JAY'S POV :
I was tucked in a cubicle, minding my own damn business, when a pack of screeching girls burst into the restroom like a fucking tornado. Noisy bitches, laughing their asses off, turning the place into their personal circus.
"Does this look good on me?" one whined, her voice grating like nails on a chalkboard—super fucking annoying.
"Yeah… but it'd look better if you weren't wearing it. Hahaha!" another shot back, somehow even more obnoxious, her cackle echoing off the tiles.
"Mica! Why are you so quiet?" one snapped.
Mica?
"Nothing—"
"Because Calix approached her."
"Again?!"
I stayed put, ears perked. Something felt off, a bad vibe twisting in my gut. No way was I stepping out yet. I whipped out my phone and hit record, because fuck these gossiping cunts—I wanted receipts.
"Girls! Have you seen Jay-jay? The transferee?" one yapped suddenly.
Jackpot. Eavesdropping on shit about me? Hell yes, and now it's all on tape.
"Yeah… Turns out she's not that pretty, unlike how Kiko described her."
Me? Not pretty? Excuse me, you blind-ass bitches?!
"Watch your words… She's still Aries' cousin."
Yeah, watch your fucking mouths! Not that I'm some grumpy-ass cousin begging for protection.
"Don't call him 'Papa'… Remember, he's with Ella now."
Right! And I'm supposed to call that manipulative bitch 'ate'? I'd rather slit my own throat.
"That flirt Ella! She flirts with every famous guy in our school! Even Keifer from Section E."
I rolled my eyes so hard it almost hurt.
Why do you always remind me of her, you, That bloody bitch!
"I also heard she tried flirting with Yuri."
I don't give a shit.
"Jay-jay isn't any different from her. I heard she bribes Section E with food and is always sticking to Ci-N. Such a flirt!"
What the actual fuck? How the hell did I become the flirt here? Explain that, you brain-dead idiots!
"Not only is she not pretty, but she's also a flirt!"
Okay, that's fucking it!
I fixed my hair, flushed the toilet loud and deliberate. The restroom went dead silent, thick with their anticipation, waiting to see who the hell was about to emerge.
I stepped out like I hadn't heard a goddamn word, cool as ice. Washed my hands slow, checked my reflection in the mirror—then let my eyes slide right to them. Four of them, total clown show.
All of them caked in makeup, like someone had thrown an entire cosmetics counter at their faces. Foundation like plaster walls. Blush. Lipstick smeared red as overripe tomatoes.
Except one of them, who looked a little quieter than the rest.
Mica.
So that was her.
Wait—is that Freya? Fuck, it is.
Percy showed me her pic once. She looked normal then, light makeup, almost human. Now? Slathered on like her miserable life depended on it. Damn, her past really fucked her up good.
They gawked at my reflection, jaws slack, waiting for me to crack or say something stupid.
While they drooled over my flawless vibe, I cupped water in my hands, letting it pool cold and heavy.
"Who was it again that said I'm not pretty?" I asked, voice dripping casual venom.
No one answered.
I flung the water right in their painted faces—splash!
"AAARRRGGHH!!!"
Screams exploded, chaos as they flailed, makeup running like a horror show, not sure whether to wipe or rage first.
I walked away calm as fuck, no rush, no tension, head high like a queen dismissing peasants.
"HEY! COME BACK HERE!" one howled.
As if I'd listen to you. I'd start a full-on brawl if I lingered. Not worth my energy.
I was almost back near our building when I saw, Aries and his dickhead classmates lounged there, bullshitting and laughing like they owned the world.
"Jay…" Kiko called, all smooth and flirty.
Tss. Such a sleazy fuckboy.
I kept walking.
Then I heard the girls behind me, still squealing and fussing over their makeup.
Of course they'd fix themselves up first. Makeup like that needed time to recover from being attacked by actual water.
"STOP RIGHT THERE!" they shouted again.
I didn't even glance back. No mood for their petty fight club.
I hit our building, striding toward class, when sharp, claw-like nails sank into my skin. Freya snatched my back collar and started dragging me toward the hall like a ragdoll.
"HEY!" I snarled, pain shooting through me—those talons dug deep, drawing blood. Hurt like a motherfucker.
