Chapter 5: "Mutual Suffering, Mutual Stubbornness"
"Group project," Professor Reyes announced, holding up a stack of papers like they were some kind of prize. "it will be random. You'll be working with this person for two weeks."
A collective groan rolled through the classroom.
Jay leaned back in her seat, arms crossed, eyes already scanning the room. She had a plan: anyone but Keifer Watson. Her fiance.. Literally anyone.
But the universe had other plans.
"Jayjay mariano and Keifer Watson ," the professor called out, totally unaware of the silent scream that echoed in Jay's head. She swore she saw Keifer smirk from across the room. Smug bastard.
As Jay approached his desk, Keifer didn't even try to hide the irritation in his voice. "Great. Just who I wasn't hoping for."
Jay dropped her bag on the floor beside him. "Believe me, the feeling is mutual."
Their project was due in two weeks. Two weeks of forced partnership. Two weeks of fighting over every word, font, and citation.
By the time they found an empty table at the far end of the library, Keifer was already annoyed.
"You're not seriously suggesting we make the thesis about that, right?" he asked, adjusting his hoodie sleeves. "It's boring. Everyone's done that topic."
Jay raised an eyebrow. "And your idea is what? Revolutionary? I bet it's the first thing that popped into your giant ego."
He leaned forward, tone mock-casual. "Well, at least I have ideas. Unlike you, who seems to think eye-rolling counts as a contribution."
She matched his lean, fire in her eyes. "Just because you speak like you're the smartest person in the room doesn't mean you actually are."
Something crackled between them—tension sharp and crackling like static in the air.
Jay looked away first, flipping open her laptop with more force than necessary.
They worked in irritated silence for twenty minutes, the only sounds being the furious tapping of keys and the occasional sigh of exaggerated suffering.
Then it happened.
They both leaned down at the same time—Jay reaching for a dropped pen, Keifer for his charger—and suddenly—
Their thighs brushed.
Neither of them moved.
Not right away.
Jay froze, fingers curling slightly around the pen, aware of every molecule in the inch of contact. Keifer didn't pull back either, didn't even flinch. If anything, he went stiller.
It wasn't intimate. It wasn't planned.
But it lingered.
And in that electric pause, Jay's breath caught somewhere between confusion and… something else.
But then she cleared her throat and sat up fast, like it didn't happen. Like it meant nothing.
Keifer didn't say anything either. He plugged in his charger like it was any other day, any other group assignment.
Jay hated that her leg still buzzed where his touched hers.