JAYJAY POV
The day wrapped up pretty quickly. As I was heading over toward Section B, I ran into Aries.
"Aries!" I called out.
"Jay-Jay, hey," he said, slowing down to wait for me.
"How did you do on the exam?" he asked, offering that typical friendly smile of his.
"Good enough. I got a ninety-five. What about you?" I asked.
"Ninety-eight," Aries replied.
"That's good," I said, nodding. Honestly, it was a relief to talk about something as normal as grades for once, instead of the absolute chaos happening back in my own section.
"Aries!" Ella chirped, suddenly appearing out of nowhere and looping her arms tightly around his.
She shot me a look that was about as warm as a London blizzard.
"Hey, Jay-Jay," Ella said, her tone dripping with that fake-sweetness that always made my skin crawl.
"Hi, Ella," I replied, keeping it short. I was only being polite because Aries was standing right there.
"Are you lost?" Ella asked, letting out a sharp, mocking laugh. "Because this definitely isn't the Section E building."
I didn't even blink. I just tiled my head and matched her fake smile. "Well, are you? Because last time I checked, this isn't Section A either."
Ella's eyes darkened for a moment, her fake laughter dying instantly as she tightened her grip on Aries' arm like she was afraid I might try to steal him right there in the hallway.
Aries, oblivious to the silent lightning bolts Ella was throwing my way, actually chuckled at my comeback.
"Anyway, I'll catch up with you later, Jay. I have basketball practice," Aries said, shifting his bag higher on his shoulder.
"You play basketball? I didn't know that," I said, genuinely surprised. I mean, he definitely had the height for it, but he seemed way too calm to be one of those aggressive gym rats.
"He plays basketball and soccer," Ella interjected, her voice full of possessive pride as if she were reading out his resume.
Aries nodded, confirmed the dual-athlete status.
"Really? I play soccer and tennis, and sometimes field hockey," I told him, feeling that familiar spark of athlete-to-athlete connection. Back in London, the field was basically my second home.
"Field hockey? That's pretty intense," Aries said, looking genuinely impressed. "I've seen a few matches back in the day. It's definitely not for the faint of heart."
"Catch you later," he added, giving me a friendly wave as he started heading toward the gym.
I waved back, but the moment his back was turned, the air in the hallway felt like it dropped to sub-zero temperatures. I turned my head to find Ella staring at me, her face twisting into a mask of pure venom.
"Look, bitch, I don't know what you're thinking," she started, her voice a sharp, ugly hiss.
"Look, let's just get this over with," I interrupted, stepping into her space and boring my eyes into hers. "I'm not a big fan of yours either, and judging by your attitude, you're what I call a pathetic bitch. Looking at you is like staring at a walking red flag, and I don't make a habit of talking to people like that."
Ella's mouth popped open, her perfectly applied lip gloss catching the light as she struggled to find words.
"And if you're worried I'm going to steal Aries from you, please, do us both a favor and clear that thought out of your head," I continued, my voice ice-cold. "To be honest, he feels more like an elder brother to me. I haven't imagined a single romantic scenario involving him in my life."
"Well, that doesn't explain why you're so close to him!" Ella snapped, her voice rising. She clearly wasn't used to anyone—especially a newcomer—talking back to her like this.
I let out a short, dry laugh. "It's called being friendly. Maybe you should try it sometime. Oh, wait, I forgot—you don't actually have any friends, except for those bitchy canvases you call a clique."
Ella's face went from pale to a deep, ugly red. She looked like she was about to explode, her hands trembling by her sides.
"You think you're so special because you're from London?" she spat. "You're just a Section E reject."
"And you're just a girl who's so insecure she has to mark her territory like a stray cat," I shot back, adjusting my bag on my shoulder. "Aries is a good guy. It's a shame he's wasting his time with someone who has the personality of a paper cut."
I didn't wait for Ella to respond. I simply turned on my heel and walked away, feeling the heat of her glare burning into my back. I could hear her huffing in frustration behind me, but I couldn't care less—I had already wasted enough breath on her.
A few hallways later, I spotted Jare leaning against a locker.
"Where's Mia?" I asked as I approached.
"She went with Dave. Wanna walk?" Jare asked, pushing off the locker.
I nodded, and we started heading toward the exit. I reached into my bag and pulled out a chocolate bar, unwrapping it with practiced ease.
"So, what were you talking to Ella about? Sounded pretty intense," Jare said, casually leaning over and taking a massive bite out of my chocolate before I could even take one.
"Hey!" I protested, hitting him on the arm for the theft. "Nothing. She's just being a total 'pick-me.' It's exhausting."
Jare nodded, chewing. "Typical."
I walked in silence for a second before glancing sideways at him. I couldn't resist. "So... did you kiss Mia?"
Jare didn't say a word, but his reaction was better than an answer. His face turned a deep, agonizing shade of red, and he suddenly became very interested in his shoes. I nudged his shoulder with my elbow, a smirk spreading across my face.
"About time you actually did something," I teased. "Maybe next time, try actually asking her out."
"Jay, look," Jare said, clearly desperate to change the subject. He pointed toward a large poster on the bulletin board. "The tryouts for soccer are this afternoon."
I scanned the sign and then looked out toward the field where some players were already warming up. I felt that familiar itch in my legs, the urge to run a drill, but I shook my head.
"I'm not playing here," I said firmly. "I'll practice on my own to keep my fitness up, but I'm never trying out for that squad. Their team looks pathetic, and I'm not about to ruin my reputation by carrying a bunch of amateurs."
