Can Hold My Hand Now
The morning felt different.
Not because of the sunlight or the way the breeze felt against Jay's cheeks, but because of the boy waiting by the gate.
Keifer stood in uniform, hair slightly windswept, his eyes scanning the crowd like he was only looking for one person.
When he spotted her, he smiled — real, honest, no mischief.
"Hey," he said softly.
Jay tried to hide the way her heart leapt. "Hey."
Then, without asking, without warning — he reached for her hand.
And laced their fingers together.
The second their hands touched, time paused.
Or maybe it didn't. But it felt like it did.
Because the crowd saw. Everyone saw.
Gasps. Whispers. Someone actually dropped a water bottle.
Keifer didn't care.
He just kept walking beside her, hand warm, grip steady, not looking at anyone else.
Jay whispered, "Everyone's staring."
He smirked. "Good."
"You don't care?"
"I want them to know. You're mine now."
She blushed. "I don't belong to anyone."
"I know," he said, kissing the back of her hand. "But still. Mine."
Lunch was chaotic.
Yuki nearly flipped the table when she saw their joined hands.
The guys in Section E started whispering bets about how long it had been "real."
Ella? She walked past without a word, but her glare could've set the walls on fire.
Jay leaned over and whispered, "Enjoying the drama?"
Keifer shrugged. "Honestly? I just like touching you."
After school, Keifer surprised her again.
"I want you to meet someone."
Jay blinked. "Who?"
"My brothers."
Her eyes widened. "All of them?"
He grinned. "Yes. Pray for your sanity."
At the Basketball Court
(Not a house. Public, chaotic, and somehow worse.)
Three boys were already there — all varying degrees of Keifer's height, hair color, and complete idiocy.
"Jay, meet the gremlins," Keifer said. "Gremlin One: Luka. Gremlin Two: Finn. Gremlin Three: Ezra."
Luka (the second oldest) winked. "So this is the girl who made our brother go soft?"
Jay raised a brow. "He was already soft. I just made it visible."
Finn, the youngest, gasped dramatically. "OH MY GOD I LIKE HER."
Ezra, the middle child, just nodded. "Pretty. But scary. Perfect for Keif."
Keifer muttered, "I hate all of you."
Jay was laughing. Fully, genuinely, with her hand still in his. She liked seeing him like this — vulnerable. A little embarrassed. Loud and chaotic in a way she hadn't seen before.
Luka threw a basketball at Keifer's stomach. "She's staying for a game, right?"
Keifer looked at her. "Up for it?"
Jay grinned. "Only if I get to be on your team."
"You just want to see me sweat."
"Obviously."
Later that Evening
They lost the game.
Jay scored one goal and screamed like she won a championship.
Keifer looked at her like she was the trophy.
When they parted ways at the end of the day, Keifer kissed her hand again.
"Thanks for meeting the gremlins."
"They're not so bad."
"They're demons."
Jay smiled. "You're their favorite."
Keifer paused. "You're mine."
And he walked away before she could tease him about it.
End of Chapter