Jay's Pov
The first period was Filipino class.
FILIPINO.
As in, the language.
As in, I grew up in London speaking English and barely knew how to say "hello" in Tagalog.
"Okay class," Sir Alvin said from the front. "We have two new students today. Jasper Jean and Jasper Jare Mariano from London. Please welcome them properly."
The class clapped. Some guys whistled. Mia was literally bouncing in her seat next to me.
"Jay's my best friend!" she announced to everyone. "Like, since we were babies! But we've never actually met until now!"
"Aw," someone cooed from the front. "Love story."
"SHUT UP, FELIX."
I looked at the guy who spoke. He was sitting near the front, grinning like an idiot. Brown hair, friendly face, clearly the class clown type. Felix. I filed that name away for later.
"Anyway," Sir Alvin continued, "for today's lesson, we'll be reviewing basic Filipino grammar. Exchange students, don't panic. You'll have extra lessons to catch up."
Don't panic? DON'T PANIC?
I was already panicking.
The lesson started and honestly? I understood NOTHING.
Sir Alvin was saying words that sounded like "pagsusulit" and "pangungusap" and my brain just... left. It packed its bags and went on vacation.
I looked at Jare. He was staring at the board with intense concentration, probably understanding absolutely nothing either but too proud to admit it.
I looked at Mia. She was taking notes like a normal person who actually belonged here.
Then I looked around the room.
Fifteen boys. (Wait, I counted. Definitely fifteen. Plus me and Mia made seventeen total. So not all boys, just... mostly boys.)
Some were paying attention. Some were sleeping. Some were passing notes. And one—the lollipop guy from earlier—was sitting in the front row, turned slightly to the side, drawing something in his notebook.
No leather jacket now. Just the uniform. White polo, dark pants. He actually looked... normal.
Then he turned his head slightly and caught me staring.
I looked away SO fast.
Too fast.
I heard him chuckle. Low and quiet, but definitely a chuckle.
I hate him. I hate him so much.
After Filipino class, we had a short break.
Mia immediately grabbed my arm. "Okay. COME. We're going to the bathroom and you're going to tell me EVERYTHING."
"I need to tell Jare—"
"He'll survive." She dragged me out of the room.
The bathroom was surprisingly clean. White tiles, big mirrors, the works. Mia pushed me against the wall (gently) and crossed her arms.
"Start. Talking."
"I—"
"Why didn't you tell me you were coming?!"
"It was a SURPRISE!"
"A surprise?! Jay, I almost had a heart attack when I saw you!"
"BUT IT WORKED THOUGH RIGHT? You were surprised?"
Mia stared at me for a second. Then she burst out laughing.
"You're INSANE. You know that?"
"I've been told."
She pulled me into a hug. A real one. The kind where you can actually feel the person and not just see them through a screen.
"I can't believe you're here," she whispered. "I can't believe you're ACTUALLY here."
"I know." I hugged her back. "Me neither."
We stayed like that for a minute. Then Mia pulled back and grinned.
"Okay. So. My brother."
"YOUR BROTHER."
"Yeah."
"KEIFER. The SCARY class president. Is YOUR BROTHER."
"He's not scary!"
"Mia. He looked at me and I felt my soul leave my body."
She laughed. "He's just serious! He's actually really nice once you get to know him."
"When will I EVER need to get to know him?"
"You're in his class. You live in the same section. You'll see him every day."
"Great. Fantastic. Exactly what I wanted."
Mia's grin turned evil. "Also... he's single."
"WHAT? NO. Stop. Don't even—"
"I'm just SAYING—"
"I have a twin brother who likes you, by the way."
Mia froze. "WHAT?"
"Jare. My twin. He's had a crush on you since we were twelve."
"WHAT?!"
"I showed him your pictures. He never said anything but I KNOW. He gets all weird and quiet around pretty girls and he got WEIRD AND QUIET when I mentioned you."
Mia's face went red. "Jay. JAY. You can't just—I didn't—HE LIKES ME?!"
"Very much."
"Oh my God."
"Oh my God indeed."
