Jay-Jay's POV
"Ma, when I grow up, I'll buy you a big house..."
"Get stronger first, you're always sick."
Who was that? Who was talking?
I could hear voices, and little by little, images started forming. A woman was beside me, ironing clothes. I watched her closely until her face became clear in my vision.
Mama?
I tried to look around, but everything was blurry. I looked ahead of me, and the first thing I saw was a row of clothes. My eyes focused on one particular shirt that I kept folding over and over.
Wait a minute. Why were my hands moving on their own?
I looked at Mama again and froze when I saw the bruises on her face and shoulders. She glanced at me for a moment and smiled as if there were no marks on her face.
I tried to speak, but no words came out of my mouth.
What's happening?
"Jeana!" a man's voice called out to Mama.
He was standing by the door, but because of the light behind him, I couldn't see his face. Mama stopped what she was doing and attended to the man. She walked past me, but before I could see his face clearly, everything suddenly went dark.
Was that a dream?
I slowly opened my eyes, and the first thing I saw was Keifer. It looked like I had been dreaming. I tried to move my hand, and he seemed to notice.
"Jay, can you hear me?"
I couldn't move properly. My body felt incredibly heavy, as if something was weighing me down. I tried to speak, but all that came out was a cough.
"Don't force yourself, your fever is still high," Keifer said, and I automatically felt chills.
Not because of him. It was my body.
No wonder I felt so heavy and weak. But I knew this was real. This was reality. It was different from what I saw earlier.
But when did that happen? And why did I see that?
"Do you want some water?" the King offered, and I nodded in response.
Damn it, it was so hard to move my body and even my neck. My head ached, too. It felt like my whole body had been slammed against a wall, like a rag being beaten to remove the dust. That's how it felt.
Keifer helped me sit up properly before handing me the water. I drank slowly, even though I wanted to gulp down the entire glass. My throat was so dry it felt like a desert.
I might even start growing a cactus in my throat.
After drinking and resting for a moment, I finally noticed where I was. I was still in Sir Alvin and Ma'am Cindy's house, in their guest room. I thought I had been taken to the hospital again.
At this rate, I might as well change my residential address to the hospital.
Then I suddenly remembered what happened earlier—and my cousin.
"K-Kuya?" I asked worriedly.
"He's downstairs. Ma'am Cindy is giving stitches to his exposed cuts."
I sighed in relief at what I heard. I fell silent for a moment and then noticed the heavy rain outside. I turned to look out the window.
Why was it suddenly raining?
That's probably why we were still in Sir's house. If it weren't raining, I might have ended up in the hospital again because of what happened. And Kuya's condition wasn't great either—he lost consciousness earlier.
Then a thought struck me—why did he lose consciousness again?
"What exactly... did you do to Kuya earlier that made him pass out?" I asked the King of the Vipers, and he suddenly paled.
So he was scared too.
"I... ahh... I kind of hit him with force," he answered.
It was obvious he didn't want to say it. He looked embarrassed about what he did—or maybe he was scared of what Death would do to him once he found out he was beaten up by this guy.
"Why did you even do that?"
I really wanted to laugh at him. The nerve he had to do that.
So brave.
"When I heard you screaming for help, I felt anxious and enraged. I didn't even check who was in front of you," he explained calmly. "I only wanted to save you."
Ugh, enough with the saving talk. I didn't get butterflies. Just a little bit.
Save button.
I couldn't help but feel touched by what he did, even though Kuya got hurt and passed out. To be fair, I did feel sorry for Kuya and was worried about him too. I just couldn't help it.
The King held one of my hands, and suddenly, memories of what happened earlier flooded back—including the sight of that bloodied man.
I shuddered as I recalled his face and the words he shouted.
He wanted to kill Mama and me.
"Jay? Are you okay? Lie down first."
He was about to help me, but I stopped him.
"I saw... I saw someone—"
"WHERE THE HELL IS THAT MOTHER FVCKER?" Kuya's angry voice suddenly cut me off.
Here he comes.
Keifer and I both widened our eyes in shock, exchanging glances. He gripped my hand tightly and lowered his head. He looked like he was praying.
So that's it? He just accepted his fate at Kuya Angelo's hands?
"Wait! Your wounds might open up!" I heard Ma'am Cindy yell.
"Don't stop me!"
The two of them cursed at each other repeatedly. This was the first time I'd ever heard my teacher curse—and at my cousin, no less. They sounded like they were about to start a fight as they walked toward us.
