Keifer's POV
The house was unusually calm that evening. Too calm.
The kind that made you notice every sound—the clink of a spoon against a mug, the hum of the fan, the way footsteps echoed just a little longer.
Jay was sitting on the couch, legs tucked beneath her, scrolling through her phone. I was leaning against the counter, pretending to focus on nothing in particular when the front door opened.
Keigan walked in.
He didn't look angry. He didn't look shaken either. Just… thoughtful. That alone set something off in my head.
"You're home early," Jay said, looking up.
Keigan dropped his bag near the stairs. "We need to talk."
That got my attention.
Jay straightened immediately. "About school?"
Keigan nodded once, then glanced at me. "About Eces."
I crossed my arms. "Go on."
He exhaled and sat down, elbows on his knees. "Emilia caused trouble again. At lunch. Tried to provoke her."
Jay frowned. "Eces? Are you serious? What happened? Did she—"
"She didn't do anything," Keigan interrupted. "That's the problem."
I tilted my head slightly. "Explain."
Keigan looked up, eyes sharp. "She stayed calm. Too calm. Emilia tried to embarrass her in front of half the cafeteria, and Eces just… shut it down without raising her voice. No scene. No reaction. Emilia walked away looking stupid."
Jay let out a small breath of relief. "That's good, right?"
Keigan hesitated. "It should be. But it wasn't normal."
My jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
"How so?" I asked.
"It's like she knew exactly what Emilia was going to do before she did it," Keigan said slowly. "Every move. Every word. She positioned herself so nothing could escalate. Like she was always three steps ahead."
Jay looked at me now. "Keifer…"
I didn't respond. My mind was already racing.
Keigan continued, "I asked her about it after class. She said she can… sense thoughts. Read people. Not fully—but enough."
Silence settled into the room like a heavy fog.
Jay's voice was barely above a whisper. "She told you that?"
He nodded. "Casually. Like she was talking about the weather."
I pushed myself off the counter. "That's not something you say casually."
Jay stood up. "Keifer, she's my sister."
"And I'm not saying she's dangerous," I replied, carefully choosing my words. "I'm saying she's hiding things."
Keigan looked between us. "You don't think she's lying?"
"No," I said honestly. "That's what worries me."
Jay's brows knit together. "She's been through a lot. You don't know her like I do."
"That's exactly my point," I said, quieter now. "None of us do."
I thought about the way Eces moved through the house. Silent. Observant. Polite to a fault. The way she noticed things without staring. The way nothing ever seemed to surprise her.
"She watches," I continued. "She listens. And she never asks questions she doesn't already know the answer to."
Jay swallowed. "You think she's hiding something bad."
"I think," I corrected, "she's hiding something big."
Keigan nodded slowly. "Whatever it is… she's in control of it."
That didn't comfort me. Not even a little.
I glanced toward the hallway leading to the guest room—her room.
"She's staying under my roof," I said quietly. "Which means I need to know whether she's protecting us… or protecting herself."
Jay stepped closer to me, voice firm. "She wouldn't hurt anyone."
I met her eyes. "I hope you're right."
Because for the first time since Eces walked into our lives, I wasn't sure if the danger was outside the house—
—or already inside it, smiling softly and saying nothing at all.
The living room felt smaller with all four of us in it.
Jay sat curled up on the couch, Eces beside her, legs folded neatly, hands resting on her lap like she belonged there—like she'd always belonged there. Keigan stood near the window, arms crossed, pretending to watch the street while clearly listening to everything.
And me?
I leaned against the wall, watching.
Eces was smiling softly at something Jay had just said. Polite. Gentle. Perfect.
Too perfect.
"So," Jay said lightly, glancing between Keigan and me, "Keigan told us about school today."
Eces's smile didn't falter. Not even a twitch. She turned her head slowly. "Did he?"
Keigan cleared his throat. "Yeah. About Emilia. And lunch."
Still calm. Still composed.
"I didn't want trouble," Eces said. Her voice was quiet, almost apologetic. "I just wanted to eat."
Jay reached for her hand immediately. "I'm glad you handled it the way you did."
I watched Eces closely as Jay touched her. The warmth was real. The comfort genuine. But her eyes—her eyes flicked, just once, toward me.
She knew I was watching.
"You didn't react at all," Keigan said, more openly now. "Most people would've snapped."
Eces tilted her head. "Snapping makes things worse."
"And knowing exactly when not to snap?" I asked, finally speaking. My voice cut through the room, calm but sharp. "That takes… awareness."
Her gaze met mine fully now. Dark. Steady. Unafraid.
"I pay attention," she replied.
Jay frowned slightly. "Keifer…"
"No," I said gently, holding up a hand. "I'm not accusing. I'm asking."
Eces studied me for a long second. Then she nodded once. "I understand."
That answer didn't explain anything—and somehow, it explained everything.
Keigan shifted. "She told me she can sense people. Read situations before they explode."
Jay looked at Eces, surprised but not upset. "Is that true?"
Eces hesitated. Just a breath. "I'm observant," she said carefully. "I grew up needing to be."
I caught it—the way she avoided specifics. The way she gave just enough truth to satisfy, not enough to expose.
Jay squeezed her hand. "You're safe here."
Eces smiled at her. Softer now. Realer.
"I know," she said.
But then—just for a moment—her eyes flicked back to me.
