Chapter 20 - Golden Hours
The afternoon sun spilled through the windows of the café, making everything look soft, golden, and almost too perfect to be real. Jay sipped her iced latte, letting herself sink into the warmth of the day, the company, and the laughter surrounding her.
Alys was animatedly recounting a story about Drake tripping over his own feet while trying to impress her earlier, waving her hands so wildly that she almost knocked over her drink.
Jay laughed harder than she had in weeks. "Wait, wait-he did what?!"
Alys nodded furiously. "On purpose! Or... maybe not. I don't even care. I just love that he's so awkward but somehow still charming!"
Ci-n, perched nearby on the arm of the chair, rolled his eyes. "You two are hopeless. Absolute chaos."
"And yet, we're adorable," Jay added, smirking at him before stealing another fry from Alys's plate.
Keifer slid into the booth opposite her, leaning back casually, but his eyes didn't leave her for a second. "Adorable, huh? You keep using that word. You're lucky I'm not collecting a kiss for it."
Jay groaned. "I swear-"
"ONE," Keifer cut in smoothly, leaning over to plant a soft kiss on her cheek. Jay's face burned pink, and she tried to hide her grin behind her cup.
"Please," she muttered. "I'm surrounded by idiots."
"Speak for yourself," Drake said quietly from the other side of the table, giving Alys a warm smile. She rolled her eyes, but her hand found his under the table, fingers intertwining naturally.
For the first time in what felt like forever, everything just... clicked. Section E was loud, ridiculous, and chaotic as always, but there was a rhythm to it now-a rhythm Jay had never realized she craved so much.
She stole a glance at Keifer, who caught her looking and smirked. They shared a quiet, private moment amid the chaos, hands brushing, smiles shared, hearts daring to hope.
And then Alys nudged her with a grin. "You two are literally the worst."
"Excuse me?" Jay asked, raising an eyebrow.
"You know exactly what I mean," Alys said, waggling her finger. "You act like you don't like each other half the time, but we all see it!"
Jay rolled her eyes but couldn't help laughing. "Section E is ridiculous."
"Ridiculously amazing," Keifer whispered in her ear, making her shiver in the best way.
The group laughed, teased, stole fries, and teased some more. Laughter echoed off the café walls, hearts were light, and for one perfect, golden afternoon, everything felt like it might just stay that way.
But as Jay sipped the last of her latte and Keifer leaned back with a grin, she couldn't shake the small, nagging thought at the back of her mind.
But... how long will this happiness last?