It started with rain.
Not normal rain. Black Hollow rain. The kind that came with weird colors and magical static and warnings from teachers to stay inside.
"Storm's coming," Professor Elmwood announced, looking out the window. "A big one. Everyone to the dorms. No exceptions."
Students scrambled. The sky was already dark, even though it was only noon. Green clouds rolled overhead. Thunder rumbled like something alive.
Jay grabbed her bag. "Keifer—"
"I know." He was already beside her. "Come on."
They walked fast through the emptying hallways. Students rushed past, nervous, excited, scared. The wind howled outside. Rain started slamming against the windows.
They reached the Crimson dorms. Jay's door. His door. Separate rooms.
"Stay inside," Keifer said. "Don't go out for anything."
"I won't."
"Promise."
"I promise."
He kissed her forehead. Quick. Hard. Like he needed to remember it.
Then he was gone.
The storm got worse.
Jay sat in her room with Mila, Bella, Lyra, and Adrian. Daniel had gone to his own room (he valued solitude). The wind screamed outside. The lights flickered.
"I don't like this," Mila whispered.
"It's just a storm," Lyra said. But her voice was tight.
"It's not just a storm." Adrian looked at his devices. "Magical readings are spiking. Way up. This isn't normal weather."
The lights flickered again. Went out.
Complete darkness.
Bella screamed. Just a little.
"Okay," Jay said, standing up. "Okay, it's fine. We have candles somewhere—"
A crash. Loud. Close.
Everyone froze.
"What was that?" Lyra whispered.
More crashes. Like something hitting the building. The windows rattled. The walls shook.
Then—a voice.
"JAY!"
Keifer.
Jay's heart stopped. "Keifer?"
"JAY, WHERE ARE YOU?"
He sounded panicked. Keifer never sounded panicked.
She ran to the door. Threw it open.
He was there. Soaked. Hair plastered to his face. Eyes wild.
"The dorms are collapsing," he said. "The storm—it's too strong—we need to get to the main building. Now."
"The main building?"
"It's reinforced. Wards. It'll hold." He grabbed her hand. "Everyone come. NOW."
They ran.
The hallway was chaos. Students everywhere. Crashes from above. Water leaking through the ceiling. The wind screaming like something alive.
Keifer pulled Jay through it all. Never let go. His grip was iron.
They burst outside.
Mistake.
The storm was worse than anyone imagined. Green lightning split the sky. Rain fell sideways. Something moved in the clouds—something huge, something alive.
"GO GO GO," Keifer yelled.
They ran for the main building. Slipping. Falling. Getting up again.
Jay lost her footing.
Went down hard.
Keifer was there instantly. Lifting her. Holding her.
"I've got you," he said. "I've got you."
Lightning struck close. Too close.
They ran.
The main building was chaos too, but safer chaos. Students huddled in groups. Teachers counted heads. Principal Morticia stood in the center, calm as stone, giving orders.
Jay collapsed against a wall, breathing hard. Keifer beside her, still holding her hand.
"Everyone okay?" she gasped.
Mila nodded, pale. Bella was crying quietly. Lyra was checking on first-years. Adrian was already taking readings.
"Everyone's fine," Keifer said. "We're all fine."
"You came for me."
"Of course."
"You ran through that storm. For me."
He looked at her. His eyes were steady now, the panic gone.
"I will always come for you," he said. "Always."
Jay kissed him. Right there. In front of everyone.
No one teased. No one screamed. For once, everyone was too shaken to care.
But they saw. Everyone saw.
The storm lasted all night.
They huddled together, Jay and Keifer, wrapped in the same blanket someone had found. She leaned against him. He held her close. Neither slept much.
At some point, she whispered: "I was scared."
"I know."
"I was scared you wouldn't make it."
"I made it."
"I was scared something would happen to you."
He kissed her hair. "Nothing's going to happen to me."
"You don't know that."
"I know I'll fight anything that tries."
She smiled against his chest. "Dramatic."
"Always."
"Love you."
"Love you too."
Morning came gray and quiet.
The storm was gone. The sky was pale, tired. Students emerged slowly, blinking in the weak sunlight.
Damage everywhere. Trees down. Windows broken. But everyone alive.
Jay stood outside the main building, holding Keifer's hand, looking at the mess.
"We survived," she said.
"We always do."
"Barely."
"Still counts."
She laughed. Weak but real.
Lyra appeared beside them. Her usual energy was muted, but her eyes were bright.
"You know," she said quietly, "when the storm hit, I saw him run. Keifer. He ran straight into it. Didn't hesitate. Didn't look back."
Jay looked at him.
"He ran for you," Lyra continued. "He ran through green lightning and flying debris and who knows what else. For you."
Keifer said nothing. Just squeezed Jay's hand.
Lyra nodded slowly. "That's love. That's real love."
She walked away, giving them space.
Jay turned to Keifer. "You ran through lightning."
"I ran to you."
"You could have died."
"I didn't."
"You're impossible."
"You love me."
"Yeah." She kissed him. Soft. Grateful. "I do."
The teasing started later.
Once the shock wore off, once everyone was safe, the stories began.
"Did you see him run?" a first-year whispered. "Straight into the storm."
"He didn't even look back."
"He was SOAKED. But he just kept going."
"For HER."
Lyra had a new whiteboard by afternoon.
THE GREAT STORM INCIDENT
Keifer's Reaction Time: 0.5 seconds
Danger Level Ignored: MAXIMUM
Romantic Gesture: Running through lightning for his girlfriend
Jay's Reaction: Cried (happy tears)
Overall Romance Level: OFF THE CHARTS
JAYFER STATUS: ETERNAL (STORM-PROOF)
Jay stared at the board. "Storm-proof?"
"You survived a magical hurricane together. If that's not proof, nothing is."
Keifer looked at it. Nodded once. "Accurate."
"Stop agreeing with her."
"She's right."
"She's LYRA."
"She's still right."
Jay threw her hands up. "I give up."
"No you don't." He pulled her close. "You love me."
"Yeah." She leaned into him. "I do."
That night, in his room (her room had damage, she was staying with him), Jay lay in the dark.
"Keifer?"
"Yeah?"
"When you ran out there... were you scared?"
A pause.
"Terrified."
"Really?"
"Really." His voice was quiet. "I've never been that scared in my life."
"Then why did you do it?"
He turned to look at her. In the dim light, his eyes were soft.
"Because you were out there."
She didn't have words.
She kissed him instead.
He kissed her back.
The storm was over. The danger was past.
But something new had started.
Something stronger.
Something storm-proof.
The next morning, Lyra had added to the whiteboard.
NEW DEVELOPMENT:
Keifer admitted he was scared
Still ran anyway
JAYFER: STORM-PROOF (CONFIRMED)
Next milestone: Probably another near-death experience knowing this school
"HEY," Jay protested. "No manifesting."
"Too late. The universe heard me."
Keifer squeezed her hand. "Let her have this."
"You keep saying that."
"Because it's true."
Jay sighed. But she was smiling.
They walked to breakfast together. Normal. Perfect. Alive.
The storm had tried to break them.
It failed.
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🚨 NEW BOOK ALERT 🚨
Guys, I'm starting to write another book called Jayfer: Secrets of Amnse.
Pls support me there too!!!
Thym ❤️