And I realized something that made my spine tighten.
She wasn't nervous about being questioned.
She was measuring how much we knew.
How much we didn't.
I straightened, uncrossing my arms. "As long as you're here," I said evenly, "we look out for each other. No secrets that could put anyone in danger."
Eces nodded. "Of course."
The room settled into silence again.
Jay leaned against me, trusting. Keigan relaxed slightly. Eces stayed calm, hands folded, expression serene.
But I couldn't shake the feeling—
That whatever Eces was hiding,
she was very, very good at keeping it buried.
And that she already knew I wasn't done asking questions.
Eces' POV
Jay's house smelled like home.
Not my home—but the kind of warmth that settled into your bones without asking permission. Something sweet baked recently. Vanilla. Comfort. Safety.
I stood beside Jay at the doorway, fingers loosely curled at my sides, posture calm. Polite. Non-threatening.
First impressions matter, I reminded myself.
Her mother looked up first.
She froze.
Just for half a second.
Then her eyes softened.
"Oh," she breathed, stepping closer. "You must be Serina."
I nodded slightly. "Eces," I corrected gently. "But… yes."
Her thoughts brushed against mine before I could stop them—She looks like Jay. The eyes. The quiet strength.
I didn't react. I never did.
Jay's mom smiled warmly and pulled me into a hug before I could prepare myself. It wasn't tight or overwhelming—just careful. Like she was afraid I might disappear if she held on too long.
"Welcome home," she said.
Home.
I swallowed.
Aunt Gema appeared next, wiping her hands on a kitchen towel, eyes sharp but kind. She looked me up and down in a way that missed nothing.
"So this is the mysterious sister," she said. "Pretty. Quiet. Dangerous-looking."
Jay groaned. "Aunt—"
I smiled politely. "Only on bad days."
That earned a laugh.
She's honest, Aunt Gema thought. But not fully.
Correct.
Aries leaned against the doorway, arms crossed, smirk already in place. "So," he said, "you're the one everyone's been whispering about."
I met his gaze evenly. "I hope it's good things."
He grinned. "Too early to tell."
Behind him stood Kuya Angelo.
Quiet. Solid. Observant.
He didn't speak immediately—just nodded once, eyes steady. The kind of man who measured character in silence.
She's protecting something, he thought. Or someone.
I inclined my head slightly. Respect.
"It's nice to meet you," I said. "All of you."
Jay stepped closer to me, shoulder brushing mine—an unspoken anchor. Her thoughts were loud with affection and concern. Please like her. Please don't scare her away.
Her mother reached for my hand. "You're always welcome here, Eces."
I looked at her. Really looked at her.
The warmth in her eyes wasn't forced. It wasn't polite.
It was real.
"Thank you," I said softly. "That means more than you know."
And it did.
Because for the first time in a long while, standing in that living room with laughter echoing softly around me, I felt something unfamiliar settle in my chest.
Not danger.
Not vigilance.
Belonging.
And even with all my secrets tucked safely behind my calm smile—
I hoped, just a little, that this place might be worth protecting too.
Aries didn't even wait five minutes.
The moment everyone settled into the living room, he leaned back against the arm of the sofa, arms crossed, that familiar grin already in place—the kind people wore when they were about to poke a sleeping tiger just to see if it moved.
"So," he said casually, eyes on me, "Eces."
I looked up. "Yes?"
"How old are you really?"
Jay shot him a warning look. "Aries—"
"What?" he said innocently. "Just curious."
He's testing boundaries, I noted quietly.
"Old enough to mind my business," I replied politely.
Kuya Angelo's lips twitched. Aunt Gema hid a smile.
Aries laughed. "Okay, okay. Fair. Next question—what do you like?"
Jay blinked. "That's vague."
"Exactly," Aries said. "Food? Music? Fighting? Secrets?"
I met his eyes, calm and steady. "Food. Quiet places. People who don't ask questions they already know the answers to."
That made him pause.
Just for a second.
Interesting, he thought. Sharp.
He leaned forward now. "Alright then. What don't you like?"
I didn't answer immediately. I let the silence stretch—long enough to make him shift.
"People who mistake politeness for weakness," I said gently.
The room went quiet.
Jay's mother cleared her throat, pretending to adjust something on the table. Aunt Gema straight-up smiled.
Aries let out a low whistle. "Okay. You're fun."
Fun is not the word, he thought. She's dangerous.
I tilted my head. "Was that all?"
He grinned wider. "One last thing."
Here it comes.
"Why are you really here?"
Jay stiffened beside me.
I didn't look away.
"Because Jay is my sister," I said simply. "And family doesn't ask permission to exist in each other's lives."
Aries studied me—really studied me this time. Then he straightened and laughed, lifting his hands in surrender.
"Alright," he said. "You pass."
Jay frowned. "Pass what?"
"Vibe check," he replied. "And she passed with flying colors."
Kuya Angelo nodded once. Approval.
Aries pointed at me. "But just so you know—I tease everyone. If I stop teasing you, then you should be worried."
I smiled—small, genuine. "I'll keep that in mind."
He's protective, I realized. Not cruel.
As the tension dissolved into casual conversation again, I relaxed slightly—but only slightly.
Because Aries wasn't wrong.
He'd tested me.
And I'd let him think he'd seen just enough.
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