Jay's POV..
didn't expect to feel like this.
Not after everything.
Not after how suddenly it all happened.
But as I stood there, surrounded by voices, laughter, and people who actually mattered to me… the only thing I could feel was..
Happy.
It was soft at first.
Quiet.
Like something slowly settling inside me.
The ring on my finger caught the light again, and this time, when I looked at it, I didn't feel overwhelmed.
I smiled.
And then immediately looked away like someone would catch me.
Because along with that happiness.
There was something else.
Nervousness.
The kind that sits in your chest and doesn't leave.
Not fear.
Just… the weight of something real.
"Still staring at it?"
I didn't turn this time. "Maybe."
"You're smiling."
That made me look at him.
Keifer stood there like always..calm, composed..but his eyes were softer now.
"You're imagining things," I said.
"I'm not."
I tried to look serious, but it didn't work.
Because he was right.
"I just…" I paused, letting out a small breath. "It feels real now."
"It is."
"I know," I said, almost laughing softly. "That's the problem."
"That's not a problem."
"It is when your heart won't calm down."
He stepped a little closer, not too much, just enough.
"That's normal."
"For you maybe," I muttered.
"For you too."
I looked at him properly now. "You're not nervous at all?"
He didn't answer immediately.
"I don't get nervous about things I'm sure of," he said.
And there it was again.
That certainty.
But this time, instead of overwhelming me...
It grounded me.
"I think I'm nervous because I'm starting to feel the same," I admitted quietly.
Something shifted in his expression.
Not big.
But enough.
"JAYYYYYY!"
Rakki's voice cut through everything as she rushed toward me again.
"Oh my God you disappeared AGAIN," she said dramatically. "Do you know how many people are asking for you?"
"I was right here," I said.
"That is not the point."
Freya walked up behind her, arms crossed but clearly amused. "She's glowing. It's annoying."
"I am not glowing."
"You are," Ella smiled. "And it suits you."
Mica stepped closer, her eyes soft. "You look really happy."
I didn't answer immediately.
Because for once…
I didn't need to think about it.
"I am," I said.
And this time, it came out easily.
Rakki gasped. "SHE ADMITTED IT."
"Relax," I rolled my eyes, but I couldn't stop smiling.
Freya smirked slightly. "Don't get too comfortable. This is just the beginning."
"I know," I said.
And that nervous feeling came back again.
Not strong.
Just enough to remind me..
This was real.
The night continued with laughter, pictures, people pulling me in every direction, but somehow… I didn't feel lost in it.
I felt part of it.
Every now and then, my eyes found him again.
And every time...
He was already looking at me.
Not intense.
Not overwhelming.
Just… there.
Constant.
Later, when things slowed down and the noise faded a little, I found myself standing alone for a moment, looking at the ring again.
My fingers traced it lightly, my heart beating just a little faster.
"You keep doing that."
I didn't turn. "I like it."
"Good."
I finally looked at him. "I'm still nervous."
"I know."
"But I'm not… scared," I said.
That was new.
He stepped closer.
"You don't have to be."
"I think it's just… everything changing so fast."
"It was always going to."
I tilted my head slightly. "You knew this would happen?"
"Yes."
"Since when?"
"Before you did."
I stared at him for a second. "That's unfair."
"Maybe."
"But I don't hate it," I admitted.
That made something soften in his gaze again.
He reached for my hand, slow, giving me time.
Like always.
And like always..
I didn't pull away.
His fingers intertwined with mine, steady and warm.
"You're okay?" he asked quietly.
I nodded.
"Yeah."
And I meant it.
Because even with the nervousness, the fast heartbeat, the unfamiliar feeling of everything changing..
I didn't want it to stop.
I didn't want to go back.
I looked down at our hands, then at the ring once more.
And a small smile found its way back again.
Because this time...
The nervousness didn't feel like something to run from.
It felt like something worth holding onto.