Jay's POV
"Oh shit..."
I slowly opened one eye and looked at the clock.
"...Fuck."
I shot up from the bed.
"I'm already late!"
I ran a hand through my messy hair.
"Jay... Jay... this is not gonna work like this."
I sighed dramatically while stumbling out of bed.
"You have so much on your plate..."
I paused.
"...and sadly it's not food."
"It's responsibility."
"Get ready. Fast."
I jumped out of bed, running straight to the bathroom, almost tripping over my own feet.
"Whoa—"
I grabbed the doorframe just in time.
"...That would've been embarrassing."
After quickly finishing my morning rituals, getting dressed, and throwing my bag over my shoulder...
I rushed out of my room.
"Kuyaaa!"
I called out.
"I'm late! Drop me—"
I stopped.
Jason was standing in front of me.
Already dressed in a perfectly fitted black suit.
Tie.
Watch.
Neatly styled hair.
He looked like he was heading to one of the biggest business meetings of the year.
"Percy's already gone to the company."
He looked at me before handing me a paper cup of coffee and a packet of muffins.
"And I have the responsibility of dropping you to school and picking you up when needed."
He gently pushed the breakfast into my hands.
"For now..."
"Eat this."
"And sit in the car fast, darling."
I took the coffee and muffins without wasting another second.
"Thank you!"
Then I practically sprinted outside.
By the time I reached the car...
Jason was already in the driver's seat.
I quickly got in.
He started the engine and drove out of the driveway.
For a few minutes...
The only sound inside the car was me eating my breakfast.
Jason glanced at me before looking back at the road.
"Jay."
"Hmm?"
"There's some important work today at the company."
"I'll come to pick you up after some classes."
"Okay?"
I immediately nodded.
"Okay, Jason."
"Just call me and I'll come outside, okay?"
I remembered yesterday's argument between him and Keifer.
The last thing I wanted...
Was another scene in front of the school.
He gave me a small smile.
"Okay."
A few minutes later...
The school building came into view.
Jason parked the car near the entrance.
By then...
My coffee was empty.
The muffins?
Gone.
What?
Don't judge me.
I was hungry.
I unbuckled my seatbelt.
"Bye, Jass."
"Have a good day."
"You too."
I smiled before stepping out of the car.
Adjusting my bag on my shoulder...
I took a deep breath...
And walked inside the school building.
Jay's POV
I walked into the classroom.
Luckily...
Sir Alvin wasn't here yet.
"Yes!"
I quickly ran to my seat at the very back of the class.
The same seat as always.
Keifer on my left.
Yuri on my right.
"Morning, Jay," David greeted with a smile.
"Morning," I smiled back.
Ci N looked at me and laughed.
"Someone woke up late again."
"I didn't!"
He raised an eyebrow.
"Jay... your hair says otherwise."
I quickly touched my hair.
"What? It looks fine!"
The whole row laughed.
Even Eman, who was sitting in front of us, shook his head.
I pouted before finally sitting down.
As everyone continued talking...
I could feel it.
Keifer's gaze.
I looked at him for a second.
He was already looking at me.
I really wanted to talk to him.
I really wanted to trust him.
But...
It's not easy to fix something that's already broken.
I needed time.
Maybe he understood that.
Maybe he didn't.
"Jay!"
Yuri's voice pulled me back to reality.
"Hm?"
He started talking about something that happened yesterday, making everyone around us laugh.
Before I could reply...
Buzz.
My phone vibrated.
I unlocked it.
Jason
Will come to pick you up after your 2nd class. Take care, darling.
A small smile appeared on my face.
I quickly typed back.
Okay, Jass. Drive safely.
Just as I pressed send...
I noticed something from the corner of my eye.
Keifer.
He was peeking at my phone.
His jaw was clenched.
Oh...
He's jealous.
Good.
He deserves it.
I locked my phone and turned towards him.
"What happened, Keifer?"
He immediately looked away, pretending he hadn't been staring.
"What?"
"Nothing happened."
I folded my arms.
"Oh..."
"It looks like you miss reading my messages and listening to my calls, isn't it?"
