Jay-jay's POV
7:35am. I woke up early even though I slept late. I couldn't get Cyrus out of my mind. I wish I had gone on patrol if I had known that this would happen.
My phone rang so I immediately looked for it. I found it under my pillow. It was Ci-N calling me.
"Hello?" I said when I answered the call.
["I owe you money for your bra."] Ci-N opened her mouth.
You idiot!
"Are you crazy?!"
["My sister doesn't want to lend me money. She's mad at me!"]
"Help me, Eren! Don't tease me!" I shouted at her and turned off the phone.
It's so early, it's going to make me angry. I got up and went straight to the bathroom. I washed and brushed my hair. I also tied my hair. Last night I noticed that my hair was getting longer. It used to be just shoulder-length but now it's past and almost reaches my waist.
When I went downstairs, I met Brother Angelo.
"Did Cyrus' parents come here?" He asked me.
"Yes.. they asked if I could go see Cyrus." I answered him.
"Are you going?"
I looked away and bit my lower lip. He might not let me if I told the truth.
"If you're going, make sure you have someone with you." He said and left in front of me.
I didn't know if I was going to continue. I was nervous. I went straight to the kitchen and got something to eat. After eating breakfast, I went back to the room and arranged the things I would use later. I knew David and I would be picking me up at 8:30am.
Suddenly my phone rang. I thought it was Ci-N calling me but the caller ID was different. I answered the call and waited for the person on the other line to speak.
["Jay-jay? This is Cyrus' mom! Can you go see my son now?! Please!"]
Cyrus' mom. She was crying and from the other line I could hear them arguing. It was as if someone was talking out of their ass.
"Y-because... I have something to do now." I replied.
Why now? I have a fight. I won't be able to make it to 1pm or we'll be disqualified.
["Jay... Please I'm asking!"] She asked and her crying got louder.
What should I do?!
I just bit my lower lip. It's okay!
"S-okay. I'm coming." I replied.
["Thank you!"]
The call died. I just pulled myself together. Keifer and his friends would kill me if I didn't get there on time.
I immediately took a shower and got ready. I also texted David and said that I would just go there. I left the house without informing Kuya. He wouldn't let me leave alone. I'll probably just text him. I took a taxi and went straight to the bus terminal. I'm going to do this for the moon. The bus was just about to leave when I arrived. The journey is only fast in the morning.
When I sat down, it felt like my ass was being pushed into my seat. I really couldn't rest. I felt like I was doing the wrong thing.
It was a 2-hour journey. 1 1/2 hours if there wasn't traffic.
Suddenly someone texted me. I knew it was Yuri and them so I didn't look. Someone was also calling me.
"Sister... Aren't you going to answer that?" The boy next to me asked.
I forced a smile and shook my head.
The boy went back to what he was doing. I put my phone on silent so it wouldn't embarrass the boy next to me. He looked so grumpy.
I read it I arrived at my destination. As soon as I got off the terminal, people who knew me looked at me. But I didn't care about them. I took a tricycle and took them to the hospital where Cyrus was confined.
I approached the nurse station and asked.
"W-where is Cyrus Velasco's room?"
"Just a moment?" The nurse answered me and pressed a button on the keyboard. "...Third floor, Room 154."
"Thank you." I said and walked away.
I went up the stairs. In case I changed my mind, I could still turn back immediately.
But it didn't seem like that would happen. I arrived at the third floor.
I was already in front of Cyrus's room door. My hand was ready to knock on the door. There was still a chance to back off.
But I couldn't back off anymore. I had the courage to tell Denzel to face the problem but I was the coward.
I knocked on the door and waited for the door to open.
"Jay?" Cyrus's mother opened it for me.
I forced a smile. She invited me in and I followed.
"WHAT IS SHE DOING HERE?!" Sister Cas, Cyrus's sister, asked angrily.
"Cassandra! Your brother wants to see her!" Cyrus's father shouted.
I looked at Sister Cas. She looked at me angrily. My gaze shifted to Cyrus who was lying on the bed.
His tears were flowing and he seemed happy to see me. He had a neck support, his right hand was bandaged and his leg was in a cast. He also had a bandage on his head.
I couldn't believe that I was the one who did this to him.
"Jay-jay..." She called out to me.
Her mother brought me closer to the left side of the bed. To the great annoyance of Sister Cas, she walked out of the room and slammed the door shut.
Cyrus's mother made me sit right next to him. I felt like I was getting tired of what his mother was doing.
Cyrus held my hand so I looked at him.
"How are you? They said you're not studying here." he asked.
Looking at him, he seemed very eager to hear what I had to say. I wasn't sure if that was really him right now. I couldn't help but think that he might have something to say.
"I'm studying at Aries' school."
he was a little surprised. "Are you and Aries together? I thought he was mad at you?"
Are you really Cyrus?!
"We avoid each other when necessary." I tried to answer.
Cyrus's grip on my hand tightened, he was also staring at me in the eyes. I couldn't help but hesitate.
"Tell me... About your new classmates." He ordered.
I looked at his parents for a moment before finally speaking. My story to him was limited. I didn't want to give details because with every name I mentioned, he looked at me differently.
I looked at the wall clock in the room. It was 10:45am, if I left, I would still be able to clean up the house and make it to the contest.
I turned to Cyrus who was still holding my hand tightly.
"C-cyrus... I have to go. They're waiting for me."
I said while trying to take my hand back.
"Don't... Stay here, please!" He pleaded.
