Jay-jay's POV
I really wasn't ready to face them. The wound was still fresh—everything was still fresh—it just happened this morning. But Percy was way too persistent, I just wanted to slam his head against a wall.
"Jay-jay."
"It's Jay-jay."
"She's here."
They spoke one after another, their faces filled with worry. Almost all of them attempted to approach me, but they stopped when the driver's side door opened.
I saw the shock on Felix and David's faces. The others, however, looked confused—maybe they didn't recognize Percy.
"K-Kuya?" Felix called out to him.
Percy smiled at him. "How are you? Did you miss me, little bro?"
Felix couldn't move, and I could see his lips trembling.
I took advantage of their attention being on Percy. I entered the gate and went straight into the house.
I stopped at the door. Looks like I was wrong to think those two bastards weren't here.
"Jay..." Yuri called me as he stood up.
Immediately, everyone inside the house turned their attention to me. That's when I realized—they were all here. They rushed toward me, except for Tito Julz and Andy.
"Where have you been?" Lola asked, her voice filled with worry.
"Your classmates have been looking for you all day." Tita Gema said.
"What happened? Why did you suddenly leave school?" Mama asked.
I had no answer for any of their questions. I looked at each of them.
Kuya and Aries were glaring at me. I felt that familiar tightness in my throat again. I took a deep breath to suppress it, but it was useless the moment my eyes met Keifer's.
Shit!
He had no reaction, just standing there with his arms crossed, leaning against the sofa. I couldn't tell what he was thinking, but I chose to look away—at the same time, a tear escaped from my eye.
I turned to Mama, who was clearly angry about what I had done.
"Ma..." I called her. "...Am I an illegitimate child?" I asked calmly, but their reactions changed drastically. Even Kuya and Aries' expressions shifted.
Mama grabbed my arm, but I quickly pulled away. Her lips parted as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out.
"W-where did you h-hear that?" she asked, forcing the words out.
"Am I an illegitimate child?" I repeated.
More tears fell from my eyes. I kept my gaze locked on Mama—I wanted to see her reaction.
"Jay... O-of course n-not—"
"Liar." I cut her off.
She immediately shot me a sharp look but tried to mask it. "W-what are you t-talking about?"
"I'm an illegitimate child because Papa was already married when you met him." I said bluntly.
I didn't care if everyone else heard me. They were bound to find out anyway. Especially Keifer—he always finds a way, doesn't he?
Mama took a deep breath. "W-where did you even get that?" Her voice now had a hint of irritation.
I didn't answer. We stared at each other for a few seconds before she shifted her gaze to the door behind me.
"Good evening." Percy greeted as he stepped inside.
Just like Felix's reaction, everyone else who recognized him in the house reacted the same way. Tita Gema even covered her mouth in shock. Kuya Angelo looked utterly confused, and Aries' brows were so furrowed they almost touched.
"You've finally shown up." Keifer said.
"I just missed you guys." Percy replied.
Even though I couldn't see him, I knew he was smiling. He walked closer and stood beside me. I glanced at him briefly before turning my gaze back to Mama, who looked confused about his presence.
"Hi, Tita..." Percy greeted Tita Gema. "...Wazzup, Boss..." he said to Kuya Angelo. "...Aries, my man!"
Their expressions didn't change. That's when I realized the question "Why do you look like that? Like you've seen a ghost?" was actually valid.
"What the..." Aries muttered as he processed what he was seeing. "...You're f*cking alive?"
Nope! That's a ghost. A ghost!
Percy laughed and looked at me before responding. "Alive and kicking."
Aries gasped and looked like he was holding back his anger. He messed up his hair and wiped his face with his hand. It really was shocking to see someone alive when you thought they were dead.
Percy turned to me and placed a hand on my back. "Is everything alright?"
What do you think?!
I couldn't answer because it was obvious that things weren't. I could feel everyone's curious stares on us.
"Excuse me? May I know who you are?" Mama asked irritably.
"Sorry... Where are my manners?" He extended his hand toward Mama. "...I'm Percy Rey Mariano. Son of Reycee Mariano."
Mama's expression slowly changed, as if her earlier question had just been answered. That meant... she knew Reycee—Percy's mother.
She immediately grabbed my arm and pulled me closer to her. I struggled to pull away, which made her frown deeply.
"Why are you with him?! What do you want from my daughter?!" Mama asked angrily.
Percy just smiled, as if he wasn't fazed by her anger. "Nothing much... I just wanted to spend time with my brother."
Aries suddenly let out a frustrated laugh. I knew things were getting more complicated, but somehow, Percy remained calm in front of everyone.
He looked at me again. "I'll get going now. It looks like you need to talk..." He glanced at Keifer, Yuri, and Aries. "...and I have someone I need to talk to as well."
He smiled and said his goodbyes. Keifer, Yuri, and Aries immediately followed him. I had no idea what kind of conversation they were about to have, but I had a strong feeling it wouldn't end well.
