One year.
Twelve months. Fifty-two weeks. Three hundred and sixty-five days.
Jay and Keifer had been together for one year.
Not counting the childhood years. Not counting the separation. Not counting the time before.
One year of officially, publicly, disgustingly being Jayfer.
Jay woke up first.
Keifer's arm around her. His breath warm on her neck. Perfect.
She smiled.
Jay: "Happy anniversary."
Keifer: (asleep) "Mm."
Jay: "Wake up."
Keifer: "No."
Jay: "It's our anniversary."
Keifer: "Don't care."
Jay: "You care."
Keifer: "Care later. Sleep now."
Jay laughed. Kissed his cheek.
Keifer pulled her closer.
Keifer: "Five more minutes."
Jay: "You said that yesterday."
Keifer: "And I'll say it tomorrow."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
They finally dragged themselves downstairs.
The Fernandez house was already chaos.
Tita Gema: "ANNIVERSARY BREAKFAST! SPECIAL EDITION!"
Jasfer: "I helped!"
Tita Gema: "YOU BURNED THE TOAST!"
Jasfer: "ARTISTIC BURNING!"
Serina smiled. "Happy anniversary, you two."
Jay's grandma: "ONE YEAR! FINALLY! I WAS WORRIED!"
Keigan: "Lola, they've been together for a year."
Jay's grandma: "I WORRIED EVERY DAY!"
Keiren: "That's... dedication?"
Jay's grandma: "IT'S LOVE!"
Grazel Jay ran over with flowers. "ANNIVERSARY FLOWERS! REAL ONES THIS TIME!"
Jay scooped her up. "Thank you, baby."
Grazel Jay: "YOU'RE WELCOME! NOW KISS!"
Jay: "What?"
Grazel Jay: "KISS! FOR ANNIVERSARY!"
Keifer laughed. Kissed Jay's cheek.
Grazel Jay: "THAT'S NOT ENOUGH!"
Denzel: "Baby, let them breathe."
Grazel Jay: "THEY CAN BREATHE AFTER KISSING!"
Grace: "She's got a point."
Section E arrived mid-morning.
Ci-n burst through the door. "ANNIVERSARY! JAYFER ANNIVERSARY!"
Rakki followed. "Ci-n, calm down."
Ci-n: "I CAN'T! ONE YEAR!"
Percy was right behind them, Honey in tow.
Percy: "ONE YEAR OF JAYFER! I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR THIS!"
Ci-n: "WE'VE BEEN WAITING!"
Percy: "DREAM TEAM DOCUMENTATION!"
Rakki: "Nightmare team."
Mica: "Same thing?"
Rakki: "Same thing."
Mica and Calix arrived with gifts. Mica: "We brought presents!"
Calix: "Mostly Mica. I just carried them."
Mica: "You're good at carrying."
Calix: "I try."
Freya and Edrix walked in. Freya: "One year. Impressive."
Edrix: "Very impressive."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory came with a spreadsheet. "I've calculated the probability of them lasting. It's 100%."
Drew: "I took bets on them making it a year. Won 5000."
David: "I bet on them too. Won 500."
Drew: "You bet on EVERYTHING."
David: "And I win sometimes."
Eren arrived with a bird on his shoulder. "This is Kevin. He's here for the anniversary."
Josh nodded approvingly.
Baster hummed an anniversary melody.
Aries and Ella came last. Aries: "One year. You two made it."
Ella: "Barely."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
The celebration was chaos.
Food. Gifts. Laughter.
Percy and Ci-n documented everything. Every angle. Every moment.
Ci-n: "THIS ANGLE! PERFECT!"
Percy: "THIS LIGHTING! DIVINE!"
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Never change."
Jay and Keifer sat in the middle of it all.
Jay: "One year."
Keifer: "Best year."
Jay: "Really?"
Keifer: "Every day with you is the best day."
Jay: "Smooth."
Keifer: "Honest."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING!"
Ci-n: "FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Gifts were opened.
Mica and Calix gave them a photo album. Pictures from the past year. Camp. Prom. Graduation. Every moment.
Jay: "Mica..."
Mica: "I've been collecting."
Calix: "She's been organizing."
Mica: "Same thing?"
Calix: "Same thing."
Freya and Edrix gave them a gift card. Freya: "We didn't know what to get."
Edrix: "So we got options."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory gave them a spreadsheet. "Optimal date locations. Ranked by probability of enjoyment."
Jay: "This is... thorough."
Rory: "I aim for thorough."
Drew gave them money. "Bet on yourselves. You'll win."
David gave them a pillow. "For naps."
Eren gave them a feather. "From Kevin. He wanted to contribute."
Josh gave them a silent nod. Meaning everything.
Baster gave them a song. He performed it. Everyone cried.
Aries and Ella gave them a couple's journal.
Aries: "For writing down memories."
Ella: "So you don't forget."
Aries: "Same thing?"
Ella: "Same thing."
Jay: "This is really sweet."
Aries: "Don't tell anyone."
Jay: "Your secret's safe."
Keifer: "Tss."
Aries: "Not you too."
Keifer: "Me too."
Aries: "I hate you."
Keifer: "No, you don't."
Aries: "No, I don't."
Tita Gema gave them a lifetime supply of her cooking.
Tita Gema: "YOU'LL NEVER GO HUNGRY!"
Jasfer: "That's a threat and a promise."
Tita Gema: "SAME THING!"
Serina gave them something special.
Serina: "This was mine and Jasfer's. From when we started Watson Enterprises."
She handed them a framed photo. Serina and Jasfer. Young. Hopeful. Starting something big.
Serina: "Now it's yours."
Jay: "Mom..."
Keifer: "This is..."
Serina: "You're the future. Of the company. Of the family. Of everything."
Jay hugged her. Keifer joined.
Serina held them both.
Jay's grandma wiped a tear. "I'M NOT CRYING. YOU'RE CRYING."
Keigan: "Lola, you're definitely crying."
Jay's grandma: "PROUD CRYING! DIFFERENT!"
Keiren: "Same thing?"
Jay's grandma: "NOT THE SAME THING!"
The party continued.
Dancing. Laughing. Chaos.
Grazel Jay threw flowers until there were none left.
Grazel Jay: "NO MORE FLOWERS!"
Denzel: "Time to buy more."
Grace: "Time to accept our fate."
Grazel Jay: "FATE ACCEPTED!"
Jay pulled back. Looked at Keifer.
Jay: "Jayfer forever?"
Keifer: "Jayfer forever."
He kissed her forehead.
The stars watched.
Perfect.