Jay's pov:
Keifer didn't just hold me; he pulled me into his space until the world felt like it consisted only of the scent of his cologne and the steady, heavy thrum of his heartbeat against my shoulder.
He take me to empty class just near our 's.
"So," he murmured. His voice dropped to a low, gravelly register that sent a physical shiver straight down my spine.
He leaned down, his lips hovering just an inch from my earlobe. "About that 'Dukky Bear' text. Start talking, Jay. Is your brother actually a plushie enthusiast, or did you hit your head?"
I swallowed hard, my throat feeling suddenly dry.
I couldn't tell him the truth about Angelo—I'd be signing my own death warrant. If he came to know that I share his softest secret with the king of ulupulongs, he'll bury us both and won't even care to plant a sunflower on our graves. Ugh!
"It's... it wasn't about him," I whispered, my heart hammering against my ribs like a trapped bird. "The 'bear' in the message... it was you. You're the bear. Because you're always so... grumpy."
I looked up at him, trying to look brave, but my breath hitched.
Keifer wasn't laughing. He was looking at me with an intensity that felt like it was melting the floor beneath my feet. His eyes darkened, tracing the line of my jaw down to my neck.
"A grumpy bear, huh?" He shifted, his hand sliding from my shoulder to the back of my neck, his thumb grazing the sensitive skin just behind my ear.
The air between us suddenly felt thick, like we were standing in the middle of a storm.
My heart wasn't just beating; it was thudding in my ears. He leaned in, the tip of his nose brushing against my skin, sending a jolt of electricity through my entire body.
"You know what bears do when they find something they don't want to share?" he breathed against my skin.
"W-what?" I managed to gasp, my eyes fluttering shut.
"They leave a mark."
He didn't wait. He pressed his lips to the junction where my neck meets my shoulder. I felt the heat of his breath, then the firm, stinging pressure of his teeth grazing my skin before the soft, insistent pull. "Aahhhhh"
A wave of heat crashed over me.
My fingers instinctively curled into the fabric of his shirt, pulling him closer as a soft, involuntary gasp escaped my lips. It wasn't just a mark; it felt like he was branding my soul.
Every nerve ending in my body was screaming, and for a second, the hallway disappeared. There was no school, no brothers, no Section E—just the fire Keifer was starting under my skin.
He pulled back slowly, his thumb tracing the reddening mark he'd just left. He looked at me with a smirk that was half-devilsih and half-tender. "There. Now everyone knows who you belong to, Wifey."
I couldn't even speak. My brain was short-circuiting. He was irresistible.
"JAY-JAY!"
The roar of voice was like an ice-cold bucket of water. I jumped back, my face burning so hot I was sure I was glowing.
Aries marched toward us, his face a terrifying shade of crimson.
"What... is... THAT?!" he screamed, pointing at my neck. "I am going to kill him! I'm going to bury him in the school basement!"
I was ready to cry from embarrassment until I noticed Aries' collar. As he yelled, his jacket shifted, revealing a dark, purplish-blue mark right on his collarbone.
The butterflies in my stomach turned into wicked little gremlins.
Oh wow!, it's the time to reveal real traitor.
"Oh? You're scolding me?" I stepped forward, my voice returning with a vengeance.
I pointed a finger right at his neck. "Then explain that, Kuya. Did a 'horoscope' bite you, or did you find a 'patootie' of your own?"
Ofcourse I know, It's Ella bella but still...
Aries' jaw dropped. His hand flew to his neck, his eyes wide with pure, unadulterated panic. "It's... it's a sports injury! I was... wrestling! Shut up! Just go to class!"
I turned my face just to see keifer's face if he is still affected by that Ella.
But no he was smiling, actually grinning, with red ears.
Aries turned and practically ran down the hall, his face redder than a fire engine.
Keifer chuckled, looking smug. "Well, looks like I'm not the only one getting lucky. See you later, Jay."
He turned to walk away, looking far too victorious.
Not a chance.
I lunged forward, grabbing his wrist. I pulled him back, and before he could react, I stood on my tiptoes and wrapped my arms around his neck. I buried my face in his skin, finding the spot right below his ear, and bit down—hard and deliberate.
I felt him stiffen, a low growl catching in his throat, his hands instinctively gripping my waist. I pulled back, whispering against his skin, "Payback. Now we're even, Bear."
Keifer stood there, stunned for a second, his hand moving to the spot.
A dark, dangerous, and incredibly attractive grin slowly spread across his lips.
"You're learning, Jay-Jay," he whispered. "But you just started a war."
I let go and ran toward my classroom, leaving the "King of Snakes" standing in the hallway, dazed and marked.
I practically tumbled into the classroom, my heart still performing a frantic drum solo against my ribs.
