking away.
As he left, he closed the door again. Now it was just Keifer and me inside.
I grabbed a broom and threw it at him.
"Clean up the mess you made!" I ordered.
The great Keifer just sneered, slumped in the corner. Fine. I sat too.
Snakes gossiped outside; darkness crept. Hunger gnawed. Keifer yawned, shadows bruising his eyes—exhausted, distant.
I grabbed another broom and walked toward Keifer. I held it out to him, but he just looked at me.
"Come on... let's just clean up. I want to go home," I said.
He just stared at me blankly. Come on! I really want to leave!
I grabbed his hand and forced him to hold the broom. He took it, so I stepped away from him, grabbed another broom, and started sweeping.
I had barely swept twice, and Keifer was still just standing there.
"Tsk! Cooperate—I'm starving!"
He must've sensed my frustration because he finally stood up and started sweeping properly.
Silence thick as nightfall.
"Keifer..." I started, but he didn't respond.
"...Who is David?"
I asked to confirm whether he is or not. I know Kiefer is not the original president.
He gave No response. He had no intention of chatting. So grumpy!
"The original Class President of Section E," he answered in a bored tone.
Wow! This jerk actually responded. He must be getting impatient too.
"Is he the one you guys were talking about the other day? The one Kiko toppled?"
He paused for a moment like he was thinking before going back to sweeping and replying,
"Yeah..."
Wow, such a long answer... I really felt that—like 0.01 milliseconds.
"If he was the Class President, why isn't he here?" I asked.
I heard rumors that he was suspended, but I need to confirm.
He stopped again and faced me.
"You ask too many questions... I'm done," he said, handing me the garbage bag.
Oh! He really was done. I quickly finished up what I was doing. When he saw that everything was okay, he started banging on the door.
It took a while before it opened. Maybe they fell asleep. When the door finally opened, I expected Yuri to come in and check, but instead, someone else walked in straight away.
It was Aries, and he was glaring at both Keifer and me.
I frowned. What the heck?! Why is he here.
"What are you doing here?!" Keifer asked calmly but with authority.
Aries didn't answer. He just walked straight to me and grabbed my arm.
"I've been waiting for you!" he said to me.
I quickly yanked my arm back.
"You don't care about me right? Then why were you waiting?" I asked while steadying my dress. My voice cold.
He glared at me and said, "Mom is getting worried as you are not home yet?"
I nodded my expression still cold and sharp.
When I picked it up, I noticed there were a lot of people outside. Aries had already started walking, so I followed him.
Once outside, I realized that even Aries' classmates were with him.
The tension between them and Keifer was intense.
When we got home, Kuya Angelo was there. So this is why he picked me up. Not because Tita Gemma was worried, but because Kuya Angelo was there.
Coward!
I went to my room. Good thing, Kuya didn't ask anything. I freshen up, went near the window and smoke.
It is very dark. I really spent a lot of time in the classroom. At least, it's with him.