Keira didn't reply to Nadine's message for twenty-three minutes.
She knew because during those twenty-three minutes, her phone screen never really went dark.
The last message was still open.
And if Jovan still hasn't told you, then I have to be the one to say it.
Keira read it over and over until the sentence started to feel foreign.
She should have been angry.
Or curious.
Or relieved that she finally had a chance to learn the truth.
Strangely, the strongest feeling was fear.
Fear that she'd been right all along.
Fear that she was actually wrong.
Keira didn't know which would be worse.
Her phone vibrated again.
It wasn't Nadine.
It was Tasya.
Tasya: Before you get mad, I can explain why I gave her your number.
Keira called immediately.
Tasya picked up on the second ring.
"Hello—"
"Why did you give Nadine my number?"
"Because she asked."
"That's not an answer."
"It is. She asked."
"Tasya."
"Okay, okay."
Tasya's voice turned more serious.
"She came looking for me this afternoon."
"Why you?"
"She said she knew I was your closest friend."
Keira paced around her room.
"And you just gave her my number?"
"Not right away."
"So you still gave it to her."
"Kei, I asked her what she wanted first."
"And?"
"She said she wanted to clear up a misunderstanding."
Keira stopped.
A misunderstanding.
Everyone had been loving that word lately.
As if a two-year relationship could fall apart just because of one little mistake in reading the situation.
"What else did she say?"
"Not much."
"Tas."
"Seriously. I don't know the details."
Keira fell silent.
Tasya let out a breath on the other end.
"Do you want to meet her?"
"I don't know."
"If you're scared, I'll go with you."
"I'm not scared."
"Keira."
Keira sat on the edge of her bed.
"I just..."
She stopped.
Tasya waited.
"...don't know if I'm ready."
For a few seconds, there was no answer.
Then Tasya said softly, "You don't have to be ready to hear something. Sometimes you just have to listen."
Keira toyed with the edge of her blanket.
"What if I'm actually wrong?"
"Then you're wrong."
Keira raised an eyebrow, even though Tasya couldn't see it.
"Thanks."
"Hey, don't get snippy."
"I'm not being snippy."
"Your voice is snippy."
Keira sighed.
Tasya continued, "If you're wrong, that doesn't mean all your pain was fake. But if there's a fact you haven't known all this time, you deserve to know it."
That sentence kept Keira silent for longer.
"And what if I'm right?"
"We'll get ice cream."
Keira almost laughed.
"What does that have to do with anything?"
"When you're sad, you eat."
"Tasya."
"I don't know what else to say."
Keira finally smiled a little.
"I'll meet her tomorrow."
"Okay."
"Alone."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"If you change your mind, let me know."
Keira nodded.
Then remembered Tasya couldn't see her.
"Yeah."
After the call ended, Keira reopened her chat with Nadine.
She typed.
Keira: Can we meet tomorrow?
The reply came in less than a minute.
Nadine: Sure.
Keira: After school.
Nadine: Titik Sore?
Keira froze for a moment.
Of all places.
Titik Sore.
A place that held too many memories of her and Jovan together.
But maybe that was exactly why Nadine had chosen it.
Or maybe not.
Keira typed:
Keira: Yeah.
Nadine: Four?
Keira: Okay.
That was it.
Keira set her phone down.
Then the screen lit up again.
This time, it was Jovan.
Jovan: You eat yet?
Keira closed her eyes.
Of course.
Why did it have to be now?
She didn't reply right away.
A second message came in.
Jovan: Kei?
Keira typed.
Keira: Yeah.
Jovan: For real?
Keira stared at the screen in annoyance.
Keira: I'll send you a picture of my plate if you need proof.
Jovan: Sure.
Keira almost laughed.
Almost.
Then she saw Nadine's message right above the conversation.
Her smile disappeared.
Jovan sent another message.
Jovan: Don't forget the three o'clock meeting tomorrow.
Keira typed:
Keira: I remember.
The typing indicator appeared.
Jovan: What's wrong?
Keira's fingers stopped.
How did he know from only two replies?
Keira: Nothing.
Jovan: Liar.
Keira didn't reply.
Jovan typed again.
Jovan: Is something wrong?
Keira wanted to ask.
She wanted to so badly.
About Nadine.
About their meeting.
About what Jovan was actually hiding.
But tonight, she didn't want to hear Jovan's version.
Not yet.
She wanted to know what Nadine would say first.
Keira: I'm tired.
There was no reply for a long time.
Then:
Jovan: Okay.
Jovan: Go to sleep.
A few seconds later:
Jovan: Good night.
Keira didn't reply.
But she couldn't sleep that night either.
The next day, Jovan knew something was wrong even before first period started.
