Jay's POV
I heard faint voices somewhere in the room and frowned.
Why are people so loud this early in the morning? Don't hospitals have rules or something?
I slowly opened my eyes…
And the first thing I saw was Keifer.
Still asleep.
Still annoyingly handsome.
He looked… better. More peaceful. Like the storm inside him had calmed down a little.
Ugh. Why does he look so soft when he's unconscious? That should be illegal.
Then-
Giggles.
Behind me.
My eyes widened so fast I swear they almost popped out.
I immediately dropped Keifer's hand like it had burned me and turned around.
And there they were.
The entire Section E.
Standing.
Watching.
Smiling.
Teasing.
CI-N was literally bouncing like a five-year-old who just discovered drama for the first time.
Oh. My. God.
Kill me.
Actually no - teleport me to another planet. I don't deserve this humiliation.
Stupid Jay. HOW did you fall asleep here? On his bed? Holding his hand?? Out of all positions you could've chosen??
Ci-n opened his mouth.
Absolutely not.
I shot him the sharpest glare I could manage.
He froze mid-breath.
Good.
The rest of them understood the assignment too. Silence. As it should be.
But then there was Yuri.
Why does he look like I just betrayed a whole country?
That expression. That weird, jealous, judgmental face.
Ugh.
I swear if he wasn't my friend, I would have punched him. What is this behavior? This isn't even love anymore. It's borderline interrogation energy.
He keeps looking at me like I committed a crime.
Excuse me?? Last I checked, I'm allowed to breathe in the same room as whoever I want.
Why do I have so many emotionally unstable men in my life?
I glanced at Keifer one last time .... just a second .... before standing up and walking past them like nothing happened.
Today I was getting discharged.
Freedom.
Meanwhile, Mr. Drama King had to stay two more days because apparently if he moves too much, his wound might reopen.
See? Even his injuries are dramatic.
I went home and slept the entire day. Not because I was tired.
Okay fine, I was tired.
But also because my brain would not shut up.
Next day at school.
Everything was normal.
Suspiciously normal.
After school, the boys decided to visit Keifer.
Ci-n insisted I come.
I wanted to go.
Like… badly.
But obviously I can't just say, "Yes please, I miss him."
So I flipped my hair and said, "I'm not free."
Nonchalant. Cool. Unbothered queen behavior.
Meanwhile, inside?
Restless.
Impatient.
Wondering if he woke up.
Wondering if he asked about me.
Wondering if he cared.
Ugh.
Why is my brain like this?
Keifer's POV
Even when I was unconscious… I wasn't alone.
I couldn't see anything. Couldn't move. Couldn't speak.
But I felt it.
A presence.
Steady. Familiar. Warm.
And even in that dark haze, my heart recognized it.
Her.
When I finally regained consciousness — after almost 30 hours, apparently — my head felt heavy.
Damn.
This might be the longest I've ever "slept."
Actually… not slept.
More like forced shutdown mode.
I was still trying to fully open my eyes when chaos barged into my room.
SECTION E.
Of course.
Voices. Footsteps. Someone laughing too loudly. Someone shushing the other person.
I slowly turned my head, ignoring the slight pull of pain in my body.
My eyes scanned the room.
Is she here?
…
No.
Okay.
Fair.
I know she's hurt. Obviously.
After everything I said… everything I did… I don't deserve her to just walk in smiling.
But I need to explain.
I need to tell her that I didn't use her.
That I dropped that stupid revenge plan a long time ago.
That somewhere along the way… she stopped being part of a plan.
And became everything.
But will the sassy, stubborn queen even listen to me?
…She will.
I'll make sure of it.
After all, I'm a Watson.
And Watsons don't lose.
Especially not the girl they love.
"Keifer… how are you feeling?" Ci-n's voice cut through my thoughts.
I forced a faint smile. "A lot better, Ci-n."
My throat felt dry.
"Umm… where's Jay? Did she get discharged?"
Ci-n's eyes immediately lit up.
"Yeah, she got discharged," he said excitedly. "But bro… she was here the entire night. She literally slept beside you. On that stool."
For a second, everything went quiet in my head.
I knew it.
That's why I felt peace.
That's why even in the darkness, my heart wasn't restless.
She was here.
My Jay.
I looked at the stool beside my bed.
