Jay's POV:
Last night felt like a train wreck.
I was in my room, pacing like a maniac, throwing my pillow around as if it had personally offended me. My phone buzzed with Kiefer's name and instead of calming down, I picked up and exploded like Coca-Cola with Mentos.
"WHAT DO YOU WANT?" I snapped the moment I answered.
There was a pause, then his cold voice, "Jay, what's wrong with you?"
Wrong with me? Oh, where should I start? Maybe with the fact that my heart is playing kabaddi with my brain?
"You!" I yelled, voice cracking. "You— I just— I can't— Why do you make everything so hard?!"
"Jay, you're not even making sense," he sighed. "Talk. Properly."
Properly? My emotions were doing backflips. I didn't even know what I was feeling — frustration, fear, regret — everything.
I wanted to say I love you.
But what came out was, "I hate you!"
Silence. His breathing on the phone went sharp.
"You're frustrated," he said. "Don't take it out on me."
"Oh, now you're the victim?" I scoffed. "Great. Perfect. What do you want, a trophy?!"
"Jay—"
"No!" My voice broke. "Just… leave me alone."
And like an idiot, I hung up.
Immediately guilt punched me straight in the stomach. I stared at my phone like it could rewind time.
Before I could call back, Angelo barged into my room like a hurricane.
"YOU FOUGHT?" he scolded, face red. "Are you insane? You just got out of a school fight and now you're fighting on the phone?!"
I blinked at him, eyes glassy. "He wasn't listening…"
"Jay," Angelo groaned, rubbing his forehead. "You need to stop fighting with people who actually care."
I bit my lip. Care? Does he? Really? I hope so.
But I didn't say anything. Angelo left me with the world's heaviest silence sitting on my chest.
NEXT DAY — SCHOOL
I wanted to apologize.
Actually, I didn't just want to — I needed to. If I didn't apologize soon, my heart was going to file for bankruptcy from emotional damage.
The moment I entered campus, I spotted him.
Kiefer Watson.
The walking definition of "dangerously handsome" and currently the most frustrating human in existence.
He was at his desk, leaning back, arms crossed, looking half-angel, half-demon. But when his eyes crossed mine… nothing. No smile. No frown. Not even a glare.
He just looked away.
I approached him slowly. "Kiefer… I—"
He stood up and walked past me.
Just like that.
No response. No eye contact. No acknowledgement. As if I was air.
As if I didn't exist.
My heart dropped so fast it could've broken the sound barrier.
Yuri whistled from the side. "Oof. Somebody's in trouble."
"Shut up," I muttered.
Cin peeped from behind Yuri. "Jay… did you two fight?"
"Yes," I whispered.
"Oh," Cin nodded like he knew everything. "You messed up. Congratulations."
I wanted to throw myself out the window.
LUNCH TIME
I tried again.
He was sitting with Section E. I mustered every ounce of courage left in my soul and approached.
"Kiefer… can we talk?"
He didn't look at me. He took a bite of food, slow, intentional.
"I'm busy," he said.
It felt like someone shot me directly in the ego.
"Please… I'm sorry," I whispered.
He froze for a second.
He heard that.
But instead of responding, he got up. And left.
Just walked away.
My inner thoughts were going feral:
Brain: Okay, we deserve that.
Heart: NO WE DON'T, CRY!!!
Self-respect: I'm leaving, bye.
Dignity: Same.
I stood there like a statue. Then something shifted. I got angry.
Fine. Ignore me? I'll ignore you too.
So when he walked by in the hallway, I turned the other way.
When he dropped his pen, I didn't pick it up.
When he looked like he wanted to talk, I stared at my locker like it held the secrets of life.
I was hurting.
But I wasn't going to beg.
At least that's what I told myself to survive.
AFTER SCHOOL
I walked out of the gates, silent, lost, my brain debating whether to cry or eat or cry while eating.
And then—
"JAAAAAAY!" voices rang.
Section E came running like a stampede of chaotic buffaloes.
Josh grabbed my shoulders. "Jay, emergency!!!"
"What?" I croaked.
Denzel leaned in dramatically. "We saw something… terrifying."
