Two weeks had passed since Keizer's defeat.
Two weeks of peace. Two weeks of celebration. Two weeks of Jayfer being so disgustingly in love that even Percy ran out of diary space (he bought a new one).
But now—
It was time to go back to school.
Jay stood in front of the mirror, adjusting her uniform. It felt strange after everything—the investor meetings, the battles, the life-or-death moments. Back to normal. Back to classes. Back to being a student.
Keifer appeared behind her, already dressed, looking annoyingly handsome.
"Nervous?"
Jay: "No."
Keifer: "Liar."
Jay: "Maybe a little."
Keifer: "It's just school. We've faced worse."
Jay: "I know. But—" She paused. "Everyone knows now. About J&S. About us. About everything."
Keifer: "And?"
Jay: "And I don't know how they'll treat me."
Keifer turned her around, cupping her face. "They'll treat you like Jay. Because that's who you are. CEO, fighter, food-obsessed gremlin—"
Jay: "Gremlin?"
Keifer: "—and my future wife. That's all that matters."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer blinked. "Did you just—"
Jay: "I did."
Keifer: "That's my thing."
Jay: "OUR thing."
Keifer: "I'm breaking up with you."
Jay: "No, you're not."
Keifer: "No, I'm not."
He kissed her forehead.
Downstairs, Section E was gathered in various states of readiness.
Ci-n was bouncing off the walls. "SCHOOL! FRIENDS! DRAMA! I'VE MISSED IT ALL!"
Rakki: "You've been here. With us. Every day."
Ci-n: "THAT'S DIFFERENT! SCHOOL DRAMA IS PROFESSIONAL DRAMA!"
Rakki: "There's nothing professional about school drama."
Ci-n: "YOU'RE NOT LOOKING AT IT RIGHT."
Mica was fixing her hair. Calix watched with soft eyes.
Mica: "Stop staring."
Calix: "Can't. You're too pretty."
Mica: "Smooth."
Calix: "I try."
Freya was examining her reflection in a compact mirror. Edrix watched—subtly, he thought.
Freya: "I can see you."
Edrix: "I'm not looking."
Freya: "Your reflection is looking."
Edrix: "My reflection has a mind of its own."
Freya: "That's not how reflections work."
Edrix: "It is now."
Freya almost smiled.
Rory and Edrix were already arguing about something technical. Drew was taking bets on first-period chaos. David was half-asleep standing up. Eren was trying to figure out why everyone was excited. Josh radiated calm.
Baster was humming a "back to school anthem."
Mayo and Kit had opted to stay home ("School disrupts our aesthetic"), but they'd sent a group text with outfit approval.
Percy and Honey were also staying home. Percy had declared himself "emotionally unavailable for academia" and Honey had laughed and agreed to keep him company.
Percy: "You two. Be dramatic. Be in love. Make me proud."
Jay: "We'll try."
Percy: "DOCUMENT EVERYTHING."
Keifer: "No."
Percy: "FINE. I'LL RELY ON CI-N."
Ci-n: "I ACCEPT THIS MISSION."
Rakki: "Oh no."
The Section E building stood apart from the main campus—a separate structure for "the troublemakers," as the administration called them. In reality, it was where they put the students who were too chaotic, too brilliant, or too much of everything.
Perfect for Section E.
Jay and Keifer walked in together, hand in hand.
The hallway went silent.
Everyone stared.
Whispers erupted.
"That's her—Jay Mariano—the J&S founder—"
"—and Keifer—they're together—did you see the interviews—"
"—future husband—she said it on TV—"
Jay squeezed Keifer's hand. "Here we go."
Keifer: "Together."
They walked through the crowd like they owned it.
Because they did.
First period was with Sir Alvin.
He was already at the front of the room when they walked in, smiling that knowing smile.
"Ah, the celebrities return."
Jay: "Sir—"
Sir Alvin: "Sit down, sit down. We have a lot to catch up on."
Section E filed in—Ci-n bouncing, Rakki calm, Mica and Calix together, Freya elegant, Edrix trailing behind her, Rory already on his laptop, Drew counting something, David asleep on his feet, Eren confused, Josh silent, Baster humming.
Sir Alvin waited until everyone was seated.
Then: "So. I heard you all had an interesting break."
Ci-n: "INTERESTING IS AN UNDERSTATEMENT!"
Rakki: "Ci-n."
