Jay's Pov
The HVIS Annual Fair was, according to everyone, "the biggest event of the year."
According to me, it was "the biggest DISASTER waiting to happen."
The entire campus had been transformed overnight. Booths everywhere. Games. Food stalls. A main stage for performances. And thousands of students, families, and random people from the community.
"This is INSANE," I told Keifer as we walked through the chaos.
"First time?"
"First time seeing this many people in one place who aren't running away from something."
He almost smiled. "Welcome to the Philippines."
"Thanks, I hate it."
"No you don't."
"You're right, I love it."
"Same thing."
"STOP."
"Make me."
I kissed his cheek just to shut him up. It worked. His ears went pink.
"Best punishment ever," he muttered.
"IDIOT."
Section E had a booth.
Of COURSE we did.
And of COURSE it was a disaster waiting to happen.
"What EXACTLY are we selling?" I asked, staring at our assigned space.
Felix grinned. "FOOD!"
"Food?"
"EMAN'S food! He cooked ALL NIGHT!"
Eman stood proudly behind a table covered in containers. Cookies. Brownies. Little wrapped snacks. All looked AMAZING.
"The profits go to the section," Eman explained. "For our end-of-year trip."
"Okay, that's actually a good idea."
"The booth is NOT the disaster," Ci-n added. "The disaster is WHO'S MANNING IT."
I looked at the schedule.
9AM-11AM: Jay and Keifer.
"NO."
"YES!" Felix cackled. "You two! Together! Running a booth! This is gonna be GOLD!"
"We're TERRIBLE at working together!"
"That's what makes it ENTERTAINING!"
Keifer sighed. "I hate this."
"Love this," Yuri corrected.
"Hate this."
"Love THIS."
"YURI."
"KEIFER."
9:05 AM – Jay and Keifer: Minute 5 of Disaster
"KEIFER, you're supposed to GIVE CHANGE, not just stare at people!"
"I'm OBSERVING them."
"They don't want to be OBSERVED, they want their COOKIES!"
"Same thing."
"IT IS NOT THE SAME THING."
A little kid walked up. Stared at Keifer. Stared at me.
"Are you guys fighting?"
"No," we said in unison.
"Yes," Felix whispered from behind us.
The kid bought three cookies and ran away.
"See?" I said. "You scared him."
"I did NOT scare him."
"Your face scares everyone."
"Your face is the one people run from."
"MY FACE IS ADORABLE."
"Sure."
"STOP."
"Make me."
I threw a cookie at him. He caught it. Obviously.
"These are good," he said, eating it.
"THOSE ARE FOR SALE!"
"I'll pay later."
"KEIFER."
10:30 AM – The Parents Arrive
"Oh no."
Keifer looked up. "What?"
"MY PARENTS."
Mama Reycee, Papa, and Percy were marching toward us like a three-headed chaos monster.
"JAY-JAY!" Mama Reycee screamed. "WE CAME TO SUPPORT YOU!"
"We're selling COOKIES, Mama."
"I KNOW! I WANT TEN BOXES!"
"We don't HAVE ten boxes—"
"I'LL TAKE FIFTEEN!"
Percy pushed to the front. "And I want a photo with the beautiful booth workers for my Instagram."
"Percy, NO."
"Percy, YES."
He grabbed Keifer and me, pulled us together, and took approximately forty-seven photos.
"PERFECT. My followers will LOVE this."
"Your followers don't care about us."
"They care about BEAUTIFUL PEOPLE. You two qualify. Barely."
Keifer's eye twitched. "Barely?"
"Don't worry, tall boy. You're growing on me. Like a fungus. A HANDSOME fungus."
Keifer looked at me. "Is he always like this?"
"Worse. So much worse."
Papa was already buying cookies. Like, ALL the cookies. "For the office," he explained.
"Mama Reycee doesn't work in an office."
"She will AFTER I give her these cookies."
"That's... actually smart."
11:30 AM – Tita Serina and Victor Arrive
Tita Serina appeared with Victor, Keigan, and Keiren in tow.
"JAY! KEIFER! WE'RE HERE!"
"MOM." Keifer's ears went pink. "You didn't have to come."
