Jay-jay's POV
What happens when you don't get enough sleep? You become dazed.
What do you call someone who hasn't had enough sleep? A walking zombie.
What do sleep-deprived people do? They act out of it.
"What did you do last night that you look so sleep-deprived?" Percy asked before drinking my coffee.
Yes, my coffee. This blue-eyed guy has some nerve. I pretended to make coffee for him, but he's the one drinking it instead.
I glanced at Felix when I noticed he was done making juice for them. C-in, on the other hand, was still rummaging through the fridge for something to eat.
"Pinching battle." I answered absentmindedly.
These three are so noisy this early. I thought I'd get to rest since it's the weekend and there's no school. But no, even here, the snake and the nuisance followed me.
"Here, cake." C-in said, taking out a boxed cake.
Auntie walked into the kitchen and immediately saw what C-in was holding.
"Oh, you've chosen something. Do you want carbonara? I can have some made." She offered as she walked toward the little troublemaker.
I saw the sparkle in their eyes, especially the biggest glutton among them. Not me.
"N-no need, Auntie. It's embarrassing." Percy said, smiling discreetly.
Auntie didn't notice because she was busy gathering ingredients and pasta.
"It's fine. You haven't visited in a while. You could've at least chatted with us a bit." Auntie replied. "Oh, we also have chicken. Do you guys want fried chicken?"
I saw C-in's wide grin as he nodded enthusiastically like a broken toy. Even Felix's small smile didn't escape my notice.
Auntie still hadn't seen them because she was peering into the fridge, seemingly looking for more things to cook.
"Have you had breakfast yet, Jay? There's bacon and ham. I can cook for you too."
I stretched a little. "I'll just cook—"
Auntie suddenly turned to me, looking alarmed. She might as well have pointed at me like I was guilty of murder. Ouch. That look hurts.
"M-maybe we should just let the maids cook." She said and called one of their house helpers.
They took everything they needed and headed to the dirty kitchen. Once they were out of sight, C-in turned to me accusingly.
"They still haven't moved on from what you did." He said, pouting.
Felix and Percy both looked at me, silently asking what C-in meant. I discreetly pointed to the once-beautiful stove in the kitchen. It was an expensive brand with four burners and an oven. But now, it looked more like a display piece. On top of that, the marks of my past stupidity were still visible.
Buuuurrrnnn!
That was supposed to be a secret C-in and I would take to our graves. But this kid is way too talkative. Even the walls and the cupboard beside it still bore the scars of that dark day.
"You set it on fire?" Felix asked.
I pouted. "It wasn't on purpose."
I heard Percy's teasing laughter. Now I just wanted to pour my coffee all over him.
"So your role in the kitchen is just eating, huh?" He said, making me even more annoyed.
"I didn't mean to! That one over there! He was just staying over at that time, yet he was ordering me to cook like he owned the place!" I said in frustration, glaring at Ci-N.
"Just follow what I say." He replied.
"You're so full of yourself—."
"What the hell." Someone muttered, making all of us turn towards the kitchen door.
It was Kuya Angelo.
"Good morning, Kuya," I greeted him.
"Boss," Percy greeted as well.
"Good morning, sir," Felix added.
"Kuya!" Ci-N greeted happily.
"Good morning too," he responded seriously. "You're all so noisy. Have you eaten yet?" he asked while walking towards the fridge.
"Tita is still cooking," I answered.
He opened the fridge and took out two packs of Chuckie. He closed it and walked away, even patting Percy on the shoulder before leaving.
None of us spoke even after he was out of the kitchen. Even when we finished our coffee, juice, and cake, nobody dared to say a word. It was like an angel had passed by, but more like a demon.
Not that I would ever say that about Kuya Angelo. Just kidding. I love that guy.
To be honest, I didn't even know why these three were here. Kuya woke me up earlier and told me I had visitors. I didn't want to get up because Aries and I had stayed up late, but I didn't want to anger Kuya, so I got up anyway.
At first, I only saw Felix and Percy, but when we got to the kitchen, that little brat was already in front of the fridge, talking to Tita Gema.
These idiots were so at home in our kitchen, rummaging for food as if they owned the place.
"Why are you even here?" I finally broke the silence.
Ci-N was the first to answer. "Felix texted me."
