I wake up to the sound of my phone buzzing like it's trying to ruin my life.
From: Gagongbaliw
I'm outside. You're not walking today.
HUH?
I sit up, hair looking like a bird's nest and brain still half-asleep. I peek out the window and—yep. Keifer's car is parked outside like he's auditioning for a rom-com. Sunglasses on right in front of the gate.
I race through my morning routine like I'm in a speedrun challenge. HVIS uniform? Check. Mismatched socks? Obviously. Pancake? Burnt. But edible.
"Thank you!" I wave the maids good bye as I run out with my bag in one hand hoping while fixing my shoe.
Keifer rolls down the window. "Morning, Miss Watson."
I groan. "Don't start." I blush a bit hoping that he didn't see.
He smirks. "Too late."
I keep glancing at him each second.
Should I tell him that I want us to be official?
"Keifer..." I whisper
"yeah?" he asks while turning the car to the parking slot
"So... I was just thinking about something" I continue
"Can we- you know what nevermind" I can't do this!! I keep backing way
"What?" He asks
"Can we be official?" I blurt out. Oh shi-
"Seriously Jay!?" he says, eyes wide like I just told him I'm moving to Mars.
I freeze. "I—I didn't mean to say it like that. I mean, I did, but not like—ugh, never mind. Forget that I ever said that"
I start fumbling with my seatbelt like it's going to save me from the awkwardness. My face is burning. My heart is doing backflips. I want to disappear into the glove compartment.
Keifer doesn't say anything for a second. Just stares at me.
Then he laughs.
Not a mocking laugh. Not a "you're ridiculous" laugh.
A soft, stunned, happy laugh.
"You're unbelievable," he says, shaking his head. "You've been dodging this for weeks and now you just blurt it out like it's a math answer."
I groan. "I know! I'm a disaster. You don't have to—"
He reaches over and gently taps my hand.
"Jay," he says, voice low, "I've been waiting for you to say that since I asked!"
I laugh. Loud. Embarrassed. Relieved.
"So... is that a yes?"
He nods. "It's a yes. Officially chaotic. Officially us."
I smile so hard my cheeks hurt.
Then the bell rings in the distance and I realize—we're still in the car. Still parked. Still late.
"Let's go, Miss Watson," he says, opening his door.
"Ugh, don't start again!"
But I'm smiling. And this time, I'm not pretending.
I zone out in class, doodling Snorlax and suspicious logos in my notebook.
Then Sir Alvin walks in, holding his sacred folder of doom.
"Roll call," he announces.
He starts listing names. Until—
"Mariano?"
Keifer raises his hand before I can speak.
"Oh sir its actually 'Mariano Watson'"
The entire Section E explodes.
"They are official!" Calix erupts
David nearly falls off his chair.
"I better be invited to the wedding!" Edrix shouts
Ci-n chokes on his water. "Ahhhhhh!!"
"Husband and wifeeee!!!" Felix yells across the room.
I bury my face in my hands. "KEIFER."
He just grins. "What? You said you wanted to be official."
Sir Alvin blinks. "Watson?"
Sir Alvin tries to control his laugh as he sits on his desk "Settle down class!"
Sir you too? UGHH!!
The class loses it again.
"Keifer, you better put that on your resume!" David wheezes.
"Jay Jay Mariano Watson sounds like a law firm," Ci-n adds, still coughing.
Felix is halfway out of his seat, pretending to throw rice. "Where's the priest?! I volunteer!"
I sink lower in my chair, praying for the floor to swallow me whole. My notebook now has a very aggressive doodle of Keifer getting hit by a flying slipper.
Keifer leans over and whispers, "You okay, Miss Watson?"
I glare at him. "You're lucky I like you."
He grins. "That's why I made it public. So you can't take it back."
I roll my eyes, but my lips betray me with a smile.
Ughhhh Keiferrrr!!!
I survive the rest of the day with my soul halfway detached from my body. Every time section E comes near me they whisper " Jasper Jean Mariano Watson" like it's a spell that'll summon Keifer's smug face.
Oh and Ci-n? What do I not? He keeps teasing me all about this! I had to give all my chocolate away just cause if this useless thing. I blame you Keifer! My poor chocolate :(
The final bell rings and I'm halfway through zipping my bag when Keifer strolls up, all smug and sunglasses like he's in a music video no one asked for.
"Ready?" He asks
I blink. "For what?"
He tilts his head. "To go home."
I sling my bag over my shoulder. "Yeah. Obviously."
