Chapter: The Goodbye I Didn't Want
(Jay's POV)
Airports always felt strange to me.
Too many people.
Too many voices.
Too many goodbyes.
Standing there with my suitcase beside me, the bright lights of the terminal made everything feel unreal. Like I was watching someone else's life instead of living my own.
Beside me stood Percy Mariano and Aries.
Neither of them were talking much.
And honestly… neither was I.
My chest still hurt.
Not the kind of pain you could fix with medicine.
The kind that sits quietly inside your heart and refuses to leave.
In about an hour we would be flying to New York City.
Six years.
Six years away from everything here.
Six years away from the school.
Six years away from the people who hurt me.
Six years away from Keif.
I kept telling myself that was a good thing.
But somehow it didn't feel like one.
Percy checked the time on his phone.
"We should head to the gate."
I nodded slightly and grabbed the handle of my suitcase.
We started walking toward the boarding area.
Everything felt quiet in my head.
Like my thoughts had shut down.
Then suddenly—
"Jay."
My entire body froze.
I knew that voice.
I turned around slowly.
And there he was.
Keif.
Standing a few steps away from us in the middle of the airport.
For a moment I couldn't breathe.
Why was he here?
Why did he come?
The anger that I thought had disappeared suddenly rushed back into my chest.
He walked a little closer.
"Jay…"
Before he could say anything else—
My hand moved before I even thought about it.
SLAP.
The sound echoed louder than I expected.
My palm stung immediately.
But I didn't care.
His head turned slightly from the force.
The people around us looked over.
But I didn't notice any of them.
Because all I could see was him.
The person who broke my heart like it meant nothing.
Tears filled my eyes again but I forced my voice to stay strong.
"I hate you."
The words felt heavy leaving my mouth.
But I didn't take them back.
Not after everything he said.
Not after everything he did.
He didn't argue.
He didn't defend himself.
He just stood there quietly.
That almost made me angrier.
I grabbed my suitcase again.
"I never want to see you again."
Then I turned around and walked toward the gate.
If I stayed one more second…
I felt like I might break again.
Behind me I heard Percy sigh quietly.
"Jay…"
But I didn't stop.
I handed my ticket to the staff and walked down the boarding tunnel.
My chest felt tight again.
I didn't look back.
Not once.
Inside the plane I found my seat near the window.
I sat down and stared outside at the runway lights.
My hands were still shaking slightly.
I hated him.
I repeated that sentence in my head again and again.
I hate him.
I hate him.
I hate him.
But every time I said it…
Something inside my chest hurt more.
Ten minutes passed.
Passengers kept boarding the plane.
Then finally I saw Percy and Aries walk in.
They looked calmer than before.
Like they had just finished talking about something.
They sat down beside me.
Percy took the seat on my right.
Aries sat across the aisle.
"Everything okay?" Percy asked.
I looked out the window.
"Yeah."
He studied my face.
"You sure?"
I nodded slightly.
"Yeah."
Aries leaned back in his seat.
The plane slowly started preparing for departure.
My hands rested quietly in my lap.
And for a moment…
I remembered the way Keif looked after I slapped him.
He didn't look angry.
He didn't look defensive.
He just looked…
hurt.
I shook the thought away quickly.
No.
That didn't matter anymore.
He said the truth himself.
He used me.
Everything was a plan.
So whatever he felt now…
It wasn't my problem anymore.
The plane engines started rumbling softly.
Percy looked at me again.
"You okay, baby sista?"
I nodded again.
But I didn't trust my voice anymore.
Because deep down…
I knew something.
Leaving this place might give me distance.
It might give me time.
But it wasn't going to erase the memories.
And it definitely wasn't going to erase him.