Jay POV
The classroom smelled like wet dust and cold air.
Rain tapped softly against the windows outside while grey clouds swallowed the sunlight whole, turning the entire room dull and lifeless.
Everything felt heavy.
The walls.
The silence.
Even breathing.
The boys around me were laughing loudly about something near the back benches, their voices echoing faintly through the classroom, but none of it reached me properly.
Because Keifer was standing in front of me.
And he was laughing too.
But not the laugh I loved.
Not warm.
Not teasing.
Cruel.
Cold.
Mocking.
The kind of laugh that makes your stomach drop.
"You're so stupid, Jay."
My fingers curled tightly against the edge of my desk.
Keifer shook his head slowly while smiling in disbelief.
"I tricked you once and you believed me again?" He laughed softly. "How can someone actually be this dumb?"
The air suddenly felt colder.
My chest tightened painfully.
"No—"
"And you really thought I loved you?" he interrupted with a sharp smile. "Seriously loved you?"
The boys around us started looking toward me now.
Watching.
Listening.
Humiliation crawled up my throat.
Keifer stepped closer slowly, eyes filled with amusement.
"I'm Mark Keifer Waston." He tilted his head mockingly. "Why would I ever love someone like you?"
I felt my heartbeat shaking.
The rain outside grew louder.
"I wasn't even interested in you seriously," he continued casually. "You were just timepass."
Each word stabbed deeper than the last.
"And you thinking I'd fall in love with you?" He laughed again. "God, you really are a fool."
The classroom suddenly felt too small.
Too suffocating.
I could feel everyone staring now.
Judging.
Whispering.
Keifer's eyes darkened slightly as he looked me up and down.
"You're not even capable of being loved."
My throat burned.
Then came the final blow.
"You're a slut."
The room went silent.
Completely silent.
"You flirted with Jason…" he said with disgust. "Then me?"
His voice lowered colder this time.
"Why would anyone love you?"
I felt tears blur my vision.
"Seriously," he whispered cruelly, "look at yourself."
Something inside me shattered.
Then suddenly—
"JAY!"
I woke up with a violent gasp.
My entire body jerked upward from the bed while my breathing came out uneven and panicked.
Darkness.
The room.
The villa room.
Not the classroom.
Not the rain.
Not the boys staring at me.
Not Keifer looking at me like I was nothing.
My chest heaved painfully while sweat clung to my skin.
It was a dream.
Just a dream.
I pressed a trembling hand against my mouth trying to breathe properly again.
But my heart still hurt.
Because even if the dream twisted things…
The betrayal itself was real.
The plan was real.
The humiliation was real.
The way he once admitted everything so casually—
That was real too.
I looked beside me instinctively.
Empty.
Keifer wasn't there.
The blankets beside me were cold already.
A painful headache suddenly throbbed through my skull, making me wince immediately.
Right.
The alcohol.
Barakuda.
I barely remembered anything clearly after the bonfire.
Only broken flashes.
Running.
Laughing.
Keifer's face turning red constantly.
Something about sacrificing his virginity to fire.
Oh my God.
I shut my eyes in embarrassment.
Why was I alive.
I pressed both hands against my face while breathing shakily.
But the embarrassment faded quickly.
Because the dream came back again.
His voice.
Why would anyone love you?
I hugged my knees tightly against myself.
I wanted to trust him.
I really did.
Sometimes when he looked at me softly… when he touched me carefully like I was precious… I almost believed him completely.
Almost.
But trauma is cruel.
Once someone breaks your heart while holding it in their hands…
Your mind never lets you forget how easily it happened the first time.
Jay POV
The sound of the door knob turning made me flinch slightly.
Then the door opened.
Keifer walked in with slightly wet hair like he had just taken a shower. A few damp strands fell over his forehead while the soft smell of soap followed him into the room.
In his hand was a glass filled with lemonade.
Probably for my hangover.
Before I could even wipe the panic off my face—
He noticed.
God.
He always noticed.
His expression changed immediately the second our eyes met.
Concern.
Soft and immediate.
Keifer quickly placed the glass on the bedside table before walking straight toward me.
