Jayjay's POV
The school day was winding down. The usual hustle and bustle of students was fading, and only a few lingered, hanging around the hallways. Most students had already packed up and left, heading off to their destinations. The sky outside was darkening, heavy clouds rolling in fast.
I stood near the entrance with Chantelle, David, and the others. We had just finished our last class, and the air was thick with tension. The argument between Keifer and Yuri still weighed on us all, and I couldn't help but feel like everything was breaking apart.
I stared out at the sky, watching the clouds, my heart sinking lower with each passing second. Keifer hadn't spoken to me much, and I was beginning to wonder if the distance between us was more permanent than I realized. The situation with Sienna wasn't helping either. I was stuck in the middle, and I didn't know how to fight back anymore.
That's when I saw Yuri.
He stormed toward the group, his jaw tight, eyes blazing with anger. There was no mistaking it—he had reached his breaking point. He didn't look at any of us; his focus was entirely on Sienna, who was standing a few feet away. She had that smug look on her face, the one that always made my stomach twist.
Yuri didn't waste any time. He marched up to her, standing so close that I could feel the tension between them. "Why are you doing this to Jay?" Yuri's voice was icy, sharp like a blade. "What's your game? What's your intention here, Sienna?"
Sienna's face shifted, but only for a moment. Her expression changed from that calm, manipulative smile to one of mock confusion. "I don't know what you mean." Her voice was sweet, almost too sweet. "I haven't done anything to Jay."
I felt my chest tighten, the words hanging in the air, and I just stood there, too afraid to speak up.
Yuri didn't back down, though. He shook his head in frustration. "Stop playing games, Sienna. I've seen everything. I know what you're doing, and I know what you're saying behind closed doors. This needs to end. Now. For Jay's sake.**
But then, in the blink of an eye, Sienna's attitude changed again. She suddenly became defensive, almost like she didn't understand what Yuri was saying. She crossed her arms and tilted her head, acting all innocent. I could see it now: She was pretending, and I could tell Yuri wasn't buying it either. But her next move was worse.
Keifer appeared then, his expression unreadable. He walked slowly toward us, his eyes briefly meeting mine. But there was no warmth there, nothing that suggested we were on the same side. Just indifference.
"You don't see it, do you? All of this, Keifer—it's like you're blind to what's happening. You're choosing someone who's manipulating you, over the girl who's been by your side all along."
"I'm not blind, Yuri," Keifer shot back. "I'm just tired of listening to you."
Yuri's eyes narrowed. "Keifer," he started, his voice getting sharper. "You don't see what's going on here? I know what Sienna has been doing. I know what she's said. And you're just—just letting her do this to Jay?"
Keifer didn't blink, didn't flinch. He shrugged, like it was all no big deal. "I trust Sienna," he replied, his tone dismissive. "She hasn't done anything wrong."
I felt the words hit me like a punch in the chest. I wanted to say something, but the words wouldn't come.
Yuri's frustration boiled over. He stepped toward Keifer, his face dark with anger. "She's been manipulating you this whole time! Don't you see that? You're too blind to see what's right in front of you. How can you just stand there and act like nothing's happening?" Yuri's voice cracked with emotion. "You promised to protect Jay, to keep her safe, to make her happy. Where is that promise now, Keifer?"
Keifer's expression didn't change, but his eyes hardened. "You still like her, don't you?" His voice was low, challenging.
Yuri's eyes widened, but he didn't hesitate. "I care about her as a friend, Keifer. I always have. But you promised her more than that. You promised her you would take care of her. And now look where we are. Look at what's happening.**"
The air grew thick with tension. I didn't know who was right or wrong anymore. But just as things were about to reach a boiling point, the sky opened up, and the rain started to pour.
At first, it was just a few drops, but then it came down hard, soaking everyone in an instant. The air grew colder, and the rain beat against the pavement like it was angry.
Keifer looked up at the sky, his face unreadable. But Yuri wasn't done. He grabbed Keifer by the arm and pulled him toward the courtyard, into the heavy rain. "Maybe the rain from above needs to pass through your body first, Keifer," Yuri said, his voice filled with fury. "Maybe it'll help clear the fog in your eyes, the fog in your brain."
Keifer shoved Yuri's hand off his arm. "You want to start something, Yuri?"
Yuri didn't hesitate. He grabbed Keifer again, his anger rising. "I'm trying to wake you up. Why are you choosing her over Jay? Why are you acting like this? You promised to protect her!"
The rain poured down harder, making the ground slick and slippery. We were all standing there, watching in silence, when suddenly, Sienna stepped forward. She tried to separate the two of them, but Yuri didn't budge. With one swift push, he shoved her aside.
It wasn't violent, but it was enough to send her stumbling backward, almost falling into Keifer. The way Keifer caught her felt... off. It was like he was doing it out of obligation, not care.
"Why did you push her?" Keifer asked, his voice low, defensive.
