*Continuation of Flashback*
Jay-Jay's POV
My lips are still tingling.
Which is ridiculous because the kiss ended maybe two minutes ago.
Two minutes.
Two minutes since Keifer decided—with zero warning, zero mercy, and zero concern for my heart rate—to kiss me in the middle of the courtyard like we were the leads of some slow-motion romance drama.
I can still hear the gasps, the laughter, the whistles.
And I can still hear Dane's dramatic scream echoing across the entire campus:
"OH MY GOD, THEY'RE ACTUALLY DOING IT!"
I want the earth to swallow me.
No—no, actually, I want to strangle Keifer first, then let the earth swallow me.
We're walking side by side now, leaving the courtyard, our hands brushing once… twice… and then again—and my traitor heart keeps jumping every time.
I keep my face turned away because I can feel myself blushing.
Not pink.
Not red.
Nuclear.
He finally speaks, voice maddeningly soft and smug.
"Why so quiet, sweetheart?"
I nearly combust.
"Keifer, you— you kissed me in front of half the college—"
"Three-quarters," he corrects lazily.
I glare. He laughs under his breath.
My chest tightens.
Because he's enjoying this.
I tuck my hands behind my back to stop them from brushing his again.
Bad move.
He notices instantly.
He always notices.
His fingers graze my wrist—slow, intentional, teasing.
I freeze.
He doesn't take my hand.
He just lets his fingers linger long enough to make my brain short-circuit.
"Cat got your tongue?" he murmurs.
I want to scream.
Instead I mutter, "You're impossible."
"Mm. But you like me."
"I do not—"
"You kissed me back, Jay."
I shut up so fast I choke on air.
And of course—of course—he smirks.
Keifer's POV
God, she's adorable.
She's walking fast, tiny steps, face burning, pretending to be furious—but her ears are pink, her breathing's uneven, and she keeps stealing little sideways glances at my mouth.
If I wasn't already obsessed, this would've done it.
I'm replaying the kiss in my head, and my chest actually aches.
The way she gasped.
The way she grabbed my shirt.
The way her knees nearly buckled.
I want to kiss her again.
Here. Now. Everywhere.
But she'd probably die on the spot, so I behave.
(For now.)
She tries to put distance between us—Because the moment I slide my hand around the back of her waist, guiding her closer—
She melts.
Just—melts.
Her anger, her embarrassment, her denial… gone.All that's left is the soft version of her she doesn't let many people see.
"My girl just needed a reminder," I say casually.
She spins toward me like she's ready to fight.
"Reminder of what, exactly?"
"That you're mine."
She chokes—actually chokes—and stops walking.
I pretend not to notice, but inside, I'm grinning like a criminal.
She has no idea what she does to me.
No idea how many times I fought the urge to kiss her long before this moment.
And now that the dam has cracked…
I'm not holding back anymore.
Jay-Jay's POV
Footsteps slam behind us.
Dane and Eunice—running like gossip-hungry hyenas.
Perfect.
Just perfect.
Dane skids dramatically to a stop right in front of me, hands on his knees like he just ran a marathon.
"Oh my god—Jay," he wheezes, pointing at me, "we did not know you were starring in a romance movie on campus! Is it a limited series? Do we get tickets?"
Eunice arrives right after him, breathless but smiling.
"Do we… um… need to give you two some privacy?"
I want to disappear.
Keifer, of course, only tightens his arm around my shoulders and pulls me half behind him, half against him.
I squeak.
He smirks.
Dane sees my redness and immediately shouts to the heavens:
"LOOK AT HER—SHE'S A TOMATO—A DEADLY TOMATO OF LOVE—"
I slap his arm.He yelps.Keifer laughs.
Actually laughs.
A real one—low, warm, vibrating through his chest.
And… oh god… I feel it.
Against me.
Eunice nudges me with a small smile.
"He really likes you."
I look down at my shoes.
My voice comes out small and traitorous.
"I know."
Keifer's POV
Jay is trying so hard to hide behind me, her face buried in the fabric of my shirt.
It's adorable.
I lift my hand and lightly brush my thumb against her cheek.
She freezes again.
Her eyes flick up to mine—wide, embarrassed, soft.
"Stop being cute," I murmur.
"I'm not—!" She immediately protests.
"You are."
Her mouth opens to argue—
Dane interrupts at full volume:
"HEY, KEIFER, AWESOME KISS, BRO—10/10—WOULD WATCH AGAIN—ACTUALLY, WHEN'S THE NEXT EPISODE—?"