"Jay?" His voice lowered gently. "You okay?"
I tried to answer normally.
"Yeah… I-I'm fine."
Lie.
A terrible lie.
Because my hands were still shaking slightly.
Keifer sat beside me instantly and took both my hands carefully into his.
Warm.
Safe.
"Jay," he whispered softly, "what happened?"
I looked away.
"Did you have a nightmare?"
The moment he said that, something inside me cracked quietly.
Because yes.
I did.
And the worst part was that the nightmare used his face.
Keifer didn't push further immediately.
Instead he slowly pulled me closer into his arms.
Gentle.
Careful.
Like I was something fragile.
Or maybe at this moment…
I really was.
My forehead rested weakly against his shoulder while his hand moved softly through my hair.
"It's okay," he murmured quietly. "You're okay."
My throat burned painfully.
Because how was I supposed to tell him the truth?
How was I supposed to say—
I'm scared of loving you fully.
I'm scared of trusting you.
I'm scared because once upon a time you broke me so badly that even now my heart panics when things feel too good.
The words stayed trapped inside me.
Keifer must've understood that too.
Because after a while he kissed the top of my head gently and whispered,
"You don't have to tell me right now."
I stayed silent.
"When you feel comfortable enough…" he continued softly, "then tell me, okay?"
Something about his voice made my chest ache.
I nodded weakly against him.
And then—
My stomach growled loudly.
The silence broke instantly.
I froze in embarrassment.
Keifer blinked once.
Then suddenly laughed quietly under his breath.
"There's my dramatic girl."
"I hate you," I mumbled weakly.
"Mhm." He smiled softly before reaching for the glass from the side table. "Here."
He held it toward me carefully.
"Drink this first. It'll help with your hangover."
I took the glass slowly.
"And maybe with your anti-virgin sacrifice plan too."
I blinked in confusion.
"…my what?"
Keifer looked way too amused suddenly.
"What do you mean, Keifer?"
"Nothing." His smile became suspiciously innocent. "I'll tell you later."
My eyes narrowed immediately.
"Keifer."
"Nope." He stood up before I could interrogate him further. "For now, drink this, take a bath, and relax a little. It'll help your headache."
Then he pointed toward the bathroom dramatically.
"And meanwhile, I shall make a hot and tasty breakfast for the terrifying Barakuda."
"Oh my God."
He grinned proudly.
"Then you'll eat properly, okayyy?"
The way he stretched the okay made him sound annoyingly cute.
I sighed quietly before nodding.
"…okay."
And for the first time since waking up—
The fear inside my chest loosened slightly.
Jay POV
After taking a shower, I finally felt somewhat human again.
The headache was still there.
The embarrassment waiting for me downstairs was not.
I walked into the kitchen and immediately smelled breakfast.
Warm toast.
Eggs.
Fresh coffee.
The dining table was already prepared.
Meanwhile, Keifer was standing near the counter pouring coffee into two mugs.
The moment he saw me, a smile appeared on his face.
A dangerous smile.
The kind that meant he knew something.
"What?" I asked suspiciously.
"Nothing."
"You're smiling."
"I always smile."
"Not like that."
His smile got bigger.
"Oh no," I muttered.
"Oh yes," he replied.
I knew I was doomed.
A few moments later, he placed a mug in front of me and sat down across the table.
For exactly five minutes, everything was peaceful.
Then Keifer took a sip of coffee.
And chose violence.
"So..."
"No."
"You don't even know what I'm going to say."
"Yes I do."
His eyes sparkled with amusement.
"Do you remember tricking me last night?"
I froze.
Slowly lowering my fork.
"...what did I do?"
Keifer laughed immediately.
"That's the problem. You remember nothing."
My soul left my body.
"Oh God."
"You became suspiciously sweet."
"I can be sweet."
"You asked me for marshmallows."
"Normal."
"Chocolate."
"Normal."
"Graham crackers."
"Still normal."
"And while I was inside getting everything..."
His grin widened.
"You stole the wine."
I buried my face in my hands.
"NO."
"YES."
His laughter echoed through the room.
"When I came back outside, the bottle was already missing and you were staring at the bonfire like you were receiving messages from another dimension."
