(Jay's POV)
The hallway felt eerily quiet compared to the chaos in 3-E, and I welcomed it. My uniform was still damp from the water prank, my hair plastered to my neck in sticky clumps, and my phonewatch cracked. Every glance at it made my stomach twist.
I ducked into the nearest restroom. A mirror reflected my messy state: damp hair, wet uniform, slightly flushed cheeks, and a glare that could kill. I ran cold water over my face, tried to flatten my hair, and adjusted my uniform the best I could.
Just as I was about to step out, the hallway light flickered, and a familiar voice stopped me in my tracks.
"Jay?"
I froze.
"Jay! What happened?"
It was Aries. He looked concerned, eyes scanning me from head to toe.
"Uh… nothing," I said quickly, forcing a small smile. "Just… you know… slipped on a floor. Totally normal."
Aries raised an eyebrow. "Really? You look… a little… wet."
I waved him off. "Yeah… showering at school. Trendy thing. Everyone's doing it."
He blinked, clearly unconvinced.
Then he noticed my wrist. The phonewatch. The cracked screen, bent strap, the whole tragic spectacle.
"What happened to your watch?" he asked. His voice softened, concerned.
"Oh… that? Uh…" I fumbled for an excuse. "It… um… fell. Totally my fault. Clumsy me. Nothing to worry about!"
Aries didn't look convinced. His gaze softened, but the seriousness in his eyes made me nervous.
"But Jay," he said gently, "Lola gave that to you before she left. It's special."
I tried to wave him off. "It's fine. Really. I can fix it… or… buy a new one."
Aries crossed his arms, frowning. "It's not fine. Look at you. You look like you want to cry."
I straightened my back, putting on the most stubborn expression I could manage. "No way. Not crying. Never. It's fine, Aries. Don't worry about it."
He leaned a little closer, as if trying to see through my words. "Jay… come on. Don't lie to me. You're not fine. You know I can tell."
I sighed, trying to keep my cool. "Nothing. Really. Just… a little accident. That's all."
Aries shook his head, clearly frustrated. "You can't fool me, Jay. But… if you insist."
I gave a small nod, muttering, "Nothing happened."
With that, I hurried past him, clutching my bag, and slipped into the restroom to finally fix myself. I closed the door behind me and took a few deep breaths. The mirror reflected a slightly calmer, though still soaked and angry, version of me. I adjusted my uniform one last time and tried to smooth my hair.
Okay, Jay, I whispered to myself. You survived the prank. You'll survive the watch. You'll survive 3-E. Breathe.
Keifer's POV
I was walking toward the headmaster's office, ready to discuss something important, when I noticed them.
Jay… and Aries.
They were talking in the hallway. Something about her wet uniform and… her wrist. My eyes caught the bent phonewatch, just like I suspected something had happened earlier.
I slowed down, crouched slightly behind a pillar, and watched.
Aries asked her what had happened. She flailed a little, making excuses about slipping and accidents. But then Aries's gaze fell on the watch, and my attention sharpened.
"Don't worry about it," she said quickly. "It's fine."
Aries shook his head. "It's not fine. Look at you…"
Jay's stubborn defiance was… amusing. The way she stood, forcing herself not to show emotion, even as her voice wavered slightly, was impressive.
She finally waved him off and hurried into the restroom.
I stayed hidden for a moment, watching the door close. That stubborn streak… it was going to make her survival in 3-E interesting.
Then I straightened, brushing myself off, and continued toward the headmaster's office, mind already running calculations.
Jay and her chaos… this year just got a lot more interesting.