JAY-JAY'S POV
I wanted to attach a laser to my eyes so that my brother will be melted by the south wind.
"Speak now," I ordered, annoyed.
"Make me," he replied just as irritably.
This brat, seriously.
I've been wanting to curse him for a while now. If Keifer weren't in front of me, I might have done it already—over and over again.
"Percy!" I snapped.
"Jay-Jay!" he mimicked.
"Stop your childish games, Percy. Just answer Jay," Keifer commanded.
Percy laughed for a moment before sighing.
"Why am I being questioned here?" he asked, scratching his head. "The last thing I knew, they were just talking."
I shot him a glare. "That's it?"
"That's it," he confirmed.
Aries was panicking over nothing. He thought this stepbrother of mine would report him to me. But he doesn't know anything either, because Papa doesn't tell him anything.
I just wasted my time here. I snorted and sat on the floor, frustration welling up inside me. I wanted to cry again.
I'm upset because Aries hid something from me. I could understand if we were still fighting, but we're fine now. He even said he would make it up to me—so why is he keeping secrets?
"Percy…" I called him, my voice almost breaking. "I want to see Papa."
"Don't ask me," he mimicked my tone.
Annoying.
"Even if it's just in secret. No one will know," I pleaded.
"Alright. And my death at Angelo's hands will also be a secret. This time, it will be for real."
I felt a tiny spark of excitement. He's terrified of Kuya Angelo.
And so am I.
"What should I do?" My tone was desperate.
"Talk to your Mom," Percy answered quickly. "Convince her."
I shook my head. How? My mother is furious, and once she's made up her mind, she doesn't change it. Even if I begged her, she wouldn't agree.
"What do I even say?"
"Tell her your Dad is still the one you love."
I felt like crying out loud. I couldn't even think of a way to convince her, and Percy wasn't helping either. This stepbrother of mine is really good at talking nonsense.
"I want to smack you," I muttered, and he only responded with a sweet smile.
Keifer walked over and helped me up.
"It's best to convince your Mom, Jay. It's hard to wait too long. You might not get to see your Dad," he said.
I held my breath. As if I had another choice.
Trying to convince Mama would be like trying to punch the moon. She'd probably punch me instead.
"What else? It's up to Batman now."
Keifer smiled and gently touched my cheek. I leaned my forehead against his chest.
"I'm really tired."
"I know. You can rest, but you must not give up."
I nodded slightly as he ran his fingers through my hair and kissed my head.
"What kind of trick is that?" Percy commented, making me glare at him. In response, he got the middle finger from Keifer.
He winced quickly. I turned toward the door when I saw Honey walking in.
She looked at all of us. "What exactly?"
Percy glanced at her and immediately crossed his two index fingers.
Honey was quickly intrigued before coming closer to Keifer. She held out a cellphone in front of him.
"Answer your cousins' calls. They need your approval."
I looked at the cellphone in front of Keifer. "I-I think I need to leave."
The King quickly countered, "You don't have to. I can talk to them later."
"What later? I rushed here because they were teasing me. Answer it now," Honey said, annoyed.
I stepped back slightly to give him space so he could answer the call freely. He looked at me as if asking for forgiveness.
He took the cellphone and answered the call. I was just watching him, but I couldn't ignore Honey's raised eyebrows at me. She immediately approached me.
"Don't be sad. He's just talking on the phone—he won't leave," he said firmly.
"I'm not sad," I replied.
She let out a small laugh and made a face, clearly not believing me. Suddenly, someone grabbed my arm and pulled me away. When I looked, I saw Percy frowning at me.
"Don't brainwash Jay-Jay," he said, shielding me behind him.
Honey's eyes nearly bulged out in mock agony. "I'm not doing anything!"
"Oh! Even you," Honey said playfully, turning to Percy. "Do you want to be brainwashed too?" He tugged at Percy's belt with one finger.
Percy let out a shrill cry and slapped Honey's hand away. He immediately stepped back and hid behind me.
"Get away from me!"
"Don't you want to try? I'm good at brainwashing. From the head… even the chin," Honey teased, winking.
Brainwashing… down where?
Percy scowled like a child and glared at Honey.
"Stop it!" he huffed before turning to me. "Jay-Jay, stop that."
I brushed his hand away. "It's up to you."
"You're being so dramatic! You don't even—"
Before Honey could finish, Percy suddenly let out a loud scream. I instinctively stepped back in shock.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Keifer snapped at him. "Stop messing with him!" He turned to Honey, who was now smirking at the teasing.
"It's just a joke. Besides, I already have a boyfriend," Honey said.
I was surprised.
She got a boyfriend that quickly? It feels like just yesterday she was crying because Percy ran away from her, and now she already has someone new?
"I'm leaving!" Percy said angrily, but I immediately stopped him.
"I'll go with you."
"I'll take you," the King offered immediately. "It's dangerous for you."
"Maybe Percy can drop me off," I suggested.
"Yes, I will," my brother agreed. "And tie that girl up. She's too mischievous." He pointed at Honey.
