(Jay's POV)
The moment I stepped into Section E, chaos greeted me like it always did.
Felix was spinning his pen like he was auditioning for a circus.
Drew was half-standing on his chair arguing with Blaster.
"IT WASN'T MY FAULT!" Blaster yelled.
"YOU LITERALLY KICKED THE BALL INTO THE FAN!" Drew shot back.
Eman was laughing so hard he almost dropped his bag.
Same old Section E.
Cin noticed me first.
He grinned. "Oh look. The celebrity has arrived."
I rolled my eyes, sliding into my seat. "You're loud at 7 in the morning."
David popped up from behind his chair. "Good morning, Jay!"
I smiled. "Morning, David."
Before I could even take my notebook out—
My Phone Buzzed.
I didn't have to check.
𝐙𝐚𝐧𝐞
He messaged."Did you miss me already? Or are you pretending to study in Section E?"
I bit back a smile.
Cin narrowed his eyes. "Why are you smiling like that?"
"Why are you watching my face?" I shot back.
Felix leaned over dramatically. "Jay has secrets."
Drew gasped. "Wait—is it a secret admirer?"
Blaster smirked. "If it is, this is scandal."
I ignored them and tucked my phone inside my notebook.
The bell rang.
Sir Alvin entered.
Behind him—
Keifer.
He nodded slightly at Sir Alvin and went straight to his seat.
Didn't look at me.
Not once.
Okay.
Fine.
Sir Alvin started writing formulas on the board.
I twirled my pen.
Buzz.
He texted."Is Keifer ignoring you on purpose or is he just dramatic today?"
I froze.
Slowly, I glanced toward the window.
Across the corridor—
Zane was leaning against the wall outside Section A.
Looking straight in.
Smirking.
I quickly typed back.
"Focus on your own class."
Instant reply.
"What if I don't want to?"
A meme popped up.
It was a badly edited picture of me mid-yawn.
Caption: when she acts tough but can't survive morning classes.
I snorted.
Too loud.
The class went silent.
Sir Alvin turned slowly. "Something amusing, Jay?"
"Uh— no, Sir."
Cin leaned in. "Who's the mysterious texter?"
"Mind your business."
Another buzz.
"Smile again. I dare you."
I bit my lip to stop it.
I could feel a glare burning my back—
I turned.
Keifer was looking.
Not at my face.
At my phone.
His jaw tightened slightly.
Then he looked back at the board.
That was worse.
P.E. period.
Miss Smith blew the whistle the second we stepped onto the court.
"Line up!"
Everyone groaned.
Halfway through stretching—
The bell rang.
The court exploded.
People ran to change.
I grabbed my bag and headed to the washroom.
Changed.
Came back.
Section A was already there.
Including Zane.
He looked way too pleased with himself.
Coach arrived, made us jog, jumping jacks, push-ups.
Then—
"I'll be back. Take laps."
The second he left, everyone slowed down.
I stepped aside to breathe and checked my phone.
New message.
From Zane.
I opened it.
And froze.
It was the same yawn picture.
But zoomed in.
Worse quality.
Caption: when she thinks she's intimidating but screams during 2 laps.
"WHAT THE FUCKK!"
I yelled.
And then i saw someone across the court—
Freya was staring at me.
Head tilted.
Arms crossed.
Slow smirk.
That was HER line.
Felix wheezed. "She stole Freya's brand!"
Freya walked toward me slowly. "Wow. Copycat era?"
"I didn't—"
"You literally said my dialogue."
"My tongue slipped!"
"Still."
She smirked and walked off.
Behind her—
Zane was trying not to laugh.
Which made it worse.
I marched straight to him and punched his arm.
"What is WRONG with you?!"
"Ow," he said dramatically. "Violence in front of two sections?"
"You edited that photo!"
"I enhanced it."
"You sent it to everyone!"
"Correction," he leaned closer, lowering his voice, "I sent it to you."
Too close.
I stepped back.
He stepped forward.
Our shoulders brushed.
My heart skipped.
