Chapter 7 – Between the Noise 🌙
Jay's pov 😶🌫️
The library was the safest place we could think of. At least, that's what I told myself. No loud voices. No dancing on desks. No doodled wedding invitations on the whiteboard. Finally, peace.
Keifer sat across from me, notebook open, pen in hand, eyes scanning the draft like this was the most normal thing in the world. And for a while, it was normal. Just us, quietly working. No chants. No chaos. Just the steady sound of typing and scribbling.
"You divided this pretty neatly," he said, tapping the outline.
I shrugged, not looking up. "Someone has to make sure it gets done."
"Still the same Jay," he said softly.
That made me freeze for a second. My fingers paused over the keyboard. Still the same Jay. Did that mean he'd been paying attention… even before London?
I pushed the thought aside quickly. "And you're still the same Keifer. Calm. Quiet. Annoyingly unbothered."
That earned me a small laugh, low but real.
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Of course, the peace didn't last. It never does when Section E exists.
From behind one of the shelves, a very suspicious "ACHOO!" echoed through the library.
I narrowed my eyes. "No way…"
Sure enough, a head popped out—Mayo's. Then another—Rory's. Then all of them, tumbling out like they were part of a clown car: Blaster, Felix with snacks, Calix scolding him, Ci-n pulling David's ear, Yuri and Josh pretending they were "cover agents," Kit and Drew carrying sketchpads like paparazzi.
"ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!" I whisper-yelled, slamming my notebook shut.
"Shhh!" The librarian glared daggers at us. "QUIET!"
Section E froze for two seconds, then scattered like guilty toddlers. Half of them tried to hide behind shelves again, the other half tiptoed dramatically toward the exit.
I dropped my head into my hands. "I hate them."
Keifer chuckled under his breath. "You don't."
I peeked at him, ready to argue, but stopped. He wasn't teasing me. He was smiling—gentle, quiet, like he meant it.
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When the last of Section E got dragged outside by the furious librarian, the silence returned. This time, it felt different.
I leaned back in my chair, sighing. "They're impossible."
"They're family," Keifer said simply, eyes still on me. "Loud. Annoying. But… they care."
I didn't reply right away. My chest tightened, because he wasn't just talking about them. He was talking about me. About us.
"Jay," he said quietly, serious now. "I regret leaving like I did."
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The words hit me harder than I expected. For weeks after London, I told myself I didn't care. That it didn't matter. That he was gone and I could move on. But hearing him say it, here, face-to-face… the ache I buried came rushing back.
I tried to keep my voice steady. "Well… you're here now. That's what matters. For the project."
He gave a small nod, but his eyes said more. "For the project," he repeated.
And we went back to writing. But even with our pens scratching and keyboards clacking, the silence between us wasn't empty anymore. It was full. Heavy. Like a secret only the two of us could hear.
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Outside, through the glass doors, I could still see Section E sitting on the library steps, banned but unbothered. Mayo was giving a dramatic speech, Rory was pretending to take notes, and Kit was already sketching "Jayfer Library AU."
I groaned softly. "They're never going to stop."
Keifer's lips tugged upward again. "No. They won't."
And somehow, for the first time in a while… I didn't really mind.
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✨ End of Chapter 7 ✨
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Would you like Chapter 8 to be a quieter walk-home scene with just Jay and Keifer (where Section E maybe spies again but from a distance), so the emotional side builds even more?
Tell me in the comments
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Bye bye
Love you all ❤️