Jayjay's Pov:
Chapter 133: Canteen is Full
Jayjay's POV
Omg, if I had stayed in that classroom for even one more minute, I know those guys would have killed me with their teasing. And Calix! Did he really just call me "Mom"? Is he kidding me? I'm sure he is, but that brat seriously needs a punch straight to the jaw.
And then there's Ci-N. So he's on their team now? That's fine. Keifer will deal with them later. But Felix... I don't know why he's been calling us "husband and wife" since the very beginning, even back when Keifer and I used to hate each other. Honestly, back then, I never thought I'd actually fall for that guy. But he changed himself for me. He really did. Now, I'm never letting him go. Ever.
"Jay!" someone yelled from behind me.
I snapped out of my thoughts and turned around. It was Mica, Rakki, and Ella. Wait... is that Freya with them too?
"Hiiiii!" I said, waving as they hurried to catch up with me.
"We were calling you from back there but you didn't hear us! You were so lost in your thoughts," Rakki said, slightly out of breath.
"Oh, sorry. I was just thinking about... something," I said, rubbing the back of my neck awkwardly.
"Thinking about something... or SOMEONE?" Ella teased, nudging me with her shoulder.
"And we all know that someone is Keifer," Freya added in that same teasing tone.
I rolled my eyes. "Oh, look who's talking! The two who are always attached to their boyfriends!" "Okay, okay! Before you three start a full-blown fight, let's just go to the canteen," Rakki interrupted, laughing.
"Oh, you guys were heading to the canteen?" I asked, and they all nodded. "Then, a treat from me!"
"No, no way. You're the youngest among us, we can't take a treat from you," Mica said, shaking her head.
"Well, that's not a rule! And don't worry, Keifer is the one paying anyway," I said with a grin.
"But—" Ella started.
"No buts! Keifer is giving a treat to the whole of Section E, so you guys are coming too. Please, guys? Just this once?" I pleaded.
They all sighed, but then they finally agreed, their eyes lighting up with excitement. I clapped my hands happily, and we all headed toward the canteen together.
The place was already starting to buzz. I saw Felix about to hand over the big order list at the counter, so I rushed over and stopped him. I quickly added Mica, Rakki, Freya, and Ella's orders to the paper.
"Got it, 'Mom'," Felix joked with a wink before heading off to the reception.
I just groaned and went back to the girls. This was going to be one very loud, very full lunch.
I was about to head over to my seat when I felt a familiar grip on my wrist. Someone pulled me firmly out of the canteen, and I didn't even have to look to know who had the nerve to do that. I just followed him silently until we reached a secluded corner, away from the prying eyes of the other students.
"Keif, why did you bring me here?" I asked, immediately pouting at him.
"Nothing... just collecting my debt," he said simply. Before I could even ask what he meant, he leaned down and kissed my pout.
My heart did a little flip, but I tried to stay serious. "What debt? I didn't borrow any money from you!"
"You know you used quite a lot of profanity at that party," he said, a slow smirk spreading across his face. "So, that's the debt you owe me."
I narrowed my eyes at him, trying to remember. "Hey! I was counting! I only used five bad words. And you've already collected two—one this morning in the canteen and one just now," I argued, crossing my arms over my chest.
"Okay, so that means three are left," he said, looking far too pleased with himself.
"No! You kissed me on the cheek when we were in the storeroom earlier, remember? That counts too!" I insisted.
"Fine, fine. Two left then," he conceded.
"Okay, but not now! We left the ulupongs alone in the canteen. I'm pretty sure they're probably fighting with Aries by now," I said, suddenly worried about the noise level.
"Wait—Aries? Is he there too?" Keifer asked, surprised.
"Yeah. I invited Mica, Rakki, Ella, and Freya, and I didn't want my brother to feel left out, so I invited him too," I explained.
"Ohhh... my wife is so kind," he teased. I just nodded proudly with a big smile on my face.
We walked back into the canteen together, and the scene was exactly what I expected—total madness. The food had finally arrived, and the seating arrangement was already settled. The single guys had pushed tables together to make one giant "Singles Table," while all the couples were sat at tables for two with their girlfriends.
