Jay-jay's POV
I wanted to install lasers in my eyes so I could melt this sibling of mine who must be the child of the Habagat wind.
"Speak already." I ordered, annoyed.
"Make me." he replied, equally annoying. This idiot. I had been wanting to curse at him for a while now. If only Keifer weren't here in front of me, I would've been swearing nonstop.
"Percy!" I snapped.
"Jay-jay!" he mimicked.
"Stop your childish games, Percy. Just answer Jay." Keifer commanded.
He laughed for a moment before sighing. "Why am I even being questioned here?" he asked, scratching his head. "I only found out late that they were talking."
I glared at him. "That's it?"
"That's really it." he clarified.
So Aries got scared over nothing. He probably thought this annoying stepbrother of mine would tattle on him to me. But it turned out he didn't know anything because it seemed Papa wasn't telling him either. My trip here was a waste.
I pouted and slumped down on the floor. I felt like crying out of frustration. I was upset because Aries lied to me. I would've understood if we were still fighting, but we're okay now. He was even the one who said he'd make it up to me, so why did he still keep secrets?
"Percy…" I called him, my voice almost breaking. "I want to see Papa."
"Don't beg me." he imitated my tone. Annoying.
"Let's just keep it a secret. No one will know."
"Sure. And my death at Angelo's hands will also be a secret. This time, it'll be for real."
I frowned slightly. He really was that scared of Kuya Angelo. And so was I.
"What should I do?" My voice had a hint of pleading.
"Talk to your mom." Percy answered quickly. "Convince her."
I shook my head. How? My mom was furious and wouldn't change her mind. Even if I convulsed in front of her, she still wouldn't agree.
"What am I supposed to say?"
"Tell her she's still your dad's love."
I wanted to cry out loud. Not only could I not think of a plan, but I also wasn't getting any helpful advice. Talking to my stepbrother was exhausting.
"I want to punch you." I said, and he answered with a sweet smile.
Keifer approached me and helped me stand up. "Best to convince your mom, Jay. If you go against her decision, you might never see your dad again." He said.
I sighed. It's not like I had any other choice. Trying to convince Mom felt like a shot in the dark. I might even get punched myself.
"What else? Whatever happens, happens." Keifer smiled at me and held my cheek.
I leaned my forehead against his chest. "I'm so tired."
"I know. You can rest, but don't give up."
I nodded slightly. He combed his fingers through my hair and kissed the top of my head.
"What's with the flirting?" Percy commented, so I glared at him, and Keifer flipped him off. Percy winced immediately.
My eyes shifted to the door when I saw Honey walking in. She looked at all of us. "What's going on?"
Percy glanced at her and quickly crossed his index fingers. Honey rolled her eyes dramatically before swaying her hips and approaching Keifer.
She held her phone out in front of him. "Answer your cousins' call. They need your approval."
I looked at the phone she was holding and then at Keifer. "I-I think I need to leave."
But the king quickly disagreed. "You don't have to. I can talk to them later."
"What do you mean later? They kept bothering me, which is why I rushed here. Just answer them already." Honey said, annoyed.
I stepped aside to give him space to answer the call freely.
He looked at me like he was silently apologizing. He took the phone and answered the call.
I kept my eyes on him, but I couldn't ignore Honey raising an eyebrow at me. She quickly approached me. "Don't be sad. He's just talking on the phone; he's not leaving." She teased.
"I'm not sad." I answered.
She laughed a little and made a face, as if she didn't believe me.
Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away. When I looked, it was Percy's scowling face that greeted me.
"Stop brainwashing Jay-jay," he said, shielding me behind him.
Honey rolled her eyes so hard I thought they'd get stuck. "I'm doing nothing."
"Oh please, it's you we're talking about."
Honey gave him a playful smile. "You want me to brainwash you instead?" she said, tugging at Percy's belt with one finger.
My stepbrother let out a high-pitched scream and swatted her hand away. He quickly stepped back and hid behind me.
"Stay away from me!"
"Don't you want to try? I'm good at brainwashing… from head… down below," she teased, winking.
What exactly would she brainwash down below?
Percy stomped his foot like a child and squealed in disgust.
"Stop it!" he snapped before turning to me. "Jay-jay, make her stop!"
I pushed his hand away. "You deal with it."
"You're so uptight! As if you didn't moan that—"
Percy suddenly screamed so loudly that Honey couldn't even finish what she was saying. I jumped away from him in shock.
"What the fvck is wrong with you?" Keifer asked angrily when Percy finally stopped screaming. "Stop messing with him!" he added, turning to Honey, who was grinning mischievously.
"It's just a joke. Besides, I already have a boyfriend," Honey said, surprising me.
She got a boyfriend that fast? It felt like just yesterday she was crying over Percy running away from her, and now she already had someone new.
"I'm leaving!" Percy huffed, but I quickly stopped him.
"I'll go with you."
"I'll take you home," the King immediately offered. "It's dangerous for you."
"Percy can take me home," I insisted.
"Yeah, I'll take her," my brother agreed. "And tie that woman up—she's too wild," he added, pointing at Honey.