So she stayed.
Even after everything.
A small smile tugged at my lips — the first real one since I woke up.
She can pretend all she wants.
She can glare. Deny. Act unbothered.
But she stayed.
And that means I'm not too late.
That's it.
I need to see her.
Now.
I swung my legs slightly, ignoring the dull ache in my side.
"Yuri," I said calmly, but firmly. "Tell the doctor I'm leaving."
The entire room went silent.
Yuri blinked at me. "You can't, Keifer. You're still injured. Your wound might reopen. The doctor won't allow it."
I slowly lifted my eyebrows.
"Allow?"
I let out a small, almost amused breath.
Since when did I start asking for permission?
"I don't need anyone to allow me," I said, my voice turning colder. "I know my body. I'm fine."
A sharp pain pulsed through my side, but I didn't let it show.
"And don't lecture me," I added, my eyes locking onto his. "Do. What. I. Said."
The room felt heavier.
Ci-n shifted awkwardly. Someone muttered something under their breath.
Yuri clenched his jaw.
"You're being reckless," he said. "Is this about Jay?"
I didn't answer.
Didn't need to.
My silence was enough.
"Yes," I finally said, my voice low but steady. "It is."
He stared at me for a second.
"Then wait," Yuri snapped. "If you care about her so much, don't show up half-dead in front of her."
I smirked.
"I won't be half-dead," I said calmly. "And I'm done waiting."
Because the longer I wait, the more distance grows between us.
And I've already wasted enough time.
Everyone tried to stop me.
Ci-n. Yuri. Even the damn nurse.
But I was adamant.
Stubborn? Maybe.
Determined? Definitely.
I even almost got into an argument with the doctor. He kept insisting that I needed at least two more days. I kept insisting that I didn't.
It nearly turned into a full-blown fight.
But I handled it.
Barely.
He finally gave in ... reluctantly .... but warned me not to drive.
That part, I agreed to.
I'm reckless, not stupid.
So Edrix drove me.
Now here I am.
Standing in front of her house.
The night air was cold against my skin, but it didn't compare to the nervous tension crawling through my chest.
I pulled out my phone.
Should I call her?
…
No.
She won't pick up.
And even if she sees an unknown number — she'll recognize it.
The number I used in London.
The one I used to pretend to be someone else.
For a whole month.
Just to hear her voice.
Just to listen to her complain about me.
God.
If she knew.
If she knew how many nights I stayed silent on the other side of the phone… just listening to her rant. Listening to her breathe. Listening to her exist.
Oh, my Jay.
You have no idea how much I craved you.
Just one glimpse. One conversation. One second of you.
Damn my enemies.
And damn that demon brother of yours — Angelo.
I hate him
For forcing that stupid plan into motion.
But at the same time…
I'm glad.
Because it made me realize what I was becoming.
Short-tempered. Violent. Out of control.
And the thought of ever hurting her ... even emotionally, terrified me more than anything.
That fear almost destroyed me.
So I changed.
Therapy.
Anger management.
Control.
It wasn't easy.
But I did it.
For her
And for myself.
I need to prove that to her.
I need to show her that I'm not that reckless, explosive Keifer anymore.
I'm not my father.
And I'll never hurt her the way he hurt my mother.
I took a slow breath and turned to Edrix.
"Call her," I said quietly.
He looked at me. "What?"
"Call her. Ask her to come downstairs."
I paused.
"And don't tell her I'm here."
Because if she knows it's me…
She won't come.
Jay's POV
My phone rang.
I stared at the screen.
Edrix.
At this hour?
Suspicious.
I picked up. "What?"
"Jay… can you come downstairs for a minute?" he asked casually.
Downstairs?
"At night?" I narrowed my eyes even though he couldn't see me. "Why?"
"Just come. It's important."
Important.
That word is so overused. Boys say "important" for everything except actual important things.
"Say it on call," I replied.
"I can't. Just come down."
Hmm.
Now I'm curious.
But I'm not stupid.
I walked toward my window instead of the door.
If they think I'm just going to blindly walk downstairs at night, they clearly don't know me.
I slightly moved the curtain aside.
And there he was.
Standing under the faint streetlight.
Keifer.
My breath caught for a second.
He looked tired. Still pale. One hand slightly pressed to his side like he was pretending it didn't hurt.
