The Worst Kept Secret
The school assembly was the worst kind of chaos — the kind where everyone had to be there but no one wanted to be.
Jay leaned against the wall at the back of the auditorium, cast tucked into her hoodie pocket, eyes half-closed as the student council president droned on about "school spirit" and "community collaboration."
Keifer was three feet away.
Too close to ignore.
Too far to feel safe.
And of course, the worst part?
Someone had left an empty chair between them.
Like the universe was teasing them.
Just as Jay was considering ditching the whole thing—
"Jayjay!" a loud whisper hissed, followed by the sound of fast footsteps.
It was her — Nina, Jay's best friend, chaos incarnate, and unofficial president of the "Jayfer is endgame" fan club.
Nina plopped down beside her, practically vibrating with excitement. "Why are you standing all the way back here like you're not half of the most scandalous love story in the entire school?"
Jay groaned. "I'm trying not to be part of a story."
Nina wiggled her eyebrows. "Too late. People are calling you 'the girl who tamed the watson.'"
Jay snorted. "He's not a lion."
"No, but he growled at Nico yesterday in the library," Nina said gleefully. "Protective. Territorial. Hot."
Keifer, still close enough to hear, looked over. "You're talking about me again, aren't you?"
Nina didn't miss a beat. "Always, lover boy."
Jay hissed. "Nina—"
But it was too late.
Someone else had overheard. Then another.
Within seconds, it spread through the crowd like spilled ink:
"Wait... they're really together?" "Engaged, apparently." "No way." "You're kidding."
And then—
The mic picked it up.
The principal turned.
The entire assembly turned.
Dead silence.
Then—
"Jay mariano and Keifer Watson ," the principal read from the paper she was handed, confused. "Are you two... engaged?"
Keifer blinked.
Jay blinked.
Nina whispered, "This is your villain origin story, you know."
Keifer stepped forward before Jay could even process.
He rubbed the back of his neck, glancing at her once — the smallest flicker of a question in his eyes — before turning to the stage.
"Yeah," he said. "We are."
Gasps.
A squeal.
Someone clapped.
Jay stepped beside him, face hot but chin up. "It's... complicated."
Nina shouted from the back, "COMPLICATEDLY CUTE!"
Keifer bit back a laugh.
The principal blinked. "Well. Um. Congratulations... I guess?"
They shuffled off the "stage" (aka gym platform), and the murmurs were instant.
Afterward – In the Courtyard
"I hate you," Jay muttered, walking fast.
"I saved you," Keifer said, catching up. "You were gonna stammer for five minutes."
"Not the point."
"Look on the bright side. People ship us now."
"People are weird."
Nina suddenly appeared beside them again. "Can I plan the wedding? No? Just the afterparty? Fine. Jay, he looked at you like you hung the stars—"
Jay groaned. "Stop!"
"I'm just saying, if enemies-to-lovers had a face, it's this." She pointed at both of them dramatically. "You two were literally meant to be."
Keifer grinned, slipping his hands into his pockets.
Jay glared at him. "Don't you dare enjoy this."
"I'm not."
"You're smiling."
"Because you're flustered."
Jay turned away.
But not before he said, quietly:
"You always get flustered when it's the truth."
She froze.
But he kept walking.
Didn't look back.
Didn't say more.
Didn't have to.
Because everyone had seen it now.
And Jay?
Jay wasn't sure if she was still faking it anymore.