CHAPTER — WHEN IT FINALLY HITS
Keifer's POV
The house felt… quiet.
Too quiet.
It always was.
But now—
It felt different.
Empty.
---
I stood in the hallway longer than I should have.
Staring at nothing.
Thinking about her.
About the way she looked at me.
Or didn't.
---
"It doesn't matter enough for me to care."
My jaw clenched.
Why did that bother me so much?
---
This is what I wanted.
No attachment.
No expectations.
No emotions.
---
Then why—
Why does it feel like something is missing?
---
I exhaled sharply and started walking.
Without thinking.
Without a destination.
---
And somehow—
I ended up outside her room.
---
I paused.
My hand hovering near the door.
Then I frowned slightly.
Annoyed.
At myself.
---
What am I doing?
---
I don't knock.
I don't hesitate.
I don't—
Care.
---
…Right?
---
I opened the door.
---
She was there.
Sitting by the window.
Quiet.
Still.
Looking… far away.
---
For a second—
I just stood there.
Watching her.
---
She looked smaller like this.
Not weak.
Just…
Distant.
Like she had already left, even though she was still here.
---
"Jay."
My voice came out lower than usual.
---
She turned slightly.
Looked at me.
And then—
Looked away.
---
That simple movement—
It did something.
Something I didn't like.
---
"What?" she asked.
Flat.
No emotion.
---
I stepped inside.
Closed the door behind me.
---
"Look at me when I talk to you."
The words came out automatically.
---
But she didn't.
---
"I am listening," she said.
Quiet.
Distant.
---
My jaw tightened.
---
Why is she like this?
---
No.
Wrong question.
---
Why did I make her like this?
---
Silence stretched.
Heavy.
---
And then—
I noticed it.
Her plate.
On the table.
Untouched.
---
"You didn't eat," I said.
---
"I'm not hungry."
Same answer.
Every time.
---
"Stop saying that."
My voice came out sharper than I intended.
---
She flinched.
---
And everything—
Stopped.
---
That small movement.
That instinct.
Like she expected something.
---
Something from me.
---
My chest tightened.
Hard.
---
"She's scared of you."
---
No.
Not just scared.
---
She's hurting.
---
Because of you.
---
I looked at her again.
Really looked.
---
The way she avoids me.
The way she doesn't argue anymore.
The way she doesn't even try.
---
That's not indifference.
---
That's someone who cared—
And got tired of it.
---
Something in my chest shifted.
Slow.
Unfamiliar.
Heavy.
---
Memories started lining up.
One after another.
---
Her small smiles.
The way she tried to talk to me.
The way she looked at me—
Like I mattered.
---
The way she said "we'll be okay."
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And I—
Ignored it.
Pushed it away.
Shut it down.
---
And now—
It's gone.
---
My chest felt tight.
Too tight.
---
"…Damn it."
I ran a hand through my hair, turning away for a second.
---
Why does this feel like I'm losing something?
---
Because you are.
---
The thought hit—
Clear.
Sharp.
Unavoidable.
---
I looked back at her.
Sitting there.
Quiet.
Distant.
Not mine.
---
And that's when it happened.
---
Not slowly.
Not gently.
---
It hit all at once.
---
I don't like her avoiding me.
I don't like her being scared of me.
I don't like her not caring.
---
I don't like this distance.
---
I don't like—
This version of her without me in it.
---
My breath slowed slightly.
The realization settling deep.
Heavy.
Real.
---
…This isn't just irritation.
This isn't just guilt.
---
This is—
Something else.
---
Something I've never allowed.
Never wanted.
Never needed.
---
And yet—
Here it is.
---
I clenched my jaw.
Hard.
---
"…You've got to be kidding me."
---
Because now I see it.
Now I understand it.
---
Too late.
---
I stepped closer.
Slower this time.
Careful.
---
"Jay."
Her name came out differently.
Lower.
Softer.
Without force.
---
She didn't look at me.
---
And for the first time—
That bothered me more than anything else.
---
My voice dropped slightly.
Almost quiet.
---
"…Look at me."
---
A pause.
Then slowly—
She did.