We stared at each other.
Then we both started laughing.
"This is so messed up," Mia wheezed.
"Welcome to my life."
The bathroom trip took longer than expected because Mia needed to process the Jare information. By the time we got back to class, the next period had already started.
Math.
With Ms. Cindy Smith.
She was nice. Kind eyes, warm smile, the type of teacher who probably brought cookies for her students. But she also had that look—the one that said she didn't miss ANYTHING.
"Ah, you must be the new students," she said when we walked in. "Jasper Jean and Jasper Jare, correct?"
"Yes, ma'am," Jare said.
"Please take your seats. We're just starting."
We slid into our seats at the back. Mia next to me, Jare on my other side. Safe. Normal. Boring.
For about five minutes.
Then Ms. Smith put a problem on the board.
"Who can solve this?"
Silence.
I looked at the problem. It was... easy. Like, embarrassingly easy. Basic algebra. The kind of thing I'd been doing since I was ten.
My hand went up before my brain could stop it.
Ms. Smith's eyebrows rose. "Yes, Jasper Jean?"
"It's X equals 12," I said.
She blinked. "That's... correct. Very good."
The class stared at me.
I shrugged. "Math is universal, I guess."
Someone snorted. Felix, probably.
But from the front of the room, I felt eyes on me. Keifer's eyes. He was looking at me with an expression I couldn't read.
What? I wanted to say. Girls can do math. Shocking, I know.
Math ended and Recess began.
Thank God.
I needed food. And air. And maybe a break from being the center of attention.
The cafeteria was huge. Like, Hogwarts huge. Long tables, hundreds of students, the smell of food that I couldn't identify but desperately wanted to try.
We found Sarah, Dave, Ben, and Bella at a table near the window.
"JAY!" Dave yelled, spraying food everywhere. "HOW WAS YOUR MORNING? DID YOU MEET MIA? IS SHE REAL? IS SHE NICE?"
"She's literally standing right here," I said, pointing at Mia.
Dave looked at Mia. Mia waved.
"HI MIA! I'M DAVE! I LIKE FOOD!"
"I can see that," Mia said, smiling.
Sarah pulled me aside. "Okay. Spill. How was it?"
"Chaotic."
"Good chaotic or bad chaotic?"
"Both? I met Mia—"
"YAY!"
"—and her brother is the scary class president—"
"OH NO."
"—and some idiot in a leather jacket tried to send me away from the classroom this morning."
Sarah's eyes went wide. "Wait, WHAT?"
I told her everything. The gatekeepers. The lollipop. The smirk. The way he said "try to keep up" like he was in a movie.
Sarah listened carefully. Then she nodded.
"He's hot, isn't he?"
"WHAT? NO."
"You paused before saying no."
"I DID NOT PAUSE."
"You definitely paused."
"I HATE him. He's annoying and smug and he wears LEATHER in this HEAT."
"So he's hot."
"SARAH."
"I'm just saying what you're thinking."
I threw a napkin at her.
The bell rang. Time for the next period.
Science.
With Mr. Reyes, a man who spoke so softly we had to lean forward to hear him. It was actually kind of relaxing. Until Keifer raised his hand to answer a question and his voice boomed across the room like thunder.
"The answer is photosynthesis," he said flatly.
"Correct," Mr. Reyes whispered.
I stared at my desk. How does someone talk that loud? Is it a talent? Can you learn it?
Jare poked me. "Stop staring at him."
"I'm not staring."
"You're staring."
"I'm OBSERVING. There's a difference."
"Uh-huh."
After Science came the period I'd been dreading.
Homeroom.
With Sir Alvin again.
But this time, there was an announcement.
"Before we start," Sir Alvin said, "we have some administrative matters to discuss. Specifically, the upcoming Basketball Exhibition Game between Section E and Section A."
The class erupted.
"LET'S GO!"
"WE'RE GONNA DESTROY THEM!"
"KEIFER IS GONNA COOK THEM!"
I looked at Mia. "Basketball?"
"Keifer's amazing," she said proudly. "Best player in the whole school. Section A is terrified of him."
