Chapter Eleven: Almost
Jay's POV
My alarm went off again — like it had a personal vendetta against me.
I groaned and pulled the blanket over my head. No. I wasn't getting up. Not after yesterday.
I could still hear Aries yelling "BROTHER-IN-LAW?!" in my head like it was some kind of horror movie soundtrack.
Thanks, Keifer Watson, for the emotional damage.
I finally got up, threw on my uniform, tied my hair, and walked downstairs like a zombie.
Mom was humming in the kitchen. Aries was scrolling his phone, pretending not to look suspicious.
Mom: "Morning, sweetie."
Jay: "Morning…"
Aries: "Morning, little almost-engaged sister."
Jay: "Aries—"
Aries: "What? Should I start rehearsing my best man speech or—"
Jay: "I will throw this toast at your face."
Mom sighed. "Kids, please."
I grabbed my sandwich and bolted out the door before they could start the interrogation again.
At school, Maya was practically vibrating with excitement the second she saw me.
Maya: "Morning, Mrs. Almost Watson!"
Jay: "Don't. Even. Start."
Maya: "Oh, I am starting. Do you realize he called your brother 'brother-in-law'? That's—"
Jay: "Insanity?"
Maya: "Romantic!"
I rolled my eyes so hard I saw my brain. "You're insane too."
We went to our lockers, and for once — nothing was inside mine. No notes. No gifts. No coffee.
I should've been relieved, right?
Except… it felt weird.
First period was English — and, surprise surprise, Keifer sat right behind me again.
He looked way too happy for someone who nearly started a family feud yesterday.
Mr. Taylor: "Alright, everyone. We're starting a group project today — pairs will be assigned randomly."
I swear the universe hates me because when he said—
"Jasper Jean Mariano and Mark Keifer Watson."
—Maya screamed into her hands.
Jay: "Sir, please—"
Mr. Taylor: "No changes, Miss Mariano."
I turned around and glared at Keifer. He was already smirking.
Keifer: "Guess we're stuck together, Mariano."
Jay: "I'd rather get detention."
Keifer: "You might just get both."
Turns out, he was right.
Because fifteen minutes later, we were caught arguing about who was writing the essay, and Mr. Taylor had had enough.
Mr. Taylor: "Both of you — detention. After school."
Maya gasped like it was the end of the world. Keifer just chuckled.
Keifer: "See? Told you."
Jay: "Shut up, Watson."
Detention was… painfully quiet.
Just me, him, and a ticking clock that refused to move.
He sat a few desks away at first, tapping his pen.
Then he got up and sat right next to me.
Jay: "You have a death wish?"
Keifer: "What, I can't sit near my project partner?"
Jay: "You can sit on Mars for all I care."
Keifer: "Nah. I like the view here."
I groaned and looked away, trying to ignore the way my face got hot.
He leaned forward, voice lower this time. "You know, you're cute when you're angry."
Jay: "I'm not angry."
Keifer: "Then why are you glaring at me like you wanna throw your pen?"
Jay: "Because I do wanna throw my pen."
He laughed, quietly. And that stupid laugh made my stomach feel weird again.
Minutes passed.
No teasing. No talking. Just… silence.
I glanced at him. He was doodling something on a scrap of paper.
Jay: "You're not even doing your work."
Keifer: "Oh, I am."
He slid the paper toward me.
It was a rough sketch of a tulip.
Under it, he'd written:
"Still my favorite flower — because it reminds me of you."
I froze. "You're so corny."
Keifer: "You like it though."
Jay: "No, I don't."
Keifer: "You're smiling."
Jay: "I'm grimacing."
Keifer: "Sure you are."
He leaned a little closer, and for the first time, he wasn't teasing. His voice softened.
Keifer: "I wasn't kidding, you know. About what I said in the note."
Jay: "Which one? You've written, like, twelve."
Keifer: "The last one. Hate isn't forever."
For a moment, it was quiet again. Just us.
His eyes met mine — and for once, I didn't look away.
My heart was beating way too fast.
He brushed a strand of hair behind my ear, slow, like he was giving me time to stop him.
I didn't.
Keifer: "You know, if you keep looking at me like that—"
Jay: "Like what?"
Keifer: "Like you might actually like me— I might do something stupid."
And then he leaned in.
Close enough that I could feel his breath, the smell of his cologne, the way the world went quiet around us—
And then—
BANG.
The classroom door opened. Aries.
Aries: "JAY?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!"
Keifer jumped back, trying not to laugh. I swear I wanted the ground to swallow me whole.
Jay: "ARIES?! WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE?!"
Aries: "Mom sent me to pick you up! You're supposed to be in detention, not—"
Keifer: "Not what? Talking?"
Aries: "You were about to KISS MY SISTER."
Keifer: "Correction — she was about to kiss me."
Jay: "KEIFER!"
Aries glared at him, and Keifer just smiled like this was his best day ever.
Keifer: "Relax, brother-in-law. Still just a detention date."
Aries: "I'm gonna kill him."
Jay: "You're not killing anyone!"
Keifer winked at me. "See you tomorrow, Mariano."
And then he left — like he didn't just give me a heart attack and ruin my reputation.
At home that night, Aries refused to talk to me.
Mom kept giving me looks.
And me? I just lay in bed staring at the ceiling, my brain replaying that moment again and again.
His laugh.
That almost-kiss.
The way my heart felt like it was falling and flying at the same time.
I covered my face with a pillow.
"Ughhh, what is happening to me?"
Because honestly?
I think I was losing the war.