As soon as they were out of sight, Mama turned to face me. She grabbed both of my arms tightly.
"How did you meet that man?! What did he tell you?!" she demanded, her voice full of anger.
"Jeana..." Tita Gema tried to calm her down.
I struggled to pull my arms free, but her grip only tightened. I could feel her nails digging into my skin, making the pain worse.
"Answer me!" she shouted.
"He came to see me!" I shouted back.
Honestly, I wanted to scream "It hurts!" because I was really in pain. Her grip was too tight, and her nails were now piercing into my skin.
"What did he tell you?!"
I yanked my arms away forcefully. My skin almost peeled off from how hard I pulled while her nails were still digging in.
It hurts!
He said, 'I'm an illegitimate child'!" I answered defiantly.
I clutched my arm where she had grabbed me earlier. I was getting tired of crying, but with the way she was looking at me, I couldn't stop.
It was as if I had done something wrong—like she was ashamed of me.
"What else?!" she demanded angrily.
Her eyes were locked on me, and I met her gaze head-on. I knew she was my mother, and I should respect her, but I couldn't stop myself from showing how much I resented her.
"WHAT ELSE?!" she shouted, taking a step toward me, making me step back.
"Why do you even care about what he said?!"
Suddenly, she grabbed my chin and squeezed it tightly. I could clearly see the anger in her eyes.
"Hon! You're hurting the child!" Andy tried to stop her, but Mama ignored him.
Tears streamed down my face one after another. I felt like I was suffocating even though no one was choking me. My chest was tight, and even though there was space around me, I felt trapped.
"I'm getting fed up with you! Why won't you just answer my question?!" she shouted, pointing a finger at me.
"Jeana... Let go of Jay-jay. She's struggling—"
"Stay out of this!" Mama snapped at Lola, cutting her off. "...This is a mother and child discussion!"
"Were you ever really a mother to me?" I asked mockingly.
A sharp slap landed on my cheek. I wasn't surprised that she could hit me, but that didn't make it hurt any less.
"Are you really this disrespectful?!" she asked, slapping me again.
"Jeana... That's enough!" Tita tried to stop her, but Mama paid her no attention.
"I've been trying to fix things between us, but you won't even give me a chance!" she yelled, delivering another slap.
Her voice cracked, and the slaps that followed lacked strength. Her hands started landing wherever, no longer controlled.
"Why do you have to make things so hard for me?!"
I didn't answer. I just let her hands hit me. The pain stung my skin, but nothing hurt more than everything that had happened to me.
"Why did you have to be my mother?" I murmured, almost in a whisper.
"Jay-jay!" Lola scolded me.
I braced myself for another slap from Mama, but it never came. I looked at her and saw tears falling from her eyes, her face filled with shock at my words.
I felt nothing. Maybe I had become numb to the pain.
"Jay-jay... Don't talk to your mother like that." Kuya ordered in a firm voice.
I ignored him. My gaze remained fixed on Mama, as if no one else was in the house except the two of us.
"A teenage mother..." I began. "...the town's wife, and now, a mistress. What title are you planning to take next?"
Another slap. This time, it was so strong that I nearly fell over. My cheek went completely numb from the impact, but what hurt even more was seeing who had slapped me.
So, I wasn't numb after all.
"Lola..." Kuya called out, his voice filled with concern as he rushed to her side.
"I didn't raise you like this... How dare you talk back to the person who gave you life?" Lola scolded, her voice heavy with disappointment.
Tears streamed down my face. My lips trembled as I took deep breaths.
"You should've just never given birth to me..." I whispered to Mama. "...if this is the kind of life I was meant to have—one filled with nothing but lies."
No one said a word.
I turned my back on them and started walking toward my room. My body felt so exhausted that even taking a single step felt impossible. Maybe I was a terrible person in my past life. Maybe that's why I was paying for all my sins now.
When I finally reached my room, my knees gave out, and I fell to the floor. I let all my tears pour out. My chest felt so tight, like someone was ripping my heart out. It hurt—so much! I felt completely alone. Like I had no one on my side.
Percy's POV
I love the sound of my car engine, especially when it's speeding. From the side view mirror, I can clearly see the cars following me, even though it's dark.
Go ahead... Just keep following!
I sped up even more, and it seemed like Keifer was really trying to match my car's speed. I lowered the window next to me and peeked at him.
"Woooohhhhh! Keep up!" I teased him.
He also lowered his car window, and the middle finger he showed me made me laugh. His face looked serious as he stared at the road.
This is nice! I fvcking miss my friends!
I looked at the side view mirror again and was puzzled to see another unfamiliar car following us.
I scanned the surroundings and looked for a place to stop. The road was empty since it was already dark. I stopped at the side and got out of the car.
Next, Keifer and Yuri's car stopped in front of mine. Aries' car also stopped, along with the unfamiliar vehicle.
