Freya Nightthorn had been quiet for weeks.
Too quiet.
After the Werewolf Day, after the love letters, after the accidental confession heard round the school, Freya had mostly kept to herself. A few cold stares. Some muttered insults. Nothing major.
Jay should have known it wouldn't last.
It started at breakfast.
Jay was sitting with Keifer at the Crimson table, sharing a plate of toast like they did every morning. Her head was on his shoulder. His hand was on her knee. Normal. Comfortable. Perfect.
Then the air changed.
Freya walked in.
Not just walked—swept. Her green uniform was perfectly pressed. Her hair was perfectly styled. Her smile was perfectly fake.
She walked straight to their table.
"Keifer," she said, ignoring Jay completely. "It's been too long."
Keifer didn't look up from his toast. "It's been three days."
"Three days too many." Freya leaned against the table, close to him. Too close. "I was thinking about our old study sessions. Remember how late we stayed in the library? Just the two of us?"
Jay's toast turned to ash in her mouth.
The cafeteria went silent.
Lyra's fork stopped halfway to her mouth. Adrian's pen froze over his notebook. Bella's sketchbook slipped from her fingers. Mila slowly set down her tea. Daniel just closed his eyes.
Keifer finally looked up. His expression was completely flat.
"I remember," he said. "You needed help with advanced wards."
"And you were so patient with me." Freya's voice dropped to something soft, intimate. "You always helped me. Even when you didn't have to."
"You were a Nightthorn. It was my duty."
"Is that the only reason?" Freya tilted her head, smiled. "Or was there something more?"
Jay's hand tightened on her toast. The bread crumbled into dust.
Keifer didn't answer. He also didn't look at Freya anymore. He was looking at Jay.
"Jay," he said quietly. "You haven't finished your breakfast."
Jay stared at him. "You want me to eat. Right now."
"I want you to ignore what doesn't matter."
Freya's smile flickered. "Keifer, I was just trying to—"
"You were trying." His voice was calm, but cold. "I'm not interested."
Freya straightened. Her smile tightened. "That's not what you used to say."
"I used to say a lot of things. Before I knew what mattered."
His hand found Jay's under the table. Squeezed once.
Freya saw it. Her eyes flashed.
"I see," she said quietly. "Well. Enjoy your... toast."
She walked away.
Jay didn't relax. Her jaw was clenched so tight her teeth hurt.
"She's not done," she muttered.
Keifer looked at her. "Jay."
"She's going to try again. You saw her face. She's not done."
"Then we'll deal with it together."
Jay nodded. But her stomach was in knots.
She was right.
Freya tried again at lunch.
This time, she sat at the table next to theirs. Close enough to talk. Far enough to pretend she wasn't intruding.
"Keifer," she called, all bright innocence. "I heard the Nightthorn library got a new collection of historical texts. You used to love those. Maybe we could—"
"No," Keifer said. Didn't even look up from his food.
Freya's smile strained. "It's just studying."
"I don't need to study with you."
"But we were such good partners." Her voice dropped. "Remember the winter formal? You danced with me."
Jay's fork hit the plate with a sharp clang.
Keifer's hand found hers immediately. "I danced with you because you asked. It was one dance. Three years ago."
"You didn't have to say yes."
"I was polite."
"You were sweet."
"I was seventeen and didn't know how to say no." He finally looked at her. His eyes were ice. "I know how to say it now. No."
Freya's mask cracked. Just slightly.
Jay saw it. And something in her—something that had been coiled tight since breakfast—started to loosen.
She looked at Keifer. He looked back. His thumb stroked her knuckles.
"Say it again," she whispered.
He didn't hesitate. "No."
"Louder."
"No." His voice carried across the cafeteria. "I am not interested. I will never be interested. I have someone. Her name is Jay. She is the only one."
The cafeteria erupted in whispers.
Freya's face went pale. Then red. Then pale again.
"You're making a fool of yourself," she hissed.
"I'm stating facts," Keifer said calmly. "The only fool here is you."
Jay choked on her water.
Did he just—did Keifer just—
Lyra grabbed Adrian's arm. "DID THE PRESIDENT JUST INSULT SOMEONE? OUT LOUD? IN PUBLIC?"
"I believe he did," Adrian whispered reverently. "This is unprecedented."
Freya stood up so fast her chair screeched. "You think she's better than me? Jay Mariano? The girl who can't control her magic? The girl who yells at everyone? The girl who—"
"The girl I love," Keifer interrupted. "Yes. She's better than you. In every way."
Dead silence.
Jay's heart stopped.
Freya looked like she'd been slapped.
Keifer turned to Jay. His expression softened. "Are you okay?"
Jay opened her mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
"I—you—she—" She took a breath. "I'm fine. I'm more than fine. I'm actually feeling... really good right now."
His lips twitched. "Good."
"Yeah." A slow smile spread across her face. "Really good."
Freya was still standing there, frozen, humiliated.
Jay looked at her.
And something clicked.
All the jealousy. All the insecurity. All the nights she'd lain awake wondering if she was good enough, if she deserved him, if someone like Freya—perfect, polished, proper Freya—was what he really should have chosen.
Gone.
Because he had chosen her. Over and over and over again.
And now it was her turn.
"You know what, Freya?" Jay stood up. Not angry. Not shaking. Just... steady. "I've been scared of you since I got here. Scared you were better than me. Scared Keifer would realize it and leave."