"I hate this story."
"It gets worse."
"Of course it does."
Keifer leaned back in his chair.
"You announced that the fire required a sacrifice."
I groaned.
Then his eyes lit up.
"But then you decided you had to save me."
I blinked.
"...save you?"
"Yes."
His expression became dramatically serious.
"You pointed at me and said, 'Keifer, don't worry. I have a plan.'"
Oh no.
"Oh yes."
I slowly slid down in my chair.
"You spent ten minutes explaining that I was in grave danger."
"I can't believe this."
"You absolutely believed it."
Then Keifer started laughing again.
"And when I asked how you planned to save me..."
He pointed at me dramatically.
"You looked me directly in the eyes and said—"
I covered my ears.
"I DON'T WANT TO HEAR IT."
"'If I take away your virginity, then you can't be the virgin sacrifice anymore.'"
Silence.
Complete silence.
My face exploded into flames.
"KEIFER!"
He was laughing so hard now he could barely breathe.
"I WAS DRUNK!"
"You were incredibly confident."
"I'M LEAVING."
"You literally chased me around the bonfire trying to convince me."
"STOP."
"'I'm saving your life, pretty boy!'"
"STOP."
"'Why are you making this difficult?'"
"KEIFER."
"'Trust the anti-sacrifice plan!'"
I wanted to disappear.
Immediately.
Maybe move to another planet.
Meanwhile Keifer was having the greatest morning of his entire existence.
Then, after a moment, his laughter softened.
"You know what the funny part is?"
"What?"
"You were completely serious."
I paused.
His smile became gentler.
"You weren't trying to embarrass me."
He looked down at his coffee.
"You genuinely thought you were protecting me."
The teasing faded from his voice for a second.
And suddenly my embarrassment eased a little.
Then Keifer ruined the moment instantly.
"Still."
I narrowed my eyes.
"What?"
"If you ever start another emergency rescue mission, I'm hiding all alcohol first."
I threw a napkin at his face.
He caught it effortlessly.
And laughed all over again.
Jay POV
Keifer and I were in the kitchen after breakfast.
Or more accurately—
Keifer was washing dishes while I stood nearby eating stolen strawberries from the fruit bowl.
"Those are for me too," Keifer said without even looking at me.
I popped another into my mouth.
"You can't prove that."
"Jay."
"Keifer."
He sighed.
I smiled.
Victory.
Then suddenly—
"JAYYYYY!"
I froze.
The strawberry nearly fell from my hand.
"...Did you hear that?"
Keifer continued washing the plate.
"Hear what?"
I frowned.
Then again.
"JAYYYYYYY!"
Okay.
That was definitely real.
I looked toward the window.
"Wait."
Then another voice.
"BARAKUDAAAAA!"
My eyes widened.
No.
No way.
Then again.
"COME HERE YOU MENACE!"
My jaw dropped.
That voice—
I knew that voice.
"It sounds like—"
Then came another shout.
"JAYYYYY!"
I gasped.
"CI N?!"
Before Keifer could even react, I was already running.
Straight through the villa.
Straight out the front door.
The ocean wind hit my face as I sprinted toward the beach.
And there—
Near the dock—
Was a huge yacht.
And standing on it...
Were fifteen familiar idiots.
My classmates.
My boys.
My family.
"JAYYYYYY!"
Ci N practically jumped down before I even reached them.
I ran faster.
A second later we crashed into a hug.
"Oh my God!"
"You actually came!"
"You sound surprised," Ci N laughed.
"I THOUGHT I WOULD NEVER SEE ANOTHER HUMAN AGAIN!"
The boys immediately burst out laughing.
Drew folded his arms.
"You've been gone for one and an half day."
"A very emotional day."
"A very dramatic day," Edrix corrected.
"A very suspicious day," Rory added.
I narrowed my eyes.
"What is that supposed to mean?"
Rory looked toward the villa.
Then back at me.
Then toward the villa again.
"Oh nothing."
"Rory."
"Nothing at all."
"Rory."
"Absolutely nothing involving a certain someone."
My face immediately heated.
"SHUT UP."