If she wasn't Percy's ex, I'd have ripped her apart with her own goddamn nails.
"You come with us!" Freya hissed, grip iron-tight, nails gouging deeper.
I spun, spotting Section E trailing us, eyes hungry for the show these coloring-book bitches were staging—with me as the star.
We halted right in front of Aries.
Freya released my collar only to hood my arm, claws raking fresh hell into my skin.
It burned like fire!
"Classmates!" Freya bellowed, commanding the crowd.
All eyes locked on us—Aries glaring daggers at me.
I rolled my eyes hard.
Someone tell this prick I don't give a single shit.
"This girl!"
Freya spat, jabbing a finger at me like a weapon.
"She disrespected us in the restroom. Me! Freya Hidalgo! And this nobody violated me!"
She poked my forehead viciously, nearly snapping my neck, nails scraping my scalp raw.
"Ouch! Fuck!" I yelped, clutching my head.
"You deserve that! You didn't respect us!" shrieked Canvas-2, the second-most dramatic whore.
Canvas-1 for Freya, easy.
"Yeah… Do you even know who we are?" Canvas-3 piled on, her museum-painting face twisting. Canvas-3 it is.
"I don't care," I shot back, bored as hell.
Freya clutched her chest like I'd stabbed her heart, pure theater. Kiko snickered in the back, but Aries kept up his death glare.
"You don't care? How dare you! Of course you should care!"
Freya wailed, fake tears glistening. She whirled to her Section A minions.
"Look at her! This disrespectful trash!"
"Can I go back to class now?" I drawled, yawning for effect.
This circus was peak pointless.
"No! You'll stay right here!" Freya roared.
"You should be punished! You disrespected the Queen Bee!" Canvas-2 screeched.
"Huh? Queen Bee? More like Queen of the Buzzing Cunts."
"You—"
"Freya! Before you punish her, you should know who she is," Kiko cut in, smirking.
What the fuck? They don't know me? Good.
"And so? Who is she? Just some transferee," Canvas-3 sneered, rolling her eyes like a pro.
Keep it up, slut—I'll pluck 'em out.
"She's my cousin," Aries drawled, bored as paint drying.
Tch. I rolled my eyes.
"But that doesn't mean she's immune to your punishment," he added.
Of course he wouldn't defend me.
And I don't expect otherwise.
"Oh my god," Freya said, clutching her chest again like she was dying from the insult of my existence.
"Did you hear that, girls? Even though she's Aries' cousin, it's useless!"
I laughed outright.
"You idiots thought I'd hide under my so-called-cousin's shadow for protection?"
The crowd around us went quiet.
"Girls?" Freya called.
Canvas-3 walked off and came back with a bucket.
A bucket of filthy water. Mop water, maybe.
The smell alone made my stomach turn.
Freya lifted her chin and looked at me like she was about to deliver a speech.
"Jay-jay, let me explain something to you. At HVIS, Section A is royalty. We get the privileges. We're the best at everything. So disrespecting us is a huge mistake."
I lifted an eyebrow.
"And since the other sections are here," she continued, "let me introduce them."
I noticed the other sections had gathered around us now, all watching like this was a live show.
Rakki looked worried. Alys was there too, frowning.
Long time no see.
"Section B," Freya said smugly, "they're known for being diligent. Diligent in everything. Cross them, and you'll be diligent too—diligent in running away when they start bullying you."
A bunch of students from Section B laughed and high-fived each other. Alys just rolled her eyes.
"Section C," Freya went on, "I have nothing bad to say about them. They're kind, but only to those who are kind back. Treat them like crap, and you'll meet hell."
I glanced at Rakki and the others. They didn't look proud of her description at all.
"Section D," she said, "is almost the same as Section E. The only difference is that they still have hope in life. They have a chance to improve. And I like Section D because they follow Section A."
She winked at them like a goddamn idiot.
I nearly laughed.
She was seriously wasting everyone's time with this nonsense.
"You understand everything I said, right?" she asked.
I gave her my fakest smile.
Aries leaned in slightly.
"You forgot something, Freya."
