Third Person POV
Morning at Keifer and Jay's School
The hallways were buzzing with anticipation as Keifer, Jay, and their classmates in Section E made their way to the result boards. Their friends—Ci-n, David, Drew, Denzel, Yuri, Edrix, Rory, Calix, Eman, Eren, Josh, Kit, Mayo, Blaster, and Felix—gathered around them, whispering nervously.
When the results were posted, Keifer's eyes immediately went to his name: 99%. A small smile tugged at his lips. Not perfect, but more than enough to satisfy him. Beside him, Jay checked her score: 98%. Her brow lifted in mild surprise, and she glanced at him.
Ci-n's name was first on the list: 100%, as always, calm and collected, raising a few impressed murmurs from the others. Aries, in Section A, was watching from afar, showing a quiet smile as he noted their marks.
Aries' Section A girls—Mica, Ella, Grace, and Freya—scored well too:
Mica: 96.5%
Ella: 95.8%
Grace: 94.9%
Freya: 96%
Rakki from Section C had also performed admirably: 97.2%.
The Section E members erupted into a mix of cheers and teasing. Denzel clapped Keifer on the back. "Almost perfect, man. You're slacking!"
"Hey!" Keifer replied, grinning slightly. "98s and 99s are not slacking."
Jay nudged him playfully. "You'd still make me feel like a nerd if I got 100%."
David smirked at Jay. "Better luck next time, you two."
Despite the light teasing, there was a shared pride among them—everyone had worked hard, and it showed.
Keigan and Eces' School
Across town, Keigan and Eces approached their own school, both slightly nervous. Eces walked silently, as usual, while Keigan tried to calm his own racing heart.
Inside, Emilia and her friends were already gossiping. "The new girl? She won't even get a pass," Emilia mocked. "I'll definitely top this year."
Eces simply glanced at them, eyes calm, unbothered by their whispers.
When the results were announced, the room froze.
Eces—100%. The whispers shifted to stunned gasps. Even those who had doubted her could not hide their shock and admiration. She had joined the class late, yet she had mastered everything with flawless precision.
Keigan looked at her in awe. "Wow… you really did it," he whispered under his breath.
Keigan himself scored impressively: 98.5%. He was proud but, like Eces, maintained a calm demeanor.
Their classmates muttered praises, Emilia's smugness vanishing as she struggled to find words.
Keiren's School
Meanwhile, Angelo accompanied Keiren to his school. Keiren had been nervously awaiting his results, fingers tapping the railing as he walked through the hallway.
When his score appeared, his face lit up with a grin: 99%. Angelo nodded approvingly beside him.
Keiren's classmates cheered for him, some clapping him on the back. Keiren, however, remained humble, already thinking about his next challenge: India.
Reactions Across Schools
Back at Keifer and Jay's school, the Section E students were buzzing with energy. Ci-n had topped, and everyone else had scored impressively, but it was Eces' performance that was on everyone's lips.
"Who even is she?" whispered Kit.
"She's… something else," Blaster replied, shaking his head in disbelief.
Keifer watched Jay as she smiled at Eces' achievement, pride and admiration in her eyes. He couldn't help but tighten his hand around hers subtly.
Even as the excitement filled the day, the shadow of Kaizer lingered in the back of Keifer's mind. The world could celebrate results, but danger was never far away.
And somewhere deep inside, Keifer knew—he would protect every single one of them, no matter what it took.
Afternoon
The afternoon sun streamed through the windows as Section E and their friends slowly gathered at Keifer's house after the tense morning results.
The excitement of exams being over still lingered in the air. Eces had topped her school, Ci-n had aced Section E, and everyone else had performed impressively. For a few moments, the tension of exams and Kaizer's lurking threat seemed to lift.
Keifer, Jay, and the others settled in the living room. Laughter bubbled up as Felix and Ci-n started teasing Keifer about his 99%, while Jay playfully nudged him.
"Kuya, 99%? You're letting us down!" Keiren chimed in with a grin. Keigan and Eces, sitting nearby, couldn't resist joining in.
"I didn't exactly fail you all," Keifer replied, smiling fondly at the three of them.
Jay rolled her eyes, leaning lightly against him. "I'm proud of you anyway," she murmured. Her head brushed his shoulder, earning a gentle squeeze from him.
