CHAPTER 384 - EXAM
JAY-JAY'S POV
Why am I so afraid? He's still Yuri. He's still my friend.
"Shhh…" he said, wiping my cheek with his thumb.
I didn't even realize I was crying. I was still leaning against the wall, and his arms were blocking both sides of my head.
I was trapped. I couldn't run.
"Shhh… I won't hurt you."
"Y-You're scaring me," I replied, and he let out a small laugh.
And I actually laughed too.
"You won't be afraid if you don't think badly of me."
He was right. If I didn't think badly of him, I wouldn't be this scared. But what should I do? I can't help it. There's still so much I don't know about him. And what if he really does have bad plans for Keifer?
What if he gets mad at me for interfering? Or maybe I'm just an obstacle to whatever he's planning? Like in those TV soap operas—whoever gets in the villain's way gets killed.
Tangina, get it together, Jay!
"If you don't act like this, I wouldn't be scared," I said boldly.
I won't be late for life. I'll fight—even if I'm starving.
He bit his lip before smiling. "You always have an answer."
Oh, probably!
He held my chin and tried to make me face him. I dodged a few times, so his hand ended up holding my jaw instead. I immediately raised a hand to grab his wrist.
"Calm down, Jay. I just want to talk to you properly," he said as he brought his face closer. "I have no intention of hurting you. You trust me, don't you?"
Do I even have that kind of confidence?
I took a deep breath to calm myself. When he noticed that I was breathing normally again, he let go of me. I was still leaning against the wall, watching as he pulled out the paper with Keifer's name on it.
He held up the paper and faced me. "Besides you, who else saw this?"
I didn't know if I should tell the truth. If I lied, things might get worse—especially if he caught me. But I couldn't drag Ma'am Cindy into this.
"N-No one. Just me."
He looked me straight in the eyes. I met his gaze, doing my best to look convincing. I was beyond grateful when he seemed to accept my answer.
"Do you know what this is?"
I wanted to say no. But who was I fooling? He wasn't stupid. He probably already knew I understood what that paper meant. Besides, I ran off earlier the moment he showed it to me. Not to mention I freaked out over Keifer's picture.
Huhu, cute.
I started crying quietly again, and he sighed. "Of course you do. Did Freya tell you anything?"
I slowly shook my head, confused as to why he'd think Freya would say something. Was it because we'd started talking? Or because he saw us together? Did he know I was gossiping with them back at the hospital?
"Tell the truth, Jay. Freya will be devastated if they find out she told someone."
They? Who are they? And why would Freya be doomed?
"S-She didn't tell me anything. Freya and I aren't even that close," I explained.
It's true. We're not friendly enough yet to bond without arguing.
He seemed relieved, but it looked like he still wasn't done asking me questions.
"Who did you hear about this from?"
I shook my head. "I—I just suspected it, because of the names involved. Some of them are familiar."
"And your suspicion?"
I took a few deep breaths. "Y-You have bad plans for Keifer. Maybe you'll bring him down like the others with those names."
He stared at me. He didn't even deny it. Looks like I was right. Ma'am Cindy was right. He approached me and held both of my hands.
"Listen to me, I can't talk or tell you the full story right now. But I need you to trust me. Me, Freya, and the others involved in this—we need to be free from the people who sent all this."
I was confused. Why Freya? And free from whom? I was only left with more questions. I asked for answers, but only got more confused. I was disgusted that he was doing this.
Ask for an answer—and what do I get?
"You have no one else to tell, Jay."
I tried to pull my hands away from him. I could see he was hurt by what I did.
"How can I be sure you won't hurt Keifer?"
Now I really have trust issues.
He stared at me. "I won't. I know I won't hurt him."
It's hard to trust him now, but I'll do it anyway. Because he's still my friend. Because he's still the Yuri I know. So even though I was hesitant, I nodded.
"I have nothing else to say, as long as you don't do anything that will harm him," I said, and it felt like we had reached an agreement.
He smiled at me. And in that moment, I knew his smile was genuine. I could be angry with him and fight him for what I'd discovered, but now I think maybe he's carrying something heavy. I don't want to be a burden to him.
But if I notice something is wrong, I won't hesitate to tell Keifer the truth—even if I know it will break their friendship again.
"Thank you for trusting me. When the right time comes, I'll tell you everything," he said, then turned his back to leave the room.