"You scream cute, by the way," he murmured.
"I did not scream cute."
"You did."
Cin yelled from across the court, "We can see you two!"
Felix cupped his hands. "Enemies to lovers arc!"
"SHUT UP!" I snapped.
Zane grinned.
"If I get any closer," he said softly, leaning down slightly, "are you going to hit me again?"
My hand lifted automatically.
He caught my wrist.
Not tight.
Just enough.
The world paused.
Both sections staring.
My wrist in his hand.
His face inches from mine.
"You're violent," he said quietly.
"Let go."
"Say please."
I glared.
He laughed.
Aries walked over. "What's wrong?"
"He's annoying!"
Aries looked at Zane. "You look proud."
"I am."
Aries rolled his eyes. "You're both dumb."
He walked off.
Zane was still looking at me.
Still close.
"Lean down," I muttered.
He blinked. "What?"
"Just do it."
He bent slightly.
I grabbed his collar and whispered something mischievous into his ear.
His eyes widened.
Then he burst out laughing.
Loud.
The entire court turned again.
"WHAT DID SHE SAY?!" Cin screamed.
Zane wiped his eye. "You're insane."
"You started it."
He stepped even closer one last time.
Close enough that my brain shut down.
And then—
I felt it.
That stare.
Across the court.
Keifer.
He wasn't smiling.
Wasn't reacting.
Wasn't stepping in.
He was just watching.
Jaw tight.
Hands clenched at his sides.
Eyes sharp.
Zane followed my gaze.
He noticed.
Of course he noticed.
A slow smirk spread across his face.
"Oh," he murmured softly so only I could hear. "That explains a lot."
"Explains what?"
"Why this is fun."
My stomach flipped.
Not because Zane was close.
Not because everyone was watching.
But because—
Keifer looked away.
Like he didn't care.
Like it didn't affect him.
Zane was still too close.
Like… unnecessarily close.
Close enough that I could see the tiny scratch near his eyebrow.
Close enough that I could feel his breath when he laughed.
"You're staring," he murmured.
"I'm not."
"You are."
"I'm analyzing how annoying you look."
He smirked. "And?"
"And… you're very annoying."
"That's not what your face says."
"My face says nothing."
"It says you're flustered."
"I am not flustered."
He leaned down slightly again.
"You're blushing."
"I'm hot. It's P.E."
"It's cloudy."
I hate him.
Behind us, Cin gasped dramatically.
"HER EARS ARE RED."
"SHUT UP!" I snapped, which only made my face hotter.
Zane noticed.
Of course he noticed.
His grin softened just a little.
That was worse.
Because now it didn't feel like teasing.
It felt intentional.
"Lean down," I muttered again.
He blinked. "Are you going to threaten me?"
"Just lean."
He bent down, bringing his ear close.
Everyone was watching.
Both sections.
Freya literally stepped closer.
Cin had his hands over his mouth.
Felix whispered, "This is cinema."
I grabbed Zane's collar slightly so he couldn't move away.
And I whispered:
"If you keep trying to make him jealous, at least try harder. I'm not even impressed yet."
Silence.
For half a second.
Then—
Zane pulled back slowly.
His eyes widened just a bit.
Then he laughed.
Not his usual loud teasing laugh.
A real one.
"Oh," he said softly. "So you noticed."
My face heated instantly.
"I didn't say I cared."
"You cared enough to say something."
I crossed my arms. "You're predictable."
He stepped closer again.
"You're bold today."
"You started it."
"No," he said quietly, eyes flicking toward Keifer for a second. "You did. The second you reacted."
My stomach flipped.
Why does he say things like that in public.
From the side, Edrix whispered loudly, "WHY ARE THEY TALKING SO CLOSE."
Cin yelled, "IS THIS A CONFESSION."
I turned bright red.
"Can you all stop existing?!" I snapped.
Zane leaned in again, voice low.
"You're cute when you're embarrassed."
"I am not embarrassed."
"You're pink."
"I am sunburned."
"It's been ten minutes."
