JAY'S POV
Section E turned the street into their own personal festival.
Seventeen of us moved like a swarm—stall to stall, plate to plate, laughter spilling over curbs and into passing glances. Someone was always eating. Someone was always complaining. Someone was always stealing food off someone else's plate.
Cin had declared himself "judge, jury, and executioner of street food."
Felix was filming everything like this was a documentary.
Blaster challenged spice levels and immediately regretted all of them.
Keifer stayed close—not hovering, not clinging. Just there. Like gravity.
For a moment, I let myself forget.
Then I saw the stall.
Same crooked sign. Same oil-stained counter. Same smell that lived somewhere between comfort and survival.
I stopped without realizing it.
"Jay?" Keifer asked quietly.
The man behind the stall looked up.
His eyes widened.
Then his face split into the widest smile I'd seen all day.
"Eh?" he said, leaning forward. "No way."
My chest tightened.
"Tito Diaz," I said softly.
He laughed, loud and warm. "Well I'll be damned," he laughed. "If it isn't little Jay"
The boys immediately locked in.
"You know her?" Cin asked.
Diaz grinned. "Know her? She used to eat here almost every day."
"EVERY day?" Felix echoed.
I groaned. "Tito—"
"She was a foodie," he continued proudly. "Small girl, big appetite. Always sat right there." He pointed at a cracked plastic stool. "Studied sometimes. Fought on the phone sometimes. Paid properly. Never complained."
"Wow," Josh said. "She had a life before us."
Keifer smiled faintly, but I didn't miss the way his eyes scanned the street while everyone laughed.
I laughed too.
But my stomach was tight.
Because this town remembered me.
And memory had teeth.
We regrouped later, leaning against a closed shop, bags at our feet, sun dipping lower. The energy was high—too high for a town like this.
That's when Edrix went quiet still excitement written on his face...
"I found something," he said.
Cin sighed. "If it's food, I physically can't."
Edrix shook his head. "Fight club."
That wiped the smiles clean.
"Like… boxing?" Mayo asked hopefully.
"No," Edrix said. "Underground."
My pulse spiked.
"How?" I asked immediately.
He lifted his phone. "Hacked the Gospel servers. There are hidden location tags. Illegal venues. Unlisted."
Felix's eyes lit up. "You HACKED the Gospel??"
"What's it called?" Rory asked.
Edrix glanced down.
"The Alpha Club."
Everything in me went still.
No.
Not that.
"That's not just a club," I said sharply. "We're not going there."
Everyone turned to me.
Blaster frowned. "Why not?"
"Because it's dangerous," I said. "And illegal."
Cin tilted his head. "You're saying that like you know."
I did.
Keifer looked at me then—really looked.
"Jay," he said quietly. "What is it?"
I exhaled. "It's not a place for tourists."
Silence stretched.
Then Felix grinned. "Which means it's exactly a place for us."
"No—" I started.
"Come on," Eman added. "We won't fight."
"We'll just look," Cin said.
"Five minutes," Josh promised.
I looked around.
Sixteen excited faces.
Sixteenn people who trusted me.
And a past I didn't want catching up.
Before I could argue again, they were already moving.
The building was unmarked. Steel door. Two massive bouncers standing guard.
They blocked us instantly.
"Private venue," one said flatly.
Then his gaze slid to me.
His entire posture changed.
He straightened.
Stepped back.
And bowed.
Both of them did.
"Welcome back, Boss."
The street went dead silent.
"What."
"Did he just—"
"BOSS??"
I closed my eyes briefly.
"This is my friend's club," I said quickly, forcing calm. "Don't panic."
Felix stared at me. "JAY."
Cin whispered, "WHO ARE YOU."
Keifer didn't say a word.
But his eyes never left my face.
The doors opened.
Inside—
Low lighting. Controlled chaos. A pristine fighting ring at the center. A sleek bar lining the wall. Money. Power. Violence—all wrapped in discipline.
Not a bar.
A throne room.
People noticed me immediately.
Heads turned.
Conversations died.
A few men nodded respectfully.
I swallowed.
Because this wasn't just a place I knew.
This was a place that knew me.
And judging by the looks—
It hadn't forgotten who I used to be...
I didn't let them stand there and drown in it.
"Come on," I said, already moving. "Before someone actually asks questions out loud."
Music pulsed from the lower floor—bass-heavy, alive, familiar. The kind that didn't ask permission to settle into your bones.
The dance floor was already crowded. Lights cut through smoke. Laughter. Drinks clinking. Controlled chaos—but lighter than the ring upstairs. This floor was for forgetting, not fighting.
As soon as we stepped in, a man near the bar froze mid-conversation.
Then his face broke into a grin.
"Well I'll be—" He hurried over. "Jay?"
