Chapter 175 - Tray

Jay-Jay's POV

I woke up early—not because I had a good night's sleep, but because someone slapped me.

Ouch!

Ci-N had been moving around so much in his sleep that he accidentally hit me. Even though I wanted to return the favor, I didn't. Knowing him, he'd probably hit me back even harder!

I sighed and got up, peeking outside the tent.

It was quiet—almost too quiet. The only sounds I could hear were the birds chirping and the rustling of leaves in the breeze.

I stepped out of the tent and stretched—something I immediately regretted. My entire body ached, especially the bruised areas. I rested for a moment before grabbing my toothbrush and some water to wash my face.

I didn't bother going to the restroom since it was too far. A quick wash would have to do for now. I could take a proper shower later.

As I brushed my teeth, I noticed Yuri's hammock moving. Someone was lying there, wrapped in a blanket.

Could it be Yuri?

I stared at the figure for a moment. My suspicion was confirmed when the person sat up.

Yuri blinked at me, his expression blank.

Why does he still look handsome even after just waking up?

"Good morning," I greeted him.

Instead of responding right away, he stared at me as if trying to recognize me. Then, he reached for something beside him—a mirror. He put on his glasses and looked at me again.

"Oh, it's you," he said, smiling. "...Good morning."

I wanted to smile back, but for some reason, I couldn't. I felt too awkward around him. I had been trying to fix things between us, but it seemed impossible now.

He climbed down from his hammock and took his toothbrush from his bag. As he approached me, he grabbed some water from the jug nearby.

"Sorry… I didn't recognize you," he said, starting to brush his teeth.

"It's okay… But why do you always need a mirror?" I asked.

I didn't want to distance myself from him completely. No matter our situation, I still owed him. Ignoring him wouldn't be right.

"I take off my contacts before I sleep. I can't see well without them, so… this is my alternative," he explained, pointing at his glasses.

I nodded. Is it really that hard to see without glasses? I guess it must be, especially if everything looks blurry.

"How are my parents?" he suddenly asked, making me freeze.

I quickly glanced around, worried that someone might overhear us. If they did, we'd probably end up arguing again.

"W-what did you say?"

He smiled at me. "I said, it's okay."

But we are not okay.

"Y-you—"

"Don't say it," he cut me off. "...I know you're going to ask to call off the engagement."

I looked away. Am I that obvious? I just couldn't understand why we had to go through with this.

I finished brushing my teeth and hurried back to my tent. Ci-N was already awake, grinning at me.

Ugh, here we go.

"You're up early," he said.

"I will slap you while you are sleeping, and let's see if you don't wake up," I muttered while pulling clothes from my bag.

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

I set my clothes aside. I'd take a shower after breakfast, but that would have to wait since Eman was still sleeping.

Stepping outside, I noticed that the others were awake as well. Josh walked past me, but it felt like he didn't even see me.

I followed him with my eyes.

Is something wrong?

Nearby, Felix was gathering small twigs, likely for the fire. I walked over to help him.

"Morning," he greeted.

"The more, the better," I replied with a smile.

"Yeah, but our cook is still sleeping," he said, laughing.

I chuckled along with him. No one could eat until Eman woke up. Though, cooking together was always fun.

I used to teach Eman how to cook, but I stopped after he smacked my hand hard for holding the knife incorrectly.

Seriously? It was just a knife!

"Felix! Jay-Jay!" someone called out.

We turned and saw Rory walking toward us. We followed him, noticing that everyone else was already gathered. It looked like something serious was about to be discussed.

"Is everyone here?" Edrix asked.

We exchanged glances before answering almost simultaneously, "Yes."

"Alright… Let's get ready early. The retreat program starts at 9 AM, lunch is at 12 PM, and the recreational activities begin at 1:30 PM," Rory explained. "...But we won't be participating in that."

We all reacted in the same way—confused.

Not participating? Then why are we even here?

"What? Why?" I asked.

"How did that happen?" Denzel added.

Rory chuckled. "You guys act like this is new. Honestly, we were never meant to be part of the program. The only reason we're here is because of Sir Alvin."

"What are we supposed to do, then?" Blaster asked, clearly annoyed.

Even I was starting to get frustrated. Were we just here for decoration? So they could say that all fourth-years were present?

"For the 9 AM program, we'll still be participating," Rory explained. "We'll have lunch, and then after that, we're free to… take a nap."

"Boring," Calix groaned.

"Go nap with your girlfriend, then," Ci-N teased.

"If I could, I would," Calix shot back.

This is so boring. A nap? We already slept all night, and now we're supposed to nap again?

"There's nothing we can do," Eman said as he opened two packs of hot dogs. "...If we leave, we'll get scolded."

"Want to go swimming?" I blurted out.

Everyone turned to look at me.

The truth was, even though it had been a long time since I last visited this place, I still knew a lot about it.

Maybe… this trip wouldn't be so boring after all.

"Is there a pool here?" Ci asked.

I shook my head. "There are small waterfalls and rivers."

The group suddenly became animated and moved closer to me. I could see they were interested in what I was saying.

"There is? Let's go there!"

"Wait! Maybe the organizer won't allow us."

