CHAPTER 8
WHAT THEY DON'T KNOW
JAY JAY P.O.V.
Voices. Far away. Fading in and out
Then-
Nothing
THIRD PERSON P.O.V.
The class room stayed quiet. Too quiet. Jay lay unconscious in Aries' arms. Blood still faintly staining his hands. No one moved. Not even section E.
CI-N (hesitant): "...Is she okay?"
Aries didn't answer immediately. His grip tightened slightly.
ARIES (cold): "Does she look okay?"
That shut him up.
Rory stepped forward slightly. Careful this time. Not loud. Not joking
RORY: "We didn't mean to—"
ARIES (cutting in): "You didn't mean to?—"
"You let it happen"
Silence.
Edrix looked away. For once. Eman clenched his jaw. No one had anything to say.
Then-
A voice. Calm. Controlled
KEIFER: "Enough."
Everyone turned. Keifer stepped forward. Hands in his pockets. Face unreadable. But his eyes- sharp.
KEIFER:"You're shouting at the wrong people."
"If you're done, leave."
Aries' gaze snapped to him. Tension. Immediate. Heavy.
ARIES:"Wrong people?"
He let out a dry laugh.
ARIES:"She's bleeding because of this place."
"And you're telling me I'm wrong?"
Keifer didn't react. Didn''t flinch.
KEIFER:"You stepped into something you don't understand."
"So don't act like you do."
The air shifted. Dangerously.
Aries took a step forward.
ARIES:"Then explain it."
"Explain why she's hurt."
Silence. Keifer's jaw tightened slightly.
For the first time. He didn't have an answer. That was enough. Aries looked down at jay again. His expression softened instantly.
Then- He spoke. Not loudly. But clearly.
ARIES:"She wasn't always like this."
No one interrupted.
ARIES:"She doesn't remember everything... but I do."
A pause.
ARIES:"She got into fights before... Not because she wanted to- because she couldn't stop."
Ci-n frowned.
CI-N:"What do you mean?"
Aries exhaled slightly.
ARIES:"When she sees blood—especially her own—"
"...something changes."
Rory's expression shifted. connecting dots.
RORY:"That earlier-"
ARIES: "That wasn't normal."
Silence.
ARIES:"She loses control."
"She doesn't think."
"She doesn't feel pain properly."
A pause.
ARIES (quietly):"And afterward..... she barely remembers it."
That hit. Hard. Even Edrix looked up again. Even Keifer stayed silent.
Aries adjusted Jay carefully.
ARIES:"That's why she moved."
"That's why she's here."
A beat.
ARIES (sharper now):"To finish school."
"Not to deal with this."
No one argued. No one could.
ARIES: "I'm taking her home."
No one stopped. Not even Keifer
AT HOME
GEMMA: "Aries? You're back—"
She froze.
Jay.
Unconscious.
Blood.
GEMMA: "What happened?!"
Aries walked in quickly. Carefully.
ARIES:"She's fine. Just hit her head."
GEMMA: "That is not FINE!"
Footsteps approached.
Kuya angelo.
ANGELO: "What's going on—"
He stopped. His expression darkened instantly.
ANGELO: "Who did this?
Aries didn't answer right away.
ARIES: "...School."
Silence. That said enough.
Gemma moved closer to Jay.
GEMMA (softly): "Poor child..."
Angelo exhaled sharply. Frustrated. Angry.
ANGELO: "This is exactly what we were trying to avoid."
Aries nodded.
He carried jay to her room. Laid her down carefully. Adjusted the pillow. Wiped the remaining blood gently.
For a moment, everything was quiet.
Gemma stood by the door. Watching. Worried.
Angelo leaned against the wall. Thinking.
Aries sat beside the bed. Looking at her..
ARIES (soft):"You're supposed to stay out of trouble..."
No response. Just her steady breathing.
Peaceful.
Too peaceful.
But at least- Safe