"What?"
That was all Joel could say.
"Y–You said that, Nicky?" Melissa asked softly as they sat in their old hangout spot in the abandoned building.
Nicole nodded.
"Are you stupid?" Kelly snapped, glaring at her cousin.
"That's harsh!" Nicole pouted, turning to her.
Joel shut his eyes and exhaled slowly, steadying himself.
"I need to be clear," he said at last. "Did you agree to let me meet Airah today?"
Nicole nodded again. "I… I trust you. She only said she wanted to talk."
"Nicky, can't you see what she's doing?" Kelly burst out. "She's trying to make you jealous! And you just let your boyfriend walk into that?"
"So?" Kevin asked, watching Joel closely. "What's your decision?"
Joel inhaled deeply.
"Fine," he said. "But one condition—you're coming with me, Nicky."
Nicole blinked. "M–Me?"
"Yes. No one said I had to meet her alone. And I already know her friends will be there."
"They expect you to be alone," Raymond confirmed.
"Good," Joel replied calmly. "Then all of you are coming."
"Only your group," Kevin cut in. "Not us."
"What? Why?" Kelly frowned.
"You'll escalate things," Jonathan said, already dragging Kelly away. "Let Joel handle this."
"I wasn't even planning to cause trouble!" Kelly protested as Kevin pulled her back.
Melissa chuckled at the chaos.
"So why do I have to come?" Nicole asked timidly.
Joel looked at her. "Because that's your punishment."
"P–Punishment?"
"You agreed without telling me right away," he said plainly. "And because you're my girlfriend."
Julie sighed, rubbing her temples. "Should I just punch her?"
"Calm down," Cielo murmured.
"Joel," Melissa said quietly, "she trusts you so completely that even when it hurts, she believes nothing bad will happen. Sorry—my cousin's just… like that."
Joel smiled faintly. "That's exactly why you're all coming."
"Yeah, yeah," Raymond said. "We're in."
Later, Joel stood waiting, his friends nearby.
"Joel!"
Airah waved brightly, as if the past never happened.
Is this really the girl I once loved? Joel wondered.
She hugged him. He pulled away immediately.
"I'm glad you came," she said.
"Nice to see you," he replied—polite, distant.
"You already have a girlfriend, right?" she said softly. "But you still came. You could never resist me."
"Of course he can't," Dawn chimed in. "Even with a girlfriend."
"Let's go talk—alone," Airah said, tugging his hand.
"I'm not alone," Joel said firmly, pulling Nicole closer. "This is Nicole. My girlfriend."
Nicole nodded politely.
"You broke your promise!" Dawn snapped. "You said you'd come alone!"
"Oh?" Joel raised a brow. "No one told me that. And your friends are here too."
Airah's smile cracked. "J–Just dropping me off."
"If you want to talk," Joel said coldly, "do it here. Now."
"But it's private," Airah whispered, clinging to him.
"Something my girlfriend shouldn't hear?" Joel snapped, pulling away.
Airah burst into tears. "I still love you! I needed to talk so you'd change your mind!"
Joel sighed. "If I still loved you, I'd be holding you right now. I'm not."
"You begged before! This is your karma!" she shouted, then turned on Nicole. "You don't even know him!"
"Why are you dragging her into this?" Joel barked.
Suddenly, Airah lunged and kissed him.
Nicole was shoved aside, hitting the ground.
"Nicky!" Julie cried.
Joel pushed Airah away and rushed to Nicole. Blood trickled down her cheek.
Airah screamed and hurled a stone—it struck Nicole's face.
"Airah!" Joel roared.
But Nicole touched his arm. "It's okay."
Then—SLAP.
Silence fell.
"You wasted his love," Nicole said steadily. "That wasn't his fault."
She straightened.
"I envy you—you were his first love. But you threw it away. You manipulated him. And now he loves me with that same depth. And I will never waste it."
Her voice didn't shake.
"I've seen his worst side. And I still chose him. I'm happy with him. I will never give him back to you. Never."
She stepped beside Joel.
"He is mine now. And for that… I thank you."
Joel stared at her.
I will never let her go.
He pulled her into his arms.
Airah and her friends stormed away, burning with rage.