Jay barely had time to breathe after her friends' screaming, teasing, and dramatic gasps. She changed clothes, fixed her hair and tried to look like someone who didn't spend the night in the president's room.
She opened the dorm door.
And almost screamed.
Keifer was standing right there.
Leaning against the wall. Arms crossed. Expression calm. Like he'd been waiting for hours.
Jay froze. "W–What are you doing here?!"
Her friends behind her exploded instantly.
Bella: "OH MY GOD HE CAME TO PICK YOU UP." Adrian: "THIS IS A RELATIONSHIP." Mila: "I'm going to faint." Daniel: "I knew this would happen."
Jay slapped the door shut in their faces.
Then opened it again because Keifer was still there.
He raised an eyebrow. "You didn't say good morning."
Jay's brain: error. Jay's mouth: "GOOD MORNING OKAY BYE—"
She tried to walk past him.
He stepped in front of her.
"Jay," he said softly, "walk with me."
Her heart did a backflip. "Why?"
He leaned down just a little. "Because I want to."
Her friends inside the dorm screamed like a concert crowd.
Jay shoved Keifer down the hallway before they broke the windows.
They walked toward the canteen. Correction: Jay walked like a panicked squirrel. Keifer walked like he owned the world.
Students stared.
Whispered.
Pointed.
Jay hissed, "Why is everyone looking at us?!"
Keifer didn't even blink. "Ignore them."
"I CAN'T IGNORE THEM WHEN THEY'RE STARING LIKE I'M HOLDING A BOMB."
He glanced at her. "You're loud in the morning."
"YOU'RE ANNOYING IN THE MORNING."
He smirked. "You weren't annoyed last night."
Jay tripped over air.
Keifer caught her wrist before she fell. "Careful."
"STOP DOING THAT," she snapped.
"Doing what?" he asked innocently.
"Catching me!"
"Then stop falling."
Jay wanted to scream.
They entered the canteen.
Silence.
Then—
"THAT'S THEM!" "THEY SPENT THE NIGHT TOGETHER!" "JAYFER IS REAL!" "THE PRESIDENT SLEPT WITH A CRIMSON!" "THEY'RE DATING!" "THEY'RE MARRIED!" "THEY HAVE KIDS!"
Jay choked on air. "WHAT—NO—WHO SAID THAT?!"
A Nightthorn student pointed dramatically. "THE WHOLE SCHOOL KNOWS."
A Crimson student yelled, "WE SUPPORT YOU, JAYFER!"
Jay covered her face. "I'm going to die."
Keifer leaned down. "Ignore them."
"YOU ARE THE REASON THEY'RE TALKING!"
He shrugged. "Good."
"GOOD?!"
He looked at her with that calm, warm, annoyingly soft expression. "I don't mind if they know I care."
Jay's brain stopped working.
Crimson Oaths surrounded them.
Lyra smirked. "So… how was your night, Jay?"
Jay: "I WILL THROW MY TRAY AT YOU."
Adrian appeared out of nowhere. "Did you cuddle?"
Jay: "ADRIAN—"
Bella: "Did he hold you tight?"
Jay: "BELLA—"
Daniel: "Did you sleep on his chest?"
Jay: "DANIEL YOU TOO?!"
Keifer calmly took a seat beside her.
Very close.
Too close.
Jay scooted away.
Keifer scooted closer.
Jay glared. "Stop."
He whispered, "No."
The entire table screamed.
A random student shouted across the room:
"HEY PRESIDENT! IS SHE YOUR GIRLFRIEND?!"
Jay nearly flipped the table.
Keifer didn't even blink.
He looked at Jay.
Right in the eyes.
And said, calm as ever:
"Not yet."
Jay's soul left her body.
The canteen exploded.
Crimson Oaths cheered. Nightthorns gasped. Bella fainted. Adrian screamed. Daniel dropped his spoon. Mila covered her mouth.
Jay stared at Keifer, red as fire.
"You—YOU—YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT!"
He leaned closer, voice low.
"Then don't run away from me."
Just like that Jay is mentally unstable.