"Don't let them find out!"

"Is it far from here?"

"Let's go swimming!"

"We can go if you want, but the path is quite narrow," I said.

Everyone seemed excited except for Keifer, who was still yawning, Yuri, who was smiling at me, and Josh, who didn't seem to care.

"It's okay! Let's just go!" Ci-N said excitedly.

"We'll talk about that later," Eman said, looking at me. "...Help me here."

I immediately went to assist him in cooking breakfast. He prepared two packs of hot dogs, five packs of bacon, and a dozen eggs. He also reheated the rice left over from last night's meal.

The others were busy drinking coffee while waiting. I had a feeling that the food we brought wouldn't be enough, considering how much everyone could eat.

Gobble it up!

After cooking, we served the food. The boys were obviously excited about swimming—one of them was even mimicking swimming movements with his hands.

Go ahead, swim some more!

I wasn't sure if the path we usually took was still there. The place had been developed, so it might have disappeared.

After eating, they all went to the restroom at the same time. I knew it would take a while since they'd have to wait their turn. I decided to take my time before heading there myself.

I wasn't disappointed—when I got there, the line had shortened. While arranging my clothes and towels, a sudden thought crossed my mind.

What did Ella say?

What truth was she talking about? My curiosity was getting the best of me.

When did they talk? As far as I knew, Ella never approached Keifer or Yuri—except for last night.

Damn! That's right!

When Yuri took Snorlax, Ella said something, and Yuri nodded. Isn't that what happened? Segways!

What was that all about? I couldn't let this go. If it turned out to be nothing, I'd have to confront Ella myself. Aries and I would have to talk.

I continued my bath quickly as more people entered the restroom. After finishing, I left immediately.

Back at the campsite, only a few people had returned. The others were still gone, and it seemed like it would take them a while.

"Get ready, Jay! Let's go ahead!" Eman said.

I nodded and went to my tent to grab my things. After organizing my stuff, I joined Eman and Edrix, who were waiting for me.

"Where are the others?" I asked as we walked.

"They'll follow. Our seats are at the end, so they'll spot us easily," Eman said.

We kept walking until we reached the hall. Just as Eman had said, our seats were at the far end.

A huge sign reading "SECTION E!" was placed opposite the bank, making it impossible to miss. As we sat down, Josh and Mayo arrived, followed by Ci-N, who immediately took the seat next to me.

A little later, the rest of the group arrived. Once everyone was seated, we faced the stage where one of the organizers stood.

"Good morning, everyone!" he greeted.

"Good morning!" everyone responded in unison.

He smiled and continued speaking. "We'd like to start the program with a prayer. So please, everyone, stand up."

We stood immediately. One of our classmates led the prayer at the microphone. Afterward, we sat down again and listened to the organizer.

"Thank you so much for... blah, blah, blah..."

For some reason, I couldn't focus. I felt drowsy listening to the speech. I yawned repeatedly and wiped my eyes as they watered from exhaustion.

I leaned my head on Ci-N's shoulder for a moment. He didn't push me away and just let me be. My eyelids grew heavier.

I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep. Even in my dream, I could hear a buzzing sound, like bees trapped in a bottle.

"Jay..." someone called me.

I didn't respond. I wasn't sure if I was still dreaming. The voice disappeared, and suddenly, I heard clapping.

What? It's over!

Hearing the applause, I immediately opened my eyes and started clapping too. But when I looked around, I realized no one else was clapping.

I stopped, confused. The others were already getting up. I turned to Ci-N, who was giggling non-stop.

"Nice one, Jay!" Drew teased, laughing.

Damn it!

I embarrassed myself again! That was ridiculous! I looked around and glared at them.

"Did you sleep well? You look like you had a long night," Felix teased, exchanging glances with the person next to me.

"You wore him out last night," Eren teased Ci-N.

Idiots!

"I'm just tired," Ci-N answered innocently, making the others fall silent.

They looked at me and then at Keifer. Even though they didn't say anything, I knew what they were thinking. Dirty minds!

Keifer, sitting beside me, had his brows furrowed, clearly ready to fight back if necessary.

"...We just had a long conversation and ended up talking about other things," Ci-N clarified, and the others finally sighed in relief.

Bunch of perverts!

"We thought you guys did something," Blaster said, laughing.

"Enough. Let's eat," Keifer said, standing up abruptly.

The others followed him. There was a long line in front where the food was being served.

"Is it lunch already?" I asked Ci-N.

He nodded. "You were sleeping so well that we felt bad waking you up."

Ugh.

We joined the line for lunch. Fortunately, there was plenty of food prepared this time.

Unlike yesterday, when we only had leftovers.

Ci-N handed me a tray with curved sections for different food items. After getting our food, we headed back to our spot.

Just as I was about to sit, someone bumped into me, nearly making me spill my food.

"Too bad, it didn't spill," I heard a whisper.

I turned to glare at them, already annoyed—only to see who it was.

"Freya... Don't make a scene," Mica warned, standing just behind Freya with her classmates.

"Shut it, Mica!" she shouted at her before turning back to me. "...So, what did I hear? You guys..." She glanced at Keifer, who was standing not far from us. "...What a great choice!"

