JAY'S POV —
The silence stretches too long—thick, suffocating, pressing against my chest—and I refuse to be the one who breaks under it.
So I started to move.
I gather my files with steady hands, slide them into my bag like this is just another meeting, just another exit, just another door I can walk through without consequence.
"If there's nothing else, gentlemen," I say evenly, already turning away, "I'll take my leave.I have another meeting to attend."
"Jay—wait."
That voice.
My steps falter—and that's all it takes.
His hand wraps around my wrist, firm, grounding, like he's afraid I'll disappear if he lets go.
"Please don't walk away again," Keifer says, his voice lower now, strained, almost breaking beneath control.
I close my eyes for half a second.
"Let go of me, Keifer."
"Not until you stop running from me."
Something snaps.
I turn sharply, yanking my hand free. "I'm not running," I say, voice cold, precise. "I already walked away. Seven years ago. You remember that, don't you?"
Silence.
Because they do remember.
Rory exhales harshly, dragging a hand through his hair. "Jay—"
"No," I cut in instantly, sharper now. "Don't. Don't start like you don't know exactly what happened."
Edrix steps forward, jaw tight. "We were kids—"
"You were decisive," I snap, my voice rising, years of restraint cracking open. "Don't you dare hide behind the we were kids bullshit...."
The room shifts.
David finally speaks, calm but heavy. "We never meant for it to go that far Jay..."
I laugh.
It's hollow. Bitter. Broken in places I don't let show.
"You made a plan," I say slowly, deliberately, each word landing harder than the last. "You sat together and decided I was a problem—and turned me into a solution."
No one interrupts.
Good.
"You tracked me. You watched me. You knew everything about me—everything I never let anyone see—and you still went ahead like I was some kind of game."
Rory shakes his head, frustration bleeding through. "It wasn't supposed to be like that—"
"But it was," I fire back. "You don't get to rewrite it now that it's inconvenient."
Edrix's voice lowers. "We were trying to get back at Aries—"
"And I was collateral?" I cut in instantly, stepping closer now. "A tool? A distraction? A plaything?"
That word lands.
Hard.
Because it's true.
Because they can't deny it.
Keifer finally moves, stepping closer, voice rough. "It wasn't like that for me."
I look at him.
Really look at him.
And God—that almost hurts more than everything else.
"Wasn't it?" I ask quietly.
"It started like that," he admits, and the honesty almost knocks the air out of me. "But it didn't stay that way. You know that."
"Do I?" I challenge.
"Yes," he says firmly, stepping closer. "Because I stayed. Because I chose you when the rest of it didn't matter anymore."
I scoff softly. "After lying to me. After manipulating me. After breaking me exactly the way you planned to."
"I didn't want to," he snaps.
"You don't get to decide that now...," I shoot back immediately.
The tension spikes—sharp, volatile, one wrong word away from exploding completely.
Rory steps forward again, more desperate now. "We messed up, okay? We've known that for years—"
"And what?" I cut him off. "You expected me to come back once you felt guilty enough?"
"No," Edrix says, serious now. "We expected nothing. But we hoped—"
"You don't get to hope," I say, my voice dropping, colder now. "Not after what you did."
David watches me, sharp as ever. "We tried to fix it."
I laugh again. "You tried to fix your guilt. Not what you did to me."
That shuts him up.
Then—
Keifer again.
"I love you Jay Jay..."
The words hit harder than they should.
"I love you so damn much..."
The room stills.
My chest tightens painfully, something fragile cracking under the weight of it.
"I know," I say quietly.
And when I look at him again—there's nothing soft left.
"But that doesn't erase what you did to me.I could have left everything behind your plans to destroy me anything if you would have told me everything that day when I asked you...You chose for me, that's what bothers me...All my life people around me always decided what was was wrong and right for me they put out options for me but at the end didn't give me the liberty to choose from those options....You and the boys weren't supposed to be them Keifer..."
He steps closer, desperation raw now, no control left. "I know Jay,and I'm really sorry please let me fix it now."
"No."
"Why?" he demands, voice rising. "Why won't you even give me a chance? I changed, Jay! I fixed everything about myself—I became someone you wouldn't have to walk away from again!"
My heart pounds too loud.
Too fast.
"I'm not that guy anymore," he says, voice breaking. "Everything changed about me—except how I feel about you,that is the only thing that hasn't changed it these years...."
I shake my head slightly.
"Please Jay," he whispers, his hand finding mine again, softer now. "Let me come back into your life...."
And for one terrifying second—
I almost do.
I almost let everything fall apart.
But fear is louder.Memory is louder.
"I can't."
The words come out sharp.
He stills.
"…why?" he asks, quieter now—but more dangerous.
And I—
I can't tell him the truth.Because the truth would destroy me.So I choose the lie that destroys him instead.
"I can't," I say, louder now, my voice cracking just enough to feel real, "because I love someone else."
Silence.
Dead. Heavy. Absolute.
"…what?" he breathes.
I don't hesitate.
I turn.
Walk straight to Chris.Take his hand and interlock our fingers.
"I love him," I say, looking straight at Keifer, forcing every word to land. "And he's someone who never treated me like a game and respects my choices...."
That word—game—hits like a gunshot.
Keifer doesn't explode,he didn't shout.Which is worse.Because something in him just… shuts down.
"…who even the hell is he?" he asks, voice hollow.
"The man I chose Keifer...so please leave my life again...just like seven years ago..."
That's it.That's the end.
He lets out a short, broken laugh, shaking his head like none of this is real anymore.
"…right.Fine..."
Then he turns—and walks out.
Rory curses under his breath and rushes after him. Edrix follows immediately.The door slams.The sound echoes.
David stays.
His eyes drop to my hand in Chris's.
Then back to my face.
"…you're lying aren't you Jay Jay...," he says quietly.
I don't flinch.
"What makes you think that, Dr. Braselton?" I reply coolly.
He studies me for a long moment.
"Because you still bite your cheek when you lie."
Damn him.
I hold his gaze anyway.
"That's none of your concern."
A pause.Then he nods once.
"…yeah," he murmurs. "That hasn't changed either."
And then—He leaves.
The door closes.Silence again.
"WHAT THE HELL, JAY JAY?!"
I flinch as Chris yanks his hand back, staring at me like I've just dragged him into a full-blown scandal.
"Me?" he gestures wildly. "You love me? I love you? Since when are we doing this—this—drama?!Okay like we dated sought of in middle school but love really Jay Jay!!!????"
"I panicked, I'm sorry" I mutter, dropping into the chair.
"You think?!" he shoots back. "Also—reminder—I'm gay?!"
"I know," I say tiredly. "That's why it works."
He stares at me.
"…that is the worst logic I have ever heard."
A weak laugh escapes me anyway.Silence settles again—but softer now.He looks at me properly this time.
Just… seeing me.
"You still love him don't you Jay..." he says gently.
I don't answer because I don't need to.
He sighs, then pulls me into a brief hug—steady, grounding.
"It's okay," he murmurs. "I've got you now Jay..."
I breathe out slowly.
"And for the record," he adds, pulling back with a grin, "I can pretend to be your boyfriend just so you stop crying—"
I snort.
"—but only if you find me a very attractive, emotionally available man."
That earns a real laugh.
"Deal."
"Good," he nods. "Now come on, fake girlfriend. Let's go create more chaos."
And as we walk out—I don't look back because if I do—I might not be able to leave again.