The morning light slipped through the dorm window, and the air between Jay and Keifer felt heavier than usual.
Jay sat on her bed, pretending to read, though she hadn't turned a page in ten minutes. The kiss still haunted her — that one second of confusion and warmth she couldn't stop thinking about.
The bathroom door opened, and steam drifted into the room. Keifer stepped out, towel draped over his shoulders, hair damp, water still glistening on his skin. He froze when he saw her sitting there, eyes snapping up from her book.
They both blinked, caught in the world's most uncomfortable silence.
Keifer tried to play it cool, running a hand through his hair. "Uh… nice morning, huh?"
Jay cleared her throat, forcing her eyes back to her book. "I've seen better views."
He blinked, caught off guard. "Wait—what?"
She smirked faintly. "You said it was a nice morning. I said… I've seen better."
Keifer stared at her, something sharp flickering behind his expression — irritation, amusement, maybe both. "Right. Funny."
Jay pretended to keep reading, but she could feel his gaze on her. That single, quiet line had hit him harder than she intended. His chest tightened, jealousy and embarrassment twisting together.
He exhaled sharply. "Jay."
She looked up, cautious. "Yeah?"
He hesitated, crossing his arms. "About last night…"
Her stomach flipped. "What about it?"
"The kiss," he said softly, almost reluctantly. "It was—" He stopped, searching her face. "I didn't plan it. But… I haven't been able to stop thinking about it."
Jay's lips parted slightly, but no words came out.
Keifer ran a hand through his hair, frustration and honesty tangled in his voice. "I know it was sudden, and it probably made things weird, but… I'd be lying if I said it didn't mean something to me."
She stared at him for a long second — the same boy who used to drive her insane, now looking at her like she was the only thing in the room that mattered.
Jay finally broke the silence, her voice soft but steady. "You're right. It did make things weird."
Keifer sighed. "Yeah, figured."
She closed her book, meeting his eyes. "But… weird doesn't always mean bad."
For the first time since the kiss, Keifer smiled — small, uncertain, but real.
And that was how their morning began — two people pretending not to fall, already halfway gone.