I scanned the room and realized there was only one table left—a small table for two. I looked at Keifer and then back at the table. It looked like I had no choice but to sit alone with him, right in the middle of all the chaos.
"Here" keifer said as he place my tray Infront of me.
I stared at the mountain of food on my tray, then looked at his pathetic little burger. My jaw almost hit the floor.
"Keifer... what is all this?" I asked, gesturing to the feast in front of me. I had two burgers, a large extra cheese pizza that was still steaming, a chicken wrap that looked like it was the size of my arm, a pile of wings, a massive pack of fries, and a glass of cold drink that looked like a literal bucket.
Meanwhile, he was just sitting there with one burger, some fries, and a medium drink.
"That's for you," he said, totally calm as he unwrapped his burger.
"Are you trying to turn me into a balloon?" I hissed, though the smell of the extra cheese pizza was already making my mouth water. "I can't eat all of this! This is enough to feed the entire singles table!"
"Eat as much as you can, Jay. You skipped breakfast, remember? You need the energy," he replied, taking a casual bite.
I looked over at the 'Singles Table' where Felix, drew, and the others were practically inhaling their food. They were so loud that even the students from other sections were moving away. I saw Aries sitting near them, looking like he was half-amused and half-terrified for his life.
"Hoi! Aries!" I yelled over the noise. "Do you want some pizza? There's no way I'm finishing this!"
Aries looked up, his eyes widening at the sight of my tray. He was about to stand up when Keifer cleared his throat—a very loud, very protective "leader" clear of the throat.
"He has his own food, Jay. Eat yours," Keifer said, not even looking up.
"But Keif—"
"Eat," he repeated, finally looking at me with that gaze that told me he wasn't going to back down.
I groaned and picked up a slice of pizza. The cheese stretched so far it almost hit the floor. I looked around the canteen. Ella and her boyfriend were acting all sweet, the other couples were whispering, and the singles were literally fighting over a chicken wing.
"Fine, but if I get a stomach ache, you're the one who's going to carry me home," I muttered before taking a huge bite.
Keifer just chuckled. "I'd do that even if you didn't have a stomach ache."
I managed to finish one burger, a few greasy slices of pizza, half of the chicken wrap, and some fries. I took a long sip of my cold drink, feeling my stomach stretch. Honestly, I wasn't completely full yet, but I just couldn't bring myself to eat another bite under Keifer's intense gaze. The King of the Ulupongs was watching me like a hawk, making sure every calorie was accounted for.
I looked over at the table where Ci-N was sitting with Rakki. They looked cute together, but I could see Ci-N's eyes wandering toward my mountain of food every few seconds. Even with a girlfriend, his stomach was still his first love.
I pulled out my phone and quickly typed a message.
To: Ci-N ❣️💖
Hey, come take some of my food. I can't finish this.
The reply came almost instantly.
From: Ci-N ❣️💖
Nope. Keifer will kill me. And Rakki will judge me for being a glutton.
I rolled my eyes.
To: Ci-N ❣️💖
Just come under my table and bring Felix from the singles table too. Keifer won't see you.
From: Ci-N ❣️💖
Ok, we're coming.
I watched from the corner of my eye as Ci-N leaned over and whispered something into Felix's ear. Suddenly, both of them dropped to the floor and started crawling. What the hell?! I meant walk over casually, but they were actually crawling on all fours like they were on a secret military mission!
They finally reached the space under our table, hiding behind the long tablecloth.
"Take this," I whispered, leaning down slightly. I handed the large chicken wrap to Ci-N and the rest of the pizza box to Felix. They grabbed the food with wide, hungry eyes and were just about to make a break for it when—SNATCH.
A hand reached down and grabbed both of them by the back of their collars, pulling them upward. I looked up. It was Keifer. He didn't even have to look down to know they were there; he just had that leader instinct.
"HEY!! Leave the kids alone!" I shouted, grabbing Keifer's arm and trying to pry his fingers off their collars. But damn, his grip was like iron. "Keifer, leave Ci-N and Felix right now!" This time, my voice carried actual authority. The kind that made the nearby tables go quiet. Keifer looked at me, his expression unreadable.
"Put the food back," Keifer commanded.
Ci-N and Felix looked at me, then at him, and sadly placed the wrap and pizza back on my tray. They looked like kicked puppies.