Percy immediately turned to them. "I knew it! Why the hell did you text him? He's not even needed here!"
The little brat pouted in anger. "Mind your own business! I was worried about Jay-jay, okay?"
"Worried? Grow up first, you dwarf!"
"Go get circumcised first, you uncircumcised fool!" the other one shot back.
Percy quickly stood up. I thought he was going to charge at Ci, so I grabbed his shirt, but then I noticed him pulling off his belt. I quickly covered my eyes.
"You're so annoying! I'll show you!" he shouted while I heard the clanking of his belt buckle.
"Cut it out!" Felix scolded.
"Jay? How much—HOLY MARY, MOTHER OF GOD!"
I heard Tita Gema scream, so I immediately lowered my hands to see what was happening.
"S-sorry, Tita! I didn't mean to!" Percy stammered, frantically putting his belt back on.
"You pervert! Serves you right!" Ci taunted.
"That's what you get for not stopping," Felix said, shaking his head.
Tita quickly turned around and walked back to the dirty kitchen. I immediately smacked Percy on the head. He glared at me, but I raised my hand again, making him flinch.
"I didn't mean it. How was I supposed to know she'd walk in?" he explained. "At least now you all know I'm not uncircumcised and have something to be proud of."
"We didn't see anything," Ci remarked.
"But Tita did. She was amazed. She couldn't hold it in, that's why she called on the Holy Family," my annoying stepbrother boasted, raising his eyebrows smugly.
"What an ego," the little brat scoffed before walking towards the dirty kitchen.
"Hey! Hey! Wait up! You're going to get ahead of us again!" Felix ran after him.
I was left alone with this idiot. I was about to scold him for his behavior when he suddenly became serious.
"When Angelo contacted me this morning, I got scared and worried. I thought something bad had happened to you." His voice was laced with concern.
"W-why did Kuya call you?"
I think I already knew the answer.
Why did he have to call Percy? Couldn't we just keep things between us? As if this stepbrother of mine could do anything about my nightmares.
"Please tell me. If you can't tell them, try telling me. You trust me, right?" He reached for my hand, but I quickly pulled it away.
I shook my head. "I don't want to remember."
Enough.
"Jay, I know you're scared—."
"Don't force me," I said as tears started welling up in my eyes. "Enough. I don't want to think about it anymore."
He quickly hugged me when he saw my tears fall. I sobbed quietly in his arms.
"Shhh... I won't force you. It's okay now."
"I don't want to remember. It's too scary," I whispered.
"We're just worried about you. It's not good to keep it all in." He reasoned.
I don't know how much Percy knows about my past, but I wouldn't be surprised if he knew something. It doesn't matter where he found out. I just hope he hasn't told anyone else yet.
I forced myself to calm down. Eventually, Percy let go of me and helped me wipe my tears.
"I'll let you be for now, but please, next time, talk to someone." He added.
I didn't answer and just focused on composing myself. We both stayed silent until Felix and Ci-N came back, carrying food. I fixed my posture to make sure they wouldn't notice anything had happened while they were gone.
"Food's ready!" Ci announced, carrying a plate of fried chicken.
Felix set a plate of ham and bacon in front of me.
"Wow, fancy bacon strips," Percy commented before sniffing the food on the plate. "Gimme some! Gimme some!" He was about to take some but suddenly stopped like he had an idea. "Do you guys have sliced bread?"
I nodded. "Get some from the cupboard next to the fridge," I told Felix.
As soon as Felix turned around, Percy grabbed my hand. He smiled at me as if saying, It's okay. I'm here.
I smiled back and nodded. Felix returned with a bag of sliced bread. Then Tita walked in carrying a container of carbonara. Ci clapped excitedly.
"It's ready," Tita said with a smile before setting the container down. "Eat up. Just let me know if you need anything else."
She was about to walk back to the dirty kitchen when she saw Percy. She quickly approached him and pinched his cheek.
"Ouch! Tita! That hurts!"
"You're still as mischievous as ever. You haven't changed at all," she scolded before finally letting go.
I smiled, seeing Percy look like a scolded puppy. He rubbed his cheek before taking a bite of his ham and bacon sandwich. Even Ci and Felix were laughing.
We all turned towards the door when one of the housemaids entered.