"It's better if I just—"
I immediately cut off whatever the King was about to say. "Not anymore. Don't worry, I'll be okay."
He obviously didn't want to agree, but I wasn't going to back down either. I came here on my own, so why would he need to take me home? It didn't make sense for him to go out just to drop me off and then return home.
I smiled at him. "I got here safely, didn't I?"
He nodded and stepped forward to give me a brief hug before Percy pulled me away, and I followed him.
I retrieved my bike to load it into the compartment of Percy's car. He tried to fit it in, even though it was obvious it wouldn't.
Keifer walked me to the car door, opened it for me, and let me in. After closing the door, he rolled down the window. I did it.
"Please text me when you get home," he said, and I winced.
"I-I'll try."
I don't have a cellphone. It's still in Kuya Angelo's hands.
The King quickly kissed me on the forehead. I looked up at him. "Take care."
I just nodded and turned to Percy to signal him to start driving. He drove off, and I closed the car window.
During the ride, my brother kept whispering something, but I couldn't hear him properly because of the noise from the highway. I had just left home, but that was okay.
We stopped for a while due to traffic.
"Who's planning to kill that girl?" he muttered while looking out the window.
"Again?"
"Do you know Honey's boyfriend?" he asked, but I shook my head in response.
"It looks like someone dumped him?" he asked in disbelief.
"What miracle did she pull off?"
"Why did the guy leave her?"
"Maybe she played him."
I winced. He was clearly struggling to accept that Honey had a boyfriend.
I couldn't blame the guy either—maybe he just got tired of chasing after her. My brother was being dramatic, but it was obvious he secretly enjoyed the gossip.
He went on like this for almost the entire trip. As we neared the house, I suddenly stopped him.
"Why?" he asked.
"They can't see you, Brother. They might think that Papa and I have met," I explained, and he nodded.
"You're right, sis. That could get messy."
He turned off the engine and stepped out of the car. I followed to retrieve my bike from the trunk.
We briefly said our goodbyes before parting ways—he drove off while I rode my bike home.
When I reached the gate, I stopped. My nerves were kicking in. I had left without saying a word. I was probably in for a lecture.
I slowly pushed my bike inside and parked it in the corner. My knee still hurt, but after everything that had happened, I barely felt the pain anymore. I peeked through the door before cautiously stepping inside the house.
"Jay-Jay!" Mama shouted, rushing to hug me.
Tita Gema followed close behind, holding a cellphone.
"Where have you been? We were worried sick," she said, then turned to the phone. "I'll tell Aries and Angelo to come back."
Mama pulled away and grabbed me by both shoulders.
"Why did you just leave like that?"
"I just wanted to," I replied, and she immediately frowned.
She smacked my arm. "What is wrong with you? We were worried! And I was 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, really? And what about you? You do whatever you want, so why can't I?"
She stared at me intensely. "What exactly are you trying to say?"
"Am I wrong? You refuse to meet Papa, and that's what everyone follows. But I'm not free to make my own choices?"
She sighed, rubbing her face with one hand before turning her back on me to calm herself down. When she faced me again, her voice was firm but softer.
"Go upstairs and rest. I'll talk to your brother, Angelo."
I quickly left and headed to my room. As I shut the door behind me, I accidentally slammed it too hard, causing it to rebound straight into my face.
Cracked face.
I quickly grabbed my forehead and sat on the floor.
"Tangina, you door!" I screamed in annoyance. "You're beautiful! You're beautiful!"
I slowly stood up and dusted off my clothes before opening the door again. It worked fine this time, so I proceeded to close it.
But I will change that.
I flopped onto the bed and stomped in frustration. I wanted to destroy that door completely, and I also wanted to lose myself in the chaos of my situation.
Why does Mama have to be so stubborn? This isn't just about her. It's about me, too—about Aries' usurpation of Dad.
I squirmed and hissed in frustration. I didn't know what to do to get rid of my anger. I stomped a few more times until I unknowingly drifted off to sleep.
The next morning, I woke up with a stomachache from hunger. I had slept too long and skipped dinner. My stomach felt empty, as if my insides were disappearing.
I practically crawled to the bathroom, my body sore. My eyes widened when I saw my reflection in the mirror. I only skipped dinner, but I already look like I've lost weight.
What kind of magic is this?
I took a bath right away since I hadn't cleaned myself before bed. I've changed a bit—I usually don't take showers on weekends unless I have to go out.
After getting dressed and getting ready, I went out and headed to the kitchen. I was on the stairs when I heard my mother's voice. It sounded like she was arguing with someone again.
When I reached the living room, I was greeted by huge bouquets of flowers—different colors and arrangements. They were obviously from different stores since some even had my name on them.
I turned toward the door when I heard Mama's sharp voice. I peeked outside and was surprised to see even more bouquets arriving.
"Put those back where they came from! I don't need them!" Mama shouted angrily.
"I-I'm sorry, ma'am, but that's not possible. Your address is the only one listed as the recipient," the delivery boy said, scratching his head.