Jay groans like she's dying.
I feel her grip my shirt.
I feel her hide closer.
And I feel myself smiling again, without meaning to.
This—this right here—
Her leaning on me.
Her trusting me.
Her letting herself be seen, flustered and vulnerable and beautiful—
This is my new favorite version of the world.
I lean down, whispering near her ear.
"Relax, sunshine. They're just jealous."
She jerks up. "Of what?!"
"Of the fact that I get to kiss you," I say simply.
She does a full-body malfunction.
Dane screams again.Eunice covers her mouth trying not to laugh.
Jay turns red to her soul.
Perfect.
Absolutely perfect.
Jay-Jay's POV
I pull away, too embarrassed to breathe.
"I'm leaving," I declare.
Keifer catches my wrist before I take two steps.
His grip is gentle.
Not demanding.
Just… asking me to stay.
And when I turn back to him—
He looks at me like the world stopped existing behind me.
That look always destroys me.
My heartbeat stumbles.
He lifts my hand.
He doesn't kiss it—not this time.
He just holds it.
Warm.
Steady.
Claiming me without saying a word.
"You okay?" he asks softly.
I swallow.
"…yeah."
It's the truth.
For once, I'm not scared.
Because him kissing me in front of everyone…
Him teasing me until I blush…
Him holding me like I'm something worth showing…
It did something inside me.
Something big.
Something warm.
Something new.
A comfort I didn't realize I'd been craving.
Keifer's thumb strokes the back of my hand.
"Good," he whispers.
And my heart just… opens.
Keifer's POV
She's changing.
I feel it.
Her walls aren't gone, but they're thinner.
Her fear isn't gone, but it doesn't choke her.
She's embarrassed, flustered, red as hell—
But she's not running.
For the first time since I've known her…
She's letting me hold her openly.
She's letting me stay close.
She's letting herself want this.
I lean down until only she can hear me.
"This…" I whisper, brushing her jaw with my knuckles, "is our new normal."
She looks away, trying not to smile.
Fails.
Blushes harder.
And melts.
I tighten my arm around her as we walk, her hand still in mine.
Yeah.
This is definitely our new normal.
And I'm not letting it go.
Jay-Jay's POV
If someone had told me two months ago that I'd walk through campus without feeling like a spotlight was burning through my back, I would've laughed.
Or cried.
Maybe both.
But now…
Now I walk between Dane and Eunice, both of them talking loudly enough to scare off any rumor-hungry vultures, and for the first time, the hallway doesn't feel like a tunnel.
It feels… normal.
"Jay," Dane whines dramatically, swinging an arm around my shoulder, "your boyfriend is ruining my social life."
I choke on my own breath. "Dane— he's not— we're not—"
Eunice cuts in, deadpan, "You mean your bodyguard? Or your emotional support menace?"
I blink at her. "…Emotional support what?"
"That man is everywhere," she says, sipping her iced coffee like she's commenting on the weather. "He materializes like a suburban father at a BBQ."
Dane snaps his fingers. "YES. Exactly. Except… hotter. And scarier. In like— a protective lion way. You know. A lion husband."
I cover my face. "Can you two not—"
They absolutely ignore me.
"It's the way he leans on walls," Dane continues. "All broody. Broody but in love."
"He's not in—"
Eunice raises a brow. "Jay, he kissed you in front of twenty people yesterday."
"I KNOW."The memory burns through me so hard I physically curl forward.
God.
That kiss.
That stupid, breathtaking, knee-weakening kiss.
Dane and Eunice start laughing because I'm red again. I can feel it. I'm burning like a matchstick.
"Look," I mutter, trying to walk faster, "Keifer doesn't come every day. He has work. And a life. And—and—"
"Jay."Eunice bumps my shoulder gently."He comes every day."
Dane nods solemnly. "He literally came three times last week. Once just to bring you coffee."
"And once with lunch," Eunice adds.
"And once to 'check the campus ambience.'" Dane air-quotes aggressively. "Which is boyfriend language for 'I missed her.'"
I am going to die.
"I hate both of you," I mumble.
They grin. Loudly.
But the horrible part is—
I'm… not actually annoyed.
Not fully.
Because when they tease me like this, the part of me that always expects people to turn cold… goes quiet.
Dane nudges me again. "How are your poems going?"
My heart leaps so fast I nearly trip. "What poems?"
