The Truth, at Last
It started with something simple.
Keifer was pacing outside her classroom when the final bell rang, jaw tight, eyes flicking to the clock like it was ticking down toward something terrible.
"Hey," Jay said, smiling. "You good?"
He kissed her forehead. But the way his hands trembled against her cheeks told her something was off.
"I can't walk you home today," he said quickly, like it hurt to even admit it. "Something came up."
Jay frowned. "What do you mean? You always—"
"Not today," he cut her off gently. "Just—go with friends, okay? Not alone. Especially not alone."
"Why?" she asked, heart suddenly pounding.
Keifer looked at her like she was the only person in the world that mattered. "Please, Jay. Just promise me."
She nodded slowly. "Okay."
But when she looked around…
Yuki wasn't in school that day.
Everyone else had already gone.
Jay stood alone at the gate, Keifer long gone, her phone battery dying, and the pit in her stomach growing by the second.
She told herself she'd be fine.
She walked.
She never made it home.
She woke up in the dark.
Concrete. Cold air. The smell of gasoline.
A rag around her wrists. A blur of voices.
She didn't understand most of it.
Except one thing.
"…she's his girl. She'll send a message loud enough."
Her heart nearly stopped.
They weren't after her.
They were after Keifer.
She didn't remember much after that. Not clearly.
The door crashing open. Shouts.
Familiar hands grabbing her. Strong arms lifting her. Someone screaming her name.
Then everything went black.
The beeping was soft. Annoyingly rhythmic.
Jay blinked into the harsh hospital light, wincing as her body protested.
"Jay."
A voice. Familiar. Gentle. Broken.
She turned her head slightly.
Keifer was sitting beside her bed—covered in bruises, lip split, eyes bloodshot.
She managed a whisper. "You look like hell."
"You should see the other guy," he croaked, trying to smile. It didn't work.
Before she could say more, the door slammed open.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH—"
Aries.
Jay's older brother.
A storm in human form.
Keifer stood instantly. "Aries—"
"No. Shut up. You don't get to talk right now." Aries shoved him back. "My sister was kidnapped. Because of you."
"I know," Keifer said quietly. "I know and I'm—"
"You're lucky she's alive," Aries snapped. "You're lucky you're alive."
Jay coughed. "Aries… please."
Aries looked at her—broken, pale, but awake—and he backed off. Barely.
"I'm not done with you," he growled at Keifer before storming out.
Silence filled the room.
Then Jay looked at him, eyes sharp and soft at the same time.
"Tell me the truth."
Keifer hesitated.
"Don't lie to me again," she whispered. "I'm not asking for everything. I'm asking for honesty. Please."
He sat down.
Ran a hand through his hair.
"The gang that came after you… they've been after me for a while. I got involved in something messy before. And I thought I could handle it alone."
Jay stayed quiet. Let him speak.
"But then I started dating you. And they noticed. You became leverage."
Her hands curled in the sheets.
"I was trying to keep you safe by keeping it quiet. But I wasn't protecting you. I was lying."
He paused.
Looked at her like she was going to shatter.
And then, softly—
"And I didn't just start liking you when we started faking it."
Jay blinked.
Keifer kept going. No more hiding.
"I loved you before you even knew my name."
She froze.
"I used the fake dating as an excuse. Ella? That was bullshit. I wanted a reason to be close to you without scaring you off."
Jay's heart broke and healed all at once.
"You're a coward," she whispered.
"I know."
"You're an idiot."
"I know."
"But I love you anyway."
Keifer's eyes widened.
Jay reached out and grabbed his hoodie with her good hand, pulling him in.
"I know you're not there yet—"
"Jay."
"—but if you ever lie to me again—"
"I'm there."
She paused.
"What?"
"I'm there. I've always been there. I just didn't know how to say it."
Then he kissed her.
Desperate. Slow. Honest. Soft where it hurt, hard where it healed.
And in that kiss was every truth he never said, and every fear she let go of.
End of Chapter