Ci-n: "WE FOUGHT A VILLAIN! AND WON! SISTER JAY AND BROTHER KEIFER WERE LEGENDARY!"
Sir Alvin raised an eyebrow. "Is that so?"
Jay: "It's… a long story."
Sir Alvin: "I have all period."
Keifer: "It involves prison breaks and warehouses and a lot of chaos."
Sir Alvin: "Sounds like Section E."
Mica: "That's what we said!"
Calix: "We definitely said that."
Freya: "Multiple times."
Edrix: "In multiple languages."
Rory: "I tracked it on a spreadsheet."
Sir Alvin laughed. "Well, I'm glad you're all alive. And I'm glad—" He looked at Jay and Keifer. "—that some things worked out."
Jay: "Sir—"
Sir Alvin: "I saw the interviews. We all did. Jayfer forever, right?"
The room erupted.
Ci-n: "SIR ALVIN SHIPS JAYFER!"
Rakki: "This is the best day."
Mica: "Even the teachers know!"
Calix: "We're never living this down."
Jay buried her face in her hands.
Keifer patted her back. "Tss. Cute."
Jay: "Stop."
Keifer: "Never."
Between periods, Section E headed to the common area.
It was a small space—couches, tables, a vending machine—but it was theirs.
As they walked, a group of students from the main building passed by.
One of them—a girl Jay didn't recognize—stopped dead when she saw Keifer.
"Oh my god."
Her friends stopped too.
Girl: "Is that Keifer? From Section E?"
Friend 1: "The one from the interviews?"
Friend 2: "The one Jay called her future husband?"
Girl: "He's even hotter in person."
Jay's ears perked up.
Girl: "Like, seriously hot. Look at him."
Friend 1: "Should we say something?"
Friend 2: "He's taken."
Girl: "Taken isn't married."
Jay saw red.
She walked toward them.
Keifer noticed. "Jay—"
But she was already there.
Jay: "Excuse me."
The girl turned. "Oh. You're Jay."
Jay: "I am."
Girl: "We were just—"
Jay: "I heard what you said."
Girl: "It was just a compliment—"
Jay: "About my future husband."
Girl: "I didn't mean—"
Jay: "Hot?"
Girl: "Well, I mean, he IS—"
Jay: "His face? You think his face is hot?"
Girl: "I—"
Jay stepped closer. "Let me make something clear. That's my future husband. The man I've loved since I was seven. The man I fought a villain with. The man who's going to be the father of my children."
The girl's eyes went wide.
Jay: "So if you want to keep your teeth, you'll keep your comments to yourself. Understood?"
The girl nodded rapidly.
Jay: "Good."
She turned and walked back to Keifer.
The girls scattered.
When she reached him, Section E was staring.
All of them.
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY JUST THREATENED A GIRL OVER KEIFER."
Rakki: "That was… intense."
Mica: "I'm so proud."
Calix: "I'm terrified."
Freya: "I'm impressed."
Edrix: "Very impressed."
Rory: "I recorded it."
Edrix: "Send it to me."
Jay: "You recorded it?"
Rory: "For security purposes."
Jay: "Delete it."
Rory: "No."
Keifer was just watching her with that soft expression.
Jay: "What?"
Keifer: "You threatened someone. For me."
Jay: "She was talking about your face."
Keifer: "My face?"
Jay: "She said you were hot."
Keifer: "I am hot."
Jay: "That's not the point."
Keifer: "What's the point?"
Jay: "The point is—" She stopped. "You're MINE. And I don't share."
Keifer's smile widened. "Tss. Cute."
Jay: "I'm not cute. I'm terrifying."
Keifer: "Terrifyingly cute."
Jay: "That's not—"
He kissed her.
Right there, in front of everyone.
The teasing EXPLODED.
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY JUST CLAIMED HER MAN! IN PUBLIC! WITH VIOLENCE!"
Rakki: "That was the most Jay thing I've ever seen."
Mica: "She's literally perfect."
Calix: "I'm scared and impressed."
Freya: "I'm taking notes."
Edrix: "For what?"
Freya: "Future reference."
Edrix: "Noted."
Rory: "I'm adding this to the Jayfer archives."
Drew: "New bet! How many more people try to flirt with Keifer before Jay threatens them?"
David: "Five. 500."
Drew: "Bold. I like it."
Eren: "Wait, what just happened? Did Jay fight someone?"
