Chapter: The Blood I Didn't See
Jay's POV
The next morning felt… strange.
Not bad.
Not good.
Just strange.
The camp was quiet after the chaos from the night before. Most students were still half-asleep, dragging their bags around or complaining about breakfast.
But I had something else to do.
Something I had been avoiding for years.
I was going back to my old school.
Kuya Angelo had told me to collect some documents that the administration still had from my previous enrollment. Apparently they needed them for some transfer paperwork.
So here I was.
Standing in front of the tall iron gates of my old school.
My chest felt tight.
I hadn't been here in a long time.
The building looked exactly the same.
The same faded yellow walls.
The same basketball court.
The same trees.
Memories I didn't want slowly crawled back into my mind.
I took a deep breath.
"Just get the papers and leave," I muttered to myself.
Behind me, Section E was walking through the gate with me.
They had insisted on coming.
Ci-N said he wanted to "see where Jay the Demon Queen was created."
Blaster said he was bored.
Rory and Erdix wanted to skip the morning lecture.
And honestly…
I didn't complain.
Keifer was walking beside me quietly.
Aries had gone somewhere else with Ella, but the rest of Section E was here.
Ci-N stretched his arms.
"Wow this school looks depressing."
Kit nodded.
"Yeah. Even the walls look traumatized."
Blaster laughed.
"Jay probably scared everyone here."
"Shut up," I said.
David smirked. "We're just imagining little Jay beating people."
"I didn't beat people."
Ci-N immediately pointed at me.
"Lies."
Everyone laughed.
For a moment, it almost felt normal.
But then—
"Jay."
My steps stopped.
That voice.
My stomach dropped instantly.
I slowly turned around.
And there he was.
Cyrus.
My ex-boyfriend.
Standing near the basketball court.
His expression was the same as I remembered.
Cold.
Arrogant.
Dangerous.
Ci-N leaned closer to me.
"Who's that?"
My voice came out quietly.
"My ex."
The entire Section E froze.
"EX?!" Mayo whispered loudly.
Cyrus walked closer slowly.
"Well well," he said mockingly. "If it isn't Jay."
I didn't move.
"What do you want?" I asked flatly.
He laughed.
"You disappear for months and that's how you greet me?"
Blaster stepped slightly closer to me.
"Who's this clown?"
Cyrus ignored him.
His eyes stayed locked on me.
"You left without even saying goodbye."
"I didn't owe you one."
That smile disappeared from his face.
"Oh really?"
Keifer stepped forward slightly.
"And you are?"
Cyrus looked at him.
"And you are?"
Ci-N whispered loudly.
"Ohhh testosterone battle."
"Shut up Ci-N," Rory muttered.
I sighed.
"I'm not here for you, Cyrus. Move."
But Cyrus suddenly grabbed my arm.
Hard.
The entire Section E reacted immediately.
"HEY!" Blaster shouted.
"Let go," Keifer said coldly.
Cyrus ignored them.
"You think you can just leave me like that?" he said quietly.
I pulled my arm away.
"Yes."
That's when his expression changed.
Before anyone could react—
SLAP.
My head snapped to the side.
The sound echoed across the courtyard.
Everyone froze.
Even me.
For one second.
Then chaos exploded.
"You SON OF A—!" Ci-N shouted.
But Cyrus moved faster.
He punched me straight in the stomach.
Air left my lungs instantly.
I stumbled back.
Another hit.
My shoulder slammed into the wall.
"Cyrus—!" someone shouted.
But he grabbed my collar and shoved me again.
"You embarrassed me!" he yelled.
I barely heard anything.
My ears were ringing.
Then—
Something warm trickled down my forehead.
But I didn't notice.
Not yet.
Cyrus raised his fist again.
But before it could land—
Rory tackled him from the side.
"TOUCH HER AGAIN AND YOU'RE DEAD!"
Blaster jumped in immediately.
Erdix grabbed Cyrus by the collar.
Kit punched him.
Mayo kicked his leg.
The whole Section E exploded on him.
It turned into a full fight.
"YOU HIT JAY?!" Blaster roared.
"IDIOT!" Kit shouted.
"BRO YOU'RE DONE!" Rory yelled.
Ci-N literally jumped on Cyrus' back.
"THIS IS FOR MY SISTER!"
Meanwhile—
I was swaying slightly.
The world looked… blurry.
David rushed toward me.
"Jay!"
He caught me before I fell.
"Hey hey hey—"
His hands were on my shoulders.
"Sit down."
He helped me sit against the wall.
I blinked slowly.
"What happened…?"
David's eyes widened.
"Jay… you're bleeding."
I frowned.
"Huh?"
He gently touched my forehead.
His fingers came back red.
But strangely…
I didn't react.
I didn't feel scared.
I didn't even realize how bad it looked.
My mind just felt… distant.
Across the courtyard, Section E was still beating Cyrus.
"DON'T HIT HER AGAIN!" Blaster shouted.
"IDIOT!" Rory yelled.
"BRO IS FINISHED!" Ci-N screamed.
Then—
Footsteps.
Fast footsteps.
"JAY!"
I looked up.
Keifer.
The moment I saw him—
My eyes shifted downward.
To my hands.
To the red stains on my shirt.
To the blood running down my arm.
And suddenly—
My breathing stopped.
My chest tightened violently.
Blood.
There was blood.
Too much blood.
The memories slammed into me like a storm.
The same smell.
The same color.
The same nightmare.
My hands started shaking uncontrollably.
Keifer knelt in front of me.
"Jay—"
But I wasn't listening.
The world started spinning.
"Jay look at me," he said urgently.
My vision blurred.
"Jay!"
I tried to speak.
But nothing came out.
My body suddenly felt very light.
Very cold.
The last thing I saw—
Was Keifer's terrified face.
Then everything went dark.
And I collapsed.