Chapter: The Lake in the Forest
(Jay's POV)
Morning came slowly.
At first, I could hear the forest before I even opened my eyes.
Birds.
Leaves rustling softly in the wind.
The faint sound of people talking somewhere outside the tents.
And warmth.
A lot of warmth.
I frowned slightly.
Why was it so warm?
Then I realized something.
My face was pressed against something soft.
My arms were wrapped around something.
And something was holding me back.
My brain slowly woke up.
Wait.
I opened my eyes.
Black hoodie.
Familiar scent.
Strong arm around my waist.
Oh.
Oh.
Keif.
My face immediately turned red.
I was literally hugging Keifer like a koala.
My head was resting on his chest, and his arm was still wrapped around me like he had fallen asleep holding me.
My brain started panicking.
Wait.
Why am I in his tent?
Why am I hugging him?
What happened last night??
I slowly lifted my head.
Keif was still asleep.
His hair was messy, his face relaxed, and his breathing slow.
For a second… I just stared.
Then my brain screamed again.
JAY STOP STARING.
I carefully tried to move away.
But the moment I shifted—
Keif groaned slightly and tightened his arm around me.
"No escape."
My heart nearly exploded.
"You're awake?!" I whispered.
He slowly opened one eye.
Then the other.
Then he smirked.
"Morning, Barracuda."
My face burned.
"Why am I here?"
He stretched lazily.
"You don't remember?"
My stomach dropped.
"…remember what?"
He laughed quietly.
"Oh this is going to be fun."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Keifer."
"Hmm?"
"What happened last night?"
He sat up slightly, leaning back against the tent wall.
"Oh nothing."
I crossed my arms.
"Keif."
He grinned.
"You chased Cin with a knife."
My brain froze.
"…WHAT?"
Outside the tent, someone suddenly shouted.
"BRO SHE'S AWAKE?"
Cin.
I immediately rushed outside the tent.
And the entire Section E group was already there.
Sitting.
Watching.
Waiting.
Cin pointed at me dramatically.
"THE MENACE HAS RISEN."
Rory started laughing.
Blaster clapped slowly.
"Good morning, danger."
I blinked at them.
"What did I do?"
Josh grinned.
"You activated Barracuda mode."
"WHAT IS BARRACUDA MODE?"
Eren raised his hand.
"You tried to sacrifice Cin to the bonfire."
Cin nodded seriously.
"I saw my life flash before my eyes."
David added casually,
"And then you confessed your love to Keifer."
My brain stopped working.
"…I what?"
Everyone shouted at once.
"TWICE."
My soul left my body.
I slowly turned toward Keif.
He was leaning against the tent pole, clearly enjoying my suffering.
"You're lying."
He shrugged.
"Ask them."
Mayo grinned.
"You said 'I love you sooo much.'"
Felix nodded.
"And then slept on him again."
Calix laughed.
"Best night ever."
I buried my face in my hands.
"I'm leaving this camp."
Keif walked over and flicked my forehead.
"You're not escaping."
Before I could respond, Drew suddenly clapped loudly.
"Alright idiots, new plan."
Everyone looked at him.
"We're going to the lake."
Denzel nodded immediately.
"Oh yeah. The forest lake!"
Yuri stood up excitedly.
"I heard it's beautiful."
Cin grinned.
"And we can push Keif into the water."
Keif glared at him.
"Try."
Within minutes everyone started getting ready.
And somehow…
The group became even bigger.
Aries arrived first.
Smirking as always.
"Well well. Barracuda survived the night."
"Don't start."
Then Ella came.
Then Mica.
Then Rakki.
Freya joined too, waving happily.
And finally—
Michel showed up.
"Did someone say lake?"
Now the group was huge.
Almost twenty people walking through the forest.
The path was narrow, surrounded by tall trees and sunlight filtering through the leaves.
Everyone was loud.
Talking.
Laughing.
Arguing.
Cin kept telling people about my "knife attack".
I kept threatening him.
And Keif walked beside me the entire time.
Occasionally bumping my shoulder just to annoy me.
After about twenty minutes—
The trees finally opened.
And the lake appeared.
It was beautiful.
Clear blue water.
Sunlight reflecting on the surface.
Surrounded by rocks and tall grass.
Everyone immediately started cheering.
"LAKE TIME!"
Rory and Felix ran toward the water.
Cin started throwing rocks.
Drew and Denzel were arguing about swimming.
Mica and Rakki sat near the shore.
Freya and Ella were taking pictures.
It felt peaceful.
I sat down on a flat rock near the water.
Letting the breeze cool my face.
For the first time since morning…
Everything felt calm.
Keif sat beside me.
"Still embarrassed?"
"Shut up."
He laughed quietly.
Then suddenly—
Cin walked over.
Holding a water bottle.
He looked at me curiously.
"Jay?"
"What?"
He pointed behind me.
"What's that on your back?"
I frowned.
"What?"
"There's like… a mark."
I froze.
Keif looked confused.
"What mark?"
Cin shrugged.
"Like a birthmark or something."
Keif leaned slightly closer.
"Jay, turn around."
My heart suddenly started beating faster.
"…it's nothing."
"Jay."
"It's just a birthmark."
But Keif was already standing behind me.
"Hold still."
Before I could stop him—
He gently lifted the back of my t-shirt slightly.
Just enough to see.
And then he froze.
Completely.
I could feel it.
The silence.
The change in his breathing.
"…Jay."
His voice was different.
Quiet.
"What is this?"
My stomach dropped.
Because I knew exactly what he saw.
It wasn't a birthmark.
It was a long faded scar across my back.
And suddenly…
A memory slammed into my mind.
A loud voice.
Angry.
Drunk.
My mother crying.
A belt hitting the floor.
His hand grabbing my arm.
"Stop crying!"
The sound.
The pain.
The shouting.
My chest tightened instantly.
My breathing became uneven.
"No…"
Keif crouched in front of me.
"Jay."
I shook my head.
"Don't think about it."
But the memories were already coming back.
That night.
That man.
My mother's husband.
The beating.
The fear.
The helplessness.
My hands started shaking.
"Jay."
Keif grabbed my shoulders gently.
"Look at me."
But my mind was spiraling.
"I remember…"
"Jay."
"I remember everything…"
His voice became firmer.
"Jay. Look at me."
I slowly looked up.
His eyes were filled with concern.
"It's okay."
My breathing was still uneven.
"I'm here."
The forest around us felt quieter now.
Like everything slowed down.
I tried to calm down.
Tried to breathe.
And then—
Something moved in the grass.
Near my leg.
Before I could react—
I felt a sudden sharp sting on my ankle.
I gasped.
"What—"
Then I saw it.
A snake.
Slithering quickly away into the grass.
My heart stopped.
"…Keif."
He followed my gaze.
And his face instantly went pale.
"Jay."
My leg started feeling strange.
And suddenly—
Everyone around the lake started shouting.
"WHAT HAPPENED?"
"JAY?!"
"KEIF?!"
Keif grabbed my arm.
His voice tight with panic.
"…Jay… a snake just bit you."
And everything around me suddenly felt very quiet.