"Of COURSE I had to come! My babies are running a booth!"
"We're not BABIES."
Keiren ran up and hugged my legs. "ATE JAY! I want cookies!"
I gave him one. He ate it in two bites.
"AGAIN!"
"Keiren, you'll spoil your lunch."
"I DON'T CARE!"
Keigan stood back, trying to look cool. But I caught him sneaking a cookie when he thought no one was looking.
Victor shook Keifer's hand seriously. "Son. How's business?"
"We're surviving."
"Good. Good. That's all we can ask for."
Tita Serina was already taking photos. "FOR THE FAMILY ALBUM!"
"There's a family album?!"
"THERE IS NOW!"
12:00 PM – Shift Change
Finally, Yuri and Felix took over the booth.
"YOU'RE WELCOME," I told them.
"We didn't do anything," Yuri said.
"EXACTLY. You're welcome FOR NOTHING."
Keifer grabbed my hand. "Come on. Let's see the rest of the fair before something else explodes."
"Something's ALWAYS exploding."
"Then let's watch it explode together."
"That's... actually romantic?"
"I try."
1:00 PM – The Kissing Booth
We found it.
The KISSING BOOTH.
And running it?
MIA AND JARE.
"OH MY GOD." I grabbed Keifer's arm. "OH MY GOD."
Mia was BRIGHT red. Jare was also bright red. They were sitting at a little table with a sign that said:
"KISSING BOOTH – $2 FOR A KISS ON THE CHEEK. $5 FOR LIPS. ALL PROCEEDS TO SECTION E FUNDS."
"WHO'S IDEA WAS THIS?!" I yelled.
"FELIX'S!" Mia yelled back.
"I'M GOING TO KILL HIM!"
"GET IN LINE!"
People were ACTUALLY lining up. Mostly girls for Jare. A few guys for Mia.
"THIS IS INSANE," I said.
"This is ENTERTAINING," Keifer corrected.
A girl walked up to Jare. Paid $5. Kissed him on the LIPS.
Mia's face went from red to PURPLE.
"JEALOUS?" I asked her.
"I'm NOT jealous!"
"Your face says otherwise."
"MY FACE IS FINE!"
Jare looked at Mia. "You okay?"
"I'm FINE."
"You sure?"
"I'M SURE."
Another girl walked up. Another kiss.
Mia stood up. "I'm DONE."
"You can't be done! You're on shift!"
"WATCH ME!"
She stormed off. Jare stared after her.
"Should I...?"
"GO AFTER HER, IDIOT!"
He ran.
Keifer looked at me. "Your brother is hopeless."
"YOUR sister is just as hopeless."
"They're perfect for each other."
"DISASTER-perfect."
"Best kind."
2:00 PM – The Queen and King of HVIS Contest
The main event.
Every year, the fair had a popularity contest. Students voted for Queen and King of HVIS. Winners got crowns. Sashes. Bragging rights.
"I'm not participating," I told Keifer.
"Too late."
"What?"
He pointed at the stage. The announcer was calling names.
"Finalists for Queen of HVIS: Freya from Section A... Mica from Section A... and JASPER JEAN MARIANO from Section E!"
"WHAT?!"
"You were nominated."
"By WHO?!"
"Probably everyone who's seen you destroy people on the tennis court."
"KEIFER."
"Also finalists for King: Aries from Section A... Calix from Section E... and KEIFER WATSON from Section E!"
Keifer's ears went pink. "I didn't ask for this."
"No one ever does."
We looked at each other.
"Together?" he asked.
"Together."
The contest was CHAOS.
Each candidate had to do a walk. Answer a question. Get votes from the crowd.
Freya went first. She did her walk. Flawless. Perfect. Annoying.
Mica went second. Sweet. Genuine. The crowd loved her.
Then me.
I walked across the stage. Tried not to trip. Failed slightly. Caught myself.
The crowd LAUGHED. But in a good way.
Then the question: "What makes you qualified to be Queen?"
I thought for a second.
"I'm loud. I'm chaotic. I'm terrible at running booths. But I love my friends, my family, and my idiot boyfriend. And I'll fight anyone who messes with them." I smiled at Freya. "Ask Trixie."