The boys exploded.
"LOOK AT HER."
"SHE BLUSHED."
"THAT WAS INSTANT."
"RECORD TIME."
I pointed at them.
"All of you are annoying."
"Yet you missed us."
"Unfortunately."
David smirked.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"You look happier."
I blinked.
"What?"
"She's smiling more."
"She is."
"Way more."
"Suspiciously more."
I immediately became defensive.
"I always smile."
The entire group stared.
Silence.
Then—
"No."
"Absolutely not."
"That was the biggest lie of the year."
Felix shook his head dramatically.
"We used to get one smile every three business days."
"Now she's glowing."
"Literally glowing."
I wanted to throw sand at all of them.
Then Calix suddenly looked around.
"Wait."
"What?"
"How did you even get here?"
The boys immediately looked at each other.
Then toward the villa.
Then back at me.
I narrowed my eyes.
Suspicious.
Very suspicious.
"Why are you all looking over there?"
Nobody answered.
Then the villa door opened.
And Keifer walked outside.
One hand in his pocket.
Looking completely calm.
The traitor.
The boys immediately grinned.
Ci N pointed dramatically.
"There he is."
I looked between them.
Then at Keifer.
Then back at them.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
The realization hit.
"No."
The boys started laughing.
"No."
Drew was already losing it.
"No way."
Rory pointed at Keifer.
"He sent the yacht."
I turned toward Keifer.
"YOU DID?"
Keifer rubbed the back of his neck.
Maybe.
"KEIFER."
"Possibly."
The boys started cheering.
"HE DID."
"THAT'S ACTUALLY CUTE."
"DISGUSTINGLY CUTE."
"I FEEL SICK."
I stared at him.
"You invited them?"
His smile softened.
"You kept talking about them."
For a second I couldn't say anything.
Because...
God.
That was sweet.
Unfortunately my classmates existed.
Denzel immediately pointed at me.
"Look."
"What now?"
"That face."
"What face?"
"The face of someone trying not to smile."
Yuri nodded.
"She's failing."
"Horribly."
Josh grinned.
"Very horrible."
Ci N suddenly wrapped an arm around my shoulders.
"Don't worry guys."
"What?"
"We lost our friend."
"Excuse me?"
"She's gone."
"I'm standing right here."
"No."
Ci N pointed dramatically toward Keifer.
"She belongs to him now."
My jaw dropped.
The beach erupted.
"OOHHHHHH."
"THAT WAS GOOD."
"SOMEBODY WRITE THAT DOWN."
Meanwhile Keifer looked entirely too pleased with himself.
And somehow...
That made my face even hotter.
Jay POV
The moment we stepped inside the villa, the boys completely lost whatever little maturity they had.
"DANG."
"Broooo."
"THIS PLACE IS HUGE!"
"NO WAY."
I sighed.
Here we go.
Denzel immediately ran into the living room.
"I'm claiming this couch."
"You don't even live here," Eman said.
"I do now."
Another boy walked toward the staircase.
"Guys! There are like ten rooms upstairs!"
"Ten?!"
Everyone immediately started running upstairs.
Like wild animals.
I leaned against the wall while watching them disappear.
Honestly, I wasn't that excited.
I had already seen the villa before.
Meanwhile the boys were acting like they had discovered a new continent.
"YO THERE'S A BALCONY."
"THERE'S A GAME ROOM."
"THERE'S ANOTHER BALCONY."
"WHO NEEDS TWO BALCONIES?!"
Keifer walked past me.
"They look happy."
"They look insane."
"Same thing."
I rolled my eyes.
For the next hour everyone explored every corner of the villa.
Every few minutes someone would yell from another room.
"COME SEE THIS."
Then everybody would run there.
Then someone else would discover something.
Then everyone would run again.
By the end of it all, everyone was exhausted.
And hungry.
Very hungry.
The group eventually gathered in the kitchen.
Denzel opened the refrigerator.
"Oh thank God."
"What?" Eman asked.
"Food."
"You act like you haven't eaten for three days."
"I haven't."
"You literally ate this morning."
"That was centuries ago."
I sat on one of the stools while watching them argue.