"Oh yes," she said, turning back to me with a smile that made me want to throw up.
"Section E."
A heavy silence settled over the crowd.
Even Section E looked ready to explode.
"That's your section," Freya said.
"You should remember it. That section is the trash of society. The school board doesn't even care about it anymore. You fit right in there because you're just like them. Hotheaded. Disrespectful. Going nowhere. Never backing down from a fight."
My fists clenched.
Not because of Aries.
Because she was humiliating my section in front of everyone.
Because every single person standing there was hearing it.
Because now I was one of them.
"Are you done?" I asked, my voice cold.
Freya smiled.
"I don't want to be called cruel, so I'll give you a deal."
The two Canvas girls laughed.
"I won't embarrass you if you kneel and apologize to me."
Wouldn't that still be embarrassing?
"Oh, that's not all," she added.
"You'll kneel, say sorry, kiss my shoe, and—"
"That's enough, Freya," Kiko interrupted.
He didn't sound happy.
How touching. Are you worried about me? Disgusting.
"Hm… okay," Freya said, turning sweetly toward him. "Babe, if you say so."
I almost gagged.
"So, Jay-jay," she said, turning back to me, "what do you say?"
"Fuck you," I muttered in my head.
"What if I don't do what you want?" I asked instead.
Freya tilted her head.
"Then maybe you'll suffer our punishment."
Her voice was fake-soft, fake-sweet, fake-everything.
Drama queen.
"Jay," Aries ordered, "just do it."
I raised an eyebrow at him.
"Since when did you start dreaming I'd follow your orders, Aries?"
His face darkened.
The entire crowd seemed to tighten around us.
People like them deserved a taste of their own medicine.
"Okay," I said suddenly.
Freya's face lit up like she'd already won.
I almost wanted to laugh at how stupid she looked.
"What are you waiting for?" she said eagerly.
"Kneel already!"
I smiled.
Too eager.
Too confident.
Perfect.
"I'll do what you want," I said slowly, "but before that, shouldn't you apologize first?"
Freya frowned.
"To whom? You? Why would I?"
"Not to me," I said. "To Ella."
Her expression changed immediately. So did the two girls beside her.
I fight dirty too—not just fists.
"I'm serious," I said, keeping my eyes on her.
"Earlier in the restroom, you said 'Ella was a flirt'. You said 'she was after every famous guy in school.'"
Freya froze.
Aries' expression shifted. His fists clenched.
"What?" he said, his voice low and dangerous.
"I didn't make it up," I said.
"I was in the cubicle. I heard every word."
Freya's face drained of color.
"N-no. We didn't say that. Aries, please, believe us."
"You called Ella a flirt?" Aries snapped.
The air went cold.
Freya looked terrified now.
"No, no, we didn't—"
"Why the hell do you think you have the right to judge Ella?" Aries roared.
The crowd went dead silent.
Canvas-2 suddenly tried to save the situation.
"Aries, listen. Maybe Jay-jay heard those words in the restroom, but what if we weren't the ones who said them?"
Everyone stared.
What the hell?
"Jay-jay didn't even see who said it," Canvas-2 continued.
"She only heard it."
Freya nodded fast.
"That's right. She was inside the cubicle."
Lies. Cheap, ugly lies.
"It was Mica who said" Freya lied.
"H-huh?" Mica squeaked, her voice barely cutting through the thickening air.
"She said it," Freya said with a smug smirk, her eyes gleaming like a predator cornering prey.
Liars. Voices don't lie—I'd know those shrill tones anywhere.
Aries turned calm eyes on Mica.
"Did you say that about Ella?"
"N-no…" Mica stammered, shrinking back as if the words burned her throat.
"Her fault!" Canvas-2 yelled, pointing accusingly while her makeup cracked under the strain of fake outrage.
Two burly guys from Section A advanced on Mica with menacing steps.
"Calix!" I signaled sharply, my eyes locking onto his.
He understood instantly. He yanked Mica into his protective arms.
"You should go through me first to touch her!"
She squirmed against his chest, but he held her firm, his grip a shield against the storm.
"Stay out of this!" Aries barked, his voice laced with irritation.
Tension spiked like a live wire.