Freya's eyes flickered. Hope? Triumph?
"He's not going to leave," Jay continued. "Because he's not that kind of person. And I'm not that kind of girl. I don't wait around and hope. I fight for what's mine."
She stepped closer. Not aggressive. Just sure.
"You had your chance. Years of it. And what did you do? You studied together. You danced at a formal. You smiled at him from across the room." She tilted her head. "And he still chose me. The girl who yelled at him in the hallway. The girl who called him arrogant to his face. The girl who argued with him about coffee and broke his desk and made his magic go crazy."
She smiled. Not mean. Just honest.
"He didn't want easy. He wanted real. And I'm realer than you'll ever be."
Freya's face crumpled. Not into tears. Into something worse. Recognition.
"You think you've won," she whispered.
"I don't think." Jay took Keifer's hand. "I know."
She turned away. Didn't wait for a response. Didn't need one.
Keifer was looking at her like she'd set the world on fire.
"What?" she said, suddenly self-conscious.
"You just roasted her into the ground."
"I stated facts."
"You were magnificent."
Her face heated. "Shut up."
"No." He pulled her closer, right there in front of everyone. "You were magnificent and I'm going to tell everyone."
"KEIFER."
"I love you," he said loudly. "I love Jay Mariano. She is magnificent and she drinks her coffee wrong and I love her."
The cafeteria ERUPTED.
Lyra was screaming. Actually screaming. Adrian was writing so fast his pen was smoking. Bella was crying into her sketchbook. Mila was clapping slowly, like she was at a theater performance. Daniel was counting his money.
"THAT WAS THE BEST ROAST I'VE EVER WITNESSED," Lyra yelled. "THE PRESIDENT SUPPORTED HER. HE CHEERED HER ON. HE CALLED HER MAGNIFICENT. TWICE."
"I'm never washing my ears again," Adrian said solemnly. "This is history."
A first-year Crimson ran up to Jay, eyes wide. "Miss Mariano. Miss Mariano, how did you stay so calm? How did you know what to say? Can you teach me?"
Jay blinked. "I just... said what I felt?"
"That's TALENT," the first-year breathed. "That's POWER."
Keifer was still holding her hand, still smiling that private smile that was only for her.
"You made a fan," he murmured.
"I made a scene."
"You made a statement." He squeezed her fingers. "You made me proud."
Her heart swelled so big she thought it might crack her ribs.
"Shut up," she whispered.
"Never."
Freya didn't try again.
She was there, in the hallways, in the classes. But she didn't approach. Didn't smile. Didn't pretend.
She just watched.
And every time she looked at Jay, there was something new in her eyes.
Not hatred. Not jealousy.
Respect.
Jay didn't care about her respect. She didn't care about Freya at all anymore.
But she noticed.
And maybe, somewhere deep down, that felt like winning too.
Later that night, Jay sat on Keifer's bed, wrapped in his jacket, watching him study.
"You're staring," he said without looking up.
"You're studying."
"I have an exam."
"You always have an exam."
"Black Hollow never stops." He finally looked at her. "Why are you staring?"
She shrugged. "Just thinking."
"About?"
"Today. Freya. You." She pulled the jacket tighter. "I meant what I said. You know. About fighting for what's mine."
His pen stilled. "I know."
"You're mine, Keifer."
He set down the pen. Turned to face her fully. "I know."
"And I'm yours."
"I know that too." His voice was soft. "I've known since the day you yelled at me in the hallway."
"I didn't yell. I spoke with—"
"Passion. Yes. I remember." He reached out, tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "You called me an obstacle."
"You called yourself an obstacle. I just agreed."
"You always have to win."
"Someone has to. You're too stubborn to let me."
He smiled. "I love you."
She rolled her eyes. "I love you too."
"No, I really love you. Like, a lot. It's kind of ridiculous."
"Ridiculously sweet or ridiculously annoying?"
"Both. Always both." He leaned closer. "That's you. Sweet and annoying. Magnificent and wrong about coffee. Chaos and fire."
"And you're calm and cold and you drink dirt water."
"Black coffee is not dirt water."
"It's bean water. Same difference."
"It's not."
"It is."
"IS NOT."
"IS."
"IS NOT."
"IS."
He kissed her.
She smiled into it.
"Still wrong about coffee," she mumbled against his lips.
"I know," he murmured. "Still love you."
The next morning, Lyra had a new whiteboard.
JAYFER: FREYA SITUATION - POST MORTEM
*Jay's Roast: 10/10, no notes*
*Keifer's Support: 11/10, exceeded expectations*
*Freya's Recovery: 0/10, never recovering from this*
Overall Victory: JAYFER BY KNOCKOUT
NEW MILESTONE PREDICTIONS:
Next verbal "I love you" in public: ACHIEVED (cafeteria, 12:47 PM)
Next public display of affection: TBD
Next coffee argument: IMMINENT
Jay stared at the board. "You're insane."
Lyra beamed. "Thank you."
"That wasn't a compliment."
"I took it as one."
Keifer appeared beside Jay, coffee in hand. Nightthorn Nook coffee, obviously.
Lyra immediately updated the board. COFFEE ARGUMENT STATUS: ACTIVE.
Jay grabbed his cup and took a sip. Made a face. "Dirt water."
He took it back. "Bean water."
"Same thing."
"It's really not."
"IS."
"IS NOT."
Their friends groaned in unison.
But they were smiling.
All of them.
Even Daniel.