Jay POV
I don't know when Keifer picked me up.
One second I was on the floor, the next second—boom—bridal style.
Not romantic bridal style.
More like "emergency package: fragile, may bite" style.
"Keifer," I croaked, "I can walk."
He ignored me.
Of course he did.
He put me on the bed like I was made of glass. Everyone followed inside, crowding around me like I was about to vanish. Aries on one side, Percy on the other, Elara near my head, Kuya Angelo standing like the final boss of emotions.
Keifer sat beside me and grabbed my hand. Firm. No escape.
Okay fine. I won't escape.
Then Kuya Angelo spoke.
"Jay," he asked, voice way too calm for someone who looked ready to murder the furniture, "who was that man?"
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Great. Brain, amazing timing.
"So… who was he?" I tried again.
He didn't answer. Instead, he tilted his head slightly.
"Why were you afraid?" he asked. "What did you see?"
Bad idea.
Very bad idea.
My lungs forgot how to lung. The room started doing that fun spinning thing, like when you stand up too fast but emotionally worse. Images flickered—voices, shadows, hands too close—
Nope. Nope nope nope.
Before I could spiral fully into whatever nightmare deluxe edition that was, Elara grabbed my hand.
Not gently. Not awkwardly.
Like "stay here, idiot" grip.
At the same time, Keifer pulled me closer, my face ending up pressed against his chest. His heartbeat was loud. Steady.
Annoyingly calming.
"Breathe," he whispered.
Rude. But effective.
I took a shaky breath. Then another.
Okay. I'm alive. Still dramatic. Still me.
I looked up at Kuya Angelo. He looked furious. Not at me—at the universe.
"That was… scary, Kuya," I said honestly. "And I don't want to talk about it right now. My brain is on low battery."
He looked like he wanted to argue.
Before he could, Elara spoke up.
"It's fine, Kuya," she said calmly. "She'll tell you. Just not now."
Bless her. Seriously. I mentally gave her five stars.
Kuya Angelo exhaled sharply, rubbed his face once, and stepped back. No lecture. No pressure.
I almost cried. Almost.
Then Elara suddenly clapped her hands.
"So," she said brightly, "wasn't I invited here for dinner? Or is trauma the main course?"
Percy immediately lost it.
He walked over, laughing. "Yeah, Jay. At least feed her in exchange for that punch."
My brain rebooted.
"…Punch?"
I shot up. "OH MY GOD."
I turned to Elara instantly. "I'm so sorry—I thought you were—my brain glitched—I didn't mean to—"
She waved it off. "Relax. I've been hit by worse things."
Aries muttered, "Like common sense."
She ignored him and added, "Also, your punch? Weak. Work on it."
Percy laughed so hard he had to sit down.
Even Keifer chuckled, his chin resting on my head like he owned it.
Then I heard something rare.
Kuya Angelo laughed.
I stared at him like I'd just seen a ghost.
Elara noticed and smirked. "See? Worth getting punched."
By the time we reached the dining table, it already looked less like a family dinner and more like a comedy show rehearsal.
Plates were being settled properly—well, properly according to Tita.
Percy, on the other hand, had a very different plan.
He was standing instead of sitting, clicking photos from every angle.
"Wait, wait, don't move," he said, leaning dangerously over the table. "This lighting is perfect. This is family-core."
Tita didn't even look at him. "Percy, if you fall into the curry, I'm not helping you."
Elara added calmly, "Please do fall. At least the curry will finally have some personality."
I almost choked on air.
Percy clutched his chest dramatically. "Wow. Betrayal. From my own people."
Angelo sighed. Aries rubbed his forehead. Keifer just shook his head like he had already seen this future coming.
Finally, after multiple threats from Tita and one fake cough from Kuya, Percy reluctantly sat down.
Everyone took their seats.
Tita entered with serving spoons and bowls, and my stomach officially started celebrating.
Because food.
Always food.
She began serving, one dish after another, and that's when I noticed it.
Chicken.
Fish.
Something that looked like it once had a name and feelings.
My brain froze.
Wait.
WAIT.
My eyes slowly moved towards Elara's plate.
And then—
BOOM.
I shot up from my chair.
"STOPPPPPP—!!"
Everyone jumped.
Even kuta gasped like someone had announced an earthquake.
Tita froze mid-air, spoon still hovering. "Jay? What happened?"
My heart was beating like I had just saved the world. I pointed dramatically at the food, then at Elara, then back at the food.
"S-She— she is—"
I stammered.
"She is vegetarian. SHE IS VEGETARIAN."
Dead silence.
For two seconds.
And then—
slap.
Not on me.
On themselves.
Almost everyone facepalmed at the same time.
Percy leaned back in his chair. "So this whole scream was because of vegetables?"
Aries shook her head. "Jay, I thought someone died."
Elara looked at me, stunned for a second… and then laughed.
Like, actually laughed.
"It's okay," she said gently. "I could have told—"
"No," I cut her off seriously. "This is my responsibility. I invited you. I almost fed you chicken. I will never forgive myself."
Percy grinned. "Drama queen alert."
I glared at him. "At least I care."
Tita quickly changed the plate, muttering, "This girl will give me a heart attack one day."
Angelo sighed again but there was a tiny smile on his face.
Keifer looked at me, eyes soft, like this chaos is mine.
Then tita spoke to Elara, I didn't know. I'm really sorry, anak!
"It's alright, Tita," she said calmly. "Really. It's okay."
I stared at her.
If that were me, I'd already be crying, demanding justice, and asking for a separate kitchen.
Tita still looked like she'd committed a crime and immediately started fixing things.
Then—classic Tita mode—she softened.
"So, Elara," she asked gently, "where is your family? Where do you live?"
