Jay's Pov
Breakfast was chaos, as usual.
Keiren was still hyper from last night, running around the table pretending to be a dinosaur. Keigan was on his phone, pretending to be too cool for everything but definitely sneaking glances at the pancakes. Victor was reading the newspaper but laughing at everything Keiren did. Tita Serina was floating around, making sure everyone's plates were full.
And Keifer?
Keifer was sitting across from me, drinking his coffee like some kind of businessman, looking at me with those unreadable eyes.
"You're staring," I said.
"I'm observing."
"You're always observing. Do you ever stop?"
"Not often."
"Must be exhausting."
"Less exhausting than being you."
I gasped. "Excuse me? What's that supposed to mean?"
He took a slow sip of coffee. "You're loud. Chaotic. Always moving. Always talking. That takes energy."
"It takes ZERO energy. This is just who I am."
"Exactly my point."
I threw a piece of pancake at him. He caught it. Again. Without looking.
"Stop doing that."
"Doing what?"
"Catching things without looking. It's show-offy."
"Everything I do is show-offy. Get used to it."
Mia kicked me under the table. I looked at her. She was grinning.
"Stop grinning," I hissed.
"Never."
Jare, sitting next to Mia, was watching the exchange with the same expression as last night. The "my sister is hopeless" expression.
Keiren ran up to me. "Jay! Jay! After breakfast, can you play with me?"
"Of course, baby dinosaur."
"YAY!" He ran off again.
Keifer's eyes flickered. Something soft. Just for a second.
"What?" I asked.
"Nothing."
"You looked... almost human for a second."
"I'm always human."
"Debatable."
His lips twitched. That almost-smile again.
Breakfast ended and chaos continued.
Keiren dragged me to his room to show me his dinosaur collection. Which was impressive, honestly. He had like fifty dinosaurs. All named.
"This is Rex," he explained, holding up a T-Rex. "He's the king. This is Sarah. She's a triceratops. This is—"
"You named a dinosaur Sarah?"
"She looks like a Sarah."
"She absolutely does."
We played dinosaurs for an hour. By the end, I was lying on the floor, covered in plastic dinosaurs, completely exhausted.
Keiren climbed on top of me. "Jay? Can I ask you something?"
"Sure, baby dinosaur."
"Do you like my kuya Keifer?"
I choked. "WHAT?"
"Do you like him? Like, LIKE like him?"
"Keiren, I—"
"Because I think he likes you. He never looks at people the way he looks at you. He usually looks at people like they're bugs. But you? He looks at you like you're a dinosaur."
"A dinosaur?"
"A cool dinosaur. A T-Rex. The king."
I didn't know whether to laugh or cry. "That's... that's very specific."
"Will you be my ate?"
"Keiren—"
"Please? I want another ate. Mia's great but she's busy with her phone all the time. You would play dinosaurs with me FOREVER."
I sat up, pulling him into my lap. "Keiren, I'll always play dinosaurs with you. Even if I'm not your ate. Okay?"
He pouted. "But I want you to be my ate."
"We'll see, okay? We'll see."
He hugged me. "Okay."
I finally escaped Keiren's room and went looking for Mia.
I found her in the living room. With Jare.
They were sitting on the couch, talking. Just talking. But the way they were looking at each other...
I stopped in the doorway.
Mia was laughing at something Jare said. Jare was smiling—a real smile, not the forced one he does in public. They looked... comfortable. Natural.
Okay, I thought. This is happening. This is actually happening.
I backed away slowly. I was NOT going to interrupt that.
Instead, I wandered toward the back of the house. There was a garden, apparently. Maybe I could find some peace and quiet.
I found the garden.
I also found Keifer.
He was standing there, hands in his pockets, looking at nothing in particular. The morning light made him look... different. Softer, somehow.
I should have turned around.
I didn't.
"You," I said.
He turned. "Me."
"What are you doing?"
"Existing. You?"
"Escaping your brother."
"Keiren?"
"Yeah. He asked me if I'd be his ate."
Keifer's eyebrows went up. "He what?"
"Yeah. He proposed marriage for you again. Through dinosaurs."
Keifer actually blinked. "Through dinosaurs?"
"It's a long story. The point is, your brother wants me in the family."