I smiled despite myself. "Hey, Marco."
He laughed, shaking his head. "You disappear for years and walk back in like you own the place."
"I don't," I said lightly.
He snorted. "Sure you don't."
His eyes flicked to the group behind me—seventeen wide-eyed students trying very hard not to look impressed.
"Your people?" he asked.
"Yeah."
He clapped his hands once. "Old booth's free. Come on."
That did it.
"OLD booth?" Felix mouthed.
Cin leaned in. "How many lives have you lived?"
Marco led us past the bar, past VIP ropes, straight to a corner booth slightly raised from the floor. Private. Familiar. Untouched.
Mine.
Everyone slid in, still looking around like they were afraid the place might evaporate.
"Okay," Rory said slowly. "Start talking."
Before I could deflect, Cin beat him to it.
"Who owns this place?" he asked.
I hesitated.
Then sighed. "Adam and Laura."
Dead silence.
"—AS IN ALPHA CREW ADAM AND LAURA?" Felix screeched.
"Yes," I said. "Those Adam and Laura."
Blaster stared at me. "Why do you just casually know terrifying people?"
"I don't casually know them," I muttered. "I grew up with them."
Keifer's arm brushed mine lightly—grounding. Questioning. Waiting.
I opened my mouth to explain—
"Jay!"
The voice cut clean through the music.
I turned.
And froze.
Robin stood a few steps away, grin wide, eyes bright with the same familiar mischief that had once ruined my sleep and my sense of self-control.
"Robin," I breathed.
He crossed the distance in seconds and hugged me—tight, warm, unapologetic.
I laughed into his shoulder despite myself. "You're crushing me."
"Worth it," he said, pulling back. "You look insane. In a good way."
"Same to you," I said. "How are you?"
"Amazing," he replied easily. "You?"
"Amazing," I echoed, meaning it for once.
Felix cleared his throat.
Loudly.
I felt it before I saw it—the tension ripple through the booth.
Robin followed my gaze and laughed immediately.
"Oh relax," he said, waving a hand. "Hi, children."
"Children?" Cin repeated.
"This," I said quickly, "is Robin. Old friend."
Keifer's jaw tightened—not angry. Alert.
Robin slung an arm around my shoulders without thinking.
"And," he added cheerfully,
"her first boyfriend."
Every single head snapped to Keifer.
Oh no.
Keifer didn't move.
Didn't speak.
Just looked at Robin with a calm that was far more dangerous than jealousy.
Robin clocked it instantly. And I knew either this was going in a bad direction or a very bad direction...
KEIFER'S POV
The second his arm went around her—
Something in me went cold.
Not loud.
Not explosive.
Controlled.
Calculated.
The kind of jealousy that doesn't shout—it catalogs.
Who he was.
How close he stood.
The way Jay didn't flinch, didn't pull away, didn't tense.
Which meant she trusted him.
That was worse.
I stayed still, jaw locked, eyes never leaving the place his arm rested on her shoulder like it belonged there.
It didn't.
My body already knew what it would take to remove it.
Then he spoke.
Laughing. Easy. Too comfortable.
"First boyfriend."
The word hit hard.
My grip on the glass tightened.
Section E froze. Every single one of them felt it. I felt it in the way they all glanced at me—subtle, careful, waiting to see if I'd move.
I didn't.
Yet.
Jay turned slightly, ready to explain, but I didn't give her the chance.
I took one step forward.
Not fast.
Not threatening.
Just enough.
"Take your arm off her."
The music didn't stop—but the space around us did.
Robin blinked, surprised more than offended. He looked at Jay, then back at me.
"Oh," he said. "This makes sense."
Jay sighed. "Keifer—"
"No," I said calmly, never breaking eye contact with him. "You don't get to touch her."
Robin studied me for a second.
Then—
He laughed.
Actually laughed.
Relaxed. Amused.
And took his arm off her immediately.
"Relax, big guy," he said. "I'm gay."
Silence.
Then—
"What."
"HUH?"
"WAIT—"
My brain stalled.
Just for half a second.
Jay groaned. "I was going to explain."
Robin leaned back, smirking. "We dated for three weeks. Broke up because I realized I liked men. She figured it out before I did."
Cin wheezed. Felix slapped his knee. Someone actually applauded.
I exhaled slowly.
Not relief.
Recalibration.
Robin looked at me again—different now. Curious. Assessing.
Then he smiled. "You're the upgrade, huh?"
I didn't smile back.
But I did nod once.
"Still," I said evenly, "don't put your arm around her."
Jay turned to me sharply. "Keifer."
Robin held up both hands, laughing. "Fair. Noted. Boundaries respected."
He leaned in—not to her, but toward me—voice low.
"She's solid," he said. "Take care of her."