Jare chuckled. "Spoken like a true Mariano."
"I'm serious, Jare! If I'm going to be on a pitch, it's going to be with people who actually know which way the goal is," I added, taking the last bite of my chocolate. "Besides, I've got enough drama in Section E to last me a lifetime. I don't need to add 'Soccer Captain of a Tragedy' to my resume."
"But I'm serious, Jay. You need to keep up with your practice. It's good for your lungs, and the more you train, the less your asthma holds you back," Jare said, his voice dropping into that protective, medical tone he always uses.
"One, it doesn't 'cure' it, Jare; it just helps me manage it. And two, I told you, I will practice," I replied, trying to sound convincing.
"When? In your next lifetime?" Jare shot back, completely unimpressed. "Tomorrow is Saturday. We're going for a run first thing in the morning, so get your gear ready. No excuses."
I rolled my eyes and was halfway through formulating a very creative protest when Jare's phone started ringing.
"It's Mama and Papa," Jare said, his face softening as he hit the speaker button.
"Hey, Mom! Hey, Papa!" I greeted them, leaning in closer to the phone.
"Jay, Jare! Are you two even eating anything? You both look so slim!" Mama's voice fretted over the line. Honestly, we could eat a whole buffet and she'd still think we were starving.
"Yes, Mama," Jare and I said in perfect, practiced unison.
Papa chuckled in the background. "Did you two ever meet up with Serina?"
We both nodded, even though they couldn't see us. "Tita Serina is the best," I said. "And she has the most amazing chocolate collection."
Papa laughed, sounding nostalgic.
"Actually, Serina told me she thinks you'd make a perfect future daughter-in-law," Mama added, her voice full of mischief.
I felt the heat rush to my face instantly. My brain did a quick, unwanted replay of the kiss in the bedroom. "I am never marrying Keifer!" I blurted out, my voice a bit too loud.
Jare smirked, looking at me sideways. "She never said it was Keifer, Jay. Tita Serina has three sons, remember?"
"Exactly," Papa teased. "Why did your mind go straight to the eldest one, Jasper Jean?"
"It—it didn't! He's just the one in my class, so he's the most annoying!" I stammered, feeling my ears turn red. "I'd rather marry a cactus than that Lollipop King."
"A cactus might be less prickly," Jare muttered under his breath.
"Be nice, you two," Mama laughed. "We just wanted to call and check in. We miss you both so much. Make sure Jare doesn't let you overexert Jay."
"Don't worry, Mom," Jare said, shooting me a look that said he was definitely still making me run. "I'll keep her moving."
After we hung up, the silence of the afternoon felt a little heavier. Jare was still wearing that stupid "I know your secret" smirk.
"Stop it," I snapped, walking faster.
"Stop what? I didn't say anything," Jare said, his face a picture of fake innocence.
"You're thinking it! You're thinking that I actually like him!" I accused, pointing a finger at him.
"Aww, so it is Keifer," Jare teased, dodging my finger and grinning like he'd just won a bet. "Is he 'the one' already, Jay?"
"Oh, shut up!" I snapped, my face feeling like a furnace. I scrambled for a way to flip the script on him. "What about Mia? Why don't we talk about her instead? Because I distinctly remember a certain boy in 9th grade who almost broke some poor kid's nose."
Jare's smirk wavered.
"Which one?" he asked, trying to sound cool.
"The one who tried to give Mia flowers for Valentine's Day," I reminded him, leaning in for the kill. "What did you say to him again? Oh, right—you said you 'didn't like his face' and then proceeded to almost rearrange it. But sure, tell me more about how I'm the intense one."
Jare's ears turned a familiar shade of beet-red. He cleared his throat and started walking again, twice as fast as before. "That was a long time ago. He had a punchable face, Jay. It was a civic duty."
"Right. A civic duty to protect your future girlfriend," I sang out, chasing after him. "Admit it, Jare! You've been obsessed with her since we were wearing braces."
"I'm not the one who kissed an asshole in a locked bedroom," Jare muttered under his breath, just loud enough to be annoying.
"I heard that!" I yelled, reaching out to smack his arm with all the strength I could muster.
Jare dodged the hit, a triumphant smirk on his face. "You were meant to hear it, Jay-Jay! If you didn't want me to know, you shouldn't have been so obvious about it."
"I wasn't being obvious! I was trapped!" I argued, though even to my own ears, that sounded like a total lie. "Besides, at least I didn't spend three years acting like I didn't care about my best friend while secretly wanting to deck every guy who looked in her direction."
"It's called restraint," Jare countered, unlocking the car. "Something you clearly lack when Keifer is three inches away from your face."
I climbed into the passenger seat, huffing a breath of frustration. "It's not my fault the guy is persistent. And intense. And... irritatingly good-looking."
Jare froze with his hand on the ignition, giving me a look of pure disbelief. "Did you just call him good-looking? Oh, we are in deeper trouble than I thought. I'm telling Percy you've been compromised by the enemy."
"Don't you dare tell Percy!" I screeched. "He'll be on the next flight out of London with a tactical squad! And don't act like you're on some moral high ground, Jare. I saw the way you looked at Mia today. You're one mango-slice away from proposing."
Jare finally started the engine, the familiar hum of the car filling the space between us. He didn't fire back a witty comeback this time. He just sighed, gripped the steering wheel, and pulled out of the parking lot.
"Fine," he muttered. "Truce. For now."
"Truce," I agreed, leaning my head against the cool glass of the window.
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