Jay was finally feeling better the next afternoon when a familiar knock echoed through the dorm room.
She looked up from her laptop. "Come in!"
The door opened—and in stepped Ryan, her best friend since high school. Tall, charming, with that easy smile that made everyone like him instantly.
"Jay!" he said, grinning wide. "You look alive again! Guess you survived the furball apocalypse."
Jay laughed, standing to hug him. "Barely. You should've seen me—I looked like a walking tissue box."
From the other side of the room, Keifer looked up from his desk. His jaw tightened.
Ryan. The name she'd mentioned once or twice, the one she always texted with that little extra smile.
"Hey," Ryan said politely, glancing at him. "You must be Keifer, right? Jay's roommate."
Keifer forced a smile. "Yeah. The lucky roommate."
Jay rolled her eyes. "Don't start."
Ryan chuckled and sat beside Jay on her bed, chatting animatedly. They laughed, reminisced about old jokes, shoulders brushing casually.
Keifer's eye twitched. He tried to focus on his laptop, but his mind was screaming why is he sitting that close?
Every laugh from Jay made his grip on his pen tighten. Every time Ryan leaned in, Keifer felt something burn in his chest that he didn't want to name.
Finally, he stood up, breaking the atmosphere. "So… Ryan," he said smoothly, though his tone dripped with sarcasm, "you visiting for long, or just long enough to turn the dorm into a comedy club?"
Jay shot him a glare. "Keifer."
Ryan chuckled, unbothered. "Just dropping by to check on her. You take good care of Jay, huh?"
Keifer's smirk faltered slightly. "Yeah. Very good care."
Jay crossed her arms, noticing the tension. "Keifer, don't be rude."
"I'm not being rude," Keifer said, his eyes locked on Ryan. "Just curious how often you 'drop by.' Seems… convenient."
Ryan raised an eyebrow. "Relax, man. We're just friends."
Keifer laughed once, but it didn't reach his eyes. "Right. Just friends."
Jay stood up, annoyed now. "Okay, that's enough testosterone for one day. Ryan, ignore him—he's allergic to decency."
Ryan laughed, giving her a friendly hug before leaving. "Take care, Jay. And uh… good luck with him."
When the door shut, the silence was thick.
Jay turned to Keifer, hands on her hips. "What was that about?"
Keifer looked away, trying to sound casual. "Nothing. Just didn't realize our room was turning into a hangout spot."
Jay narrowed her eyes. "You were jealous."
He froze. "What? No. Please. Why would I—"
She smirked, cutting him off. "You were. Totally jealous."
Keifer scoffed, running a hand through his hair. "You wish, Mariano."
But as Jay walked past him, she couldn't help but smile—the faintest, knowing smile.
And Keifer, though he'd never admit it aloud, realized that maybe he was in more trouble than he thought.