keifer pov
We finally made it back to the house. The atmosphere was thick, tense, and I could feel Angelo's eyes on all of us the moment we stepped inside.
He turned to Jayjay first, his expression sharp. "Anything you want to say to me?" His voice was steady but carried a weight that made everyone flinch.
Jayjay stayed quiet, biting her lip, her eyes avoiding his. I knew she was gathering herself, but I also knew Angelo was waiting for answers.
"Tell me," Angelo continued, stepping closer. "What were you all thinking? Why didn't you inform me? You could have been seriously injured!" His questions came rapid-fire, each one cutting through the room like a whip.
I stepped in, holding up my hands slightly. "Angelo… calm down first," I said firmly, my tone a mix of urgency and warning. "I'll explain everything."
And I did. I explained what happened at the warehouse — being stabbed, the chaos, Jayjay's blood trauma triggering, and the rest of Section E fighting through it all. I told him how everyone held together, how we tried to protect each other, and how fast everything escalated. I didn't sugarcoat it; I didn't read from notes — I just told it as it happened.
When I finished, I looked around. Shocked faces stared back at me — Jayjay, Percy, Aries, her mom, and Aunt Gemma. The room was silent for a moment.
Angelo shook his head, exhaling sharply. "This… is insane. You could have all been seriously injured. Jayjay—" He glanced at her again, eyes narrowing. "Why didn't anyone tell me sooner?!"
Percy, never one to sit still during tension, sidled up to Jayjay and squinted at her dramatically. "Hmm… you holding up okay?" he said, cupping her face with both hands like some exaggerated doctor checking a patient.
Jayjay rolled her eyes but couldn't hold back a small laugh. "Percy! Get your hands off me!"
A ripple of laughter ran through the room. Even her mom cracked a small smile despite the worry still etched on her face.
Percy grinned, clearly enjoying himself. "Seriously, you're looking a little pale. Should I—"
Before he could finish, Aries came up behind him and smacked him square on the head. "Stop annoying her, Percy! You're making everyone laugh too much!"
Percy staggered back, rubbing his head, still grinning mischievously. Jayjay laughed fully this time, covering her face with her hands, and the tension in the room loosened a little.
I let out a small sigh, shaking my head at them, but couldn't help the small smile tugging at my lips. Even in all the chaos, it was good to see everyone still alive, still joking, still together.
Angelo's sharp gaze softened slightly as he looked at all of us. "Just… be more careful. No more surprises like this every again , understood?"
We all nodded, silently promising to be smarter, to be safer. But even with that promise, I knew deep down that nothing was going to be simple from here on out.