Author's POV
PERCY ARRIVES
The hallway outside was buzzing — nurses moving fast, machines beeping, someone crying two doors down. But inside Room 3B?
Stillness.
Jay was curled in Aries's arms, her body shaking with quiet sobs. Section E had settled into silence. Ci-n hadn't let go of her hand. Blaster sat on the floor, back against the wall. Felix had stopped pacing. Drew was staring at the ceiling like it might collapse. Kit and Mayo were whispering to each other, barely audible. Calix was still texting. David hadn't moved.
Then the elevator dinged.
Footsteps.
Fast.
Heavy.
And then Percy was there.
He didn't knock. Didn't pause. Just walked in like gravity had dragged him straight to us.
His eyes scanned the room — the blood on Jay's sleeves, the way Aries was holding her, the way no one was speaking.
"What happened?" he asked, voice low, already bracing for impact.
Jay didn't look up.
David did.
"Yuri shot Keifer," he said, blunt and bitter.
Percy froze.
His jaw clenched.
His hands curled into fists.
"No," he said. "No, he wouldn't—"
"He did," Aries said, voice hollow. "He aimed. He fired. Keifer dropped."
Percy looked at Aries. Really looked at him. And for a second, something flickered — old friendship, old fury, old grief.
"You were supposed to protect him," Percy said.
Aries flinched.
Jay finally looked up.
"Don't," she whispered. "Don't do this."
Percy stepped closer.
"He was your best friend, Aries."
"I know," Aries said, voice cracking. "I know."
"You stopped talking to him," Percy said. "You let Yuri twist everything."
"I didn't choose that," Aries snapped. "None of us did."
Jay stood, shaky but firm.
"Stop," she said. "This isn't helping."
Percy looked at her — at the blood, the tears, the way she was barely standing.
And he broke.
"I should've been here," he said. "I should've—"
"You couldn't have stopped it," Jay said. "None of us could."
Percy sat down beside her.
"I thought he hated me," he whispered. "After the accident. After everything."
"He didn't," Aries said. "He never did."
Jay nodded.
"He still loved you," she said. "Even when he couldn't say it."
And for a moment, the room held its breath.
Three people.
One boy in surgery.
Too many regrets.
Too many things left unsaid.
And all they could do now?
Wait.