Jayjay's Pov:
I was jolted awake by the loud ringing of my phone. Who is calling this early?! I grabbed the device, not even bothered to look at the name because I was definitely not in the mood for a conversation.
"Hello? Whoever this is, just hang up," I groaned into the receiver. "It's too early to talk and I'm sleeping. Don't disturb me, go back to sleep yourself. Bye."
I was about to toss the phone back onto the nightstand when the person finally spoke.
"Jayjay, it's 8:30. You're supposed to be here by 9:00, and you're still sleeping?"
It was Keifer.
"Keifer... I don't want to come that early," I whined, burying my face in my pillow. "I'll just come at 1:00 with the rest of Section E."
"No, you have to come early because we need to study first. Then we'll have the party," he said firmly.
"Noooooo! Don't ruin my mood with the 'S' word!" I complained.
"Jayjay."
His voice came through lower and deeper this time. I sat up instantly, my eyes snapping wide open.
"What?" I asked, suddenly very awake.
"Angelo called me," Keifer explained. "He said that you have to study at my house first before the party starts. If you don't, he's going to call everyone's parents and tell them to make sure no one comes. The whole thing will be canceled. So, you have to come early."
"What?! That 'Angelo-named-Devil' actually did that?" I whispered under my breath.
"What was that?" he asked, and I could practically hear him grinning on the other end.
"Nothing! Fine, I'll be ready. I'll be there by 9:00," I huffed.
"Good. Love you, bye," he said.
"Love you too, bye," I replied and ended the call.
I dragged myself out of bed, knowing I had to move fast to reach his house on time. I hopped into the shower, and the moment the cold water splashed over me, my brain finally activated. Keifer's words started racing through my mind.
After drying off, I decided to wear something decent but comfortable. I picked out a white long-sleeved shirt and paired it with my black baggy pants. To finish the look, I threw on a black hoodie that I—hehe—stole from Aries' cupboard.
Once I was done, I sprayed on some perfume, grabbed my things, and headed downstairs.
"Good morning, Tita," I said as I entered the kitchen.
"Good morning, Jay! Why are you up so early?" she asked, looking surprised.
"The party isn't until 1:00 pm, but Kuya said I need to study first, so I'm heading over after breakfast," I explained, sliding into my seat.
I started eating, though I wasn't that hungry—I only had six pancakes dipped in honey, a large glass of milk, and an apple. After finishing, I ran back to my room to grab my bag, but just as I reached for it, my phone rang again.King Bingi Calling...
Why is this man calling me again? I picked up while struggling to zip my bag shut.
"Hmm?" I answered.
"Come down," he said simply.
"Why?"
"Because Mykel is already here. Obviously, I came to pick you up," he replied. I could hear the slight edge in his voice, and I couldn't help but giggle.
"Why are you being so rude? I don't want to go with you now. I'll just go by myself," I teased, hanging up before he could respond.
I headed outside and saw him leaning against his black jeep, looking like he stepped out of a magazine.
"Come on, Jay. We don't have time," he said, reaching out to open the passenger door.
I ignored him completely, pulling out my phone and pretending to book a taxi. That did it. He marched over and caught my wrist.
"Are you listening to me?" he asked. I could tell he was officially pissed.
Without a word, I leaned in and kissed his cheek. He froze instantly. Seizing the moment, I ran toward the jeep, but just as I reached for the handle, I heard the click-clack of the locks. He had used his keys.
"HEY! Keiferrrrrr, unlock it!" I whined, dragging out his name.
"Nope," he said, popping the 'p'.
"Why?"
"Because you only kissed one cheek. My other one is feeling left out," he said, and it was my turn to freeze.
"Hey! It's not written anywhere that if I kiss one cheek, I have to kiss the other one too!" I argued.
"Actually, it is," he countered.
"Where? In that big head of yours?"
"Not in my head, but in my heart and mind," he said with a straight face.
"No way!"
"Fine. Then we'll just stand here all morning." He shrugged, tucking his hands into his pockets.
Giving in, I ran back to him and quickly kissed his other cheek. To my surprise, a dark blush started creeping up his neck.
"Ohhh! Did I just make the great Mark Keifer Watson blush?" I teased, leaning in to see his face better.
He didn't say anything, but he finally unlocked the car. I went to open the door, but he beat me to it, holding it open like a gentleman. Once I was settled inside, he leaned over to buckle my seatbelt—staying just a second longer than necessary—before walking around to the driver's side.
Halfway there, I felt his hand settle on my thigh.
"Remove it," I said, keeping my eyes fixed on the view outside the window.
"Remove what?" he asked, acting completely innocent.
I reached down and gave his hand a sharp pinch. "This!"
"Ouch! You little kitten," he hissed, though I could hear the smirk in his voice. I just giggled, still refusing to look at him.
Suddenly, the car came to a stop. I looked around, realizing we weren't at his house yet. When I turned toward him, I gasped—he was already leaning in, his face inches from mine. He pouted his lips, clearly asking for a kiss.
