Ang Mutya Ng Section E (Book - 2) English

Jay-Jay's POV

"Your brother Angelo is right, Jay," Aunt said. "...Don't go."

"Because, Aunt..." The snakes intend to send a video message to their King. "...maybe because."

"You almost did last night. Good thing Aries was there."

I bowed my head. Both Aries and I were not allowed go out by Kuya Angelo. He knew that we went out last night and that I saw him running after the car—it really happened.

Kuya tried to chase the car, but it was going too fast. And to make things worse, it had no license plate.

"Don't be stubborn. Get some rest," Tita added.

She kissed me on the head before standing up and leaving the room. I immediately grabbed my cellphone to text Ci-N.

To: Batang Kumag [Young Snake]

Message: I won't be coming. Something happened.

I barely waited a second before he responded.

📩

From: Batang Kumag

Message: What happened? Why did something happen? Who was it?

I winced. I could already imagine his expression while asking me that—his eyes widening, looking excited to know my answer.

Just then, I heard a knock on the door, and it slowly opened. Aries' face peeked inside.

"Are you okay?" he asked.

I nodded. "You? Are you okay?"

He stepped inside and walked up to me. He forced a smile.

"I'm okay too."

"Can you tell me my fortune for today?" I asked innocently.

A strong smack on my forehead sent me falling backward.

"Aaaghhh! That hurts!" I cried out, clutching my forehead while rolling on the bed. "What the hell?! Ouch!"

"You idiot! You almost died last night, and you're still thinking about things like that?!" he scolded me, clearly annoyed.

I whimpered, looking at my forehead in the mirror. It was red and swollen, like a lump. I swear my brother's nails are as hard as rocks because the pain was unbearable.

I think my soul was wounded too.

"It hurts..." I whispered. "...so much."

"Stop being so dramatic," he said irritably as he walked toward me. "Look at me."

Annoyed, I turned to him. "Oh, there! Look!" I practically shoved my forehead in his face.

He flicked me again. I almost passed out from the pain. I heard his loud laugh as he walked out of my room. He was really enjoying my misery.

But for some reason I couldn't understand, something warm tickled my heart. I smiled and fell back onto my bed. Is this it? Is this what it feels like to have a brother?

I pulled out my cellphone again, this time texting Percy.

To: Piercing

Message: Hey! Hey! Call me! I have something to tell you!

I smiled while waiting for his reply. A few minutes passed, and I almost sent another text.

📩

From: Piercing

Message: Ew… Poor. No Call.

My eyebrows immediately crossed. But isn't that right? I called him to tell him about the events and then he said this.

You're so stupid, you blue eyes! I'll make them black.

To: Piercing

Message: Idiot! Just do it!

It didn't take long for him to do as I ordered. I quickly answered his call.

["Yes? Hello?"] He opened the conversation.

"Idiot! What are you saying? That I'm poor?!"

["I hope you call me."]

"Maybe I don't have a call sign, right?" I answered sarcastically.

["You are poor. You're now Jay-Jay, the Poorita Girl,"] he said, laughing loudly.

Crazy guy.

"You're insane! I have something to tell you."

["And… what is it, tail horse?"]

I winced as I glanced at my phone before putting it back to my ear and speaking again.

"Aries and I are okay now!" I said happily.

["Oh? No way."]

"Yes… I think?"

["Why is there an 'I think'? You're not sure? What's that supposed to mean!"]

"Maybe it's because I suddenly bumped into him."

["Here's what you do…"] he said, as if giving instructions to a child. ["Go to him. Touch his forehead. If it's hot, then he's sick—that's probably why he talked to you."]

I groaned in frustration, slapping my forehead. This guy is driving me crazy. Is that really the right thing to say? Unbelievable! I had about 0.01% courage, and now it's gone.

"What if he's not sick?"

["Good news! That means he actually wanted to talk to you."]

I bit my bottom lip. Percy might not be wrong. But still… it's nerve-wracking.

I wonder if tomorrow—or even later—we'll be at odds again. I wish I could talk to him freely, but since Kuya ordered me to—it's impossible. I can't force that. What if it's because…

"Someone is trying to kill me."

The words slipped from my lips before I even realized it.

["What?!"] Percy exclaimed, snapping me back to reality.

I just remembered—I hadn't told him what I saw and what happened.

"Percy… remember what Keifer said when they fought before? He mentioned that someone wanted to kill me."

["Yeah… Bak—shit! Don't tell me—"]

"Someone has been sending me death threats, and then… l-last night, someone tried to run me over."

["What the…? Do your classmates know about this? Yuri? Keifer?"] he asked, clearly worried.

"I-I don't know."

His breathing grew heavier.

["I'll talk to your Kuya Angelo. I have to go."]

He hung up before I could respond. I hugged my knees, feeling unsettled. A thought played in my mind—what if Aries only talked to me because he thought…

He thought I was going to die.

