Chapter: The Retreat Announcement Disaster
(Jay's POV)
The day after the play, I thought life would calm down.
I was wrong.
Very wrong.
Morning assembly ended with the principal announcing:
"Next week, there will be a two-day retreat camp for all sections."
Section E?
Screamed like we won the World Cup.
Calix jumped.
Blaster almost fell off the bench.
Mayo yelled, "CAMP MEANS NO STUDY!"
Kit high-fived Rory.
Emman and Eren started planning snacks already.
Drew and Josh were arguing about who snores louder.
Ci N shouted, "Family trip part two!"
David just shook his head like he regrets knowing us.
And then.
Someone behind me whispered loudly—
"Hope Mr. and Mrs. Watson sit together in the bus."
I froze.
Keifer coughed to hide a smile.
I slowly turned.
Calix.
Erdix.
Mayo.
Kit.
Blaster.
Rory.
Emman.
Eren.
Drew.
Josh.
Ci N.
David.
All staring.
All smirking.
"Say it properly," Blaster said dramatically. "Mr. and Mrs. Keifer."
I gasped. "Stop it!"
Rory put his hand on Keif's shoulder. "Bro, honeymoon camp."
Keifer raised an eyebrow. "You all are very free, huh?"
Mayo bowed dramatically at me. "Mother, please control Father."
The entire section burst into laughter.
I wanted the ground to swallow me.
Keifer leaned closer and whispered, "You started this by kissing me on stage."
"I DID THAT FOR A REASON."
"Sure."
I glared.
He looked very entertained.
And Then It Happened
I felt it before I saw it.
That stare.
Sharp. Burning.
Yuri.
He was standing a little away from everyone.
Watching.
Not laughing.
Not smiling.
Just staring at me like the whole scene personally offended him.
The teasing didn't stop.
Ci N shouted again, "Jay bhabhi!"
Everyone echoed.
"Bhabhiiii!"
My ears turned red.
Keifer suddenly wrapped an arm loosely around my shoulder — casual, but protective.
"Okay, enough," he said lightly. "You all will scare her."
"Possessiveeee!" Blaster screamed.
And that's when Yuri lost it.
The Outburst
"YOU ALL HAVE NO RIGHT!"
The whole corridor went silent.
Even Mayo stopped mid-laugh.
Yuri walked toward us, angry.
"You guys have no right to call her Keifer's wife."
My stomach tightened.
"She is going to marry me," Yuri continued loudly. "As you all know, Jay is already engaged to me."
The word echoed.
Engaged.
Some students started whispering.
Keifer's arm stiffened slightly but didn't move away.
Yuri stepped closer and grabbed my wrist.
"Come here."
My heart pounded — not from fear, but anger.
He pulled me slightly away from Keifer.
And something inside me snapped.
I yanked my hand free.
The sound of the slap echoed across the corridor.
Not too hard.
Not dramatic.
But enough to stop everything.
Everyone froze.
I looked straight at him.
"You are just my fiancé by papers," I said clearly. "Not by my heart."
The entire hallway was silent.
"My heart," I continued, my voice shaking but steady, "belongs to Keifer. Not to you, Yuri."
Gasps.
Ci N whispered, "Ohhhh my god."
Calix covered his mouth.
Erdix looked like he just watched a live drama episode.
Yuri stared at me like he couldn't believe what I said.
Keifer didn't smile.
Didn't react dramatically.
He just stepped forward and stood beside me.
Not in front.
Beside.
"I never forced her," he said calmly. "And I never will."
That hurt Yuri more than the slap.
He clenched his fists.
"You'll regret this," he muttered.
I didn't look away.
"I already regret staying silent this long."
For a second, I thought he would argue more.
But instead, he turned and walked away.
The tension slowly melted into whispers.
Section E Reaction
There was three seconds of silence.
Then—
Blaster whispered loudly, "Bro… that was cinema."
Mayo fanned himself. "Retreat camp just became survival camp."
Kit nudged Ci N. "Our Mama is dangerous."
David shook his head. "This is why we don't tease."
Rory clapped Keifer's back. "You okay?"
Keifer nodded, but he was looking at me.
Not dramatic.
Not proud.
Just… worried.
"Are you okay?" he asked softly.
I exhaled.
My hand was slightly shaking.
"Yeah," I said. "I just… don't like being claimed."
His jaw tightened slightly at that.
"You're not anyone's property," he said quietly.
And that one sentence made my heart calm down.
Calix suddenly shouted, "RETREAT CAMP IS GOING TO BE LEGENDARY."
Everyone cheered again, trying to lighten the mood.
But I could still feel it.
Yuri's stare from the end of the corridor.
This wasn't over.
And retreat camp?
It just got ten times more complicated.