Jay's POV
"Jay. Aries. Get in the car."
Kuya Angelo's voice sliced through the silence like a blade. Crisp. Final. No room for questions.
I blinked, still sitting on the couch in my clothes, textbooks half-open in front of me, eyes darting to the time. Almost 8.50 a.m. First period was starting in ten minutes. At this point, Rory and the others were probably halfway through class.
Nobody knew where I was.
Not even Keifer.
I grabbed my phone out of instinct and like I had predicted, the group chat was on the verge of catching fire. 100+ messages.
Rory:
WHERE TF IS JAY?
Edrix:
someone call her like
Cin:
not her ghosting us like this 😭
Felix:
this better not be a prank. is she okay?
Drew:
Calix said Jay isn't picking up the call.
Keifer's name flashed at the top of my screen.
Incoming Call.
My heart jumped like it recognized him before I could even process anything. My finger hovered over the green button, my thumb twitching.
But Kuya's voice broke my trance again. "Don't pick up. The fewer people who know, the better."
I looked up at him, the weight of his words pressing on my chest like cold water.
"What?" I managed.
He just shook his head and opened the front door. "Switch it off. Now. Let's go. It's a long drive you can review your study materials on the way. Final exams are coming, Jay. You need good grades."
I wanted to scream. I wanted to yell that I wasn't ready. That I didn't want to vanish like this, without saying anything to my boys, to him.
But I turned off my phone. Like a coward. Like someone who knew that if she gave herself even one more second of hesitation, she'd text Keifer something dumb like "I miss you already."
The car door clicked shut behind me. Aries slid in next to me, half-asleep and visibly annoyed. Kuya started the engine, and we drove away from everything familiar.
⸻
Keifer's POV
Something was wrong.
I stared at the empty seat beside me in class and then at the chat again. No reply from Jay. Not even a blue tick.
My jaw clenched as I gripped my phone tighter.
She always replied. Even if it was a "🙄" or "stop texting me, I'm studying idiot." She always replied.
David rushed into the classroom, his bag still swinging off one shoulder. "Guys! Jay and Aries didn't come to school!"
Before I could react, Ella trailed in behind him.
"Is Aries here or what?" she snapped, hair perfectly in place like it was any normal day.
Freya rolled her eyes. "Maybe you're blind or deaf because clearly, he isn't. Also, no one knows where Jay is either."
Ella scowled. "I wasn't talking to you."
"Didn't ask," Freya replied sweetly, flipping her ponytail and walking off.
"I tried calling Jay," Felix spoke up. "It won't go through."
"Switched off," I said quietly, staring at my call log like maybe it would magically update.
Cin bit his lip. "What if something happened?"
Rory and Edrix had already pulled out their laptops, looking like they were hacking the Pentagon. I didn't even stop them.
I wasn't thinking straight.
She was fine this morning. We talked.
Where the hell did she go?
That's when Sir Alvin walked in and the class fell quiet.
"Back to your seats," he said, eyes flicking to the corner where I sat. "And if you're wondering where Jay and Aries are… don't. They're with Angelo."
My chest tightened.
"What? Where?" I asked immediately.
"They've gone back to the province."
The entire group echoed a chorus of "Why?" "What?" and "Why didn't Jay tell us?"
Even Ella looked genuinely surprised. "Even Aries didn't say anything to me."
Sir Alvin sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose. "It's Fer Corp business. Angelo's orders. They probably won't be in contact for a few days. Focus on your revision."
I stood up, frustrated. "Sir, this doesn't make sense. Tell me what's going on."
He looked straight at me. "Keifer. Don't start anything. This is Fer Corp. Sit down. Final review lecture begins now."
⸻
Aries's POV
So this was the province.
It didn't exactly scream luxury. In fact, it barely muttered anything.
Jay was beside me, arms crossed, eyes half-focused on the pages of her textbook. She wasn't reading. I knew that. Her mind was clearly stuck on everything she'd left behind. Or more accurately—everyone.
I hated how she looked right now. Quiet. Small. Angry in a way that didn't make noise.
Still, she was actually studying, which meant something. Kuya's words probably hit her deeper than she'd let on.
After twenty minutes of bouncing along uneven roads, we finally reached the house. Jay and mom were already deep in conversation about the rooms, meetings and stuff.
I found Kuya Angelo in the kitchen, pouring himself coffee.
"I need to ask," I started. "What did you mean when you said Jay and Keifer dating won't be easy?"
He looked up slowly. "Because he's a Watson."
"And?"
"And I know what it costs to be one."
He said Clyde and Kaizer's names like curses. Like ghosts that never stopped haunting.
"I'm worried. Not just for Jay. For him too."
I frowned. "So you're going to forbid them?"
