Jay's Pov
The kiss heard 'round the school.
That's what Felix called it.
By the time I walked into HVIS the next morning, EVERYONE knew.
Students whispered as I passed. Pointed. Stared. Some girls looked at me with admiration. Others with pure, burning jealousy.
"I heard KEIFER kissed HER."
"No, SHE kissed HIM first."
"Either way, THEY KISSED. With TONGUE."
"I would DIE if Keifer kissed me."
"You'd have to fight her first."
"Worth it."
I kept my head down and power-walked to Section E.
Mia was waiting at the door. "JAY! You're a LEGEND!"
"I'm a TARGET."
"No, you're a legend. The whole school is talking about you."
"THAT'S NOT A GOOD THING."
"It's an AMAZING thing! You're famous!"
"I don't WANT to be famous!"
"Too late!"
Section E was already gathered outside the classroom. All fifteen boys. Plus Ci-n, who was technically 14 but basically an honorary member.
When they saw me, they erupted.
"JAY!" Ci-n ran over. "MY SHIP! HOW ARE YOU? ARE YOU OKAY? ARE YOUR LIPS OKAY?"
"My lips are fine, Ci-n."
"Did they swell? They looked swollen yesterday. From the kissing."
"CI-N."
"I'm just ASKING!"
Felix was grinning like an idiot. "HUSBAND AND WIFE! HUSBAND AND WIFE!"
"FELIX, I SWEAR—"
"You can't deny it now! You kissed! Twice! The second time with PASSION!"
"WITH TONGUE!" Ci-n added.
"YES, WITH TONGUE!"
I buried my face in my hands. "I hate all of you."
"No you don't."
Eman walked over with a container. "I made you cookies. For emotional recovery."
I looked at the cookies. They looked AMAZING.
"Eman, you're my favorite."
"Don't let Keifer hear that."
"Keifer who? I don't know him."
Calix laughed. "Sure you don't."
Rory and Edrix were both on their phones. "The hacking group chat is blowing up," Rory said. "Everyone wants info on you."
"What kind of info?"
"Everything. Your name. Your section. Your bra size."
"EXCUSE ME?!"
Edrix shrugged. "I didn't share. But Freya's been asking."
"Freya? The brat from Section A?"
"The same. She's obsessed with Keifer. She's probably planning your murder as we speak."
"Great. Fantastic. Exactly what I needed."
Mayo and Kit were holding hands, both smiling at me. "We ship it," Mayo said.
"Hard," Kit added.
"THERE'S NO SHIP."
"There's DEFINITELY a ship," Drew said. "I'll bet on it."
"You bet on EVERYTHING."
"This is the safest bet I've ever made."
Eren, who had like five girlfriends, nodded wisely. "The key to a good relationship is public validation. You have that now."
"I don't HAVE a relationship!"
"Yet."
Josh, the quiet one, just gave me a thumbs up. Baster hummed a romantic tune. David was asleep against the wall but woke up long enough to say "congrats" before passing out again.
Denzel smiled warmly. "Grace says hi, by the way. She's really happy for you."
"Tell Grace I said hi and that there's nothing to be happy about."
"She won't believe me."
"Try harder."
Just then, a group of girls approached.
Like, a WHOLE group. At least ten of them. Led by Freya, looking like she'd stepped out of a magazine and was mad the magazine didn't feature her enough.
"Jay," she said, her voice dripping with fake sweetness.
"Freya."
"We heard about... yesterday."
"Congratulations, your ears work."
Her eye twitched. "We just wanted to ask. Is it true? Did Keifer really kiss YOU?"
"Last time I checked, yes."
"Or did YOU kiss HIM first and he just... reacted?"
The other girls giggled. Snickered. Waited for my answer.
I felt my temperature rise.
Behind me, the Section E boys went quiet. Watching. Waiting.
I could feel Mia beside me, ready to jump in. Jare too.
But I didn't need them.
I smiled. A nice smile. A polite smile.
"You know, Freya, I'm so glad you asked."
She blinked. "You are?"
"Yes! Because I've been wondering—why are you so obsessed with who kisses who? Is it because no one's kissing YOU?"
Her face went red. "Excuse me?"
"I mean, you're here. With your little fan club. Asking about a kiss that happened YESTERDAY. While I've already moved on. But you? You're still thinking about it. Still thinking about KEIFER. Still thinking about ME."
"I am NOT thinking about you!"
"Then why are you here? In front of ME? Asking about MY kiss with KEIFER?" I tilted my head. "That's a lot of energy to spend on someone you don't think about."
The girls behind Freya shifted uncomfortably.
Freya's mouth opened and closed. No words came out.
"Oh, and one more thing." I stepped closer. "Even if I DID kiss him first—which, by the way, was an accident—he kissed me back. Willingly. Passionately. With tongue, apparently, because everyone keeps bringing that up. So even if I 'started' it, he FINISHED it. And he'd do it again. Would he do it with YOU?"
