Jay's Pov
The weekend ended too fast.
One moment I was being pinned against a wall by a hot guy while his family watched. The next moment I was back in school, facing another week of Filipino class, chaotic boys, and Keifer's unreadable stares.
Monday morning arrived like a truck.
I dragged myself to Section E, already exhausted. Mia was waiting at the door, bouncing with energy.
"JAY! JAY! Guess what?!"
"What?"
"Ci-n is back! And Yuri's here too!"
I blinked. "Ci-n? The one with the crush on Rakki?"
"YES! He was sick for like a week. And Yuri had some family thing at Hanamitchi—you know, the big company?"
"I don't know anything."
"Right, right. Well, Yuri's Keifer's best friend. Like, since they were kids. He's hilarious. You'll love him."
"Great. Another boy to add to the chaos."
"EXACTLY."
We walked into Section E and immediately, something was different.
There were two new faces.
One was a small guy—like, actually small. He looked young, maybe 14, with big curious eyes and a smile that took up his whole face. He was sitting at a desk near the front, talking animatedly to Felix.
The other was... taller. Sharp features, expensive-looking uniform, confident posture. He was standing near Keifer's desk, arms crossed, saying something that made Keifer almost smile.
"CI-N!" Mia yelled, dragging me toward the small guy.
The small guy—Ci-n—looked up and his face EXPLODED with joy.
"MIA!" He jumped up and ran toward us. Then he saw me and skidded to a stop. "Whoa. New girl?"
"This is Jay!" Mia pushed me forward. "My best friend from London! Jay, this is Ci-n. He's basically a baby genius."
"I'm FOURTEEN," Ci-n said proudly. "And I'm in Section E because I'm too smart for my age."
"Modest too," I said.
"I'm VERY modest. It's my best quality."
I liked him immediately.
Ci-n studied me with intense curiosity. "So you're the one everyone's talking about."
"Everyone?"
"Yeah! The London girl who made Keifer's ears turn red! Felix told me everything!"
I shot a look at Felix, who was suddenly very interested in his desk.
"Felix has a big mouth," I said.
"Felix has the BEST mouth," Ci-n agreed. "He tells all the good stories."
Mia grabbed my arm. "Come on, let's introduce you to Yuri."
We walked toward Keifer's desk. Yuri turned as we approached.
He was... intimidating. Not in a scary way, but in a "I'm rich and I know it" way. But his eyes were warm, and when he smiled, it reached his eyes.
"Ah, you must be Jay." He held out his hand. "Yuri. Keifer's told me about you."
I shook his hand. "Good things, I hope."
"Interesting things." He glanced at Keifer, who was pointedly looking at his notebook. "Very interesting things."
Keifer's ears went pink.
Yuri's smile widened. "Yeah. Definitely interesting."
Ci-n appeared at my elbow. "Yuri's the heir of Hanamitchi. His family owns, like, everything."
"Not everything," Yuri said.
"Basically everything."
"Shut up, Ci-n."
"Make me."
Yuri looked at me. "He's annoying but we keep him anyway."
"Like a pet," Ci-n agreed.
I laughed. These guys were great.
The morning passed in a blur.
Ci-n attached himself to me immediately. Like, literally. He followed me everywhere.
"You're my new best friend," he announced during break.
"You have Mia."
"Mia's my OLD best friend. You're my NEW best friend. There's room for both."
"That's... surprisingly logical."
"I'm smart. I told you."
He sat on my desk while I tried to study. "So. Keifer."
"No."
"I didn't even ask anything!"
"Whatever it was, no."
"He likes you."
"He does NOT."
"His ears are pink right now. Look."
I looked. Keifer was across the room, talking to Yuri. His ears were definitely pink.
"That means nothing."
"It means EVERYTHING. I've known him for years. His ears only do that when he's flustered."
"Maybe he's hot."
"The AC is on."
"Maybe he's allergic."
"To what?"
I threw his own words back at him. "Loud girls who won't stop yelling."
Ci-n laughed. "Oh, I like you. You're funny."
"Thanks. I try."
"Try harder. Keifer's looking again."
I refused to look. "I don't care."
"You SO care."
