Jay-jay's POV
"Jay... Ice cream..." Ci-N whined, but I ignored him. "Ice cream... Ice cream..."
He's been bugging me nonstop. I was irritated because he kept asking me to get food for him. It's annoying since he doesn't even know how to clean up after himself. He's so lazy.
"Jay... Jay.... Jay... Jay..... JAY!" he screamed.
I slammed my hand on the study table. I was losing my patience!
So annoying!
"That's enough! It's late! Go to sleep!" I shouted at him.
Suddenly, he whimpered and rolled on the floor.
"Jay-jay's mad at me!" he cried and started sobbing.
Oh crap!
Why does it feel like this kid's gone even crazier?! He just got bitten by a cat, and now he's acting like this. What if it's too late and the rabies has reached his brain?! This is bad! Should I bring him back to the hospital or take him straight to a mental facility?
"Fine... I'll get it!" I said and stormed out of the room.
I had no choice!
I headed to the kitchen. But when I got there, the ice cream was gone. Aries took the last one. I even caught him grabbing a spoon while holding what I came for.
"Can I have that instead?" I asked politely.
He just looked at me and rolled his eyes as he walked past. Pfft! Selfish jerk!
No more ice cream. I'm doomed. I headed back to the room and opened the door slowly. I was hoping he'd fallen asleep. But no, he was wide awake. Very much awake. Damn it!
"My ice cream!" he said.
"It's all gone."
He started crying and rolling on the floor again. I scratched the back of my head in frustration.
"I'll just buy you some," I said and quickly grabbed my phone and wallet from the table.
He suddenly stopped crying and stood up.
Huh?
"Buy me some midnight snacks too," he said and handed me money.
"Why don't you come with me instead?" I snapped at him.
"Nope... You got this. You survived seventeen years without me, this is nothing!" he said, flopping onto the bed. "Hurry back."
Wow.
The way this kid amazes me with his nonsense... I had no words.
I walked out. Didn't even say goodbye in case anyone else was already sleeping.
I got my bike from the garage.
It was already dark outside. Thank God for the streetlights lighting up my way. I should get a flasher for my bike next time so I feel braver riding at night.
Such a hassle—this annoying kid!
I headed straight to the Mini Mart nearby. It's open 24/7, so I could buy stuff anytime.
•
I parked my bike and entered the store. Not many people were there—it was late, after all.
I had the Mini Mart all to myself!
While checking out the ice creams, I felt someone behind me.
I didn't move. Just tried to sense what they were doing. I glanced at the reflection in the freezer door, hoping I could see their face, but it was too hard to make out.
"You're taking forever to choose," the person behind me suddenly said.
Wait! That voice—
"David!" I yelled as I turned around. He smiled at me, and I immediately smacked his chest.
Jerk! He scared me!
"Ouch! What was that for?" he said, annoyed.
"You scared the hell out of me, damn it!"
He just laughed. "You looked so serious. You're just getting ice cream, and you're zoning out."
"I'm choosing, obviously!" I snapped and turned back to the freezer.
Annoying!
"Are you doing anything later?" he asked.
I shook my head without turning around. I had to find Ci-N's favorite flavor.
Rakki—wait, no—Rocky Road!
Rough road! Where's the rough road?! I'm gonna slap it right on that annoying kid's face.
"Want to eat something first? My treat," David said.
I immediately faced him and smiled. "Let's go... The ice cream can wait."
He smiled and shook his head. Who says no to free food, anyway? It's rare to get free stuff out of nowhere.
I just got juice and a pre-heated sandwich. I was still full. Dang, I should've eaten less at dinner.
"You went out just for ice cream?" he asked.
I nodded. "For that little brat back home."
"Ci-N... Why didn't you bring him?"
"Ugh, that kid is so lazy!"
"Can't argue with that."
I opened the sandwich wrapper and waited for it to cool down.
"You? Why'd you go out?" I asked him.
"I couldn't sleep. Overthinking, I guess," he answered, slightly bowing his head.
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"About what?"
"A lot of things."
"Come on, tell me!" I insisted.
"You won't understand. It's just some random stuff."