Annoying! Why does it have to be like this? Can't he just say hello because he wants to? Because he misses me? Because he genuinely wants to make things right?

Does someone really have to try to kill me first? Does it really have to come to that? I clenched my fists, feeling frustrated. I couldn't take it anymore.

I quickly stood up and walked out, heading straight to his room—but he wasn't there. So, I walked to the living room.

Empty.

I was about to check the kitchen when I noticed something outside. Aries was standing there, looking at something in his hands.

Curious, I approached him—and to my surprise, I saw he was holding a photo. Without thinking, I grabbed it from him.

It was a picture of us. Sitting on the road, Aries holding my cheek, as if saying something. I couldn't be mistaken—it was from last night.

"They're closer than I thought," I heard him murmur.

I hadn't even responded when he suddenly strode toward the gate and shut it. He walked inside quickly, his pace urgent.

"Manang! Make sure you check carefully before opening the door! Don't let just anyone in!" he shouted at the maids.

I stood frozen by the door, still gripping the photo. My hands were trembling. That familiar fear crept in again. Why is this happening now, when he wasn't even around?

Why do I feel so alone—now more than ever? Why now? Why do I feel cowardly? But I'm Jay-Jay… I shouldn't be afraid.

I don't remember ever holding back in a fight. I never did—whether my opponent was a man or a woman. After all, there's no reason for me to be scared. He only threatens, and that's all he can do.

"Don't be afraid. You won't scare me," I whispered, crumpling the photo in my hand.

I quickly walked back to my room and took a shower. After getting ready, I put on my uniform. I'm going to school—I won't let this shake me.

As I was arranging the contents of my bag, my cellphone suddenly rang. I picked it up and glanced at the screen. An unknown number was calling. I gripped my phone tightly. My fingers trembled as I pressed the answer button.

"H-Hello?" I answered hesitantly.

["Jay-Jay? It's Eren!"] His voice was loud and urgent.

I frowned at the noise in the background—it sounded like people were messing around or fighting.

"W-What's with all the noise?"

["Jay! We need your big brother's help!"]

"Huh?! What the—Hello?! Hello?!"

Suddenly, the call ended.

I grabbed my bag and ran out quickly. Luckily, Aries wasn't in the living room. I took my bike and sped toward school.

I was sweating from running so fast. I had to get there as soon as possible. As I reached the gate, I saw large construction vehicles parked outside the building.

No… It can't be!

My heart pounded as I nervously approached. A crowd had gathered, students whispering in curiosity while the Guidance Counselor argued with the Ulupongs.

I forced my way through the crowd to get closer.

"You can't do that!" I heard Felix shout.

"The board has issued an order! We need to clean up this mess!" the Guidance Counselor insisted.

"Can't you wait until tomorrow?! We'll remove the remaining clutter ourselves!" Yuri pleaded.

I looked around. The piles of old tables and benches were gone, along with the rest of the trash. My eyes darted toward the Snakes—they were blocking the stairs leading to the second floor.

"We can't wait! The demolition is scheduled for next week! Time is running out!"

"Wait for Keifer to come back! Talk to him first!" Rory protested angrily.

"Why should we wait for him?! We have a schedule to follow!"

"If you demolish this building, where will we hold our classes?!" Mayo demanded, frustrated.

"In the open auditorium!"

"What?! Are you crazy?" Edrix scoffed.

The counselor glared at him. "How dare you speak to me like that?! You have no respect!"

"Oh really?! Do you even respect us?!" Blaster snapped.

I quickly stepped in, raising both hands in an attempt to calm the situation.

"Ma'am! Please!" I pleaded. "...I'm begging you. Just give us some time—we'll fix everything ourselves."

"Miss Mariano, we don't have any time left to give you! There is a strict schedule to follow, and that's final!"

"I'm begging you, Ma'am. U-Until tomorrow! Just until tomorrow! We'll fix everything!" I pleaded, almost falling to my knees.

The counselor gave me and the Ulupongs a sharp glare before finally speaking.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Miss Mariano," she said, pointing at me.

Then, she turned and walked away, followed by the workers in their hard helmets. The curious students also started to disperse.

I turned to face the Serpents. Their expressions were still tense, their eyebrows furrowed.

"Let's go inside the classroom first. We need to talk—" Yuri started, but before he could finish, the Snakes suddenly turned away.

Yuri looked at me and forced a smile. I put my arm around him as we walked toward the room. When we entered, everyone was fanning themselves. The single ceiling fan wasn't working, and the room was dimly lit because the only light was off.

"There's no electricity. They cut the power," Ci-N said sadly.

Their shoulders slumped. Some of them looked completely defeated, as if they had lost all hope.

"What's the plan? Let them destroy the room upstairs?" Drew asked, annoyed.

"N-no!" I answered quickly.

"So what are we going to do?"

