Jay's POV
They said I could go home.
Home.
The word felt warm, like sunlight pressed into syllables ☀️
My wounds were almost healed, the doctors said. "Still rest," they insisted. "No hero activities." Which felt unfair because I had clearly just unlocked a lifetime membership to hero activities.
Aunty Gemma handled the discharge papers like a general finishing a war. Aries carried my bag dramatically, as if it contained ancient treasure instead of pajamas and hospital socks.
"You ready?" Aunty Gemma asked gently.
I nodded.
The hospital doors slid open.
Freedom air hit my face.
But before I could step forward properly, Aries stopped me.
"Close your eyes."
"What?" I blinked at him.
"Close. Your. Eyes." He folded his arms. "And trust me."
That sentence alone was terrifying.
"Aries…"
"Trust me."
This is how people get kidnapped by their own family.
Still… I closed my eyes.
"Okay, walk," Aries instructed.
I felt his hand lightly guiding my arm. "Left. Small step. Not that small. Okay, now right. Careful. There's a curb. Step up."
Aunty Gemma's soft laugh floated beside me. "You're doing fine."
If I trip, I am haunting him for the rest of his life.
We walked like that for what felt like a full expedition across continents.
"Stop," Aries said finally.
Silence.
Then, softer, almost excited, "Open."
I opened my eyes.
Light flooded in first, bright and blinding. For a second everything was just white and gold.
Then shapes formed.
People.
A lot of people.
Right in front stood Keifer. Yuri. Adrian. Chantelle. Andrew. Ciel. Ci-N. Percy. Section boy and dad.
They were all smiling.
Before I could process that, they stepped aside slightly.
And that's when I saw him.
The principal.
Walking toward me with several teachers behind him. One of them carried a bouquet of flowers wrapped in pale blue paper.
My heart started pounding.
They stopped in front of me.
The principal looked at me in a way I had never seen before. Not strict. Not calculating.
Grateful.
He handed me the flowers.
"Thank you," he said quietly. "If not for your courage… thousands of families could have lost their loved ones."
The teachers nodded.
"Thank you," one repeated.
Then clapping began.
Soft at first.
Then louder.
Everyone.
Clapping.
For me.
This cannot be real. I am still asleep in the hospital bed.
My vision blurred.
No, not blurred.
Tears.
I tried to blink them away, but they spilled over anyway.
Suddenly Keifer was in front of me.
"Hey, hey," he said softly, wiping my cheeks with his thumb. "Don't cry."
I let out a small, breathy laugh. "I can't help it. It's just… heartwarming."
He smiled at me like I was something fragile and strong at the same time.
Then he pulled me into a hug.
Warm. Solid. Real.
He looked over my shoulder at everyone. "Okay, enough. You guys are making my wife cry."
There was a collective gasp.
"MY SISTER IS NO ONE'S WIFE," Aries shot back instantly.
"Relax," Keifer replied calmly. "Future tense."
"EXCUSE ME?"
Even through tears, I laughed.
One by one, people stepped forward.
More flowers. Small gift bags. Notes. Chocolates. Handmade cards. Someone gave me a ridiculously large teddy bear. Percy tried to claim it as his.
Soon I was buried in gratitude.
"I can't carry all this," I whispered helplessly.
Section E boys immediately stepped in like professional movers.
"We got it."
"Careful with that."
"Who brought this giant basket?"
Slowly, people began leaving. Waving. Smiling. Saying goodbye.
Eventually it was just us.
We packed the gifts into the car.
They did not all fit.
So some went into Keifer's car.
And the rest into Yuri's.
This is what it feels like to be loved by a small army.
I got into the car beside Aunty Gemma. Aries closed the door for me dramatically.
Engines started.
We drove off.
As the hospital faded in the rearview mirror, I looked at the flowers resting in my lap.
I almost died.
And yet I am here.
Alive.
Loved.
Overwhelmed.
And maybe… just maybe… stronger than I thought.
I leaned my head back against the seat
and closed my eyes again.
But this time, not because someone told me to.
Because I felt safe. 🌷✨
End of Chapter