The crowd ERUPTED.
Freya's face went purple.
The King contest was similar.
Aries walked. Cool. Confident. The crowd loved him.
Calix walked. Charming. Funny. Also loved.
Then Keifer.
He walked like he owned the place. Because he kind of did.
The question: "What makes you qualified to be King?"
He looked at the crowd. Found me immediately.
"I'm not qualified. But the Queen I'm standing next to? She makes me better. So vote for her. And if you vote for me too, I'll... try not to be too scary."
The crowd LOST IT.
"KEIFER MADE A JOKE!"
"KEIFER SMILED!"
"KEIFER HAS A GIRLFRIEND AND HE'S ACTUALLY NICE?!"
The votes were counted.
Drumroll.
"And your Queen of HVIS is... JASPER JEAN MARIANO!"
I screamed. Actually screamed.
Mia was jumping in the crowd. Jare was cheering. Percy was crying (happy tears, obviously).
They put the crown on my head. The sash over my shoulder.
"And your King of HVIS is... KEIFER WATSON!"
Keifer's ears went RED. But he smiled. Walked over.
They crowned him.
Then he grabbed me and kissed me.
Right there. On stage. In front of everyone.
The crowd went ABSOLUTELY INSANE.
3:00 PM – Freya's Failed Sabotage
We were walking through the fair, crowns on, holding hands, when Freya appeared.
"Congratulations," she said through gritted teeth.
"Thanks!"
"You only won because you're dating Keifer."
"Sure."
"It's TRUE."
"Is it, though? Because I seem to remember winning the tennis tournament before Keifer and I were official. And winning over the crowd with my answers. And generally being awesome."
Freya's eye twitched.
"Also," I added sweetly, "your attempt to sabotage my cookies by putting salt in the batter? Eman caught you. The cookies are fine. Your reputation? Not so much."
She went PALE.
"How did you—"
"Rory and Edrix. They hacked the security cameras. We have VIDEO."
Freya backed away. "I—that's—you can't prove—"
"Want to test that theory?"
She RAN.
Keifer looked at me. "You're terrifying."
"Thank you."
"That was a compliment."
"I KNOW."
4:00 PM – The Dinosaur
We passed a game booth. The kind where you throw balls and knock down bottles.
The prize?
A GIANT stuffed dinosaur. Like, THREE FEET TALL. Purple. With googly eyes. The most ridiculous thing I'd ever seen.
"I want it," I said without thinking.
Keifer stopped. Looked at the dinosaur. Looked at me.
"Really?"
"REALLY. That thing is UGLY and I NEED it."
He didn't argue. Just walked up to the booth. Paid for three balls.
First throw: Miss.
Second throw: Hit. One bottle down. Not enough.
Third throw: BULLSEYE. All bottles down.
The booth owner stared. "That's... that's never happened before."
Keifer pointed at the dinosaur. "That one."
The owner handed it over. Keifer walked back to me and presented it like a trophy.
"For you, my Queen."
I stared at the ridiculous purple dinosaur. Then at him. Then back at the dinosaur.
"You're insane."
"Your insane."
I grabbed the dinosaur. Hugged it. "I love it."
"I know."
"I love YOU."
His ears went BRIGHT red. "What?"
"I said I love the dinosaur."
"Oh."
"AND you. I love you too."
He kissed me. Right there. Dinosaur squished between us.
"Best day ever," he whispered.
"Best day ever."
5:00 PM – Keiren Wins Everything
We found Keiren at the game booths.
He had, apparently, won EVERYTHING.
Stuffed animals. Keychains. Candy. A SMALL TROPHY.
"ATE JAY! KUYA KEIFER! LOOK!" He showed us his haul. "I'M THE CHAMPION!"
"How did you win ALL of this?!"
"I'm GOOD at games!"
Keigan stood behind him, arms crossed. Trying to look cool. But he was holding THREE stuffed animals.
"Keigan," I said. "Are those... prizes?"
"They're... for Keiren."
"Keiren already has twenty things."
"Then they're SPARE."
"He's blushing," Keifer observed.
"I'm NOT blushing!"
"Your face is red."
"Because it's HOT!"
"The AC—"
"SHUT UP, KUYA!"