"I do NOT."
"Your face is pink too."
"Because it's HOT."
"The AC—"
"SHUT UP, CI-N."
He grinned. "Best friends forever."
At lunch, the squad gathered.
Sarah, Dave, Ben, Bella, Mia, Jare, and now Ci-n and Yuri.
Dave was in heaven. "TWO new people?! This is the best day ever!"
"I'm Dave," Dave said to Ci-n. "I like food."
"I'm Ci-n. I like knowledge."
"Can we trade? I'll give you food facts for knowledge facts."
"Deal."
They shook hands solemnly. Everyone watched.
"That's going to be a problem," Bella said.
"A beautiful problem," Ben corrected, already filming.
Yuri sat next to me. "So. Jay."
"Yuri."
"Keifer's my best friend."
"I know."
"He doesn't talk about people. Ever."
"Okay?"
"He talks about you."
My heart did a weird thing. "What does he say?"
Yuri smiled. "That you're loud. Chaotic. Annoying."
"Oh."
"And that he can't stop thinking about you."
I choked on my food. "WHAT?"
"He won't admit it. But I know him. He's obsessed."
"He's NOT obsessed."
"He asked me three times today if you'd come to lunch."
"That's—that's just—he was probably—"
"He never asks about anyone."
I didn't know what to say.
Yuri patted my shoulder. "Just so you know, I ship it."
"Ship what?"
"You and Keifer. Hard."
"THERE'S NOTHING TO SHIP."
"Denial is the first stage."
"I'm not IN denial."
"That's exactly what someone in denial would say."
I groaned. "Not you too."
"Me too," Ci-n said, appearing on my other side. "I ship it too."
"CI-N."
"Harder than Yuri."
"THERE'S NO SHIP."
"Keep telling yourself that."
After lunch, we had free period.
I was sitting at my desk, scrolling through my phone, when someone sat down next to me.
Keifer.
"What do you want?" I asked without looking up.
"Observing."
"Observe somewhere else."
"This is my section."
"Then observe YOURSELF."
"I already know myself. You're more interesting."
I finally looked at him. He was watching me with that unreadable expression.
"Why are you like this?" I asked.
"Like what?"
"Like... you."
"That's vague."
"It's intentional."
He almost smiled. "You're weird."
"You're weirder."
"Impossible."
"Clearly not."
We stared at each other.
Then his eyes dropped to my phone. "Who are you texting?"
"No one."
"Your thumbs were moving."
"I was scrolling."
"Scrolling doesn't require thumbs moving that fast."
"Are you... monitoring my thumb speed?"
"I'm observing."
"You're OBSESSING."
"Same thing."
"IT IS NOT."
He leaned back, arms crossed, looking way too pleased. "You're flustered."
"I am NOT flustered."
"Your voice went up."
"Because you're ANNOYING."
"You love it."
"I HATE it."
"Same thing."
I threw my pencil at him. He caught it. Obviously.
"Stop catching things."
"Stop throwing things."
"YOU FIRST."
"You threw first."
"Because you DESERVED it."
"For what?"
"For EXISTING."
He actually smiled. A real smile. Small, but real.
"You're impossible," he said.
"Takes one to know one."
That night, I was lying in bed, scrolling through my phone, when a text came through.
UNKNOWN NUMBER: Hi.
I stared at it.
ME: Who is this?
UNKNOWN: Guess.
ME: I'm not playing guessing games.
UNKNOWN: Boring.
ME: I'm not boring. I just don't talk to strangers.
UNKNOWN: We're not strangers.
ME: Then who ARE you?
UNKNOWN: Your future.
I choked.
ME: My future doesn't have you.
UNKNOWN: That's hurtful.
ME: Good.
UNKNOWN: You're mean.
ME: You're annoying.
UNKNOWN: We match.
ME: We do NOT match.
UNKNOWN: Your face is probably red right now.
I looked in the mirror. It was.
ME: It's NOT.
UNKNOWN: Liar.
ME: How do you KNOW?!
UNKNOWN: Because I know you.
ME: YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME.
UNKNOWN: I know enough.
I was getting annoyed. And curious. And annoyed at being curious.