Freya was silent.
"That's what I thought." I smiled again. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have actual friends to talk to. Real ones. Who don't obsess over other people's love lives because their own are nonexistent."
I turned and walked back to the Section E group.
Behind me, Freya stomped away, her friends trailing behind.
The boys ERUPTED.
"JAY!" Ci-n screamed. "THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!"
"You DESTROYED her!" Felix was crying again. Happy tears. "ABSOLUTELY DESTROYED!"
"I've never seen anyone shut Freya down like that!" Eman said.
Rory was typing furiously. "I'm posting this in the hacking group chat. Everyone needs to know."
"RORY, NO."
"RORY, YES."
Mia grabbed me. "THAT WAS THE BEST COMEBACK I'VE EVER SEEN!"
Jare was smiling proudly. "That's my sister."
"Your sister is a LEGEND."
"I know."
I looked around, heart pounding, adrenaline pumping.
And then I saw him.
Keifer.
Leaning against the wall near the classroom door. Arms crossed. Watching me with an expression I couldn't read.
But his ears?
Bright red.
And he was SMILING.
Like, actually smiling. Full-on, proud, impressed smiling.
Our eyes met. He nodded slowly. A nod that said well done.
I felt my face heat up.
Stupid Keifer and his stupid smile.
We hung out outside the classroom for a while longer. The boys wouldn't stop replaying the Freya moment. Ci-n kept acting it out dramatically. Felix kept crying.
But after about twenty minutes, I felt it.
That familiar cramp.
Oh no.
Not now. Please not now.
I checked my phone. Checked the date.
Oh no.
I turned to Mia. "Hey, I'm going to the bathroom real quick."
"You okay?"
"Yeah, just... girl stuff."
She nodded. "Want me to come?"
"No, it's fine. Stay with the chaos."
I walked toward the bathroom, trying to move normally. Trying not to panic.
But inside, I was FREAKING OUT.
I didn't have anything. No pads. No tampons. Nothing.
And my period had decided to arrive early. Because of course it did. Because the universe hated me.
I got to the bathroom and locked myself in a stall.
Okay. Okay. Think.
I pulled out my phone.
Called Sarah. No answer. She was probably in class.
Called Bella. No answer. Also in class.
Texted Mia.
ME: Emergency. I need supplies. Girl supplies.
Three dots appeared. Then stopped. Then nothing.
ME: Mia?
Nothing.
I waited. Checked her online status. She was offline.
NO. NO NO NO.
Her phone died. It must have died.
I was TRAPPED.
Ten minutes passed.
Then fifteen.
I was still in the stall, panicking, when I heard footsteps.
Then a knock on the bathroom door.
"Jay?"
KEIFER.
My heart STOPPED.
"Jay, are you in there?"
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!" I whisper-yelled. "THIS IS THE GIRLS' BATHROOM!"
"I know. Are you okay?"
"I'm FINE."
"You've been gone for twenty minutes."
"I'm... busy."
"With what?"
"KEIFER."
"Jay. Talk to me."
I took a deep breath. This was humiliating. This was the most humiliating moment of my life.
But I was also stuck.
"You promise you won't laugh?"
"Why would I laugh?"
"Just promise."
"I promise."
Another deep breath.
"I'm on my period. And I don't have any... supplies. And my friends aren't answering. And Mia's phone is dead. And I'm stuck in this bathroom until someone rescues me."
Silence.
Long silence.
"I told you not to laugh!"
"I'm not laughing."
"Then why are you quiet?!"
"Because I'm processing."
"Process FASTER."
More silence. Then:
"I'll be right back."
"Keifer. KEIFER. What are you doing?!"
But his footsteps were already fading.
I waited.
Five minutes.
Ten minutes.
I was about to give up and just use toilet paper when I heard footsteps again.
"Jay."
"What?!"
"I'm back."
"With what?!"
"Open the door."
I opened the stall door just a crack.
A hand reached under, holding a plastic bag.
I grabbed it and closed the door again.
Inside the bag: pads. Multiple kinds. Overnight. Regular. Even some with wings.
And chocolate. Two bars.
And a small bottle of water.
I stared at the bag like it was a miracle.
"Keifer..."
"Yeah?"
"How did you—where did you—"
"There's a supermarket near the school. I ran."
"You RAN? To the SUPERMARKET?!"
"You needed help."
"But—but—"
"Jay. Just... take what you need. I'll wait outside."
His footsteps faded again.
I sat there for a moment, holding the bag, feeling something weird in my chest.
Stupid Keifer. Stupid, thoughtful, amazing Keifer.
I fixed myself up. Took a few minutes to breathe. Ate one of the chocolates. Drank some water.
