Chapter: 1:37 A.M.
(Keifer's POV)
1:37 a.m.
My phone lit up.
Unknown number.
I almost ignored it.
Almost.
But something in my chest told me to pick up.
"Hello?"
Silence.
Soft breathing.
Then—
"…Keif?"
Her voice.
Small.
Not the loud, sarcastic, annoying Jay.
This was different.
"Jay?" I sat up immediately. "Why are you awake?"
"I'm not."
"That makes no sense."
"I mean… I didn't sleep."
Her voice was quiet.
No teasing.
No attitude.
Just… tired.
I got out of bed and walked to my window. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
Lie.
I leaned my forehead against the glass. "Jay."
Silence again.
Then I heard it.
A shaky breath.
"There was blood in my dream," she whispered.
My jaw tightened.
Of course.
"Do you want me to stay on call?" I asked.
She tried to laugh. "You talk like I'm five."
"Do you?"
"…yes."
That one word wasn't sarcastic.
It wasn't dramatic.
It was honest.
I softened my voice. "Okay. I'm here."
She didn't speak for a few seconds.
Then suddenly—
"Keif?"
"Yeah?"
"Why didn't you ask?"
"Ask what?"
"About today."
I knew what she meant.
The panic.
The screaming.
The shaking.
"I don't need details to understand you," I said calmly.
She went quiet.
"You don't want to know?" she asked.
"I want to know whatever you want to tell me."
Another pause.
Then—
"When I was little… there was a lot of shouting in our house."
Her voice didn't crack.
But it was fragile.
"Sometimes things broke. Sometimes people got hurt. I didn't always understand what was happening."
I stayed silent.
Listening.
"I remember hiding under the table once," she continued softly. "There was blood on the floor. I thought… I thought if I didn't breathe too loud, it would stop."
My fingers curled around the phone.
She laughed lightly after that.
But it wasn't funny.
"Stupid, right?"
"No," I said immediately.
She inhaled slowly.
"I don't even remember everything clearly. Just the color. And the sound."
I closed my eyes.
"If I was there," I said quietly, "I would've dragged you out of that house."
She went silent.
Then she whispered—
"You weren't."
That hurt more than she probably realized.
"I know," I replied. "But I'm here now."
Her breathing slowed.
"Aries told you, didn't he?"
"Some."
She didn't sound angry.
Just thoughtful.
"I don't like people knowing," she admitted.
"I won't tell anyone."
"I know."
Another long silence.
Then she said something that made my heart stop.
"When he hugged me today… I didn't feel scared."
My chest tightened.
"And when you carried me…" she continued softly, "I felt… safe."
I didn't speak.
Because if I did, my voice wouldn't stay calm.
"Keif?"
"Yeah."
"Why do I feel safe with you?"
Because I would burn the world for you.
Because I would break anyone who makes you cry.
Because I can't stand the thought of you being scared.
But what I said was—
"Because I won't let anything happen to you."
She exhaled slowly.
"Promise?"
"Promise."
A few seconds passed.
Then her voice started fading.
"You're not allowed to leave the call," she mumbled sleepily.
"I won't."
"If you hang up… I'll haunt you."
I almost smiled. "Sleep, Jay."
Another pause.
Then very quietly—
"Goodnight, Keif."
And softer than I expected—
"Thank you."
Her breathing evened out.
She fell asleep on the call.
I didn't hang up.
I just stayed there.
Listening.
Making sure.
Because she once hid under a table and thought silence would save her.
Now?
She won't hide alone again.
Not while I'm here.