Idiot.
Absolute idiot.
He discharged himself, didn't he?
Of course he did.
Why is he like this?
My heart did that annoying flip thing.
But my brain quickly snapped back.
No.
We are not melting.
We are not running downstairs.
We are not forgiving him because he decided to show up dramatically at night like some injured hero.
I moved away from the window before he could look up.
My phone was still on the call.
"So?" Edrix asked. "Are you coming?"
I walked back to my bed and sat down like I hadn't just seen the reason for my emotional instability standing outside my house.
"No," I said calmly.
There was silence on the other side.
"Jay—"
"Edrix," I cut him off. "It's late. I'm not coming downstairs."
"Just for five minutes."
"If it's that important, say it on call."
Another pause.
I could almost imagine him glancing at Keifer.
"I can't say it on call."
I smiled faintly.
Oh, I know you can't.
Because your dramatic, stubborn Watson friend is standing outside my house thinking I'll run to him.
Cute.
"But I can't come," I said sweetly. "Tell whoever it is that I'm busy."
"Busy? At 10:30 p.m.?"
"Yes," I replied confidently. "Very busy."
With what?
Overthinking.
Healing.
Not falling into emotional traps.
Take your pick.
"Goodnight, Edrix," I added before he could argue.
And I hung up.
I walked back to the window.
He was still there.
Waiting.
Why is he still standing there?
Why does he look like that?
Why does he always make it so hard to breathe properly?
I crossed my arms.
Let him wait.
Let him understand that I'm not the same girl who would run to him without thinking.
If he wants to talk…
He can earn it.
Keifer's POV
I stared at Edrix as he lowered his phone.
"She said no."
I exhaled slowly.
Ah.
Of course she did.
Did I really think this would be easy?
My stubborn queen doesn't fold that fast.
And honestly?
I wouldn't want her to.
A small smirk tugged at my lips.
She thinks she's smart.
She thinks saying "no" will make me back off.
But she still doesn't fully know me.
I leaned slightly against the car, ignoring the dull sting in my side. The night air was colder now, but my focus wasn't on that.
It was on the faint outline of her window upstairs.
I know you're watching, Jay.
You're too curious not to.
I pulled out my phone.
If she wants to play stubborn…
Fine.
Let's play.
I typed:
"Come downstairs in the next two minutes, or I'm coming in. I don't care if your demon brother Angelo tries to stop me."
I stared at the message for a second.
Too much?
No.
Just enough.
I hit send.
And slipped my phone back into my pocket.
Now we wait.
Because I know her.
She'll get annoyed.
She'll roll her eyes.
She'll call me dramatic.
But she also knows I don't bluff.
And if there's one thing about me—
When I decide I want something…
I go get it.
And right now?
I want her.
Jay's POV
My phone buzzed.
I picked it up.
And raised my eyebrows.
Oh?
Playing bold now?
I read his message again.
"Come downstairs in the next two minutes, or I'm coming in. I don't care if your demon brother Angelo tries to stop me."
I let out a short, annoyed chuckle.
Excuse me?
Who do you think you are?
Storming into my house like some injured mafia hero?
Please.
I walked back toward the window and peeked through the curtain again.
He was still standing there.
Looking confident.
Annoyingly confident.
Oh, we're doing this?
Fine.
I typed back.
"Go on. Try it. No one's home. And I'm not unlocking the door for you. Keep ringing the bell, you snake."
I hit send.
Crossed my arms.
And waited.
Let's see how far your Watson ego goes.
You think I'll panic?
You think I'll run downstairs because you threatened to walk in?
Please.
I am not that easy.
But still…
My eyes drifted back to the window.
Why is my heart beating faster?
Why am I slightly curious about what he'll do next?
Ugh.
Why does he always turn everything into a war of egos?
Fine, Keifer.
Your move.
Keifer's POV
I read her reply.
And frowned.
Then sighed.
Of course she'd say that.
"Keep ringing the bell, you snake."
Snake?
Unbelievable.
A faint smirk almost appeared… but it faded just as quickly.
Fine.
You want me to ring the bell?
Let's see how long you can ignore me.
I slid my phone back into my pocket and pushed myself off the car.
Step one.
Step two—
And then it hit.
A sharp, brutal pain tore through my side.
