Two days later
Keifer stood in the center of his room, his forehead pressed hard against the cool, unforgiving surface of the wall.
He looked like a man defeated, his shoulders slumped and his hands balled into fists.
The silence of the house was eating him alive.
"Forty-eight hours,"
he muttered to the wallpaper, his voice thick with disbelief.
"Fucking forty-eight hours and Jay hasn't even glanced in my direction.
It's like I've become invisible in my own damn house."
He closed his eyes, his mind replaying every failed attempt to catch her eye.
"And Mom..." he whispered, a bitter laugh escaping his lips.
"She's not even trying to hide her from me anymore.
She just gives me that look-that calm, 'you're-nothing-to-us' smile. It's worse than when she was angry. It's like she's already erased me as her son."
He banged his head lightly against the wall.
"But Sophia?
God, Soph is on a literal mission to ruin my life. She's not just a sister anymore; she's a professional obstacle.
Every time I get within breathing distance of Jay, she's there. 'Sorry, Tenant, we have girls' talk.' 'Move aside, Stranger, you're blocking the light.'"
He let out a long, ragged sigh, his thoughts turning to the most frustrating part of all.
"And then there's Dad. The man is actually flexing on me.
He's out there winning back his wife like it's a game of chess, and I'm stuck here, failing at square one.
He's successfully 'courting' Mom while I can't even get my own wife to say hello."
~Flashback~
(In the first day of university)
The sky was the color of a fresh bruise-deep purples and burning oranges.
Keifer has finally entered the parking lot after getting ignorance from Jay, smirks from sophia, teasing from Aries and Percy and some unwanted attention of canvas girls whole day.
He tried to catch up with Jay as soon as possible but....
It seemed like, he was a bit late.
Sophia was in car and jay was standing near car, just adjusting some books in her hand.
"I think I again lost the chance", Keifer mutter leaning to nearby car with a sigh.
Percy and Aries came near him as soon as they spot the defeated soldier.
"Hey baby boy, seems like missing me." Percy said throwing his arms in air and clinging to Keifer.
"SHUT up Percy, I'm already depressed.", Keifer shouted back while trying to push him away from him.
Aries laughed and shook his head, "Percy, leave him. Otherwise people will think he's a gay."
"That's a good idea, then u won't need a wife.", Percy said laughing and making Aries roll on ground and Keifer roll his eyes.
"I hate you.", Keifer muttered and started walking towards his own car.
Everything was going good,
Then suddenly,
A group of athletes leaned against a black SUV nearby, their laughter loud and oily.
"Look at that girl,"
the leader sneered, his eyes tracing Jay's silhouette in the fading light.
"White shirt, black skirt... looks like she's begging for attention.
I bet she's a firecracker once you get her alone."
The air around the group suddenly turned cold.
Keifer heard it.
Keifer didn't run.
He walked.
Each step was slow, deliberate, and silent. He stopped right in front of the leader, standing so close that the guy's smug grin faltered.
Keifer didn't look at his friends; he looked directly into the guy's soul with eyes that were devoid of any "Golden Boy" warmth.
"You think she's beautiful?"
Keifer asked. His voice wasn't a shout; it was a deadly, quiet whisper that seemed to cut through the air like a blade.
The guy tried to puff out his chest.
"Yeah. What's it to you, Watson? You don't own the campus."
Keifer leaned in, his large shadow falling over that guy, his voice dropping to a level that made that boy's blood turn to ice.
"You're right. I don't own the campus," Keifer whispered, his gaze shifting to the senior's throat.
"But that girl? She's...," he wanted to say she's his wife but he respect her decision, he knows it's disrespectful to claim her when she don't want.
"Stay away from her, if I hear your filthy mouth utter another word about her, or see your eyes move in her direction again... I will make sure you never have a 'night' to remember again. Walk away. Now."
His's face drained of color. He opened his mouth to reply, but the words died in his throat.