Keifer almost smiled. "He's definitely having fun."
"Definitely."
6:00 PM – Percy's Performance
The main stage.
Percy's name was on the schedule.
"Oh no," I said.
"Oh YES," Keifer corrected.
Percy walked on stage. MIC in hand. SPOTLIGHT on him.
"GOOD EVENING, HVIS!"
The crowd cheered. He already had fans.
"I'm here to perform a song I wrote myself. It's called 'I'M THE FAVORITE CHILD.'"
"Oh my God."
It was the most dramatic, ridiculous, amazing performance I'd ever seen.
He sang about being beautiful. Being talented. Being everyone's favorite.
At one point, he pointed at me in the crowd. "THAT'S MY SISTER! THE QUEEN OF HVIS! BOW BEFORE HER!"
I wanted to die.
Keifer laughed. Actually laughed. Full-on laughed.
"Stop laughing!"
"Never. This is the best day of my life."
"TRAITOR."
7:00 PM – The Final Photo
As the fair wound down, someone—probably Ben—organized a giant group photo.
Everyone. ALL of us.
Section E. Section A. Our families. Percy. Jeana (who'd shown up late but made it). Aries and Ella. Mia and Jare (finally back together, holding hands). Keifer and me. Keiren with his mountain of prizes. Keigan pretending not to care but definitely in the photo.
"EVERYONE SQUEEZE IN!" Ben yelled.
We squeezed.
"SAY CHAOS!"
"CHAOS!"
Click.
Perfect.
That Night, in the Group Chat
SAME BRAIN CELLS (PLUS EVERYONE)
CI-N: BEST. FAIR. EVER.
FELIX: THE KISSING BOOTH! JARE AND MIA! I'M STILL CRYING!
MIA: I'm never forgiving you for that.
FELIX: WORTH IT.
JARE: ...It was actually kind of fun.
MIA: JARE!
JARE: What? I got to kiss you eventually. Off duty.
MIA: ❤️
SARAH: THEY'RE SO CUTE.
DAVE: I ate so much food. SO MUCH.
BEN: I have 1000 photos. The lighting was PERFECT all day.
BELLA: Of course it was.
YURI: Keifer won a dinosaur for Jay. A PURPLE DINOSAUR.
KEIFER: She wanted it.
ME: I DID want it. And I love it.
KEIFER: ❤️
PERCY: MY PERFORMANCE WAS THE HIGHLIGHT. YOU'RE ALL WELCOME.
KEIREN: I WON THE MOST PRIZES!
KEIGAN: ...I helped.
KEIREN: KUYA KEIGAN HELPED!
VICTOR: That's my boys.
TITA SERINA: MY CHILDREN. QUEEN AND KING. I'M SO PROUD.
MAMA REYCEE: OUR children!
PAPA: This family is expensive.
JEANA: Worth it though.
ARIES: Jay and Keifer as King and Queen. Who saw that coming?
CI-N: EVERYONE. EVERYONE SAW IT COMING.
FELIX: MY HUSBAND-WIFE RADAR HAS BEEN VINDICATED.
ME: There was never a RADAR.
FELIX: THERE WAS AND IT WAS RIGHT.
KEIFER: ❤️
ME: KEIFER.
KEIFER: What? I'm happy.
ME: You're EMBARRASSING.
KEIFER: Your embarrassment.
ME: My idiot.
KEIFER: ❤️❤️❤️
I put my phone down.
Looked at the purple dinosaur sitting on my bed.
Looked at Keifer, who was lying next to me, scrolling through his phone.
"Today was insane," I said.
"Best kind of insane."
"Hey, Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"I really do love you. Not just the dinosaur. You."
He put his phone down. Pulled me close.
"I love you too, Jay. Even when you're loud."
"Especially when I'm loud."
"Especially then."
We kissed. Soft. Sweet.
Outside, Keiren's voice drifted up from somewhere: "ATE JAY AND KUYA KEIFER ARE KISSING AGAIN!"
"KEIREN, GO TO SLEEP!"
"NEVER! LOVE NEVER SLEEPS!"
We laughed.
And for a moment, everything was absolutely, perfectly, chaotically right.