Ang Mutya ng Section E – Book 3: The Unwritten Destinies
Chapter 4: The Call I Wasn't Ready For
(Jay's POV)
New York felt colder than usual that night.
Maybe it was the weather.
Or maybe it was just me.
I sat near the window of my small apartment, my laptop still open on the desk after hours of studying. My finals were finally over, but my mind refused to rest.
Moving on wasn't as easy as I thought.
Everyone said time heals everything.
But no one told me that time also makes memories louder.
My phone suddenly vibrated on the table.
I glanced at it absentmindedly.
Unknown number.
I hesitated before answering.
"Hello?"
For a moment, there was only breathing on the other side.
Then a small, familiar voice spoke.
"Ate Jay?"
My eyes widened slightly.
"Keigan?"
The little boy sounded relieved.
"Yes! Ate Jay it's me!"
I sat up straight.
"How did you get my number?"
"Kuya Angelo gave it to me," he said innocently.
Of course.
I smiled faintly despite myself.
"How are you, Keigan?"
"I miss you," he answered immediately.
My chest tightened.
"I miss you too."
Keigan was always the sweetest among Keifer's brothers. He was still young, still pure, still unaware of the complicated mess between the adults around him.
That's why his next words caught me off guard.
"Ate Jay… can you come back?"
My heart skipped.
"What?"
"Please come back to us," he said softly.
I felt my throat go dry.
"Keigan…"
But he continued talking.
"Kuya is thinking about you a lot."
My fingers slowly tightened around the phone.
"He doesn't sleep properly anymore."
I closed my eyes.
"Sometimes I see him staring at his phone," Keigan continued. "And he looks really sad."
Each word felt like a tiny crack forming in the walls I had just built around my heart.
"He's thinking too much about you."
My breathing slowed.
"He misses you."
Silence filled the line.
Keigan spoke again, his voice hopeful.
"So please come back, Ate Jay."
My eyes stung slightly, but I forced myself to stay calm.
"Keigan…"
"You know Kuya loves you."
The words hit me like a wave.
For a moment, I couldn't speak.
Because that was exactly the problem.
Love.
Love was the reason I was hurting.
Love was the reason I had to leave.
I swallowed the lump forming in my throat.
"Keigan," I said gently.
"Yes?"
"You're still young."
"But one day you'll understand that… sometimes loving someone isn't enough."
He was quiet.
"I don't understand," he admitted softly.
I gave a small, sad smile even though he couldn't see it.
"I know."
He hesitated before asking another question.
"Ate Jay… are you angry with Kuya?"
I looked out the window at the bright lights of New York.
Angry?
No.
If anything, anger would have been easier.
"I'm not angry," I whispered.
"Then why won't you come back?"
Because I was afraid.
Afraid of believing him again.
Afraid of loving him again.
Afraid of breaking even more.
But Keigan didn't need to hear that.
So I gave him the only answer I could.
"Because I need to focus on my future now."
He sounded disappointed.
"Oh…"
"But that doesn't mean I forgot you," I added quickly.
"Really?"
"Of course not."
A small pause.
Then he asked the question I feared the most.
"Did Kuya really use you?"
My heart stopped for a second.
That lie.
The same lie that destroyed everything between me and Keifer.
I forced my voice to stay steady.
"That's something between me and your brother, Keigan."
He went quiet again.
Then he sighed like a tiny adult.
"I just want you both to be happy."
My chest tightened painfully.
"Me too."
He sniffed softly.
"I miss when you used to visit our house."
I closed my eyes.
"I miss that too."
Another pause.
Then he spoke again.
"But Kuya misses you the most."
My grip on the phone tightened.
"Take care of your brother, okay?" I said softly.
"I will."
"And focus on your studies."
"Yes, Ate Jay."
I smiled faintly.
"Good boy."
Before ending the call, he said one last thing.
"Ate Jay?"
"Yes?"
"If Kuya comes to New York… will you see him?"
My heart pounded.
But my answer came quietly.
"…I don't know."
And for the first time since I arrived in New York…
I realized something terrifying.
No matter how far I ran…
A part of my heart was still waiting for him.