Chapter 22 - Alone

Alone

Jay-jay's POV

I thought another monkey was going to go wild again. The guy who said "Only gays cry, bro." was such an idiot. But he immediately hid when they started looking for who said it.

Coward!

Days passed, and I stopped riding with Aries in his car. He said he didn't care if Kuya Angelo got mad at him.

Fine! Let him be! He'll be the one getting scolded, not me.

When I entered the room, everyone was talking. I approached Ci-N.

"What's going on?" I asked.

Ci-N smiled at me. "Monthly Assembly."

"What's that?"

"Well... It's when each class president from every section reports to the head teacher and the principal of the school."

"Ahh... A report about what?"

"About every student in their section. If someone got suspended or whatever. It's also where they voice out the concerns and needs of each section for their classroom."

Needs? Keifer should report that our classroom looks like a storage room and a garbage dump.We need a major cleanup. And they should take Keifer away, too.

"Let's go!" I heard Yuri say.

"..They might talk about us again if we get caught being late."

I turned to Ci-N again. "Where are we going?"

Ci-N avoided my gaze and scratched the back of his head. "Because Jay... Uh... Y-you're not-"

"You're not coming with us." Keifer finished what Ci-N was saying. Huh? Why?

"There's nothing for you to do there, so just stay here." Yuri added.

What?

And then they all started leaving the room. What's going on?

"Why them?" I asked.

"They wanted to come." Keifer answered, sounding bored.

"Me too... I wan-"

"No. You're not part of our group, so just stay here." Yuri said as he walked out of the room.

Not part of them? But I'm already in Section E!

Ci-N gave me an apologetic look before completely leaving. I was left alone in the room Why is it like this? I've been in this section for a long time now, but they still haven't accepted me.

I sat on my chair and rested my head on the table. But they said before, when things were chaotic,

'And no one gets left behind.'

Yet they left me.

Am I that hard to accept?

The feeling was so heavy. I lifted my head when I felt someone enter the room. Three men, but they weren't my classmates. One of them approached me with a smile

"Jasper Jean Mariano?"

I only gave a small nod, mixed with confusion.

Who are these guys?

The other two also stepped closer, and to my shock, one of them suddenly slapped me. It was so strong that I immediately fell to the floor. My cheek went numb from the pain.

Damn it!

Does it hurt more when a guy slaps you?

I looked up at them and saw them laughing.

"What the hell is wrong with you?! What did I ever do to you?!" I shouted angrily, trying to get up.

One of them moved behind me and suddenly grabbed both of my arms. I struggled, but they were too strong

"A message from Freya!" said the guy in front of me. I was about to open my mouth to speak, but before I could say anything, a powerful punch landed straight on my stomach.

"Ugh!"I screamed.

Pain shot through my entire body. My eyes felt like they were about to pop out, and my insides twisted from the impact. It hurt so much!

Aarrgghhh... Damn it!

I couldn't stop coughing. I thought that was it,but then two more punches followed. It made me collapse.

"Uggghh! Damn you!"I forced myself to scream.

Enough!

It hurt so much. I felt like all my strength was draining from my body. My throat was tightening too.

"Bro! She can still talk!" one of them shoutedbwhile laughing.

He punched me in the stomach again. Harder than the previous ones, or maybe my stomach was already too bruised that the pain was unbearable. I felt like I was about to throw up everything I had eaten.

Aaaarrgghhhhh!! I don't think I can take this anymore!

Another punch landed, so fast I lost count. The pain was overwhelming-I felt like I was losing consciousness. I was coughing so hard I almost vomited.

Why me-uuuggghhhh!

I didn't know how much more I could take, but my body was already giving up. I was gasping for air.

Damn it! Jay! Fight back!

I couldn't even scream anymore. I had no strength left. The two guys holding me barely needed to do anything as I struggled weakly. They suddenly stopped and looked up at something. I just realized now-this guy is from Section D.

"What did Freya tell us?" the one in front of me asked the two guys holding me.

"Don't stop until she beg for mercy," one of them replied.

Mercy? Me? In your dream! I didn't even do anything!

