Jay's POV
Morning sunlight hit my face and I slowly opened my eyes.
A week had passed since the fainting incident and I had finally fully recovered.
I stretched and sat up, ready to get dressed for school.
Suddenly—
A hand wrapped around my waist and pulled me back onto the bed.
"Hey!" I gasped.
A sleepy voice spoke near my ear.
"Where are you going, wifey?"
I turned my head and saw Keifer, still half asleep but holding me tightly.
"To get dressed for school," I said.
His eyes opened instantly.
"Who said you're going to school?"
I sighed.
"Keifer, I'm fine now."
"You fainted last week."
"I just fainted. That doesn't mean I'm dying."
He frowned.
"No school."
I crossed my arms.
"Yes school."
"No."
"Yes."
"Jay."
"Keifer."
We stared at each other.
Finally he sighed dramatically and dropped back on the pillow.
"You are impossible."
"And you're overprotective."
He groaned.
"Fine. But if you feel dizzy even once we're leaving."
I smiled.
"Deal."
Keifer's POV
I still didn't like the idea of Jay going to school.
But she looked completely fine.
Healthy.
Energetic.
And extremely stubborn.
Typical Jay.
When we entered Section E, chaos had already started.
"BRO MOVE!" Felix shouted.
"I WAS HERE FIRST!" Claix argued.
"Both of you shut up," Edrix said.
"Who took my notebook?!" Cin yelled.
"I didn't touch it!" Rory replied.
"Guys relax," Kit laughed.
Meanwhile Blaster and Denzel were arguing loudly.
"YOU CHEATED!"
"I DIDN'T!"
"YOU DID!"
Yuri sighed.
"This class is hopeless."
Mayo leaned on the desk.
"Where's Keifer?"
Just then we entered.
"THE KING IS HERE!" Drew shouted dramatically.
Everyone laughed.
Jay giggled beside me.
"Your class is crazy."
"Our class," I corrected.
Jay's POV
Classes passed between noise, arguments, and laughter.
Finally the bell rang.
Everyone immediately started talking loudly again.
I took out my phone.
Then my eyes widened.
Marco — 19 messages
Not the Marco from school.
The Marco from my past.
I opened the messages.
He had been asking me to return for weeks.
But the newest message made my heart stop.
Marco:
I'm outside your school.
I quickly typed.
Me:
Wait there.
At that moment Keifer's phone rang.
He stood up.
"I need to take this."
"Okay," I replied.
The moment he left the classroom I quietly slipped outside.
Past
Years ago when my stepfather abused me, anger was the only thing I knew.
I used to fight constantly.
Punch people.
Hurt anyone who came near me.
One day Marco saw me fighting.
Instead of stopping me, he took me somewhere unexpected.
To a gang.
That's where I met my mentor.
He trained me.
Not just how to fight.
But how to control situations and survive danger.
He also helped me take revenge on my stepfather.
When I moved from India to the Philippines, the gang helped me adjust.
They became my family.
My closest friends were:
Marco
Angel
Stella
Zek
Frost
Ethan
Heaven
My mentor trained me personally.
Soon I became the most efficient fighter in the gang.
After him.
No one could defeat me.
End of Past
When I reached the school gate, Marco was waiting.
"Jay!"
"Marco."
He looked relieved.
"You finally came."
"What's going on?"
His face became serious.
"The gang needs you."
"I already said no."
"Mentor is retiring."
I stayed silent.
Then he said something that made my heart stop.
"Keizer has returned."
My eyes widened.
"What?"
"He's planning something dangerous."
Marco lowered his voice.
"And he wants Keiren's custody."
My chest tightened.
Years ago when I was twelve, my mentor had made me promise something.
Protect Keifer and his brothers.
Even if they never knew.
I sighed.
"…Fine."
Marco's face lit up.
"You'll come back?"
"Yes."
"Come to the base."