I was terrified when Death himself suddenly appeared at the door.
There he is, coming to take Keifer.
"YOU FCVKER! WHY ARE THERE ONLY TWO OF YOU HERE?" Kuya asked furiously.
The King of the Vipers immediately faced him, showing no trace of fear. So fearless.
"I'm here to look after Jay-Jay. You passed out, remember? And the others needed to help Sir Alvin," he explained, and I nodded in agreement.
Kuya looked at me, and when our eyes met, he took a deep breath and tried to calm down. Behind him, Ma'am Cindy also looked relieved to see that I was awake.
"I'll make you some porridge. You've been unconscious for a while, so you must be hungry," she said before slapping Kuya on the back of the head and leaving.
She just slapped Kuya? Ma'am is on another level.
To be honest, I was starving. I hadn't eaten breakfast, and then I got caught up in all that chaos. Maybe that's why I felt so weak and drained earlier. Breakfast really does make a difference in life.
"How long was I unconscious?" Kuya asked us.
How would I know? I was asleep too.
"A couple of hours. You and Jay-Jay passed out at the same time."
Kuya Angelo rubbed the back of his neck. "How did I pass out? I was completely awake earlier."
Keifer and I exchanged looks. Kuya still didn't know that this fool knocked him out. I wasn't sure if we should tell him or just wait for him to figure it out himself.
But maybe it was best to bury it in the past.
I was sure that if he found out, he'd get his revenge.
"Anyway, what happened to you?" he asked me. "Why did you suddenly scream at me to stay away?"
I froze. It was because of what I saw, and I had mistaken him for someone else, but I didn't want to tell him that. If I did, he'd definitely insist on me seeing a psychiatrist again—or worse, he might call Dr. Claudia over right away.
I wasn't ready to face a doctor yet.
"I-I don't remember." I made an excuse, but it seemed like he didn't believe me from the way he was staring.
I discreetly tightened my grip on Keifer's hand, which he still hadn't let go of since earlier. It seemed like the King understood what I was trying to convey. He quickly changed the topic.
"Where's the others now?"
My brother thought for a moment. "I think they're still out cleaning the mess."
I had no idea what they were talking about. "Are you talking about the Vipers?"
They both nodded.
Wow, at the same time? Is this a dance number?
"They're rounding up Ram's group. Most of them lost consciousness," the annoying King explained.
"Are they going to be taken to the police?"
"I doubt it. What happened would cause a lot of noise. Alvin's property's location would be exposed," my brother answered.
Right, there's that too. What will happen to Ma'am now? Their house is exposed. Sir never wanted anyone to know where they lived—maybe he's hiding a godchild.
Or maybe someone he owes money to.
"But Ram might be taken back to the hospital. I heard his ribs are fractured."
The King and I simultaneously stared at Death. I witnessed what he did, and I was sure my companion knew that he was the only one capable of doing it. But there wasn't a trace of guilt or regret on his face.
We all turned to the door when Ma'am Cindy entered, carrying a tray of food. She set it down, and Keifer immediately helped her. There were also medicines and water for me.
Finally! I'm starving.
I smiled at Ma'am and thanked her. "Thank you."
She nodded and approached my brother. She whispered something to him, and I clearly saw the change in my cousin's expression. I knew he had just received bad news. He looked like he wanted to hit something.
They turned their backs on us and left after saying goodbye.
"Did you see that?" I asked the King, and he nodded.
"Something is wrong."
"Follow them," I ordered, but he quickly refused.
"I am not leaving you here alone."
I frowned. "Come on, no one's going to attack us here."
He shook his head while stirring the porridge in the bowl. He attempted to feed me, but I moved my face away.
Alright, be stubborn then.
"Jay . . ." he called my name.
"Just follow my brother."
"I'm not leaving you alone." He was persistent.
"Nothing bad will happen to me here. I can eat on my own."
He looked at me as if questioning my words. "What if you burn yourself? This is hot."
"Burn myself with porridge? It's not like I'd die from it."
"You can't tell."
Ugh, this guy is impossible.
"Stop being so dramatic. Just go!" I insisted, annoyed.
"Why are you so stubborn?" he asked, equally annoyed.
Wow, he's the one who's irritated? His reason is so shallow.
"I'm just worried. Just follow them, even for a little while, then come back."
He suddenly rolled his eyes at me. His expression irritated me, and I wanted to poke his eyes out.
And now he has the nerve to be sassy.