I hate him.
He suddenly moved even closer — not touching — just hovering.
"If I step any closer," he murmured, "are you going to fold?"
"I don't fold."
"You just did."
My brain short-circuited.
I looked away first.
He noticed.
Of course he did.
"That's what I thought."
Behind him—
Keifer was still watching.
Not interrupting.
Not fighting.
Just staring.
His jaw tight.
His expression unreadable.
And for some reason—
That made my cheeks burn even more.
Not because Zane was teasing.
But because I suddenly wondered—
If Keifer noticed I was blushing too.
And—
Zane was still looking at me like I'd just challenged him.
Like this was a game now.
"Oh," Zane said softly, tilting his head. "You want me to try harder?"
"I didn't say that."
"You implied it."
"I implied you're bad at this."
He laughed under his breath.
"Bad?" He leaned closer. "You're the one blushing."
"I am not—"
"You are."
His fingers brushed my wrist again — not grabbing this time. Just grazing.
It felt intentional.
I hated that I noticed.
"Careful," he murmured, voice lower now. "You keep looking at me like that, people are going to think you like me."
"I'm looking at you like I regret knowing you."
"Mm. That's not what your eyes say."
My heart actually skipped.
Stop.
Behind us—
Cin whispered loudly, "This is illegal levels of tension."
Felix fanned himself dramatically. "I can't breathe."
Blaster leaned toward Drew. "Five seconds before she folds."
"IM NOT FOLDING!" I snapped.
Zane stepped even closer.
Not touching.
But close enough that if I leaned forward even a little—
Nope.
He smirked. "Still not impressed?"
I swallowed. "You're trying too hard."
"Oh?" His voice dropped slightly. "I haven't even started."
My stomach flipped.
I hate that it flipped.
He leaned down again, closer to my ear.
"Want to hear something actually mischievous?"
"…What."
His breath brushed my ear.
"If I really wanted to make him jealous, I wouldn't tease you."
My brain paused.
"…Then what would you do?"
He smiled against my ear.
"I'd stop pretending."
My face went completely hot.
"What does that even mean?"
"It means," he said lightly, pulling back just enough to look at me, "I flirt for fun."
His eyes flicked down to my lips for half a second.
"But I don't look at people for fun."
Oh.
Oh that was dangerous.
I immediately looked away.
He noticed.
"You looked away first."
"Shut up."
"You're blushing again."
"It's P.E."
"You're not even running."
I punched his arm again.
He caught my hand this time — quicker.
"Violent."
"Annoying."
"Cute."
"Delusional."
He grinned.
"Say it again."
"No."
"Say I'm delusional again."
"Why?"
"Because you look really pretty when you're trying not to smile."
My brain malfunctioned.
Behind us—
Cin actually choked.
Blaster slapped his arm. "I TOLD YOU."
Felix: "THIS IS NOT A DRILL."
Even Section A had stopped pretending to jog.
I tried pulling my hand back.
Zane didn't tighten his grip.
But he didn't let go either.
He stepped just a tiny bit closer.
Now we were really too close.
"Relax," he murmured. "I'm joking."
"…Are you?"
He paused.
Just for a second.
Then that playful grin came back.
"Maybe."
I hate him.
Across the court—
Keifer was watching.
Not interfering.
Not saying anything.
Just watching.
And somehow that was worse.
Because now it felt like I was aware of everything.
Zane's hand.
The distance.
The staring.
The heat in my cheeks.
He followed my gaze toward Keifer.
Then leaned down one last time and whispered:
"Careful, Jay. If you keep reacting like this, I might actually start enjoying it."
My heart did something stupid.
I shoved him lightly.
"Go run your laps."
He laughed and finally let go.
But as he walked backwards—
He winked.
And mouthed:
"Not done."
I'm actually going to pass out.
GUYS COMMENT FOR NEXT CHAPTERZ✋ALSO I DELETED THE ONE I UPLOADED BEFORE THIS.BECAUSE IT WAS NOT MATCHING THE VIBES