✦ CHAPTER — AFTER CLASS ✦
Jayjay's POV
The classroom emptied slowly after that.
---
Too slowly.
---
Freya looked seconds away from laughing herself to death.
Mica wasn't even trying to hide it anymore.
---
"Your husband is terrifying," Noah whispered dramatically while packing.
---
"He's not—"
---
"Jasper Jean Mariano Watson."
---
Freya copied Keifer's voice perfectly.
---
The whole group burst out laughing.
---
"Oh my God STOP."
---
My face burned instantly.
---
But before I could defend myself—
---
"Mrs. Watson."
---
Silence.
---
Every single person froze.
---
Because he was still there.
---
Standing near the desk.
Watching me.
---
"…yes?"
---
"Stay for a moment."
---
Mica physically grabbed Freya and dragged her out before she could say something stupid.
---
Traitors.
---
The door shut.
---
And suddenly—
the room felt smaller.
---
Too quiet.
---
I avoided looking at him at first.
---
Because honestly?
---
I was still annoyed.
---
"You embarrassed me."
---
A pause.
---
Then calmly—
---
"You were ignoring me."
---
I looked up immediately.
---
"I was talking."
---
"To Noah."
---
"…yes?"
---
His jaw tightened slightly.
---
Like even saying Noah's name irritated him.
---
"You were doing it on purpose."
---
Silence.
---
Because maybe—
just maybe—
I was.
---
"That doesn't explain why you used my full name in front of everyone."
---
His gaze stayed on mine.
---
"You weren't listening."
---
"And you got jealous."
---
The words slipped out before I could stop them.
---
Dead silence.
---
My heart immediately started racing.
---
Because now—
he was staring at me differently.
---
Too intensely.
---
"…jealous?"
---
His voice dropped lower.
---
Dangerously soft.
---
I swallowed.
---
"You literally snapped because I talked to Noah."
---
A pause.
---
Then—
he walked closer slowly.
---
"I snapped," he said quietly,
---
"because you kept looking at him instead of me."
---
My breath caught.
---
The air felt heavy again.
---
Too warm.
---
And suddenly—
I couldn't breathe properly.
---
"…that's insane."
---
"Probably."
---
He stopped right in front of me.
---
Close enough that my thoughts completely disappeared again.
---
"But you started it."
---
My heart skipped.
---
"…you were acting strict first."
---
That made something shift in his expression.
---
Almost amusement.
---
Almost.
---
"You wanted special treatment?"
---
I crossed my arms immediately.
---
"Yes."
---
A beat of silence.
---
Then—
for the first time since class—
he smiled slightly.
---
Small.
Dangerous.
Beautiful.
---
And somehow—
that was worse.
---
Because now I forgot why I was annoyed in the first place.
---
---
Later that evening
---
We were supposed to be studying.
---
Supposed to.
---
Instead—
I was losing a fight against my own hair.
---
"This is so annoying."
---
I tried tying it again.
Failed again.
---
A quiet sigh left me.
---
Then suddenly—
the hair tie disappeared from my hand.
---
I blinked.
---
"…hey—"
---
Keifer calmly took it.
---
Still reading with one hand.
---
Like this was normal.
---
"Turn around."
---
My breath caught slightly.
---
"…what?"
---
"Turn around, baby."
---
My heart betrayed me instantly at the nickname.
---
Slowly—
I turned.
---
The entire study table went silent.
---
Completely silent.
---
Because Keifer—
Keifer Watson—
was tying my hair for me.
---
Casually.
---
Like he'd done it a hundred times before.
---
Freya looked emotionally destroyed.
---
Mica whispered:
> "I'm actually sick."
---
Sarah covered her face.
---
Meanwhile—
my heart was trying to escape my body.
---
His fingers brushed lightly against the back of my neck while fixing my hair.
---
Gentle.
Careful.
---
And somehow—
that tiny touch affected me more than it should.
---
"There."
---
I turned slowly.
---
"…since when do you know how to do that?"
---
He went back to reading immediately.
---
"My mother used to make me help Ciel."
---
Silence.
---
Then Freya whispered dramatically:
> "He's literally husband material."
---
Keifer ignored everyone.
---
But I noticed it.
---
That tiny softness in his expression again.
---
And somehow—
that stayed in my chest long after the moment ended. 😭🤍
✦ CHAPTER — LITTLE THINGS ✦
Jayjay's POV
The next morning—
I was still thinking about yesterday.
---
About him using my full name.
About the hair tie.
About the way he looked at me when I challenged him.
---
And honestly?
---
It was becoming a problem.
---
Because now—
everything he did affected me.
---
Even stupid little things.
---
Like the rings on his fingers.
---
We were sitting in the library again.
---
Supposedly studying.
---
But I'd given up pretending an hour ago.
---
Meanwhile—
Keifer was actually working.
---
Of course he was.
---
His sleeves were rolled slightly.
