Jay's Pov
The gym was PACKED.
Like, more packed than last time. Word had spread. The rematch. The rivalry. The drama.
But mostly, word had spread about the HUG.
Everyone wanted to see Keifer and Aries on the same court now that they weren't trying to kill each other.
"I can't breathe," I told Mia as we pushed through the crowd. "There are too many people."
"This is NOTHING. Wait until the game starts."
"IT'S ALREADY STARTING FOR ME."
Sarah grabbed my arm. "JAY! I saved seats! FRONT ROW!"
"FRONT ROW?!"
"You need to be close for when Keifer looks at you!"
"He's playing BASKETBALL. He won't be looking at me."
Sarah gave me The Look. "Girl. That man looks at you like you're the only person in any room. Basketball won't change that."
I wanted to argue. But... she wasn't wrong.
We got to our seats. Front row. Right in the middle.
Perfect view of the court.
Perfect view of where Keifer would be.
Perfect view for EVERYONE to watch me watch him.
"This is fine," I muttered. "This is totally fine."
Mia sat on one side of me. Sarah on the other. Jare was somewhere with the Section E boys. The whole squad was scattered around, but they'd promised to be loud.
Ben was already in position with his camera. "The lighting is PERFECT today."
"Ben, focus on the GAME."
"The game IS Jay and Keifer's love story."
"THAT'S NOT THE GAME."
"It's the MAIN game."
I looked around and noticed something.
The front row across from us was... different.
There, sitting with Tita Serina and Victor, was—
"OH MY GOD."
Mama Reycee. Papa. And PERCY.
Waving at me like maniacs.
"WHEN DID THEY GET HERE?!"
"This morning!" Mia laughed. "Your mom wanted to surprise you!"
"She's SUCCEEDING."
Next to them, Keigan and Keiren were bouncing with excitement. Keiren had a sign. A SIGN.
It said: "GO KUYA KEIFER! GO ATE JAY!"
"I'm not playing," I said.
"The sign doesn't CARE."
Behind them, Jeana sat quietly. Shy. Nervous. But there.
She caught my eye and smiled.
I smiled back. Small. But real.
Aries had told her about the game. She'd come to support him. To support all of us.
This was so weird. But also... kind of nice?
The teams ran out.
Section E first. Calix, Eman, Felix, Rory, and the rest. The crowd went WILD.
Then Section A. Aries leading them. The crowd also went WILD. But different energy. Less screaming, more respect.
And then—KEIFER.
The gym EXPLODED.
Girls screamed. Signs went up. Someone threw flowers onto the court.
Keifer ignored all of it.
His eyes found me immediately.
Like I was the only person in the entire gym.
My face went BRIGHT red.
"HE'S LOOKING!" Sarah screamed.
"I KNOW!"
"HE'S STARING!"
"I KNOW!"
"YOUR FACE IS THE SAME COLOR AS HIS EARS!"
"SARAH!"
Keifer smiled. That small, private smile. Just for me.
Then he winked.
I DIED.
Ci-n appeared out of nowhere. "DID HE JUST WINK?! DID KEIFER JUST WINK AT YOU?!"
"I—maybe—I don't—"
"HE DID! FELIX! HE WINKED!"
Felix was already crying. "HUSBAND AND WIFE CONFIRMED!"
The game started.
And it was INTENSE.
Section E and Section A were MATCHED. Every basket answered. Every steal countered. The score went back and forth, never more than a few points apart.
Keifer was on FIRE.
Scoring. Defending. Directing his team like a general.
But every time there was a break—a free throw, a timeout, a pause—his eyes found me.
Every. Single. Time.
"Your boyfriend is obsessed," Mia observed.
"He's not OBSESSED."
"He hasn't looked away from you for more than three seconds."
"He's playing BASKETBALL."
"His body is playing basketball. His SOUL is looking at you."
"That's the dumbest thing I've ever heard."
"Is it, though?"
I looked at Keifer. He was at the free throw line. Before shooting, he glanced at me.
Swish.
"See?" Mia said. "You're his good luck charm."
"I'm a DISTRACTION."
"The best kind."
At halftime, Section E was up by 4.
Keifer walked toward the bench—but instead of sitting, he came toward the front row.
Toward ME.
The crowd noticed. Gasps. Whispers. Phones raised.
He stopped right in front of me.
Sweaty. Breathing hard. Hair a mess.
And looking at me like I was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.
"Hey," he said.
"Hey." My voice came out weird. "Good game."
"We're winning."
"I noticed."
"Because of you."
"Because of ME?! I'm not playing!"
He smiled. "You're here. That's all I need."
My heart did a backflip.
Before I could respond, he leaned closer.
"You going to wipe my sweat or what?"
"EXCUSE ME?!"
"Just kidding." But he was grinning.
I grabbed a towel from Sarah and threw it at his face.
He caught it. Obviously.
"Thanks, Jay."
"You're WELCOME."
Then I grabbed my water bottle and handed it to him.
He drank. Watched me over the bottle.
When he finished, he handed it back. Fingers touching. Lingering.
"Same time second half?" he asked.
"Same time."
"Good."
He walked back to his team. But not before looking back once.
The gym was dead silent.
Then EXPLODED.
"OH MY GOD!" Ci-n screamed. "THAT WAS THE MOST ROMANTIC THING I'VE EVER SEEN!"
"He gave her the EYES!" Felix wailed.
"THE WATER BOTTLE SHARING!"
"THE TOWEL THROWING!"
"THE STARING!"
Sarah grabbed my arm. "Jay. Your face."
"I KNOW."
"IT'S SO RED."