"And Section A is...?"
"The top section. The smart kids. Their president is this guy named Aries." She wrinkled her nose. "He and Keifer used to be friends but now they hate each other. No one knows why."
Aries. I filed that name away too.
"Keifer vs Aries," I muttered. "Sounds dramatic."
"You have NO idea."
Homeroom ended and suddenly it was Lunch.
Finally.
I stood up, ready to escape to the cafeteria with Mia, when a voice stopped me.
"Mariano."
I turned.
Keifer was standing there. Arms crossed. Face serious. Looking at me like I was a problem he needed to solve.
"Uh. Yes?"
"A word."
Mia squeezed my arm. "I'll wait outside."
"NO—" I started, but she was already gone. Traitor.
I walked toward Keifer. The classroom was emptying fast. Soon it was just us. And Jare, who was lingering by the door like a protective older twin.
"You can go too," I told him.
"I'm not leaving you alone with—"
"Jare. It's fine. Go find Mia."
He hesitated. Then he nodded and left.
Now it was just me and Keifer.
And the silence was LOUD.
"You're Mia's friend," he said finally.
"Yes?"
"The one from London."
"Yes?"
"The one she never shuts up about."
I blinked. "...Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"
He didn't answer. Just studied me with those sharp eyes.
"You're in my section now," he said. "My class. My responsibility."
"Okay?"
"That means you follow the rules. No disruptions. No chaos. No drama."
I felt my eye twitch. "Excuse me?"
"Mia's my sister. I protect her. If you're going to be her friend, you need to be a good influence."
"A GOOD INFLUENCE?"
"Quiet. Focused. Not causing trouble."
I couldn't believe this. I literally could NOT believe this.
"Let me get this straight," I said, my voice getting higher. "You think I'm going to be a BAD influence on Mia? Me? Her best friend since we were TWO?"
"I don't know you."
"Exactly! You DON'T know me! So maybe don't judge me before you actually meet me?"
He raised an eyebrow. "I'm not judging. I'm observing."
"Oh, that's WORSE. That's so much worse."
"Look." He stepped closer. "I'm just saying—"
"What? What are you saying? That because I'm new and from London and I talked in class once, I'm suddenly a threat to your perfect little section?"
"I didn't say that."
"You IMPLIED it."
"I implied nothing. I stated facts."
"Your facts are WRONG."
"My facts are never wrong."
"Oh my GOD." I threw my hands up. "You're impossible. You know that? Actually impossible. Who made you the boss of everything?"
"The students voted."
"That's—" I sputtered. "That's not the point!"
"Then what IS the point?"
I opened my mouth to yell at him, but nothing came out. Because he was just standing there, looking at me with this calm, controlled expression, and for some reason that made me even ANGRIER.
"You know what?" I pointed at him. "You're not scary. You're just... tall. And loud. And you think being serious makes you important. But it doesn't. It just makes you boring."
His eyebrow went higher. "Boring?"
"YES. Boring. The most boring class president I've ever met. And I've met a LOT."
"Is that so?"
"Yeah. And another thing—"
But I didn't get to finish.
Because suddenly his lips twitched.
Just a little. Just a tiny movement at the corner of his mouth.
But I saw it.
"Are you... are you SMILING?!"
"No."
"YES YOU WERE. YOU WERE SMILING."
"I don't smile."
"You just DID."
"You're imagining things."
"I am NOT—"
"You're very loud for someone so small."
My mouth dropped open. "DID YOU JUST CALL ME SMALL?!"
"Facts are facts."
"I'M NOT SMALL. I'M AVERAGE HEIGHT. FOR A GIRL. IN MY AGE GROUP."
"Sure."
"STOP SAYING 'SURE' LIKE THAT."
"Like what?"
"Like you're agreeing but you're actually making fun of me!"
He tilted his head. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Guess you'll never know."
I was going to EXPLODE.
"You—" I stepped closer, right into his space. "You think this is funny? You think messing with me is entertaining?"
His eyes flickered. Something changed in them. Something I couldn't name.