I sat on the floor. A lot of thoughts were racing through my mind. I couldn't help but worry about Keifer. I thought I'd have less to think about now that Ram was gone, but I just have more.
It would help if I were smart enough to think clearly, but my brain's always looking for food. I stayed on the floor for hours. I heard Kuya arrived, but I didn't leave the room. I didn't even realize I had fallen asleep where I sat. I woke up with pain in my back. I tried to stretch, but I heard my bones cracking.
Putangina, I'm still broken.
I crawled toward the bed just to get support to stand up. I felt like an old man with rheumatism. I was still holding my lower back as I stood.
I looked for my cellphone to check the time. It was 5 AM. I suddenly remembered that Mama and Aunt Gema were leaving around this time. I freshened up in the bathroom before stepping out of the room.
I caught them in the living room, talking. Mama was wearing a cloak again—she looked cold. I started to approach them, but she saw me and gave me a small smile.
"Good timing, you're up," she said.
"Nothing much, are you leaving already?" I asked, pointing to the bags they were carrying.
"Yes, we're just waiting for your Uncle Julz."
I nodded and glanced at Tita, who was busy giving instructions to the maids. I turned back to Mama.
"You're coming back here, right?" It never crossed my mind that she might be picked up by the police.
She laughed a little. "Of course. I'm going to look for a job here."
I don't know why, but my body and arms moved on their own—I hugged her. She was clearly surprised, but she hugged me back.
I owe her a lot. I still want to recover and properly apologize to her.
"Come back here," I said. "I'm telling you, I'll be in jail next."
"What's going on with you?" She asked, but I didn't answer.
I let go and said goodbye to her. "I'm going back to sleep."
I heard Aunt Gema's soft laugh. I also said goodbye to Tita. Not long after, Tito Julz arrived, followed by Kuya Angelo.
They talked for a while before saying goodbye to me.
They got into the car one after the other. Kuya was at the door watching them, while I was still standing where they left me. I'm afraid for Mama.
I hope no one really asked her anything.
"Why are you up so early?" Kuya asked as he turned to me.
"My back hurts. I fell asleep on the floor."
"What did you do so badly that you ended up on the floor?"
"What nonsense. Couldn't I have just fallen asleep or fallen off the bed?"
"No, I just fell asleep. Where are Ma'am and Sir?" I shifted the conversation.
"They're in the last guest room. Yuri's in Aries' room."
"Aries agreed?" I asked in disbelief.
I know they might get along a bit, but of course, that horoscope still has a different mindset. He still doesn't feel comfortable spending time with old friends. It's good progress if my brother agrees.
Because I can't stop worrying—I just don't know for whom.
"As if he had a choice to say no," my cousin replied, and I turned away.
Of course not. You are the law.
I went back to my room to sleep again. I was still sleepy, so I tried to read my notes. I even fixed the bench that had overturned last night after I tried to run away from Yuri.
Even after a little review, something still bothered me. What if I suddenly go blank while facing the test paper? It would be nice if someone could do magic and answer it for me.
What if I get sick again? Then what?
I lost track of time, so I was surprised when someone called me for breakfast. I went right away because I was hungry too—thankfully, my stomach had been empty for a while. I was stunned when I saw Yuri setting the table. He smiled sweetly at me.
"Good morning," he greeted.
I just nodded and turned to Ma'am Cindy, who had the food. She smiled and greeted me. Sir Alvin, who followed her, did the same.
"I hope you don't mind us barging in," he said.
I shook my head and was about to answer, but Kuya Angelo, who had just arrived, spoke instead.
"You're not barging in. I invited you to be here."
"Maybe your cousins are still in shock. Imagine having their teachers under the same roof," Sir Alvin explained.
He's right. It's strange that they're at home.
But I understand their situation. They have to hide their children. They need a safe place to stay, at least for now, before they can find something permanent.
It's just embarrassing because they'll see how we act at home. I hardly leave my room anymore. I even put a refrigerator in it.
"Good morning," greeted Aries, who suddenly appeared behind me.
Well, he's a good guy now.
"We're ready. Shall we eat?" Ma'am asked, and we took our seats.
I didn't feel comfortable sitting next to Yuri, so I switched seats with Aries. It was a sacrifice because I ended up next to Kuya Angelo. Good thing no one noticed what I did. I ate quietly while they continued talking. Sometimes I answered their questions, but I didn't start any conversations.