"It's better if I—" Keifer started, but I cut him off.
"No need. Don't worry, I'll be okay."
It was obvious he didn't want to agree, but I wasn't going to let him insist. I was the one who came to his house, so why would he still have to take me home? He'd just have to go back afterward.
I smiled at him. "I got here safely, didn't I?"
He nodded and stepped closer to hug me. It was brief because Percy had already started walking away, and I hurried to follow him.
I grabbed my bike to load it into the car's trunk. Percy struggled to fit it in, even though it was clear it wouldn't fit.
Keifer walked me to the car door and helped me in. After closing the door, he asked me to roll down the window, so I did.
"Please text me when you get home," he said, and I winced.
"I-I'll try."
I didn't even have my cellphone. It was still in Kuya Angelo's hands.
The King quickly kissed my forehead. I looked up at him.
"Take care."
I just nodded and turned to Percy, signaling him to start driving. He drove off, and I rolled the window up.
During the ride, my brother kept muttering things I couldn't quite hear. Since we were driving on the highway, we were taking a longer route home, but that was fine.
We stopped briefly because of traffic.
"Who would even go for that woman?" he muttered, looking out the window.
"What?"
"Do you even know Honey's boyfriend?" he asked, and I shook my head.
"Someone actually went for her?" he asked in disbelief. "What kind of miracle did she pull off?"
"Why would any guy even go for her?"
"Maybe she trapped him into it."
I winced. He was being so harsh—it was obvious he still hadn't accepted that Honey had a new boyfriend.
But I couldn't really blame her for getting tired of chasing him. Percy acted so high and mighty when it was clear he liked her attention.
He was just playing hard to get.
The whole ride went on like that. When the car was about to turn onto the street toward our house, I quickly told him to stop.
"Why?"
"They can't see you dropping me off—they might think I went to see Papa," I explained, and he nodded.
"You're right, sis. That would cause chaos."
He turned off the engine and got out. I followed to grab my bike from the trunk.
We said a quick goodbye and went our separate ways. I biked home while he drove off.
When I reached our gate, my nerves spiked. I hadn't asked for permission to leave—I just went. I was sure I was about to get an earful.
I slowly wheeled my bike inside and parked it in the corner. Honestly, my knee still hurt, but after everything that happened, I barely felt the pain anymore. I peeked through the door before slowly stepping inside.
"Jay-jay!" Mama called, rushing to hug me.
Behind her was Aunt Gema, holding a cellphone.
"Where have you been? You made us so worried," she said, turning to the phone. "I'll tell Aries and Angelo to come back."
Mama pulled away and held my shoulders tightly.
"Why did you just leave like that?"
"I just wanted to," I answered, and her brows instantly furrowed.
She hit my arm. "What's wrong with you? We were so worried. I got even more scared when your brother said someone was threatening your life."
"So what? I wanted to go out, so I did."
"You can't just do whatever you want!"
"Oh, but you can? You do whatever you want, so why can't I?"
She gave me a sharp look. "What exactly are you trying to say now?"
"I'm right, aren't I? You refuse to let me see Papa—that's what you want, and that's what happened. Why am I the only one who can't do what I want?"
She sighed deeply and ran a hand over her face. She turned her back on me, probably trying to calm herself down.
When she faced me again, her voice was firm. "Go upstairs. Get some rest. I'll talk to your Kuya Angelo."
I stomped away from her and headed to my room. I slammed the door so hard that it bounced back toward me. Before I knew it, the door hit me squarely in the face.
My face was shattered.
I quickly grabbed my forehead and sat down on the floor.
"Damn you, door!" I shouted in frustration. "Fck you! Fck you!"
I slowly stood up and brushed off my clothes before slamming the door shut again. Thankfully, this time it finally closed properly.
Otherwise, I would've replaced it.
I flopped face down on the bed and started kicking out of sheer irritation. I wanted to destroy that door entirely, and I also wanted to throw a fit because of my situation.
Why does Mom have to be so stubborn? This isn't just about her. This is about me too and how Aries is trying to steal my father.
I squirmed and flailed on the bed out of pure frustration. I didn't know how to get rid of this heaviness in my chest.
I kept kicking until I didn't even notice when I fell asleep.
I woke up the next day with my stomach aching from hunger. My sleep had been so long that I'd missed dinner. Now my insides were practically rioting.
I practically crawled into the bathroom because of how weak I felt. My eyes widened when I saw myself in the mirror. I had only missed one meal, but I already looked thinner.
What kind of magic is this?
I went straight to showering since I hadn't washed up before sleeping. It felt a little unusual because I rarely shower on weekends unless I have plans.
After getting dressed and tidying up, I walked to the kitchen. I could already hear my mom's loud voice from the stairs. It seemed like she had yet another enemy.
When I reached the living room, I was greeted by massive bouquets of flowers—different colors and arrangements, clearly from different shops because some still had their store names attached.
I turned toward the door when I heard my mom's furious cursing. I peeked and was shocked to see even more bouquets arriving.
"Take those back where they came from! I don't need them!" Mom shouted angrily.