"I think," he said slowly, "that you're the most interesting thing that's happened to Section E in years."
I froze.
What.
WHAT.
"Did you just—"
The door burst open.
"JAY! KEIFER! There you guys are!" Mia ran in, followed by Jare and Felix and a few other guys. "We've been looking everywhere! Lunch is almost over!"
Felix looked at us. Then at how close we were standing. Then back at us.
Then he grinned.
"Whoa. You guys look like..."
"Like what?" Keifer's voice was flat.
"Like..." Felix's grin widened. "Husband and wife having their first fight."
My face EXPLODED with heat.
"WHAT?! NO! We were NOT—This is NOT—We were ARGUING!"
"Sure looked like arguing," one of the other guys said. "Really close arguing."
"We were NOT close!"
"You were literally inches apart," Jare said, and he looked way too amused for someone who was supposed to be my PROTECTOR.
"JARE. SHUT UP."
Keifer, meanwhile, just rolled his eyes. Actually rolled them. Like this whole situation was beneath him.
"Felix," he said calmly. "Your imagination is concerning."
"My imagination is ACCURATE."
"It's really not."
"Keifer's blushing," someone whispered.
"I don't blush."
"Your ears are red."
"They are NOT."
I looked. His ears were definitely a little red.
I pointed. "YOUR EARS ARE RED!"
"Because it's hot in here."
"The AC is on!"
"Then I'm allergic to something."
"Allergic to WHAT?"
"Loud girls who won't stop yelling at me."
I gasped. "I am NOT—"
Mia grabbed my arm. "Okay! That's enough! Jay, let's go eat. Keifer, go be president somewhere else. Felix, stop shipping my best friend with my brother."
"Too late," Felix sang. "Already shipping. Hard."
"I'll drown you in the river," Keifer said flatly.
"Worth it."
Mia dragged me out of the classroom, Jare following behind.
"I can't believe him," I ranted. "I can't BELIEVE him. He's so—so—"
"Hot?" Mia offered.
"ANNOYING."
"Hot and annoying?"
"MIA."
"I'm just saying! You guys were really close. Like, REALLY close."
"We were FIGHTING."
"Fighting with eye contact and tension?"
"There was no TENSION."
"There was SO much tension. Jare, back me up."
Jare held up his hands. "I'm staying out of this."
"Coward."
"Smart."
Mia looped her arm through mine. "Look. All I'm saying is, my brother hasn't looked at anyone like that in YEARS. Like, ever since—" She stopped.
"Ever since what?"
"Nothing. Never mind."
I narrowed my eyes. "Mia."
"Lunch! Let's talk about lunch! What do you want to eat? Have you tried tapsilog? It's amazing—"
"MIA."
But she was already pulling me toward the cafeteria, changing the subject so fast it gave me whiplash.
Ever since what? I wondered.
And why did I care?
I didn't care. I definitely didn't care.
At lunch, the whole squad gathered again.
Sarah, Dave, Ben, Bella, Mia, Jare, and me.
Dave was eating something called "sisig" and making noises that should probably be illegal in public.
"This is SO GOOD," he moaned. "Why didn't anyone tell me about Filipino food sooner?"
"We did," Ben said. "Many times."
"I didn't LISTEN."
Sarah was picking at her food carefully, making sure no calories touched her lips. Bella was eating normally. Ben was taking photos.
And Mia was watching Jare.
Like, really watching him.
Jare, oblivious idiot that he was, was just eating his lunch and scrolling through his phone.
I kicked Mia under the table.
She looked at me. I raised my eyebrows. See? Told you.
Her face went pink.
Yes, I mouthed. He's cute. I know.
She kicked me back.
Sarah noticed. "What are you two doing?"
"Nothing," we said in unison.
"Uh-huh."
After lunch, we had two more periods.
History (boring) and English (easy).
By the time the final bell rang, I was exhausted. Mentally, emotionally, socially exhausted.
But also... happy.
I had Mia. I had my squad. I had Jare.
And I had a class full of chaotic boys who already felt like family.
Well, except for one.