After breakfast, I went back to my room to get ready. I still couldn't organize my things in my bag. My notes were all over the place. I took a quick shower and got dressed.
It's exam day. It's scary. During the review, I was really nervous. It's not like before when I had "stock knowledge." Now, I feel like I have nothing left—just scraps of it lingering.
At least the review is done.
After getting ready, I left the room, timing it because my brother was planning to visit me. He was stunned when he saw me—probably surprised that I was ahead of him. Amazing, right? You'd be amazed too!
"Are you sick?" he asked.
"Why? Just because I was ahead of you?" I answered, a bit annoyed.
Maybe he thought he could tease me.
"No, because your lips are pale," he said, and I quickly looked away.
I instinctively touched my lips. They were dry, but I couldn't tell if they were pale. I wondered if there was something wrong with my horoscope today. Maybe it predicted this kind of tension before the exam.
I followed him in silence, still thinking he was just teasing me.
Could my lips really be pale from nervousness? I was worried about the exam. What if everything I studied gets wiped from my brain the moment I need it?
Please, brain. Just hold on.
I rode in the car with Aries. I was hesitant to let him take Yuri with him. I didn't say much during the whole trip to school.
Sir and Ma'am Cindy went separately. I still don't understand why they arranged it that way, but I let it go. Adults really are weird sometimes.
My brother's the worst—because he's old.
If my cousin could hear my thoughts, I'd probably be dead by now. I just laughed to myself at my little insults. I can't say them out loud, so I keep them stored in my head.
We arrived at school safely. When we pulled into the parking lot, I immediately saw the King of Snakes. I rushed toward him to startle him, but he already saw me coming.
"Ugh, I almost got you," I said, annoyed.
He chuckled. "Say it again, I'll pretend I didn't notice."
"What's the point of a surprise if you already know?" I pouted.
"Add the word surprise next time," he teased, and I got goosebumps. It was too early in the day for this kind of confusion. I playfully punched him in the arm.
"hmm—!" I was cut off by Yuri suddenly appearing in front of us.
I couldn't help but grab Keifer's arm out of the reflex. He glanced at my hand, then looked at me and smiled before turning his attention to the King.
Why am I nervous?
"How's Keigan?" Yuri asked.
"He's okay, I think. He locked himself in his room again, and it was hard to get him out. It caused some trouble," Keifer replied.
They started walking, so I followed. I let go of Keifer because they were too close, and I felt trapped. I walked behind them and held on to the hem of Keifer's polo shirt just to stay near.
They kept talking while I listened quietly. Yuri glanced at me now and then, but I avoided his eyes. He asked me a few things, but I only gave short answers.
I was distant with him. I felt bad, but that's how I really felt.
When we got to the classroom, I immediately noticed how quiet it was. I looked at the Serpents. Most of them were watching Drew, Rory, and Edrix, who were huddled in a corner. Some classmates greeted me, but the rest seemed off.
I tried to smile at Drew, but he only gave me a forced smile before looking away. Rory and Edrix did the same. They were obviously avoiding me.
"Jay," Keifer called softly and pulled me slightly toward his table. "Please Ignore them."
"Why would I do that?"
"For your safety," he said seriously.
I was about to protest, but I saw how serious Keifer looked. In reality, he should be the one staying low—he's the next target.
I sighed and just sat at my desk. David was finally awake, probably because he needed to be alert for the exam. Ci-N was playing on his phone. Sir wasn't here yet, so I took out my notes and began reading.
I'm seriously serious about reading, but I don't understand anything.
Now I've proven it's true—students become religious when exams are near, because all they can do is pray for a miracle to pass. It makes me want to cry.
It didn't take long for Sir to arrive. He greeted us and looked over to the corner of the room where the three were sitting. It looked like he was holding a grudge against Drew. He just glanced at him. But if I were Sir, I'd personally drop that.
Just kidding—Drew is so pathetic. His grades might get affected and he might not be able to graduate. I really hope he can recover now so he won't suffer anymore. I know him priority now is paying off him debt, but his diploma will help him a lot too.
I packed away my stuff and brought out the things I needed for the exam. When I got the test paper, I said, Thank you! I immediately read the questions. At least I'm not getting a zero for this—I got one point!