It wasn't the dull ache I'd been ignoring all evening.
This was different.
It felt like someone had twisted a blade inside me.
My breath left my lungs.
I froze mid-step.
For a second, my vision blurred.
I grabbed my side instinctively and leaned back against the car, squeezing my eyes shut.
"Damn it…" I hissed under my breath.
The pain spread, heavy and nauseating, making my stomach churn.
I could actually feel myself getting dizzy.
Don't you dare collapse here.
Not now.
Not in front of her house.
Not when she's probably watching from that window with her arms crossed, pretending she doesn't care.
I clenched my jaw, trying to steady my breathing.
I will not look weak.
I refused to let this stupid wound win.
But my body clearly had other plans.
Another wave of pain shot through me, sharper than before.
For a split second… I thought I might actually pass out right there.
And that thought scared me more than anything.
Because if she saw me like this—
She wouldn't see strength.
She'd see recklessness.
And I didn't come here to make things worse.
I came here to fix them.
I was still trying to steady my breathing when suddenly—
"KEIFER!"
Edrix's voice cut through the night.
Before I could react, he was in front of me.
"What the hell are you doing?!" he snapped, grabbing my shoulders as I nearly lost balance.
I hadn't fallen.
Not yet.
But I was close.
My knees had almost given in, and I was clutching my side like an idiot who clearly discharged himself too early.
"I'm fine," I muttered through clenched teeth.
"You don't look fine!" Edrix shouted.
The pain was brutal now. Sharp. Deep. Unforgiving.
I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, trying to breathe through it.
Don't collapse.
Not here.
Not now.
Jay's POV
I knew he wouldn't leave.
Of course he wouldn't.
So I sat on my bed, arms crossed, huffing.
Waiting.
Waiting for his next dramatic move.
But then—
A loud scream.
"KEIFER!"
Edrix.
My heart dropped.
What the hell just happened?
My eyes widened as panic rushed through me.
I didn't think.
I ran to the window.
And what I saw made my stomach twist.
Edrix was holding Keifer.
Keifer hadn't completely fallen yet — but he was on his knees, clutching his side, his face scrunched up in pain.
That idiot.
That absolute idiot.
Who asked him to leave the hospital this early?!
Does he think he's immortal or something?!
My brain was screaming at him.
But my body?
My body had already moved.
I ran out of my room.
Down the stairs.
Almost tripping.
And without thinking — without pride, without ego, without stubbornness
I unlocked the door and rushed outside.
I didn't even remember opening it.
All I knew was,
He was in pain.
And that mattered more than whatever war we were fighting.
The moment I reached them, Edrix stepped aside.
And I dropped to my knees in front of him.
"Keifer!"
I grabbed him firmly, holding him upright as his head tilted forward slightly — like he was about to lose consciousness.
No. No. No.
I straightened him immediately, my hands shaking.
"KEIFER! Stay awake!" I shouted, tapping his cheeks. "Don't you dare close your eyes!"
I shook him lightly, panic completely taking over me.
My heart was pounding so loud I could hear it in my ears.
Why does he always do this?
Why does he always push himself like he has something to prove?
This stupid, stubborn, king of snakes.
"Oh my God…"
He slowly lifted his head.
Barely.
His eyes were half-open.
And then—
He smiled.
A weak, soft smile.
And whispered, "I knew you would come…"
My breath stopped.
What?
Before I could even process his words
His body went completely limp.
"Keifer"
My eyes widened as he collapsed into me.
"KEIFER!!"
I caught him, his head falling against my shoulder.
My hands were trembling now.
"Wake up!" I cried, shaking him frantically. "Don't do this! Open your eyes!"
Tears blurred my vision.
Why is he like this?
Why does he always make everything dramatic?
Why does he scare me like this?
Edrix snapped me back to reality.
"Jay! Let's take him inside!"
His voice was urgent.
And that's when I realized—
This wasn't a joke.
He wasn't pretending.
He was unconscious.
Again.
And this time…
It was because of me.
______________________________________________-
phew!!... okay this was a long chapter .. (3103 words) longest i have ever written, hope yall enjoyed it.. do let me know in the comments... and please please i want atleast 40 comments.. (no chapter till then hehehe)
sorry for making you all wait.. but i made it worth it i guess?
thankk youuuu!!! byeeee love you all. :)