CH 14
WHAT THEY SEE
The class wasn't normal.Too quiet. Too aware. Everyone knew. No one said it.
Except—
CI-N: "So… Jay cried."
JOSH: "You don't say."
DREW: "I feel bad."
EMAN: "Good."
But two people—
Didn't react like the rest.
DAVID
Leaning back. Silent. Watching.
His gaze shifted—
From me…
To Keifer.
DAVID (low):
"…So that's it."
YURI
Already looking at him.
YURI: "You figured something out?"
DAVID: "Part of it."
YURI (smirking): "She's unstable."
David's eyes narrowed slightly.
DAVID:
"No."
A pause.
YURI: "…Then?"
David glanced at me again.
DAVID:
"She's holding back."
Silence.
That answer—
Was heavier.
END OF DAY
The bell rang.
Everyone started leaving.
But the air—
Still felt tight.
I walked out. Alone. Not looking back.
HALLWAY
Empty.
Finally.
I exhaled slowly.
Then—
Footsteps. I didn't turn. I already knew.
KEIFER: "You always walk off alone?"
I stopped.
JAY: "It works."
He came beside me. Not too close. Just enough.
KEIFER: "Not here."
I glanced at him.
JAY: "…You keep saying that."
He looked ahead.
KEIFER:
"Because you're not seeing what I'm seeing."
That made me pause.
JAY: "…Then tell me."
A small silence.
Then—
KEIFER:
"People like you get watched."
I frowned.
JAY: "People like me?"
He finally looked at me. Not cold. Not soft.
Something in between.
KEIFER: "People who don't react like others."
A pause.
KEIFER: "And people who can… but don't."
That hit. Harder than anything Calix said.
I looked away.
JAY: "…You talk like you know me."
He didn't deny it. Didn't confirm it either.
KEIFER: "I know enough."
Silence.
Then—
JAY (quiet): "…Why did you help me?"
That question stayed in the air. For a few seconds.
Then—
KEIFER:
"Because you needed it."
I blinked. That wasn't what I expected.
JAY: "That's it?"
A pause.
Then—
KEIFER (lower): "…And because no one did before."
I froze.
He—
He understood. Without me saying it.
SUDDEN SHIFT.....
Keifer stopped walking.
I stopped too. His gaze moved past me.
Sharp. I turned.
A group of students. Watching. Whispering.
One of them laughed.
Before I could react—
Keifer stepped forward. Blocking me completely.
KEIFER (cold): "Leave."
No shouting. But enough. They left.
Immediately.
I looked at him.
JAY: "…You didn't have to."
He turned slightly.
KEIFER: "I know."
A pause.
KEIFER: "I wanted to."
Silence.
Something in my chest—
Shifted.
OUTSIDE SCHOOL.....
A black car was already waiting. Aries leaned against it.
Arms crossed. Watching.
The moment he saw me—
He straightened.
Then—
Noticed Keifer.
Immediate tension.
ARIES: "You again."
Keifer didn't react.
Just looked at him calmly.
KEIFER: "She's fine."
Aries looked at me. Checking.
I nodded.
ARIES: "…Good."
Still tense. Still watching him.
I opened the car door.
But before getting in—
I paused.
Looked at Keifer. Just for a second.
JAY (soft): "…Thanks."
He didn't respond immediately.
Then—
A small nod.
That was enough.
I got in. The car drove off.
CAR RIDE.....
Silence.
Then—
ARIES: "…He was there again."
JAY: "Yeah."
ARIES: "You trust him?"
I hesitated.
Then—
JAY: "…I don't know."
A pause.
JAY (quieter): "But I didn't feel unsafe."
That was honest.
Aries didn't like that answer.
But he didn't argue.
HOME.....
The door opened. Too quiet. Too serious.
GEMMA: "You're back?"
Her tone—
Not normal.
Kuya Angelo was already there.
Waiting.
ANGELO: "Sit."
My chest tightened. I sat.
Aries stayed beside me.
GEMMA: "We got a call."
My stomach dropped.
JAY: "…From school?"
She shook her head.
GEMMA: "No."
Silence.
Then—
ANGELO: "From your old school."
Everything froze.
ARIES: "…Why?"
Angelo looked at me. Serious.
ANGELO: "They said someone's asking about you."
My fingers tightened.
JAY: "…Who?"
A pause.
GEMMA (quiet): "They didn't say."
That felt worse. Much worse.
Then—
ANGELO: "But they said one more thing."
Silence. Heavy.
ANGELO (slowly):
"…He's already here."
ANGELO: "In this city."