Then suddenly my eyes landed on the stove.
The stove.
My stomach dropped.
Wait.
The stove was working.
Perfectly.
No burn marks.
No damage.
Nothing.
I slowly looked toward Keifer.
He was drinking water.
I immediately got up and walked over.
"Keifer."
"Hm?"
I lowered my voice.
"Did you fix it?"
His eyes followed mine toward the stove.
"Oh."
Then he nodded.
"Yeah."
I blinked.
"You know how to fix that stuff?"
"Of course."
I stared suspiciously.
"Interesting."
"What?"
"I thought the only thing you knew was how to flex your money."
He looked offended.
"I do not flex my money."
"You absolutely do."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You do."
"I don't."
"You literally own three watches that cost more than a car."
"That doesn't prove anything."
"It proves everything."
He ignored me.
"Anyway. I fixed it."
I raised an eyebrow.
"Yourself?"
"Yes."
"Huh."
He smirked.
"What?"
"Nothing."
"Say it."
"No."
"Jay."
I sighed dramatically.
"Fine."
Then I looked him up and down.
"Looks like you're decent husband material."
The words left my mouth before my brain could stop them.
Silence.
His smile disappeared.
My smile disappeared.
My soul disappeared.
Oh no.
Oh no.
OH NO.
Slowly...
Very slowly...
A grin spread across his face.
A horrible grin.
An evil grin.
I immediately pointed at him.
"Don't."
"I didn't even say anything."
"Your face said enough."
"Decent husband material?"
"It slipped out."
"Interesting."
"It wasn't a compliment."
"Sounded like one."
"It wasn't."
"It definitely was."
I turned around and walked away before he could make it worse.
Unfortunately...
Several boys had noticed us talking.
And they were giggling.
GIGGLING.
Like kindergarten children.
I hated them.
Meanwhile Eman was standing near the stove.
"Wait."
My heart stopped.
He frowned.
"What happened to this thing?"
I spun around immediately.
Think, Jay.
Think.
FAST.
"Oh!"
Everyone looked at me.
I smiled.
Way too quickly.
"It's the new design."
Silence.
"What?" Eman asked.
"The stove."
I nodded confidently.
"New design."
The kitchen became quiet.
Denzel blinked.
"What kind of design?"
"Expensive design."
More silence.
"You wouldn't understand."
The boys stared.
"What does that mean?"
I crossed my arms.
"You're poor."
"JAY!"
Everyone immediately started yelling.
Meanwhile Keifer looked like he was trying not to laugh.
The traitor.
Then he slowly walked over.
Uh oh.
That smile again.
He leaned closer and whispered near my ear.
"Should I tell them?"
My eyes widened.
"You wouldn't dare."
"About the stove?"
I glared.
He continued.
"About yesterday?"
"Keifer."
"The anti-sacrifice plan?"
My face instantly turned red.
"KEIFER."
He looked far too amused.
"I think they deserve to know."
"No."
"I think they do."
"No."
"I think—"
"If you tell them," I whispered dangerously, "I will kill you."
He placed a hand over his heart.
"I'm terrified."
"You should be."
"I don't think I am."
Eman looked between us.
"What are you two whispering about?"
I immediately answered.
"Nothing."
At the same time Keifer said,
"Everything."
I wanted to throw him into the ocean.
Right now.
Denzel pointed at the stove again.
"So what actually happened?"
I shot Keifer the deadliest glare I could manage.
He looked at me.
Then at them.
Then back at me.
For a moment I genuinely thought he was going to expose me.
Instead he nodded seriously.
"Yeah."
I narrowed my eyes.
"Yeah what?"
"It's a new design."
I blinked.
"What?"
He folded his arms.
"Very rare."
The boys looked confused.
"Really?"
"Absolutely."
"What kind?"
Keifer looked directly at me.
A smirk appeared.
"The Jay Edition."
The kitchen exploded.
"KEIFER!"
His laughter echoed through the entire villa while I seriously considered whether murder was a valid solution to my problems.
Jay POV
After Eman, Denzel and Calix finally finished cooking, everyone gathered around the dining table.