ME: Tell me who you are or I'm blocking you.
UNKNOWN: You won't block me.
ME: Try me.
UNKNOWN: You're too curious.
ME: I'm REALLY not.
UNKNOWN: You're literally texting a stranger at midnight. You're curious.
Damn. He had a point.
ME: Fine. Whatever. What do you want?
UNKNOWN: To talk to you.
ME: About what?
UNKNOWN: Anything. Everything. Nothing.
ME: That's not an answer.
UNKNOWN: You're not easy.
ME: I'm a DELIGHT.
UNKNOWN: Sure.
ME: Stop saying sure like that.
UNKNOWN: Like what?
ME: Like you're agreeing but you're actually making fun of me.
UNKNOWN: Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Guess you'll never know.
I gasped.
That was Keifer's line. From the classroom. When we first argued.
ME: Who ARE you?!
UNKNOWN: Someone who thinks about you a lot.
My heart stopped.
ME: That's creepy.
UNKNOWN: It's honest.
ME: Creepy AND honest. Great combo.
UNKNOWN: You love it.
ME: I HATE it.
UNKNOWN: Same thing.
ME: STOP SAYING THAT.
UNKNOWN: Make me.
ME: I WILL BLOCK YOU.
UNKNOWN: You won't.
He was right. I wouldn't.
ME: What do you want from me?
UNKNOWN: Your attention.
ME: You have it. Unfortunately.
UNKNOWN: Good.
ME: Now tell me who you are.
UNKNOWN: Soon.
ME: Why not now?
UNKNOWN: Because it's fun watching you guess.
ME: You're enjoying this?!
UNKNOWN: Immensely.
ME: You're a GAGONG BALIW.
UNKNOWN: What does that mean?
ME: It means crazy idiot. In Tagalog. Mia taught me.
UNKNOWN: Gagong Baliw. I like it.
ME: It's not a COMPLIMENT.
UNKNOWN: From you, it is.
I wanted to throw my phone across the room.
ME: I hate you.
UNKNOWN: No you don't.
ME: I REALLY do.
UNKNOWN: Your thumbs are moving too fast for someone who hates me.
ME: That means NOTHING.
UNKNOWN: Sure.
ME: STOP.
UNKNOWN: Make me.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
UNKNOWN: Jay.
ME: What?
UNKNOWN: I had a dream about you last night.
I stopped breathing.
ME: What kind of dream?
UNKNOWN: The kind I shouldn't tell you about.
ME: THEN WHY DID YOU BRING IT UP?!
UNKNOWN: To see your reaction.
ME: YOU'RE INSANE.
UNKNOWN: Specifically, you were in your bed. And you weren't wearing anything.
I SCREAMED.
Literally screamed into my pillow.
My face was ON FIRE.
ME: YOU CAN'T JUST SAY THAT.
UNKNOWN: I just did.
ME: WHO ARE YOU?!
UNKNOWN: Guess.
ME: I WILL FIND YOU AND KILL YOU.
UNKNOWN: Promises, promises.
ME: I'M SERIOUS.
UNKNOWN: I know. That's what makes it fun.
I was going to MURDER this person.
ME: Tell me your name. NOW.
UNKNOWN: Not yet.
ME: WHY NOT?!
UNKNOWN: Because you're more entertaining when you're angry.
ME: I'M NOT ENTERTAINING. I'M FURIOUS.
UNKNOWN: Same thing.
ME: STOP SAYING THAT.
UNKNOWN: Never.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
UNKNOWN: Goodnight, Jay.
ME: DON'T GOODNIGHT ME.
UNKNOWN: Dream of me.
ME: I WILL DREAM OF PUSHING YOU OFF A CLIFF.
UNKNOWN: Kinky.
ME: I HATE YOU.
UNKNOWN: ❤️
He sent a HEART.
A HEART.
I threw my phone across the room.
Then I got up and got it.
Then I stared at the screen.
UNKNOWN: Still there?
ME: No.
UNKNOWN: Liar.
ME: Go away.
UNKNOWN: Make me.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
UNKNOWN: Goodnight, Jay. Sweet dreams.
ME: I WILL HAVE NIGHTMARES.
