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✦ CHAPTER — WHAT I NEVER SAID ✦
Keifer's POV
I didn't sleep.
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Not really.
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The room was quiet.
Too quiet.
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But my head wasn't.
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"You're heartless."
"You destroy everything you touch."
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The words didn't stop.
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They just… stayed.
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I sat there.
On the edge of the bed.
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Hands clenched.
Jaw tight.
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Because I didn't know which part was worse.
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That they said it—
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or that some part of me…
believed it.
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A soft knock.
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I didn't answer.
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The door opened anyway.
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Of course it did.
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"…you didn't sleep."
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Her voice.
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Quiet.
Careful.
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I didn't look at her.
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"I'm fine."
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Silence.
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Then footsteps.
Closer.
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"You say that a lot."
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My jaw tightened.
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"I am."
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"Then look at me."
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That—
made me pause.
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Slowly—
I did.
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She was standing there.
Watching me like she always did.
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Like she could see through everything.
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"…what do you want, Jay."
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It came out rougher than I meant.
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She didn't react.
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Instead—
she stepped closer.
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Close enough to reach me.
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"You're not okay."
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I exhaled sharply.
Looked away again.
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"Drop it."
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"No."
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That made me look at her again.
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Her expression didn't change.
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Steady.
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"You don't get to shut me out after everything."
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Silence.
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Everything.
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That word stayed.
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My hands clenched again.
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"…you don't understand."
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"Then explain."
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My chest tightened.
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Because I didn't do that.
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I didn't explain.
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I didn't talk.
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I didn't let anyone in like that.
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But she didn't move.
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Didn't step back.
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Just waited.
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And that—
that broke something.
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"…it's quiet."
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My voice dropped.
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Lower.
Slower.
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Her brows furrowed slightly.
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"What is?"
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"…everything."
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A pause.
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"When I'm alone."
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The words felt unfamiliar.
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Like they didn't belong to me.
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But they didn't stop.
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"It's always quiet."
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My gaze dropped.
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"No one… talks."
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Silence.
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"No one stays."
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My throat tightened slightly.
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"And I got used to it."
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That was the truth.
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The worst part—
was how normal it felt.
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I let out a quiet breath.
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"…so when you do this—"
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I stopped.
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Because I didn't know how to say it.
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Didn't know how to put it into words.
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Her voice came softer.
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"When I do what?"
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I looked at her.
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"When you stay."
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Silence.
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"It's… different."
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That was the closest I could get.
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To saying everything.
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Jayjay's POV
My chest tightened.
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Because he wasn't just talking.
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He was showing me something.
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Something he never let anyone see.
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And it hurt.
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Not him.
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The fact that he felt like that.
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That he was used to being alone.
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That silence didn't scare him—
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because it was all he had.
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I stepped closer.
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Slow.
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Careful.
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Like he might pull away.
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But he didn't.
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My hand lifted.
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Resting softly against his cheek.
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"You're not alone now."
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My voice was quiet.
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But steady.
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His eyes didn't move.
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Didn't look away.
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So I didn't either.
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I moved closer.
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Until there was no space left.
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My arms wrapped around him.
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Gently.
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Not tight.
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Just enough.
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He stilled.
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Like he didn't expect it.
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Then—
slowly—
his hands moved.
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Resting at my back.
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Holding me there.
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Careful.
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Like he didn't want to break it.
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I rested my head against him.
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"…I'm here."
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A pause.
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Then softer—
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"And I'm not leaving."
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His grip tightened slightly.
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Just a little.
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Like he needed that.
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Like he believed it—
but was still afraid to.
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I pulled back just enough—
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and kissed his forehead again.
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Gentle.
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The same way as before.
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But this time—
it meant something deeper.
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And he didn't move away.
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Not even a little.
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Because maybe—
for the first time—
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he didn't feel alone anymore. 🤍