Chapter 4 – "Just for Show… Right?"
The plan was simple: act normal.
Which, in theory, shouldn't be that hard. Jay had been acting normal around Keifer Elias her entire life — mostly by avoiding him at all costs.
But now?
Now she was sitting beside him at a table in the campus quad, sipping a smoothie she didn't even want, while Keifer rested his arm casually on the back of her chair like they did this every day.
Like this wasn't their first public appearance.
Like she wasn't screaming inside.
"Relax," Keifer whispered, voice low so only she could hear. "You look like you're about to pass out."
Jay forced a smile and took another sip. "Maybe I am."
"Breathe. You're doing fine."
Easy for him to say. He looked like a Calvin Klein ad come to life — clean white shirt, fitted jeans, a smirk that could melt concrete. Meanwhile, Jay felt like she'd walked into a fire she willingly threw herself into.
People were staring.
Not subtly. Not from the corner of their eyes.
Staring.
Keifer watson, the golden boy, was sitting with her. No one had seen them speak before this. And now, here they were. Together. Laughing. Close. Too close.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Jay muttered, stabbing her straw into the smoothie again.
Keifer turned his head slightly, eyes flicking to hers.
"Maybe," he said. "You're cute when you're nervous."
Jay blinked.
He looked away before she could respond, but her brain stayed frozen. Cute? Was that part of the act?
God, she hated this.
She hated how easily he said things like that. How effortlessly the words rolled off his tongue while her heartbeat ricocheted in her ribcage like a loose bullet.
Then, as if the universe wasn't finished playing with her — she saw her.
Ella.
Of course.
Walking across the quad, flanked by two of her perfectly dressed friends. Her long hair swaying like it was professionally styled. Jay's stomach dropped.
"Is that—" she started.
"Yeah," Keifer said before she finished.
Jay stiffened.
Ella's eyes locked onto them. Her steps slowed. Her expression didn't change much — still glossy, confident, unreadable. But Jay saw it. The flicker of recognition. The slight narrowing of her eyes.
She turned to her friends, said something, then walked straight toward them.
Jay panicked.
"Keifer—"
"Just go with it."
Before Jay could react, Keifer leaned in — his arm still behind her, but now his body close. His shoulder brushed hers. His voice was soft against her ear.
"Ready to sell it?"
Jay could barely breathe. "I don't even know what we're selling."
"Us."
And just like that, Ella was standing in front of them.
"Keifer," she said sweetly. "Didn't expect to see you out so early."
Jay turned her head. Smiled. Said nothing. Because what was she supposed to say to that?
Keifer didn't flinch. "Yeah, well. Jay wanted smoothies."
He said it so easily, like they were a real couple. Like this was normal.
Ella's eyes flicked toward Jay. The smallest glance. Enough to assess, calculate, judge.
"Oh," she said, voice neutral. "Jay, right?"
Jay smiled, even though her palms were sweating. "That's me."
"I didn't know you two were… close."
Keifer leaned back, arm still comfortably behind Jay's chair. His fingers brushed her shoulder casually — but it felt like an explosion.
"Guess there's a lot you don't know," he said.
Ella didn't reply. She stared at Jay for one long second, then gave a tight smile.
"Well. Congrats," she said. "You two seem… cute."
She walked off before either of them could respond.
Jay let out a breath she hadn't realized she was holding.
Keifer chuckled softly. "Well, that was fun."
"I'm gonna throw up," Jay muttered.
"Don't. That'd ruin our whole image."
She elbowed him lightly, but she couldn't stop the small laugh that escaped. Not really. Because deep down — beneath all the nerves and awkwardness — part of her liked this.
Liked the attention.
Liked the way Keifer looked at her when he thought she wasn't noticing.
Liked how real it had felt.
Too real.
And that was the problem.
Because if this was supposed to be pretend…
Why did it feel so much like the beginning of something real?