Jay's POV..
I didn't even realize when I fell asleep. Maybe it was the exhaustion after the exam or maybe my mind just couldn't carry everything at once anymore. When I opened my eyes, the room was dim, the soft evening light slipping through the curtains and resting quietly on the walls. For a moment, everything felt normal, like nothing had happened. Then slowly, it all came back—his voice, his words, the way he looked at me.
"Live with me."
I sat up, pushing my hair back as I let out a slow breath. My head felt lighter after the rest, but my heart still carried that same weight. I reached for my phone lying beside me. A few notifications blinked on the screen, but none from him. My fingers paused for a second before I locked it again and placed it back.
"Focus, Jay," I whispered to myself.
I got up and adjusted myself before stepping out of my room. The house was quiet, the kind of silence that made every small movement noticeable. As I walked into the living room, I saw him sitting there, calm as always, like he had been waiting without actually waiting.
"Awake?" Angelo asked without looking away from what he was doing.
"Yeah," I replied softly.
He finally looked at me, his gaze steady and observant. "Sit."
I walked over and sat across from him, placing my hands neatly on my lap. For a few seconds, neither of us spoke. The silence wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't light either. It felt like he was giving me time to say what I needed to say.
"You rested?" he asked.
"Yes."
"Good." Then, without wasting a second, he added, "What did you want to talk about?"
I took a small breath. "It's about Keifer."
His attention sharpened slightly, though his expression didn't change.
"He asked me something," I continued, my
fingers tightening just a little. "He asked me to live with him."
I watched him carefully, waiting for some kind of reaction, but there was none. No surprise, no anger, nothing. That somehow made me more aware of my own heartbeat.
"I didn't answer him yet," I added. "I wanted to talk to you first."
He leaned back slightly, his eyes still on me. "And what do you think?"
The question caught me off guard, but I answered honestly. "I'm not against it."
Saying it out loud made it feel more real, more solid. There was no taking it back now.
"Can you handle it?" he asked calmly.
I frowned a little. "Handle what?"
"Everything that comes with him."
His words were simple, but they carried meaning. Not just Keifer, but his choices, his past, his way of dealing with things. I didn't look away this time.
"I can," I said, and my voice didn't shake.
He watched me for a few seconds, like he was trying to see if I meant it. Then finally, he spoke again.
"He's not a bad choice."
For a moment, I thought I heard wrong. My eyes lifted slightly in surprise.
"He knows what he's doing," Angelo continued, his tone steady. "And he's not careless."
Something in my chest eased hearing that.
"So I'm not stopping you," he said.
Relief didn't hit me suddenly, but it settled slowly, like something falling into place.
"But don't cross limits," he added, his gaze sharpening just a little. "Whatever you do, do it properly. Don't turn it into something messy later."
I nodded. "I understand."
"If you choose this, you stay firm," he continued.
"No second thoughts halfway."
"I won't," I replied without hesitation.
He held my gaze for a moment longer before nodding slightly. "Good."
The conversation ended just like that. No arguments, no pressure. Just a decision, clear and understood.
I stood up slowly and walked back to my room, closing the door behind me. The moment I was alone, I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. A small smile formed on my lips before I could stop it.
"He's fine," Angelo had said.
That meant more than anything.
I picked up my phone again and stared at Keifer's name for a few seconds. My heart started beating faster, but this time, it wasn't confusion. It was certainty.
I tapped the call button.
It rang once.
Twice.
Then he answered.
"…Yeah?"
His voice was calm, but I could tell he picked up quickly.
"I talked to Angelo," I said.
There was a brief silence on the other end. "And?"
I leaned back against the bed, holding the phone closer. "He didn't stop me."
Another pause, slightly longer this time.
"What does that mean?" he asked.
A small smile formed on my lips again. "It means he's okay with it."
A quiet exhale came from him, like he had been holding something in.
"…That's Great I knew he would approve," he said. "I don't need anything else."
There was something about the way he said it—calm, sure—that made my heart settle even more.
"And you?" he asked after a second.
I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them again.
"I said I'm not against it, remember?" I replied softly.
"That's not what I asked.'
Of course.
I smiled a little. "I'm saying yes."
Silence.
Complete silence.
For a second, I wondered if the call dropped.
"…Say that again," he said, his voice lower this time.
"I said yes," I repeated, this time clearer.
I heard him breathe out slowly, like tension leaving him all at once.
"Don't take it back later," he said.
"I won't."
"Good."
There was a small pause, but this one felt different. Lighter. Real.
"When?" he asked.
I blinked. "When what?"
"When do you want to come?"
My cheeks warmed slightly at how direct he was.
"…We'll figure that out," I said, trying to sound normal.
A faint chuckle came from him. "Yeah. We will."
I smiled, even though he couldn't see it.
"Jay."
"Hmm?"
"…You won't regret it."
I didn't even think before answering.
"I know."