He smirks. "The ones you keep stuffing into your notebook like they're state secrets."
I glare. "Stop spying."
"I'm not spying," he says proudly. "I'm being observant. Artistically."
"You're being a nosy gremlin."
"Thank you."
Eunice pats my back. "We're just happy you're writing again."
My steps falter.
Writing.
The one thing that vanished when I started feeling hunted on this campus.
But lately… the words have been coming back.
Small ones. Quiet ones.
Mostly about—
I refuse to finish that thought.
Dane wiggles his eyebrows. "You totally wrote something about the kiss, didn't you?"
My soul leaves my body. "DANE."
I shove him. Hard.
He yelps dramatically. "AUUGH— violence!"
Eunice is laughing into her sleeve. "Jay's blush is back. Yup. Definitely something about the kiss."
I stomp ahead. "I'm transferring colleges."
"NOOO, come back—"
"JAY WE'RE SORRY—"
"I CAN FEEL YOUR SHAME FROM HERE—"
They follow like two chaotic ducklings.
And… I'm smiling.
Actually smiling.
Not the tiny, polite one.
A real one.
One that doesn't feel forced or painful.
I didn't think I'd get that feeling back.
Not here.
Not after everything.
But then—
A familiar voice floats from behind us.
"You three are loud enough to be heard in the next district."
I freeze.
My chest goes warm.
Because I know that voice.
I turn—
And there he is.
Keifer.
Wearing black. Hands in pockets. Leaning like he didn't walk here but materialized like Eunice says.
His eyes find mine instantly.
And something in me melts.
Dane mutters, "Here comes the lion husband."
Eunice elbows him, but she's grinning too.
Keifer lifts a brow at them, amused. "Do I even want to know?"
"No," I whisper, mortified.
His eyes soften.
And even though he doesn't touch me, even though there's space between us—
I feel the pull.
The awareness.
The leftover spark from yesterday's kiss, still humming between us.
"How was class?" he asks, stepping closer.
I swallow. "Good. Normal. Dane and Eunice were being—"
"Gremlins," Keifer finishes.
They both gasped like children caught doing crimes.
"Rude," Dane mutters.
"Accurate," Eunice replies.
Keifer's mouth twitches—he's trying not to smile.
Then his eyes slide back to me.
"How are you?" he asks, softer.
And the warmth in my chest grows.
"I'm… okay," I say honestly. "Better."
He hears the layers under that word. He always does.
"Good," he murmurs. "You look better."
My face heats again.
Dane whispers loudly, "She's melting—"
Eunice: "Like butter on a hot pan—"
I swing my hand at them. "STOP."
Keifer laughs under his breath.
And God—him laughing?
I feel it everywhere.
"So," Dane says, stretching his arms over his head, "where are we going for lunch?"
"We?" Keifer repeats, smirking.
Dane gapes. "Yes, we. Jay belongs to all of us during lunch hours."
Eunice nods proudly. "Shared custody."
Keifer looks at me like,Are your friends always like this?
I shrug helplessly.
"They've adopted me," I whisper.
"Obviously," Dane says.
"I'm the fun parent," Eunice adds.
Keifer places a hand lightly against the back of my waist.
A small thing.
A quiet thing.
Enough to make me lose my breath.
"Lunch with all of us, then," he murmurs.
My heart jolts.
"You're… joining?" I ask.
His eyes flicker with something warm, something I can't name yet.
"If you want me to."
I do.
I really do.
But the words get stuck in my throat.
He seems to understand anyway.
He always does.
Dane claps loudly. "Group lunch! Let's go!"
Eunice loops her arm with mine and starts dragging me toward the cafeteria.
Behind me, I hear Keifer chuckle—
And follow.
And suddenly…
The hallway doesn't feel like a threat.
The whispers don't feel sharp.
My chest doesn't feel heavy.
Somehow, between Dane's jokes, Eunice's quiet loyalty, and Keifer's lingering touch—
College stops being a battlefield.
And starts becoming…
A place I might actually be able to exist in.
If there's one thing I've learned after that courtyard kiss, it's this:
Keifer has zero intention of behaving like a normal human being ever again.
Which is why I am absolutely not prepared when, during lunch break, I put my tray down beside Dane and Eunice…
…only to feel a shadow fall over us.
A tall one.
A familiar one.
And before I can even turn around, Dane's fork clatters to the floor.
"Oh my god," Dane whispers. "Jay. Jay. Jay—your bodyguard boyfriend is here."