I shook my head, but he just moved closer. Before he could close the gap, I quickly placed my middle and index fingers over his lips, blocking him.
"Trying to outsmart me? Never gonna happen," I teased.
I held them there until his lips actually started to look a little pale from the pressure. I let go, and he just sat there looking like a pouting duck. I actually started to feel a little bad—first the pinch, and now the "duck" face.
"Here, let me see," I said softly, but he looked away, pretending he hadn't heard me.
"Keifer." I let my voice drop, making it deep and full of authority.
"No," he muttered stubbornly.
"Ohhh, my baby... just let me see it clearly so I can kiss it better," I cooed.
He turned so fast I thought he'd get whiplash! He leaned in expectantly, but I just laughed and gave his head a playful smack. "Oh, look how fast you move when you hear the word 'kiss'!"
He pouted again, looking genuinely defeated this time. My heart softened, so I leaned in and gave him a quick, soft peck on the lips. He turned beet red instantly, a shy smile breaking through as he restarted the car and kept driving.
The rest of the ride was silent—not that awkward, heavy silence, but the kind that felt comfortable and warm. When we finally reached his house, we headed inside together.
"Good morning, Mr. and Mrs. Watson," his butler greeted us.
I stopped in my tracks and shot him a sharp death glare. He didn't even flinch; he just stood there with a tiny, knowing smirk on his face.
We headed up to his study room, and I checked my phone—it was already 9:20 am. I started unpacking my books and pens, but I couldn't let it go.
"What was that?" I asked, looking over at him.
"What?" he asked, acting like he had no idea what I was talking about.
"That 'Mrs. Watson' thing!" I replied, feeling my cheeks heat up.
"Nothing," he said, shrugging as he pulled out his own chair. "That's just reality."
I gave him another death glare, but he just sat there looking perfectly satisfied with himself.
"Keifer, we aren't even engaged, so how am I Mrs. Watson?" I asked, trying to sound logical despite my racing heart.
"It's okay. We can do a little engagement right now," he said, sounding terrifyingly casual about it.
"I'm not even eighteen yet!" I yelled, my voice echoing in the quiet study room.
"So why did you agree to that engagement between you and Yuri?" he countered. His eyes turned dark and unreadable, and the atmosphere in the room shifted instantly.
"I didn't have a choice! It was for the business," I explained, then I caught the look on his face. "Wait... are you jealous?"
"No. Why would I be jealous? Who am I to you to be jealous anyway?" he muttered. Oh, here we go—the emotional blackmail.
"Oh, who are you to me?" I repeated, and he nodded slowly.
I took a deep breath and looked him straight in the eyes. "Well, you're the love of my life. You're my handsome boyfriend who cares about me and teases me constantly. You're the one who pushed me away just to protect me—the one I tried to hate but couldn't because I truly love you. I love you because your love was pure and true. Because you never gave up on us, and I never lost hope that you'd come back. You showed me the real meaning of affection, and you were the one who taught me what love actually is."
I stopped, watching him. The darkness in his eyes melted away, replaced by a soft, genuine smile. Suddenly, he stood up, pulled me into his arms, and hugged me tightly.
"Sorry, Jay," he whispered into my hair.
"It's okay. I know you did all of that for me," I said, gently patting his back. I pulled away slightly and gave him a small smile. "Now, c'mon. Let's actually study."
He nodded, looking much more relaxed. We both sat down at the table, opened our books, and finally started working.
Two Hours Later...
"So, this is how we find x," Keifer said, his voice still unnervingly calm.
"BUT HOW DO WE FIND x USING THAT FORMULA?!" I yelled. My frustration had officially reached its limit. I was done with math.
"Because this is the only formula to find x in this context!" he said, his voice getting a little louder now.
"THEN WHY DID WE USE A DIFFERENT FORMULA IN THE LAST QUESTION?!" I yelled back.
"BECAUSE THAT WAS FOR A DIFFERENT PROBLEM!" He finally lost his patience and yelled back.
"WHY ARE YOU YELLING AT ME?" I asked, offended.
"BECAUSE YOU YELLED FIRST!"
"SO?!"
And just like that, all the romantic tension from earlier was gone, replaced by a full-blown shouting match.
"I HATE YOU!" I screamed.
"JAY, CALM DOWN!"
"NO, I WON'T!"
"WHY NOT?!"
"BECAUSE I'M TIRED OF THIS MATH!"
"BUT YOU NEED TO DO IT!"
"I DON'T WANT TO!"
"YOU HAVE TO!"
"I. DON'T. WANT. TO!" I yelled, emphasizing every single word like a drumbeat.
"JAYJAY, STOP IT!"
"I'M TELLING KUYA!" I threatened at the top of my lungs.
"JAY, CALM DOWN!" he yelled again.
We were right in the middle of another round of shouting when I noticed someone standing in the doorway. It was Kieran, rubbing his eyes and looking totally confused.
