JAY JAYS POV
Keifer pulled me toward the building, his hand still warm on my shoulder, while Yuri stayed behind like some silent final boss waiting for his next move.
I didn't breathe until we turned the corner.
Keifer finally stopped walking and gave me that look.
That "I know something's wrong but I'm trying not to freak out" look.
"What was that about?" he asked quietly.
I froze.
Think brain think think THINK—
…nothing.
My brain: NO THOUGHTS. EMPTY. AIR.
"Uh—math!" I blurted. "Math stuff! Math-related…business."
Keifer stared at me.
"Jay."
I swallowed.
He stepped closer, bending a little because he's stupidly tall, and his voice dropped.
"You're shaking."
Huh???
No I'm not—
…
Okay maybe I'm vibrating like a Nokia phone.
"It's cold," I lied.
"We're inside."
"I—it's emotional cold."
He raised an eyebrow.
"Jasper Jean Fernandez Mariano."
OH NO NOT THE FULL NAME.
"When you lie, your voice gets higher," he said softly. "And right now, you sound like a helium balloon."
I opened my mouth—
But then—
Then my phone buzzed.
Buzz.
Buzz.
I froze.
Keifer frowned. "Who's texting you this early?"
I slowly, slowly pulled my phone out.
1 New Message — Keigan
Keifer was still staring at me like I was a math problem he knew had a wrong answer.
"Jay… why is Keigan texting you?"
Well how am I supposed to know maybe because of the key?- I opened my mouth to lie, to scream, to spontaneously combust—honestly, any option worked—
But then—
A blur.
A WHOOSH.
A loud gasp.
"GUYYYYSSSS!!!"
CI-N SLID into our space like a penguin on ice.
Literally slid. On his socks.
"YOU WILL NOT BELIEVE WHAT JUST HAPPENED."
He stopped, blinked, and looked at us.
"…Why do you two look like you're about to reenact a telenovela breakup scene?"
Keifer groaned softly and stepped back a little, rubbing his face like he needed strength from the heavens.
Yuri sighed, straightened his shirt, and suddenly transformed into Mr. Calm-and-Innocent.
But I?
I was shaking like a chihuahua.
Ci-N looked at all three of us.
Then pointed at me.
Then at Keifer.
Then at Yuri.
"Okay who's murdering who? Blink twice if you're being threatened."
I blinked 27 times.
Ci-N squinted. "Okay so everyone's being held hostage."
Keifer let out a long exhale. "Ci-N, not now."
Yuri clicked his tongue and looked away.
But the tension between ALL THREE of them?
Still there.
Thick.
Heavy.
Like palabok sauce.
Ci-N clapped loudly. "HELLO?? Why are we acting like three ghosts just told us our future?! I came here to tell you—it's FREE BREAD DAY in the cafeteria!"
…
My stomach growled like a dying dinosaur.
Ci-N gasped. "SEE?? EVEN HER STOMACH SUPPORTS MY PRIORITIES."
He grabbed my hand without warning.
"Come, Jay-jay. Food will heal whatever… this is."
He started pulling me away, and honestly?
I didn't resist. At all.
But as we walked off, I felt it.
Like a laser on the back of my neck.
Keifer's eyes.
Still watching.
Still worried.
Still suspicious.
I looked back for one second.
He was staring right at me.
Jaw tight. Eyes narrowed.
Not angry.
Not jealous.
Just… scared.
Like he knew something was wrong and I wasn't telling him.
Yuri noticed him staring and smirked like he enjoyed the chaos.
Ci-N, blissfully unaware, swung our arms like we were in kindergarten and said:
"Jay, do you want pandesal or cheese bread? Actually wait, you want both, why am I even asking—"
But my chest?
Still heavy.
Because even though Ci-N saved me from the moment…
He couldn't save me from the truth waiting in my pocket.
3 unread messages.
All from Keigan.
Ci-N practically dragged me to the cafeteria like a kid dragging their mom toward the toy section.
"JAY. LOOK."
He pointed at the counter dramatically.
Bread.
So. Much. Bread.
Heaven.
My stomach did a full orchestra performance.
Ci-N grabbed THREE pieces of cheese bread and shoved two into my hands.
"Eat. Eat NOW before your soul leaves your body."
I took a bite so fast I swear the bread didn't even touch air.
"Ci-N…" I whispered.
"This is the only reason I'm alive today."
He nodded. "Of course. I am your guardian angel. A carb angel."
I would've laughed but then—
Someone sat across from us.
Quiet.
Controlled.
Too familiar.
Yuri.
Holding his tray like he owned the whole cafeteria.
Ci-N didn't notice.
But I did.
I stiffened so hard I became a statue.
"Morning," Yuri said calmly.
Ci-N cheerfully replied, "Morning!!!"
Me?
I stared directly at the cheese bread like it held the secrets of the universe.
I pretend I do not see it.
I pretend I do not hear it.
Yuri who? I only know bread.
He waited.
"Jay."
No reaction from me.
"Jay-jay."
I stuffed a whole bite in my mouth.
Ci-N frowned. "Why are you eating like the FBI is chasing you?"
I kicked him under the table.
"OW—WHAT DID I—"
"Oh," Yuri said softly. "So you're ignoring me now."
My soul screamed.
Ci-N blinked between us. "Ignoring who? Huh? Jay? Hello?? Did you lose your hearing again—"
I kicked him harder.
"OW—WHAT IS YOUR PROBLEM—"
"I didn't say anything," I said quickly, eyes glued to my bread.
Yuri leaned forward slightly.
"You haven't looked at me since the car."
I almost choked on air.
Ci-N gasped dramatically.
"JAY. Did you commit a crime?"
"No."
"Yes."
"I MEAN NO."
"I MEAN—EAT YOUR BREAD."
Ci-N raised his eyebrows, totally lost.
Yuri stared at me for a long moment…
Then spoke with that voice—
the voice that made me want to drop dead in a bucket:
"We're still on the same page, right?"
My heart jumped out of my body.
Ci-N looked suspicious now. "What page? WHAT PAGE??? ARE YOU TWO STUDYING WITHOUT ME—"
"I'm not talking to you," Yuri muttered.
Ci-N gasped. "Wow. Rude."
I stayed silent, grabbing another bread like it was a shield.
Then—
A shadow fell over the table.
Keifer.
He placed his tray down beside me, sat next to me, and immediately scanned the table.
His eyes landed on Yuri.
Sharp.
Warning.
Then landed on me.
Soft.
Worried.
"Jay," he said quietly. "Why aren't you talking?"
CI-N answered for me. "She's ignoring Yuri!"
"CI-N—" I hissed.
Yuri's jaw flexed.
Keifer's eyes slowly turned to me, and I could feel the question he wasn't asking out loud:
Why?
What did he say?
What did he do?
I forced a smile that probably looked like I was having a stroke.
"I'm just… eating!"
Keifer raised an eyebrow.
Yuri watched me.
Ci-N ate his bread dramatically like he was watching a K-drama.
More silence.
More tension.
More bread.
Keifer leaned closer, voice so soft only I could hear:
"You don't have to be scared of him."
My breath caught.
Yuri froze.
Ci-N stopped chewing.
"I'm not scared," I whispered.
Keifer's eyes said: LIE.
Yuri's eyes said: Don't.
And mine?
Mine said:
Please…
Can everyone let me eat my bread in peace?