Jay POV
The police station smelled like metal and silence.
I stood beside Keifer.
Angelo stood firm.
Hex insisted on coming. Even when we told him not to.
"I'm not staying home," he said earlier. "I need to see this."
Now we stood there as the doors opened.
Trisha was brought in.
Handcuffed.
She looked smaller.
Tired.
When Hex saw her, he didn't react.
Not anger.
Not satisfaction.
Nothing.
The officers placed her in the cell.
The door shut with a heavy clang.
Trisha looked at me.
"Jayjay… I'm sorry. I didn't mean it."
I stepped closer.
"I'm just glad you finally accepted your crime," I said quietly.
Before I could say more—
Hex spoke.
"But why would you point a gun at someone?" His voice was calm but sharp. "You could've used words. Just words."
Angelo touched his shoulder. "Hex. Calm down."
"I'm calm," Hex said.
Trisha's eyes filled with tears.
"I'm sorry… for everything. Even for wanting to use you for my own gain."
Keifer walked back from speaking with an officer.
"The sentence for unintentional homicide," he said quietly, "can range from several years in prison. It depends on the court."
The air felt heavy again.
Then the station doors opened.
Marco and Jayden entered.
Marco's eyes were red.
Angelo leaned toward Hex.
"Now is the time. Apologize."
Hex blinked. "Really? Now?"
Jay nodded. "Say it. Things might not stay the same after today."
"I don't want to," Hex muttered. "He might punch me."
"Try," Keifer said gently.
Hex walked over.
Jayden was speaking to a lawyer nearby.
Marco stood alone.
"Um… Marco," Hex said awkwardly. "I just wanted to say… I'm sorry for punching you yesterday."
For half a second—
Silence.
Then Marco shoved him hard.
Hex fell backward onto the floor.
"HEX!" I shouted.
"Marco!" Jayden and Trisha said at the same time.
An officer moved to help—
But Hex got up on his own.
He brushed off his shirt.
Looked at me.
Looked at Keifer.
Looked at Angelo.
His eyes clearly said:
See? I told you.
And for a moment…
No one laughed.
Because this wasn't funny anymore.
The police station felt colder than before.
And somehow…
Everything had changed.