"He's seven. He wants everyone in the family."
"He specifically wants me."
Keifer was quiet for a moment. Then: "He has good taste."
I froze. "Did you just—"
"I said nothing."
"You absolutely said something."
"I said nothing. You're hearing things."
"I am NOT—"
"Your face is red."
"Because it's HOT."
"The garden has shade."
"I don't like shade."
"You're impossible."
"I'm DELIGHTFUL. There's a difference."
He stepped closer. Just one step. But it felt like a lot.
"Why are you here, Jay?"
"What do you mean?"
"In my garden. In my house. In my life."
I crossed my arms. "Your sister invited me."
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what DID you mean?"
He stepped closer again. Now he was too close. The same distance as yesterday in the classroom.
"I mean," he said quietly, "why do you keep showing up everywhere I am?"
"I don't—I'm not—This is YOUR house!"
"You could have stayed inside."
"I was looking for PEACE."
"And you found me."
"Unfortunately."
"Liar."
"I am NOT a liar."
"Your eyes say otherwise."
"MY EYES ARE JUST EYES."
"Your eyes are very expressive."
I didn't know what to say to that. My brain had officially left the building.
Keifer stepped closer. Again. Now we were inches apart.
"You know what I think?" he said.
"What?"
"I think you like arguing with me."
"I do NOT—"
"I think you look for reasons to fight with me."
"That's RIDICULOUS—"
"And I think," he continued, his voice even lower, "that you're not as annoyed as you pretend to be."
My mouth opened. Nothing came out.
He smirked. "Cat got your tongue?"
"I—you—THIS IS—"
And then it happened.
Keifer stepped back to move around me—but his foot caught on something.
A mat. There was a mat on the ground. A garden mat that had somehow moved.
His leg got stuck. He stumbled.
And then he was falling.
Toward me.
I yelped and stumbled back—but the wall was right behind me.
Keifer's hands slammed against the wall on either side of my head.
His face was inches from mine.
His body was pressed close.
And his leg was still tangled in the stupid mat.
We froze.
I could feel his breath on my face. Could see every detail of his eyes. Could count his eyelashes if I wanted to.
"Um," I said.
"Don't move," he muttered.
"I'M not moving. YOU'RE the one who—"
"My leg is stuck."
"Then UNSTICK it."
"I'm trying."
"TRY FASTER."
"I CAN'T."
"WHY NOT?!"
"Because if I move too much, I'll fall ON you."
"THAT'S WORSE."
"I KNOW."
We stared at each other.
His ears were red. Really red. Like, stoplight red.
My face was probably the same color.
"Your ears," I whispered.
"Shut up."
"They're so red."
"I said shut up."
"It's cute."
His eyes widened. "What?"
"Nothing. I said nothing."
"You said cute."
"I said NOTHING."
"You definitely said—"
"KEIFER. Focus. Your leg."
He took a breath. Then slowly, carefully, he tried to move his foot.
It didn't work.
"The mat," he said through gritted teeth. "It's wrapped around my ankle."
"Can you—can you just step out of it?"
"If I step, I'll lose balance."
"So don't lose balance."
"GENIUS. Why didn't I think of that?"
"Don't get sarcastic with me. You're the one who attacked me."
"I didn't ATTACK you. I TRIPPED."
"Into me. Against a wall. With your hands on either side of my head."
"It's called an accident."
"It's called BAD TIMING."
"Your face is still red."
"YOURS IS TOO."
We were both breathing hard. Both flustered. Both trapped in this ridiculous position.
And then—
"AWWWWW!"
We both turned our heads.
There, in the doorway leading to the garden, stood the entire Watson family.
Tita Serina. Victor. Keigan. Keiren.
And Mia.
And Jare.
All of them. Watching.
Keiren had his hands over his mouth, eyes sparkling. "KUYA! YOU'RE DOING THE WALL THING!"
"The WHAT?" Keifer's voice cracked.
"The wall thing! From the movies! When the boy traps the girl against the wall because he likes her!"
"I DIDN'T TRAP HER. I TRIPPED."
"SURE, kuya. SURE."
Keigan was smirking. "Smooth. Really smooth."
Victor was trying not to laugh. "Son, do you need help?"