"H-that's not possible..."
I was surprised when he suddenly grabbed my neck. He was looking at me with such anger that I knew he could kill me.
He still didn't change.
His parents were panicked and immediately came to us to stop Cyrus.
"Stay here! You can't leave!" He said angrily to me.
"Cyrus! Son! Let go of Jay-jay!" His mother shouted as she tried to remove Cyrus's hand from my neck.
But he looked at me with determination and sincerity. He really intended to kill me. I knew he was angry with what I had done.
Suddenly, Ate Cas entered the room and helped remove Cyrus's hand.
"Cyrus! Let go of her!" Ate Cas shouted.
They both pulled Cyrus' hand and it seemed like he was tired so he let go. I immediately moved away from him and caught my breath.
Suddenly, Cyrus started crying and seemed to be begging.
"Don't leave! Stay here! Please!" She pleaded while crying.
Ate Cas looked at me as if telling me not to stay here any longer.
"I-I'm sorry... I have to go." That was the last thing I said to them.
I quickly ran away. It's rude as it is, but I can't take it anymore. I have no intention of making out with them.
Cyrus is crazy!
But I feel like I'm going crazy too.
I stopped in the hospital parking lot. I leaned against a wall and caught my breath.
But I hadn't been there long when someone called me.
"Jay!"
I looked at who it was. It was Ate Cas and she was coming towards me.
"I'll take you to your place! We need to talk too!" She told me and pulled me into her car.
Her car still hadn't changed. Even her appearance, she still looked like a child.
Ate Cas started the car quickly. She even beat the holdup with her driving speed.
"If only I could... Don't show Cyrus." She told me.
No way! I don't plan on going back. I just felt sorry for their mother, that's why I went.
I wish I had more I wanted to know and ask Cyrus but I couldn't. After all, this was our last meeting so I'd better get over it.
"A-sister Cas... W-what did I really do to Cyrus before?"
I looked at her for a moment. SHe seemed annoyed by my question.
"You did it and you didn't know? Are you kidding?" He replied annoyed.
"I-it's hard to explain."
"You beat Cyrus! We tried to stop you so many times but you didn't stop! You're like a different person, you don't listen to anything! We thought you killed him!" He explained.
I just swallowed. Keifer told me the same thing. Am I doing something I don't know about?
"I know Cyrus didn't treat you well! But why did you hit him like that?!"
I couldn't speak. I don't know why I did it.
I don't know how I did it either.
"...Cyrus was in a coma for months! Just because of what you did!
The doctor told us it was internal hemorrhage and that surgery was our only option!"
I knew it! I was right in front of him when the doctor said that. They all looked at me and blamed me. And because of that, Lola had a heart attack. I thought he was going to die because of me.
"...It's a good thing the medicine took care of the problem!" He added.
I didn't say anything more. I let her lecture me and whatnot. As she drove so fast, I didn't realize that we were close.
He stopped the car in front of the gate.
"Thank you, Ate Cas." I said before getting out.
I didn't wait for her to say anything. I quickly walked into the house. I felt so heavy. I couldn't breathe, I really wish I hadn't gone there.
I looked at the wall clock-----shit!
I ran to my room to get my things. I didn't fix it, I'll just fix myself there.
I immediately called a taxi when I got out. I wouldn't be able to walk or bike. So if I look closely, there's traffic as the car approaches the school boundary.
I got out and ran. As I entered the school gate, I immediately noticed the people shouting in front of the main fourth year building.
"Jay!" someone called out.
I looked around and saw David walking toward me.
"Why are you only here now?" he asked.
"I-I just had to—"
"The contest is over."
But it's still early! I still had an hour to prepare — how could it be over already?
I saw Eren and the others walking toward our room, so I ran to catch up with them. I reached them right outside our classroom door.
"Where have you been?!" Keifer snapped the moment he saw me.
"I-I just—"
"Was it really that important today of all days?! You knew you had a competition, but you still went off and did whatever that was!" Keifer angrily shouted at me.
"Keifer, please—"
"Ci-N didn't even continue because you weren't here!" Keifer kept scolding me.
I wanted to explain, but I didn't even know how to start.
Yuri stepped out of the room.
"What happened, Jay?" Yuri asked gently.
Even Ci-N and some of the others had come out, waiting for me to say something.
"I-I thought the contest was at 1 p.m.," I said in a small voice.
"We tried calling you! Freya suddenly changed the schedule," Ci-N explained.
I bit my lower lip. I should've checked my phone, even for a second.
"Where did you even go?!" Keifer demanded again, still angry.
"I-I went back home... to my province," I answered quietly.
"Seriously?! Today of all days?! Are you trying to mess this up?!" Keifer shouted, his anger boiling over and making the tears I'd been holding back start to fall.
Yuri reached out to hold Keifer's arm, trying to calm him down, but he just shook it off, still furious.
"I-I have my own problems, too, you know! Problems I had to face!" I said through my tears.
"...I didn't want to miss this. I tried my best to make it on time. I didn't want this to happen today — but I didn't have a choice."
They all wanted to approach me, but I held up my hand, signaling them to stop. I turned my eyes to Keifer, who still looked angry.
"...What else do you want to know?! What's my problem?! My ex, Cyrus! To this day, it's still a mystery to me how I managed to beat him up and be the reason he was hospitalized!"
My tears wouldn't stop falling. I hated this. I didn't want them to see me like this.
I turned my back on them and walked away.
I didn't want this, I didn't want to show them that I was weak.