KEIFER’S POV
The next morning, school looked exactly the same.
Same corridors.
Same noisy students.
Same teachers rushing toward their classes.
Same Section E sitting together like they owned the entire floor.
Everything was normal.
Except Jay.
I noticed her the moment she entered the classroom.
She walked through the door quietly, her bag hanging from one shoulder.
Her face looked pale.
Not the normal kind of tired after a late night.
She looked exhausted.
Her eyes were slightly dull, and there were faint shadows underneath them.
But she still walked straight.
Still held her head high.
Still had that same expression that told everyone—
Don’t mess with me.
I stared at her for a few seconds.
She didn’t notice.
Or maybe she did.
With Jay, it was always difficult to tell.
She placed her bag on the desk and sat down.
For a moment, she closed her eyes.
Just for a few seconds.
Then she opened them again.
I frowned.
She didn’t sleep.
That was my first thought.
But then I immediately pushed it away.
Why would I care?
After everything that happened…
I shouldn’t.
Yet my eyes kept returning to her.
SECTION E
Ci-N was talking about something completely random.
Eman was arguing with Calix.
Kit was laughing at something Josh said.
Denzel was throwing a paper ball toward Felix.
Rory was complaining about the noise.
Normal Section E chaos.
Then Jay suddenly placed her forehead against her hand.
Only for a moment.
But I saw it.
So did David.
David looked toward her immediately.
“Jay?”
She lifted her head.
“I’m fine.”
David frowned.
“You look tired.”
Jay gave him a small smile.
“I’m always tired.”
“That’s not funny,” David said.
Jay shrugged.
“Didn’t say it was.”
She opened her notebook.
Started writing.
Like nothing had happened.
I watched her hand.
Her writing was slower than usual.
She paused twice.
Then continued.
Something wasn’t right.
FIRST PERIOD
The teacher entered.
Everyone immediately became quiet.
Well…
Almost everyone.
Jay usually paid attention.
Today, she was staring at the board but barely moving.
Her eyes looked heavy.
The teacher asked a question.
“Jayjay?”
Jay looked up.
“Yes, sir?”
“Can you answer?”
She answered correctly.
Perfectly.
The teacher nodded.
“Good.”
Jay looked back at her notebook.
That was Jay.
Even exhausted…
I looked away.
Why am I noticing all of this?
I shouldn’t.
But I did.
RECESS
The bell rang.
Everyone immediately started moving.
Jay didn’t.
She remained seated.
Her head rested against the chair for a few seconds.
Then she slowly opened her bag.
She pulled something out.
Water.
She took a few sips.
I noticed she barely drank.
Then she closed the bottle.
David walked over.
“You should eat something.”
Jay looked at him.
“I’m not hungry.”
“You haven’t eaten properly.”
“I said I’m not hungry.”
Her voice wasn’t angry.
Just tired.
David sighed.
“Fine.”
He walked away.
I watched Jay for another moment.
She rubbed her eyes.
Then suddenly looked up.
Our eyes met.
I froze.
She raised one eyebrow.
“What?”
I immediately looked away.
“Nothing.”
She stared at me for a second.
Then went back to her notebook.
She looked different.
Not weaker.
Never that.
Jay wasn’t weak.
Even when she was exhausted, she still carried herself like she could walk into a room full of enemies and make every single one of them regret breathing.
But today…
She looked like someone who hadn’t allowed herself to rest.
And I knew that look.
Because I’d seen it in the mirror.
The cafeteria was crowded.
Everyone was talking.
Jay sat with the girls.
Rakhi was talking excitedly about something.
Grace was laughing.
Mica was showing something on her phone.
Freya was listening.
Jay smiled occasionally.
But she wasn’t really participating.
She looked tired.
Very tired.
Then she suddenly leaned back.
Her eyes closed.
Rakhi immediately noticed.
“Jay?”
Jay opened her eyes.
“I’m okay.”
“You sure?”
“Yes.”
Mica looked at her carefully.
“You look pale.”
Jay rolled her eyes.
“Thanks.”
“That’s not what I meant!”
Jay laughed softly.
“I know.”
She picked up her spoon.
But before she could eat, she stopped.
Her expression changed for a second.
She put the spoon down.
Freya noticed.
“You don’t like it?”
Jay shook her head.
“No.”
“Then eat something else.”
Again.
That word.
I’m fine.
She kept saying it.
Like saying it enough times would make it true.
The next few periods passed slowly.
Jay was still participating.
Still answering questions.
Still correcting people when they were wrong.
Still arguing with teachers when they gave unreasonable assignments.
Still being Jay.
But every now and then…
I caught her closing her eyes.
Just for a second.
Then opening them again.
Like she was forcing herself to stay awake.
During the last period, the teacher was explaining something.
Jay was writing.
Her pen suddenly stopped.
Her eyes closed.
Her head tilted slightly.
I immediately looked at her.
She opened her eyes again.
No one seemed to notice.
Except me.
She continued writing.
I clenched my jaw.
She’s exhausted.
THE FINAL BELL
The bell rang.
Everyone started packing.
Jay slowly put her books inside her bag.
She stood up.
For half a second, she remained completely still.
Then she adjusted her bag and walked toward the door.
I followed a few steps behind.
Not intentionally.
At least…
that’s what I told myself.
Outside the classroom, David caught up with her.
“Jay, are you sure you don’t want someone to take you home?”
She shook her head.
“No.”
“You look like you haven’t slept for a week.”
Jay gave him a tired smile.
“That’s dramatic.”
“It’s true.”
“I’ll survive.”
She kept walking.
I stopped.
Watching her disappear down the corridor.
For the first time since everything between us had fallen apart…
I didn’t feel jealousy.
I didn’t feel anger.
I didn’t even feel confused.
I just felt worried.
And that scared me more than anything.
Because despite everything I’d done…
Despite pushing her away…
Despite making her hate me…
I still noticed every little change in her.
Her tired eyes.
Her pale face.
The way she walked slightly slower.
The way she kept saying she was fine.
And I knew one thing.
She wasn’t.
At least…
not completely.
I looked toward the corridor where she’d disappeared.
“Jay…”
The name escaped my lips before I could stop it.
I immediately looked around.
Nobody heard.
Good.
I shoved my hands into my pockets.
Maybe tomorrow she’ll look better.
I tried to convince myself.
But somehow…
I knew I’d be watching again.
Because no matter how far I tried to stay from her…
my eyes still searched for her first.
And apparently…
my heart still noticed when she was hurting.
Even when she refused to admit it.