I lowered my head. I didn't even want to say it, let alone admit it to myself. We really couldn't stay in this building anymore.

"Can't we ask your Big Brother for help?" Eren asked.

I hadn't tried that yet, but I felt like it wouldn't make a difference.

"I don't think so. Kuya is already struggling with his own problems. I don't want to add to them."

"So we should just let it go? Is that it?" Felix asked, frustrated.

"Like we have a choice," David replied.

Felix suddenly stood up and rummaged through the back. He picked up a box and walked out of the room. Yuri, Rory, and Edrix followed him.

Ci-N and I exchanged glances before walking after them. They headed to the second floor. I ran to catch up, my worry growing as I saw them breaking the doorknob of the last room.

The picture room.

"Felix..." I called out, my voice mixed with hesitation.

He ignored me, focused on breaking the doorknob until, finally, he forced the door open. One by one, we stepped inside.

Felix started taking the photos off the wall and placing them into the box. I watched him weakly, my heart sinking. My feet moved on their own, and before I knew it, I was helping him.

I couldn't help but look at the faces in the pictures. Despite the bandages and band-aids, they looked happy. Some had serious expressions, others weren't even looking at the camera, and some looked surprised or completely uninterested.

I froze when I saw the only picture of Kuya. As I glanced behind it, I noticed a note.

Myki,

It's hard to take a picture of you, but you're still handsome from any angle.

~ Ion

It seemed like Kuya had a friend named Ion. The handwriting was neat and elegant, almost feminine, but I didn't want to assume. I had already been fooled once by Calix's handwriting.

I placed the photo inside the box. It took us a few more minutes to finish. Carrying the box back to the room, I felt even heavier inside when I saw them organizing the things in the back.

"So that's it? We're leaving this building?" Denzel asked sadly.

I nodded slowly. We turned to look at Ci-N when we heard him sobbing.

"This was my second home," he whispered. "I had fun here, even when I had problems at home."

I was happy here too.

We chose to finish packing everything that needed to be taken. It felt like we were moving houses. We also gathered the trash in front of our room, ready for pickup the next day.

By the time we finished, darkness had already settled in. David and Ci-N accompanied me home, while Yuri stayed behind to help Eman.

"Thanks for walking me home," I said, exhausted.

"Everything will be okay, right?" Ci-N asked hesitantly.

That was the same question I had been asking myself.

I wanted to reassure him., but I didn't want to give him false hope. So instead, I simply nodded and forced a small smile. They waited for me to enter before leaving. My body felt exhausted in a way I couldn't even describe.

We lost. Section E lost.

I felt weak and useless—like we were missing an important piece.

It hurt to admit, but ever since Keifer's disappearance, it was as if we had lost a leg. The school had been what held us together.

Section E used to be feared because everyone knew we would cause trouble. But now, it felt like we were falling apart. The other students weren't even afraid of us anymore.

I collapsed onto my bed. I wanted to sleep, but my mind refused to rest. Thoughts swirled in my head like my brain was a playground for them. Frustrated, I sat up and changed into my sleepwear, hoping it would help.

But instead, I felt even more awake.

I was sitting on the bed when the door suddenly opened, and Aries' angry face appeared.

"Where have you been?" he asked.

"S-School."

"You're really stubborn, aren't you?"

"Something happened, so I really had to go."

He held onto his temper. He looked like he was ready to lecture me. I stared at him for a moment. I wasn't in the mood to answer him, so I just let him blabber on and on.

Nothing registered in my mind. His words went in one ear and out the other.

"Aries..." I called his name. "...can we talk tomorrow? I'm tired."

I could see the surprise and shock on his face. He didn't answer and just walked out of my room.

I took a deep breath. I didn't understand. I felt like I was going crazy with everything that was happening to me.

It felt like the Author was lurking in the dark, happy to make our lives difficult—especially mine. Never satisfied. Maybe they took a hard hit to the head.

I heard my phone ring. I took it out of my bag and saw a text message.

📩

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: Hey. How are you?

I wanted to scream out loud, "Damn it! I'm not okay!" But I held back. I didn't want to cause a scene and alarm the neighbors.

To: Gagong Baliw

Message: Keifer.

I meant to send that to him. I wanted to meet that scumbag.

📩

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: Watson.

I was a little surprised, even though I was expecting it. Of course, he knew—that's just who he was.

To: Gagong Baliw

Message: It's you.

📩

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: Haha... You're cute.

I frowned. It felt like Gagong was playing with me.

To: Gagong Baliw

Message: I'm done playing games. Who the hell are you?

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: Any birthday wishes for him?

A photo followed his message.

In the middle of a grand hall stood Keifer, dressed in a black tuxedo, talking on his cellphone.

To: Gagong Baliw

Message: Who are you really?

📩

From: Gagong Baliw

Message: I know you more than you know me.

I dropped my phone. Sweetie! Can I play again?

Who is that Gagong Baliw?