Chapter 7
He Asked Me. Nine Times.
I should've known Monday would ruin me.
I should've just played dead. Or caught the flu. Or pretended to have a broken leg. Anything but walk into school with my heart doing weird gymnastics in my chest and my stomach being… untrustworthy.
Butterflies?
No.
Couldn't be.
That's ridiculous. That's a disease.
It's not about Keifer.
It's not.
Because I thought I still loved someone else, right?
T—
him.
The middle school boy. The one who said I was like a sister. The one I told myself I never stopped loving because it was easier than… this.
Whatever this is.
The day started normal. Until it didn't.
It was around 9:00 AM when Keifer Watson walked straight up to me in front of the class and said:
"Be my girlfriend."
I blinked.
Laughed.
"Nice joke."
"I'm serious."
My brain short-circuited. My heart slammed against my ribs.
"No," I said automatically. "I… no."
He nodded like he expected it. Like it was fine.
Like it was just the first round.
Because it was.
Second time was ten minutes later.
He passed me a folded paper during English class.
"Be my girlfriend? (Yes/No)"
With stupid little boxes drawn beside each word.
I wrote:
"No."
And passed it back.
He looked at it, grinned, then drew a third box labeled "Maybe later." and checked it himself.
I wanted to throw my book at him.
By lunch, he'd asked five times.
Yuri was dying. Fatima was glowing. Ashlee was documenting it like it was a historical event.
And me?
I was still trying to figure out if this was a prank or a social experiment or if I was dreaming.
I said no each time.
I couldn't stop saying no.
Because if I said yes, I'd have to admit that my heart fluttered when he said my name.
That I couldn't stop hearing his laugh from across the hallway.
That it wasn't T anymore.
It was him.
Keifer Watson.
Who annoyed me. And stared at me. And gave me chocolate I never kept but never forgot.
Sixth time: he wrote it in chalk on the corner of my desk.
Seventh: he offered to carry my books.
Eighth: he whispered it during Math when the teacher turned around, right into my ear like it was a secret.
"Be mine, Jay."
And I turned bright red.
"No."
"Why?"
"I don't know."
"Liar."
The ninth time?
The ninth time hit different.
We were in class after lunch. Everyone buzzing. Fatima clinging to every word. Yuri poking Keifer like "Do it now. Come on."
And Keifer just looked at me. Not smug. Not teasing.
Just honest.
"Jay Mariano," he said, "will you be my girlfriend?"
My hands shook.
"I can't," I whispered. "My mom doesn't allow dating."
"You said that three times already."
"I mean it."
He just smiled. "That's okay. I can wait."
I didn't answer.
I couldn't.
Because deep down, somewhere I didn't want to reach — I already knew the truth.
I didn't love T anymore.
I didn't even think about him unless I was trying to hide from this.
From Keifer.
Because when he looks at me, it's different.
Like I'm not just someone he teases.
Like I'm something… real.
But I can't let myself feel it.
Not yet.
So I'll keep saying no.
Until I can figure out why it feels like my heart is saying yes.
End of Chapter 7.