Chapter: Arrival at My Father's House
(Jay's POV)
The car ride to New York felt endless. The city lights blurred past, but I barely saw anything. My mind was spinning, tangled with everything that had happened—Keifer, Zoya, the betrayal, the lies. I kept my hands folded on my lap, fingers pressing into each other until they hurt, trying to stop my body from trembling.
Percy and Aries sat on either side of me, giving the illusion of comfort, but I could feel their tension. They weren't saying much, just occasional quiet words to distract me, to keep me from thinking too hard. And it worked… a little.
When we finally arrived at my father's house, I felt a knot in my stomach that wouldn't untangle. The car stopped, and I stared at the grand facade, the polished steps, the familiar brass letters on the mailbox. This was where my father lived. Where the memories of my childhood, both good and bad, lived. And where I had to face everything all over again.
I stepped out of the car, dragging my bag behind me. My legs felt heavy, as if each step reminded me of all the emotional weight I had been carrying. Percy opened the door, and I walked inside, barely glancing at the familiar halls, the paintings, the faint smell of old wood and leather. I wanted to vanish into my room, away from everyone, away from all expectations.
And that's exactly what I did.
My room looked the same as I remembered, but different at the same time. The furniture was older, polished, pristine. The walls still had the same pale blue color I had loved as a kid, but the air felt heavier. My chest tightened.
I dropped my bag by the door and sank onto the bed, letting my head fall against the pillow. I could feel my body shaking now, a deep, gut-wrenching tremble that I couldn't stop. Tears threatened to spill over. And then they did.
I buried my face in the pillow, letting the sobs come freely, letting myself break for the first time in weeks. I had been so strong around everyone—around Keifer, around Percy, around Aries—but now, here, alone in my room, I allowed myself to be vulnerable.
Percy and Aries didn't say anything at first. They simply stood near the door, giving me space but staying close enough that I didn't feel completely alone. Percy knelt beside the bed, resting a hand lightly on my shoulder. Aries leaned against the dresser, arms crossed but eyes soft, watching me quietly.
"I… I can't," I whispered between sobs. "I can't believe he… Keifer… he used me. He said everything was a lie… everything!" My voice cracked, and I pressed the pillow harder to my face, trying to muffle the sound.
Percy's voice was soft, careful. "Jay… I know it hurts. I know it's… a lot right now."
I shook my head, tears soaking through the fabric of the pillow. "It's not just that… it's everything. Zoya, my sister… the lies… I thought I could trust him. I thought he… he loved me!"
Aries took a cautious step closer. "Jay, you're safe here. You're with us. We'll take care of you. Just breathe."
I laughed bitterly, letting the sound mix with my sobs. "Safe? I don't feel safe. I don't feel anything anymore. How can someone take your heart, twist it, and… and make you feel like you're nothing?"
Percy crouched lower beside me, brushing a wet strand of hair from my face. "You're not nothing, Jay. You're… you're everything. But sometimes people… they make mistakes, or they have reasons we don't know. Doesn't make it less painful, I know. But we're here."
I pushed my face into the pillow again, letting the tears flow. "And Yuri… he's different. He's… he's so much better than Keifer. He never lied to me. He never used me. He didn't manipulate me to get to someone else… like Keifer did with my sister. Everything with Yuri feels… real. At least with him I don't feel like a pawn."
Aries and Percy exchanged a quick glance. Percy's jaw tightened slightly, and I felt a pang of guilt—of course they couldn't tell me the whole truth. I had no idea how much had been planned, how much had been orchestrated by them to protect me, to protect Jay, to protect… everything. But that only made the ache in my chest grow.
"You're… you're right," Percy said carefully. "Yuri cares about you, Jay. And you… you deserve to feel safe and loved. And Keifer… he's… complicated. But right now, just focus on yourself. On being okay."
I let out a shaky laugh, muffled by the pillow. "Being okay? I don't know if I even remember what that feels like."
Aries moved closer, sitting on the edge of the bed and gently resting a hand on my arm. "It's okay. You'll figure it out. Step by step. And we're not going anywhere. You won't have to face this alone."
For a few moments, I just cried, letting myself feel everything I had been holding in for weeks—the betrayal, the heartbreak, the anger, the sadness. Percy's hand stayed on my shoulder, steady and grounding. Aries's presence was like a shield around me, keeping the chaos of the world outside from touching me.
And even though I felt broken, even though I felt like a part of me had been ripped away, I allowed myself to lean into them, to lean into their care, their protection, their understanding.
I buried my face into the pillow one last time and whispered into it, "I just… I just don't know how to trust anyone again. Not Keifer… not anyone."
Percy's voice was gentle but firm. "That's okay, Jay. You don't have to trust anyone right now. Not until you're ready. And we'll be here… every step of the way."
Aries nodded beside him, his voice soft. "Always. We won't leave you. Not now, not ever."
I finally lifted my head, wiping my tears with the back of my hand. My vision was blurry, my heart heavy, but I felt… a little safer. A little less alone.
And in that moment, I allowed myself to lean into them, to let myself be held, to let the heartbreak exist without trying to fight it alone.
Even if the world had betrayed me, even if Keifer had used me, even if Zoya's return and the past's shadows haunted me—I was not alone.
I was Jay Mariano. And for the first time in what felt like forever, I let myself just… be.