đ Chapter: "Punishment"
đ„ Keifer's POV
This is torture.
Actual torture.
---
I'm sitting on the couch.
She's right there.
Right in front of me.
And I can't touch her.
---
Not properly.
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"Stop staring," Jay mutters without even looking at me.
"I'm not staring."
I'm lying.
Obviously.
---
She glances at me, unimpressed. "You've been staring for ten minutes."
"âŠmaybe."
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She rolls her eyes and goes back to her phone.
Like nothing is wrong.
Like I'm not suffering.
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Two days.
She said two days.
---
"No touching," she said.
"Only hugs," she said.
---
Worst decision of my life.
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"I said that for your health," she adds suddenly, like she can read my mind. "You fainted, Keifer."
"I'm fine."
"You weren't eating."
"I am now."
"You weren't sleeping."
"âŠI am now."
---
She finally looks at me.
And yeahâ
I'd go through all of that again if it meant she'd look at me like that.
---
Concerned.
Soft.
Mine.
---
"I was worried," I say quietly.
Her expression shifts for a second.
Just a second.
Then she looks away again.
"I know."
---
That somehow makes it worse.
---
"Wow."
I don't even need to turn.
I already know who it is.
---
Celestine.
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"This is painful to watch," she continues, walking in with a smirk. "Keifer, are you being disciplined?"
Jay doesn't even hesitate.
"Yes."
---
I glare at her.
Traitor.
---
Celestine laughs. "What did you do?"
"He fainted," Jay says simply.
"And?" Celestine raises an eyebrow.
"And now he's not allowed to touch me for two days."
---
There's a pause.
Thenâ
Celestine bursts out laughing.
---
"NO WAY."
---
I lean back, running a hand through my hair. "It's not funny."
"Oh it is," she says. "It really is."
---
"Honestly," another voice joins inâAdrian this time, "this might be the only way to control him."
---
I look at them. "You're both enjoying this too much."
---
"Yes," they say at the same time.
---
Jay tries to hide her smile.
Fails.
I stand up.
Walk toward her.
Slowly.
---
She watches me carefully.
Suspicious.
---
"Don't even try," she warns.
"I'm not."
Another lie.
---
I stop right in front of her.
Close enough.
Not touching.
---
"This is cruel," I murmur.
She raises an eyebrow. "You'll survive."
---
I lean in slightly.
"Barely."
---
Her breath catches.
Just a little.
And yeahâ
I notice.
---
"Keifer," she says, trying to sound serious.
But I can see it.
That small crack in her control.
---
"Just one," I say quietly.
"No."
---
"A small one."
"No."
---
"A quickâ"
"No."
---
I sigh dramatically and step back.
"This is abuse."
---
From behind meâ
laughter.
"No touching?" Liam appears now, grinning. "Damn. Bro is suffering."
"Shut up."
---
Noel leans against the wall, watching with amusement. "Never thought I'd see this."
---
Jay crosses her arms, clearly enjoying this now.
"Maybe next time you'll take care of yourself."
---
I walk back to the couch and drop into it.
Defeated.
---
This is torture
A few minutes laterâ
Everyone's still talking.
Laughing.
Being annoying.
---
And thenâ
She walks over.
---
I look up at her.
Suspicious.
---
She doesn't say anything.
Justâ
wraps her arms around me.
---
A hug.
---
That's allowed.
---
I freeze for half a second.
Then immediately pull her closer.
---
"Don't get used to it," she mutters against me.
---
I smile slightly.
Resting my head against hers.
---
"Too late."
---
And yeahâŠ
Maybe I can survive two days.
Maybe.
[ Jay's pov]
Keifer leaned closer, his voice dropping just enough so only I could hear.
"Enjoy these two days, Jay."
I swallowed. "Or what?"
That smirk.
God, I hate that smirk.
---
"The minute they're overâŠ" he paused, eyes locking onto mine, "you're not walking properly the next day."
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My breath caught.
Heat rushed straight to my face.
"Keiferâ" I started, but my voice betrayed me.
---
From behind usâ
"WHAT did he just say??" Celestine's voice cut in.
---
I froze.
"Oh my godâJAY'S BLUSHING," Hannah added, way too loudly.
---
"Shut up!" I snapped, turning away immediately.
Worst mistake.
Because now everyone was looking.
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"Bro's been waiting two days and already planning violence," Liam laughed.
"It's not violence," Keifer said calmly, not even embarrassed.
I turned back to glare at him.
"You are unbelievable."
---
He just leaned back, completely relaxed.
"And you're still not allowed to touch me," I reminded him.
---
He tilted his head slightly, eyes dark with amusement.
"Good," he said quietly.
---
That made my heart race again.
"Why good?"
---
He leaned in just a littleâ
Not touching.
Never touching.
Just close enough.
---
"Because," he murmured, "it'll make it worse for you when I finally can."
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I swearâ
I almost broke my own rule right there.