Chapter 39: The Confrontation
Jay's POV
After we ordered, there was a moment of silence that felt heavier than the entire restaurant. I kept fidgeting with my napkin, my mind racing, wondering if I was ready to actually face him — really face him.
Keifer, on the other hand, just leaned back in his chair, eyes locked on mine like he could read every thought I was trying to hide. I swallowed hard.
Keifer: "Jay…"
Jay: "Yes?" My voice barely above a whisper. I hated that it shook.
He leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table. His voice softened, but there was still that undeniable intensity.
Keifer: "I need to say something… about the past. About everything that happened before you left."
I nodded, trying to steady myself, though my chest felt tight. My hands gripped the edge of the table.
Jay: "Go ahead."
Keifer took a deep breath. His eyes, always so sharp, softened in a way that made my heart ache.
Keifer: "I… I believed the worst. About you and Yuri. I thought you cheated. That you… didn't care about me." His jaw clenched, voice breaking slightly. "I was wrong, Jay. I should have asked you. I should have trusted you."
Tears prickled my eyes. All the anger, the heartbreak, the nights I spent missing him, they bubbled to the surface.
Jay: "Keifer… I… I never…" My voice cracked. "I never cheated on you. I only talked to Yuri because I… I was worried about you. About you leaving. I didn't know how else to reach you, to make sure you were okay."
His hands trembled slightly as he reached for mine. I could see the guilt in his eyes, the weight of every year we lost because of rumors and silence.
Keifer: "I should have listened. I should have let you speak." He squeezed my hand gently, a touch I both feared and craved. "I'm so sorry, Jay. For everything. For leaving you, for not trusting you… for all the pain I caused."
I couldn't hold back anymore. Tears fell freely down my cheeks as I finally allowed myself to grieve the years of silence and heartache.
Jay: "I… I'm sorry too… for holding onto the anger, for being so hurt… for not understanding why you didn't show up. We both…" My voice faltered. "We both lost a lot."
Keifer: "No…" He shook his head, his thumb brushing my knuckles softly. "We didn't lose. We… we just… got delayed."
I let out a shaky laugh between sobs, unable to stop the relief that was flooding me. "Delayed, huh? That's one way to put it."
He pulled his hand back slightly, searching my eyes. His expression was so raw, so honest.
Keifer: "Jay… please. Don't try to leave the past behind as if it doesn't matter. It matters. You… you matter. And I… I still love you. All of it. Every moment, every misunderstanding, every tear. I love you."
I tried to respond, tried to tell him maybe we should let it all go, maybe we could just move forward slowly, carefully. But my throat felt tight, words lodged inside.
Keifer leaned closer, his voice dropping to a soft, almost desperate whisper: "So… tell me, Jay… do you still love me?"
And just like that… everything froze. My chest tightened, my mind spun. I opened my mouth… but no words came.
The restaurant noise faded. The waiter's polite questions faded. It was just him… and me… and all the years that had passed between us.
And I couldn't answer… not yet.