It's just another boring class. Like if nothing happened last weekend. No one has asked me if I'm feeling better! They just completely forget that I was about to die!
Sir Alvin's droning on, Ci-n's doodling, Felix is secretly filming, and Yuri is still not here? He wasn't at the hospital, no message nothing!
Oh! me? I'm fighting to stay awake.
Then my pen explodes. Ink. Everywhere. On my hand. On my notes. With a stain my uniform.
"Oh sh*t—" I blurt before my brain can stop me.
Every head snaps in my direction. Even the teacher pauses mid-sentence.
"Oh Jay! Who were you that angry at?" Ci-n mumbles
"Shut up idiot!" I try to brush my hands together until I realise what I just said
I look behind me.
That smirk. That evil, glinty-eyed smirk that makes my stomach drop. He points up 2 fingers
as leans over, voice low, only for me: "Careful, Jay. You remember the rule."
Oh. My. God. I am not dealing with this! Jay you need to escape!
"I'm just gonna wash this off sir!" I race towards the bathroom.
Escape successful!!!
I splash water onto my hands like I'm trying to drown the ink. Wash it off. Wash it off. Wash it off.
Ink smudges everywhere. Great. My hands look like I fought a squid. I knew I shouldn't have used one of David's pens!
One day back from that hospital and welcome back my bad luck!
At least I escaped. At least I'm safe.
Ha- that Keifer thought I couldn't escape!
I glance at the mirror and almost scream.
Keifer's reflection.
Leaning against the doorway. Arms crossed. Smirk locked in place.
OH MY GOD.
I whirl around, nearly slipping on the wet floor. "WHAT—How did you—Sir Alvin is literally teaching!"
What is wrong with this guy?
"I told him I'll give you a tissue to help clean that mess you made." His shrug is too casual. "He believed me."
Seriously sir!?
"Your acting like i just didn't die over the weekend!' I stare at him, trying to divert the conversion.
"Trauma! Blood! Drama! And here you are smirking like the villain in my telenovela life."
Keifer's eyes soften just a fraction, but that smirk doesn't budge. "If you had actually died, Jay, you wouldn't still be swearing in front of me."
I freeze. My brain catches up. Oh no.
His smirk deepens. "Speaking of swearing…"
I try to casually walk off but he keeps blocking me!!
He leans down, his face so close I can count the flecks of gold in his eyes!
His lips brush mine. Soft. Quick. Terrifying. Perfect.
Perfect!??
He straightens, still blocking the door with that stupid smirk. "You really should watch your mouth, Mrs. Watson."
Welcome back, Jay Jay. You survived the hospital… just to die cause of this king of serpents.
Finally. Lunch break. Freedom from Sir Alvin's monotone voice and my exploding pen tragedy.
Section E is buzzing. Ci-n's hoarding fries like a dragon, Felix is documenting our meals like he's auditioning for a food show, and Edrix is giving an in-depth review of the cafeteria spaghetti (spoiler: still trash).
Me? I just want peace. A tray. A seat. A nap.
But of course, fate hates me.
Because Keifer drops into the seat across from me. No food. Just… him. Staring.
"What?" I snap, stabbing my fork into my rice. "You lost somewhere? Oh maybe about before!"
He doesn't answer. Just that smirk.
I glare. "Stop it."
"Stop what?" He leans forward, resting his chin on his hand like he has all the time in the world.
"That thing. The staring thing. It's weird."
"Maybe I'm just making sure you're really here," he says softly.
My brain short-circuits. My rice suddenly becomes the most interesting thing in the universe.
Ci-n, of course, notices. "Ooooh! Something's going on here!"
"SHUT UP, CI-N!" My voice cracks, and Felix almost drops his phone from laughing.
Edrix slams his tray down dramatically. "Ladies and gentlemen, I think we are witnessing a love story."
I groan, covering my face with both hands. "Please, someone bury me right now."
"Eat, Jay," he says calmly, like nothing happened. Like he didn't just ruin my entire nervous system.
And then he casually steals one of my fries.
"KEIFER!"
He smirks, chewing. "Relax. You'll live."
My poor lovely fries...
Murdered. Stolen by the opponent.
I clutch the tray to my chest like a widow at a funeral. "Do you know how long I waited in line for these? How much pain, sweat, and suffering I endured just to bring this food to the table?"
Keifer just leans back, cool as ever, sipping from my soda. "You act like I took your soul."
"You basically did!" I hiss. "That fry had a future. College, career, a family—"
"Now it has me." He smirks, like this is some grand victory.
I want to throw my fork at his stupid perfect face.
Ci-n gasps dramatically. "Jay Jay, he's stealing your fries and your heart."
"CI-N, I WILL END YOU!"
Felix is already recording. Of course. Edrix is narrating like it's an action scene. "The Great Fry Heist of Section E, starring Jay Jay the Victim and Keifer the Criminal Mastermind."
I bury my face in my hands. "Why is this my life?"
When I peek through my fingers, Keifer's already leaning closer across the table, smirk tugging at his lips.
"Because," he says low enough that only I can hear, "your life includes me."
My heart skips, traitor that it is.
I yank my hands down and glare at him, but my cheeks are already warm. "You're impossible."