Keifer's POV
The rain hit harder than I expected.
Cold.
Sharp.
Relentless.
But not enough to drown it out.
Nothing ever is.
Her voice.
Her words.
"I was thinking about you."
I should be angry.
I was angry.
At her.
At him.
At everything.
But the moment I stepped outside—
It wasn't anger that stayed.
It was that look on her face.
The way her voice cracked.
The way she looked like she was about to lose me—
And didn't know how to stop it.
I dragged a hand through my wet hair, pacing the pavement, trying to breathe.
Trying to think.
But all I could see—
Was her.
Bleeding.
Standing there.
Still choosing me.
Even when I didn't make it easy.
"Damn it…" I muttered, my chest tightening.
Why does she do that?
Why does she always—
Care like that?
My hands curled into fists.
Because the truth?
The truth is—
I'm not mad that she didn't kill him.
I'm mad because…
I didn't.
Because he's still out there.
Because after all these years—
I'm still that kid.
Standing there.
Watching.
Powerless.
A shaky breath left my lips.
"…No."
I'm not that kid anymore.
And I'm not alone anymore either.
I turned.
Already moving before I could second-guess it.
Back to her.
Back to Jay.
The door slammed open as I rushed inside, breath uneven, heart pounding harder than it ever does in a fight.
"Jay—"
She turned.
Fast.
Like she hadn't moved from that spot.
Like she was waiting.
Her eyes—
God—
They hit me harder than anything tonight.
Hope.
Fear.
Regret.
All at once.
For a second—
Neither of us spoke.
Then I crossed the distance.
Fast.
Before I could stop myself.
Before she could say anything else that would make this harder.
My hands found her face—
And I kissed her.
Hard.
Desperate.
Like if I didn't, I'd lose her.
Like if I let another second pass, she'd slip away the way everything else in my life has.
She froze for half a second—
Then kissed me back.
And that—
That broke whatever was left holding me together.
I pulled back just enough to breathe, my forehead resting against hers.
"I'm sorry," I said, my voice rough, unsteady. "I'm sorry, okay? I shouldn't have walked out like that—"
Her hands tightened on my jacket. "Keifer—"
"No, listen to me," I said, shaking my head. "I was angry. I am angry. But not at you."
I swallowed hard.
"I don't know how to deal with this," I admitted. "With him. With what he did. And hearing that he was there—alive—like nothing happened…"
My voice faltered.
"I hate that he still gets in my head like this."
Jay's expression softened, her thumb brushing against my cheek, grounding me.
"You have every right to feel that way," she said quietly.
"Yeah, but I don't have the right to take it out on you."
That part mattered.
More than anything.
I let out a breath, my grip on her tightening slightly—not enough to hurt, just enough to remind myself she's real.
"You didn't let him go because you're weak," I said. "You did it because you were thinking about me."
A small, painful smile tugged at my lips.
"That's… messed up."
She huffed a soft laugh, tears threatening in her eyes. "Yeah. It is."
I leaned my forehead against hers again.
"But it's also the most you thing you could've done."
Silence settled between us.
Not heavy this time.
Just… close.
"I should've told you," she whispered.
"Yeah," I said honestly. "You should've."
Her expression fell slightly—
So I didn't let it linger.
"But I get why you didn't."
Her eyes searched mine.
"And I'm still here," I added.
That seemed to hit her.
Because the tension in her shoulders finally eased.
"I thought I lost you," she admitted.
"You're not getting rid of me that easily," I said, softer now.
A pause.
Then, quieter—
"I've already lost enough."
Her hands slid up to my face again, holding me there.
"Then don't walk away next time," she said.
"Then don't shut me out."
A beat.
"Deal?" I asked.
She nodded.
"Deal."
For a moment—
Everything felt still.
Safe.
Like maybe we could hold onto this.
Even with everything waiting for us outside.
I glanced down slightly, my expression shifting.
"…Next time we see him," I said quietly, "I'm not letting him walk away."
Jay didn't argue.
Didn't try to stop me.
She just nodded once.
"I know."
And somehow—
That was enough.
For now.