Keifer's POV
I smiled faintly as I nuzzled closer against her neck, allowing myself to breathe in the familiar scent of vanilla mixed with the unique fragrance that belonged only to her. It was something I had grown addicted to without even realizing it, something that brought a strange sense of peace to the chaos that usually occupied my mind. Jay instinctively curled closer toward me, seeking my warmth even while she remained trapped somewhere between sleep and reality, and she mumbled something that I could not quite understand. I did not bother opening my eyes. I wanted to stay like this for a little longer, wrapped in her presence, feeling her heartbeat against me and pretending that the world outside this moment did not exist.
The thought of getting up already felt exhausting. Leaving this warmth meant returning to responsibilities, decisions, and everything waiting for me outside these walls. It meant forcing myself to become the person everyone expected me to be when, right now, all I wanted was to stay beside her. I needed energy, and somehow, being close to Jay was the only thing that made me feel like I had enough of it.
But that peaceful thought disappeared the moment I felt Jay start whimpering quietly against me.
A quiet groan escaped me as I finally opened my eyes and looked down at her. The sight in front of me immediately erased the small comfort I had been holding onto. Fresh tears stained her cheeks, and the heavy darkness beneath her eyes was impossible to ignore. The exhaustion written across her face made something inside my chest tighten painfully, a feeling I could not properly explain even if I tried. Seeing Jay, the person who always acted stronger than anyone else, looking so fragile and defeated, made my heart ache in a way that I hated.
Did Jay have a nightmare?
That was the first thought that crossed my mind, but the more I looked at her, the more confused I became. A simple bad dream could not explain the exhaustion in her eyes, the deep shadows beneath them, or the way her body seemed to be carrying a weight far heavier than fear from sleep. Something else had to be wrong. Something I did not know about.
I lifted my hand and gently patted her, trying to bring her back from whatever darkness she had fallen into. I lowered my voice, making it as soft and reassuring as I possibly could, hoping my words would reach her and remind her that she was not alone. I told her I was right there, that I was not leaving, that wherever she belonged was exactly where I wanted to be.
"Hey, Jay... it's okay, Wifey. I'm right here, baby."
I continued stroking her hair, carefully moving the loose strands away from her face and tucking them behind her ears. My fingers moved slowly, almost cautiously, as if any sudden movement would break the fragile calm I was trying to create. I whispered gentle words to her, doing everything I could to soothe her racing thoughts and calm the fear that seemed to consume her. I stayed completely still, allowing her to feel my presence, hoping she would understand that she was safe with me.
Her fingers tightened around the fabric of my shirt, gripping it as though letting go would make her fall apart again. Her breathing was uneven and heavy, each breath sounding strained, as if she had been trapped somewhere she could not escape from. I continued comforting her, quietly cooing and reassuring her while refusing to move away, because at that moment, the only thing that mattered was making sure she knew I was there.
Slowly, her fingers began to loosen their grip. Her breathing gradually became less frantic, and she released a soft gasp as though she had finally managed to pull herself back into reality. Her long eyelashes fluttered gently, and despite my efforts, a few more tears escaped from the corners of her eyes and slipped down her cheeks.
When she finally looked at me, there was something in her expression that unsettled me. She looked lost, almost as if she was searching for something she could not find. Her breath hitched slightly, and I stared back at her with nothing but concern filling my mind.
Then, suddenly, she sat up and quickly wiped away her tears.
She moved as if crying was something she needed to hide, something she should be embarrassed about. She rubbed her eyes repeatedly, almost desperately, as though she could erase every sign of weakness if she tried hard enough. The sight of her doing that hurt more than I wanted to admit. Jay was always the person who carried everything on her shoulders, always pretending she could handle anything, but seeing her desperately trying to hide her pain made me realize how much she had been keeping inside.
I slowly sat up from the bed and watched her carefully. The person in front of me was Jay, but at the same time, she seemed so different from the girl everyone knew. Her eyes were red, her face was tired, and she looked like she was fighting a battle inside her own mind that she refused to let anyone see.
I moved closer to her and gently cupped her cheeks between my hands. My thumbs brushed softly against her skin, wiping away the remaining traces of tears while I looked at her with all the worry I was trying not to show.
"What happened, baby? You can tell me anything, Wifey..." I whispered gently.
Her hands slowly moved upward, holding onto mine while they remained against her cheeks. She looked at me for a moment, almost like she was trying to decide whether she should let me see the truth hidden behind her eyes.
"K-Keifer..."
She stammered my name quietly.
The way she said it made my heart tighten. Jay looked so broken, so vulnerable, so unlike the person I was used to seeing. She was always stubborn, always determined, always ready to fight against anything that stood in her way. Seeing her like this felt unfamiliar, and somehow, it frightened me more than I wanted to admit.
"Yes, Wifey?"
I gave her a small smile, hoping that maybe it would bring even a little comfort to her. I wanted to see that familiar spark return to her eyes. I wanted to see her smile because she was genuinely happy, not because she was trying to convince me that she was fine.
"I had a... terrible dream. Look at me!" she cried out, her voice breaking slightly. "I am such a baby for crying over a dream."
She forced a smile afterward.
But I knew it was not real.
I could see it immediately. Her lips curved upward, but the sadness in her eyes remained untouched. The smile did not reach her expression, did not carry the warmth that Jay's real smiles always had. It was only a mask, another thing she was using to hide whatever was truly hurting her.
And that scared me.
Did something happen that I did not know about?
My heart began pounding violently against my chest, each beat filled with a fear I could not control. It felt like I was afraid of losing something precious, afraid of losing the person who had become such an important part of my life. I hated the helplessness creeping through me because, for once, I did not know how to fix what was hurting her.
And that terrified me more than anything.