Jayjay's POV
By the time we stepped back inside the school, it felt like the world had exhaled.
Most students were already gone. The corridors that were usually loud with footsteps and chatter now echoed softly, like the building itself was tired. Rainwater dripped from our hair, our sleeves, our bags. Everything smelled like wet concrete and cold air.
It was just us now.
Me. Yuri. Ci-N. Adrian. Calix. Ciel.
No noise. No crowd. No eyes watching.
"We should go to the gym," Ci-N said, rubbing his arms. "There are towels there."
That made sense. None of us argued.
The gym lights flickered on when Adrian pushed the door open. The place was empty, wide, and quiet. A few towels were stacked neatly near the lockers. I grabbed one and pressed it against my hair, feeling the chill slowly leave my skin.
Yuri didn't say anything.
He walked straight toward the training area, stopping in front of the punching dummy. For a second, he just stood there, shoulders tense, fists clenched. Then he struck.
Thud.
Again.
Thud. Thud.
Each punch landed heavy, sharp, full of everything he hadn't said outside. I could see it in the way his jaw tightened, in the way his knuckles pressed into the padding like he was trying to break through something invisible.
No one interrupted him.
Ci-N leaned against the wall, arms crossed. Calix watched quietly. Adrian stayed near the lockers, giving Yuri space. Ciel stood beside me, silent for once.
After a while, Yuri slowed, breathing hard.
I swallowed, then stepped forward a little.
"Yuri… can I try?"
He turned, surprised, then studied my face. For a moment, I thought he might say no. Instead, he nodded.
"Yeah."
He grabbed a pair of boxing gloves and helped me put them on, tightening the straps carefully, like he was handling something fragile.
I stood in front of the dummy.
For a second, I hesitated.
Then my mind did something on its own.
The dummy wasn't a dummy anymore.
It had Sienna's face.
Her smile.
Her innocent eyes.
Her lies.
My fist moved before my thoughts could stop it.
Thud.
Again.
Thud. Thud.
I punched again and again, small at first, then faster. Each hit carried something out of me. The confusion. The anger. The hurt I pretended didn't exist. My arms burned, my breathing went uneven, but I didn't stop.
I imagined every time she twisted things.
Every time I doubted myself.
Every tear I swallowed.
When I finally stopped, my arms were shaking.
I stepped back, breathing hard.
The room was quiet.
I looked up.
Everyone was staring at me.
Not judging. Not mocking. Just… surprised.
Ci-N was the first to speak.
"Guess she finally let it all out," he said softly.
I let out a weak laugh and pulled the gloves off. My hands ached, but my chest felt lighter. Like something heavy had finally loosened its grip.
We dried ourselves with the towels, the tension slowly melting away. The conversation drifted into normal things. Classes. Lectures. Complaints about assignments. Nothing dramatic. Nothing forced.
Just… normal.
And somehow, that felt healing.
After a while, we stepped back outside.
The rain had stopped.
The ground still shimmered, reflecting the campus lights. The air felt fresh, like the storm had cleaned more than just the sky.
Adrian stretched. "I'm heading to the boys' dorm."
Calix and Ci-N nodded, heading their own ways.
Ciel and I walked toward the dorm together.
Our shoes splashed lightly against the wet pavement. She adjusted her bag and sighed. "My notes are soaked. Next time it rains, I'm wrapping everything in plastic."
I laughed quietly. "You and your notes."
We walked a little more before I spoke again.
"By the way…"
She glanced at me.
"You were kind of scary earlier," I said. "The way you went after Sienna."
Ciel smirked, eyes forward. "Someone had to."
"I'm serious," I added. "Thanks. I don't think I would've laughed today if you hadn't done that."
She shrugged, but her smile softened. "Anytime. No one messes with you and gets away with it."
We reached the dorm entrance.
As I pushed the door open, I realized something important.
I wasn't angry anymore.
Still hurt. Still confused. But lighter. Calmer.
Maybe storms weren't just meant to destroy.
Maybe some were meant to wash things away 🌧️✨