--: Author's POV:--
The atmosphere in the VIP wing of the hospital had shifted overnight. The heavy, suffocating silence of the last week was replaced by a low, constant hum of voices. Now that the "Mutya" was awake, Section E had essentially turned the private recovery suite into their own sovereign territory, where the hospital's rules no longer applied.
Two nurses had already tried to argue about the "visitor limit," but after one look at David standing like a stone wall by the door and Percy giving them a sharp, warning glance from the corner, they had decided it was best to stay at the nurse's station.
--:Aries's POV:--
"Is the coast clear?" Felix whispered, poking his head around the heavy oak door.
"The head nurse is at the station down the hall," Ci-N replied, checking the reflection in the glass. "Go, go, go!"
Felix, Blaster, and Mayo scurried into the room like a group of specialized commandos. But instead of weapons, they were carrying three large brown paper bags that smelled heavenly.
"Mission accomplished," Blaster grinned, dropping the bags on the small visitor's table. "One double cheeseburger with extra pickles, large fries, and a chocolate shake. The hospital jello was looking at Jay-jay like it wanted to insult her, so we had to intervene."
Jay-jay was propped up on three pillows, her face still pale but her eyes much brighter than yesterday. She looked at the bags like they were treasure.
"I think I love you guys more than Keifer right now" she rasped, her voice stronger but still scratchy.
"Hey!" Keifer barked from his permanent spot right next to her bed. He looked exhausted, his hair a mess, but he didn't look like a ghost anymore. He reached over and opened the shake for her. "Don't say that. I'm the one who had to sign the 'patient responsibility' form saying I wouldn't let you eat junk."
"You signed it while crossing your fingers, didn't you?" Keigan teased, leaning against the window with Keiran.
"I signed it with my left hand so it wouldn't count" Keifer muttered, handing the straw to Jay-jay.😅
--:Jay-jay's POV:--
The first sip of that chocolate shake felt like a religious experience. I closed my eyes, savoring the sugar. For a second, I could almost forget about the rain, the mud, and the sound of Kaizar's boots hitting the forest floor.
I looked around the room. Eman and Edrix were arguing over who got the last fry. Rory and Josh were trying to figure out how to work the adjustable hospital bed, and Denzel was showing Eren something on a tablet. They were all here. Every single one of them.
"You guys really stayed here the whole time?" I asked softly.
"Every single hour," Ci-N said, leaning against the foot of the bed. "Nobody wanted to leave, Jay. We had a rotation for sleep, but most of the time, we just ended up crashing in the hallway chairs. We weren't going anywhere until we saw those eyes open."
I felt a lump in my throat. They hadn't stayed because they were told to—they had stayed for me.
"But... what about home?" I asked, my eyes darting to my brother. "Mom and Tita... they must be losing their minds. What did you say to them?"
Aries sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. He looked like he hadn't slept in a month. "It wasn't easy, Jay. I've been the one answering the calls. I told them we all got selected for a surprise leadership camp through the school—a week-long trip to a remote mountain resort. I told them there was no cell service, so I'd only be able to call them once a day from a 'landline'."
He gave a tired, weak laugh. "I had to sound really excited about 'hiking' and 'team-building' while I was actually sitting in this hospital chair watching your vitals. Kuya Angelo helped make it look real—he even sent a fake itinerary to the house so they wouldn't get suspicious."
"They have no idea," Aries continued, his voice softening. "They just think you're having the time of your life on a school trip. I didn't want them to see you like this, Jay. It would have killed them."
I reached out and squeezed Aries's hand. He had been carrying the weight of the secret at home all by himself. "Thank you, Kuya."
"Don't thank me," he muttered, squeezing back. "Just get better so I can stop lying. I'm running out of 'hiking' stories."
"So," I said, a small smirk returning to my face as I looked at the group. "While I was asleep... who was the biggest crybaby? I want the truth."
The entire room immediately pointed their fingers at Keifer.
"Traitors" Keifer hissed, his ears turning red, though he didn't pull his hand away from mine.