"S-sorry, ma'am. We can't. This address was the only recipient listed," the delivery boy said, scratching his head awkwardly.
"Can we know who sent them?" Aunt Gema asked, standing right beside Mom.
"Mr. Mariano, ma'am."
"Oh, f*ck!" Mom shrieked, making the delivery boy jump back in fear.
Why did that curse sound like my own voice? Was my conscience starting to curse at me now because I do it so often?
Is that you, conscience?
I turned my back on them and headed to the kitchen. At least Mom had flowers from Dad. And those flowers came with some very colorful language. Meanwhile, I had none—just my ever-growing list of issues.
While I was busy rummaging for food, my older brother entered the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. I stepped aside to let him through. He grabbed a box of chocolate milk, shook it, stuck in a straw, and started sipping while also searching for something to eat.
"Hey, Kuya," I called, and he glanced at me briefly.
"My phone."
He rolled his eyes. "I threw it away."
"What?!" I gasped.
"It was too noisy. It annoyed me."
My jaw dropped in disbelief.
"Kuuuuyyyyyaaaaaaaa!!!"
I stomped my feet in frustration. It's rare for me to have a good phone, and now it was gone. I heard him chuckle softly. I shot him a glare, realizing he was messing with me.
"It's a joke. Your phone's in my room."
"Can I get it now?"
"No."
I stomped again. "Come on, Kuya!"
"You left without telling anyone yesterday. This is your punishment."
"But—! You have to understand! I just wanted to see Dad, but Mom keeps getting in the way!" I said, exasperated.
"Still. You're forgetting that your life is in danger."
I kept stomping and was nearly in tears from frustration. "You should understand me. You don't have a dad either—"
I covered my mouth as soon as I realized what I had just said. Yes, we were in the same situation, but my dad was alive and around, while his… no one really knew.
"I-I'm sorry."
"I get it," he said with a shrug. "But I have someone I consider a father. His name's Julz."
"Well, good for you!" I grabbed his sleeve. "But, Kuya, please, just give me my phone back."
I shook him hard enough that his chocolate milk almost spilled, and his V-neck shirt nearly tore.
"L-let go."
"My phone!"
"Enough. You're practically undressing me."
I ignored him and kept tugging at his shirt. It seemed like he finally lost his patience when he slammed his drink down on the counter.
"I said enough!" His voice echoed through the entire house.
I immediately let go and backed away. He adjusted his clothes, keeping his eyes on me the whole time. Then he picked up his chocolate milk again.
"I'll think about whether I'll give your phone back," he said before walking away.
I pouted. I hoped he'd give it back soon. I wanted to text Keifer since I hadn't been able to yesterday—he was probably worried by now.
Wow, like we're a couple?
That idiot. He said we didn't need labels, and then the next day he asked me to be his girlfriend. What a moron!
I turned my attention back to the fridge, looking for something to eat. I settled on some leftovers from last night and heated them up in the microwave.
While I was eating, Mom and Aunt Gema entered the kitchen. Aunt Gema was giggling nonstop, while Mom looked absolutely pissed.
"Just talk to him already," Aunt Gema teased.
"Get away from me, or I'll slap you," Mom threatened, but Aunt Gema only laughed harder.
They both turned to look at me when they noticed I was there.
"Is that all you're eating? Do you want me to cook something? I can call—"
"This is fine," I quickly cut Aunt Gema off.
I glanced at Mom, who was pouring water into a glass. She looked serious—her forehead still furrowed with frustration. At this rate, even Botox wouldn't fix those lines.
No one spoke. Aunt Gema kept glancing back and forth between me and Mom.
"The flowers are beautiful," I finally said, breaking the silence.
Mom rolled her eyes while Aunt Gema snickered.
"Just throw them away. They're irritating," Mom said.
"What a waste," Aunt Gema replied with regret.
"Fine. Keep them. And when I finally kill him, put those on his grave," Mom snapped, slamming the glass into the sink.
I couldn't help but feel annoyed. Dad was clearly trying to make amends. I knew forgiveness wasn't easy, but my future was on the line here.
"Just talk to him," I urged.
Both of them looked at me.
"It's not that easy," Mom said.
"If you can't forgive him, at least let me see him."
"Stop it."
"Why did you let Aries see Dad but not me?"
"I didn't let him! He ran away from us!"
"So do I have to run away just to—"
"For heaven's sake, Jay!" Mom snapped, cutting me off.
I wanted to argue more, but she had already turned her back and left. Aunt Gema immediately sat beside me and wrapped an arm around my shoulder.
"Be patient. You can't blame your mom. She went through a lot of pain because of your dad's family," she said, rubbing my arm gently.
"I don't understand."
"Your mom fought for your rights. Even when she was met with cruel words, she kept going back to their mansion."
I looked at Aunt Gema in disbelief. It was hard to imagine Mom putting up with that. She's the kind of woman who wouldn't let anyone treat her badly.
"What happened?"
"Your dad himself made it clear that he already had a wife."
I stared blankly ahead. Mom had endured all that on her own? I couldn't imagine it.