DARREN POVI woke up early that morning with an unusual lightness in my chest.The first thing that came to my mind wasn’t the pile of assignments or the headache of group work — it was her. Jeyah.Just the thought of seeing her again made me smile like an idiot. I grabbed my towel and headed straight to the bathroom, humming softly under my breath. I wasn’t usually a morning person, but today… it felt different. It felt right.The warm water splashed down my back as I leaned against the tiled wall, replaying yesterday in my head—the way she laughed, the way her eyes sparkled when she spoke, like she didn’t even realize how beautiful she was.“Get it together, man,” I muttered, shaking my head with a grin.After a quick shower, I changed into a dark polo shirt and blue jeans. I fixed my hair carefully—which I didn’t normally care much about. But today, I wanted to look good. For her.Just as I was about to go out of my room, my phone started ringing in my pocket. I froze for a second
JEYAH POVEven when I was at home, I couldn’t help but think about Darren's confession. The way his voice slightly trembled… the way his eyes locked on mine, like he was scared but sure at the same time. He likes me. He really likes me.And the truth is… I feel the same.My heart was still racing when a soft knock broke through my thoughts.“Sweetie, can I come in?”It was Andre—my older brother, my best friend in the world.“Yes, boo,” I called out, trying to steady my voice.The door creaked open, and Andre walked in wearing his usual oversized hoodie and that worried-but-soft expression he always wore whenever he sensed something was off. He sat on the edge of my bed and tilted his head, studying me like he could read my thoughts.“What’s wrong?” he asked gently.I bit my lower lip, unsure if I should say it out loud. Once the words left my mouth, everything would feel real.“Something’s bothering you?” His brows knitted together, concern flickering in his eyes.“Umm…” I stuttered,
Darren's POVWhen we started walking toward the auditorium, an uneasy thought crossed my mind. Bridgette always had invisible eyes and ears scattered across the campus. T“Wait, bubs," I said, stopping in my tracks. I looked at her curiously, my brows slightly furrowed. “Can we… go somewhere else? Somewhere quieter? ”Her expression softened. “Where do you have in mind? ”I thought for a second, then a place popped into my head. “Let’s go to the UP Sunken Garden on the eastern side of the campus. It’s open, but far enough from everyone’s eyes. At least Bridgette won’t follow us there.”I tilted my head, studying her for a moment. “Would that be okay, bubs? ” I asked carefully, afraid she might think it was strange.“Yah. It’s okay,” she said softly.Relief washed over me. At least we would have a place where we could talk freely. Though I wasn’t afraid of Bridgette, I couldn’t help but worry how far she’d go to twist things around. More than anything, I wanted to protect Jeyah because
Jeyah's POVIt’s the third day of our College Achievement Day. While driving my car to school, I couldn’t help but think about Darren. I was certain I had already fallen for him, not because he looked like Ryle but because of who he was. He said he wanted to talk to me but I had no idea what it would be. My hands gripped the steering wheel tighter, and my heart began to beat faster as soon as the school entrance gate came into view.“Bubs! There you are! ”I turned at the familiar voice. Clarisse was waving both arms, jogging lightly toward me. She looked relieved, as though she had been waiting for me for hours.“Hi bubs, it’s good to see you,” I said and pulled her into a hug.“Are you okay? ” she asked, guiding me toward an empty bench shaded by an acacia tree. “You haven’t answered your phone since last night. We were worried.”I gave her an apologetic smile. “Sorry for that, bubs. My phone was running out of battery and I totally forgot to charge it.”“Hmm,” she tilted her head,
Darren's POV"What about love? What about feeling..." Jeyah hit the chorus, and it was perfectly sung.I didn't even notice I was already teary-eyed as I listened to her. Who would have thought that the woman I admired online was the same woman I had fallen for?"Hey dude, are you okay?" Eduard tapped my shoulder."Yes, I'm fine, dude," I said, my eyes still on Jeyah."He is not fine, bubs. He is in love!" Angela butted in. "Especially now that he finally sees in person the woman he admired on a livestreaming platform.""What a coincidence! The 'Jewel' you admired online is our friend, and she's been with us all this time," Eduard spoke in disbelief. "And in fairness, she has a lovely voice, dude.""Umm, yeah... she is good at singing. She has a sweet voice that touches one's soul," I said."Maybe...it's time to tell her how you feel, bubs," Andrew spoke.I was stunned into silence. Even before knowing that she was "Jewel," I really had wanted to confess to her, but I was thinking abo
Darren's POVOur college Achievement Day had finally arrived, and everyone felt excited. The first day started with a parade followed by an opening ceremony. In the evening would be the Literary and Musical Contest, and the remaining days would be dedicated to ballgames.It was already 7:00 pm, and my groupmates and I were settled in the university gym, ready for the evening's events. But Jeyah was still not around."Bubs, where's Jeyah?" I asked Clarrise, hoping she had some information."I don't know, bubs. I tried calling her, but she didn't answer," Clarrise replied, her eyes roaming around. "Maybe she is on her way, don't worry."Jeyah's absence made me uneasy. I giddily looked at my watch, and it was almost 7:30. The program would start at 8:00, but she was nowhere to be found. I took my cellphone and tried contacting her, but her phone just kept on ringing."Bridgette's here, but I think she hasn't noticed us yet," Eduard whispered."Just ignore her. There are so many people aro