Elara wiped her hands neatly and replied like she was answering an interview.
"My parents live in another city. I stay here."
Tita nodded. "Alone?"
"Yes."
Then she gave her address—clear, short, zero drama.
My brain:
Okay, calm. Normal. Peaceful. Nothing bad happening. Universe behaving.
And then—
Kiefer. Opened. His. Mouth.
"But your parents are separated, right?"
Record scratch.
My soul left my body.
Booked a one-way ticket to Mars.
Elara's spoon paused mid-air.
Slowly—like a movie villain—she lifted her gaze.
One eyebrow rose.
"How do you know?" she asked.
My internal TMZ reporter:
🚨 BREAKING NEWS: JAY ABOUT TO DIE AT DINNER TABLE 🚨
Before Kiefer could say something legally dangerous—
I jumped.
"YOU told me," I said too fast, too loud.
Everyone looked at me.
I nodded aggressively like my head was on low battery.
"You told me once," I continued. "Didn't you? Once. A long time ago. Or maybe not long, but once. You definitely told me."
I was smiling.
The kind of smile that says please believe me or I'll fake my own death.
Elara looked at me.
Then she looked at Kiefer.
Just one look.
And oh.
She knew.
Not suspected.
Not guessed.
Knew.
Her lips pressed together. She exhaled softly.
"…Alright," she said calmly. "I must have told you."
I almost slid off my chair in relief.
"Yes," she continued, voice steady. "They live in another city. And yes… they're separated."
No drama.
No tears.
Just facts.
Tita reached out and patted her hand.
"That must be hard."
Elara shrugged lightly. "You get used to it."
My chest tightened a bit.
But my brain still whispered:
Girl said that like she's survived wars.
The table slowly returned to noise. Percy talking again. Plates clinking. Someone laughing.
But I kept sneaking looks at Elara.
Dinner ended.
Plates empty.
Percy still talking like the food personally interviewed him.
Tita collecting dishes.
And then—
Kuya Angelo.
Or as I like to call him in my head:
Demon pretending to be an angel with therapist certification.
He was staring at me.
Not normal staring.
Not are-you-full staring.
This was the "I'm about to ask what you saw, felt, remembered, suppressed, and buried alive" stare.
I knew that look.
Psychiatrist Mode: ON.
My soul whispered:
Run.
My brain screamed:
Find shield.
And that's when I saw her.
Elara.
She was standing up. Picking her bag.
About to leave.
My only lifeline.
My only escape pod.
Before my common sense could even file a complaint—
I lunged.
Yes.
LUNGED.
And clung to her leg.
Full koala mode.
Leg wrapped. Arms tight.
Dignity? Cancelled subscription.
"I DON'T WANT YOU TO GO," I cried dramatically.
The room went silent.
Everyone stared.
Keifer blinked.
Tita froze mid-step.
Aries' mouth opened.
Percy burst out laughing like this was the best episode he'd ever seen.
"Oh wow," Percy said, wheezing. "She's evolved. Now she grabs guests."
Keifer rubbed his temple. "Jay…"
Kuya's glare could kill crops.
"Jay," he said sharply. "Leave her."
I tightened my grip.
"No."
"Jay."
"No."
"She already saw your trauma," Kuya said, controlled but firm. "And now you're doing this."
I knew what he meant.
He wasn't angry at Elara.
He didn't want me to make her uncomfortable.
But my brain was screaming:
If she leaves, Kuya won't let me leave this room alive.
Kuya turned to Elara.
"I'm sorry on her behalf," he said. "She's—"
"I'M NOT LETTING GO," I announced.
At this point, I was one sneeze away from being dragged across the floor.
Elara looked down at me.
Then at Kuya.
Then at Keifer.
And calmly—calmly—she said,
"It's alright."
Everyone froze.
"If she really wants," Elara continued, "and if you don't have a problem… I can stay."
I let go of her leg only to hug her waist.
"I LOVE YOU," I announced.
Then clapped.
Yes. Clapped.
Percy lost it. "This is better than TV."
Aries facepalmed.
Kuya scolded me.
Keifer sighed like a man reconsidering all life choices.
Victory.
Or so I thought.
Because then—
I grabbed Elara's wrist and started dragging her toward my room.
"COME," I said happily. "MY ROOM. SAFE ZONE."
And that's when—
Death spoke from behind me.
"Jay."
Kuya's voice.
I froze.
"Tell me," he said quietly, "what happened."
I protested instantly.
"I don't want to. I don't remember. I don't—"
"Don't you want to save your mom?" he asked.
That sentence hit me like a truck.
My chest tightened.
My breath stuttered.
The walls felt closer.
"I just want answers," Kuya continued. "I want you to remember."
Everything blurred.
My knees gave up.
And suddenly—
Aries.
He ran forward and wrapped his arms around me, holding me upright.
"Kuya, don't," Aries said firmly. "Please. She can't answer right now. You can't force her."
Keifer stepped in immediately.
"I agree," he said. "This isn't the time."
Kuya snapped.
"Then what about her mom?" he shouted. "What about justice?"
I barely heard it.
Until—
Aries spoke again.
"The case is already over."
Silence.
Kuya froze.
"…What?" he asked.
I looked up, stunned.
Percy stepped forward, suddenly serious for once.
"The people who came today," Percy said slowly, "they were the ones who filed the case on behalf of her stepfather."
My head spun.
"They came to ask for forgiveness," Aries continued.
"For what her stepfather did to her."
"And," Percy added quietly, "to tell us they're closing the case."
No one spoke.
Even Kuya looked shaken.
The room felt heavy.
Like something old had finally cracked.
And I stood there, shaking, held between Aries and Elara—
Thinking only one thing:
Some truths don't free you.
They just arrive… when you're not ready.