I pouted. He really didn't want to say anything, so I couldn't do anything.
I just focused on the sandwich in front of me. While eating, I heard my phone ring. I took it out of my pocket, and the name that popped up was the king of all jerks.
From: King Ulupong
Message: Where are you?
I frowned. I had no intention of replying to that idiot. What's it to him where I am? He acts like my boyfriend—even more so than my so-called fiancé.
"What is it?" David asked.
"Nothing... Probably a wrong send," I lied and continued eating.
"Was it Keifer?" he asked, and I immediately choked.
"I knew it."
"How did you know?" I asked, coughing.
"Instinct," he replied smugly.
Ugh! This guy's "instinct" is always so accurate. Rich kid instinct or something.
How do you even get a rich-kid instinct like that?
I drank some juice to try and soothe my throat.
"Are you and Keifer a thing?"
I suddenly spat my juice and nearly choked on it.
Damn it!
My throat burned. Sh*t! It hurts!
"S-sorry..." David said, handing me tissues.
"King... F*cking... idiot!" I choked out.
He started laughing again. If I wasn't dying from choking, I might've killed him with my glare.
He really has a way with shock-value questions!
When I was finally okay, I drank again—fast—just in case he asked more nonsense.
It still hurt!
"You spilled on your shirt," he said and handed me another tissue. I took it and wiped my shirt around my chest. I also pulled out my necklace because I felt like it got wet too.
While wiping, I noticed David was staring at my chest.
This jerk!
"I'll poke your eyes out!" I warned.
"Huh?"
"Your eyes! You're staring too much!"
"S-sorry... I was just looking at your necklace. Why is there a ring on it?"
I touched my necklace. The engagement ring. Right, they don't know about this.
"I-it was given to me, but I couldn't wear it, so I put it here," I lied. He nodded, accepting my excuse. "S-so who gave me this necklace again?" I asked, changing the topic fast. I didn't want him to ask about who gave me the ring.
"You're so slow..." he said, making me frown. "You still haven't figured it out?"
Annoying jerk!
"Just tell me already!"
He sighed deeply and leaned closer to me.
"What was on the box?" he asked.
"Nothing... Except the trident symbol of Poseidon," I answered.
"Exactly! That's your clue."
But I don't know any Poseidons personally. Damn it! I've been thinking about this since Christmas and New Year's, and I still got nothing.
"Eh?"
He smacked his forehead and sighed again, more than once.
"Do you know any of Poseidon's children?" he asked.
I shook my head. "Poseidon has too many kids in Greek Mythology."
"Don't you know even one?"
"I only know the fictional one—Percy Jack—" I paused.
You're so slow, Jay-jay!
I looked at David, who was smiling like he was saying, See? That grin!
Google exists, but I act like I don't know how to use it. Why didn't I think of that sooner? Damn it!
Wait a minute! If Percy gave this...
"You see Percy?" I asked him.
"No... He just sent that to me."
"B-but you talk to him?" I pressed.
David looked straight into my eyes. Damn it. That look made my head ache.
Ugh, this is intense!
"He calls whenever he wants. We don't have full communication," he said, and I felt weak.
So unfair! Ugh!
I held David's hand and looked at him, begging.
"David! Please... I want to talk to him," I said.
He looked down at my hand. His hand was so cold. I don't know how long we stayed like that until he suddenly pulled his hand back and sighed deeply.
"I can message him, but I can't guarantee he'll reply," he said, pulling out his phone.
He started typing and aimed the camera at me.
"Smile," he said.
But before I could smile, I heard the shutter click.
"Didn't even let me pose!" I said, annoyed.
"Sent," he said, placing the phone on the table.
We stared at it for a few minutes. I was dying to grab David's phone and spam Percy.
Damn it! Why the suspense?
I finished my sandwich and juice. Even ate David's food too. Still, nothing. Then finally, his phone lit up:
1 Message
David grabbed it and read what it said. He looked unsure whether to read it aloud.
I stared him down until he gave in.
But I froze when I heard what the message said:
"Remove that ring from the necklace... Or I will kill Yuri when I get back there."