Festival Day 5
Jay-jay's POV
7:35am. I woke up early even though I slept late. I couldn't get Cyrus out of my mind. I wish I had gone on patrol if I had known that this would happen. My phone rang so I immediately looked for it. I saw it under my pillow. It was Ci-N calling me. "Hello?" I said when I answered the call. ["I'm the one who bought your bra."] Ci-N opened up to me. You idiot! "Are you crazy?!" ["My sister doesn't want to lend me one. She's mad at me!"] "Get help, Eren! Don't tease me!" I shouted at her and turned off the phone. It was so early, it would make me angry. I got up and went straight to the bathroom. I washed my face and brushed my teeth. I also tied my hair. I just noticed last night that my hair was getting longer. It used to be shoulder-length but now it's past and almost reaches my waist. When I went downstairs, I met Brother Angelo. "Cyrus' parents came here?" she asked me. "Yes.. asking if I could go see Cyrus." I answered her. "Are you going?" I looked away and bit my lower lip. She might not let me if I told the truth. "If you're going, make sure you have someone with you." She said and left in front of me. I didn't know if I should continue. I was nervous. I went straight to the kitchen and got something to eat. After breakfast, I went back to the room and arranged what I would use later. I knew that David and I would pick me up later at 8:30am. Suddenly my phone rang. I thought it was Ci-N calling me but the number on the phone was different. I answered the call and waited for the person on the other line to speak. ["Jay-jay? This is Cyrus' mom! Maybe you can go see my son now?! Please!"] Cyrus' mom. She was crying and from the other line I could hear them arguing. It was as if someone was talking to me. "I-I have something to do today." I replied. Why now? I have a ï¬ght. I won't be able to make it by 1pm or we might get disqualiï¬ed. ["Jay... Please, I'm talking!"] He asked me to talk and I started crying even harder. What should I do?! I just bit my lower lip. It's up to me! "S-okay. I'm going." I replied. ["S-thank you!"] The call had already died. I managed to pull myself together. Keifer and his riends would kill me if I didn't get there on time. I immediately took a shower and got ready. I also texted David and said I was going there. I left the house without telling Kuya. He wouldn't let me leave alone. I'll probably just text him. I took a taxi and went straight to the bus terminal. I was going to do this with a bang . The bus was just leaving when I arrived. Traveling in the morning is only fast. When I sat down, it felt like my ass was being shoved into my seat. I really couldn't stand it. I felt like I was doing something wrong. It was a 2-hour trip. 1 1/2 hours if there wasn't traffic. Suddenly someone texted me. I knew it was Yuri so I didn't look. Someone was also calling me. "Sister... Aren't you going to answer that?" The kid next to me asked. I forced a smile and sho ok my head. The kid went back to what he was doing. I put my phone down so as not to embarrass the kid next to me. He looked so grumpy. I arrived at my destination. As soon as I got off the terminal, people I knew were looking at me. But I didn't care about them. I took a tricycle and had them take me to the hospital where Cyrus was conï¬ned. I approached the nurse station and asked. "W-where is Cyrus Velasco's room?" "Just a minute?" The nurse answered me and pressed a button on the keyboard. "...Third floor, Room 154." "Thank you." I said and walked away. I went through the stairs. In case I changed my mind, I could still go back right away. But it didn't seem like that would happen. I arrived at the third floor. I was already in front of Cyrus's room door. My hand was ready to knock on the door. There was still a chance to back off. But I couldn't back off. I had the courage to tell Denzel to face the problem but I was the coward. I knocked on the door and waited for the door to open. "Jay?" Cyrus's mother greeted me. I forced a smile. She invited me in and I followed. "WHAT IS HE DOING HERE?!" Sister Cas, Cyrus's sister, asked angrily . "Cassandra! Your sister wants to see him!" Cyrus's father snapped . I looked at Sister Cas. She looked at me angrily. My gaze shifted to Cyrus who was lying on the bed. Her tears were flowing and she seemed so happy to see me. She had a neck support, her right hand was bandaged and her leg was in a cast. She also had a bandage on her head. I couldn't believe that I was the one who did this to her. "Jay-jay..." She called to me. Her mother brought me closer to the left side of the bed. To Ate Cas's annoyance, she left the room and slammed the door shut. Cyrus' mother made me sit right next to her. I felt like I was getting tired of what her mother was doing. Cyrus held my hand so I looked at her. "How are you? They said you don't study here." She asked me. Looking at her, she seemed so eager to hear what I had to say. I wasn't sure if that was really her right now. I couldn't help but think that she might have something planned. "I-I study at Aries' school." She was a little surprised. "Are you and Aries together? I thought she was mad at you?" Are you really Cyrus?! "We avoid each other if necessary." I tried to answer. Cyrus's grip on my hand tightened, he also stared at me in the eyes. I couldn't help but hesitate. "Tell me a story... About your new classmates." He ordered me. I looked at his parents for a moment before ï¬nally speaking. My story was limited to him. I didn't want to give details because with every name I mentioned, he looked at me differently. I looked at the wall clock in the room. It was 10:45am, if I left I could still clean up the house and make it to the contest. I turned to face Cyrus who was still holding my hand tightly. "C-cyrus... I have to go. We're waiting for me." I said while trying to take my hand back. "Don't... Stay