Keifer moved toward Calix first, with Felix, Kit, and two others flanking him tightly. I stepped forward and blocked their path completely.
"You all love jumping into trouble, don't you?" Aries sneered, crossing his arms as the crowd murmured.
"Mica's innocent," I stated firmly, my tone leaving no room for doubt.
"You didn't even see who said it," Freya countered, her voice dripping with false confidence.
"Yeah, but—" I started, ready to explain.
"See? It's Mica," Freya interrupted triumphantly.
"Hand her over," Aries demanded, his glare hardening on our group.
"No—go through us first," Felix growled, fists clenching at his sides.
"You won't get her," Keifer vowed, his stance unyielding as Section E closed ranks.
Sides formed in seconds. Arguments erupted across the hall like fireworks—shouts overlapping, accusations flying. Let me speak already!
"STOP!" I bellowed, my voice slicing through the chaos like a whip.
"Jay, tell them to hand her over," Aries ordered, stepping closer.
"No!" I shot back without hesitation.
"This has nothing to do with you," he insisted.
"Oh, it surely does."
I pulled out my phone with steady hands and hit play on the recording.
"Girls! Have you seen Jay-jay? The transferee?"
"Yeah… Turns out she's not that pretty, unlike how Kiko described her."
"Watch your words… She's still Aries' cousin."
"Don't call him 'Papa'… Remember, he's with Ella now."
"That flirt Ella! She flirts with every famous guy in our school! Even Keifer from Section E."
"I also heard she tried flirting with Yuri."
I stopped the recording. Glares locked onto Freya.
Aries seethed, veins pulsing in his neck. Ella looked genuinely wounded, her eyes wide with betrayal.
"Do you understand now? Or are voices too fuzzy for you?" I said, smirking as the truth hung heavy.
Silence gripped the hall like a vice.
"How dare you trash her like that, Freya?!" Aries exploded, whirling on her.
"A-Aries," she whispered, her bravado crumbling.
"Apologize to her. Now."
"I-I'm sorry, Ella," Freya mumbled, voice small and defeated.
Aries and his crew turned sharply and bailed from the scene.
The Canvases cringed, faces flushed with embarrassment.
Percy will rage at me later, but they needed this lesson carved in.
I turned to leave at last. Suddenly, someone yanked my hair hard, pain exploding across my scalp.
"Ouch! What the hell?!" I gasped.
"This is all your fault!" Freya screamed, twisting viciously with manic fury.
"It's yours! Own it!" I snarled back.
Her slap arced toward my face. I caught her wrist mid-air and crushed it in my grip.
"Aaargh!"
I squeezed harder until she had to yank at her own hand to break free from my grip. Then I leaned in, my voice low and sharp.
"See, Freya? I respect you. Not because of your hollow 'power' here, or your Queen Bee crown—but because I know your past. The real you, before all this paint and pretense."
I leaned in closer, dropping my voice to a low, warning growl that only she could hear.
"Don't misuse that respect again. One more time—one more time you talk badly about Section E, or any of them, and I'll make your life a living hell. You won't see it coming, but you'll feel it everywhere."
For one second, I should've walked away. I really should've.
But her smug face was too much.
I slapped her hard across the face.
Crap. That might've been too hard.
Everything went still. Freya clutched her cheek, eyes wide, before tears started spilling down her face.
"How dare you do that to Freya!" Canvas-2 shouted.
The two of them lunged for a bucket.
I saw it too late. I raised my arms, bracing for the splash. But instead of water, a warm body slammed into me. Someone hugged me. The bucket crashed onto that person instead.
I looked up.
David.
He managed to look at me.
Then he collapsed against me.
I nearly lost my balance, throwing my hands to his back to keep him upright.
But his shirt wasn't just wet. It was sticky. And something moved.
I looked down.
Mud. And worms.
"Ew—what the hell?!" I shouted.
But the bigger problem was David.
He was unconscious. And burning hot.
What the hell was I supposed to do now?
Then someone lifted him away from me.
Kiefer.
I looked up at him and, despite everything, I smiled a little.
Maybe there was still a part of the Kiefer I loved in there. And that tiny hope was enough to keep me breathing…