Eren crossed his arms. "Heartbreaking, actually."
Felix nodded. "Devastating news."
I swallowed. "What? What happened?"
David sighed like he was narrating a tragic documentary. "We saw Kiefer."
"With someone," Calix added, eyes wide.
"A girl," Kit clarified.
"A pretty girl," Mayo emphasized.
"A VERY pretty girl," Blaster said, waving his hands like fireworks.
Yuri appeared behind them, smirk soft but eyes worried. "He went to the cafe down the street."
My heart actually stopped.
"He… went with a girl?" I asked, voice tiny.
They all nodded.
Ci-N, who was usually quiet, whispered, "We wanted to tell you. We thought… you should know."
I inhaled sharply, chest burning.
He ignored me the whole day… and went with someone else?
I forced a laugh, broken and choking.
"Why are you all looking at me like that? I'm not— I'm fine. I don't care."
Yuri raised an eyebrow. "Then why are you shaking?"
I looked down.
My hands were trembling.
Before I could reply, Felix grinned mischievously, "So, should we go spy on them?"
"We have to confirm," David said.
"For Jay's closure," Kit added.
"For science," Denzel said.
"For drama," Eman corrected.
"FOR PEACE OF MIND," Section E yelled.
And suddenly—
They were pulling me, guiding me, running with me.
I didn't want to go.
But I needed to.
Because even if it broke me… I had to know.
We stopped outside the cafe. Through the window, I could see him — Kiefer — sitting with a girl. Laughing. Smiling.
My breath shattered.
"She looks nice," Felix mumbled.
"She looks like a threat," Mayo whispered.
"She looks like she moisturizes," Denzel said, offended.
I stared, heart breaking, anger boiling, confusion drowning me.
And that girl… she leaned closer to him, fingers almost on his arm—
My vision blurred. My chest tightened.
Yuri placed a hand on my back.
"Jay… what will you do?"
I swallowed.
"…I don't know."
But I did. I knew.
Because despite everything, despite the pain and frustration and fear…
I still loved him.
I stood outside the glass door like a ghost with stage fright.
Inside, Kiefer was sitting with her — that girl. Pretty. Confident. Polished like she stepped out of a magazine. Her hair curled perfectly, lashes long, lips glossy. She looked like she ate girls like me for breakfast and burped glitter.
Section E crouched behind random objects like undercover agents.
Felix hid behind a plant. The plant was smaller than him.
Denzel held a newspaper upside down.
David wore sunglasses inside.
Cin hid behind MY legs like a baby koala.
Yuri stood calmly like nothing was happening, but his eyes were trained on me.
"Jay," Yuri whispered. "It's your call."
My throat closed up. My heart felt like it was punching my ribs.
I'm not ready.
I am so not ready.
But I have to be.
I pushed the door open.
A bell chimed. The scent of coffee hit me, cozy and bitter like my emotions.
The girl's laugh echoed — melodic, flirty, annoyingly perfect.
"Really? You're so funny, Kiefer," she giggled, lightly touching his arm.
My feet glued to the floor.
ARM TOUCH. DISGUSTING. HANDS OFF MY — wait, he's not mine. Shut up, brain.
Kiefer didn't pull away.
He didn't look uncomfortable.
He just… let her.
Something inside me cracked.
Slowly, I walked closer, staying hidden behind a pillar. Section E scattered around me like pigeons spying on bread.
The girl leaned even closer.
"You know," she purred, tilting her head, "I never thought someone like you could look even better in person."
Kiefer's lips twitched — a near-smile.
"Is that so?" he asked, voice low.
NO NO NO don't flirt back you stupid Greek god reject WHY ARE YOU SMILING YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO BE ANGRY AND MISERABLE WITHOUT ME.
She twirled her hair. "Absolutely. I'm glad you asked me out. It's been… lovely."
Lovely?
LOVELY???
I almost swallowed my tongue.
"Jay, calm," David whispered behind me.
"I AM CALM," I hissed, shaking.
"You're gripping the chair so hard it's crying," Eren said.
I looked down.
The poor chair was bent. Whoops.