"Can you tell who they're from?" Aunt Gema asked, standing beside Mama.
"Mr. Mariano."
"Oh, for fuck's sake!" Mama shouted, causing the delivery boy to step back in fear.
Wait… why did that sound familiar? Was that my conscience whispering to me because of how often I swear?
Is that really my conscience?
I turned away from them and headed straight to the kitchen. Mama was still making a fuss over the flowers from Papa. She also had some of her own—cheap, flowery ones. Meanwhile, I wasn't even around, but I still had an entire island's worth of flowers.
As I searched for food, my brother walked into the kitchen and went straight to the fridge. I stepped aside to let him pass. He grabbed a Chuckie, shook it, plugged in a straw, and took a sip while looking for something to eat.
"Kuya," I called, but he barely glanced at me.
"My cellphone."
He ignored me.
"I threw it away," he finally said.
"What? You didn't!" I asked in shock.
"I was bored. It was too noisy."
I stood there, gaping, unable to believe what he had done.
"Uuuyyyyyyyyyyy!!!"
I stomped my foot in frustration. I only had a decent phone for a short while, and now he had thrown it away.
I heard him chuckle softly. I immediately shot him a glare, realizing he was messing with me.
"I'm joking. Your phone is in my room."
"Can I have it back?"
"No."
I groaned. "Kuya!"
"You left without saying goodbye yesterday. That's your punishment."
"Come on! Try to understand me! I really wanted to see Papa, but Mama was protesting!" I said in frustration.
"Still, maybe you're forgetting that your life is in danger."
I stomped my foot and almost cried in frustration. "You have to understand me! You don't even have a dad—"
I immediately covered my mouth as I realized what I had just said. Yes, we were in the same situation, but at least my father was alive, just distant. His, on the other hand… no one knew.
"S-sorry," I mumbled.
"I understand you, but I still recognize a father. His name is Julz," he said, as if he were jealous.
"It's you!" I grabbed the sleeve of his shirt. "Brother, give me back my cellphone!"
I shook him to prevent him from drinking whatever he was holding. His V-neck shirt was nearly torn.
"L-let go!"
"My cellphone!"
"Enough! I'm getting undressed!"
I ignored him and kept tugging. He looked uncomfortable as he lowered his hand near the sink.
"I said enough!" he shouted, his voice echoing through the house.
I immediately let go and stepped back. He fixed his clothes without taking his eyes off me. Then, he grabbed the Chuckie drink again.
"I'll think about returning your phone," he said before walking away.
I snorted. I hoped he would give it back soon. I needed to text Keifer since I hadn't messaged him yesterday—he might be worried.
Wow, go jowa?
That guy is such an idiot. He said he didn't need a label, yet the next day he asked me to be his girlfriend.
Stupid!
Shaking my head, I turned my attention back to the fridge, looking for something to eat. I reheated last night's leftovers in a container and placed my chosen meal in the microwave.
While I was busy eating, Mama and Aunt Gema entered the kitchen. Tita was laughing, but Mama looked weak.
"Talk to me," Tita teased.
"Get away from me, or I'll slap you," Mama threatened, but Tita just laughed.
They both turned to me when they noticed my presence.
"Is that all you're eating? Do you want me to cook something? I'll call—"
I quickly cut off Tita. "I'm fine with this."
I glanced at Mama as she poured water into a glass. She looked serious, her forehead creased with deep wrinkles. Maybe even Botox wouldn't help with that.
No one spoke, and Tita kept glancing between me and Mama.
"What a beautiful flower," I finally said, breaking the silence. I could see the pain in Mama's eyes and hear the weak chuckle from Aunt Gema.
"Throw them away. They're irritating," Mama muttered, making Tita laugh even harder.
"That's a shame," Tita replied with a sigh.
"Fine, keep them. And when we meet again, and I kill him, put them on his grave," Mama said, slamming the glass into the sink.
I couldn't help but feel irritated. Papa was trying to reach out. That meant he was ready to reconcile. I knew forgiveness was difficult, but I was willing to give him a chance.
"Talk to me," I said, annoyed. Both of them looked at me.
"It's not that easy," Mama responded.
"If you can't forgive him, at least let me see him."
"Stop it."
"Why did you let Aries see Papa but not me?"
"I didn't let him! He ran away from us!"
"Do I have to run away too just to see—?"
"That's enough, Jay!" Mama interrupted before I could finish.
I wanted to insist, but she turned her back on me and left. Tita immediately came to my side, wrapping her arms around me.
"Be patient. You can't blame your Mama. She went through a lot because of your Papa's family," she said, rubbing my arm gently.
"I don't understand."
"Your Mama fought for your rights. Despite all the hurtful words, she kept going back to their mansion."
I looked at Tita, finding it hard to believe. Mama didn't seem like the type to tolerate that.
"What happened?"
"Your father made it clear—he was already married."
I was stunned. Mama had endured all of that? I didn't think I could do the same. She didn't seem like someone who would simply accept such a thing.
Had she faced it all alone?