I groan.Because of course he'd say that loud enough for half the cafeteria to hear.
I turn, already blushing.
Keifer is standing there, hands in his pockets, sleeves rolled up, looking like he stepped straight out of a movie trailer titled The Man Who Will Ruin Your Peace On Purpose.
And then—Oh god, then—He does something worse.
He sits down.
Right next to me.
As if it's the most normal thing in the world.
Dane's jaw drops.Eunice… actually squeaks.
And Keifer looks at them calmly."Afternoon."
Eunice turns red enough to combust.
Dane puts a hand to his chest."Sir, please don't kill me for sitting next to your girl."
I slap Dane's arm."Stop it—Keifer doesn't kill people."
Keifer raises a brow."Anymore."
Dane screams into his palms.
Eunice quietly dies inside.
I choke on air.
And Keifer?He just smirks like he planned this entire disaster.
I try to focus on my food.
I really do.
But then—
His hand slides onto my thigh.
Not brushing.Not accidental.
Flat. Warm. Heavy.
My entire soul practically explodes.
I jolt so hard Dane looks over.
"Jay? You good?"
"Fine!" I squeak. "Never better! Fantastic! Amazing meal!"
Keifer doesn't even blink.
His fingers tighten slightly, stroking once.
Slow.
Confident.
Dangerous.
I turn my head and glare at him under my lashes.
He looks back at me with the calmest expression known to mankind.
As if he's not committing a crime under a cafeteria table.
As if he owns my entire nervous system.
I mouth, What are you doing?!
He leans in a fraction, voice low enough only I hear.
"Warming my hand."
I flush so violently I might pass out.
Eunice and Dane get distracted arguing about some assignment, and the moment they look away—
Keifer's thumb traces lazy circles up my inner thigh.
Up.
Up.
UP.
My breath catches so loudly he almost smirks.
"Keifer—" I whisper, panic and heat tangled in my voice. "Stop. They'll see—"
His voice drops, warm and sinful."Then don't make a sound, sweetheart."
My entire soul screams.
He inches just a little higher—
And I swear my mind turns into white noise.
Keifer's POV
She jumps the second my hand touches her thigh.
Good.
She should.
Her reaction is addicting.
The way her eyes widen—The quick breath she tries to hide—The way her knees press together instinctively—
It does something to me.
She glares at me like she wants to kill me.
But she doesn't move my hand.
Not even an inch.
Dane and Eunice are arguing about group projects.They have no idea what Jay's dealing with.
I let my thumb stroke higher.
Slow, deliberate, teasing.
Her thighs tighten around my hand in reflex, trapping me there.
Her breath shivers.
She whispers, "Keifer, stop—what are you doing—"
I tilt my head so my lips almost graze her ear.
"Touching what's mine."
She turns red all the way to her ears.
Her fingers dig into her skirt, trying to stay still. Trying not to react.
I love it.
I love watching her fight a losing battle against her own body.
Her thighs tremble faintly around my hand.
I press a little higher just to feel her entire spirit leave her body.
She almost whimpers.
Almost.
But then Dane throws his arm up dramatically about something, giving her a moment to breathe.
She shoots me another deadly glare.
I pretend to be very interested in my juice.
Under the table, I keep touching her.
Slowly.Lightly.Cruelly.
And she keeps breathing like she's trying not to combust.
Perfect.
Jay-Jay's POV
He keeps doing it.
That stupid knee brushing thing…
Except it's not just his knee anymore.
His hand is still on my thigh.
Still stroking.
Still climbing in slow, torturous lines.
I try to talk to Eunice, but—
There.
His thumb presses into the softest part of my inner thigh and my entire brain malfunctions.
I shoot him a look."Stop it."
"No," he replies, absolutely shameless.
Dane points at us dramatically."Jay, your boyfriend is staring at you."
"He's not—"
"I am," Keifer interrupts, instantly.
My soul leaves my body.
Eunice giggles behind her hands.
Dane whistles."Damn. Claiming her in broad daylight. Could never be me."
"Dane," I hiss, "shut up—"
Keifer leans back, his hand finally retreating, but his arm slips behind me on the chair, fingers brushing my hair.
Possessive.Comfortable.Like nothing happened.
"Let them talk," he murmurs. "You look cute when you panic."
I punch his shoulder, face burning.
He laughs.
And even though he almost murdered my sanity…
…I missed that sound.
