Chapter: The Question That Broke My Heart
(Keifer's POV)
When Jay fainted in my arms, the entire house went silent.
No one joked.
No one teased.
Even Cin — the loudest person in the room — didn't say a single word.
I carried her to the couch carefully and sat down, letting her head rest against my chest while I held her.
Her breathing was steady.
But she still hadn't woken up.
And every second felt longer than the last.
Ella stood beside us nervously.
"Is she okay…?"
Aries crossed his arms, but I could tell he was worried too.
"She probably just got overwhelmed."
Cin rubbed the back of his neck.
"Man… that escalated quickly."
I ignored all of them.
My eyes stayed on Jay.
Her face looked peaceful now.
Too peaceful.
Like nothing had happened.
But I knew the truth.
Something inside her mind had broken open.
And once memories start returning…
There's no stopping them.
I gently brushed a strand of hair away from her face.
"Barracuda… wake up."
For a few seconds nothing happened.
Then—
Her fingers moved slightly.
My heart jumped.
"Jay?"
Her eyebrows frowned slightly.
Then slowly…
Her eyes opened.
Confused.
Weak.
Like she had just woken up from a long dream.
She blinked a few times, staring at the ceiling.
Then her eyes moved.
And finally landed on me.
"…Keif?"
My chest loosened instantly.
"Yeah."
Her lips trembled.
And suddenly—
She grabbed my shirt tightly and buried her face into my chest.
Then she started crying.
Not quiet crying.
Not soft crying.
Real crying.
The kind that shakes your whole body.
The kind that comes from somewhere deep inside.
My arms immediately wrapped around her.
"Hey… hey…"
She clung to me like she was afraid I would disappear.
Her fingers tightened on my shirt.
"I remember…"
Her voice broke.
"I remember everything…"
I held her head gently against my chest.
"It's okay."
She shook her head while crying harder.
"No… it's not…"
Aries looked away quietly.
Even Cin stayed silent.
Jay slowly pulled back slightly and looked around the room.
Her eyes stopped on Aries.
"…Aries."
He stepped closer.
"Yeah?"
Her voice was shaky.
"…Where is she now?"
Aries didn't need to ask who she meant.
We all knew.
Zoya.
He answered quietly.
"She's with your mom."
Jay froze.
"With… mom?"
Aries nodded.
"She lives with her."
Jay stared down at her hands.
Tears still falling quietly.
For a few seconds she said nothing.
Then suddenly—
She looked back at me.
Her eyes were red from crying.
But the question in them…
That question hit me harder than anything else tonight.
"…Keif?"
"Yeah."
Her voice trembled slightly.
"Why didn't you tell me…"
She swallowed.
"…that my sister was your first love?"
The room went completely silent again.
Even the air felt heavy.
Because everyone knew that question mattered.
A lot.
I sighed quietly.
"I didn't tell you because you didn't remember her."
Jay looked down.
"So you hid it…"
"I didn't want to hurt you."
Her eyes slowly lifted again.
Then she asked the question I feared the most.
"…If she comes back…"
Her voice cracked.
"…will you leave me?"
My heart felt like someone squeezed it.
Because the fear in her eyes was real.
Real and painful.
Like she already expected the answer to hurt her.
I gently lifted her chin so she had to look at me.
"Jay."
Her eyes filled with tears again.
"You're the one who kissed her first…"
"I know."
"And you loved her…"
"I did."
Her voice got smaller.
"…so what about now?"
I didn't answer immediately.
Instead I placed my hand on her cheek.
Then said slowly and clearly.
"Zoya was my past."
Jay's breathing stopped slightly.
"But you…"
I moved closer.
"…you're my present."
Her eyes widened slightly.
"And my future."
Tears rolled down her cheeks again.
"But she's your first love…"
I shook my head.
"You're the one I'm choosing."
Her lips trembled.
"Every day."
I wiped the tears from her face gently.
"Every fight."
She sniffed.
"Every stupid chaotic moment."
I smiled slightly.
"And every time you try to attack my friends."
Cin shouted from behind us.
"HEY THAT HURTS."
Jay let out a small shaky laugh.
And then she hugged me again.
Tighter this time.
Like she was afraid I would disappear.
I wrapped my arms around her and held her close.
"No one is taking you away from me."
She whispered softly against my chest.
"…promise?"
I kissed the top of her head.
"I promise."
Behind us Cin whispered to Aries,
"Bro they are emotional again."
Aries sighed.
"Shut up."
But I didn't care about them.
Because right now…
Jay was still holding me tightly.
And for the first time since she fainted…
Her breathing finally started calming down.