"NO."
"Your leg is stuck in a mat."
"I KNOW."
"You're pinned against a guest."
"I'M AWARE."
Tita Serina had her hand over her heart, looking emotional. "This is beautiful. Like a teleserye."
"MOM, NO."
"YES. This is happening. I'm witnessing it."
Mia was GASPING. Actually gasping, like she couldn't breathe. "JAY! JAY, ARE YOU OKAY?!"
"I'M FINE," I yelled. "HE JUST—HE TRIPPED—"
"SURE, Jay. SURE."
Jare, my own twin brother, my own flesh and blood, just stood there with the biggest grin I'd ever seen on his face.
"Aren't you going to help me?!" I demanded.
"And miss this? Never."
"JARE!"
"Jay, you're literally pinned against a wall by a hot guy. This is a core memory. I'm not interrupting it."
"I WILL KILL YOU."
"Worth it."
Keifer finally managed to yank his leg free. He stumbled back, nearly falling again, but caught himself on a garden chair.
I slid down the wall slightly, my legs feeling like jelly.
We stood there, breathing hard, faces red, avoiding eye contact.
The audience clapped.
Literally clapped.
Keiren was jumping up and down. "AGAIN! DO IT AGAIN!"
"NEVER," Keifer and I said in unison.
Keiren pouted. "But it was ROMANTIC!"
"It was an ACCIDENT."
"It looked romantic!"
"ACCIDENT."
Tita Serina wiped a fake tear. "My son. Growing up. Pinning girls against walls. I'm so proud."
"MOM."
"I'm just saying!"
Victor finally stepped forward, still chuckling. "Okay, okay, let's give them some space. Come on, everyone. Inside. Now."
"But I want to watch!" Keiren whined.
"Inside. Ice cream."
"Ice cream?!" Keiren's eyes lit up. "OKAY!" And he ran inside.
Keigan followed, still smirking. Mia grabbed Jare's arm and dragged him away, but not before giving me a look that said "WE ARE TALKING ABOUT THIS LATER."
Soon it was just me and Keifer in the garden.
Silence.
Awkward, heavy silence.
Then Keifer spoke.
"I'm sorry."
I looked at him. "For what?"
"For... that. For pinning you. For the mat. For everything."
"It wasn't your fault. Well, it kind of was. But also not."
"Thanks. I think."
We stood there, not looking at each other.
Then I laughed.
Just a small laugh at first. Then bigger. Then full-on wheezing.
Keifer stared at me. "Are you okay?"
"I'm FINE." I wiped my eyes. "It's just—your face. When you saw them watching. I've never seen anyone look so terrified."
"I wasn't terrified."
"You were TERRIFIED. Your eyes went huge."
"They did NOT."
"They SO did."
He was quiet for a moment. Then his lips twitched.
Then he laughed.
A real laugh. Low and warm.
I stopped breathing for a second.
He looked... different when he laughed. Softer. Younger. Human.
"What?" he asked, catching me stare.
"Nothing. You just... you should laugh more."
He blinked. "What?"
"It suits you. The whole 'serious class president' thing is fine, but this? This is better."
He didn't answer. Just looked at me with that unreadable expression again.
But this time, it wasn't unreadable.
This time, I saw something.
Something that made my heart do a weird flip.
"You're staring," he said quietly.
"So are you."
"Touché."
We stood there for a moment longer. Then he cleared his throat.
"We should go inside. Before Keiren sends a search party."
"Good idea."
We walked back toward the house together. Side by side. Not touching. But close.
At the door, he stopped.
"Jay?"
"Yeah?"
"Thanks."
"For what?"
"For... not making this weirder than it already is."
I smiled. "Too late. It's already weird."
He almost smiled back. "Yeah. I know."
Inside, chaos had somehow increased.
Keiren was running around with ice cream on his face. Keigan was on his phone but definitely watching everything. Victor was making popcorn. Tita Serina was taking photos of everything "for memories."
And Mia and Jare were sitting on the couch, looking at me with identical grins.
"SIT," Mia commanded, patting the spot next to her. "NOW."
I sat.
"SPILL."
"There's nothing to spill."
"JAY. Your face is red. His face was red. You were pinned against a wall. SPILL."