Warm.Safe.Infuriating.
Keifer's POV
She's still shaking.
Barely.
Just enough for me to notice.
Good.
Eunice finally asks me something, Dane starts talking again—but all I'm focused on is Jay.
Her thighs pressed tight together.Her breathing uneven.Her blush refusing to fade.
I did that.
And I want to do it again.
Lunch goes chaotic—Dane's monologue, Eunice fangirling, Jay trying not to collapse into dust—but this time…
Jay doesn't look scared.
She looks alive.
Flustered.Annoyed.Pink.Mine.
And when she catches me staring…
"What?" she mutters.
"Nothing."
"Keifer."
"You're just…"I shrug."…beautiful."
She dies on the spot.
Jay-Jay's POV
The cafeteria might as well disappear.
I feel his hand slip into mine under the table, slow, tentative.
Not teasing now.
Not wicked.
Just warm.
Soft.
An unspoken question.
I squeeze back.
An answer.
Dane whisper-yells,"They're holding hands under the table—I can FEEL IT."
Eunice hides her face, giggling.
I bury my burning face in Keifer's shoulder.
He chuckles, low and warm.
"You alright, sweetheart?"
And for the first time…
I really, genuinely am.
Now I'm walking beside Keifer.
Not holding hands.
Not pressed against him.
Just… close.
Close enough that I can feel the warmth radiating off him.
Close enough that when I get nervous, my fingers brush the edge of his sleeve—
—and he notices.
Every single time.
Like today.
We're walking toward the courtyard where Dane and Eunice are waiting, and the whispers around us feel thicker than usual. Eyes follow us. Some curious. Some judgmental. Some nosy.
My chest tightens.
I don't even realize my hand has curled into the fabric of Keifer's sleeve until he stops walking.
He turns to me fully.
"Jay."
I swallow. "I'm fine. Just—"
He reaches out, slow, gentle, and tucks a strand of hair behind my ear.
The world becomes very, very quiet.
"You don't have to pretend with me," he murmurs.
I melt. My knees actually fail me for a second.
"I'm not pretending," I whisper, which is a lie so obvious even I wince at it.
He gives me that look.
Soft.
Patient.
Knowing.
And too much for my heart.
Before I can combust, Dane bursts out of nowhere like a badly timed firework.
"There they are! The married couple!"
I nearly scream.
Keifer?He smiles wickedly.
Keifer's POV
Dane's dramatic voice echoes through the courtyard.
Eunice trails behind him, clutching her notebook like she expects it to shield her from embarrassment.
Jay covers her face. Again.
Every day with them is an entertainment show I didn't know I needed.
Dane throws his hands up."I swear, the way you two walk together? You look like you're about to star in a slow-burn romantic drama."
Eunice nods frantically."Like—the kind that wins awards."
Jay groans into her palms."Please stop."
I shrug. "I don't mind."
Jay whips her head toward me, eyes wide and flaming red.
Dane grabs Eunice's shoulders."HE DOESN'T MIND. DID YOU HEAR THAT?"
Eunice whispers, "I ship it so hard."
Jay dies a little.
I enjoy this far more than I should.
Jay-Jay's POV
Lunch becomes a disaster again.
Dane narrates every movement Keifer makes like a nature documentary.
"And here we observe a wild Keifer gently nudging his mate forward. Notice the softened gaze—"
"Dane," I hiss, "I'm going to throw my plate at you."
Keifer leans closer to my ear."Don't. You look too cute when you're flustered."
I choke on air.
Eunice giggles nonstop."He looks at you like you're the only person in the world, Jay."
I freeze.
Because…Because I feel that.
And I don't know how to handle it.
Keifer raises a brow at me, as if he heard Eunice perfectly.
My face becomes a volcano.
Dane slaps the table."Oh my GOD the TENSION. I could cut it with a SPOON."
Eunice hides her giggles behind her hands."Jay, your ears are turning pink—oh no, they're getting redder—"
I collapse against the table.
Keifer just smirks.
He is the reason my blood pressure exists.
Keifer's POV
Jay keeps stealing tiny glances at me during lunch.
She thinks I don't notice.
I notice everything about her.
The way her shoulders relax when I show up.The way she unconsciously leans toward me.The way her fingers twitch, wanting something to hold onto.The way she breathes easier when she knows she's not alone.
And the way her fears slip out in small, trembling pieces.
She thinks they're insignificant.
Today she mumbles quietly, "I hate when people stare. I keep overthinking it."
