Jay's pov
I sat in the waiting room, staring blankly at the wall. The smell of disinfectant and the sound of beeping machines filled the air. I didn't move. I didn't blink. I just sat there, Kiefer's blood still on my hands.
Aries sat beside me, his arm around my shoulder. He didn't say anything, he just sat there with me. I appreciated it. I didn't know what to say, and I didn't think I could handle hearing words of comfort right now.
The door to the waiting room opened, and Ci walked in. His eyes scanned the room, landing on me. He rushed over, his face etched with worry. "Jay, what's going on? Where's Kiefer?" he asked, his voice shaking.
I looked up at him, my eyes dry. "He's in surgery," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yuri...he shot him."
Ci's face paled, and he sat down beside me, pulling me into a hug. "He's going to be okay, Jay," he said, his voice muffled in my hair. "He has to be."
I didn't respond. I just sat there, feeling numb.
The hours ticked by, and the waiting room filled with people from school. Eren, Drew, David, everyone was there. They all came to show their support, to ask about Kiefer.
But I didn't have any answers.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a doctor came out. He looked around the room, his eyes landing on me. "Jay Mariano?" he asked.
I stood up, my legs shaking. Aries and Ci stood with me, flanking me on either side.
"I'm Jay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
The doctor nodded. "Kiefer is out of surgery. He's stable, but he's going to need to stay in the hospital for a few days."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, followed by a tidal wave of exhaustion.
"Can I see him?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The doctor nodded. "You can see him, but just for a few minutes. He's still recovering."
I nodded, and Aries and Ci led me to Kiefer's room.
As I walked in, I saw Kiefer lying in the bed, his eyes closed. He looked pale, but he was breathing.
I walked over to him, taking his hand in mine. "I'm here," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm not going anywhere."
Kiefer's eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at me. "Hey," he whispered, his voice weak.
I smiled, tears streaming down my face. "Hey," I replied, squeezing his hand.
Kiefer's eyes locked onto mine, and he whispered, "Mine."
I smiled, my heart full. "Always," I replied, leaning down to kiss him.
Jay's pov
I sat in the waiting room, staring blankly at the wall. The smell of disinfectant and the sound of beeping machines filled the air. I didn't move. I didn't blink. I just sat there, Kiefer's blood still on my hands.
Aries sat beside me, his arm around my shoulder. He didn't say anything, he just sat there with me. I appreciated it. I didn't know what to say, and I didn't think I could handle hearing words of comfort right now.
The door to the waiting room opened, and Ci walked in. His eyes scanned the room, landing on me. He rushed over, his face etched with worry. "Jay, what's going on? Where's Kiefer?" he asked, his voice shaking.
I looked up at him, my eyes dry. "He's in surgery," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. "Yuri...he shot him."
Ci's face paled, and he sat down beside me, pulling me into a hug. "He's going to be okay, Jay," he said, his voice muffled in my hair. "He has to be."
I didn't respond. I just sat there, feeling numb.
The hours ticked by, and the waiting room filled with people from school. Eren, Drew, David, everyone was there. They all came to show their support, to ask about Kiefer.
But I didn't have any answers.
Mumma and tita Jemma arrived, their faces worried. They rushed over to me, hugging me tight. "Jay, what's happened?" mumma asked, her voice shaking.
I pulled back, looking up at her. "Kiefer's in surgery," I repeated, my voice monotone. "Yuri shot him."
Tita Jemma's face crumbled, and she sat down, covering her mouth with her hand. Mumma held me tight, her eyes welling up with tears.
We sat there in silence, waiting for news. The clock on the wall ticked away, each minute feeling like an eternity.
Finally, after what felt like an eternity, a doctor came out. He looked around the room, his eyes landing on me. "Jay Mariano?" he asked.
I stood up, my legs shaking. Aries and Ci stood with me, flanking me on either side.
"I'm Jay," I said, my voice barely above a whisper.
The doctor nodded. "Kiefer is out of surgery. He's stable, but he's going to need to stay in the hospital for a few days."
I felt a wave of relief wash over me, followed by a tidal wave of exhaustion.
"Can I see him?" I asked, my voice shaking.
The doctor nodded. "You can see him, but just for a few minutes. He's still recovering."
I nodded, and Aries and Ci led me to Kiefer's room.
As I walked in, I saw Kiefer lying in the bed, his eyes closed. He looked pale, but he was breathing.
I walked over to him, taking his hand in mine. "I'm here," I whispered, my voice cracking. "I'm not going anywhere."
Kiefer's eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at me. "Hey," he whispered, his voice weak.
I smiled, tears streaming down my face. "Hey," I replied, squeezing his hand.
Kiefer's eyes locked onto mine, and he whispered, "Mine."
I smiled, my heart full. "Always," I replied, leaning down to kiss him.
The kiss was soft, gentle, and full of promise. I pulled back, looking into Kiefer's eyes. "I love you," I whispered.
Kiefer's face softened, and he whispered back, "I love you too."
I stayed there for a few more minutes, holding Kiefer's hand, before the nurse came in and told me it was time to leave.
I nodded, reluctantly letting go of Kiefer's hand. "I'll be back tomorrow," I promised, leaning down to kiss him again.
As I walked out of the room, Aries and Ci flanked me, supporting me. We walked back to the waiting room, where everyone was waiting for news.
Mumma and tita Jemma hugged me tight, tears in their eyes. "He's going to be okay, Jay," mumma whispered.
I nodded, feeling a sense of relief wash over me.
We stayed at the hospital for a few more hours, until the doctor told us Kiefer was stable and we could go home.
As we walked out of the hospital, the sun was setting, casting a golden glow over everything. I took a deep breath, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.
Kiefer was going to be okay.
We got into the car, and Aries drove us home. Ci sat in the back with me, holding my hand.
We didn't say much on the ride home, just sat in comfortable silence.
When we got home, the house was quiet. Mumma and tita Jemma made us dinner, but I didn't eat much.
I went straight to bed, feeling exhausted.
As I lay in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about Kiefer. I pulled out my phone and sent him a message.
Message To: Hari ng Ulupong
I love you.
I waited for a few minutes, but there was no response. I smiled, knowing Kiefer was probably sleeping.
I put my phone down, closed my eyes, and drifted off to sleep, feeling a sense of peace wash over me.
Kiefer was going to be okay.