A few months later, the university gates opened for the new semester.
A convoy of black SUVs pulled up to the front entrance. The regular students stopped and stared as the doors opened.
First came Moya and Kit, dressed in designer "casual" clothes that cost more than most people's tuition. Then came Erdix and C in, carrying high-tech bags.
Then, the main car opened.
Keifer stepped out, looking like a god in a simple black polo and jeans. He reached back and took my hand, pulling me out beside him.
"Ready, baby?" he asked.
"Ready, babe," I replied, adjusted my bag.
"Mumma! Wait for us!" Keigan and Keiran shouted, jumping out of the following car in their school uniforms, running up to join our side.
As we walked onto the campus—the Watsons, the Marianos, and the chaos of Section E—the entire university went quiet. We weren't just freshmen. We were the new owners of the place.
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The next day...
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The morning sun was hitting the glass of the Diamond Tower as we all piled into the cars. It was the first official day of university, and the energy was electric.
"Okay, listen up," Keifer said, his voice deep and serious as he looked at the group. "We're in the Philippines now. People talk. If word gets out that Jay and I are married, the Marianos and the Watsons will be back in the news, and every paparazzi in Manila will be on campus. We keep it a secret. To everyone else, we're just... close."
"Close?" Kit snorted, adjusting his designer bag. "Keifer, you look at Jay like you're ready to fight the sun for shining too brightly on her. Good luck with 'just close'."
"We mean it, guys," I said, looking at Moya, C in, and the rest of Section E. "No 'hubby,' no 'weify,' and definitely no 'Mumma' in public."
"Copy that, Mumma—I mean, Jay-jay!" Keigan chirped from the back seat
The School Run
First, we stopped at the prestigious Watson Academy. Keifer got out to drop off Keigan and Keiran.
"Study hard," Keifer said, ruffling Keiran's hair. "And remember what I told you. If anyone bothers you, you call Kuya immediately."
"We know, Kuya! Bye, Jay-jay!" the boys shouted, waving at me before running through the gates. It felt weird not hearing them call me their usual name, but we had to stay in character.
The University Split
When we arrived at the University of the Philippines, the group finally had to divide.
"See you at lunch, nerds!" Moya laughed, heading toward the Business Building with Kit, Erdix, and Rory. They looked like a group of models walking into a boardroom.
"Try not to sue anyone on the first day," I teased Emman, Calix, David, and Felix as they headed for the College of Law.
Then there was us. Mica, Freya, Rakki, C in, and I headed toward the College of Medicine. We were the "Surgeon Squad."
"Good luck, Jay," Keifer said. He wanted to kiss me—I could see it in the way his eyes dropped to my lips—but instead, he just squeezed my hand quickly before heading toward his own advanced Business leadership seminars. "I'll find you at the break."
The First Test
The medical building was cold and smelled of antiseptic. As we walked into the lecture hall, a group of senior male students was standing by the door.
"Whoa," one of them whispered, staring at our group. "The freshmen class is looking incredible this year. Especially the one in the white top."
He was looking straight at me.
"Hey," the guy said, stepping in front of me with a confident smirk. "I'm Marco, a third-year surgery student. You look a little lost. Want me to show you where the best lab stations are?"
Mica and Freya shared a panicked look. They knew that if Keifer saw this, he would lose his mind.
"I'm fine, thanks," I said, keeping my voice polite but cold. "I'm here with my friends."
"Come on, don't be like that," Marco chuckled, reaching out to touch my arm. "I can give you all the old exam notes. It's hard to survive here without a 'friend' in high places."
Before his hand could even touch my sleeve, a shadow fell over us. The air in the hallway suddenly felt ten degrees colder.
"She said she's fine."I turned to see Keifer standing there. He was supposed to be in the Business building, but he had clearly circled back to check on me. He wasn't touching me, and he wasn't calling me weify, but his eyes were pure "Monster."
"You lost, freshman?" Marco asked, trying to look tough, though he was a head shorter than Keifer.
"I'm just making sure my... friend... gets to class safely," Keifer said, his voice a low, dangerous vibration. He looked at me, his eyes screaming with possessive hunger. "Go inside, Jay. I'll be waiting right here when the bell rings."
I nodded quickly, pulling C in and the girls into the room. As the door closed, I could see Keifer still standing there, staring down the senior student like a predator guarding his prize.
The Secret Life
Inside the classroom, C in leaned over and whispered, "That was close, Jay. Keifer is going to have a heart attack by the end of the week if he has to keep this a secret."
"I know," I sighed, opening my notebook. "But we have to do this. I want to be a surgeon because I'm good at it, not just because I'm a Watson."
I looked out the small window in the door and saw Keifer finally walking away. He was my hubby, my protector, and my soulmate—but for the next four years, he was just the scariest "friend" on campus.
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