Josh nodded.
Eren: "And I missed it?"
Josh shrugged.
Baster started humming a "jealousy anthem."
The rest of the day passed in comfortable chaos.
Second period was with Mam Cindy, who also knew everything and spent the first ten minutes asking about "the battle."
Mam Cindy: "So you're telling me you all actually fought a criminal?"
Ci-n: "WITH A SPOON!"
Mam Cindy: "A spoon?"
Ci-n: "A VERY SHARP SPOON."
Mam Cindy: "I don't know whether to be impressed or concerned."
Rakki: "Both. Definitely both."
At lunch, Section E gathered in their common area.
Mica and Freya had come from the Section A/C building to visit.
Mica: "JAY! I heard you threatened someone!"
Jay: "Word travels fast."
Freya: "The entire school knows. You're a legend."
Jay: "I just—she was talking about Keifer."
Mica: "And?"
Jay: "And I don't like it."
Freya: "Possessive. I respect it."
Mica: "Same."
Rakki: "We all respect it."
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY IS A PROTECTOR! A WARRIOR! A—"
Rakki: "Ci-n, eat your lunch."
Ci-n: "EATING AND PRAISING CAN HAPPEN SIMULTANEOUSLY."
Keifer sat beside Jay, arm around her.
Keifer: "You know I love you, right?"
Jay: "I know."
Keifer: "And I don't care what anyone else says."
Jay: "I know."
Keifer: "But watching you threaten someone for me was kinda hot."
Jay choked on her food.
The room ERUPTED.
Ci-n: "KEIFER SAID IT WAS HOT!"
Rakki: "JAYFER IS TOO POWERFUL!"
Mica: "I CAN'T—"
Calix: "This is too much."
Freya: "I need a notebook for all this."
Edrix: "I have one."
Freya: "Give it."
Edrix handed her a notebook.
Freya: "You just carry notebooks around?"
Edrix: "For moments like this."
Freya: "…Smooth."
Edrix: "I try."
Rory: "I'm logging this interaction too."
Drew: "No bet. This is priceless."
David: "Worth it."
Eren: "Wait, why is everyone screaming?"
Josh handed him a snack.
After lunch, they had more classes.
More whispers. More stares. More people shipping Jayfer.
But Jay didn't care.
Because every time she looked at Keifer, he was looking back.
Every time she needed him, he was there.
Every time someone whispered, he squeezed her hand.
Together.
Always.
The final bell rang.
Section E walked out together, exhausted but happy.
Ci-n: "FIRST DAY BACK: SUCCESS!"
Rakki: "You threatened someone with a spoon during lunch."
Ci-n: "THE SPOON WAS FOR PROTECTION."
Rakki: "From what?"
Ci-n: "FROM PEOPLE WHO DON'T SHIP JAYFER."
Rakki: "That's… actually kind of sweet."
Ci-n: "I'M A SWEET PERSON."
Mica and Freya had returned to their building, but not before hugging Jay.
Mica: "You're my favorite person."
Jay: "You're mine too."
Freya: "You're both tolerable."
Mica: "That's practically a declaration of love from Freya."
Freya: "Shut up."
But she was smiling.
Aries and Ella appeared briefly, waving from across the campus.
Aries: "You survived?"
Jay: "Barely."
Ella: "We heard about the threat. Iconic."
Jay: "Word travels fast."
Ella: "You're famous."
Aries: "Infamous."
Ella: "Same thing."
Aries: "It's really not."
Ella: "It is in my head."
Aries: "Tss."
Ella: "Did you just—"
Aries: "It's contagious."
Ella kissed his cheek. "I love you."
Aries: "I know."
On the way home, Jay leaned against Keifer.
Jay: "Today was exhausting."
Keifer: "But good?"
Jay: "But good."
Keifer: "Worth it?"
Jay: "Always."
Keifer: "Jayfer forever?"
Jay: "Jayfer forever."
He kissed her forehead.
And in the back of the car, Section E watched with varying degrees of affection and disgust.
Ci-n: "THEY'RE SO CUTE I MIGHT THROW UP."
Rakki: "Same."
Mica: "Same."
Calix: "Same."
Freya: "Same."
Edrix: "Same."
Rory: "Same."
Drew: "Same."
David: (snoring)
Eren: "Wait, what's happening?"
Josh smiled.
Baster hummed a love song.
Jayfer forever.
Always.