"Jayjay, now I really want pizza," Felix complained, pouting.
"And I was so ready for that wrap," Ci-N added, looking miserable.
I turned my head and gave Keifer a massive, bombastic side-eye. "Fine. Go to the counter and order whatever you want," I told them. "And Keifer will pay for all of it."
"THANK YOU!" they both yelled, their faces lighting up instantly. They bolted toward the counter like children who had just been told they were going to a toy store.
Keifer let out a frustrated sigh, watching his wallet take another hit. "So you care more about them than me?" he asked, sounding almost jealous.
"Yeah, because they're like younger brothers to me," I snapped, crossing my arms. "So you will not say anything to them. You can be the boss to anyone else, but if you mess with Felix or Ci-N, no one will be scarier than me. You've been warned."
Keifer just stared at me for a second, then a small, defeated smile touched his lips. "Understood, my Queen."
I looked over at Aries, who was watching the whole thing with a look of pure confusion. "Is it always like this?" he asked.
"Welcome to Section E, Aries," I said with a grin. "It only gets crazier from here."
I looked around at how everyone had settled in. It was like a map of Section E's complicated love lives.
To my far left, Ci-N and Rakki were sharing a table, looking completely adorable. Ci-N was still pouting a little about his failed mission to steal my wrap, but Rakki was just laughing at him. A few tables away, Calix and Mica were in their own world, and Freya and Edrix seemed to be enjoying their meal peacefully.
But the most interesting part was the table right next to ours. Aries and Ella were sitting together. I saw Keifer keep glancing over at them, probably making sure my brother was behaving himself around Ella, or maybe just keeping an eye on the person closest to us.
"Everything okay over there, Aries?" I asked, leaning over toward their table.
"It's fine, Jay. Just trying to eat my burger in peace before one of your friends decides to crawl under my table next," Aries joked, shooting a look toward the "Singles Table."
The Singles Table was a sight to behold. Felix, Drew, and the rest of the unattached Ulupongs had pushed about five small tables together to create one massive fortress of solitude. They were the loudest group in the building, making up for their lack of dates with extra helpings of fries and constant shouting.
"Hey, Keif," I whispered, turning back to my own table. "Look at Felix. I think he's trying to start a fry-throwing contest with Drew."
Keifer didn't even look up from his burger. "As long as they don't hit this table, I don't care. If a single fry lands on your pizza, Felix is going to be doing push-ups in the hallway for the rest of the afternoon."
I giggled, imagining Felix's face. I took another sip of my drink, feeling a lot more relaxed now that everyone was fed and happy. Even though the canteen was packed and noisy, being sandwiched between my brother's table and the man who literally bought a mountain of food just to see me smile felt... right.
"You're not eating," Keifer noted, his eyes narrowing as he looked at my half-finished pizza.
"I told you! I'm human, not a vacuum cleaner!" I protested.
"Just two more wings, Jay. Then we can go," he bargained.
I sighed, looking at the spicy wings. "Fine. But you're definitely carrying my bag to class."
"Deal, but you know, if you didn't said me that I will do that" he said with that smug, handsome smirk that always made my heart skip a beat skipped.
I looked at the two spicy wings sitting on the edge of the pizza box like they were a challenge. Keifer wasn't going to let me leave until they were gone. I picked one up, the sauce sticking to my fingers, and took a bite. It was spicy—the kind of spicy that makes your tongue tingle—but I couldn't deny it was good.
"Deal," I muttered between bites. "But you're definitely carrying my bag to class."
"Deal. But you know, if you hadn't said that, I would have done it anyway," he said with that smug, handsome smirk that always made my heart skip a beat. He reached over and took a napkin, leaning in to wipe a small drop of sauce from the corner of my lip. His eyes were soft for a second, a total contrast to the "leader" persona he was showing the rest of the room.
"Ooooohhhh! Look at the lovebirds!" Felix shouted from the Singles Table. He was currently standing up, holding a chicken wing like a microphone. "Someone call the fire department, because the JAYFER table is getting too hot!"
"Shut up, Felix! Eat your pizza!" I yelled back, my face turning redder than the wing sauce.
