I stormed up the stairs, two steps at a time, my heart hammering louder than my footsteps. Those ulupongs downstairs wouldn't stop teasing me, their laughter chasing me down the corridor like a pack of hyenas. I just wanted a moment of peace—a place to breathe, to think—but no.
Of course, he had to ruin it.
Keifer. That kwanan. The king of the ulupongs. My first kiss. God, even thinking about it made my skin crawl and my stomach twist at the same time.
"Damn you, Keifer," I muttered, pacing the music room like a trapped cat. My reflection glared back at me from the piano lid, my cheeks flushed, my chest rising and falling fast.
Then came the click.
The door opened.
I froze, my pulse skipping a beat.
Keifer, the same infuriating smirk on his lips.He was standing there, leaning lazily against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, eyes glinting with mischief.
"Go away!" I snapped. I grabbed the nearest book and pointed it like a weapon. "Gago!Just—just fuck off!"
He raised an eyebrow, stepping inside with maddening calmness. "You know, you swear a lot."
" As if you don't " I shot back
"Stay back." I took a step away, bumping into the wall with a quiet thud. My breath hitched as I realized I'd been cornered.
His shadow loomed over me, his arms braced on either side of my head. Heat prickled down my neck.
"Let me go!" I shouted, my voice cracking under adrenaline. "You gago!Motherf— hayop ka! You animal!"
His smirk widened, eyes glinting with something wicked and far too amused.
His gaze dipped to my lips, then back up, and my heart nearly tripped over itself.
"You've got such a dirty mouth, Jay," he murmured. "Next time you use profanity, I'll kiss you. Got it?"
My breath hitched—rage and confusion and… something warmer tangled inside me.
"You wouldn't dare," I whispered, trying to sound angry. It came out shaky instead.
His smile was slow, dangerous. "Try me."
He pushed off the wall, brushing past me with deliberate closeness, leaving the faintest trace of his warmth behind. The door closed with a quiet click.
And I stood there, my heart pounding, lips trembling—caught somewhere between fury.