Suddenly, two more figures flanked Keifer. Percy and Aries stepped up, their shadows long and intimidating in the sunset.
"Is there a problem?" Percy asked, his voice sharp and devoid of its usual humor.
Aries didn't speak at all; he just stared at the group with a look that promised a very long, very painful evening.
They didn't wait. They scrambled into their SUV, the tires screeching as they fled the lot like they were being hunted by demons.
Keifer stood still, his chest rising and falling slowly, his eyes locked on Jay's car until it disappeared from sight.
___________________________________
The heavy oak doors of the Watson mansion hadn't even finished swinging shut before Keifer braced himself for the "Ice Age."
He expected the usual: the temperature dropping forty degrees, the sound of Jay's silent treatment ringing in his ears, and perhaps a stray glare from his mother to really round out the misery.
Instead, he was hit by a wall of... warmth? And the delicate scent of expensive Earl Grey and almond biscotti.
In the center of the lobby, the scene looked less like a cold war and more like the final five minutes of a high-budget romance novel.
Mr. and Mrs. Watson were perched on the velvet sofa, sitting so close there wasn't room for a single throw pillow between them.
They were leaning in, their voices dropped to a playful murmur, interrupted only by his mother's melodic, genuine laughter.
Sophia, Jay, and Keifer came to a grinding halt, their feet practically skidding on the polished marble.
In perfect, practiced synchronization, all three of them raised their eyebrows so high they nearly vanished into their hairlines.
Keifer's jaw didn't just drop; it hung open, his mouth forming a perfect 'O' of pure, unadulterated confusion.
Sophia's hand stayed frozen mid-air, clutching her bag, while Jay simply stood paralyzed, her eyes darting between parents like she was watching a glitch in the Matrix.
"Good evening, kids,"
Mrs. Watson chirped.
She didn't just speak; she practically sang it, her eyes bright with a spark that made the three of them recoil as if she'd suddenly started glowing.
"Good... evening?"
The reply was a pathetic, strangled chorus.
They sounded like three broken pull-string dolls.
Mr. Watson stood up with a sudden, youthful energy. He looked sharper than he had in months, his suit jacket buttoned with a crispness that screamed victory.
With a flourish that belonged in a ballroom, he extended his arm toward his wife.
"Mrs. Watson,"
he said, his voice smooth and commanding.
"The roses are in full bloom, and the twilight air is far too lovely to waste indoors. Would you do me the honor of a walk in the garden?"
The trio watched, horrified and fascinated, as their mother actually blushed. She didn't just take his arm; she tucked herself into his side.
"Yes, honey. I'd love to."
"HONEYYYYYYY....?!"
The word exploded from Sophia, Jay, and Keifer at the exact same time, a triple-threat of pure shock that echoed off the high ceilings.
Sophia's bag finally hit the floor with a loud thud, Jay took a defensive step back as if "Honey" was a cursed word, and Keifer looked like he was having a physical allergic reaction to the affection.
"Why? What's wrong?"
Mrs. Watson asked, blinking with a wide-eyed innocence that was a total lie.
She gave them a little wave and leaned her head against her husband's shoulder.
The three of them just stood there, blinking in rapid-fire succession.
Their heads turned in perfect unison-left to right, right to left-following their parents as they began to stroll toward the garden doors.
It was like watching a tennis match where the ball was made of pure scandal.
As they drew level with Keifer, Mr. Watson slowed his pace. He didn't look at the girls; he kept his eyes on the path ahead, but he leaned in just enough for his cologne to fill Keifer's senses.
"Didn't I tell you, son?" he whispered, his voice vibrating with a low, triumphant hum that only Keifer could hear.
"Strategy is for business. But for a woman?, especially for your favourite one, It's all about the charm. Pure, unadulterated charm. It works every single time."
He pulled back, and for a fleeting second, he turned his head.
He gave Keifer a slow, deliberate, and absolutely mocking wink-the kind of wink that said, 'I'm the master, and you're still a student.'
