Keifer stood outside Jay Jay's dorm, hands shoved into his jacket pockets.
It had been over a week since their last real conversation, and something about it gnawed at him. Jay wasn't the type to go silent-especially not with him.
Taking a deep breath, he knocked.
A few seconds later, the door creaked open. Jay blinked at him, looking surprised. "Keif?"
He arched an eyebrow. "Look who remembers me."
Jay rolled her eyes, stepping aside. "Don't be dramatic."
Keifer walked in, glancing around.
The room looked the same, but there was something off about Jay-like she wasn't fully present. He flopped onto her bed. "You've been MIA. Thought you got abducted. Or worse-joined a cult."
Jay laughed lightly, sitting at her desk. "I've just been busy."
Keifer leaned back on his elbows. "Yeah, I got that memo. Just wondering if 'busy' includes avoiding me."
Jay sighed. "Keif"
He sat up. "Don't 'Keif' me. You've been acting weird. And don't tell me it's nothing, because I know you. This isn't nothing."
Jay's fingers curled into her sweater. "I swear, nothing's wrong. I'm just... trying to balance things."
Keifer studied her. "By cutting me out?"
She flinched. "I'm not cutting you out."
"Feels like it."
Jay looked away. "I just... need to be more present with Yuri. He's my boyfriend. It's important."
Keifer exhaled slowly. "Jay, I get it. But there's a difference between making time for someone and letting them decide how much time you're allowed to have."
Jay stiffened. "That's not what's happening."
Keifer watched her carefully. "You sure about that?"
Her jaw clenched. "I don't need you to analyze my relationship."
Keifer held up his hands. "Fair. But just so we're clear-if you ever need to vent about your totally normal, no-red-flags relationship, I'm available. Unless, of course, Yuri's added me to the 'Do Not Contact' list."
Jay huffed. "Keif"
He grinned, but it didn't quite reach his eyes. "Relax, Jaybird. Just making sure you remember you have a life outside of him."
She forced a smile. "I know."
But something in her voice told him she wasn't so sure anymore.
The next few days blurred together.
Jay's phone buzzed constantly with messages from Yuri.
Yuri: Where are you?
Yuri: Call me after class.
Yuri: I don't like that guy being aroundyou so much.
Yuri: We need to talk about your priorities.
At first, she ignored the unease creeping in. Yuri was just being protective. That's what relationships were about-caring, making sure the other person felt secure.
Right?
But it was getting harder to breathe.
Her schedule wasn't hers anymore.
Every spare moment had to be accounted for every text, every call, every decision.
One afternoon, as she sat outside the library, her phone rang.
Yuri.
Jay exhaled before answering. "Hey.""Where are you?" His voice was even, but there was an edge to it.
"Library."
"With who?"
Jay frowned. "Alone. Just studying."
A pause. Then, "You didn't tell me you'd be there."
She rubbed her temple. "I didn't know I had to."
Yuri sighed. "Jay, it's not about permission. I just want to know where you are. Is that so unreasonable?"
"No," she mumbled, guilt pressing down on her chest.
"Good." Yuri's voice softened. "I just worry about you, babe. I want to make sure you're safe."Jay swallowed the lump in her throat. "I'm safe, Yuri. It's just the library."
"I know. But you know how Keifer is. He acts like he owns you."
Jay stiffened. "He doesn't."
"Then why does he always need your time?" Yuri's voice held the same patient tone as before the one that made Jay feel like she was missing something obvious. "You don't see me running off to some girl every other day."
She bit her lip. "That's different."
"Exactly."
Jay opened her mouth to argue but hesitated. Maybe he had a point. Keifer had been around a lot. Maybe she really had been inconsiderate.
"I should go," she muttered. "I need tofinish this chapter."
"Of course." Yuri's voice was smooth again. "Text me when you're done."
Jay hung up, staring at her screen for a long moment.
Then, almost like he had a sixth sense, Keifer's name popped up.
Keifer: Library?
Jay hesitated. Then:
Jay: Yeah. Just studying.
Keifer: Cool. Coming over.
Jay's fingers hovered over her phone. She should tell him no. Set boundaries, like Yuri said.
But before she could type anything, Keifer was already there.Keifer slid into the seat across from her, dropping a pack of gum on the table. "For your stress-chewing."
Jay sighed, but a small smile tugged at her lips. "I don't stress-chew."
Keifer popped a piece into his mouth. "Tell that to the graveyard of pens you've massacred."
Jay rolled her eyes and focused on her book.
Keifer leaned back in his chair. "So, what's today's sermon about?"
Jay didn't look up. "Anthropology."
He smirked. "Fitting. Maybe you can study Yuri and tell me what species of possessive boyfriend he is."
Jay shot him a look. "Keif."
"What? I'm just saying guy's got a
tracking system on you tighter than a government drone."
She sighed. "He just cares."
Keifer folded his arms. "Right. That's what people always say before they start handing over a list of pre-approved friends."
Jay shook her head, exasperated. "He's not like that."
Keifer studied her. "If you say so."
Jay ignored the way her stomach twisted.
After a long pause, Keifer nudged her book with his knuckles. "Hey. Just... don't disappear, okay?"
She blinked. "What?"
Keifer's voice was quieter now. "I get it. New relationship, new priorities. But ifyou start losing pieces of yourself just to make someone else comfortable... that's not love, Jay."
Jay stared at him, her chest tightening.
Her phone buzzed.
Yuri: You're still there?
She swallowed. "I should go."
Keifer watched her gather her things, expression unreadable. "Of course. Wouldn't want to miss curfew."
She shot him a glare. "I don't have a curfew."
He smirked. "Could've fooled me."
Jay walked away without looking back. But as she stepped into the cold evening air, Keifer's words echoed in her head.
And for the first time, she wondered if she was really walking away from the library... or from herself.