"Miss Jay, your classmate is here. Should I let him in?" she said before David entered, carrying two plastic bags.
"Dabid!" Ci greeted excitedly, immediately rushing over to take what he was carrying. "Ice cream!"
"What the hell are you doing here?" Percy asked in irritation.
"Visiting Jay. Ci-N messaged me on chat," he replied casually before approaching Tita to show respect.
Wow, respectful.
"Good morning, ma'am," he greeted.
"Good morning too. Come join them. If you need anything, just let me know."
Percy's face twisted in displeasure. David just smiled at Tita before sitting next to Percy. Meanwhile, Tita brought out plates and ice cream cups for us.
"Help yourselves," Felix said, already digging into the carbonara.
David nodded at him before turning to me.
"Ci told me something bad happened. So I bought ice cream—your comfort food." He handed me a plastic bag containing a 1.5-liter tub of ice cream.
Nice! Looks delicious.
"Thanks—."
"Miss Jay?" another housemaid called, different from the first. "Someone is looking for you outside."
We all exchanged glances, clueless about who it could be. I stood up and followed the housemaid to the gate. Outside, two men stood, each holding a bilao wrapped in cellophane.
"Edrix? Rory?"
The two of them turned to me at the same time and grinned widely.
"For you!" Rory said, handing me a bilao. "Spabok."
"Here, palabok." Edrix added.
I looked at them both in confusion. "What are you doing here?"
Rory scratched the back of his head as he answered. "Ci-N sent a message in the group chat. He said something bad happened, so we brought food for you."
Group chat? Damn it...
"Thanks. Come in, Ci-N is inside." I said, and they walked in ahead of me.
I could only grimace as I pointed them toward the kitchen where the others were. They quickly made their way inside, but before I could even take a step, the doorbell rang again, followed by someone calling my name.
I opened the gate and was greeted by Mayo, Kit, and Eren—whose left cheek was swollen, and his right eye had a black eye. Each of them was carrying a bag or container. I didn't say a word, just stepped aside to let them in.
"In the kitchen—." My sentence was cut short when I saw them heading straight for the dining area instead.
Each of them had brought something. David and Percy were the last to enter, with Percy playfully jabbing his companion in the ribs.
"You trying to flirt? You trying to flirt? I told you to stay out of it." I heard Percy whisper.
David winced but didn't retaliate, probably because my annoying stepbrother wouldn't let him be.
"We should move to the dining area; there's no more space in the kitchen." Ci said, holding a container of fried chicken.
I nodded and followed them. Eren and the others placed their food on the table, adding to what had already been brought earlier. Now, there was even a pitcher of juice.
"What happened? Why did Ci-N send an emergency message?" Kit asked as he opened the container Mayo had brought.
Percy answered for me. "Just a nightmare. That kid is just overreacting."
I exhaled in relief. I couldn't think of an answer to their question anyway.
"Idiot! I thought it was something serious." Mayo said in frustration, though he had already grabbed a piece of fried chicken. "Of course, I was still worried—."
"You guys are here too?" someone suddenly asked.
When I turned, Yuri was standing by the door, holding two large paper bags.
Sushi!
Before I could say anything, Mica and Calix entered, both carrying food as well.
"Hello, Jay. How are you? Are you okay now?" Mica asked me.
"I'm fine. Ci is just being dramatic." I replied, scratching the back of my head.
And since most of them were already here, I had a strong feeling more would still arrive. I wasn't wrong—within a few minutes, Blaster and Josh arrived, of course, bringing food as well.
I scratched my head. If Aries woke up and saw almost all of these troublemakers here, he'd definitely get mad. He might even start lashing out.
I couldn't help but wonder—what exactly did Ci put in the group chat for everyone to come rushing over like this?
Everyone was chatting and catching up. Even Percy had joined in like he was their age and had been friends with them for a long time.
"Let's eat." Yuri offered, setting a plate of sushi in front of me.
I stared at his face. His eye bags were deep, and his skin looked dull.
What happened?
I reached out to touch his face, checking if he was sick, but he quickly brushed my hands away.
"Did you wash your hands?" he asked, making me frown, but he smiled right after. "Just kidding."
I pulled my hands back. "Tch! Just eat."