"Would it matter if I did?" Kuya asked flatly. "Keifer wouldn't listen. Neither would she. He begged me once, before going to London, to not take her away from him. He said she's all he has."
"So you trust him?" I pressed.
Kuya was quiet for a long moment. Then, "At some point, yes. He's doing things for her without anything in return. Even helping Fer Corp now. And that day he came… and took a bullet… you told that…during that fight also the situation with Mykel."
I nodded slowly. "Jay loves him. I couldn't protect her back then. But I promised her I'd protect Keifer too."
Kuya sighed. "Then do that. But don't let your guard down. Focus on school. And help her prepare."
⸻
Jay's POV
I was back.
Back in the dusty, familiar, haunting house that had once been my home.
I didn't want to be here.
The walls still smelled like old wood and memories I'd buried. I hated it. The people here knew me. Knew my past. Knew the girl I used to be.
I wanted to vanish into my studies and avoid everyone.
I had one job now: study hard, learn the ropes of Fer Corp, and somehow keep my heart from crumbling at every thought of Keifer.
Later that evening, we attended some investor mixer, shaking hands with old businessmen who looked at me like I was just a name on a spreadsheet. I smiled. I nodded. I tried to care.
But all I could think was—I missed him.
I missed his smell. His stupid flirtations. The way he called me "love" like it meant something more.
When we got home, I threw myself on my bed and grabbed my notes. The sooner I finished, the sooner I could sleep and stop feeling like this.
But then I panicked.
Where was my phone?
I checked everywhere until I remembered I gave it to Kuya before we left. Great. He probably still had it. So even if Keifer tried to reach out again… I wouldn't even know.
I sighed and opened my window. It was my favorite part of the room. Back in the day, it was my escape route. The old ladder was still there too. Untouched.
The night breeze was cold, but peaceful. I shut the window halfway and headed to the bathroom for a shower.
The warm water helped a little. I wrapped a towel around myself, teeth brushed, and opened the door to step back into my room.
And then—
I froze.
The window was shut.
I left it open.
Then a hand wrapped around my waist and another covered my mouth. My heart dropped. My whole body went cold.
Until I turned my head.
My soul almost left my body.
KEIFER.
"WHAT THE F—"
He smiled smugly. "Language, love. Profanity."
I stared at him, stunned. "ARE YOU INSANE?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
Before I could keep yelling, he kissed me.
And not just a peck.
It was deep. Hot. Way too familiar. I forgot to breathe.
Then I remembered—
I was in a towel. JUST a towel.
"Oh. My. GOD." I screamed. "I'M—KEIFER—LET ME GO—"
"What?" he asked innocently.
I could barely form words. "I'm—I'm not wearing anything—"
His eyes dropped. "Wait… you're not wearing anything under that towel? Technically, that means you're—"
"SHUT UP!" I pushed him away, cheeks flaming, and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind me.
When I came out in my pajamas, he was laughing.
I glared. "Keep laughing. And go away."
"Okay, okay, I'm sorry," he said, still grinning.
"How did you even get here?!"
"I have my ways," he shrugged. "Sir Alvin said you two were in the province. I made Edrix do a little digging. And then I climbed your ladder."
"You—Ugh—I should've burned that thing."
"You didn't. And lucky me."
He looked around. "So this is where my girlfriend used to sneak out from? Party girl, huh?"
"Fight girl too," I corrected.
He raised a brow. "Even better."
"GAGO."
"Jay Jay—profanity…"
"Just admit you wanted to kiss me."
He stepped closer. "Fine. I want to kiss my girlfriend."
And then he did. Again. This time against the wall.
And again. Until my knees gave out and we tumbled onto my bed, his hand tangled in my hair, my fingers pulling at the hem of his shirt.
It was slow, then desperate, then slow again. Like we had all the time in the world and also none at all.
He tasted like cinnamon and sugar sweet.
We didn't go further just made out like stupid teenagers high on feelings.
Until—
"JAY?!"
My eyes widened.
OH NO.
"MOM. GO. NOW. HIDE."
Keifer jumped up. "Window?"
"YES! MOVE!"
He smirked. "I love you."
"NOT THE TIME! MOM AND KUYA WILL CALL THE POLICE ON YOU!"
As he climbed out, he winked. "Love, I don't need police to handcuff me… you can do that anytime."
I turned red. "SHUT UP AND GO!"
Seconds later, mom knocked and opened the door. "Jay, your grandmother is waiting for dinner. And we have ice cream."
"I—I'm coming. I was just reviewing."
My heart was racing.
But oh god… it was worth it.
Even if I'd die if Kuya found out.
Mark Keifer Watson, you're going to be the death of me.
{Thank you for almost 70k reads ❤️}