The music outside was loud and wild, but inside the private lounge, it was quiet — almost too quiet. The faint hum of the speakers mixed with the soft clinking of glasses as Jay poured another drink for herself and Freya.
Jay: "Cheers to surviving chaos."
Freya: "And to being disasters in heels."
They laughed, weakly at first, then genuinely. Honey was lounging on the couch beside them, sipping her drink slowly, watching both girls with that "I'm not drunk, but emotionally invested" look.
Freya sighed, swirling her glass.
"You know what's funny, Jay? Everyone thinks Keifer's this cold, perfect guy. But he wasn't like that before you."
Freya shook her head, giggling.
"Nope. He was… controlling. Like, scary protective. I couldn't even hang out with friends sometimes."
Freya leaned forward, elbows on knees.
"But he changed, Jay. I swear. The way he looks at you… it's different. He's calmer. Softer. It's like… you untangled him."
Jay smiled faintly. "Or he's just tired of fighting."
Freya snorted. "No, girl. He's just in love."
Honey raised her glass lazily. "To love, then."
They clinked glasses, and Jay took another sip, the burn in her throat strangely comforting.After a pause, Freya spoke again, voice quieter.
"You know, I used to think something was wrong with me. All my boyfriends before Edrix… they treated me like trash. Like I was something to use. Yuri—"
Jay's eyes softened. She already knew.
Freya: "He came when I was down. He said the right words, did the right things… and then left like nothing happened. I think that's why Yuri used me. I was easy to hurt back then.""
Jay shook her head, reaching out to squeeze her hand
Freya sniffled, laughing tearfully. "And Edrix—he's… different. He treats me like I'm something worth keeping. Honestly, thank you for pushing me towards him, Jay. If you hadn't meddled "
Jay chuckled softly. "I'm a professional meddler. Ask anyone."
Honey raised her glass lazily. "To the Jay effect."They clinked glasses, and for a moment, it felt light again.
Jay smiled faintly. "Maybe I just didn't want you to settle for pain."
That was when Honey looked at her quietly. "And you? You always deflect. What about your pain, Jay?"
Jay froze. Her smile flickered, fragile.
She looked down at her glass, watching the golden liquid shimmer like old memories.
"My childhood was... complicated," she began softly.
"Aries was taken from me when I was little. Mom kept marrying again and again — men who wanted her money or her body, never her heart. I didn't even meet my real father until recently."
Freya frowned. "So your stepdads…?"
Jay nodded slowly, taking a shaky breath.
"My first stepdad was a monster. He used to hit me when Mom wasn't around. Once… he locked me in the bathroom for hours just because I spilled coffee on his shirt."
and the next one came."
Freya's eyes widened. "He hurt you too?"
Jay nodded, her eyes glassy now. "He used to hit us both . I think she was too scared to stop him. Once… he hit me with an iron rod. Still have the marks."
Freya froze, her voice barely a whisper. "Wait… marks?"
Jay hesitated, then turned around slowly, pulling her hair aside. The low-cut back of her dress revealed faint, uneven scars across her lower back — silvered over time, but still visible.
Freya's eyes filled with tears. "Jay…"
Jay tried to smile through it. "That's why I didn't want to wear backless. I didn't want people to see that part of me."
Freya, shaking, reached forward and gently undid one button to see better — only to gasp softly at the pattern of faded lines.
"Oh my God…"
Jay: "It's fine. It's old. Doesn't hurt anymore."
Freya: "But it still does, doesn't it?"
Jay looked down at her drink, voice cracking just slightly.
"Only when I remember."
Honey quietly stood and wrapped her arms around both of them.
No words. Just warmth. Just comfort.
For a few moments, no one spoke. The hum of the lights, the faint music from outside, the sound of Jay's uneven breathing — it all mixed together into something fragile but real.
Freya: "You didn't deserve any of that, Jay."
Jay: "Maybe not. But it made me who I am now."
Freya shook her head, wiping her tears. "No, Jay. You made you who you are now. You survived that."
Jay laughed softly through her tears. "Guess I did."
But what they didn't realize was — the door to the private lounge wasn't fully closed.The muffled sound of Jay's voice had reached outside.
Aries, Keifer, Percy, Edrix, Yuri, and the rest of Section E had just arrived at the bar, searching for the girls after noticing their absence.
And now, they stood frozen near the door, hearing everything.
Aries' hand clenched around the frame, knuckles white. His breath caught when he heard Jay's words — about the iron rod, about their separation. His jaw tightened, tears burning his eyes.
Aries (whispering): "She went through all that… alone?"
Percy's expression darkened, guilt flashing across his face.
Freya's voice broke through again inside:"Jay, you didn't deserve that."
Jay, softly: "Maybe not. But I survived it. And that's all that matters now."
Keifer couldn't move. The confident calm he always wore cracked — he looked completely lost. His eyes darted from Jay to the floor, his chest tightening painfully.
Keifer (muttering): "She smiles like nothing happened. Every damn day."
Yuri stood still, quiet — guilt spreading across his face when he saw Freya crying and heard Jay's words. His usual smirk was gone. Completely gone.
aries "I'm here now. And I swear, no one touches you again."
Keifer's jaw tightened. He stopped himself, words choking him. "You're stronger than anyone I've ever met."
Yuri, still near the door, finally spoke, voice low."Now I get why she never flinches when people hurt her — she's already survived worse."
Honey wiped her tears. "And yet, she still smiles like it's easy."
Freya hugged Jay tightly again. "Because she doesn't want us to worry."
Percy muttered quietly, "everyone was right. That girl's a storm wrapped in sunlight."