JAY-JAY POV
Today was the day.
I woke up and called Keifer.
"Hey Jay, how are you?" he asked, voice soft, still sleepy.
"Good. How about you?" I asked, trying to sound normal. Trying to sound like I wasn't about to destroy both of us.
"I'm good," he said.
"Keifer… can we go somewhere today? I have to tell you something."
A pause.
"Sure. I'll pick you up in twenty minutes."
"Okay. Bye," I said, pretending I was fine.
I got ready.
Not for a date. Not for a confession. For a goodbye.
I looked in the mirror and told myself I could do this. That this was mercy. That this was love.
I didn't believe it.
Downstairs, everyone greeted me with sleepy smiles and warm voices.
"So, Jay, are you going out with Keifer today?" Percy asked, pretending to be fine.
"Yeah. He's picking me up in five minutes," I said.
"Got to go. Bye."
"But you didn't even eat," Jare pointed out.
"I'm not hungry," I said.
"What? Jay the Great Jay is not hungry?" Luna asked, surprised.
"Oh, shut up," I said, forcing a laugh that didn't reach my eyes.
I went outside.
Keifer was already there, waiting by the car.
He smiled when he saw me. That soft, crooked smile that always made me feel like the world wasn't ending.
"Let's go," I said.
He nodded.
We got in the car.
The ride was quiet. Too quiet.
He was never this quiet. He always flirted when he had the chance. He always made me laugh, even when I didn't want to.
But today… He didn't.
He just drove. Hands tight on the wheel. Eyes on the road. Like he knew.
We reached our destination.
A quiet park. Empty. Still. Like it was holding its breath for us.
We sat on the bench where he first told me he liked me. Where I first believed I could be loved again.
"You've been quiet," I said, before dropping the bomb. "What's wrong?"
He shrugged. "Nothing. I guess… a lot happened yesterday."
His voice was distant. Like he was already bracing for impact.
"Anyway," he said, "you said you had something to tell me?"
"Right," I said.
I looked at him. Then I looked away. Then back again.
His eyes were so open. So trusting. It made me sick with guilt.
"I want to break up with you."
He blinked.
"What?" he asked, confused.
"You heard me," I said, trying not to cry. Trying to keep my voice from cracking under the weight of the lie.
"Why, Jay?" he asked, eyes already red. His voice barely above a whisper. Like if he said it too loud, it would become real.
"Why do you think?" I said, voice shaking. "You could say I used you for revenge… but I can't."
He stared at me. Waiting. Begging.
"I never loved you." Lie. I always loved you. From the moment you called me 'trouble' and smiled like it was a compliment.
"I only dated you because I wanted you to feel the same pain I felt." Lie. I never wanted you to feel the way I did. Alone. Abandoned. Afraid.
"I want you to never forget me," I said. And that part… That part was true.
"I don't want you to move on from me," I whispered.
Because if you move on, If you heal, If you stop loving me…
Then I'll really be gone.
He didn't speak.
He just stared at me. Like he was trying to memorize my face. Like he was trying to find the truth in my lies.
His hands were trembling.
"You're lying," he said finally. Quiet. Certain.
"I know you, Jay. I know when you're lying."
I looked away.
"I'm not," I said.
"You are."
He reached for my hand. I pulled away.
I was about to walk. One step. Two. Away from him. Away from everything.
But his next words froze me.