We started the exam. There were times when I couldn't remember the answers, but I'm proud to say I remembered most of them. Ci-N was the first to finish and submit, followed by Yuri, the Snake King, and David. About half of my classmates had submitted before I finally handed in mine.
I gave my paper to Sir with a wide smile. He even laughed when he saw me. "That was fast. Are you sure about that?" he asked. I shook my head while smiling.
He gave me a silly grin before collecting another paper. I returned to my seat and smiled proudly at David. He smiled back because of my reaction.
"The mood's good," he said.
"Of course. I remembered a lot from my review."
"Really? Did you notice the alternate answers too?" he asked, making my smile fade.
What alternate answers? What's that?
I shook my head. "Huh? There were?"
"Yeah, the answers you thought were right, but turned out to be wrong," he said seriously.
I suddenly felt a chill. I didn't notice that. Does that mean I got some wrong without realizing it?
"There's no such thing," Ci-N jumped into our conversation, and David's silly grin slowly returned.
Ugh, seriously?! Just teasing me!
"I'm just kidding," he said, and I immediately reached out to hit him.
"Idiot! I thought my whole review was a waste!"
He laughed softly. I hit him a few more times and Sir finally turned our attention back to him. He arranged the test papers at the front and waited for us to quiet down.
"I've explained this before, but I'll repeat it," Sir began, and we all focused. "This will be your final exam, but we still have a post-final exam. You can make up for any failing grades there, and you can also use the score as your entrance exam score for the university or college of your choice."
I nodded, though honestly, I didn't understand a thing.
"Sadly, not all universities accept the post-final exam score as an entrance exam result. Unfortunately, we're not accredited by those universities. So if you plan to go to one of those schools and you pass all your exams, you won't need to take the post-final exam."
Suddenly, the "snakes" screamed, so I turned to them. Someone else had shown up and Mayo tried to hug Kit, but he pushed him face away and he almost fell.
"Not okay," he complained.
"Because you're ugly," Kit replied.
I burst out laughing. Sir grabbed our attention again.
"Anyway, scores will be posted on Monday, so enjoy the long weekend," he said, and I clapped.
No school tomorrow—Friday is fun!
When Sir left, we stood up too. I thought everyone was ready to go home, but I was surprised when most of them gathered at the back, where the three were sitting.
"What's wrong? You three look different!" Denzel said.
Eman tried to pull him away. I can't blame him for being angry—he almost thought badly of his wife while searching for a traitor.
"We also have to take an exam," Rory said, and Eren shoved him.
Rory immediately retaliated, which started some trouble, but Yuri and David quickly stepped in and dragged those involved away.
"It's Tangina!" Eren yelled at David.
"Calm down!" David replied.
"How can we calm down? We're being treated like criminals here! You don't even consider our reasons!" Rory shouted angrily.
"That's the only reason!" Blaster snapped back. "Did you ever think about us? That maybe you could've approached us too? You don't trust me—that's why you acted differently."
I also wanted to speak up and try to calm them down, but Keifer stopped me. He pulled me away and led me out of the classroom.
"Wait a minute, can't we just hug it out?" I asked the King of Serpents.
"David and Yuri are there. Let's just leave it to them," he said, grabbing my hand and pulling me along.
I didn't respond, even though I was really annoyed. If his reason is still about safety, I think that shouldn't be a problem anymore. Ram is gone. I don't know anyone else who could hurt me—except his Monster Father.
No more. I'm seriously having a bad trip.
I thought we were heading straight to the parking lot, but I was surprised when he led me to the front of Section A's room.
"Sorry, I can't go with you. I need to do something urgently," he said and kissed my forehead. "I'll talk to you later."
"A-Alright. Be careful."
Before leaving, he kissed me on the lips twice and smiled widely. 🩷
"That's for the two curses yesterday."
I gave him a playful push, and he laughed. Then he left me standing there. He waved at me before winking. I had no choice but to wait for my brother to finish so we could go home together.
I must have been wandering for a few more minutes when I noticed the Snakes running away. They seemed to be in a hurry, like they had somewhere important to be. Eventually, I spotted Rory, Edrix, and Drew. They were still talking as they walked slowly.
"I'm going straight home. I need to take care of my sister and Mom first," Drew told the others.
I snorted.
An idea had just come to my mind.
I just hope I don't end up getting mad about what I'm planning to do.