"It was an accident! He tripped!"
"On what?"
"A mat!"
"Uh-huh." Mia did not believe me.
"A mat," Jare repeated. "He tripped on a mat and accidentally pinned you against a wall with his hands on either side of your head."
"YES."
"And his face was inches from yours."
"...Yes."
"And you were both breathing hard."
"It was STARTLING."
"And his ears were red."
"OKAY, FINE. It looked bad. But it was an ACCIDENT."
Mia and Jare exchanged looks.
The same look.
The "we don't believe you" look.
"We're not buying it," Mia said.
"Buy what?! There's nothing to buy!"
"There's EVERYTHING to buy."
Jare nodded. "The tension was visible. From inside the house. Through the window. I saw it."
"You were inside!"
"I looked out the window."
"Why?!"
"Because Mia said 'look, they're alone in the garden.'"
I turned to Mia. "YOU WERE SPYING?!"
"Observing. Like Keifer says."
"That's NOT observing. That's SPYING."
"Same thing."
"IT IS NOT."
Keifer chose that moment to walk past. He glanced at us, saw the intense conversation, and kept walking.
But not before his ears went red again.
Mia grabbed my arm. "HIS EARS!"
"I KNOW."
"THEY'RE RED!"
"I KNOW!"
"JAY, THIS IS HUGE!"
"I KNOW!"
"You like him!"
"I DO NOT—"
"Your face says yes!"
"MY FACE IS A LIAR!"
Jare leaned back, arms crossed, looking way too pleased. "This is the best day of my life."
"JARE!"
"I'm serious. Watching my sister fall apart over a guy? Priceless."
"I am NOT falling apart!"
"You literally just yelled 'I KNOW' five times."
"Because Mia kept talking!"
"And because you're flustered."
"I am NOT flustered."
"Your voice went up an octave."
"IT DID NOT."
Mia was cackling now. Actually cackling. Like a witch.
"I can't wait to tell Felix," she wheezed.
"YOU WILL NOT TELL FELIX."
"Oh, I'm ABSOLUTELY telling Felix."
"MIA."
"He's going to lose his MIND."
"I will END you."
"Worth it."
Lunch was more chaos.
Keiren insisted on sitting next to me. Keigan sat across, still pretending not to care. Victor kept making jokes. Tita Serina kept taking photos.
And Keifer?
Keifer sat at the end of the table, occasionally glancing at me, then looking away when I caught him.
It was like a game. A very stupid game.
"So," Victor said casually. "Jay. How long are you staying in the Philippines?"
"Uh, the whole semester. Maybe longer if my parents don't miss me too much."
"Wonderful! You should come over more often. Mia's always happier when you're around."
Mia nodded vigorously. "YES. Every day. Move in."
"I can't move in."
"Why not?"
"I have a residence."
"Cancel it."
"I can't cancel a residence."
"You can try."
Keiren tugged my sleeve. "You can share my room! I have bunk beds!"
"That's very sweet, baby dinosaur, but—"
"She can't share your room," Keifer said flatly.
"Why not?"
"Because she's a guest."
"She can be a GUEST in my room."
"Keiren, no."
"KEIFER, YES."
"It's not happening."
"You're just saying that because YOU want her to share YOUR room."
The table went SILENT.
Keifer's face went completely still. "What?"
"You heard me! You want her in YOUR room!"
"I do NOT—"
"That's why you're always looking at her! Because you LIKE her!"
"Keiren, I swear—"
Keiren jumped up. "JAY! My kuya likes you! He told me!"
"I did NOT tell you that!"
"You did! Last night! You said 'she's interesting'!"
"Interesting is not LIKE."
"It's the same thing!"
"IT IS NOT."
Keigan was recording on his phone now. "This is gold. Pure gold."
Victor was laughing so hard he had tears. Tita Serina was just smiling, looking between me and Keifer like we were her favorite TV show.
Mia grabbed my arm under the table. "This is amazing."
"I'm dying."
"You're THRIVING."
"I'm literally dying."
Keifer stood up. "I'm done."
"Done with what?" I asked.
"Done with... this." He waved vaguely at everything. "Done with being ambushed."
"We're not ambushing you!"
