Chapter 51: last day (unserious edition)
Jay's POV
I woke up with an arm around my waist and a leg thrown over mine like I was some kind of emotional support pillow.
Again.
At this point, I should start charging rent.
I tried to move.
Failed.
Keifer tightened his hold immediately, mumbling something that sounded suspiciously like "mine."
I sighed. "Keifer."
"No."
"Keifer."
"Still no."
"I have places to be."
"You are exactly where you need to be."
I twisted my head back just enough to glare at him. "I'm not a teddy bear."
He kissed my shoulder. "Could've fooled me."
I elbowed him. Hard.
"Ow," he said dramatically. "Violence first thing in the morning. Incredible."
"You're literally clinging to me."
"And I would do it again."
We finally made it downstairs an hour later because someone insisted on "five more minutes" seventeen times.
Alex and Honey were already at the breakfast table.
Alex was leaning back in his chair, sunglasses on, coffee in hand like he'd survived a war.
"You look awful," I told him.
"Thank you," he said. "I worked very hard for this."
Honey snorted into her drink. "He woke up early for once."
"I always wake up early," Alex argued.
Keifer raised an eyebrow. "You woke up at eleven yesterday."
"That was a strategic nap."
Honey just shook her head.
We sat down, and immediately chaos followed.
Keifer stole food off my plate.
"Excuse you."
"You weren't eating it."
"I was emotionally preparing to eat it."
Alex pointed his fork at Keifer. "You do that to her food and not mine?"
"I value my life," Keifer replied.
Honey smirked. "Smart."
After breakfast, we walked down to the beach.
Alex was taking pictures of everything.
"This lighting is perfect," he said.
"You took a photo of a rock," I pointed out.
"A meaningful rock."
Honey leaned over. "He's been like this all morning."
Keifer whispered to me, "Is this what love does to people?"
"Apparently it makes them annoying," I whispered back.
Alex gasped. "I can hear you."
"Good," I said. "Internalize it."
Keifer nudged me. "You're mean."
"You love it."
Unfortunately, he smiled.
We spent the afternoon doing absolutely nothing productive.
Keifer tried to race me into the water. Lost. Complained.
"That was cheating."
"How."
"You're naturally competitive."
"That sounds like a you problem."
Alex and Honey were sitting near us, arguing over sunscreen.
"I said SPF 50," Honey insisted.
"I grabbed 30."
"That's not enough."
"For you or the sun?"
She stared at him.
Alex sighed. "I'll go get the 50."
Keifer leaned toward me. "He's gone."
"Completely," I agreed.
At some point, Keifer casually dropped the bomb.
"So," he said, skipping a stone across the water, "I'm moving back."
I blinked. "Back where?"
"The Philippines."
I turned to him slowly. "Say that again."
"I'm moving. Permanently."
Alex's head snapped up. "Wait, seriously?"
"Yes."
Honey tilted her head. "That explains the late-night calls."
Keifer shrugged. "Work stuff."
I crossed my arms. "You were just going to casually say that like it's nothing?"
"I mean, it's kind of a big deal," he admitted. "But I didn't want to make it weird."
I laughed. "You are weird."
"True."
The sun started setting, and somehow we all went quiet for once.
Alex broke it. "I don't want to go back."
Honey smiled. "We'll travel again."
"Together?" he asked too quickly.
She didn't answer. Just nudged his shoulder.
Keifer leaned into me. "Last sunset here."
"Stop making it dramatic."
"I can't. It's in my DNA."
I rested my head against his shoulder anyway.
"If you ever cling to me like this in public," I warned, "I will deny knowing you."
He grinned. "Worth it."
As we walked back, Keifer slipped his fingers into mine like it was the most natural thing in the world.
Alex pretended not to see. Honey definitely did.
"This trip ruined my professionalism," Alex announced.
"You never had any," I replied.
Keifer laughed. "Tomorrow we go home."
I squeezed his hand. "Yeah."