Aunt Gema suddenly entered with a fresh batch of food. The group immediately swarmed her, scrambling to get their share.
"You didn't wait for us." said Denzel as he walked in.
I froze when I saw who was with him--Canvas-2.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked sassily, rubbing her stomach.
"Your face got bigger." I responded bluntly, only realizing too late that Denzel had been signaling me to stay quiet.
She had obviously gained weight from her pregnancy. But even so, it was clear she was doing well and being well taken care of. This must be what they call "blooming."
"Well, excuse me!" she shot back.
She took the food her husband was carrying and placed it beside what Eren had brought. I noticed how closely Denzel watched her every move.
Too protective?
I patted his shoulder. "It's not going to disappear, you know. You're watching too closely."
He scratched his head. "It's not like that, I'm just worried."
I nodded. That made sense. Who wouldn't worry about their pregnant wife?
Looking at the table, it was almost overflowing with the amount of food everyone had brought, plus the dishes Aunt Gema kept adding. It looked like a feast for a festival.
But there was one thing I was worried about—the food Eman would bring. He had been away from the kitchen for a while now, so I was sure he'd go all out.
And I was right. Eman entered the kitchen carrying a whole roasted pig. I could only hold my forehead. The sheer amount of food was overwhelming.
Was I about to be executed tomorrow? Why did I have to eat this much?
But despite everything, I couldn't help but smile. It was nice to see them all laughing together. Joking around without getting too serious.
I let out a deep sigh. Almost everyone was here.
Except for him.
Even though I didn't want to think about him because of what he did to me, I couldn't help it.
Damn you… I want to punch you so bad.
"There, Jay. You have a lot of choices. Choose!" Kit said
"You can't be hanged. We've already brought a lot." Blaster while holding a plate.
"Maybe....Jay." Denzel said and smiled. "You can forgive us all for what we did—."
I didn't let him finish. "I forgive you all. It's been a while." I saw their faces light up. They almost screamed at the same time. I turned to Yuri who was smiling at me. "I thought you told them."
"That should come from you." He replied.
They were just continuing to celebrate when Kuya Angelo suddenly entered. Literally everyone fell silent. Kuya obviously didn't know what to say. Earlier, because there were only a few of them, but now there were many.
"Eat, Kuya." Ci said while pulling him closer.
Are you close?
Kuya let himself be carried away and is now sitting down. The Ulopongs immediately took care of him and offered him food.
I was just laughing because he couldn't refuse. Add to that the fact that these idiots are already close to Kuya Angelo. I was just watching them when Aries entered next.
I even stood up because of the intensity of his eyebrow clash. He was about to curse loudly.
"Don't talk anymore. Just sit down and eat." Kuya threatened so that nothing came out of his mouth.
Percy immediately approached him. "Here you are, Baby." Pulling him together.
Aries immediately threw a punch but he just laughed it off. He hesitated at first but he also sat down and shared the food. The celebration continued.
The noise, the chaos and the mess but the joy of seeing the people close to me and my friends here. We are complete.....I hope so.
I don't want to think about him because he is guilty of something against me but I can't help it.
"Hey! Keifer's on a video call!" Edrix suddenly shouted, making everyone turn toward him.
He held up his phone, ensuring that everyone could be seen on screen. My chest tightened. I glanced at Aries, who was already looking at me.
"Keifeerrrr!" they all shouted in unison.
I subtly looked at the screen and nearly teared up when I saw Keifer still lying down in a hospital gown.
["Hey, what's the gathering for?"]
"It's for Jay-jay. We were worried about her, and she finally forgave us." Edrix answered, holding the phone.
["So, she forgave you. I wish she could do the same for me."]
A loud "Oooohhh" erupted from the group.
"Get well soon and come home already. Someone's making a move on her here." Percy added, making me glare at him.
You damn blue-eyed idiot.
["Who?"] Keifer asked, making Felix and Ci-N burst into laughter.
"You don't recognize this handsome face?"
["Oh, so much air. Percy, indeed."]
Felix and the others laughed even harder. The conversation continued for a few more minutes.
I won't deny it—I wanted to hear him say he missed me. But until the call ended, I never heard those words.
Yuri held my hand, smiling at me like he was telling me everything would be okay.
I hope so.