Then, without a backward glance, he swept out into the garden, his wife clinging to his arm as if he'd just rescued her from a tower.
Keifer stood there, rooted to the spot, his face pale and his soul wounded.
He looked at Jay, who was still staring at the closed garden door with her mouth twitching in a mix of horror and amusement.
Keifer let out a tiny, high-pitched squeak of indignation.
He pointed a trembling finger at the door, then at himself, then back at the door.
He couldn't even form words.
He just looked like a defeated puppy whose favorite toy had just been taken by an older, much cooler dog.
Sophia finally broke the silence, patting Keifer's shoulder with a look of mock pity that felt like a dagger.
"Tough luck, 'Stranger,'" she whispered, before following Jay upstairs.
"Looks like the old man just put you out of business."
(FOR THIS FLASHBACK I WOULD LIKE TO SAY : NEVER JUDGE S BOOK BY ITS COVER, UNTIL IT'S NOT A NOTEBOOK)
~flashback ends~
Keifer took a deep breath, pushing his back away from the wall and straightening his spine. His eyes flashed with a new, stubborn light as he adjusted his collar.
"Doesn't matter what happens," he whispered to his own reflection, his jaw set in a hard line.
"I'll talk to her today. No more 'Stranger' nonsense. I'm getting my wife back."
Sophia's Room: 7:00 AM
A scream ripped through the morning quiet, so sharp and loud that Sophia instinctively shoved her fingers into her ears to keep her eardrums from shattering.
"SOPHHHHHHHHH!....
Are you crazy?!"
Jay shrieked, her face a mix of horror and pure disbelief.
"Do you even know what you are saying?!"
"Calm down, baby girl,"
Sophia said, looking entirely too relaxed as she sat on the edge of her bed.
"Calm down."
"How the hell am I supposed to stay calm?!"
Jay paced the length of the room, her hands flying in the air.
"Do you even know what you're asking? This is insane!"
Sophia stood up, planting her hands firmly on her hips, her eyes narrowing with sisterly authority.
"I'm not asking, Jay. I'm telling. And we are doing this."
Jay stopped dead in her tracks, mirroring the pose. She planted her hands on her own hips, her chin tilted defiantly.
"Nooooo! I am not going to do this!"
"You will."
"No, I'll not!"
"You will."
"No!"
"Yes."
"No!"
"Jayyyy..." Sophia groaned, her eyes rolling.
"No means no!"
Jay crossed her arms over her chest, pouting like a stubborn child.
"Jay, it'll be fun,"
Sophia insisted, stepping closer with a mischievous glint in her eyes.
"Think about the look on his face."
"Noooo," Jay whined, though her resolve was starting to flicker under Sophia's intense gaze.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. Sophia's expression crumbled.
She dropped her hands, her shoulders slumped, and she looked up at Jay with the most pathetic, wide-eyed puppy face she could muster.
"Jay..." Sophia started, her voice trembling with artificial heartbreak.
"I came here... for you.
I changed my university... for you.
I fight my brother... for you.
And you... you can't even do this small thing for me?"
Jay's eyes softened, her shoulders dropping. "But Soph..."
"No!"
Sophia turned her back, her lip trembling as she wiped away fake tears that weren't even there. She struck a dramatic pose of betrayal.
"Just choose today, Jay.
Choose. Me... or Keifer."
"Soph..."
"No! Just choose!"
Sophia let out a tiny, theatrical sob, burying her face in her hands.
Jay looked at her best friend, then at the door, then back at the "crying" girl.
She let out a long, defeated groan that sounded like her soul was leaving her body.
"Ughhhhh! Okay! Okay, I'll do it!"
Sophia instantly spun around, her face completely dry and a triumphant, wicked grin spreading across her lips.
She clapped her hands together, the "puppy" replaced by a mastermind.
"Great! Now, let's go pick out the outfit. Keifer isn't going to know what hit him."
