Jay walked into class the next morning with one mission:
Ignore Keifer.
No eye contact. No reactions. No blushing. No heart‑exploding nonsense.
Just. Ignore. Him.
She sat down beside Mila, opened her notebook, and stared at it like it contained the secrets of the universe.
Keifer walked in two seconds later.
The room went silent.
Crimson Oaths whispered, "Is she mad at him?" Nightthorns whispered, "Is he mad at her?" Aiden whispered, "Please let today be normal." Daniel whispered, "It won't be."
Keifer walked straight to Jay's desk.
Stopped right in front of her.
Jay didn't look up.
He waited.
Jay didn't look up.
He cleared his throat.
Jay still didn't look up.
The class held its breath.
Finally, Keifer said, "Jay."
She turned a page in her notebook.
He blinked. "Jay."
She wrote a random sentence.
He leaned closer. "Jay."
She underlined the sentence.
The class was losing their minds.
Bella mouthed, "OH MY GOD SHE'S IGNORING HIM." Adrian whispered, "THIS IS HISTORIC." Mila whispered, "He looks… confused." Daniel whispered, "He's going to explode."
Keifer finally said, quieter this time, "Are you mad at me?"
Jay didn't answer.
The class gasped.
Aiden whispered, "She's brave."
Keifer straightened, jaw tightening. "Jay. Look at me."
She didn't.
He stepped closer.
She scooted her chair away.
He stepped closer again.
She scooted again.
The class was shaking with excitement.
Crimson Oaths: "THIS IS BETTER THAN THE KISS." Nightthorns: "THE PRESIDENT IS LOSING HIS MIND." Aiden: "I'm scared." Daniel: "I'm leaving."
Keifer finally exhaled sharply.
"Jay. I'm sorry."
The room froze.
Dead silent.
Someone dropped a pencil.
Someone else fainted.
Bella screamed into her hands. Adrian whispered, "HE APOLOGIZED?!" Mila whispered, "HE NEVER APOLOGIZES." Aiden whispered, "This is… unreal." Daniel whispered, "I'm hallucinating."
Jay's hand stopped moving.
Slowly, she looked up.
Keifer was standing there, expression serious, eyes locked on hers.
Jay blinked. "You… apologized?"
He nodded once. "Yes."
The class exploded.
"HE APOLOGIZED—" "THE PRESIDENT APOLOGIZED—" "FOR JAY—" "ONLY FOR JAY—" "JAYFER IS REAL—"
Jay stared at him. "You don't apologize to anyone."
Keifer didn't hesitate. "I know."
"Then why—"
"Because it's you."
Jay's heart did a full somersault.
Her face heated. "You can't just—just—say things like that!"
He stepped closer again. "I can. And I will."
Jay's breath caught.
The class leaned forward.
Crimson Oaths whispered, "KISS—KISS—KISS—" Nightthorns whispered, "THE TENSION IS ILLEGAL—" Aiden whispered, "I can't watch this." Daniel whispered, "I hate this school."
Jay finally stood up, flustered. "I'm still mad."
Keifer nodded. "I know."
"And I'm still ignoring you."
"You're talking to me."
Jay froze.
Keifer smirked.
She shoved him lightly. "I hate you."
"No," he said softly, "you don't."
Jay grabbed her books and stomped toward the door.
Keifer followed.
Of course he did.
And the entire class watched them go, whispering, screaming, and losing their minds because:
Keifer apologized. For Jay. And only Jay.
And Black Hollow University would never recover.