Not again! Bad trip!

"I don't want trouble, Freya," I said calmly but firmly.

"Oh really?!" she asked sarcastically. "...Is that what this is? I want trouble."

"Freya! Please..." Mica pleaded.

Freya ignored her. I noticed Ella standing next to Mica, smirking with a hint of amusement. I turned back to Freya, suddenly feeling uneasy.

Are they doing this on purpose?

"Freya—"

"You think you're so pretty," she snapped, eyeing me from head to toe.

"Stop it, Freya!" Yuri interjected, but Freya's sharp gaze immediately shifted to him.

"Shut up! Don't you dare interrupt me when I'm talking!" Freya snapped angrily.

Yuri didn't respond. I glanced at him, surprised he didn't fight back.

"Do you think I don't know anything about you?!" Freya demanded, her eyes darting between Yuri and me.

Shit!

How does she even know? I looked at Ella, who still had her arms crossed. Did she tell her?

I feared Freya might say something out loud. People were already staring.

I tried to walk away, but Freya grabbed my arm, causing the tray I was holding to fall completely.

My food!

I yanked my arm free and glared at her. "What is wrong with you?!"

"You! Acting all flirty!"

"I'm so ashamed of you!"

"Ha!" she scoffed.

"Enough, Freya!" Felix said, clearly annoyed.

Freya turned to him. "Why are you talking to me like that? Your brother wouldn't like it."

Brother?! Is she talking about Percy?

Why bring up Percy now? What's going on? Does she know something about him?

"Percy's been gone for a long time! You and he have been gone for a long time!" Felix shot back.

Gone for a long time?!

'...Freya's boyfriend died, and Keifer, Yuri, and Aries had something to do with it.'

Wait! That's Percy! Percy is Freya's dead boyfriend! Shit! My mind reeled.

"W-was it Percy?" I whispered, but Freya heard me.

"So you know him too?" she asked, irritated. "...Let me guess—your friends told you?" She emphasized the word "friends."

It's Percy. But what happened? Why was she involved with Keifer and Yuri? They knew something. Why did this happen? Did they do something on purpose? My mind swirled with questions.

I looked at Yuri and Keifer, but both avoided my gaze, clearly unwilling to answer.

"Did your friends also tell you what they did to me?" Freya asked bitterly, glaring at them.

What did they do?

"That's enough, Freya," I said, though I knew she wasn't backing down.

"Oh? You don't want others to hear?"

"What do you want?!"

My fists clenched. If she didn't stop, I might actually hit her.

She crossed her arms and looked me straight in the eye. "I want to see your reaction when you find out what those two did to me."

Even though I wanted to know, something inside me resisted. My chest tightened, and a part of me warned me not to dig further.

"Students! What's going on here?!" Our guidance counselor, Sir Alvin, shouted.

Freya didn't break eye contact with me, but the other students quickly scattered, wanting to avoid trouble.

"Ms. Hidalgo and Ms. Mariano," Sir Alvin called. "...What's happening here?"

Freya smirked before stepping back. Her classmates followed. Mica glanced at me apologetically.

"Section E, return to your campsite," Sir Alvin instructed.

We had no choice but to obey, though we hadn't even eaten yet. Back at the site, I immediately confronted Yuri and Keifer, ignoring the others' curious stares.

"What is Freya talking about?" I demanded, my frustration rising.

I tried to stay calm, but my emotions were all over the place. I wasn't the only one desperate for answers—Edrix was clearly listening, too.

"We're all tired and hungry. Can we talk about it later?" Keifer said, avoiding eye contact.

I grew even more annoyed. I knew he was just dodging the conversation. He'd say the same thing later.

"Why not now?!" I snapped.

"Jay... please," Yuri pleaded.

"What's wrong?!"

"Because it was a mistake!" Keifer suddenly shouted, silencing everyone. "...We made a mistake! Why do you need to know about it?! It can't be undone!"

Right!

Why am I even asking? Why do I even care? I let out a bitter laugh and shook my head. There was no point in pushing further. Without another word, I turned and walked away.

"Where are you going?" Yuri asked, worried.

"I don't know... Just somewhere far from you."

"Jay..." Ci called out. "...I-I want to go swimming."

I knew Ci was trying to change the subject—maybe to stop the tension from escalating.

"I'll check if the path we usually take is still there," I said, forcing a smile.

They let me go. The path led back to the hall, but I had no intention of going there. Behind the hall was a fishpond, just a short walk away.

I wasn't disappointed—the water was immediately visible. It looked more developed now, with a large gazebo in the middle of what seemed like an island, connected by a long bridge.

I stared at it briefly before continuing along the pond's edge. Soon, I found what I was looking for. Near the wooded area, a barbed wire fence stood tall with a big "KEEP OUT" sign.

Pfft...

Like that would stop me. I peeked beyond the fence, checking if our usual pathway was still there.

I smiled. The path was still intact. We could still reach the small waterfalls. I turned back to invite the others—but froze when I saw someone standing on the bridge.

She is crying but I can see the anger in her face. I never thought I would see her cry.

Freya.