I shift just a bit closer.
"You don't have to shrink for anyone," I say softly.
Her eyes flick up to mine.
She hears me.Really hears me.
And something inside her loosens.
Dane interrupts with a dramatic gasp."Oh GREAT. Emotional vulnerability AND romance. Eunice, take notes."
Eunice is already scribbling in her notebook.
Jay drops her head on the table with a groan."Why are you two like this?"
I answer first."I like them."
Jay snaps her head up."What?"
I shrug like it's nothing."They make you laugh. That's enough for me."
Jay-Jay's POV
I might faint.
Right here.
On this cafeteria table.
Because the way Keifer said that—quiet, calm, absolutely serious—
My heart does a stupid flip.
Eunice nudges me."He really likes you…"
Dane leans in dramatically."He likes you so much it's PAINFUL."
Keifer rests his arm behind my chair, fingers brushing my hair again.His warmth radiates around me.
I can feel it—the growing closeness.The shifting space between us.The way he's becoming someone I reach for without thinking.
Someone I feel safe with.
Someone I don't have to pretend around.
It's terrifying.
And wonderful.
And real.
Keifer glances at me.
"Jay."
"Yes?" I squeak.
He studies me like I'm something fragile and precious but not breakable.Something he wants to understand every piece of.
"You okay?" he asks softly.
Not teasing.Not smirking.
Just… gentle.
I nod."Yeah. I…I think I'm okay."
He smiles.
A soft one.
Just for me.
And my chest feels too full.Too warm.
Too much like something that might become love one day.
Keifer's POV
She doesn't notice when she leans into my side.
She doesn't notice when her shoulder brushes mine and lingers.
She doesn't notice the way her laughter sounds stronger now.
But I do.
I see all of it.
Her courage.Her effort.Her slow, steady reclaiming of space.
Dane groans loudly."Someone turn off the romantic aura. I'm getting dizzy."
Eunice fans herself."They're so… soft together. I can't handle it."
Jay covers her face again.
I don't move her hand.
Instead, I press my fingers lightly against her wrist.
A quiet reassurance.
I'm here.
She looks at me through her fingers.
And her eyes—clear, warm, trusting—tell me everything I need to know.
She's letting me in.
Piece by piece.
And I won't rush her.
I'll match her pace.
Every step.
Every breath.
Every fragile moment she chooses to share.
Jay-Jay's POV
As we walk out of the cafeteria, the trio bickering ahead of us, Keifer walks beside me again.
Close.
Always close.
His fingers brush mine once.
Just once.
Just enough to say:
I'm here.I'm staying.You can lean on me.
And I do.
For the first time in a long time…
I want to.
Keifer doesn't even study here.He doesn't even belong on this campus.
And yet—every morning, like clockwork, as soon as I step through the main gate…
He appears.
Leaning against his motorcycle, sleeves rolled, hair messy, looking like the universe customized him specifically to ruin my sanity.
I stop walking.He smirks.
"Morning, sunshine."
My soul quietly faints.
"I told you," I mumble, walking past him, "you don't need to walk me to class."
"And I told you," he says, catching up effortlessly, "I want to."
Before I can argue, Dane's voice echoes across the college grounds:
"THIRD WHEEL REPORTING FOR DUTY!"
Students turn.Birds scatter.My dignity evaporates.
"Oh my god," I groan.
Dane runs toward us full speed, dramatically sliding in between me and Keifer.
"Sir," Dane says, hands on his knees, panting, "I'm here to supervise this dangerous PDA."
Keifer pats his head like he's rewarding a small, chaotic dog.
"Good job."
Dane beams.
I want to evaporate.
Keifer's POV
Jay tries to hide behind her books.Adorable.Useless.
I lean down and brush my thumb over her cheek.
She freezes.
"Why are you like this?" she whispers.
"Because you look cute when you blush."
Her ears turn red instantly.
Eunice joins us next, sipping her iced coffee.
"Jay," she whispers, eyes wide, "why does he talk to you like you're… edible?"
I choke on my own breath.Jay kicks my ankle.
Worth it.
As we walk, I reach down and tilt her chin lightly.
"Look at me."
She does.
She always does.
And she gets soft—just for a second—before panic kicks in and she turns away again.
I snort.
"Small trouble," I murmur.
"I'm reporting you to HR," she mutters.
"You can't. I am HR."
Dane screams, "STOP FLIRTING IN 4K!"
