CHAPTER 17
THE THINGS WE DON'T SAY
JAY JAY P.O.V.
NEXT DAY – SCHOOL
The morning felt…
Normal. Too normal.
Like nothing had happened.
But in Section E—
Nothing was ever just normal.
RORY & EDRIX P.O.V.
Back corner.
Edrix typing fast.
Codes running. Screens switching.
Rory stood beside him.
Watching.
Thinking.
RORY: "What do we have?"
Edrix didn't look up.
EDRIX: "More than I like."
A pause.
He turned the screen slightly.
Files.
Records.
Names.
EDRIX: "Cyrus."
Scroll.
EDRIX: "Multiple incidents."
Scroll.
EDRIX: "Violence. Complaints. Suspensions."
Rory's jaw tightened.
RORY: "…Pattern?"
Edrix nodded.
EDRIX: "He targets."
A pause.
EDRIX: "And doesn't stop."
Silence.
Then—
RORY: "Does he have people?"
Edrix hesitated.
Then nodded slowly.
EDRIX: "…Possibly."
Rory leaned back.
Eyes serious now.
RORY: "We don't tell her."
EDRIX: "Not yet."
RORY: "But—"
EDRIX: "We tell Keifer."
Rory nodded.
Keifer he stood near the window.
Arms crossed. Watching.
Not obvious.
But always—
Watching her.
Edrix walked up.
EDRIX: "We need to talk."
Minutes later—
Keifer's expression changed.
Slightly.
Darker.
KEIFER: "…Got it."
He didn't ask questions.
Didn't panic.
He just—
Looked at Jay again.
And stayed closer.
LUNCH BREAK
Same place.
Same noise.
Same chaos.
But Jay—
Was quieter.
Something was off.
A group nearby laughed loudly.
Someone said something random—
A word.
Just a word.
But—
It hit.
JAY JAY P.O.V.
The sound echoed. Laughter twisted.
Voices overlapping—
Too much.
My breathing changed.
That memory—
That day—
"YOU DON'T GET TO WALK AWAY—"
I stood up suddenly.
Chair scraping.
Everyone turned.
But I didn't stop.
I walked.
Fast.
Out.
IN MUSIC ROOM
Empty.
Silent.
Safe.
Until it wasn't.
My hands shook.
I sat down.
Then—
Everything broke.
Tears.
Uncontrollable.
I covered my face.
"Why now…"
The door creaked open.
I didn't look.
But I knew.
KEIFER....
He walked in.
Slow.
Careful.
He didn't speak.
Didn't ask.
He just—
Sat down.
A little distance away.
Silence.
Minutes passed.
My crying didn't stop.
Then—
He spoke.
KEIFER (quiet): "I'm here."
That was it.
Something about those words—
Broke me even more.
I looked at him.
And then—
I spoke.
JAY (shaking): "…He wasn't completely wrong."
Keifer didn't interrupt.
JAY: "When I get pushed too far…"
A pause.
JAY: "I don't think."
My hands clenched.
JAY: "I don't stop."
Silence.
JAY: "It's like…"
My voice dropped.
JAY: "I become someone else."
A tear fell.
JAY: "And I hate it."
Silence.
Then—
Keifer moved.
Closer.
Not too much.
Just enough.
KEIFER: "You didn't start it."
I froze.
KEIFER: "That's all that matters."
My breath hitched.
KEIFER (softer): "And next time—"
A pause.
KEIFER: "You won't be alone."
OUTSIDE SCHOOL – IN THE EVENING
The sky darker now.
Tension heavier.
Keifer walked with me.
Not saying much. But present.
A shadow across the street.
Someone watching.
Cyrus.
Our eyes met.
No words.
Just a warning.
HOME – AT NIGHT
Door opens. Lights warm.
But something felt—
Wrong.
Aries was already alert.
ARIES: "You're late."
Jay stepped in.
Quiet.
Before anything else—
A knock.
Slow.
Heavy.
Everyone froze.
Aries turned.
Walked to the door.
Opened it.
And there—
CYRUS.
Standing calmly.
CYRUS (smiling): "Good evening."
Silence.
His eyes shifted—
To me.
CYRUS: "…Miss me again?"
Aries stepped forward.
Dangerous now.
ARIES: "You shouldn't be here."
Cyrus tilted his head.
CYRUS: "I just came to talk."
A pause.
Then—
His voice dropped.
CYRUS: "She belongs to this story too."
Jay's heart stopped.
CYRUS (smiling slightly): "And this time…"
A pause.
CYRUS:
"I'm not leaving her behind."