Aries, sitting nearby, caught Eces' look and smiled softly. "You really worked hard, Kuya," Eces said to him, using the same affectionate tone she had for Keifer. Percy nodded in quiet acknowledgment.
After a while, the group shifted focus to something equally important—the shopping for Angelo and Ion's engagement party. The dress code was black, but Angelo and Ion weren't going to accompany them; the group was on their own.
The cars lined up outside Keifer's house:
Keifer , Jay , and Eces in the first car.
Aries, Ella, Ci-n, and Rakki in the second.
Section E boys and rest of the girls in the remaining cars, organized efficiently, joking and laughing the entire way.
At the shopping district, the chaos erupted immediately. Girls squealed over dresses, while the boys playfully rolled their eyes at the extravagant choices.
Jay moved through the racks with Keifer a step behind, his eyes constantly scanning for any disturbance. Every time she picked up a dress, he would subtly guide her hand, offering suggestions with a protective but gentle touch.
Eces wandered through the accessory section, observing the laughter and teasing erupting among Section E. Occasionally, she glanced at Keigan and Keiren through her video call, smiling softly.
"Stop laughing at us!" Mica shouted as Aries leaned over to tease her about the dress she was holding.
"Black doesn't suit you?" he asked with mock horror, earning giggles from the girls.
Meanwhile, Jay and Keifer found a quieter corner of the store.
"Are you sure about this one?" Jay asked, holding up a sleek black dress.
Keifer took the dress from her, their fingers brushing. "You'll look perfect, Baby. You always do," he said softly, pressing a protective glance toward her.
Jay's cheeks flushed at the words. "You always know what to say," she murmured, resting her head against his shoulder. Keifer leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her temple.
Across the store, Section E continued teasing. Ci-n and Felix whispered jokes to Drew, girls giggled, and Aries kept a watchful eye over everyone, making sure Jay and Keifer had space while remaining protected.
Even in the chaos, the laughter, teasing, and camaraderie was unmistakable. Yet Keifer's mind remained partly elsewhere, shadowed by Kaizer's presence, a reminder that their world—joyful as it seemed—was never completely safe.
Keifer's POV
The moment Jay's hand tightened around mine, I knew something was wrong. Her fingers trembled slightly, and the small flinch she gave didn't go unnoticed. My instincts screamed—she was scared.
I saw it then. A folded piece of paper, barely noticeable, had been passed to her when she was alone. Whoever had done it had been careful, but the message inside was clear: threatening, cold, and deliberate.
She didn't panic in front of the others, but the fear in her eyes was impossible to hide. She came running back to us, her steps uneven, and I immediately took her hand, holding it tightly.
"Jay… what's wrong?" I asked, keeping my voice low so no one else would notice.
"I… I want to go back home," she whispered, her voice trembling. "Please… I need to go."
I frowned, my chest tightening. "Why? What happened?"
"I don't want to stay here. Please… just take me home," she insisted, gripping my hand with quiet determination. I didn't argue. There was no hesitation in her eyes—just fear.
I called Eces over to join us. "You're coming with us," I said firmly. She nodded, understanding immediately.
The drive back was tense. Jay sat quietly, her hands folded in her lap, her gaze darting to every shadow outside. I kept glancing at her in the rearview mirror, jaw tight. Whoever had sent that note had crossed a line, and I silently promised they wouldn't get away with it.
When we arrived home, Jay had slumped forward, exhausted and trembling. Without a second thought, I lifted her into my arms bridal style. Her head rested against my chest, and my heart clenched. She looked so fragile, yet I could feel the quiet strength in her even in her fear.
Eces walked beside us silently. Keigan and Keiren froze at the doorway, their worried expressions clear.
"She just slept," Eces said softly. "It's okay."
I didn't slow down, carrying Jay through the living room and toward our room. Their concern melted under Eces' calm assurance.
Once inside, I gently laid Jay on the bed. She stirred slightly but didn't wake. I brushed a loose strand of hair from her face and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her temple.
"I've got you," I whispered, low and steady. "Always."
Eces gave me a small nod. I stepped back, scanning the house to ensure everyone else was safe. Whoever had tried to frighten her would regret it. Jay would never feel vulnerable like that again while I was around.
For now, all I could do was stay close, guarding her as she slept.
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Guys, I have selected the schedule for posting chapters,
1 CHAPTER ON THURSDAY
2 CHAPTERS ON SUNDAY
WANTING ATLEAST 13 COMMENTS.....