___________________________________
The campus courtyard was buzzing with its usual midday energy, but for Jay, the world felt like it was moving in slow motion.
Sophia walked with the stride of a general heading into a winning battle, a trillion-dollar smirk plastered on her face.
She had a gritted determination in her eyes that suggested she wouldn't be satisfied until her brother's heart rhythm was a flat line of pure shock.
Beside her, Jay was a walking bundle of nerves.
She clutched the strap of her bag so hard her knuckles were white.
Worry was written in bold letters across her forehead, and her heart was racing at a terrifying 500 km/h pace.
"Soph..." Jay whispered, her voice trembling.
"Yeah, baby girl?"
Sophia replied, her gaze fixed forward, hunting for the perfect spot.
"Do we... do we really need to do this? My legs feel like jelly."
Sophia's grin widened, looking almost predatory.
"Yes, baby girl. And it can happen anytime now. Just keep walking and look pretty."
"But I can't see him anywhere," Jay muttered, her eyes darting around the crowd, looking for a familiar tall figure or a head of dark hair.
"What if he isn't even here?"
"Just shut up, Jay. Don't talk too much,"
Sophia commanded, her eyes suddenly locking onto something in the distance.
As they reached the dead center of the campus quad—the most crowded, visible spot on the entire grounds—the trap was sprung.
Out of the crowd, a boy stepped forward.
He was tall, dressed in a sharp, stylish coat that made him look like he'd stepped off a runway.
He had a handsome, chiseled face and a confident aura.
Before Jay could even blink, he was in front of her, dropping gracefully down onto one knee.
He held out a massive, fragrant bouquet of lilies and red roses, looking up at her with a practiced, charming smile.
Jay's breath hitched. Her lungs felt like they had seized up completely.
"Jay..." the boy began, his voice smooth as silk.
But he wasn't alone.
Two more boys suddenly appeared behind him, unfurling a massive, professional-grade banner. In bright, shimmering letters, the question was impossible to miss:
"WILL YOU BE MY GIRLFRIEND?"
The surrounding students stopped in their tracks.
A collective gasp rippled through the quad. Phones were pulled out instantly, cameras clicking as the "Sunshine Girl" was publicly pursued.
Sophia crossed her arms, her smirk reaching its peak level of deviousness.
She didn't look at the boy on his knee; she looked toward the library entrance, where she knew a certain "Golden Boy" would be watching his world go up in flames.
Sophia's calculations were flawless.
In less than two minutes, the crowd began to part like the Red Sea, silenced by a sudden, heavy pressure in the air.
The Golden Boy had arrived.
Keifer emerged from the mass of students, his stride long and lethal.
He wasn't just walking; he was marching toward the center of the quad like a storm front.
His fists were clenched so tight his knuckles looked like white stones, and his jaw was set in a line so rigid it looked painful.
He was practically vibrating with a raw, volcanic anger that seemed to radiate off his skin in waves.
Jay felt the temperature drop the moment he arrived.
Her heart, already racing, felt like it was going to leap out of her chest as she watched him approach.
Trailing a few paces behind him were Percy and Aries.
In their usual, uncanny fashion, their eyebrows were raised in perfect, mirrored synchronization, their eyes darting between the boy on his knee and the murderous expression on Keifer's face.
Sophia, standing just behind Jay, didn't flinch.
Instead, she caught Percy and Aries' gaze and tossed them a quick, sharp wink.
The effect was insta
ntaneous. Both of their second eyebrows shot up to join the first, their foreheads crinkling in realization.
They knew Sophia. They knew her brand of chaos.
And they suddenly realized that the "handsome boy" on his knee was just a pawn in a much bigger, much more dangerous game of sibling rivalry.
Keifer stopped five feet away, his chest heaving as he stared at the boy holding the flowers.
He didn't look at the banner. He didn't look at the crowd.
His eyes were locked on Jay, burning with a possessive fire that seemed to demand an explanation for the stranger kneeling at her feet.
___________________________________
Hey buddies how are you?