Chapter 7: Adopted by Chaos
Jay's POV
If patience was a subject, Section E would fail it.
Mam Cindy had just started writing on the board.
"Open your notebooks—"
Thud.
Something hit my shoulder.
I looked down.
Paper ball.
I didn't react.
Second one.
Hit my desk.
Third one.
My head.
I turned slowly.
The entire back row looked innocent.
Too innocent.
Rory was biting his lips to stop laughing.
Blaster was looking at the ceiling like he invented it.
Yuri was pretending to read upside down.
"Wow," I muttered. "So creative."
Another paper ball.
Direct hit.
I stood up.
Mam Cindy turned. "Jay? Sit down."
"I'm seated in a zoo," I replied calmly.
The class snorted.
Suddenly—
Felix stood up dramatically.
"STOP THROWING AT MY MOTHER!"
The room froze.
I blinked.
"What?"
Cin stood up too.
"Have some respect! She raised us!"
The class exploded laughing.
"RAISED YOU?" I whispered aggressively.
Felix grabbed my notebook.
"Mom, ignore them. They're jealous."
Cin nodded seriously. "We're proud of you."
Mam Cindy stared at them like she regretted her degree.
"Sit down," she said sharply.
But the paper balls didn't stop.
One hit my back again.
I didn't turn this time.
I just spoke.
"If you're aiming for attention, at least improve your accuracy."
Another one.
Felix suddenly took the hit.
"Ow!"
He turned around dramatically. "Why are you attacking a single mother's child?!"
Cin pointed at Yuri. "You monster!"
Yuri raised both hands. "It wasn't me!"
Blaster whispered loudly, "This class needs therapy."
Mam Cindy slammed the book on the desk.
"ENOUGH!"
Silence.
Finally.
She looked at me.
"Jay, are you okay?"
I shrugged. "I've survived worse."
Keifer hadn't thrown anything.
He hadn't laughed loudly either.
He was just watching.
That annoyed me more.
Another paper ball rolled to my desk.
I picked it up.
Opened it.
Why so serious?
I looked up.
Keifer.
He didn't deny it.
He just held my gaze.
I stood up again.
Walked to the board.
Turned around.
"If you're bored," I said calmly, "we can have a debate instead of a kindergarten activity."
The class murmured.
Keifer raised an eyebrow.
"Debate what?"
"Anything," I replied. "But this?"
I held up the paper ball.
"This is weak."
Felix whispered proudly, "Mom is angry."
Cin wiped fake tears. "She's disappointed."
Mam Cindy sighed deeply.
"You know what? Group activity. Now."
The class groaned.
She started assigning groups.
And of course—
"Jay and Keifer."
The class SCREAMED.
Felix held my arm dramatically. "Mother no!"
Cin clutched his chest. "Don't leave us!"
I removed their hands.
"I'm not dying."
Keifer stood up slowly.
"You sure?"
I looked at him.
"You're not scary."
He leaned closer.
"Good."
Because I don't want you scared.
There it was again.
That tone shift.
I hated it.
Mam Cindy clapped. "Start working!"
As I sat beside Keifer, he leaned slightly toward me.
"You didn't react."
"To what?"
"The paper balls."
I looked at him calmly.
"If I reacted every time someone tried to annoy me…"
I paused.
"I'd never be quiet."
He studied me.
"You're weird."
"You're persistent."
Silence.
Then he smirked.
"You liked the mother joke."
"I did not."
Felix shouted from across the room, "MOM, DO YOU NEED WATER?"
The class burst into laughter again.
I covered my face briefly.
"This is embarrassing."
Keifer chuckled quietly.
"You fit here."
I looked at him.
"And that scares you?"
He didn't answer.
But his smile faded slightly.
Interesting.