Keifer handed her the box.
Keifer: "Wear this. Tonight."
Jay: "What's tonight?"
Keifer: "Dinner. With everyone."
Jay: "We have dinner every night."
Keifer: "Not like this."
Jay: "Keifer."
Keifer: "Trust me."
Jay searched his eyes.
Found nothing but love.
Jay: "Okay."
She opened the box upstairs.
The dress was beautiful.
Midnight blue. Silk. Flowing. Off-the-shoulder. Delicate embroidery along the bodice—tiny silver stars.
It matched the night sky.
It matched him.
Jay's breath caught.
He planned this.
She came down the stairs.
The house went silent.
Tita Gema dropped her spoon.
Jasfer forgot how to breathe.
Serina's eyes filled with tears.
Percy's camera was already recording.
Percy: "JAY. YOU LOOK... WORDS FAIL. DOCUMENTING."
Ci-n: "SISTER JAY IS A PRINCESS!"
Rakki: "A queen."
Mica: "A goddess."
Calix: "I'm scared and impressed."
Freya: "That dress is perfect."
Edrix: "She's perfect."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Aries stared. Ella nudged him.
Ella: "Say something."
Aries: "She looks like Mom."
Ella: "That's sweet."
Aries: "Don't tell her I said that."
Ella: "Too late."
Angelo stood near the door. Nodded once.
Angelo: "Good."
From him, that was everything.
Grazel Jay ran around throwing flowers. "TITA JAY IS BEAUTIFUL! FLOWERS FOR TITA JAY!"
Denzel: "She's right."
Grace: "She's always right."
Jay's grandma: "THAT DRESS! I APPROVE!"
Keigan: "Lola, you approve of everything."
Jay's grandma: "I APPROVE OF THIS MORE!"
Keiren: "Same thing?"
Jay's grandma: "NOT THE SAME THING!"
Jay looked around.
Jay: "Where's Keifer?"
Silence.
Ci-n: "UH..."
Rakki: "He's..."
Mica: "Around."
Calix: "Somewhere."
Freya: "Not here."
Edrix: "Obviously."
Percy: "WE DON'T KNOW ANYTHING!"
Jay: "You're all terrible liars."
Rakki: "We know."
Mica: "Just go to the restaurant."
Jay: "The restaurant?"
Percy: "THE ONE KEIFER BOOKED! FOR EVERYONE! GO IN FIVE MINUTES!"
Ci-n: "WE'LL MEET YOU THERE!"
Jay: "You're coming?"
Percy: "WE'LL BE THERE! JUST... NOT RIGHT NOW!"
Mica pushed her gently. "Go. Trust us."
Jay: "I'm nervous."
Mica: "Don't be."
Calix: "Everything's perfect."
Freya: "For once."
Edrix: "Really perfect."
Jay took a breath.
Walked out the door.
Five minutes.
She stood outside the restaurant. Heart pounding.
The door was closed. Lights off.
Five minutes.
She counted.
Sixty seconds. One hundred twenty. Three hundred.
Now.
She pushed the door open.
Darkness.
Then—
Soft light flickered on.
Candles everywhere. Warm. Golden. Romantic.
And photos.
Hundreds of photos.
Percy was in the corner. Recording. Silent. Focused.
The photos lined the walls.
Jay walked slowly. Looking.
First photo: Age five. Her and Keifer at a party. Holding hands. Both grinning.
Second: Age seven. Her laughing. Him watching her.
Third: Age ten. His birthday. She'd given him a rock. He kept it. The photo showed him holding it like treasure.
Fourth: Age twelve. Awkward phase. Braces. Bad hair. Both smiling anyway.
Fifth: Age fourteen. First school dance. Him in an ill-fitting suit. Her in a simple dress. Dancing badly. Happy.
Sixth: Age sixteen. Prom. Blue dress. Blue suit. They didn't plan it. It just happened.
Seventh: Age seventeen. Studying together. Her asleep on his shoulder. Him awake. Watching her. Always watching.
Eighth: Age eighteen. The last photo before everything fell apart. Both happy. Both unaware.
Ninth: The reunion. At the engagement party. Her face. His face. The moment everything changed.
Tenth: Camp. By the river. Her laughing. Him smiling.
Eleventh: Prom. Blue again. Kissing. Cameras flashing.
Twelfth: Graduation. Caps in the air. Hands held.
Thirteenth: The Business Awards. On stage. Her speech. His speech. The kiss heard around the world.
And more. So many more.