UNKNOWN: Same thing.
I didn't respond.
But I also didn't block him.
And he knew it.
The next morning, I walked into Section E with zero sleep and maximum rage.
Mia took one look at me. "What happened?"
"Some idiot texted me last night."
"Who?"
"I don't KNOW. They won't tell me."
"Ooh, mystery texter!" Ci-n appeared. "What did they say?"
"Nothing. Everything. They said they had a dream about me naked."
Mia GASPED. "WHAT?!"
"In my bed. Naked. They SPECIFICALLY said that."
Ci-n's eyes went huge. "That's either really romantic or really creepy."
"BOTH."
"Did you block them?"
"No."
"Why not?!"
"Because—" I stopped. "I don't know."
Mia and Ci-n exchanged looks.
"You LIKE the mystery texter," Ci-n said.
"I do NOT."
"Your face is red."
"Because I'm ANGRY."
"Angry red or flustered red?"
"THERE'S A DIFFERENCE?"
"BIG difference."
I buried my face in my hands. "I hate this."
"No you don't," Mia said. "You love drama."
"I DO NOT love drama."
"You're literally the main character of a drama right now."
"I didn't ASK for this."
"Drama never asks. It just happens."
Across the room, Keifer was watching me.
His ears were pink.
Something clicked in my brain.
Wait.
Keifer. Pink ears. Watching me. The mystery texter used his lines. Said they thought about me. Said they had a dream—
No.
No way.
It couldn't be.
Could it?
I stared at him.
He looked away.
Too fast.
My eyes narrowed.
Keifer Watson. If that's you...
At lunch, Yuri sat next to me.
"So," he said casually. "Any interesting texts last night?"
I froze. "What?"
"Just asking. You look tired."
"How do you know about—" I stopped. "Never mind."
Yuri smiled. A knowing smile. "Keifer seemed distracted this morning."
"Did he?"
"Very distracted. Kept looking at his phone. Smiling at nothing."
"Interesting."
"Right?" Yuri's smile widened. "Almost like he was texting someone."
I stared at him.
He stared back.
"You know something," I said.
"I know many things."
"About the mystery texter."
"I might."
"TELL ME."
"Can't. Best friend code."
"I'll hurt you."
"You can try."
I groaned. "I hate all of you."
"No you don't."
That night, my phone buzzed.
UNKNOWN: Hi.
ME: Keifer.
Long pause.
UNKNOWN: What?
ME: You're Keifer.
UNKNOWN: I'm not.
ME: You SO are.
UNKNOWN: Prove it.
ME: You used your own lines. From our first argument. "Maybe I am. Maybe I'm not. Guess you'll never know."
UNKNOWN: That's generic.
ME: It's NOT generic. It's SPECIFIC. And your ears were pink this morning when you looked at me.
UNKNOWN: They were not.
ME: They WERE. Mia saw. Ci-n saw. Yuri saw.
UNKNOWN: Yuri talks too much.
ME: SO IT IS YOU.
Long pause.
KEIFER: Fine. It's me.
I SCREAMED.
ME: I KNEW IT.
KEIFER: You didn't know. You guessed.
ME: Same thing.
KEIFER: Using my lines against me?
ME: Learn from the best.
KEIFER: You're not the best.
ME: I'm the BEST.
KEIFER: Sure.
ME: STOP.
KEIFER: Make me.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
KEIFER: I looked that up. It means crazy idiot.
ME: YES.
KEIFER: You called me crazy idiot.
ME: REPEATEDLY.
KEIFER: I like it.
ME: It's not a COMPLIMENT.
KEIFER: From you, it is.
ME: WHY DO YOU KEEP SAYING THAT.
KEIFER: Because it's true.
ME: IT'S NOT TRUE.
KEIFER: Jay.
ME: What.
KEIFER: I really did have that dream.
My face EXPLODED.
ME: KEIFER.
KEIFER: What?
ME: YOU CAN'T JUST—YOU CAN'T—
KEIFER: Can't what? Be honest?
ME: THAT'S NOT HONESTY. THAT'S TORTURE.
KEIFER: You're fun to torture.
ME: I HATE YOU.