"She never said we couldn't grope, right?" the guy in front of me asked again.

I heard soft chuckles from the two holding me. What did they mean by grope?

The two guys forced me to stand again. The one in front of me removed my necktie.

Damn it!

I immediately struggled to break free.

"Even if you fight back," one of them said. Suddenly, the guy in front of me yanked my blouse, causing the buttons to pop off and exposing what shouldn't be seen.

"It's fine, bro!" one of them said, and they all laughed.

As one of them was about to touch my chest, I kicked him in the face. I used up all the strength I had left. That was it... my body collapsed.

"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" the guy in front of me screamed.

He immediately approached me and kicked me in the stomach. I almost threw up from what he did. I feel like my organs are no longer in the right place.

'Enough! Beg for mercy, Jay!"

The two holding me finally let go, and I collapsed to the ground, but the other one continued kicking me.

"I give up!"

My body was completely exhausted. My vision was darkening, and I couldn't feel anything anymore.

Until finally, he stopped and they all left. Once again, I was left alone.

It sounds dramatic, but I'm used to being alone. Maybe this is really my fate-to face all of life's battles alone. No one is ever coming to help me. Those prince charmings in fairy tales who would risk their lives to save someone like me?

They don't exist. If anything, they'd probably push me off the cliff instead. Tears fell from my eyes on their own. I wasn't crying because of the pain. I was angry at myself-because I could have fought back, but I let them do this to me. I don't like being a victim. That's not my style. I felt like a child, curled up and crying alone from the pain in my stomach. I couldn't even stand up. I felt stuck in this moment, unable to move.

I heard the voices of my classmates. It seemed like they were approaching. I wiped away my tears and rolled over onto my stomach while clutching my stomach with one hand. I had no more strength to stand up, and I felt like my soul had left my body.

Damn it!

I wish I had worn a tank top. They can't see me like this.

"JAY-JAY!" Ci-N shouted as he rushed toward me.

"Are you okay?" he asked while trying to turn me over.

"No!" I stopped him. "..O-okay, I'm fine. I jus.... feel like planking." I said, forcing a smile.

"Tell me the truth? Who hurt you?" Ci-N askedworriedly.

I just sighed in response.

"What's with this drama? Do you dream of being a doormat?" Keifer asked.

Our other classmates came closer too. There was no escaping this-I couldn't be in this state while still alive.

"Step on ger!" I heard Yuri command

This guy is crazy too!

I felt someone step on my back, and the weight slowly increased. I gasped in pain, and tears started falling from my eyes.

"Jay... What happened?!" Ci-N's voice was now filled with anger.

Keifer moved Ci-N away from me and examined me closely. I just gave him a nasty look. I was about to push him away when I felt someone grab me and try to lift me up.

"Aarrrgghhh..." I screamed in pain.

I saw the shock and concern on Ci-N's face and the others around me. Slowly, I was helped into a sitting position on the floor, and I realizedit was David who had grabbed me.

I leaned against the leg of a table.

"Jay! Who raped you?!" Ci-N asked angrily.

I suddenly laughed. "Ha-hahahaha----argh!" but winced in pain right after.

So quick to assume? Rap? already?

Ci-N abruptly took off her polo shirt and threw it in front of me.

"What the heck? I'm serious here!" He said.

"N-no one raped me. My stomach just hurts." I replied.

"And you just felt like taking your shirt off?" Yuri chimed in. "Do you think we'd believe that?!" he added.

"Tss. N-no, it's not like that!" I answered.

I forced myself to stand up, using the table I was leaning on for support. Ci-N stepped forward as if to help me, just like David did, but I signaled them both not to.

"I-I'm just going to the clinic."I said, trying my best to walk.

"I'll go with you, Jay..." Ci-N offered.

"N-no. I-I can manage on my own.." I replied to him and tried to take another step."..I-I can handle it." I added in a whisper.

I was about to take another step when my vision suddenly blurred, and my body collapsed on its own.

I didn't even get to feel the impact of hitting the floor because everything went dark, as if I had fallen into a void.

"Jay"!