The girl sighed dramatically, leaning closer — so close her lips were a breath away from his cheek.
"I'd love to see you again," she murmured.
That's it.
My soul left my body. My dignity died. My brain jumped out the window.
I will not let this happen. No way.
I stormed forward.
"KEIFER!"
My voice thundered through the café like an earthquake.
Everyone turned.
Including him.
His eyes landed on me — shock flickering for a microsecond — before his expression flattened. Cold. unreadable.
"Jay," he said, tone neutral. "What are you doing here?"
I froze. Words. I need words. English. Sentences. Something.
"I— I was— we were— I mean—" I took a deep breath. "What are you doing here?!"
The girl blinked, confused but amused. "We're on a date. Obviously."
Date.
The word stabbed me.
"Oh?" I forced a smile that could kill plants. "A date. Interesting. With her."
She raised an eyebrow. "Is there a problem?"
"Yes," I snapped.
"Jay," Kiefer warned.
I ignored him.
"Actually, there is a problem," I said, voice icy. "You're sitting too close to him. Back up."
The girl smirked, eyes sparkling with challenge. "Why? Who are you to tell me that?"
"I am—" I froze.
Who am I?
I'm not his girlfriend.
I'm not his anything.
I swallowed the heartbreak.
"I'm his… friend," I muttered.
Lies. I want to be more. I want everything.
She fake-pouted. "Oh? Just a friend? Then your opinion doesn't matter."
She leaned in again — closer — trying to kiss his cheek.
My body moved before my brain did.
I jumped between them, hand blocking her lips.
"BACK. OFF."
Her eyes widened. "Excuse me?!"
We were face-to-face, the tension thick enough to spread on toast.
"You heard me," I growled. "Stay away."
"Why?" she shot back. "You're just his friend. Right?"
My heart throbbed painfully.
I didn't answer.
She smirked. "Thought so."
She tried to step around me.
I stepped sideways.
Left.
Right.
Blocking her like the world's angriest security guard.
She scoffed. "You're ridiculous."
"And you're annoying," I shot back.
Kiefer pinched the bridge of his nose. "Jay—"
"No!" I cut him off. "She needs to learn boundaries!"
The girl folded her arms. "Actually, you need to learn to stay out of business that isn't yours."
"He is my business!" I yelled.
Silence.
Pin-drop silence.
Kiefer's eyes widened slightly.
The girl tilted her head. "But you said you're just a friend?"
I blinked rapidly. Tears stung my eyes.
"I lied," I whispered.
My legs trembled.
"I'm not just a friend. I don't want to be just a friend. I want…" My voice cracked. "I want to be more."
Kiefer's breath hitched.
I looked at him, voice barely holding.
"I love you, Kiefer."
Gasps echoed — Section E popped up behind seats like measles.
"I love you," I repeated, tears sliding down. "I tried not to. I swear I tried. But I do. I love you. Even when I'm angry. Even when I'm stupid. Even when you ignore me. I still—" I hiccuped, sobbing. "I still do."
I wiped my eyes aggressively.
"Happy now? You win. You can laugh. I don't care. I just— I had to say it. Before I explode."
Kiefer just stared.
Expression unreadable.
Say something. SAY ANYTHING. Don't leave me hanging here.
But he didn't.
He stood slowly. His jaw clenched.
He opened his mouth—
And then—
"ION?!"
A voice screamed from the entrance.
I turned.
Angelo.
My cousin.
Standing at the door, chest heaving, eyes wide with betrayal.
Kiefer exhaled sharply.
Ion — the girl — stepped back nervously.
Angelo stormed forward like a hurricane.
He grabbed Ion's wrist. "Why are you here? With him? Why— why didn't you tell me—"
Ion's eyes filled with tears. "Angelo, please—"
Kiefer suddenly stepped closer to her, voice low and dangerous. "She's with me."
Angelo's head snapped up. He glared at Kiefer, fury blazing.
"You," Angelo growled. "Stay away from her."
Kiefer smirked, leaning slightly — too slightly — towards Ion.
"Why? Jealous?"
Angelo's fist flew.
Kiefer dodged — barely — chair crashing behind him.
Ion screamed.