Digital Heartbeats
[Jay's POV]
The chaos of Room 412 had finally subsided into a low hum. Freya was already out cold, snoring lightly with a thick textbook open on her chest. Mica was doing some silent, late-night stretches, and Rakki was buried under her duvet, the glow of her phone screen illuminating her face as she scrolled through campus gossip.
I lay on my side, staring at the wall. My waist still felt like it was humming. Every time I closed my eyes, I felt Keifer's hands—the strength in his fingers, the way he'd pulled me against his chest as if it were the safest place in the world.
Buzz.
The vibration of my phone against the mattress felt like an electric shock. I scrambled for it, my heart hammering.
[One New Message: Keifer Watson]
My breath hitched. I sat up, pulling the covers over my head to hide the light.
Keifer: You didn't leave any permanent dents in the floor when you fell, did you? My shoes are still vibrating from the impact.
A smile tugged at my lips before I could stop it. I bit my thumb, staring at the screen. He was so... him. Even in a text, he managed to be effortless.
Jay: Very funny. My pride is the only thing with a permanent dent. And for the record, your shoes were already vibrating because you're always doing that weird tapping thing with your feet.
I watched the "..." bubble appear almost instantly. My stomach did a somersault.
Keifer: You noticed the tapping thing? I thought I was being subtle. I guess a genius sees everything.
Jay: It's hard to miss when you're sitting directly behind me in Physics. It's like a low-frequency earthquake.
Keifer: I'll try to keep the tectonic plates steady tomorrow. But honestly, I was just trying to distract myself from the fact that you were solving that triple-integral faster than the Professor.
I leaned my head against the cold dorm wall, the heat in my cheeks refusing to fade. In the silence of the room, the text felt louder than a shout. My mother, Jeena, always told me that men were a distraction—that a Mariano woman didn't have time for "frivolous banter." But this didn't feel frivolous. It felt... necessary.
Jay: It wasn't that fast. I stalled on the second derivative for at least three seconds.
Keifer: Three seconds? Tragic. I'll send flowers to the Mariano estate to mourn the loss of your perfection.
Jay: Don't you dare. My father, Jasper, would probably try to invoice you for the vase.
The "..." appeared again, but this time it stayed for a while. I found myself holding my breath. Was I being too honest about my parents? Was I killing the vibe?
Keifer: He can send the invoice to my dad, Keizer. They can argue about it at the next board meeting. In the meantime... you okay, Jay? Truly? You looked pretty shaken up after the cafeteria thing with your brothers.
I stared at the screen. The teasing was gone. This was the Keifer from the hallway—the one who saw through the "Genius" mask.
Jay: I'm used to it. Percy and Aries have a way of making me feel like I'm taking up too much oxygen. Being a 'burden' is a full-time job in my family.
Keifer: Then consider this your official resignation notice. I've decided you're not allowed to use that word anymore. It's a Watson Decree.
Jay: A Watson Decree? Is that legal?
Keifer: Everything is legal when you're the 'Chill Prince,' remember? Rule #1 of the Decree: You are a variable that makes the equation better, not harder.
I felt a tear prick at the corner of my eye. I blinked it away, my fingers trembling as I typed.
Jay: You're a lot more philosophical at 1:00 AM than you are in the cafeteria.
Keifer: It's the lack of Rory throwing footballs at my head. It opens up my intellectual chakras. Also... I can't sleep.
Jay: Why not?
Keifer: I keep thinking about the stairs. And how I almost didn't catch you.
My heart stopped.
Keifer: I realized that if I hadn't been standing right there, you would have gotten hurt. And I really, really don't like the idea of you being hurt, Jasper Jean.
I laid back on my pillow, the phone held above my face. The use of my full name—the name that usually felt like a heavy crown—felt like a caress when it came from him.
Jay: You were there, Keifer. You're always there.
Keifer: I plan on keeping it that way. Get some sleep, Jay. We have that Game Theory lab tomorrow, and I need you at 100% so I can try (and fail) to beat your score.
Jay: Goodnight, Keifer.
Keifer: Night, Jay. Sweet dreams about triple-integrals.
I turned off the screen and tucked the phone under my pillow. The room was still dark, the air was still cold, and my life was still a mess—but as I drifted off to sleep, the voice of my mother was finally quiet.
All I could hear was the echo of a Watson Decree.