The words came out sharper than I intended.
His expression changed.
I remembered everything.
The tracking app.
The one he secretly installed on my phone with Edrix's help.
Edrix had said it was for my safety.
But if it was really for my safety...
It would've only shared my location.
Not my calls.
Not my messages.
Not every part of my privacy.
I took out my phone and held it towards him.
"Do you want my phone?"
He frowned.
I continued before he could answer.
"This time you can even hack the camera and the mic."
"So you can hear whatever happens near my phone."
"And watch the live telecast of where I am."
"Want it?"
The sarcasm in my voice was impossible to miss.
Keifer looked down for a second before meeting my eyes again.
"Jay..."
"I'm sorry."
"I didn't mean to keep an eye on you."
"It's just—"
"For my safety."
I finished his sentence.
He stayed silent.
I let out a quiet breath.
"Keifer..."
"Let's just not even talk about it."
I looked away.
"I might say something that could..."
I stopped myself.
"...Well."
"Leave it."
The silence between us felt heavier than before.
Right then...
Sir Alvin walked into the classroom.
"Good morning, class."
"Good morning, Sir!"
He placed his books on the table, took the attendance register, and started calling out our names.
For now...
The conversation between Keifer and me was over.
But neither of us had really moved on.
Jay's POV
The next two classes somehow went by.
I barely paid attention.
My mind was somewhere else.
As soon as the bell rang, I packed my bag.
Jason was already waiting for me outside.
I stood up from my seat and started walking towards the door.
"Hey, Jay!"
Ci N caught up with me.
"Are you cutting classes? Should I come with you?"
I smiled and grabbed his arm, pulling him outside the classroom.
"Ci N, look... I'm not cutting classes."
"I'm going somewhere."
"I have some work to do."
He looked at me dramatically.
"Oh..."
"So you're not unemployed."
"You also have work."
"Good."
"I see you're finally learning from me."
I rolled my eyes.
"In your dreams."
He laughed.
"Well... how are you going?"
"Umm..."
"Jason is here to pick me."
"Oh..."
His expression shifted.
Of course.
He didn't exactly like Jason.
"Then let me come with you."
"I'll walk with you till the gate."
"Okay."
We walked side by side through the corridor.
Talking about random things.
Soon, we were already in the school campus.
Just a few steps away from the main gate.
That's when I heard them.
Students from Section A...
And Section B.
The same people...
Who were there the day Keifer humiliated me.
They looked at me.
Then deliberately started speaking louder.
Loud enough for me to hear every single word.
"Look at her."
"She's so shameless."
"Keifer humiliated her in front of the whole section."
"And none of her classmates even took her side."
"Yet she's still with them."
"Look at her laughing with them."
"She literally has no self-respect."
Another voice joined in.
"Yeah."
"Someone from school even saw her with Keifer yesterday."
"And there are rumors that she went on a vacation with him."
A girl laughed.
"She's such a gold digger."
"She's only with him because he's rich."
"Otherwise who would tolerate that much disrespect?"
Their voices slowly faded into the background.
Because...
Some part of me couldn't deny it.
Keifer had humiliated me.
In front of Section A.
In front of the whole school.
And then...
He apologized.
On a private island.
Away from everyone.
It felt unfair.
If someone disrespects you in public...
Shouldn't they apologize in public too?
I knew he loved me.
He really did.
But...
Was love really enough?
Or was I slowly convincing myself that it was?
I stopped walking.
"Ci N..."
"Hmm?"
"You go back inside."
"I'll go from here."
He looked at me for a moment.
Then nodded.
"...Okay, Jay."
I forced a smile.
"And don't tell anyone that I'm with Jason, okay?"
He gave me a small salute.
"Okay."
With that...
He turned around and walked back towards the school building.
I took a deep breath.
Then...
I started walking towards the school gate alone.
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Guys I hope you're all happy with my chapters.... I'm really sorry for not posting for days... But now I am back and I need you guys to support me... Do tell me how is the chapter and also tell me what do you want to read next... Your opinions and ideas matters a lot... I'll surely add them 💗🧿