"I said go."
He ignored me and continued stirring the porridge. Just a little more, and he might as well eat it himself.
I didn't know what else to do to convince him. There was only one option left.
A new forbidden technique.
"Come on, just go. That abujing-abujing will follow soon anyway."
He suddenly burst into laughter. He almost spilled the contents of the bowl, but luckily, he put it back on the tray. He turned to me and laughed even harder.
He's really enjoying himself.
"Do it again. Do it again," he said while pulling something out of his pocket.
I immediately refused when I saw that he had taken out his phone.
I already knew what this idiot was planning.
"Do it again, I'll record a video."
"No way. Stop it!" I snapped when he tried to point the camera at me.
Because I was feeling unwell and weak, I struggled to stop him. I kept pushing his phone away, but he just kept laughing.
"Stoooop . . ."
"I won't show it to anyone," he said, but he still aimed the phone camera at me.
I'm not doing that again.
I was about to curse at him when we suddenly heard a commotion outside the room. We both froze. It sounded like people were arguing or fighting.
"Is someone fighting?" I asked. Keifer was about to walk out to check, but I immediately pulled him back. "I'm coming with you."
"No, stay here. I'll just check."
I refused and tightened my grip on him.
He was about to protest again when we heard more shouting. He had no choice but to take me along to see what was happening.
He positioned himself beside the bed and carried me on his back. He adjusted his grip on me before walking out of the room.
As we reached the staircase, we immediately saw the Vipers lined up, surrounding my brother, Ma'am Cindy, and Sir Alvin.
Was my brother confronting the Vipers?
David was slightly apart from the group, arms crossed, inspecting the Vipers one by one. Ci-N looked up as soon as he spotted us.
"Jay-Jay," he called, grabbing everyone's attention.
"What are you doing here? Go back inside," my brother ordered, but I ignored him.
"What's going on?" I asked.
I looked at the Vipers, who were also staring at us. Some were avoiding eye contact, while others seemed just as confused.
"Take her back to the room," my brother ordered Keifer, but he didn't obey.
"Is there something here that you don't want Jay-Jay to find out?"
My cousin was clearly frustrated. He even looked at the couple for help, but they just shrugged at him.
My eyes landed on the coffee table, where several photos were spread out. If I wasn't mistaken, these were the pictures Ram had sent me along with his threats.
I didn't know my brother had brought them, but why? And for what reason?
Does he carry them around all the time?
"You two are so stubborn. If Jay-Jay's condition worsens, you're the one who'll be in trouble with me," my cousin threatened before turning back to our friends. "Do I need to repeat my question?"
Keifer stepped closer to Sir Alvin and asked, "What is going on here?"
Sir Alvin held up an expensive but dirty phone. "This is Ram's phone. Edrix managed to unlock it and found out . . ." He opened the phone, showing a Google Maps location pin. ". . . that someone sent my house location."
My eyes widened. Who would do that? So that's how Ram and his group found us.
It was supposed to be a secret. How will they hide now?
"Whoever sent our location is probably the same person who took these photos," my brother said, pointing to the pictures on the coffee table. "Again . . . one of you betrayed Jay-Jay. Confess while I'm still calm."
"That's impossible for any of us," Felix said, and my brother glared at him.
"You sound so confident. Someone already did it!"
Felix had a point, though. It was impossible for the Vipers. I wanted to stop my cousin because I didn't want him treating them like this. They hadn't done anything wrong.
"What if one of us was just followed, and they sent it to Ram?"
My brother turned to Yuri, who had just spoken. "I wish that was the case."
"There's nothing on the surveillance," Sir Alvin interjected. "I also double-checked the CCTV, but there was no possible intruder."
My cousin sighed, looking like he was holding back his anger, but I could tell he was sure about his suspicion.
Maybe someone just slipped through.
Bottom of Form
Yes, sometimes the thought crossed my mind that maybe someone had sent a picture to Ram, but it's hard to accept that it might actually be true. I'd rather think that maybe Kuya was just mistaken.
He picked up the pictures from the coffee table. "This is another thing—this photo was taken way too close to Jay-Jay, like someone was right beside her when they took it. No professional photographer could get a shot like this, especially if it was just you guys together." His voice was calm, but he still couldn't stop himself from throwing the pictures at their feet.
Rory picked up the one that landed near him. He examined it but didn't say anything.
"Wait, didn't you take this on your phone...?" Eren asked, making all of us turn to him and the picture he was holding. "Denzel?"