Yuri, now completely enraged, snapped back. "Don't you see what she's doing to you? Can't you see the lies? She's playing you! And you're letting her!"
Sienna stood there, her face red with anger, trying to regain her composure. But there was something in her eyes that told me she knew the truth now. She was exposed.
That's when Yuri completely lost it.
"Where's the guy who promised to protect her?" Yuri yelled, his voice breaking with frustration. "Where's the guy who swore he would make her smile? The guy who would burn down a whole damn clan to keep her safe—where is that guy now?"
Keifer's eyes narrowed, and before anyone could stop him, he shoved Yuri hard. "Shut up, Yuri!"
It was on. The fight had begun.
Yuri threw the first punch, and Keifer immediately fought back. I couldn't believe what was happening.
"Enough!" I shouted, but no one listened.
The rain splashed down, mixing with the tension between them. I just stood there, my heart pounding, unable to do anything.
Ciel, Chantelle, and the others had enough. They pulled out a rubber, of all things, and before Sienna knew it, they started hitting her with it. It was hilarious. I couldn't help but laugh at the absurdity of it all. Ciel's hits were so exaggerated and playful, making the whole scene feel like a slapstick comedy.
But then, Sienna—madder than ever—went straight for Keifer. She reached for him, but as she did, he spun around, and his back hit her, sending her crashing to the wet ground.
The whole group started laughing. The tension lifted for a second, and even I couldn't stop myself from giggling at the ridiculousness of it all.
Adrian, ever the voice of reason, spoke up. "Okay, I think we should separate these two before it gets worse."
Everyone agreed, and with the combined effort of David, Adrian, Edrix, Felix, and Ci-N, they managed to pull the two apart.
Finally, we all stood there, wet and cold, staring at each other in silence. Yuri was breathing hard, his face flushed with anger. "You're not the leader anymore, Keifer."
Keifer didn't flinch. He looked at Yuri coldly. "Maybe you never knew me in the first place."
Yuri's voice cracked as he yelled, "What the hell do you see in Sienna? Are you blind?!"
Keifer's eyes darkened. "Jay choose me or yuri ."
The rain continued to fall, the air growing heavier with every word.
Calix stepped forward, shaking his head. "You're choosing sides, Keifer."
Ci-N added, "This isn't what Section E stands for."
I couldn't keep quiet any longer. "**We're family, why are you
making me choose?**" I asked, my voice trembling. My chest tightened as I looked from Keifer to Yuri, then back to Sienna. I didn't understand why they couldn't just stop and realize the mess they were making of everything.
Keifer's face hardened, and he turned away. His eyes were red, and I couldn't tell if it was from the rain or something else. The sight of him walking away made my heart ache, but I couldn't follow him. I couldn't.
With a loud rev of the engine, Keifer got into his car and drove off, the tires screeching against the wet pavement. Sienna wanted to follow, but Keifer sped off so fast that some of the rainwater splashed her, drenching her even more. I couldn't help but laugh under my breath. Maybe it was petty, but something about it felt good.
Sienna stood there for a moment, staring after him, her hands clenched into fists. She was furious, but there was something else in her eyes—something I couldn't quite place. Her plans were falling apart, and I could see it.
I turned to Yuri, who was standing there, still breathing heavily. He had taken the worst of it in the fight with Keifer. His shirt was torn, his face bruised, but there was something else in his eyes—regret, maybe?
"What were you thinking, fighting Keifer?" I asked, raising an eyebrow. "He's way stronger than you."
Yuri looked at me, his expression softening slightly. "I couldn't stand seeing you hurt anymore, Jay." His voice was quieter now, less angry. "I don't care what happens to me, as long as you're okay."
I couldn't help but feel a little moved by his words. Yuri always had this way of making everything feel like it was about me.
Ciel, who had been watching the whole ordeal, stepped in, giving Yuri a quick glance before crossing her arms. "Excuse me?" she said, her voice teasing. Yuri looked at her in confusion, but then she smiled. "You're all mine , Yuri."
Without saying another word, Yuri pulled Ciel into a hug, smiling at her with a kind of relief I hadn't seen before. He seemed to let go of the tension that had been building up all day.
They started walking back toward the building, and David, Adrian, and Felix followed closely behind, still talking and laughing about the chaos that had just unfolded. Sienna glared at them, but no one seemed to care anymore.
As we all walked back inside, the rain continued to pour down in sheets. The campus was almost empty now, most students had already gone home. The quiet after the storm felt deafening, but it was the kind of silence that spoke volumes.
I stood still for a moment, watching the wet pavement shimmer under the dim lights, before looking back at the group.
"Jay, you okay?" David's voice broke through the storm, pulling me from my thoughts.
I nodded, but it felt like my heart was breaking in two.
"We're family," I whispered to myself, the words heavy in the air. We couldn't keep falling apart like this. We needed to stick together, even if it meant facing the storm.
END OF CHAPTER