Jay Jay's pov
We were walking toward our classroom when Keifer suddenly stopped.
I took a few steps ahead before noticing and turned back, confused.
Before I could ask anything, he spoke.
"Jay... I'm sorry."
"Huh?" I frowned. "For what?"
He stepped closer and gently held my hands. "For what Keigan said yesterday. He didn't mean it. You know how he is sometimes—"
"Keifer, don't apologize for that," I interrupted softly. "And what he said was—"
"Don't." he said firmly, shaking his head. "Don't you dare say that. Whatever he said wasn't right, Jay."
I looked at him.
"The psychologist already explained it." he continued. "Because of his condition, he says things he doesn't mean. He becomes someone else. And yesterday, after that fight, his trauma was triggered. He wasn't himself."
I lowered my gaze. "But you should take care of them more. You don't need to waste your time on me."
His grip tightened slightly not painful, just real.
"Jay, don't ever say that," he said. "You and my brothers are both precious to me. And spending time with you is not a waste."
He lifted his hands and gently cupped my face, making me look at him.
"I like spending time with you." he said quietly. "You're my comfort place. I care about both of you. Don't expect me to stop caring about you."
Then, softer but deeper
"You're not a burden, Jay. You're my strength and my weakness. Breathing without you feels like breathing without air,bleeding without blood,dying without no killing. Living without you feels like existing without meaning."
My chest tightened.
"You're my mutya." he said. "And you always will be. Don't ever think of yourself as the problem because you're the solution."
I didn't even realize I was crying until my vision blurred.
"Hey." he murmured, pulling me into his arms. "Why are you crying?"
I hugged him back tightly, burying my face against his chest.
Because for the first time in a long while
I felt chosen.
-----
I was sitting in class, trying to make myself invisible.
Sir Alvin was randomly calling students.Asking last wish before death I mean questions.
"Ms. Mariano."
I stood up like I had just been caught robbing a bank.
"Yes, sir?"
"Let's start easy. Tell me what you learned in math this whole semester."
Easy.
They call that easy?
WTF.
I don't even remember a single topic name.
Think, Jay. Think. You are smart. Somewhere. Deep down.
"Ms. Mariano," he called again.
"Yes, sir?"
"Answer."
"Uhh... we learned... that math is..."
Everyone stared at me like I was about to reveal a plot twist.
"...a hard subject. It is injurious to health. It may cause death."
The whole class burst into laughter.
"Class, silent," Sir Alvin said.
He looked back at me. Calm. Too calm.
Which means danger.
"Ms. Mariano, I will give you a problem. If you solve it, good. If not, I will call Angelo."
My soul left my body.
"And everyone." he continued, writing on the board, "you will all solve this."
Dead.
I'm dead.
Kuya Angelo will not just kill me.
He will resurrect me just to kill me again.
I stared at the board.
Numbers.
Why are there so many numbers?
Why do they exist?
Why do mornings exist?
Why does math exist?
And most importantly
Why is my life like this?
-----
I was lying on my bed, bored, staring at the ceiling while heavy rain poured outside.
I went downstairs even though I knew they would call me when dinner was ready.
And then I saw
Kuya Angelo walking in from outside.
Behind him
A fully soaked Monkey.
Angelo threw a towel at him. The monkey caught it dramatically.
"Thank you, boss."
He noticed me. "Hii baby sistah, did you miss me?"
"What is this monkey doing here?" Aries yelled from behind me.
WHEN DID HE APPEAR?
"Aries baby, are you jealous of my handsomeness?" Percy grinned.
"Both of you shut up," Angelo said flatly. "Percy, why were you here?"
Percy rubbed the back of his neck. "Umm... I came to see Jay..."
I'm dead.
How many times am I going to die today?
"And then my tire got punctured," Percy continued. "It started raining heavily, so I couldn't leave."
Angelo crossed his arms. "And then you were talking to the tire saying, 'See, I'm handsome, get fixed.'"
I burst out laughing.
Percy looked offended. "It was motivation!"
Angelo slowly turned his head toward me.
Death glare.
I immediately straightened my face.
"Don't act innocent." Kuya Angelo said without even looking at me.
"And Alvin already told me about today's class. You're lucky you got two answers right otherwise you'd be dead by my hands."
I gulped.
Alive.
Still alive.
"And Percy." Kuya continued, turning toward him, "it's raining heavily, that's why I'm letting you stay here. Otherwise you'd be on the road right now looking like a beggar. Stay with Aries or Yuri."
Percy's eyes lit up like he'd won the lottery.
He immediately jumped and wrapped his arms around Aries.
"I will stay with my baby!"
Aries almost screamed.
He stepped back so fast he nearly tripped.
"No. I will NOT stay with this monkey."
Percy gasped dramatically, clutching his chest.
"Aries baby... you don't want to stay with me?" he said, fake tears already forming.
"I don't," Aries replied flatly.
"That's my order," Kuya Angelo said, already walking away. "Figure it out."
And just like that
He left.
Silence.
I slowly turned to look at Aries.
Aries slowly turned to look at Percy.
Percy grinned.
Wide.
Dangerous.
"Oh baby," Percy said happily, tightening the towel around his shoulders. "Looks like we're roommates."
Aries closed his eyes like he was praying for patience.
"Jay," he said calmly. Too calmly.
"If I end up killing him tonight, remember this was not my fault."
Percy laughed.
"I love you too."
I bit my lip to stop laughing.
-----
After dinner, I sat at my desk, staring at my notes like they personally offended me.
Exams are near.
And I really want to do better this time.
I don't want to waste Kuya's money.
I don't want another scold like the one he gave me after Sir Alvin's house incident.
I really want to get good marks this time.
I tried reading.
One line.
Two lines.
My eyes started closing.
Why are they betraying me?
And then
Hunger.
Again.
This is why I can't be successful.
So I went downstairs like a responsible future topper.
In the kitchen, I found:
Chips.
Crackers.
Popcorn.
Cookies.
Brownies.
Candy gummies.
Balanced diet.
I nodded proudly.
But something was missing.
Coffee.
Jay, be careful.
Do not burn the kitchen.
Do not burn the house.
Do not burn your future.
I made coffee.
It smelled amazing.
Maybe... I am talented.
I poured it into a glass and took a sip.
YUCK.
I immediately spat it out.
WHERE IS THE DAMN SUGAR.
I added sugar. A little more. And maybe a little more.
Then I went back upstairs with my royal basket of snacks.
I placed everything on my bedside table and sat down.
Time for round two.
Sip.
...
Oh.
Oh.
OMG.
Jay.
WHAT DID YOU JUST CREATE.
This is not coffee.
This is ART.
This deserves a Nobel Prize.
I stood up on the bed.
Then climbed onto my desk.
Then because why stop there I climbed onto my wardrobe, holding my cup high like a trophy.
"Ladies and gentlemen!" I announced dramatically to my empty room.
"Today's Best Coffee Award goes to any guesses?"
I paused for dramatic effect.
"And yes! You guessed it right! The award goes to the coffee made by JASPER JEAN FERNANDEZ MARIANO!"
Raining outside heavily sounding like clapping like nature itself was applauding.
I bowed.
Then Nearly slipped.
Almost died.
But survived.
Because legends don't fall.
They just... almost fall.
Then suddenly I heard clapping sound actual claps.
Then I turned towards the door and standing there......