"Your entire family is ambushing me!"
"I'm not your family. Yet." Keiren grinned.
Keifer stared at his little brother. Then at me. Then back at Keiren.
"I'm going to my room."
"Running away!" Keiren yelled. "Kuya's running away because he LIKES Jay!"
"I am NOT running away."
"Then sit down!"
Keifer sat down.
The table erupted in laughter.
Even I laughed.
And Keifer?
Keifer looked at me across the table, and for the first time, he didn't look away.
He just... looked.
Like he was trying to figure me out.
Like I was a puzzle he wanted to solve.
And honestly?
I wanted him to.
After lunch, we finally had to leave.
Tita Serina hugged me for five minutes straight. Victor shook Jare's hand warmly. Keigan gave me a nod that was basically affection. Keiren cried.
Literally cried.
"Don't go!" he wailed, clinging to my leg. "Stay forever!"
"I can't stay forever, baby dinosaur. But I'll come back. Promise."
"Promise promise?"
"Promise promise."
We pinky-swore. He seemed satisfied.
Then Keifer appeared at the door.
We looked at each other.
"Thanks for having us," I said.
"Thanks for coming."
"It was... eventful."
"Always is, with you."
I wasn't sure if that was an insult or a compliment. Maybe both.
"See you at school?" I asked.
"See you at school."
I turned to leave.
"Jay?"
I looked back.
Keifer was standing there, hands in his pockets, looking almost... nervous?
"Yeah?"
He opened his mouth. Closed it. Opened it again.
"Nothing. Never mind."
"Keifer."
"It's nothing. Go."
I frowned but walked away.
Behind me, I heard Keiren whisper loudly, "You're so bad at this, kuya."
"Shut up, Keiren."
"You should have asked her out!"
"I'm not asking her out."
"Why not?!"
"Because—" His voice dropped. I couldn't hear the rest.
But I smiled anyway.
On the walk back to the residence, Mia texted me.
MIA: He totally likes you.
ME: He does NOT.
MIA: JAY. His ears were red ALL DAY.
ME: It was hot.
MIA: The AC was on.
ME: He's allergic.
MIA: He's allergic to YOU. That's different.
ME: THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE.
MIA: Love never does.
I stared at my phone.
ME: You're impossible.
MIA: And you're in denial. See you tomorrow!
I put my phone away.
Jare looked at me. "Mia?"
"Yeah."
"She's right, you know."
"About what?"
"About Keifer."
I groaned. "Not you too."
"I'm just saying. The guy looked at you like you were the answer to a test he didn't study for."
"That's... that's actually poetic."
"I have my moments."
We walked in silence for a bit.
Then Jare spoke again. "So... you like him?"
"I don't KNOW."
"But?"
"But... maybe."
"Maybe as in yes?"
"Maybe as in I DON'T KNOW."
Jare smiled. "You're hopeless."
"I KNOW."
Back at the residence, the squad was waiting.
Sarah, Dave, Ben, Bella. All gathered in the living room.
"SPILL," Sarah demanded.
"There's nothing to spill."
"You were at his HOUSE. All NIGHT. With his FAMILY."
"It was a DINNER."
"A dinner that lasted until morning."
"We slept over."
"EXACTLY."
I sighed and told them everything.
The dinner. The UNO game. The movie. The morning. The garden.
When I got to the part about being pinned against the wall, Dave choked on his chips.
"HE PINNED YOU?!"
"He tripped."
"SURE."
"HE DID."
Bella raised an eyebrow. "And his whole family saw?"
"Yes."
Ben was already editing photos. "I wish I was there. The lighting would have been incredible."
"BEN."
"What? Dramatic moments need good lighting!"
Sarah grabbed my shoulders. "Jay. This is HUGE. The class president, the scary one, the one who never looks at anyone—he looked at YOU. He pinned YOU. His ears turned red for YOU."
"It was an accident!"
"Accidents don't make ears red."
"THEY CAN."
"Science says no."
"SCIENCE SAYS YES."
"Name one scientist."
I opened my mouth. Closed it. "I don't know any scientists."
"Exactly."
I buried my face in my hands. "I hate all of you."
"No you don't."
"I hate you a little."
"Still love you."