"I'm glad you're back, Jay. Truly."
"Me too," she said softly.
He stepped away then, respectful, easy. "I'll let you breathe. Drinks on me."
Then he stepped back, giving her space like it had never been his to claim.
Jay looked up at me, eyes narrowed. "Happy?"
I met her gaze. "Protective."
She rolled her eyes—but her fingers slid into mine anyway.
And that—That was all I needed...
JAY'S POV
The dance floor erased the edges of everything.
Music slammed through my chest, lights blurring into color and heat, laughter tangling with bass until it was impossible to tell where one ended and the other began. Section E completely lost their minds—and I loved them for it.
Cin danced like he'd made a personal enemy out of rhythm.
Felix hyped everyone like a failed DJ.
Blaster was already shirt-half-off, living his best life.
Beer passed around. Too much. Too fast.
I laughed until my cheeks hurt.
Through it all, I felt him.
Keifer didn't dance much. He didn't need to. He stayed close, a steady presence behind the chaos—quiet, watchful, grounding. Every time the crowd surged, he was there. A hand at my back. A shoulder I could lean into for half a second when the noise got too loud.
At one point I spun back toward him, breathless, grin wide.
"You're not even drunk," I accused.
He tilted his head. "Someone has to survive this."
I laughed and bumped my forehead lightly into his chest. "Hero."
He snorted. But his hand stayed at my waist.
That mattered more than anything.
By the time we stumbled back toward camp, Section E had fully devolved.
Cin argued with the path.
Felix declared the night "historical."
Someone fell asleep mid-sentence.
Keifer and David took over without a word—lifting, guiding, muttering threats of bodily harm if anyone puked on them. I helped where I could, but mostly I watched, fond and exhausted and weirdly full.
They looked like a family.
Messy. Loud. Mine.
Then suddenly my head spinned hard....
KEIFER'S POV
She was fine moments ago...
Right up until she wasn't.
One second she was laughing, swaying to music only she could hear, and the next she nearly tripped over absolutely nothing.
I caught her by reflex.
"Careful," I said. "That rock has a family."
She gasped dramatically. "I almost died."
"You almost offended the ground."
She giggled. Full-on, unfiltered, drunk giggle—and then leaned her entire weight into me like that was the plan all along.
Great.
By the time we reached her tent, she was narrating her own downfall.
"Okay so," she whispered conspiratorially, "if I disappear tomorrow, tell everyone I was brave and hot."
I ducked us inside the tent. "You're neither disappearing nor hot. You're dehydrated and annoying."
She flopped onto the mat, arms spread. "Liar. I'm very hot."
"I'm begging you to sleep."
She squinted up at me as I knelt to take off her shoes. "Why are you on your knees?"
"…Because your laces exist."
"Oh." She nodded seriously. "Romantic."
I snorted.
The moment I stood, she sat up again, poking my chest.
"You know," she said, voice suddenly soft and way too sincere, "you're very handsome and hot like Andres Muhlach hot😜."
I froze. "Jay."
"No no, listen," she insisted, finger wagging. "Like—unfairly hot. It's suspicious."
I shook my head, smiling despite myself. "You're drunk."
"Drunk people are honest," she said proudly. "Also I want to kiss you."
That one hit clean.
I wanted to kiss her too her lips were so tempting but I can't do this not when she's drunk...
I cleared my throat. "You're going to sleep."
She leaned forward until our foreheads almost touched. "After."
I stood quickly. Bad idea. "I'm leaving. You need rest."
I turned—
—and immediately felt her grab my hoodie with surprising strength.
"Don't go," she said, pouting. "You'll get kidnapped by the dark."
I laughed. "I'll risk it."
She tugged harder. "Stay. I'll protect you."
"With what?"
"My charm." She squinted. "And this tent pole."
I sighed, defeated. "Jay, you're going to regret this."
She smiled lazily. "Future Jay can fight you."
I lay down beside her.
Instantly, she curled into me like she'd been waiting for permission—leg thrown over mine, arm around my waist, face tucked against my chest.
"Mine," she mumbled.
I stiffened. "…Excuse me?"
She looked up, eyes half-lidded, mischievous even drunk. "Relax. Temporarily."
I laughed quietly, arm sliding around her back despite myself. "Sleep."
She yawned. "If I snore, pretend it's cute."
"I'll pretend I don't know you."
Her fingers fisted my hoodie tighter. "Promise you won't disappear?"
"I'm right here."
She smiled, content, and pressed a sloppy kiss to my collarbone. "Good. Because I like you. A lot. Don't tell sober me."
Too late.
Her breathing evened out moments later.
I stayed awake longer than I meant to—listening, holding, smiling at the absolute chaos of her.
And yeah.
Totally worth the regret.