JAY JAY POV
We had to perform our song today.
My stomach was doing backflips, my hands were cold, and Keifer—of course—was acting like we were about to go on a picnic instead of performing in front of the entire school.
He stood right next to me, shoulder brushing mine.
"Don't worry, Wifey, we will do fine," Keifer said, completely unbothered.
"I hope so," I muttered, staring at the stage like it was about to swallow me whole.
Then we heard our names echo through the speakers.
"Let's welcome Jasper Jean Mariano from Section B and Mark Keifer Watson from Section E!" Mykel announced.
I swear that bastard still had bruises and bandages all over him.
Honestly, I thought he was going to live in the hospital for the rest of his life.
Sad. Truly.
Keifer snorted under his breath.
"If you didn't stop me, he wouldn't've been dead."
I elbowed him so hard he actually flinched. "Focus."
He grinned, completely unbothered.
"I'm focused. On you."
I rolled my eyes, but he slipped his fingers through mine and tugged me toward the stage.
"Calm down, we will do fine," Keifer said, squeezing my hand like I was the dramatic one.
I smiled despite myself, and we walked out under the lights.
Keifer stepped up to the mic first, voice steady, confident, like he owned the entire gym.
"Hello everyone," he said. "Today we will be performing two songs. One of them is Señorita."
Immediately—
"START ALREADY!" Ci‑N yelled from the crowd.
"Yeah, you guys are taking too long!" Felix added, cupping his hands around his mouth.
The whole crowd started chanting something—
"Start!"
"Go!"
"Hurry up!"
—like we were a halftime show instead of students.
"Enough," the principal said sharply into her mic. "Mr. Watson and Miss Mariano, please start."
I took a breath.
Keifer glanced at me, eyes softening for a split second.
"You ready, Wifey?" he whispered.
I nodded.
And the music began.
I took a breath, feeling Keifer's presence behind me, and I opened the song.
[Jay]
I love it when you call me señorita
I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya
But every touch is ooh, la-la-la It's true, la-la-la
Ooh, I should be running
Ooh, you keep me coming for ya
I sang the opening lines, my voice steady and bold.
I watched Keifer, wanting him to feel the weight of every word. He stepped into the light, his smirk appearing as he prepared to take over
[Keifer]
Land in Miami
The air was hot from summer rain
Sweat dripping off me
Before I even knew her name, l
a-la-la It felt like ooh, la-la-la
Yeah, no
His voice was velvety, playing with the melody in a way that made the girls in the front row audibly gasp.
But he wasn't looking at them.
He was looking at me.
As he began the next section, he started our planned movement.
He circled behind me, his steps light, and let his hand brush firmly against my waist.
I glared at him over my shoulder, but he only grinned wider.
[Keifer]
Sapphire moonlight
We danced for hours in the sand
Tequila Sunrise
Her body fit right in my hands,
la-la-la It felt like ooh, la-la-la, yeah
On the chorus, Keifer reached out and pulled me flush against him.
The height difference made it feel even more intense as we swayed in perfect sync.
On the lyric about "dancing for hours," he spun me gently, his hand sliding down my arm until our palms nearly lost contact, before he yanking me back into the heat of his chest.
[Both]
I love it when you call me señorita
I wish I could pretend I didn't need ya
But every touch is
ooh, la-la-la It's true, la-la-la
Ooh, I should be running
Ooh, you know
I love it when you call me señorita
I wish it wasn't so damn hard to leave ya
But every touch is ooh, la-la-la It's true, la-la-la
Ooh, I should be running
Ooh, you keep me coming for ya
We were feeding off each other's energy now.
Keifer leaned in, the music dropping to a pulse-like bass, and he sang the lines with a husky, low tone that made my heart hammer
[Jay]
Locked in the hotel
There's just some things that never change
You say we're just friends
But friends don't know the way you taste, la-la-la
[Both]
'Cause you know it's been a long time coming Don't you let me fall, oh
[Keifer]
Ooh, when your lips undress me
Hooked on your tongue
Ooh, love, your kiss is deadly
Don't stop
The beat slowed.
Keifer reached out and lifted my chin with one finger.
Our faces were so close I could feel the electricity.
We held the note, our voices intertwining, and the gym went silent as if we had sucked all the oxygen out of the room.
[Both]
All along I've been coming for ya (for ya)
And I hope it meant something to ya (ooh)
Call my name, I'll be coming for ya
Coming for ya, coming for ya, coming for ya
On the very last "coming for ya," he wrapped his arm like a vice around my waist and dipped me.
When we finished the last note, the entire cafeteria erupted.
Chairs scraped. People stood.
Some were screaming, some were whistling, some were banging on tables like they were at a concert instead of a school event.
Keifer turned to me with that stupid, heart‑melting smile.
I smiled back, breathless, adrenaline buzzing through my veins.
The principal stepped up to the mic, looking… confused? Impressed? Traumatized?
Honestly, I couldn't tell.
"Wow, Mr. Watson and Miss Mariano, that was… umm…" she said, blinking like she was trying to find the right word.
Just say good, I thought. Just say good and move on.
She cleared her throat.
"Intense. Yes. That was… intense."
The crowd screamed even louder.
Keifer leaned down, whispering near my ear, "See? Even the principal felt the chemistry."
I elbowed him.
He grinned wider.
And the cafeteria kept cheering like we'd just won a Grammy.
"Our next performance," Freya said, stepping back into the spotlight.
The crowd shifted their attention, but Keifer didn't.
Instead, he grabbed my hand—firm, urgent—and tugged me away from the cafeteria, down the hallway, around a corner where no one could see us.
"Keifer—where are we—"
Before I could finish, he pushed me gently against the wall, caging me in with his arms.
My breath caught.
His eyes were dark, intense, still buzzing with adrenaline from the performance.
"Oh god," he whispered, voice low and rough, "do you know how much I wanted to kiss you on that stage?"
My heart jumped straight into my throat.
"K‑Keifer, someone might see," I said, glancing around even though we were completely hidden.
He leaned closer, his forehead almost touching mine.
"Just one quick kiss," he murmured, "or I might lose my mind."
I swallowed hard.
"Fine."
He didn't wait.
He didn't even give me a second to breathe.
He leaned in and kissed me—quick, warm, desperate in the softest way. His hands slid to my waist, pulling me closer like he'd been holding back the entire performance.
My fingers curled into his shirt automatically.
The world outside the hallway disappeared.
It was just us.
Just this moment.
Just him.
When he finally pulled back, he rested his forehead against mine, breath uneven.
"Wifey," he whispered, "you're going to be the end of me."
And honestly?
I wasn't sure I wasn't already his.