JAY'S POV —
I thought getting ready for Prom day would be simple but NO...apparatantly I was the main event for the three ladies....
The red dress Stella made me buy fit like it was stitched onto my soul—silky, thigh-high slit, hugging every curve I didn't even know I had. My mom kept gasping every five seconds. Tita Gema kept adjusting the straps like I was a mannequin. Stella kept squealing.
"Jay, stop moving—your eyeliner is sharp enough to stab Keifer," Stella scolded while curling my hair.
My mom laughed. "Don't give her ideas."
They did everything—hair glossy waves over one shoulder, soft glam makeup, gold jewelry, a delicate anklet for the slit, the works.
By the time they finished, I barely recognized myself.
Mom and Tita Gema stepped out to "prepare the boys," leaving me and Stella alone.
Stella immediately turned to me with a look.
A suspicious look.
Then she reached into her bag… and pulled out a condom.
"NO."
She held it up like she was offering me holy communion.
"Jay, babe, I love you. But with you looking like that? You might need it."
"STELLA!" I nearly choked, face hot.
"I already told Angelo you're sleeping over at my place," she continued casually. "So if you wanna go to Keifer's tonight… you can."
My jaw dropped so far I almost swallowed the lip gloss she'd just applied.
"I—NO—I'M NOT—GIVE ME THAT—"
I snatched the condom and shoved it back into her hand.
"I'm NOT taking that!"
She smirked. "Sure, babe. Whatever helps you sleep at night."
I smacked her arm, she cackled, and we finally stepped out.
And the house went silent.
Mom. Tita Gema. Angelo. Aries.
All staring.
Angelo's soul visibly left his body. Aries blinked like he was adjusting to sunlight. Tita Gema clasped her hands dramatically. My mom whispered, "My daughter is a WOMAN—"
Great.
"Uh… hi?" I managed.
Compliments hit me from all sides. I tried not to combust.
Aries adjusted his tux—black, clean lines, surprisingly handsome—and I smiled.
"You look good too," I told him.
He shrugged, a little shy. "tell me something I don't know already.."
"Stop on percy is enough! "
"Let's go then," I said, grabbing my clutch.
Angelo's car was out for repairs, so I tossed Aries the keys.
"We're taking mine."
He grinned. "Now that's dangerous."
I rolled my eyes and headed out, the slit swaying with every step.
We got into my sleek black car—clean, polished, perfect for the night—and drove toward the venue.
Lights ahead. Music. People.
Prom night had officially begun.
And I had no idea what was waiting for me inside.
KEIFER'S POV — And Then She Walked In Like a Plot Twist
I'd been ready for prom before.
But never like this.
Mark Keifer Watson, certified menace, was standing in front of the mirror actually fixing his hair for the seventh time. Seven. I never fixed my hair. I usually just existed and it worked.
But tonight?
Tonight Jay was going to walk in wearing that dress Stella kept bragging about, and I needed to be… presentable. Or at least not look like I'd rolled out of bed and threatened someone before arriving.
Black suit. Black tie. Sleek watch. Cologne that the boys insisted "smelled expensive." Hair—acceptable. Maybe.
"Bro you look like you're about to propose again," Felix said from behind me.
"Shut up," I muttered, adjusting my cufflinks for the fourth time.
The rest of Section E looked like a dysfunctional wedding entourage.
Eman was arguing with Calix about who looked more handsome. Edrix was trying to eat a hotdog in a suit without staining anything. Blaster kept taking photos. Mayo was doing a TikTok.
Chaos.
But the moment we got to the venue… everything froze.
Cars pulled up. Students poured out. Lights. Music. Decorations.
But then—
A sleek black car rolled in.
And she stepped out.
Jay.
Red dress hugging her perfectly, slit high enough to kill me twice, hair in soft waves, gold jewelry catching the lights—she looked like every man's dream, except I was the only one living it..
Blaster literally dropped his phone. Calix whispered, "Holy—" Eman elbowed him, eyes wide. Half of the junior batch turned and stared.
And me?
My heart straight-up stopped working.
Aries walked her out, heading toward Ella, and Jay stood there for half a second scanning the crowd.
Then her eyes met mine.
The boys around me started pushing me forward.
"GO." "BRO MOVE—" "DON'T JUST STAND—"
I took a breath.
She walked toward me slowly, dress flowing, people staring, her lips curving into the smallest, softest smile—
A smile just for me.
