It started with an announcement.
Principal Morticia Black Hollow walked into the morning assembly looking serious. Not her usual cold-serious. Actual serious. Worried.
"Students," she said. "I have news."
The hall went silent.
"Black Hollow has become increasingly dangerous. The shadows. The forgotten floor. The attacks. We need stronger protection. Stronger leadership."
She paused.
"Therefore, I am stepping down as Principal."
Gasps. Whispers. Panic.
"I will be taking a new role as Head of Security. Focusing on keeping this school safe. But the position of Principal requires someone else. Someone strong. Someone capable. Someone who knows this school and its students."
She looked directly at one person.
"Mark Keifer Watson. You are now Interim Principal of Black Hollow University."
The hall EXPLODED.
Keifer's face didn't change. But Jay felt his hand tighten around hers.
"Effective immediately," Morticia continued. "You will have an office. Responsibilities. Authority. You will still attend most classes, but your primary duty is now leadership."
Keifer stood. Calm. Controlled.
"I accept," he said.
The hall cheered. Mostly. Some Nightthorns looked jealous. Some teachers looked relieved. Lyra looked like she might actually die from excitement.
Jay stared at her boyfriend. Her boyfriend was now the PRINCIPAL.
"What," she whispered.
The first day was chaos.
Keifer had an office now. A real office. Big desk. Bookshelves. Windows overlooking the courtyard.
He also had responsibilities. Meetings. Paperwork. Decisions.
"I barely saw him today," Jay complained at dinner.
"He's the Principal now," Mila said. "He's busy."
"I don't CARE. I want my boyfriend back."
"He's literally in the building."
"He's in his OFFICE. With DOORS. And PAPERWORK."
Lyra patted her arm. "Welcome to being the Principal's girlfriend. You're now officially a power couple."
"We WERE already a power couple."
"Now you're a POWER COUPLE. Capital letters. More authority."
Jay groaned.
The teasing started immediately.
Walking to class: "Oh, look, it's the Principal's girlfriend!"
In the cafeteria: "Can you ask your boyfriend to make lunch better?"
In the hallway: "Do you get special privileges? Can you skip class?"
"NO," Jay snapped at one first-year. "I don't get special privileges. I get a BUSY BOYFRIEND who forgets to eat because he's too busy PRINCIPAL-ING."
Keifer appeared behind her. "I don't forget to eat."
She jumped. "Where did YOU come from?"
"My office. I saw you through the window."
"You have a WINDOW?"
"I have many windows." He pulled her aside. "I miss you."
"Then come to class with me."
"I have meetings."
"Then STOP BEING PRINCIPAL."
"I can't. I agreed."
"Then SUFFER."
He kissed her forehead. "I'll find you later."
He left.
Jay stood frozen. Her face was pink.
Lyra appeared. "Did the Principal just kiss you in public?"
"Yes."
"Did you call him a sufferer?"
"Yes."
"And he kissed you anyway?"
"Yes."
"That's love."
Jay nodded dumbly. "That's love."
Keifer's office was impressive.
Jay finally saw it on day three. Big desk. Leather chair. Books everywhere. A view of the courtyard where they'd first kissed.
"Nice place," she said, looking around.
"It's okay."
"Just okay?"
"It's missing something."
"What?"
He walked to her. Took her hand.
"You."
She kissed him. Right there. In the Principal's office. On his first week.
"I like your office," she said when they broke apart.
"I like you in my office."
"That's cheesy."
"You love it."
"I love YOU." She poked his chest. "Even though you're never around."
"I'm around now."
"For how long?"
He checked his watch. "Fifteen minutes. Then a meeting with the Nightthorn faction."
Jay groaned. "The Nightthorns?"
"They have concerns."
"They always have concerns."
"Part of the job."
She kissed him again. "Fine. Fifteen minutes. Make them count."
He did.
The boredom started on day five.
Keifer sat in his office, staring at paperwork. Important paperwork. Boring paperwork. The same paperwork he'd been doing for hours.
He missed Jay.
He missed classes. Missed sitting behind her. Missed watching her argue with teachers. Missed her laugh, her anger, her everything.
"I need a break," he muttered.
He stood up. Walked out.
