Chapter: "Wrong Person to Compete With"
Jay's POV
I thought the kiss chaos was over.
I was wrong.
Because after that exam stunt… something changed.
Yuri started acting weird.
Not funny-weird.
Not loud-weird.
But soft-weird.
He started saving me a seat.
Started bringing extra snacks.
Started saying things like, "Did you eat?"
Excuse me?
Since when are you emotionally stable?
Cin noticed first.
"Why are you looking at her like she's the answer key?" he whispered to Yuri.
Yuri shoved him. "Shut up."
I narrowed my eyes.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
Keifer's POV
I don't like this.
Yuri has been hovering around her all week.
Too close.
Too comfortable.
Today he handed her a juice before I could.
She smiled and said thank you.
Thank you.
Why did that bother me?
Blaster leaned toward me.
"You look like you want to fight oxygen."
"I'm fine."
"No you're not."
I looked at Yuri laughing at something Jay said.
My jaw tightened.
He's my friend.
But right now?
I want to erase him.
The Proposal
It happened after school.
Most of Section E stayed back.
Jay was packing her bag.
Yuri suddenly stood up.
Too serious.
Too confident.
Oh no.
"Jay," he said.
Everyone froze.
Cin slowly sat down again. "It's happening."
Jay looked up.
"What?"
Yuri took a deep breath.
"I like you."
Dead silence.
I felt my chest go cold.
He continued.
"I didn't realize it before. But you're strong, and crazy, and loud, and—"
"Careful," she warned.
He smiled nervously.
"And I want to try. With you."
Section E was holding their breath.
I wasn't.
Because I forgot how.
Jay blinked.
"…Yuri."
"I know about you and Keif," he said quickly. "But you're not officially anything."
That hit.
He wasn't wrong.
We never labeled it.
Never defined it.
We just… existed.
Jay looked stunned.
I couldn't move.
Couldn't speak.
This wasn't a joke.
He really meant it.
"So," Yuri said softly, "will you give me a chance?"
Jay's POV
My brain short-circuited.
Yuri?
Yuri Yuri?
The loud chaotic boy?
He was looking at me like I was something important.
I didn't know what to say.
Before I could respond—
A chair scraped loudly.
Keif stood up.
His expression?
Calm.
Too calm.
"Finished?" he asked Yuri.
Yuri looked at him. "Yeah."
Keif walked toward us slowly.
The room felt smaller.
"You're right," Keif said quietly. "We're not officially anything."
My heart dropped.
Why did that sound like goodbye?
He stopped in front of me.
Then looked at Yuri.
"But don't mistake silence for absence."
Yuri frowned.
Keif's voice lowered.
"She's not an option."
The class gasped.
Yuri straightened. "She's not your property."
"I know," Keif replied calmly. "That's why I'm not answering for her."
Then he turned to me.
And for the first time—
He looked unsure.
"Jay," he said softly.
"Do you like him?"
My heart pounded.
The room disappeared.
It was just us now.
Yuri waiting.
Keif waiting.
Fifteen boys pretending not to panic.
I swallowed.
Then shook my head.
"No."
Silence.
Yuri's shoulders dropped slightly.
Keif didn't smile.
He just exhaled.
"But," I continued, looking at Yuri gently, "I care about you. Just not like that."
Yuri nodded slowly.
It hurt him.
I could see it.
But he tried to smile.
"Had to try," he said softly.
Respect.
Real respect.
He stepped back.
Cin whispered, "Bro fought bravely."
Felix nodded. "Soldier down."
Yuri punched Felix lightly. "Shut up."
The tension eased slightly.
But something else was still hanging.
I turned to Keif.
"You were jealous."
"No."
"Liar."
The class leaned forward again.
He looked at me.
Really looked at me.
"Yes," he admitted.
That was louder than a shout.
"Why?" I asked quietly.
He stepped closer.
"Because I don't like competing."
My breath caught.
"Then don't," I whispered.
He searched my face.
"For what?"
"For me."
The room erupted.
"CONFESSION."
"THIS IS BETTER THAN EXAMS."
"CIN START RECORDING."
Keif ignored them.
His eyes didn't leave mine.
"So we're not nothing?" he asked softly.
I smiled.
"No. We're not nothing."
He finally smiled back.
Relief.
Possession.
Softness.
Yuri clapped slowly.
"Well," he said dramatically, "at least I clarified."
Cin put an arm around him.
"We'll find you someone who threatens gravity too."
Yuri rolled his eyes.
"Never again."
As everyone started talking loudly again, Keif leaned closer to me.
"Next time someone proposes," he murmured, "I'm not staying calm."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Is that a threat?"
"It's a promise."
And somewhere behind us—
Section E started placing bets on how long before we officially announce it.