Everyone else disappeared.
Just her.
Just Jay.
And I swear—
I fell in love with her for the hundredth time before she even reached me....
She got closer.
Every step she took felt like it was in slow motion—the kind they use in movies right before the main character dies from attractiveness overload.
Her dress swayed with the slit, catching the lights. Her perfume—sweet, warm, familiar—hit me before she even spoke. Her smile?
Yeah, that one was lethal.
Section E behind me was DEAD silent for the first time in their lives.
Jay finally stopped right in front of me, tilting her head up because she was tiny and I—well, wasn't.
"Hi…" she whispered, cheeks a little pink.
I swallowed.
Hard.
"Hi," I managed, because apparently my entire vocabulary packed its bags and fled the scene.
Up close, she looked even more unreal. Like she wasn't supposed to be here in a high school gym but on a magazine cover or a red carpet or—God, I don't know—on my arm forever.
"You look…" I exhaled, trying again. "Jay, you look incredible."
Her blush deepened. "You clean up nice too, Watson."
Behind us:
"AWWWW—" "CALM DOWN—" "KISS—" "MAYO STOP RECORDING—"
I ignored them.
I held out my hand.
"Ready?"
She slid her hand into mine, soft, warm, fitting perfectly.
And she whispered, just for me—
"I've been ready since you sang outside my house."
My chest tightened.
I squeezed her hand gently.
"Then let's make this night perfect."
And with the entire venue watching, with Section E already acting like our chaotic bodyguards, with her fingers laced in mine—
We walked into prom together.
Like it was exactly where we were meant to be.
JAY'S POV —
Walking beside Keifer felt… illegal.
Because the moment we stepped inside the venue, the whole place turned.
Like someone hit pause on an entire gym full of teenagers.
Heads snapped toward us. Whispers. Gasps. Phones quietly raising.
Okay, yes, the dress was dramatic.
And yes, Keifer looked like he'd been designed by an expensive webtoon artist.
But still—THE STARING.
Keifer just smirked, sliding his hand to the small of my back like he owned the place.
Like he owned me.
"Relax," he murmured.
"Impossible," I whispered back, trying not to trip and die.
Then—
"JAAAAY!"
"OMG SHE'S HERE!"
"BABE YOU LOOK LIKE A WHOLE AWARD TROPHY—"
The girls descended.
Mica practically tackled me.
Freya flipped her hair and inspected me like I was jewelry she was considering buying.
Ella hugged me tight, smiling like a proud older sister.
Rakki gasped so loudly people turned.
Grace started fanning herself dramatically.
"You LOOK—" Mica said.
"ILLEGAL," Freya finished.
"UNFAIR," Grace added.
"WHO ALLOWED THIS?" Ella asked, hands on her waist..
Rakki squinted. "Is Keifer breathing? Because I'm not sure he is."
I glanced over my shoulder—
Keifer was staring at me like I'd invented oxygen.
The girls screamed.
"STOP LOOKING AT HER LIKE THAT!"
"KEIFER, CONTROL YOUR FACE!"
"BRO AT LEAST BLINK—"
He didn't.
He just kept that stupid, devastating, soft smile.
I rolled my eyes, cheeks burning.
"Okay, okay—PULL YOURSELVES TOGETHER," I laughed.
But honestly?
Same.
Because prom night had just started…
and I already felt like my heart was dancing.
JAY'S POV —
After the screaming, hugging, twirling, and the girls fixing imaginary wrinkles on my dress, we finally blended into the chaos of prom night.
Which meant:
Photos. More photos. Too many photos.
The girls pulled me from backdrop to backdrop, posing like we were filming a music video. Flash. Flash. Freya flipping her hair. Grace blowing kisses. Mica yelling at the photographer to "GET HER GOOD ANGLE OR ELSE—"
Somewhere between the group shots and the "sexy pose but not too sexy," the boys of Section E drifted toward us.
And instantly backed away.
Because Keifer stood behind me.
Arms crossed.
Suit perfect.
Expression: try it, I dare you.
A couple of guys still tried their luck.
"Uh—Jay, you look… wow. Wanna dan—"
Keifer stepped half an inch closer.
"Never mind!" the guy squeaked and vanished.
Another one tried.
He didn't even finish the sentence.
He took one look at Keifer's raised eyebrow and RAN.
"Your boyfriend is terrifying," Mica whispered.
"He's not my—" I started.