At the end of the photo path—
A trail of roses.
She followed it.
Heart racing. Eyes wet.
The roses led to the center of the restaurant.
And there he was.
Keifer.
In a midnight blue suit. Exactly matching her dress.
He held a bouquet. White roses. Her favorite.
And in his other hand—
A small red velvet box.
Jay stopped breathing.
Keifer walked toward her. Slow. Deliberate.
He knelt.
One knee.
Jay: "Keifer—"
Keifer: "Jay. I've loved you since I was seven years old."
Tears streamed down her face.
Keifer: "I loved you when we were apart. I loved you when I thought I'd lost you. I loved you when you were with someone else. I loved you through every fight, every fear, every moment of doubt."
Jay: "Keifer..."
Keifer: "You're the reason I believe in forever. You're the reason I wake up every morning. You're the reason I'm the man I am today."
He opened the box.
A ring. Simple. Elegant. Perfect.
Keifer: "Jay Mariano. My best friend. My partner. My future."
His voice cracked.
Keifer: "Will you marry me?"
Silence.
Then—
Jay: "Yes."
Keifer: "Yes?"
Jay: "YES. A thousand times yes."
He slid the ring onto her finger.
Perfect fit.
He stood. She jumped into his arms.
They kissed.
Deep. Long. Full of years of love.
The room EXPLODED.
Section E burst from everywhere. Behind curtains. Under tables. Hiding in corners.
Percy: "FINALLY! ALL THE DOCUMENTING WAS WORTH IT!"
Ci-n: "I'M CRYING! FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Rakki: "They did it."
Mica: "They finally did it."
Calix: "Jayfer is engaged."
Freya: "Took them long enough."
Edrix: "Worth the wait."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
Rory: "Probability of marriage: 100%."
Drew: "I won so much money."
David: "We all won."
Eren: "Wait, they're getting married?"
Josh nodded. Cried silently.
Baster hummed a wedding melody.
Aries and Ella watched.
Aries: "She's engaged."
Ella: "Your sister's engaged."
Aries: "I know."
Ella: "You're going to cry."
Aries: "I'm not."
Ella: "You are."
Aries: "...Maybe."
He cried. Ella held him.
Serina and Jasfer stepped forward.
Serina: "We knew from the start."
Jasfer: "The very start."
Serina: "When they were five."
Jasfer: "Holding hands."
Serina: "We looked at each other."
Jasfer: "And said—"
Together: "THEY'RE GOING TO GET MARRIED SOMEDAY."
Percy: "PROPHETIC PARENTS! DOCUMENTING!"
Tita Gema was sobbing. "MY BABIES! ENGAGED!"
Jay's grandma: "I LIVED TO SEE THIS! NOW I CAN DIE HAPPY!"
Keigan: "Lola, don't die."
Jay's grandma: "NOT TODAY! BUT EVENTUALLY!"
Keiren: "Same thing?"
Jay's grandma: "NOT THE SAME THING!"
Grazel Jay threw every flower she had. "ENGAGEMENT FLOWERS! ALL OF THEM!"
Denzel: "That's all of them."
Grace: "The garden is officially empty."
Grazel Jay: "WORTH IT!"
Angelo stood near the door. Arms crossed.
But he was smiling.
Actually smiling.
Percy: "ANGELO SMILED! DOCUMENT!"
Angelo: "Don't."
Percy: "TOO LATE!"
Jay and Keifer still held each other.
Keifer leaned close. Whispered in her ear.
Keifer: "It's so hard to control myself when you're this beautiful."
Jay's face went red.
Jay: "KEIFER."
Keifer: "What? It's true."
Jay: "Everyone can hear you."
Keifer: "Don't care."
Jay: "Tss."
Keifer: "Stop."
Jay: "No."
He kissed her.
Again.
Percy: "DOCUMENTING! FROM THREE ANGLES!"
Ci-n: "FOUR ANGLES!"
Rakki: "Those two."
Mica: "Forever."
Calix: "Always."
Freya: "Finally."
Edrix: "Perfect."
Freya: "Shut up."
Edrix: "Never."
The night continued.
Celebration. Laughter. Love.
Jay looked at her ring. Sparkling. Perfect.
She looked at Keifer. Watching her. Always watching.
Jay: "Future husband."
Keifer: "Future wife."
Jay: "I love you."
Keifer: "I love you too."
Jay: "Jayfer forever?"
Keifer: "Jayfer forever."
He kissed her.
The stars watched.
Perfect.