At the table next to us, I saw Ella giggle and hide her face behind her hand. Aries just sighed and shook his head, looking at Keifer. "I don't know how you handle her, Keifer. She's been bossy since we were kids."
"I like it," Keifer replied simply, taking a sip of his drink. "Keeps things interesting."
I gave Aries a look. "Hey! I am not bossy, I'm just... assertive."
"Sure, Jay. Tell that to Ci-N and Felix," Aries joked, gesturing to where the two of them were now happily devouring a fresh order of fries at the counter.
Over at their table, Ci-N and Rakki were sharing a drink with two straws, though Ci-N was clearly trying to drink faster than her. Calix and Mica were busy taking a selfie with their food, and Freya and Edrix were actually having a normal, quiet conversation, which was a miracle in this room.
The canteen was getting louder as the minutes passed. Students from other sections were staring at us—some with jealousy, some with pure confusion. They didn't understand how a group as chaotic as Section E could be this close. They saw the "Ulupongs" as troublemakers, but to me, they were just a big, loud, hungry family.
After watching the Ulupongs and smiling at their chaos, I decided it was time to go home. I noticed Keifer was staring at me without even blinking. I snapped my fingers in front of his face, and he finally blinked, coming back to reality.
"Let's go home now, I'm tired," I said and stood up. I reached for my bag, but he grabbed it first.
"I was joking about you carrying it!" I said.
"But I wasn't," he replied firmly, slinging my pink bag over his shoulder with his own bag underneath it.
"I'll go with Aries," I said as we started walking toward the exit.
"Why?" he asked, his brow furrowing.
"Because we live in the same house, and you have to pick up Keiran and Keigan too," I reminded him.
"No, you're not going with him because I'm not picking them up today," he replied.
"Why not? Are you planning to abandon the kids?" I asked, shocked.
"No, their driver is picking them up," he said, and my mouth formed a perfect 'O' shape.
We walked to the parking lot together. He opened the car door for me like he always does, then leaned in to buckle my seatbelt.
"Guys, look! Keifer is being a total gentleman for his wifey!" Felix shouted, making everyone laugh as the group followed us to our cars. I gave him a death glare, and he stopped laughing instantly.
"Oh, so now you're afraid of Jay?" Calix teased, pushing Felix's shoulder a little.
"Hey, why did you push him?" I asked Calix.
"My choice," he said with a shrug, then he pushed Ci-N a little too. I couldn't control myself, so I got out of the car and pushed Calix's shoulder just like he did to them. He lost his balance for a second and almost fell before steadying himself.
"Jay, now you're showing favoritism!" Drew called out.
"So? Calix pushed both of my favorites," I argued. I walked over to Ci-N and Felix, and they both pulled me into a hug.
"Don't worry, guys. She cares about them even more than me," Keifer muttered, leaning against the car.
"Yeah, only Ci-N and Felix matter to her now," Aries added, shaking his head.
"Is there a problem with that, you guys?" I asked, pulling away from the hug. Suddenly, my phone buzzed. It was a message from Percy.
From: Percing🥱
Hey baby sista, can you please drop Felix off?
To: Percing🥱
Yeah, sure.
"Keifer, we're dropping Felix off at his house too," I announced.
"What?" he asked, clearly wanting some alone time.
"Percy is busy, so we have to drop him," I said.
"Jay, what about me? Is Felix more important to you? I want to spend time with you too!" Ci-N whined. I knew he was overreacting, but just to tease everyone, I agreed.
"Fine, we'll drop Ci-N off too," I said. Keifer let out a long sigh.
After some more talking, we finally got into the car. Keifer was in the driver's seat, I was in the passenger seat, and Ci-N and Felix were in the back. After chatting the whole way, we finally dropped both of them off. I could see the look of pure relief on Keifer's face when it was finally just the two of us.
When he reached my house, I got out of the car. He was about to drive off when I called out, "Keif!"
"Hmm?" he hummed.
I signaled for him to roll down the window. When he did, I leaned in and quickly kissed him on the cheek. He froze, completely stunned. I didn't give him a chance to say anything; I just turned and ran inside. Before opening the front door, I turned back and waved. He waved back, a huge smile finally breaking across his face.
Once inside, I headed straight to my room. Since I had eaten so much at the canteen, I just took a shower and fell fast asleep.