"Why are you two yelling and shouting?" he asked sleepily. "Are you both breaking up?"
"Huh?!" was the only sound that managed to leave my mouth. The sudden silence in the room was deafening.
"No, we're not," Keifer replied, his voice instantly dropping back to a calm, normal level. "Your Ate is just tired of math."
Kieran looked at his brother. "Then why are you forcing her to do it?"
"See? Even the little boy is on my side!" I said, pointing at Kieran.
Keifer looked at me, then back at Kieran. "Because her Kuya said she had to."
Kieran just nodded, seemingly satisfied with that explanation, and wandered back down the hall to wherever he came from.
"Come on, Jay. If you're tired of Algebra, we can move on to Logarithms," Keifer said, sounding way too casual.
"Don't talk to me," I snapped, crossing my arms and looking in the opposite direction.
"Why?"
"Because you yelled at me!" I accused. He started moving closer, so I dragged myself away. We were still sitting on the floor, surrounded by a chaotic sea of markers, pencils, pens, and highlighters. "Don't come near me!"
He ignored my warning and moved even closer. "Jay, listen. You yelled first. I just lost my patience, and before I knew it, I was yelling too."
He reached out and grabbed both of my arms, forcing me to face him. I immediately shook his hands off. "Don't touch me," I said, my voice cold.
"And what if I do?" he challenged, a spark of mischief in his eyes.
"Then I'll..." I trailed off. Wait. I actually couldn't think of anything I could do to him.
"See? You can't do anything," he teased.
"I can!" I said, lifting my chin proudly.
"And what exactly is that?"
"I won't talk to you, I'll ignore you, and then I'll block you," I said, flashing a triumphant smirk.
That didn't scare him at all. "Then I'll just go to your house, carry you out myself, and make sure you take those words back," he said. I froze. He would actually do it, too.
"What?!"
"So, if you don't want that to happen, just let the anger go," he said calmly.
I huffed and turned my back on him again.
"So, you won't?" he asked. I stayed silent, arms still firmly crossed. "Jay, if you don't turn around before I finish this countdown, no one knows what might happen."
I ignored him.
"One," he started. "Two..." He paused for dramatic effect. "And three! There you go!"
Before I could react, he lunged forward and started tickling me from behind. We both tumbled onto the floor. I was shrieking with laughter because I'm so ticklish, and he was laughing just seeing me struggle.
"Okay! Okay! I... take... my words... back!" I managed to wheeze out, stammering because I couldn't catch my breath. "Now stop!"
"Nope. First, say that you won't yell this time," he demanded, his hands still moving.
I couldn't even find the words through the laughter, so I just nodded my head vigorously!
He finally let me go, and we both sat there on the floor, completely out of breath from laughing. We just looked at each other for a moment, smiling like idiots.
"Water?" he panted. I couldn't even find my voice, so I just nodded.
He got up and returned with a jug and a glass. He poured some for me, and I drank it all in one breath. "Much better," I sighed, handing the glass back to him. He took a drink himself, and then we settled back down side-by-side to tackle the books one last time.
One Hour Later...
"COMPLETED!" I yelled, triumphantly sliding my notebook over to him.
He scanned the pages carefully, a satisfied look growing on his face. "Good. You got every single one right," he said.
I leaned back, smiling proudly. I actually did it!
"Feeling proud of yourself?" he asked, and I nodded instantly.
"Jay, here is your reward," he said. Before I could ask what he meant, he leaned in and kissed me. My eyes widened in surprise.
After he pulled back, I blinked at him. "What was that?"
"Your reward," he said with a chuckle, before turning back to his notes.
A few moments passed in silence before he spoke up again. "Jay... can I kiss you again?"
"Why are you asking now? You didn't ask before," I teased.
"Because that first one was your reward, and you don't need permission to reward someone," he explained logically. He reached out and cupped my cheeks with his hands, looking at me with literal puppy eyes. "Please?"
He looked so incredibly cute that I couldn't possibly deny him. I just nodded slowly. He leaned in again, and our lips met—this time much softer and more lingering.
We were caught in the moment for a while until a sudden knock on the door startled us. Keifer pulled back, muttering under his breath, "Ruined my moment..."
I couldn't help but giggle. "Who is it?" Keifer called out, his voice slightly annoyed.
"Sir, your friends have arrived," his maid's voice came through the door.
"Okay. Take them to the dining table. We'll be down in a bit," he replied.
"Yes, sir," she said, and we heard her footsteps fade away.
"Well, now we have to clean up this mess before we go," Keifer said, gesturing to the sea of stationery on the floor.
I nodded, and we started gathering the pens and markers. Once everything was back in its place and the room looked respectable again, I turned to him with a playful smile.
"Shall we go now, Mr. Watson?"
"Yes, of course, Mrs. Watson," he replied instantly.
I gave his arm a light, playful hit before locking my arm with his. Together, we started walking downstairs to face the chaos of the Ulupongs.
The End 🌸