Jay was in Magical Theory. Bored. Listening to Professor Vane drone on about ward structures.
The door opened.
Keifer walked in.
The class went silent.
Professor Vane blinked. "President Watson? Can I help you?"
Keifer ignored him. Walked straight to Jay's desk.
"Jay," he said. "My office. Now."
Jay's face went red. "What?"
"Now."
"But class—"
"Is handled."
Professor Vane opened his mouth. Closed it. Teachers didn't argue with the Principal.
Jay stood. Grabbed her bag. Followed Keifer out.
The door closed behind them.
The classroom ERUPTED.
"DID THAT JUST HAPPEN—" "THE PRINCIPAL CAME TO GET HER—" "HE PULLED HER OUT OF CLASS—" "THAT'S SO ROMANTIC—" "THAT'S SO SCANDALOUS—"
Professor Vane sighed. "Everyone quiet. Continue reading chapter twelve."
No one read. Everyone whispered.
Lyra was already updating her whiteboard in her head.
The walk to his office was intense.
Keifer didn't talk. Just walked. Fast. Purposeful. Jay practically had to jog to keep up.
"Keifer—what's going on—are you okay—"
He didn't answer. Just opened his office door, pulled her inside, and locked it.
Then he kissed her.
Deep. Desperate. Hungry.
She kissed him back, confused but happy.
When they broke apart, she was breathless. "What was THAT for?"
"I missed you."
"You saw me this morning."
"Four hours ago."
"That's not long."
"It felt long."
She laughed. "You're ridiculous."
"I know." He kissed her again. Slower this time. "I was bored. Paperwork is boring. Meetings are boring. Everything is boring without you."
"So you pulled me out of class?"
"Yes."
"Just because you were bored?"
"And because I wanted to see you."
"That's very Principal of you."
"I'm using my power for good."
"Abusing your power, you mean."
"Tomato, tomato."
"That doesn't work in writing."
He kissed her neck. She shivered.
"Keifer..."
"Mm?"
"We're in your office."
"I know."
"Anyone could walk in."
"The door is locked."
"People will talk."
"Let them."
He kissed her neck again. Lower. Jay gasped.
Jay was blushing.
Keifer said "You look gorgous while blushing".
Her knees went weak.
Kiefer lifted her gently yet urgently, setting her on the edge of the table as if she were something both precious and irresistible. His hands found her waist, warm and steady, guiding her closer. She rested her hands on his shoulders, and when their lips met, the kiss was softer this time unhurried, but deeper, filled with everything they had been holding back.
His touch traced slowly along her back, sending a shiver through her. She gasped softly against his lips, the world around them fading into nothing but warmth and breath and heartbeat. There was hunger in the kiss, yes, but also longing, and something far more tender.
He brushed his lips from her ear down to the curve of her neck, each touch lingering, reverent. She could feel the way he trembled slightly, as though this moment meant more than he knew how to say.
He drew her onto his lap, holding her close, his forehead resting against hers. His darkened gaze softened, vulnerability breaking through the intensity.
Now he was trailing he's hands on her bare skin under her top making her gasp. He unclasped her buttons exposing her cleavage. His eyes darkend after looking at her cleavage. He started to trail his lips from her earlobe to her neck.
Keifer said "Jay, I love you until the scientists find the end of the universe"
Jay blushed and he said "I swear your blush will end me someday."
The keifer started to kiss her neck. Jay moaned his name.
Her moans were driving him crazy now. He kiss her cleavage and started to suck it making a hickey. She was holding his neck for support while tilting her neck to give him more space. Both were enjoying so much. Then his eyes caught her boobs captured in her fancy lace bra. He was biting his lips and gulping too. She noticed that blushed so hard.
They were interrupted forty-five minutes later by knocking.
"President Watson?" A voice. Female. Nightthorn.
Keifer sighed against Jay's shoulder. "Busy."
"It's urgent. The Nightthorn faction has concerns about the new ward placements."
"Later."
"President Watson—"
"LATER."
Silence. Then footsteps walking away.
Jay laughed. "You just dismissed a Nightthorn."
"I don't care."
"You're going to have faction wars."
"Worth it."
She kissed him. "You're insane."
"You love it."
"I love YOU."
He smiled. That real one.
"I love you too."
