Jay barely made it three steps down the hallway before Freya Nightthorn appeared out of nowhere like a boss battle.
Hands on hips. Hair perfect. Attitude sharp enough to cut glass.
The school gasped.
Crimson Oaths whispered, "ROUND TWO—" Nightthorns whispered, "FREYA'S GONNA START DRAMA—" Aiden whispered, "Please don't fight." Daniel whispered, "I'm leaving."
Freya blocked Jay's path. "So. You and Keifer have to hold hands now?"
Jay sighed. "Please. Not you."
Freya smirked. "You think you're special?"
Jay blinked. "What?"
Freya stepped closer. "Girls like me trained for years to be compatible with him. And you? You just show up and suddenly you're his… whatever."
Jay's eye twitched. "Okay. First of all? I didn't ask for any of this."
Freya scoffed. "You don't deserve him."
Jay froze.
The hallway froze.
Keifer—standing behind Jay—also froze.
Jay took a deep breath. "You know what? No. I'm done being quiet."
Freya raised an eyebrow.
Jay stepped forward. "You think I don't know Keifer is… Keifer? Strong. Smart. Scary. Annoying. Impossible. And—fine—kind of amazing sometimes."
The hallway screamed.
Freya blinked. "Excuse me?"
Jay kept going. "But that doesn't mean you get to talk like he's some prize you can win. He's a person. And if he wanted you, he'd be with you."
Crimson Oaths: "OOOOOOH—" Nightthorns: "SHE SAID IT—" Aiden: "Oh no oh no oh no—" Daniel: "I'm transferring."
Freya's face turned red. "You think he wants you?"
Jay shrugged. "Ask him."
Freya spun toward Keifer. "Well?!"
Keifer didn't even look at Freya.
He was staring at Jay.
Not blinking. Not breathing. Just staring like she hung the moon.
Jay felt her stomach flip. "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Keifer's voice was low. "You defended me."
Jay's face went red. "I wasn't defending you—"
"You were."
"I wasn't—"
"You were."
Jay groaned. "STOP DOING THAT."
Freya stomped her foot. "HELLO? I'M STILL HERE—"
Keifer didn't look at her.
Not once.
He only said, "Jay's right."
Freya froze. "What?"
Keifer stepped closer to Jay—slow, calm, dangerous.
Jay stepped back.
He stepped closer again.
Jay hit a locker.
The hallway screamed.
Keifer leaned in just a little. "If I wanted Freya, I'd be with Freya."
Jay swallowed. "Okay—"
"But I'm not."
Jay's heart did a full flip. "Okay—"
"I'm with you."
Jay's brain shut down.
Freya looked like she'd been slapped by destiny.
Crimson Oaths exploded. Nightthorns screamed. Aiden fainted. Daniel walked away whispering, "I'm DONE."
Jay shoved Keifer lightly. "STOP SAYING THINGS LIKE THAT IN PUBLIC—"
He smirked. "You like it."
Jay: "NO I DON'T—"
Keifer: "Liar."
Jay covered her face. "I hate this school."
Keifer leaned in. "But not me."
Jay froze.
Butterflies. Everywhere.
She whispered, "Shut up."
He smiled—actually smiled.
And Freya?
She stormed away, furious, defeated, and absolutely done.
The hallway erupted again.
"JAYFER FOREVER—" "THEY'RE BASICALLY DATING—" "FREYA LOST—" "AIDEN WAKE UP—"
Jay groaned. "This is a nightmare."
Keifer: "It's perfect."
Jay: "STOP."
Keifer: "Make me."
Jay: "KEIFER—"
And the teasing?
Just getting started.