Cyrus noticed the shift immediately.
Jay wasn't where she used to be.
Different classroom.
Different seat.
Different person beside her.
Keifer.
Cyrus stood outside the classroom longer than necessary, eyes narrowing when he saw how close they were sitting. Jay felt his presence before she saw him—her body reacting on instinct, chest tightening, fingers curling inward.
When the bell rang, students poured into the hallway.
Cyrus stepped directly into her path.
"Jay," he said, voice smooth. "Why didn't you tell me you changed classes?"
She froze.
"I've been calling you," he added. "You can't just disappear like that."
Her phone vibrated in her bag, like proof.
"I just want to talk," he said, stepping closer.
Jay's breath hitched. The hallway blurred at the edges. Without thinking—without deciding—she reached for Keifer and held onto his arm, fingers tightening around his sleeve.
Keifer felt it instantly.
He turned, placing himself slightly in front of her—not blocking her, not pulling her away—just there.
"She's with me now," he said calmly. "You can leave."
Cyrus' expression hardened. Irritation slipped through his polite mask.
"Wow," he scoffed. "Didn't know I was being replaced."
Keifer didn't respond.
Jay didn't look at Cyrus.
After a tense second, Cyrus smiled thinly. "Fine."
Then he walked away.
Jay's grip didn't loosen until he disappeared around the corner.
Her hands were shaking.
Keifer noticed.
"You okay?" he asked quietly.
She nodded. "Yeah."
They walked out together without speaking.
Later—much later—Jay stood outside Keifer's room, hesitating before knocking. When he opened the door, she blurted out, "You didn't mean what you said, right?"
He frowned slightly. "What I said?"
"When you told him I was with you."
Keifer was quiet for a moment.
"I didn't mean it like that," he said gently. "Not… ownership. Not replacing anyone."
She watched his face carefully.
"I meant," he continued, choosing his words, "that you weren't alone. That you had someone standing with you. That's all."
Something in her chest loosened.
"Oh," she said softly.
He added, almost awkwardly, "If you'd wanted me to say something different, I would've."
Jay shook her head. "No. It was… right."
They stood there, the hallway quiet between them.
For the first time, Jay understood something important:
Keifer hadn't claimed her.
He had stood beside her—and that made all the difference.
And somehow, that respect made her feel safer than anything else ever had.