The boys immediately started fighting over who would sit where.
"Not beside Denzel."
"Why?"
"You eat like a vacuum cleaner."
"That's a compliment."
"That's not a compliment."
While they were busy arguing, I pulled out a chair and sat down first.
Immediately Calix pointed at me.
"Look at her."
"What?"
"You sat down before everyone."
"Okay?"
He folded his arms.
"Like you're the queen here."
I smiled proudly.
"Because I am."
"What do you mean because you are?"
I gestured around the table.
"I'm the only girl here."
"..."
"..."
"So obviously I'm the queen."
The boys looked at each other.
Then Calix sighed dramatically.
"You know what? Fair enough."
"Exactly."
"I hate that your logic actually works."
I smirked victoriously.
A few moments later everyone sat down.
And naturally...
Keifer sat beside me.
I didn't even bother asking why anymore.
The answer was always the same.
Because he was annoying.
The food was finally served.
For about thirty seconds everyone was eating normally.
Then the stealing began.
By me.
Look, I was hungry.
That is a perfectly valid reason.
Denzel was busy talking while waving his fork around.
I quietly stole one of his fries.
Nobody noticed.
Success.
A minute later I stole a chicken nugget from Calix's plate.
Again.
Success.
Then I stole a piece of garlic bread from Eman.
Unfortunately...
Eman noticed.
"JAY."
I froze.
"What?"
"Did you just steal my bread?"
"No."
"You literally have it in your hand."
I slowly looked down.
The bread was indeed in my hand.
"...Evidence can be fabricated."
The entire table burst out laughing.
"YOU'RE THE THIEF!" Calix shouted.
"I prefer food inspector."
"YOU STOLE MY NUGGET."
"I was making sure it wasn't poisoned."
"By eating it?"
"Exactly."
Denzel pointed dramatically.
"See? This is why she sat first."
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"So she could reach everyone's plates."
The boys started protecting their food like I was some kind of criminal.
I was deeply offended.
Then Ci N suddenly looked at me.
A dangerous smile appeared on his face.
Oh no.
Whenever someone smiled like that, it meant trouble.
"Jay."
"What?"
"Did you put it in?"
I nearly choked on my water.
"WHAT?"
The table instantly became quiet.
Ci N looked innocent.
"The thing."
"What thing?!"
"The thing."
I stared.
"BE SPECIFIC."
The boys were already trying not to laugh.
Ci N continued.
"Did you put it in or not?"
"PUT WHAT IN?"
The boys started shaking.
Keifer immediately covered his mouth.
The traitor already knew where this was going.
Ci N pointed toward the kitchen.
"The food in the microwave."
Silence.
I blinked.
"Oh."
A few boys immediately lost it.
I frowned.
"What?"
Ci N grinned.
"You got scared."
"I DID NOT."
"You did."
"I didn't!"
Then Calix joined in.
"Okay, then answer this."
"What?"
"How long did you keep it inside?"
I frowned.
"The food?"
The boys started laughing again.
"Obviously the food!"
"What else would it be?!"
That only made them laugh harder.
I looked around the table.
Everyone was dying.
Even Eman had his face buried in his hands.
Meanwhile I had absolutely no idea what was happening.
Then Denzel spoke between laughs.
"Oh my God, she doesn't get it."
"Get what?"
Nobody answered.
That made me even more suspicious.
I turned toward Keifer.
"Explain."
"No."
"Explain."
"Nope."
"KEIFER."
He was literally shaking from laughter.
"Trust me."
"What?"
"It's funnier if you don't know."
I narrowed my eyes.
"You're all weird."
That sentence somehow made them laugh even harder.
I stole another fry from Denzel's plate while they were distracted.
Nobody noticed.
A queen must take advantage of opportunities when they appear.
--------------------------------
Hii guyss I'm posting after so many days and I would be really honest....my motivation to write is dead 😭 I feel like quitting writting and deleting my book so I would just disappear so guyss pls comment as much as you cannn it's the only think that can motivate me to write ✍🏻 no comments target or anything but please don't disappoint me by not commenting 😭(+ this was the longest chapter I have ever written so pls don't disappoint me )