Then I walked out of the bathroom.
Keifer was leaning against the wall across the hall. Arms crossed. Looking casual.
But his ears were pink.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey."
"You okay now?"
"I'm... yeah. I'm okay. Thank you."
"It's nothing."
"It's NOT nothing. You went to the supermarket. For ME. For PADS."
"I wasn't going to let you suffer."
"But—"
"You're welcome, Jay."
I didn't know what to say.
Then he took off his leather jacket.
The same leather jacket from the first day. The one he wore in the heat like a crazy person.
He walked toward me and wrapped it around my waist, tying the sleeves in front.
"There," he said. "In case anything... you know. Shows."
I looked down at the jacket. It was soft. Worn. Smelled like him.
"You're giving me your jacket?"
"Borrowing. You can give it back tomorrow."
"Keifer..."
"Stop saying my name like that."
"Like what?"
"Like it means something."
"It DOES mean something."
He looked at me. Really looked.
"What does it mean?"
I opened my mouth. Closed it.
"I don't know yet."
"Me neither." He stepped closer. "But I want to find out."
We stood there. Inches apart. The same position as yesterday. But different.
This time, I wasn't scared.
This time, I wanted to be here.
"Jay." His voice was low. "Can I kiss you again?"
"Right now? In the hallway? Outside the bathroom?"
"Is that a no?"
I thought about it.
Then I grabbed his shirt, pulled him down, and kissed him.
Not an accident this time. Not for show.
Just... because I wanted to.
He made a sound—surprise, maybe—then his hands found my waist, and he kissed me back.
Soft. Gentle. Nothing like yesterday.
When we pulled apart, we were both breathing hard.
"What was that for?" he asked.
"For the jacket."
"That's your thanks?"
"The best thanks."
He smiled. That real smile. "I'll buy you jackets every day."
"Don't get carried away."
"Too late. Already carried."
I laughed. Actually laughed.
And for a moment, everything was perfect.
We walked back to Section E together.
Well, I walked. He walked beside me. His jacket tied around my hips.
When we rounded the corner, the entire section was waiting.
Silence.
Then—
"OH MY GOD!" Ci-n screamed.
"THE JACKET!" Felix pointed. "THAT'S KEIFER'S JACKET!"
"AROUND HER HIPS!"
"THEY DID SOMETHING!"
"THEY DEFINITELY DID SOMETHING!"
Keifer and I just stood there, not denying anything.
Mia grabbed Jare's arm. "JARE. LOOK."
"I see it."
"THE JACKET."
"I KNOW."
"THIS IS HUGE!"
"YEP."
Ci-n ran up to us. "DID YOU KISS AGAIN?! TELL ME YOU KISSED AGAIN!"
I said nothing.
Keifer said nothing.
Ci-n SCREAMED. "THEY KISSED AGAIN! I CAN TELL! THE ENERGY IS DIFFERENT!"
Rory was already typing. "Hacking group chat is going to EXPLODE."
Edrix nodded. "Freya is going to lose her mind."
"Good," I said.
Everyone stared.
"Did you just—"
"I said GOOD. She deserves it."
The boys erupted again.
Drew was taking bets. "I got 500 on them dating by Friday!"
"1000 on Monday!"
"I'll take those odds!"
Eman handed me another cookie. "For surviving."
"Thanks, Eman."
Calix smiled. "Mica says congrats, by the way."
"Tell Mica I said thanks and that nothing's official."
"She won't believe me."
"Try harder."
Denzel's phone buzzed. "Grace says you're a legend for the Freya takedown."
"Tell Grace I appreciate her."
Josh gave me another thumbs up. Baster hummed a wedding march.
Mayo and Kit were both crying happy tears. "True love," Mayo whispered.
"Real," Kit agreed.
Even David woke up. "Did something happen?"
"EVERYTHING happened," Ci-n told him. "Go back to sleep."
"Okay." And he did.
That night, my phone buzzed.
GAGONG BALIW: You still have my jacket.
ME: I know.
GAGONG BALIW: Keep it.
ME: For how long?
GAGONG BALIW: Forever.
ME: That's cheesy.
GAGONG BALIW: It's honest.
ME: Same thing.
GAGONG BALIW: Using my lines?
ME: Learn from the best.
GAGONG BALIW: You're not the best.
ME: I'm the BEST.
GAGONG BALIW: Sure.
ME: GAGONG BALIW.
GAGONG BALIW: ❤️
I held the jacket closer. Smelled it. Smiled like an idiot.
ME: Goodnight, Keifer.
GAGONG BALIW: Goodnight, Jay. Sweet dreams.
ME: Don't.
GAGONG BALIW: ❤️
I put my phone down.
Stared at the ceiling.
This boy was going to be the death of me.
And I was completely, totally, absolutely okay with that.