Glasses low on his nose.
One hand turning pages slowly.
---
Unfairly attractive.
---
I stared at his hands for a second too long.
---
Then—
before thinking—
I grabbed one of his rings.
---
Sliding it off casually.
---
No reaction.
---
So I took another.
---
Still nothing.
---
"…you're stealing from me now?"
---
I jumped slightly.
---
"You noticed?"
---
His eyes stayed on the paper.
---
"Obviously."
---
I spun one of the rings around my finger.
---
"It's pretty."
---
A pause.
---
Then finally—
he looked at me.
---
Dangerous mistake.
---
Because now he was staring directly at my hands.
---
At his rings on my fingers.
---
My breath caught slightly.
---
"…give it back, baby."
---
My heart skipped at the nickname again.
---
"No."
---
Freya looked up immediately.
---
"Oh she's brave today."
---
Mica whispered dramatically:
> "She has a death wish."
---
I ignored them.
---
And kept spinning the ring.
---
"…Jay."
---
That voice.
---
Low.
Warning.
---
But soft.
---
I looked at him innocently.
---
"What?"
---
Without another word—
he reached over suddenly.
---
My breath hitched.
---
His fingers wrapped lightly around my wrist.
---
Warm.
Firm.
---
And way too close.
---
The whole table went silent instantly.
---
Because now—
he wasn't even pretending to focus on work anymore.
---
His thumb brushed lightly against my wrist while taking the ring back slowly.
---
"You're distracting."
---
My cheeks heated immediately.
---
"Me??"
---
"Yes."
---
Simple.
Immediate.
---
And somehow—
that made it worse.
---
Way worse.
---
---
Later during class
---
I was sitting horribly.
---
Like actually horribly.
---
Half sideways in the chair.
One leg folded up.
Completely ignoring posture.
---
Because I was tired.
---
And because I wanted to annoy him a little.
---
Bad decision.
---
Keifer stopped talking mid-lecture.
---
The room went quiet slowly.
---
"…sit properly."
---
I blinked.
---
"…what?"
---
His gaze stayed on me.
---
"Sit properly."
---
I stared at him for a second.
---
Then slowly—
crossed my arms.
---
"Why are you acting like my dad?"
---
Dead silence.
---
Complete.
Absolute.
Silence.
---
Then—
Freya made a choking sound.
---
Mica literally dropped her pen.
---
Noah looked seconds away from passing out.
---
Meanwhile—
Keifer just stared at me.
---
Long.
Hard.
---
And somehow—
that was scarier.
---
"…do not start."
---
My lips twitched immediately.
---
"Oh my God," Sarah whispered.
---
"He's actually married."
---
The class burst into laughter.
---
And for the first time—
I saw it.
---
The smallest hint of embarrassment on Keifer's face.
---
Barely there.
---
But enough.
---
And honestly?
---
That victory felt amazing.
---
---
The next morning
---
I was bored.
---
Very bored.
---
Keifer was getting ready to leave.
---
Fixing his watch calmly while reading messages.
---
Completely unaware that I was staring at him.
---
Then—
an idea appeared.
---
A terrible one.
---
I grabbed my lipstick quietly.
---
Walked closer.
---
And before he noticed—
pressed a quick lipstick mark onto the collar of his shirt.
---
Then immediately walked away.
---
Trying not to laugh.
---
"…what was that?"
---
"Nothing."
---
Suspicious silence.
---
But he didn't check.
---
Which somehow made it funnier.
---
And when he finally left—
I completely lost it.
---
---
Later at university
---
Everything was normal.
---
Until Mica suddenly froze mid-sentence.
---
"…professor?"
---
Keifer looked up calmly.
---
"Yes?"
---
Freya's eyes widened dramatically.
---
"OH MY GOD."
---
The whole class started staring.
---
Confused murmurs spreading everywhere.
---
Meanwhile—
I already knew.
---
And trying not to laugh was becoming physically painful.
---
Keifer frowned slightly.
---
"What?"
---
Noah pointed awkwardly at his collar.
---
"…sir, your shirt."
---
Silence.
---
Keifer looked down slowly.
---
Saw the lipstick mark.
---
And froze.
---
Just slightly.
---
Then—
very slowly—
his eyes lifted.
---
Straight to me.
---
Oh no.
---
Because now he knew.
---
And the look he gave me?
---
Dangerous.
---
Not angry.
---
Worse.
---
Affected.
---
Freya whispered loudly:
> "She's insane."
---
Mica looked emotionally destroyed again.
---
Meanwhile—
Keifer kept staring at me.
---
Then finally—
the smallest smirk appeared.
---
Barely there.
---
But enough to make my stomach flip instantly.
---
"…Mrs. Watson."
---
My heart stopped.
---
"Yes?"
---
His gaze didn't leave mine.
---
"See me after class."
---
The class EXPLODED 😭🔥🤍