The courtyard was finally calming down.Rylan and his crew had limped away, Section E was proudly collecting "battle souvenirs," and Jay was almost ready to pretend nothing happened.
Almost.
Until the loud, echoing footsteps hit the hallway.
Thud. Thud. Thud.
The crowd parted like terrified seaweed.Four figures appeared at the gates — each radiating pure "you're all in trouble" energy.
Angelo walked front and center — calm face, deadly silence.Beside him were Ion, Tiger, and Rafael — the infamous trio who could make even teachers behave.
Jay froze mid-sentence.Cin whispered, "...oh no."Percy went pale.Michael muttered, "I think I just saw my social life flash before my eyes."
Jay (muttering under her breath): "I'm dead. My cousin is literally the devil. If he finds out we got into a fight again, I'm a corpse."
Adam (nervously whispering): "At least your cousin only kills. Mine traumatizes. Ion looks so quiet, like she could murder me politely. She and Angelo are soulmates in destruction."
Michael: "Oh please, I wish I had that problem. My cousin's Tiger — gossip king of the century. He's chill, but the man runs faster than Wi-Fi when it comes to spilling tea. My parents will know by dinner."
Sam (grabbing Jay's arm dramatically): "JAY. SAVE ME. My cousin's Rafael! He's your cousin's clone! Same glare, same tone, same deadly aura — he only listens to YOU. PLEASE, be our savior before he kills me!"
Jay blinked, surrounded by pure desperation.
Jay (flatly): "You all are acting like I have a death wish. I'm not stepping in front of that."
But it was too late.Angelo's gaze had already locked on them — calm, terrifying, that older-brother glare that said "I'm not mad, just disappointed… and also mad."
Angelo: "Jay."
Jay (grinning nervously): "Cousin! Hi! You look… less murderous than usual."
Angelo (deadpan): "You started another fight, didn't you?"
Jay: "Noooo… maybe… it started itself?"
Ion (folding arms): "So the benches broke on their own too?"
Adam (whispering): "She's so scary. She didn't even blink."
Tiger (laughing): "This is gold. I need popcorn. Also, Michael, I'm texting Aunt right now."
Michael: "NO! PLEASE! DELETE IT! I'LL GIVE YOU MY CHARGER FOR A WEEK!"
Rafael (to Sam): "You were supposed to stay out of trouble."
Sam (hiding behind Jay): "She dragged me into it!"
Jay (shocked): "Excuse me?!"
Sam: "You exist! It's contagious!"
Angelo pinched the bridge of his nose.
Angelo: "You do realize the principal's office is going to call us before sunset?"
Jay (quickly): "About that! Actually, we were just heading there voluntarily!"
Cin: "Y-yeah! Voluntarily! To confess! And reflect!"
Percy: "And to maybe fake faint halfway through so we can escape!"
Angelo narrowed his eyes.Jay smiled the most innocent smile known to mankind.
Jay: "We'll handle it, promise. No need for cousins to intervene!"
She clapped her hands dramatically.
Jay: "Alright, adam michael sam ! To the principal's office! Move it!"
Adam: "Why do you sound like a general leading us to war?"
Jay: "Because I'm trying to survive one."
As they scrambled away, Jay muttered under her breath,
Jay: "If I make it out alive, someone remind me to change schools."
Behind them, Angelo sighed, Ion looked unimpressed, Tiger was already typing a group message titled "Cousins Gone Wild," and Rafael just shook his head.
Angelo (to Ion): "They never learn."
Ion: "They're Aces. Learning isn't their style."