--:JAY JAY'S POV:--
The house was so quiet it felt weird. I stayed leaning against the front door for a long time, just listening. I heard Keifer's car engine start up, and then the sound slowly faded away as he drove down the street.
I touched my lips with my fingers. They were still warm. My heart was thumping so hard I thought it might actually pop out of my chest. My head was a total mess. One second I was worried about Yuri and where he went, and the next second, I was replaying that kiss in the car over and over again.
" Stupid! jay, Get a grip " I told myself.
I finally walked into the hallway, but I didn't turn on the lights. I didn't want to see how empty the house looked. I went into the kitchen and poured a glass of water, but my hands were shaking so much I almost dropped the glass. I wasn't scared—I was just aaa.. Idk
Everything felt different now. Yuri was missing, and Section E was about to go through something huge. I knew the guys were out there right now, probably meeting up to plan what to do next. It felt unfair. I was part of Section E too, but because of what happened, they were treating me like I was made of glass.
I checked my phone for the tenth time. Still no messages in the group chat.
"Great," I muttered, pacing the kitchen floor. "Just leave me here in the dark while you guys do all the work. That's real fair."
But deep down, I knew why they did it. I knew why Keifer looked at me that way before I got out of the car. He wasn't just being the leader of our class; he was being someone who genuinely couldn't lose me. That thought made my stomach flip more than the mystery of Yuri did.
I sat at the kitchen table, staring at the dark screen of my phone. I felt like I was waiting for something to happen, but I didn't know what. I just knew that after tonight, nothing was going to be the same.
--:Keifer's POV:--
I didn't actually go home right away. I couldn't just leave her and go to sleep.
I pulled the car over a few houses down and just sat there in the dark. I gripped the steering wheel, staring at the road. My mind was going a hundred miles an hour. I was supposed to be the one with the answers. I was the one the guys looked to when things went wrong. But right now, all I could think about was the girl I just left at that door.
I could still feel the way she looked at me. It was a huge distraction, and in our group, being distracted was a good way to get hurt. But Jay-jay wasn't just some girl. She was the reason I was even trying to keep everyone together.
My phone buzzed in the seat next to me. The light filled up the car, making me squint..
______
💌Group Chat: Jay's Ulupong
Edrix: We're all at your house. We've got some info on where Yuri was last seen. We're waiting for you.
Ci-N: Is Jay-jay safe? Did she get inside okay?
Josh: Chill out, Ci-N. Keifer's got it covered.
_____
I sighed and leaned my head back against the seat. They were all stressed out. We weren't a gang, but we were a group of guys who stood up for each other, and losing Yuri felt like losing a limb. I knew I had to go back. I had to be the one to figure out our next move.
I shifted the car back into gear. I had to stay cool while everyone else was panicking.
Before I pulled away, I picked up my phone. I opened the chat with Jay-jay. I wanted to tell her a lot of things. Instead, I just typed:
💌To, My future Mrs Watson💖
I'm with the guys now. Don't worry too much, we'll figure this out. Go to sleep.
I hit send and tossed the phone away. I didn't wait for her to reply because I knew if I saw her text, I'd want to turn the car around.
The drive home was quick because the roads were empty. When I pulled into my driveway, I saw all their cars parked out front.
I got out of the car and walked inside. The living room was crowded, but the moment I stepped in, it went dead silent. Whole section e, except my love were there staring at me. They were waiting.
I walked to the center of the room and looked at Edrix. He had his laptop open, his face pale in the glow of the screen.
"Tell me what we know," I said.
Edrix swallowed hard, his fingers hovering over the keyboard. "I tracked the last call Yuri made before his phone went dead" he said, his voice dropping an octave. "He wasn't calling one of us. He was talking to someone we haven't seen in months."
I felt the air in the room get colder. "Who?"
Edrix looked up, his eyes meeting mine. "He was talking to..."
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Happy New Year! 🎆🎉
Starting 2026 by sharing this story with you all has been a dream come true. Thank you for the incredible love and support you've shown my first book..💖💖
I love you guyss!!♡