The girls glared.
"Jay."
"Fine," I muttered. "He's terrifying."
But maybe also stupidly attractive.
We danced.
We jumped around.
Ella and Rakki dragged Aries and Eman into a circle.
Stella facetimed from home screaming, "SHOW ME HER DRESS AGAIN YOU SNAKES—"
Everything was loud.
Fast.
Fun.
Then the DJ's voice boomed:
"Alright couples, grab your partners—slow dance time."
The lights dimmed.
Soft, warm, golden.
The music shifted into something gentle—something that felt like a heartbeat underwater.
And right then—
A hand touched my waist.
I turned.
Keifer.
Standing close.
Too close.
Eyes soft.
Expression unreadable but intense enough to make my knees threaten betrayal.
"Dance with me?" he murmured.
Like the question wasn't already answered in the way I leaned into him without even thinking.
Around us, people coupled up.
The crowd faded into blurred lights and muffled laughter.
He took my hand.
Placed the other on my waist.
And we began to sway.
Slow.
Easy.
Safe.
But my chest?
My chest was chaos.
His forehead touched mine lightly.
His thumb brushed the back of my hand.
His breath warm against my cheek.
"Jay," he whispered.
One word.
And just like that, every loud moment of the night went quiet.
Just him.
Just me.
And a soft song that felt like it was written just for this moment.
JAY'S POV — Slow Dancing (AKA: I Might Actually Melt Onto This Floor)
If I thought the night had already ruined me, I was wrong.
Because dancing with Keifer?
That was something else entirely.
His hand didn't just touch my waist — it fit there. Like it belonged.
Every slow sway made the slit of my dress brush against his leg. Every step brought us closer. Every breath he took felt like it synced with mine.
I could feel his heartbeat.
Steady. Strong. Right against my chest.
His fingers slid up from my waist to my back in the lightest, slowest trace — barely there, but enough to send shivers racing up my spine.
"Relax," he whispered.
"I am relaxed," I whispered back.
"Jay."
That tone. Low. Disbelieving. Amused but also… something darker.
He dipped his head closer until his lips brushed my ear — not kissing, just there.
"You're shaking."
I nearly combusted on the spot.
"Am not."
He smiled against my hair — I felt it.
"Then why are you holding onto me like you're going to fall?"
I tightened my grip on his shoulders.
"I hate you."
"No you don't."
God, I really didn't.
The room disappeared — lights blurring, voices fading, the music becoming background noise to the sound of my own pulse.
His forehead touched mine again, but lower this time. Our noses brushed. Our breaths mingled.
Too close. Too intimate. Too much.
His eyes dropped to my lips.
And stayed there.
My heart tripped, stumbled, face-planted.
He leaned in slightly, just enough to make my breath hitch.
"Jay…" he murmured, voice deep, rough, wanting.
My fingers curled into the back of his suit. The slit of my dress shifted, brushing dangerously high. His hand slid down — slow — resting just at the curve of my hip.
Heat shot straight to my stomach.
"Keifer…"
I didn't even recognize my own voice.
He exhaled sharply — like I'd just undone him completely.
Then—
His nose grazed my cheek. His lips brushed the corner of my mouth. Not a kiss. Not yet.
Just a promise.
A terrifying, breath-stealing, stomach-flipping promise.
I pulled back half an inch, trying to breathe.
Big mistake.
Because his eyes darkened — the soft melted into something hungry, something that made my knees actually wobble.
"Jay," he said again, barely a whisper.
A plea.
A warning.
A question.
My lips parted.
His hand tightened on my waist.
He leaned in —
And then—
A voice boomed from the stage.
"ALRIGHT EVERYONE, PHOTO SESSION FOR COUPLES IN FIVE MINUTES!"
We froze.
His forehead still rested against mine. His breath still warm. His hand still on my hip.
He didn't move.
Neither did I.
His lips brushed mine one more time — barely, just a ghost of a touch.
"Later," he whispered.
My entire body lit on fire.
And that's where the universe decided to leave us:
Standing in the middle of the dance floor,
breathing each other in,
one second away from a kiss that probably would've ended both of us...
"Later."
He said it like a promise.
Like a threat.
Like he already knew I would say yes.
My legs felt like spaghetti. My brain? Useless. My entire body? On fire.
The music shifted. People started moving again. The lights brightened.
But Keifer didn't let go.