"I KNOW."
"You're in LOVE."
"I—maybe—I don't—"
"You ARE."
I buried my face in my hands.
But I was smiling.
Across the court, Percy was LOSING IT.
"THAT'S MY SISTER! MAKING THE HOT BASKETBALL GUY OBSESSED WITH HER! I TAKE FULL CREDIT!"
"You take credit for EVERYTHING," Mama Reycee said.
"Because I'm RESPONSIBLE for everything!"
"You're really not."
"Facts don't care about feelings!"
Keiren was jumping up and down. "KUYA KEIFER LOVES ATE JAY! KUYA KEIFER LOVES ATE JAY!"
Keigan was filming. "This is going in the family archives."
Victor was laughing. Tita Serina was crying happy tears.
And Jeana?
Jeana was just watching me. Smiling.
Like she was proud.
Like she was glad to be here.
Second half started.
Even more intense.
Aries was unstoppable. Keifer was unmatched. The score tied. Then Section A up by 2. Then Section E up by 2.
With two minutes left, it was tied.
Time out.
Keifer looked at me.
I stood up. Didn't think. Just moved.
Walked to the edge of the court.
He came over.
"Jay?"
"You're going to win," I said.
"How do you know?"
"Because I'm here."
He smiled. That real smile.
"Then I can't lose."
He kissed my forehead. Right there. In front of EVERYONE.
The gym LOST ITS MIND.
"FOREHEAD KISS!" Ci-n screamed. "IN THE MIDDLE OF THE GAME!"
"THIS IS HISTORIC!" Felix yelled.
Ben was filming. "THE LIGHTING! THE ANGLE! PERFECT!"
The game resumed.
Last minute. Section A ball. Aries driving.
Keifer defending.
Everyone on their feet.
Aries faked left. Went right.
Keifer stayed with him.
Aries jumped. Shot.
Keifer's hand was THERE.
BLOCK.
The ball flew. Felix grabbed it. Passed to Calix. Calix to Eman. Eman to—
Keifer.
Under the basket.
One second left.
He jumped. Shot.
Swish.
BUZZER.
SECTION E WINS.
The gym ERUPTED.
Keifer was mobbed by his team. Lifted up. Celebrated.
But when they put him down, he pushed through them.
Walked straight to me.
Grabbed my face. Kissed me.
Right there. On the court. In front of everyone.
The crowd went ABSOLUTELY INSANE.
When he pulled back, we were both breathing hard.
"What was that for?" I whispered.
"For being here. For being you. For everything."
"I didn't do anything."
"You exist. That's enough."
I laughed. "You're so cheesy."
"Your cheese."
"MY cheese."
He kissed me again. Quick. Soft.
Then Keiren ran onto the court and tackled us both.
"YOU WON! AND YOU KISSED! BEST DAY EVER!"
Keigan followed, trying to look cool but definitely smiling. Percy was taking selfies with the trophy. Mama Reycee was crying. Papa was shaking Victor's hand.
And Aries?
Aries walked over. Extended a hand to Keifer.
"Good game."
"Good game."
"Next time, I'm winning."
"Keep dreaming."
But they were both smiling.
Real smiles.
Later, in the chaos, I found Jeana.
"Hey."
"Hey." She smiled. "You were amazing out there."
"I wasn't playing."
"Doesn't matter. You were his motivation. Everyone could see it."
I looked at Keifer, surrounded by family and friends. Laughing. Happy.
"He's good for you," Jeana said quietly.
"He is."
"I'm glad."
We stood together. Mother and daughter. Strangers and family.
"You'll stay?" I asked. "For a while?"
"If you want me to."
"I do."
She smiled. Cried a little. Hugged me.
"I love you," she whispered. "I know I don't have the right to say that, but—"
"You have the right. You're my mom."
She held me tighter.
And for the first time, it felt true.
That Night, in the Group Chat
SAME BRAIN CELLS (PLUS EVERYONE)
CI-N: BEST. GAME. EVER.
FELIX: THE FOREHEAD KISS. THE WATER BOTTLE. THE FINAL KISS. I HAVE DIED AND GONE TO HEAVEN.
YURI: Keifer has been smiling for THREE HOURS. It's terrifying.
ARIES: He's never going to stop.
KEIFER: ❤️
ME: KEIFER.
KEIFER: What? I'm happy.
ME: You're EMBARRASSING.
KEIFER: Your embarrassment.
ME: My idiot.
KEIFER: ❤️
MIA: THEY'RE DOING IT AGAIN.
JARE: Always.
SARAH: This is the best timeline.
DAVE: I ate so many snacks. Worth it.
BEN: I have 200+ photos. The lighting was INCREDIBLE.
BELLA: Of course it was.
PERCY: I'M IN SEVERAL OF THOSE PHOTOS LOOKING FLAWLESS.
KEIREN: I'M IN PHOTOS TOO! WITH MY SIGN!
KEIGAN: This family is too much.
VICTOR: And we wouldn't have it any other way.
TITA SERINA: MY CHILDREN. ALL OF THEM. I CLAIM THEM ALL.
MAMA REYCEE: OUR children now.
PAPA: This is going to be expensive.
JEANA: I'll help.
ARIES: Mom?
JEANA: I'm part of this now. Get used to it.
CI-N: NEW FAMILY MEMBER! WELCOME JEANA!
FELIX: WELCOME TO THE CHAOS!
JEANA: Thank you. I think.
ME: You'll get used to it.
JEANA: Will I?
ME: Probably not. But it's fun.
KEIFER: ❤️
ME: STOP.
KEIFER: Never.