I think I like this trio too much.
Jay-Jay's POV
By lunchtime, the teasing has gotten so bad that even Eunice is fanning herself dramatically whenever Keifer looks at me.
But the REAL chaos attack comes when I walk out of class and hear—
"BEBEEE JAY!!!"
I freeze.
That voice.
That high-energy, chaotic, very-familiar voice.
I turn.
And suddenly—
ALL OF SECTION E IS STANDING THERE.
All of them, and by all, I mean All!
Yuri waving like an excited red-haired rooster,Ci-N grinning with Rakki standing beside him,Felix spinning a basketball INDOORS,Denzel carrying little Grazel Jay,David, Drew, Josh, Denzel, Kit, Mayo, Rory, Edrix, Eren, Eman, Calix, Blaster—EVERYONE.
Even Aries and Percy.
"What— WHAT— HOW—"
They all yell together:
"SURPRISE!!!"
And then I'm swallowed in the biggest group hug of my life.
I laugh so hard I can't breathe.
"What are you all doing here?!"
Ci-N grins."Ask your boyfriend."
I blink.
I slowly turn.
Keifer stands behind them, hands in his pockets, looking very pleased with himself.
"You… planned this?"
He shrugs casually.
"It seemed like you missed them."
I could cry.Right here.In front of literally everyone.
Rakki jumps forward and hugs me next."I've heard everything about you from Ci-N!"
"EVERYTHING?" I squeak.
She nods aggressively.Ci-N hides his face.
Then I grab Eunice's hand and yank her forward.
"Everyone—this is Eunice!Eunice, this is… all of Section E."
Eunice becomes tomato-colored.
Felix salutes her."Welcome to the chaos."
Blaster starts playing a dramatic intro on his portable keyboard.Mayo and Kit blow kisses at her.Even stoic David offers a polite nod like she's joining some prestigious cult.
Eunice whispers, "Jay. Jay please. They're so… much."
"They're my people," I say proudly.
And right then—I swear my heart expands.
Keifer's POV
I watch her glow.
Laughing.Shining.Running from friend to friend.Pulling Eunice into the group.Bantering with Dane.Calling Percy dramatic.Hugging Felix like he's seven feet of sunshine.
This is Jay's world.
Her real world.
Her loud, messy, chaotic, brilliant world.
And she's finally letting me stand inside it.
Yuri claps me on the back.
"Good job, man. She needed this."
I grunt.
He laughs."I know that's your version of 'you're welcome.'"
Jay-Jay's POV
After the Section E tornado finally leaves to "raid the night market near campus," I'm still buzzing with happiness.
Keifer walks me toward my next building.
"You planned all of that?" I ask softly.
He nods once.
"Why?"
He stops walking.
He looks at me.
Really looks.
"Because you've been scared of being alone," he says quietly. "And you're not."
My throat tightens.
"And Jay…?"
I blink up at him.
"You don't have to pretend with me."
There it is again—that melting feeling.Like someone reached into my chest and turned on the light.
I look away before I combust entirely.
Keifer laughs under his breath.
Keifer's POV
She walks ahead out of embarrassment.
I catch her wrist gently.
She turns.
Bad idea.
Because she's so close—so warm—so soft around the edges—that the world shrinks to just her.
She tries to push me away.
I don't move.
Instead I pull her in, slowly, until she bumps into my chest.
Her breath catches.
Her hands land against me.
And for a moment—she looks at my mouth.
I lean down.
Almost there.
Almost—
"STOP RIGHT THERE! THIRD WHEEL HAS ARRIVED!"
Dane's voice explodes through the hallway.
Jay jumps back so fast she nearly trips.
I catch her by the waist before she falls.
She turns RED.
Dane gasps dramatically."Oh my god, were you two about to—"
"Dane," Jay snaps, voice cracking, "SHUT. UP."
I'm laughing too hard to help her.
Jay-Jay's POV
I swear I'm going to strangle Dane one day.
Keifer is still smirking at me like he knows exactly what he almost did.
"You okay?" he murmurs.
"I hate you."
"No, you don't."
I do not respond.Because he is correct and I do not like that.
He brushes a thumb over my cheek again.
I stop breathing.
"See you after class, sunshine."
And he's gone.
My heart is doing zumba.
When I finally get to my room, I pull out my notebook.
My pen hesitates.
And then I write:
"Maybe… this isn't so scary anymore."
And for the first time—the sentence feels real.