My neck felt like it was on fire—a tingling, electric heat that refused to fade. I quickly shook my hair loose, pulling the thick strands forward to drape over my shoulder like a curtain.
Hide it. Hide it. If they see this, I'm dead. They'll never let me live this down.
I sat at my desk, trying to look intensely interested in my notebook, but the room was already buzzing.
A second later, the door swung open and Keifer walked in. He wasn't even trying to hide it. He walked with that slow, arrogant stride, his collar slightly rumpled, revealing the dark, jagged mark I'd left on his neck for the whole world to see.
The classroom went silent for exactly one second. Then, it exploded.
"WOAAHHH!" Felix shrieked, jumping onto a chair. "Look at the King! He's been wounded in battle! Or should I say... he's been claimed!"
"Is that a bite mark?!" Mayo hollered, leaning over his desk to get a better look. "Keifer, did you get into a fight with a tiger? Or just a very small, very angry bird?"
The Section E boys erupted into a chorus of whistles and catcalls.
Keifer's face didn't turn red—it turned dangerous. He let out a low, guttural roar that echoed off the walls.
"SHUT UP! ALL OF YOU!" He slammed his hand down on his desk, the sound like a gunshot.
"One more word and I'll make sure none of you can walk to lunch. Get back to your seats!"
The boys scrambled, terrified but still snickering behind their hands. Keifer sat down, looking grumpy but undeniably smug.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Thank God. They're too distracted by him to notice—
"Wait a minute."
CN had appeared out of nowhere. He was squinting at me, his head tilted like a curious puppy. Before I could react, he reached out and flicked a lock of my hair away from my shoulder.
"JAY-JAY HAS ONE TOO!" CN's voice pierced through the air like a siren. "MATCHING MARKS! THE KING AND HIS QUEEN ARE BRANDED!"
The room erupted. Felix was literally rolling on the floor, Rory was banging his desk like a drum, and David was whistling so loud my ears were ringing.
"Aww, look at them!" Felix wheezed, pointing at us. "The 'King of Snakes' has been tamed by a 'Wifey' bite! Keifer, does it hurt, or are you just enjoying the view?"
Keifer slammed his locker shut, his usual cool composure completely shattered. While he was trying to look terrifying, his ears were a bright, burning scarlet that betrayed him.
"I said shut up!" Keifer roared, but the threat was ruined by the way his eyes kept flickering toward me. Even with his red ears, he couldn't help himself.
He leaned back against his desk, looking at me through his lashes. "What's the matter, Jay-Jay? You were so brave in the hallway. Why are you hiding under your hair now?"
"Keifer, stop it!" I squeaked, my voice cracking. "I'm going to set your desk on fire!"
"Go ahead," he smirked, his voice dropping into a flirtatious hum that only made the boys cheer louder. "I like it when you're fiery."
"EYYYYYY!" the boys screamed in unison.
Suddenly, the door creaked open. Sir Alvin stepped in, clutching his lesson plan. He stopped dead, looking at the chaos, his eyes landing directly on Keifer—specifically, the jagged purple mark on his neck.
The room went deathly silent.
Sir Alvin adjusted his glasses, leaning in with a mischievous glint in his eyes. "Mr. Watson... that is quite a... distinctive injury you have there. Did you perhaps get caught in a stapler? Or should I call the school nurse for a 'skin emergency'?"
Keifer froze, his face finally catching up to the color of his ears. He opened his mouth, but no words came out.
"Oh, that, Sir?" Felix piped up, his face a mask of fake innocence. "That's just a mosquito bite, Sir! A very specific, Section E-sized mosquito. It's a rare species found only in the hallways!"
Sir Alvin looked at me, seeing my face buried in my hands and my hair hiding half my head. He let out a short, knowing chuckle.
"A mosquito, eh?" Sir Alvin smiled, tapping his ruler against his palm. "Well, it seems this 'mosquito' has excellent timing. But unless you want that mosquito to follow you into summer school, I suggest you all take out your reviewers."
He slammed his book onto the podium, his expression shifting into 'Teacher Mode.' "Straighten up! If I see one more person looking at a neck instead of a textbook, I'm doubling the difficulty of the Physics exam.
Keifer, sit. Jay-Jay, stop trying to merge with your desk. Let's begin."
The boys groaned, finally settling down, but the air was still thick with the scent of hidden smirks and fluttering butterflies. I dared a glance at Keifer; he was already looking at me, mouthing the words: 'Mosquito, huh?'
I stuck my tongue out at him and finally opened my book, my heart still racing a hundred miles an hour.
"Behind the laughter and the 'mosquito' lies,
is a brand of a heart that no longer hides."