Denzel?
"Yeah, this one too," Mayo added, flipping through the pictures at his feet.
The other Ulupong members also picked up the photos and examined them.
"Shit, this one too."
"F*** you, Denzel!"
"Son of a b***h, is that why you kept taking pictures?"
We all turned to Denzel, who looked just as shocked at the accusations being thrown at him. He was holding some of the pictures himself, clearly at a loss for how to explain.
"I-I didn't—" Before he could say anything, Kuya Angelo had already grabbed him by the collar.
I screamed, "Kuya!"
The Ulupong members tried to break them apart. Almost everyone had surrounded them, forcing my cousin and Denzel apart.
"Wait! His wife just gave birth!"
"Angelo! Calm down!" Sir Alvin shouted.
"Let Denzel explain first!" Yuri tried to stop them.
"Calm down! Let my friend explain himself!" David also tried to break them up.
Despite all the attempts to restrain him, Kuya Angelo still wouldn't let go. Keifer had to put me down and leave me beside Ma'am Cindy before stepping in to help. But he didn't do it the way I expected.
He wrapped his arm around Kuya's neck and put him in a chokehold. "You calm the f*** down!"
Wow, he actually choked him.
Miraculously, my cousin let go after struggling to breathe. He was still visibly furious.
Denzel coughed and panted heavily. His fellow Ulupong members helped him, except for a few who also seemed suspicious of him.
The King only let go of my cousin once he was sure he had calmed down, though he received a deadly glare in return.
"Let him explain first," he told Death.
The King of Ulupong was getting bolder.
"Denzel, please explain," Sir Alvin requested.
"I-It wasn't me. I didn't send those pictures to anyone except Grace," he explained, though it was clear Kuya wasn't buying it. "That's the truth."
I believed him. I had seen him send pictures to Grace before, straight from his phone. I also couldn't think of any reason why he would betray me—or any of us.
"Then who sent these pictures to Ram? Grace?" Blaster asked irritably, only to get smacked on the head by David.
"Of course, it wasn't her. SHe's never met Ram," David said, then turned to Rory and Edrix. "Why aren't you two saying anything?"
Rory and Edrix?
"Why them?" Calix asked, glancing between the two. "It's impossible that they betrayed us."
"I'm not saying they did. I just know they know something—it's impossible for them not to," David explained, drawing everyone's attention to them.
To be honest, I had also noticed how unusually quiet they were. In moments like this, they were usually the first to step up and help. But now, they weren't saying a word.
"W-We don't know anything," Edrix replied.
"If that's the case, then find the culprit. Use Ram's phone—there's probably still a number saved there," Keifer ordered, but Sir stopped him.
"We already called the number, but it was deactivated."
How were we supposed to find out who the traitor was? I wanted to catch them, to learn the truth. I refused to believe that anyone from Ulupong could have done this to us.
I really hoped none of them did.
"What about you, Rory?" the King asked him, but he just shook his head.
"Nothing. If there is, I'll let that person speak up on their own."
"No. If they have something to say, they'll speak up on their own."
Felix swore repeatedly. "So there really is a traitor!"
Other Ulupong members cursed as well. Some were furious because they couldn't understand why Felix would say that. Others were already demanding confessions. Some were even accusing each other.
"Why would you betray us?" one of the younger ones sobbed, but no one paid him any attention.
I didn't even realize I had started crying, too. I didn't know if it was because of the terrible feeling in my chest or because I couldn't accept that someone among us had betrayed us. After everything we had been through, how could someone still do this?
It was happening again. The same pain I felt when I first found out they had all deceived me was coming back. It hurt so much to even think it might be true. And if they confirmed it...
Would I still be able to forgive?
"Drew! Why are you just standing there?" Eman asked when he noticed Drew frozen in a corner.
He was holding a picture and staring at it.
"Drew, what's wrong?" Kit asked.
Slowly, everyone's attention shifted to Drew. Even David approached him, trying to take the picture from his hands.
It was a picture of me, laughing, with Drew right beside me, smiling just as wide.
Why did I suddenly feel uneasy about him?
"Drew, what's happening to you?" Josh asked.
"F***, Drew, answer us!"
"Dude, are you even listening?"
"Andrew Klondike Mercado!"
Felix was about to grab him to shake him out of it, but we all froze when Drew finally spoke.
I covered my mouth to stifle a sob.
Why? Why did you do this?
"I... I was the one who sent Ram the pictures and our location"