She finally returned to class an hour later.
Red-faced. Hair messy. Lips slightly swollen.
The classroom went silent.
Professor Vane stared. "Miss Mariano. So nice of you to rejoin us."
Jay mumbled an apology and slid into her seat.
Mila leaned over. "What happened?"
"Nothing."
"Your HAIR is messy."
"It's windy."
"There's no wind inside."
"KEIFER happened."
Mila's eyes went wide. "The PRINCIPAL?"
"He was BORED."
"He pulled you out of class because he was BORED?"
"And because he missed me."
"That's the most romantic thing I've ever heard."
"It's RIDICULOUS."
"You're literally glowing."
Jay touched her face. Warm. Definitely glowing.
"Shut up."
The teasing after class was brutal.
Lyra had a new whiteboard ready.
PRINCIPAL KEIFER: DAY FIVE
Classes Interrupted: 1 (Magical Theory)
Students Shocked: Everyone
Jay's Appearance Upon Return: Flustered, glowing, HAPPY
Office Activities: Speculated (heated)
JAYFER STATUS: PRINCIPAL-PROOF
Power Couple Level: MAXIMUM
"What does 'speculated' mean?" Jay demanded.
"It means we don't know exactly what happened, but we have theories."
"Don't share them."
"Too late. Adrian made graphs."
Adrian held up his notebook. "Probability of kissing: 98%. Probability of more: 67%. Probability of Keifer being completely smitten: 100%."
Jay buried her face in her hands.
A Nightthorn approached her in the hallway.
"The President pulled you out of class," she said flatly.
"Yes."
"For personal reasons."
"Yes."
"That's abuse of power."
"That's love."
The Nightthorn stared. Walked away.
Mila appeared. "Did you just win against a Nightthorn?"
"I stated facts."
"With ROMANCE."
"Apparently."
Keifer watched her from his office window.
She was laughing with her friends. Red-faced. Happy. HIS.
A knock on his door. Professor Vane.
"President Watson. About today. Pulling a student out of my class—"
"She needed help."
"For an hour?"
"Complex help."
Professor Vane sighed. "I'm not going to win this, am I?"
"No."
"Fine. But next time, at least pretend it's official business."
Keifer considered. "No."
Professor Vane left.
Keifer smiled. Small. Private.
Worth it.
That night, Jay lay in his arms.
"You know," she said, "everyone is talking about us."
"Good."
"Good? They're saying you abused your power."
"I did."
"To see me."
"Yes."
"That's sweet."
"That's love."
She kissed his chest. "You're soft."
"Only for you."
"Good."
He pulled her closer.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Next time I'm bored, I'm pulling you out again."
"Keifer."
"It's happening."
"You can't just—"
"I can. I'm the Principal."
"That's ABUSE."
"That's LOVE."
She laughed. "You're impossible."
"You love it."
"I love YOU."
He kissed her forehead.
"I love you too. Even though you're wrong about coffee."
"AM NOT."
"ARE."
"AM NOT."
"ARE."
She kissed him to stop the argument.
It worked.
The next morning, Lyra's whiteboard had updates.
PRINCIPAL KEIFER: DAY SIX
Predicted Class Interruptions: 3 (minimum)
Jay's Excuses Ready: "Principal business"
Nightthorn Complaints: 2 (ignored)
Overall Romance Level: OFF THE CHARTS
JAYFER STATUS: ETERNAL (PRINCIPAL-PROOF)
Power Couple Level: STILL MAXIMUM
NEXT MILESTONE: WHO KNOWS? THIS SCHOOL IS WILD.
Jay read it. Shook her head.
Keifer appeared beside her. Coffee in hand. Nightthorn Nook, obviously.
"Ready for class?" he asked.
"I'm ready. Are YOU ready to stop interrupting?"
"No."
"KEIFER."
"It's happening again."
"When?"
He checked his watch. "Ten AM. I have a meeting at eleven. Need to see you before."
"That's PLANNED."
"That's EFFICIENT."
She laughed. Grabbed his hand.
"I love you."
"I love you too. Even wrong about coffee."
"AM NOT."
"ARE."
"AM NOT."
"ARE."
They walked to breakfast arguing.
Normal. Perfect. THEIRS.