Jay didn't even make it to her seat before the air changed.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
The lights flickered. The floor hummed. A weird pressure filled the room like the air was holding its breath.
Students froze.
Crimson Oaths looked excited. Nightthorns looked terrified. Aiden looked like he wanted to drop out. Daniel whispered, "Nope. I'm leaving."
Jay frowned. "What's happening?"
Then Keifer walked in.
And the pressure doubled.
Students gasped. Someone dropped a pen. Someone else whispered, "Oh no… it's THEM."
Jay rolled her eyes. "What does that mean—"
Keifer looked at her.
Just looked.
And the lights blew out.
The entire class screamed.
A burst of shimmering energy exploded from Jay's hands—bright, wild, uncontrolled.
Desks rattled. Windows shook. A gust of wind spiraled around her like she was the eye of a storm.
Jay screamed, "WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"
Keifer was already moving.
He crossed the room in seconds, reaching her before anyone else could blink.
The moment he touched her wrist—
Everything stopped.
The wind. The shaking. The glow.
Silence.
Jay stared at him, breathless. "What… what did you do?"
Keifer didn't answer.
He was staring at her hands like they were made of starlight.
"Jay," he said quietly, "your aura reacted."
Jay blinked. "My WHAT reacted?!"
Crimson Oaths screamed. Nightthorns panicked. Aiden fainted. Daniel whispered, "I'm transferring."
Jay shook her head. "No—no—no—this is not happening—"
Keifer stepped closer.
Jay stepped back.
The lights flickered again.
Students screamed again.
Bella yelled, "STOP MOVING, YOU TWO ARE BREAKING THE SCHOOL—"
Jay froze. "WHAT DO YOU MEAN WE'RE BREAKING THE SCHOOL?!"
Adrian pointed dramatically. "YOUR AURAS ARE COLLIDING—IT'S FORBIDDEN—IT'S ILLEGAL—IT'S ROMANTIC—"
Jay: "IT'S WHAT—"
Keifer: "It's rare."
Jay: "STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT."
Keifer: "It's dangerous."
Jay: "STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT TOO."
Keifer stepped closer again.
Jay stepped back again.
The lights flickered harder.
Crimson Oaths screamed, "STOP MOVING YOU'RE GOING TO OPEN A PORTAL—"
Nightthorns yelled, "THE PRESIDENT IS RESONATING WITH SOMEONE—THIS IS A CRIME—"
Aiden, waking up: "Did they kiss again?!"
Jay threw a book at him.
Keifer ignored everyone. His eyes stayed locked on Jay.
"Your aura responds to mine," he said softly.
Jay's face burned. "STOP SAYING THAT IN PUBLIC."
He stepped closer.
Jay panicked. "DON'T—THE LIGHTS WILL EXPLODE AGAIN—"
He stopped.
The lights steadied.
The class exhaled.
Jay stared at him. "Why… why does this happen when you get close?"
Keifer didn't hesitate.
"Because we're connected."
The class detonated.
Crimson Oaths: "JAYFER IS MAGICALLY BONDED—" Nightthorns: "THIS IS A DISASTER—" Aiden: "I CAN'T HANDLE THIS—" Daniel: "I'm transferring TODAY."
Jay covered her face. "This is a nightmare."
Keifer leaned in slightly—not enough to trigger another magical explosion, but enough to make her heart sprint.
"It's not a nightmare," he said quietly. "It's us."
Jay's brain shut down.
Her magic sparked again.
The lights flickered.
Crimson Oaths screamed.
Nightthorns ducked.
Aiden fainted again.
Daniel walked out of the classroom.
And Jay realized something horrifying:
Her magic only reacted to one person.
Keifer.
And he knew it.
And he liked it.