KEIFER: No you don't.
ME: I REALLY DO.
KEIFER: Your thumbs are moving too fast.
ME: THAT MEANS NOTHING.
KEIFER: It means everything.
I didn't respond.
KEIFER: Jay.
Nothing.
KEIFER: Are you ignoring me?
Nothing.
KEIFER: I'll just keep texting then.
Nothing.
KEIFER: I'm thinking about you right now.
Nothing.
KEIFER: In your bed. Naked.
ME: KEIFER.
KEIFER: There you are.
ME: YOU'RE DISGUSTING.
KEIFER: You love it.
ME: I DO NOT.
KEIFER: Then why are you still texting?
I stared at the screen.
Why WAS I still texting?
ME: I don't know.
KEIFER: I do.
ME: What?
KEIFER: You like me.
ME: I do NOT.
KEIFER: Your face is red.
ME: YOU CAN'T SEE MY FACE.
KEIFER: I don't need to. I know.
ME: You know NOTHING.
KEIFER: I know you.
ME: You've known me for a WEEK.
KEIFER: Enough.
I didn't know what to say.
KEIFER: Jay.
ME: What.
KEIFER: Goodnight.
ME: Goodnight.
KEIFER: Sweet dreams.
ME: Don't.
KEIFER: ❤️
Another heart.
I stared at it for a long time.
Then I saved his number.
Under "Gagong Baliw."
The next morning, Yuri was waiting for me at the Section E door.
"So," he said. "You figured it out."
"Figured what out?"
"Keifer. The texts."
I glared at him. "You knew."
"I knew."
"And you didn't tell me."
"Best friend code."
"I hate that code."
"It's a good code."
I pushed past him into the classroom.
Keifer was at his desk, looking at his phone. When I walked in, he looked up.
Our eyes met.
His lips twitched.
I flipped him off behind my notebook.
He smiled.
Actually smiled.
Ci-n appeared at my elbow. "What was that?"
"Nothing."
"That was NOT nothing. He SMILED. Keifer never smiles."
"He's happy because he's annoying."
"He's happy because of YOU."
"CI-N."
"I'm just SAYING."
Mia grabbed my arm. "SPILL."
"There's nothing to spill."
"Your face is red."
"Because I'm ANGRY."
"At who?"
"At KEIFER."
"Why?"
"Because—" I stopped. I couldn't tell her about the texts. About the dream. About the hearts.
Mia's eyes narrowed. "Something happened."
"Nothing happened."
"JAY."
"MIA."
"I will find out."
"You won't."
"I will."
"Try me."
She grinned. "Oh, I will."
At lunch, my phone buzzed.
GAGONG BALIW: You're thinking about me.
ME: I'm NOT.
GAGONG BALIW: You're literally looking at your phone with a red face.
ME: YOU CAN'T SEE ME.
GAGONG BALIW: I don't need to. I know.
ME: You know NOTHING.
GAGONG BALIW: I know you called me Gagong Baliw in your phone.
I choked.
ME: HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT?!
GAGONG BALIW: Guessed.
ME: LIAR.
GAGONG BALIW: It's cute.
ME: It's ACCURATE.
GAGONG BALIW: Same thing.
ME: STOP.
GAGONG BALIW: Never.
I looked across the cafeteria. Keifer was sitting with Yuri, not looking at me.
But he was smiling at his phone.
Yuri said something. Keifer responded. Yuri looked at me and waved.
I wanted to die.
GAGONG BALIW: Tonight. Same time.
ME: I have homework.
GAGONG BALIW: Liar.
ME: I REALLY do.
GAGONG BALIW: You'll text me anyway.
ME: I won't.
GAGONG BALIW: You will.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
GAGONG BALIW: ❤️
I put my phone down.
Mia was watching me. "Who are you texting?"
"No one."
"Your face is red."
"It's hot."
"The AC—"
"SHUT UP, MIA."
She grinned. "It's Keifer, isn't it?"
I said nothing.
"I KNEW IT."
"You know NOTHING."
"I know EVERYTHING."
I buried my face in my hands.
This was going to be the death of me.
And honestly?
I wasn't sure I minded.