---
And my chest tightened again.
---
Because her eyes—
Didn't look at me the same way anymore.
---
And that's when I knew.
---
I lost something.
Something important.
---
Because somewhere along the way—
Without realizing it—
Without wanting it—
---
I fell for her.
---
And now—
I don't know how to get her back
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CHAPTER — YOU'RE STILL GOING TO EAT
Jayjay's POV
"…Look at me."
I did.
Slowly.
Reluctantly.
My eyes met Keifer Watson's.
And for a second—
Something felt… different.
But I didn't stay long enough to figure it out.
I looked away again.
---
Silence stretched between us.
Heavy.
Uncomfortable.
---
"You didn't eat."
His voice was calmer now.
Lower.
---
"I'm not hungry," I replied.
Flat.
Automatic.
---
A pause.
Then—
"No."
I frowned slightly, glancing at him.
"…What?"
---
"You're going to eat."
---
I let out a quiet breath.
"I said I'm not hungry."
---
"I heard you."
His tone didn't change.
"But you're still going to eat."
---
I stared at him for a moment.
Blank.
Unimpressed.
---
"You can't force me."
---
Big mistake.
---
Something in his expression shifted.
Not anger.
Not exactly.
Just… firm.
---
"Watch me."
---
Before I could react—
He reached for my wrist.
I flinched.
Hard.
---
The moment my body jerked back—
He stopped.
Immediately.
Like he caught himself.
---
Silence.
---
My heart was racing again.
But I forced my face to stay blank.
Cold.
---
"…Don't touch me."
My voice came out quiet.
But clear.
---
Something flickered in his eyes.
Gone just as fast.
---
"Fine," he said.
Short.
Controlled.
---
He stepped back.
Creating space.
---
But he didn't leave.
---
"Sit."
---
I didn't move.
---
"Jayjay."
---
I sighed softly.
Annoyed.
Tired.
---
Then slowly—
I walked to the chair.
And sat down.
---
Not because he told me to.
That's what I told myself.
---
The plate was placed in front of me.
Still untouched.
---
"Eat."
---
I stared at the food.
For a few seconds.
---
Then picked up the fork.
---
Took a bite.
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It felt heavy.
Like swallowing something I didn't want.
But I didn't react.
Didn't complain.
---
I just ate.
Quietly.
Mechanically.
---
He didn't leave.
---
Of course he didn't.
---
I could feel his presence.
Standing there.
Watching.
---
"Happy?" I asked after a few bites.
Still not looking at him.
---
"No."
That made me pause.
Just slightly.
---
But I didn't ask why.
I didn't care enough to.
---
So I kept eating.
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Keifer's POV
She flinched.
The moment I touched her.
---
I let go instantly.
Like she burned me.
---
"…Don't touch me."
---
The words stayed.
---
I stepped back.
Gave her space.
Even though every instinct told me not to.
---
"Fine."
---
But I wasn't leaving.
Not this time.
---
She sat down.
Finally.
---
And started eating.
---
Slow.
Reluctant.
But she did.
---
I watched her quietly.
Arms crossed.
Leaning slightly against the wall.
---
She looks… fragile.
Not physically.
But the way she eats.
Like it takes effort.
Like even this is too much.
---
"Happy?"
---
"No."
Because this isn't what I want.
---
I don't want to force her.
I don't want her to listen just because I said so.
---
I want—
---
I stopped the thought.
Immediately.
---
This is enough.
She's eating.
That's all that matters.
---
But still—
My eyes didn't leave her.
---
She didn't look at me once.
Not once.
---
And that—
That was worse than anything.
---
I exhaled slowly, running a hand through my hair.
---
This isn't right.
---
A few days ago—
She would've talked.
Argued.
Smiled, even.
---
Now?
---
Nothing.
---
Just silence.
---
And I hate it.
---
My gaze softened slightly without me realizing.
---
"…Eat properly," I muttered.
Lower this time.
Less like an order.
More like—
Something else.
---
She didn't respond.
---
But she didn't stop eating either.
---
And for now—
That was enough.
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Even if it didn't feel like it