My friends stepped out, looking incredibly handsome—of course, I'm the most blessed! The driver of the unfamiliar car also got out.
It was David driving the car, and Felix was with him, glaring at me. I smiled at them with my arms crossed.
"Percy..." David called me.
"Tsk! Tsk! You're not answering my calls..." I said, shaking my head.
He glanced at Keifer for a moment. "S-something happened."
"What the fvck?! Am I the only one who didn't know you were alive?!" Aries said angrily.
"We just found out recently." Yuri answered.
"But you should have at least told me what you knew!"
Aries rubbed his face, letting out a deep breath. As I expected, I knew he wouldn't be happy to see me. He had a hard time when I left because he blamed himself for everything.
"What makes you show up?" Keifer asked, sounding bored.
"Stupid question." I whispered, facing him with a smile.
"...Of course, my family and Jayjay."
"Liar!" Felix shouted. "...If we were really the reason, you should've done something about it a long time ago."
"It was very complicated back then... Every time I wanted to see you guys, I had to leave." I explained softly.
I understand Felix's anger. They struggled, especially since they had to bear Papa's anger. I also know they suffered when Papa finally left them.
"That's your reason? You couldn't call us or send us a message because you needed to leave?" Yuri asked, a mix of irritation in her voice.
Earlier, I was calm, but now, I can't handle it anymore. I'm getting heated seeing her.
"I was paralyzed after 'the accident.' Mom never allowed me to contact anyone." I said, a little annoyed.
I really emphasized the words "the accident" so they would remember what happened. It's embarrassing to think that I might be the only one who hasn't moved on.
"What the fvck is your connection with Jayjay?" Keifer asked seriously.
Ugh! Why do I have to explain everything to them?!
"Haaayy... It's tiring explaining." I whispered, standing up straight. "...She's my stepsister. It just so happens that my mom is married to her dad. I know you all know the story about my mom."
"Is that really it? It seems like it's something else." Yuri said.
I gave him a hard stare. "What are you trying to say?"
"I don't know... Maybe revenge against us?" he said innocently.
I know I'm usually the one who teases them, but Yuri's actions are getting under my skin. But I won't back down.
"Revenge? What for? Do I have any reason to 'get revenge'?" Each word I spoke carried weight.
I want them to understand that I have no reason for revenge, even though I feel like they abandoned us when we needed them, especially Aries and me.
"Get out! Leave me!"
"No! I'm not leaving you here!"
Shit! I closed my eyes as that night flashed back to my mind. I don't want to remember it yet. I can't concentrate on what I want to happen.
"There's no way you're not angry at us. How do we know you're not planning to use Jay----."
I suddenly burst out laughing, cutting Yuri off. They were really forcing themselves to believe what they wanted to believe.
"I will never do that... I'm not like you," I said, still laughing.
Keifer raised an eyebrow. "Like us?"
"Yeah..." My expression turned serious. "...Do you think I don't know what you did to Jay-jay?"
Keifer smirked and glanced at David. I was starting to get a clue as to why David hadn't been answering my calls—and why his face looked slightly swollen.
"Your dog is loyal to you..." Keifer said before laughing.
I saw David clench his fists. Damn it. There's nothing this guy doesn't know. I had made sure to keep our meeting a secret, but Keifer still caught us.
"...Did you also order your dog to kiss Jay-jay?" he added seriously.
I didn't react, even though I was shocked. Even Yuri, Aries, and Felix turned to look at Keifer and David.
Now, I knew.
"You did what?!" Yuri snapped angrily, about to lunge at David.
"I ordered it." I quickly said.
They all froze, staring at me in confusion—except for Keifer.
"What for?!" Yuri turned to me.
His face annoyed me, not to mention his stupid red hair—it made him look like a damn matchstick!
I took a deep breath and looked at Keifer. "To push Keifer to his limits and show Jay-jay his true nature."
I just hoped what I was saying made sense. I had no idea what had actually happened, so I wasn't even sure if my words were right.
"Congratulations..." Keifer said, clapping his hands. "...Your dog did his job well."
That was close! Thank God...
"What are you planning now that you're here?" Aries asked seriously.
I smiled at him. "To make up for the people I hurt... and introduce Jay-jay to his father."
"That won't happen," he replied immediately. "...Stay away from Jay-jay."
He didn't even wait for my response. He got into his car and sped away. I shifted my gaze to Keifer and Yuri.
"He should've said that to you guys instead." I chuckled.
They both just shook their heads before getting into their cars. One after the other, they left, leaving only David and Felix behind. I smiled at my brother, even though his brows were furrowed deeply.
"Come with me... I'll take you home, and I also want to see Dalia," I said.
He didn't move at first, but after a moment, he walked to my car and got in.
David just stood there, staring at me, waiting for me to say something.
"You kissed Jay-jay."