JAY-JAY POV
The school trip started with chaos.
Of course it did.
Section E never did anything normally.
Cin was already screaming before the bus even fully stopped.
Drew almost fell trying to get out first.
Felix and Blaster were arguing about seats like it was a war.
Rory was recording everything like a full documentary.
And me?
I stepped out slowly.
Quiet.
Watching the resort.
Big. Loud. Too many people.
And for some reason… my chest already felt tight.
"Jay-Jay."
I turned slightly.
Keifer was beside me.
Hands in his pockets.
Watching me carefully.
"You okay?"
"I'm fine."
"You don't look fine."
"I always look like this."
He smirked slightly.
"That's the problem."
I rolled my eyes.
"Go annoy someone else."
"I prefer annoying you."
"Unfortunately for me."
Before he could say anything else—
I stopped walking.
Completely.
Because I saw him.
Cyrus.
Standing at the resort entrance.
Waiting.
My breath caught instantly.
Cyrus noticed me first.
And for a second… he didn't move.
Neither did I.
Everything around us faded into noise.
Then—
"Jay-Jay," he said.
Just my name.
Quiet.
Familiar.
Heavy.
Behind me, Section E slowly started noticing the shift.
The noise dropped instantly.
Cin frowned.
"…Who is that?"
Rory tilted his head.
"Why does it feel like trouble?"
Then David's expression changed.
"…Wait."
His voice lowered.
"That's Cyrus."
Instant silence.
Recognition spread through Section E immediately.
Blaster's face hardened.
"Oh. HIM."
Felix narrowed his eyes.
"The one from last time?"
David nodded.
"The one who caused problems before."
Keifer shifted slightly beside me.
Still calm.
But his eyes sharpened.
Cyrus noticed that movement instantly.
His gaze moved to Keifer.
A pause.
Then—
"…Keifer," Cyrus said quietly.
Silence.
Even Section E went still.
Because now they were ALL paying attention.
Keifer tilted his head slightly.
"So you do remember me."
Cyrus didn't smile.
"I remember everyone who gets involved with her."
That hit differently.
My fingers tightened slightly.
Keifer's expression didn't change—but something in his eyes did.
Robin, standing beside Cyrus, looked confused.
"…You two know each other?"
David answered flatly from behind me.
"Yeah."
A pause.
Then added:
"They fought last year."
Cin gasped.
"OHHHH—"
Keifer cut in calmly.
"They lost."
Blaster immediately stepped forward.
"Technically—"
I turned instantly.
"No one is finishing that sentence."
Silence.
Even Keifer paused slightly.
I looked between all of them.
"This is a school trip. Not a battlefield."
Cyrus exhaled slowly.
"Still the same."
I looked at him.
"So are you."
A beat.
Then Cyrus's gaze shifted again—to Keifer.
Carefully now.
Studying him properly this time.
"You've changed your taste in people," Cyrus said.
Keifer smirked faintly.
"I didn't choose her. She survived me."
That made Cin choke laughing behind us.
But Cyrus didn't laugh.
His expression stayed unreadable.
Then quietly—
"I see."
Just that.
But it felt heavier than anything else he said.
Because now the tension wasn't just between me and Cyrus anymore.
It was between past and present.
And Keifer had already stepped into it without hesitation.
Standing beside me like he belonged there.
Even when he didn't.
Not yet.
END OF CHAPTER 37