here, please!" He pleaded. "H-that's not possible..." I was surprised when he suddenly grabbed my neck. He looked at me with anger and I knew he could kill me. He still didn't change. His parents panicked and immediately came to us to stop Cyrus. "Stay here! You can't leave!" She told me angrily. "Cyrus! Son! Let go of Jay-jay!" His mother shouted while trying to remove Cyrus's hand from my neck. But she looked at me with determination and sincerity. She really intended to kill me. I knew she was angry with what I had done. Suddenly, Ate Cas entered the room and helped remove Cyrus' hand. "Cyrus! Let go of him!" Ate Cas shouted. They pulled Cyrus' hand together and it seemed like he was tired so he let go. I immediately moved away from her and caught my breath. Cyrus suddenly started crying and seemed to be begging. "Don't leave! Stay here! Please!" She pleaded while crying. Ate Cas looked at me as if telling me not to stay here any longer. "I-I'm sorry... I have to leave." That was the last thing I said to them. I quickly ran away. It's rude as it is rude but I can't stand it any longer. I have no intention of going back there. Cyrus is crazy! But it seems like I'm going crazy too. I stopped in the hospital parking lot. I leaned against a part of the wall and caught my breath. But I hadn't been there long when someone called me. "Jay!" I looked at who it was. It was Ate Cas and she was coming closer to me. "I'll take you to your place! We need to talk too!" She told me and pulled me into her car. Her car still hadn't changed. Even her appearance, she still looked like a child. Ate Cas started the car quickly. She even beat the holdup with her speed. "If only I could... Don't show Cyrus again." She told me. Not really! I have no intention of going back there. I just felt sorry for their mother so I went. I still wanted to know and ask Cyrus a lot but I couldn't . After all, this was our last meeting so let's make the best of it. "A-sister Cas... W- what did I really do to Cyrus before?" I looked at him for a moment. He seemed annoyed by my question. "You did it and you didn't know? Are you kidding?" He answered me annoyed . "W-it's hard to explain." "You beat Cyrus! We tried to stop you so many times but you didn't stop! You're like a different person, you don't listen to anything! We thought you killed him!" He explained. I just swallowed. Keifer told me the same thing. Am I doing something I don't know about? "I know Cyrus didn't treat you well! But why did you hurt him like that?!" I couldn't speak. I didn't know why I did it. I didn't know how I did it either. "...Cyrus was in a coma for months! Just because of what you did! The doctor told us it was internal hemorrhage and surgery was our only option!" I knew that! I was in front of the doctor when he said that. Everyone was looking at me and I was the one to blame. And because of that, Grandma had a heart attack. I thought she was going to die because of me. "...It's a good thing the problem went away with medication!" She added. I didn't say anything more. I let her lecture me and whatever else . With how fast she was driving, I didn't realize that we were close . She stopped the car in front of the gate. "T-thank you, Ate Cas." I said before getting out. I didn't wait for what she would say. I quickly walked into the house. I felt so heavy. I couldn't breathe, I really wished I hadn't gone there. I looked at the wall clock-----shit!I ran to my room to get my things. I didn't ï¬x it, I'll just ï¬x myself there. I immediately called a taxi when I got out. I wouldn't be able to walk or bike there. So, if I look closely, there's traffic as the car approaches the school boundary. I got out and just ran. As I entered the school gate, I immediately noticed the people shouting in front of the main fourth year building. "Jay!" Someone called me. I looked for him and saw David approaching me. "Why are you here now?" He asked me. "I-I have----" "The contest is over." But it's still early! I still have an hour to get ready. How did it happen that it was over? I saw Eren and I walking towards the room so I immediately ran to chase them. I caught up with them right in front of our room. "Where are you from?!" Keifer angrily shouted at me. "I-I have----" "Is that still important on this day?! You know you have a ï¬ght but you still went along with it!" "Keifer because----" "Ci-N didn't go because you weren't there!" Keifer lectured me. I wanted to explain but I didn't know how to tell what happened. Yuri came out of the room door. "What happened Jay?" Yuri asked calmly. Ci-N and the others also left the room and waited for me to say. "Y-because... I-I thought the contest was at 1pm." I said almost in a whisper. "We were calling you, Freya suddenly changed the time." Ci-N answered me. I just bit my lower lip. I wish I had looked at my phone for even a moment. "Where are you from?!" Keifer asked again angrily. "I-I'm back with you, in our p-province." I answered. "Really now?! Are you kidding?!" Keifer yelled at me, causing my tears to fall spontaneously. Yuri grabbed Keifer's arm to stop him but he just pushed it away. He was still looking at me angrily. "B-because... I-I have my own problems to deal with." I answered and the tears I had been holding back fell. "...I don't want to not be able to come. I forced myself to. I also didn't want to go with him now. But I had to." They were about to come closer to me but I motioned for them to stop. I looked at Keifer who was still looking at me angrily. "...What else do you want to know?! What's my problem?! My ex, Cyrus! It's still a mystery to me how I managed to beat him up and be the reason he was hospitalized !" I continued to cry. I didn't want to face them like this. I never dreamed of crying in front of so many men. I turned my back on them and walked away. I didn't want this, I didn't want to show them that I was weak.