His hand stayed on my waist — firm, warm, claiming. His thumb drew one slow circle on my skin through the slit of my dress and my lungs forgot how to function.
"We should… go take the photos," I whispered.
He didn't move.
"You think I care about photos?"
My stomach flipped so violently I almost grabbed a chair.
"Keifer—people are looking—"
"Let them."
He finally stepped back half an inch.
Half.
Just enough for me to breathe.
Just enough for him to check the room… and then look back at me with a decision already made.
Uh-oh.
He took my hand.
Not gently.
Not sweetly.
Firm. Intentional. Like he'd been thinking about this all night.
"Come with me," he said.
No explanation. No chance to protest. No chance to think.
And because I am apparently the weakest human alive around this boy…
…I followed.
He led me out of the dance floor, past the clusters of students laughing and taking selfies, past the open hallway—
Straight toward a dimmer corner of the venue.
"Keifer—where are we—"
But he kept walking.
Until—
A door.
A CR.
The one near the back hallway.
Empty. Quiet. Too quiet.
Before I could process anything, he pushed the door open, tugged me inside—
and locked it.
My heart jumped into my throat.
He turned to me.
Not the smirking, teasing Keifer.
Not the soft, gentle dance-floor Keifer.
This was the Keifer who had almost kissed me in front of everyone.
The Keifer who had whispered "later" like he meant now.
He stepped toward me, slow and deliberate, eyes locked on mine like he could read every shaky thought in my head.
I backed up until my spine hit the wall.
He braced one hand beside my head. The other slid to my waist again, fingers curving around my hip, pulling me just a breath closer.
His face hovered inches from mine — too close, too much, too everything.
"Jay…" he murmured, voice lower than before, rougher, full of everything he didn't say on that dance floor.
My breath caught.
"I told you," he whispered, eyes flicking to my lips—
"Later."
He leaned in—
And the world spun.....
KEIFER'S POV
Photo session?
Yeah, no.
The second the announcement blasted through the speakers, Jay flinched just a little — just enough for me to feel her pull away.
And I knew.
If I let her step back now, even an inch, I'd lose the moment we were hanging on to by a thread.
So I didn't.
I caught her wrist gently.
She looked up at me — flushed cheeks, parted lips, pupils blown wide.
Game over.
"Come with me," I murmured.
Not a question.
Not a demand.
Just something that left my chest before my brain could filter it.
Her breath hitched.
But she didn't protest.
She let me guide her through the dim hall, past the chaperones, past the crowd, past the noise.
She kept glancing at me like she already knew where this was going and was half terrified, half ready.
We turned a corner.
Empty hallway.
Another left.
Very empty hallway.
Then—
The restroom door.
I pushed it open, checked — no one.
Perfect.
I pulled her inside and locked it behind us.
She gasped softly.
Not scared.
Just… startled.
Excited.
Curious.
Her back hit the cool tiled wall with the gentlest thud.
"Keifer—"
I stepped closer.
One hand braced beside her head.
The other found her waist.
That damn red slit brushed my leg again and I swear I felt every atom in my body tighten.
"You ran away from me," I whispered.
Her eyes widened. "I did not—"
"You did," I said, leaning in, "and I wasn't done."
Her breath wavered.
Close — too close.
Her perfume mixed with my cologne, warm and dizzying.
A hum from the outside world echoed faintly, but in here?
Silence.
Except her breathing.
Except mine.
I tipped her chin up with my fingers.
"Tell me to stop," I said quietly.
She didn't.
Her hands slid up my chest on instinct, fingers curling into the collar of my suit — holding me there.
That was it.
I crashed.
Not rough.
Not rushed.
Just… finally.
Her lips.
Soft.
Warm.
A perfect, devastating match.
She kissed me back instantly — like she'd been waiting for this as long as I had.
My hand moved from her waist to the small of her back, pulling her closer until there wasn't an inch left between us. The slit of her dress slid higher, wrapping around my leg, and she gasped into my mouth—
I swallowed the sound.
She tugged on my collar; I groaned against her lips.
Her fingers threaded into my hair; my pulse tripped.
Her leg brushed mine and I almost lost control.
I broke the kiss first — barely — breathing hard.
"Jay," I whispered against her mouth, "you're gonna kill me in that dress."
Her laugh came out breathless.
Shaky.
Almost dangerous.
She whispered back —
"Then maybe don't stop."
And THAT was the exact second I knew this night was about to go places. . ..