"Come on" I follow him as I continue to kick the pebbles I find on the ground. I notice Aries in the distance, walking along side Ella his 'most amazing, beautiful, perfect' girlfriend. But something was definitely terribly wrong, Aries kept looking at me, not his -not-her-again- look but his -I-hope-you-are-ok look. There is something he is hiding from me... AGAIN.
I take a step towards Aries until Keifer pulls my bag to sit in the car. "I just wanna talk to Aries for a second," I open the car door until Keifer stops me midway. "Talk when you get home" he replies. Sus sus sus! Jay Jay there is something fishy in here! GASP- is it about the threats I was getting from 'Unknown number'? How does Keifer know!?
As long as I know Aries he would jump off a cliff but not ask Keifer for any help.
I sit in the car, still staring at Aries through the window like he's going to telepathically send me answers. But nope. He just gives me that look. The I-know-something-you-don't-but-I'm-not-telling-you-because-I'm-annoying look.
Keifer starts driving like nothing's wrong. Like he didn't just yank me away from my brother mid-eye-contact interrogation.
I cross my arms. "Okay, what's going on?"
He doesn't answer.
"Keifer."
Still nothing.
I narrow my eyes. "If you don't tell me in the next five seconds, I'm jumping out and walking barefoot."
He sighs. "Fine. You're not going home."
I blink. "HUH?"
He glances at me. "You're staying with me. Just for a few days."
"HUHH!!??" I stare at him blank expression
Keifer doesn't look at me. Just keeps driving like he didn't just drop a nuclear-level plot twist.
I stare at him. "I'm sorry—what do you mean I'm not going home?"
He sighs, finally glancing at me. "Jay, someone's been watching your house."
My stomach drops. "WHAT."
"Aries told me. He didn't want to freak you out, but... there's been a car parked across your gate for three nights. Same one. Same guy. No plates."
I blink. "So you're telling me I've been brushing my teeth while someone's out there playing spy games?"
Keifer nods. "And texting you from that 'Unknown Number.'"
I grip the seat. "Okay, but why didn't Aries tell me himself?!"
Keifer hesitates. "Because he thought you'd do something reckless."
I scoff. "Me? Reckless? Never. I'm the picture of calm and maturity."
Keifer raises an eyebrow. "What about the time that you told Dylan to straight up kill you?"
"That was survival instinct!"
He laughs, but it's tight. Nervous. "Jay, this isn't a joke. Aries said the guy asked about you. By name."
I freeze. "What kind of name?"
"Your full name. Jasper Jean Fernandez Mariano... Watson." He replies pausing on Watson for a bit.
I stare at him with my this-isn't-the-time-for-that glare.
"Ok look the point is that you need to be safe"
Keifer pulls into a quiet driveway. Not his house. Not mine. A safehouse? A secret bunker? A random Airbnb with suspicious curtains?
"This isn't your house?" I turn to him as I get out of the car.
"I booked it" he claimed as he takes the key and unlocks the house.
Wow! Rich.
I step inside, half-expecting laser traps or a secret agent to pop out of the pantry. But it's just... normal. Too normal. Beige walls. A couch that looks like it's never been sat on. A kitchen without the burns on the stove like the ones on MY island.
Suspicious.
I drop my bag by the door. "Okay, so let me get this straight. You booked a random house. Didn't tell me. And now I'm supposed to just sleep here like it's a hotel?"
Keifer shrugs. "It's not random. It's secure. Aries checked it out."
I still don't get how Aries even agreed to this mess!
I wander into the living room, flopping onto the couch. "So what now? We just sit here and wait for the mystery man to send another creepy message?"
Keifer sits beside me. "We monitor. We stay alert. And you don't go anywhere alone."
I roll my eyes. "You sound like Kuya."
He smiles. "I take that as a compliment."
I glance at him. "You shouldn't."
He laughs, but it fades quickly. "Jay... this guy knows things. Things he shouldn't. Aries said he asked about your schedule. Your classes. ."
I sit up straight. "That's not just creepy. That's dangerous."
Keifer nods. "Exactly. Which is why you're here. With me."
"I still don't get how Aries and Kuya agreed to this though" I say
Keifer shrugs as he sits besides me.
"Oh what about your brothers?" I ask, facing him.
"Ahh they are in Sir Alvin's house, I really can't risk something happing to any of you" He claims as he walks towards the kitchen "Hungry?" I nod as I sit on one of the stools near the kitchen counter. Ugh!- Im so hungry!