Keira didn't look in his direction.
Not once.
Usually, even when she pretended not to care, she still had a few little habits.
Looking into the hallway when Jovan's class walked past.
Turning around when she heard his friends' voices.
Furrowing her brow when Jovan got too loud.
None of that happened today.
"Why do you keep looking at Class XI-4?"
Jovan turned immediately.
Bima was standing beside him.
"I'm not looking."
"Liar."
"I'm looking at the hallway."
"Is the hallway's name Keira?"
Jovan clicked his tongue.
"Can't you go one day without being annoying?"
"Nope."
Dito appeared carrying a small ball.
"Who's being annoying?"
"Bima."
"I agree."
Bima lightly kicked Dito in the calf.
Dito dodged, laughing.
Jovan looked back toward Keira's classroom.
The door was open.
Keira was talking to Farah.
Tasya stood beside her.
Celine was showing them something on her phone.
Normal.
It should have been.
But Jovan knew Keira too well not to notice one thing.
She was thinking hard.
She had a habit of biting her lower lip when she was anxious.
Just lightly, on the inside.
She was doing it now.
"Van."
"Hm?"
Bima looked over too.
"If you're curious, ask her."
"Later."
"Why later?"
"The meeting."
Bima smiled.
"Work excuse again."
Jovan ignored him.
That afternoon's meeting went more calmly than usual.
Too calmly.
Keira didn't argue.
She didn't interrupt.
Even when Jovan changed one part of the schedule that she normally would have protested, Keira only said, "Okay."
That made Jovan even more suspicious.
After the meeting ended, people began filing out.
Jovan closed his folder.
"Kei."
Keira put her laptop in her bag.
"Hm?"
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
"You've been quiet this whole time."
"I'm tired."
"Liar."
Keira stopped.
Her eyes finally met Jovan's.
"Why do you always say I'm lying?"
"Because I know the difference."
"Don't act like you know everything."
"I'm not acting."
Keira put her charger away.
"I have somewhere to be."
Jovan asked immediately, "Where?"
Keira looked at him.
Jovan realized his question had come out too quickly.
He cleared his throat.
"I mean..."
"I'm meeting someone."
"Who?"
"Why?"
"I'm asking."
Keira lifted her bag.
"You don't have to get an answer, do you?"
Jovan fell silent.
That was answer enough.
Keira walked toward the door.
"Kei."
She stopped.
Jovan was still standing where he was.
"Be careful."
Keira gave a small nod.
"Yeah."
Then she left.
Jovan watched her back until she disappeared.
Bima, who had somehow still been in the room, appeared behind him.
"Devin?"
Jovan turned immediately.
"What?"
"She's meeting Devin?"
Jovan frowned.
"I don't know."
Bima grinned.
"You look terrifying."
"Can you shut your mouth?"
"I can."
"Good."
"But I choose not to."
Jovan picked up his folder and walked out.
Titik Sore hadn't changed much.
Table seven was still by the window.
The little lights still hung along the walls.
The cashier was still the same person.
Even that afternoon's playlist was full of old songs Keira had once listened to with Jovan.
Keira chose the table farthest from table seven.
She arrived first.
At 3:58.
Two minutes later, Nadine walked in.
Keira recognized her right away.
Not because they talked often.
They barely ever talked.
But Keira had seen Nadine from a distance often enough.
Especially in the weeks before the breakup.
Nadine walked over to her.
"Hi."
Keira nodded.
"Hi."
"Can I sit?"
"Yeah."
Nadine sat across from her.
For a while, the atmosphere was awkward.
A server came over.
They ordered drinks.
Only after the server left did Nadine start the conversation.
"Thanks for agreeing to meet me."
Keira nodded.
"You said there was something you needed to explain."
"Straight to the point?"
"It's better that way."
Nadine took a breath.
"Okay."
Her hands twisted the edge of the napkin on the table.
Keira watched her.
Nadine was nervous too.
That didn't make any of this easier.
"First," Nadine said, "Jovan and I never had anything going on."
Keira said nothing.
"I know you might not believe me."
"I haven't said anything."
"Yeah."
Nadine gave a faint smile.
"But your face makes it pretty clear."
Keira didn't respond.
Nadine continued.
"I met Jovan a few times because he asked me for help."
"What kind of help?"
Nadine paused.
As if choosing her words.
"This isn't really my secret to tell."
Keira felt her heartbeat quicken.
"But if I don't explain, you two will keep misunderstanding each other."
"So?"
Nadine looked straight at Keira.
"Jovan's dad is sick."
Keira froze.
There was no sound.
At least, that's what it felt like.
The café was still crowded.
People were talking.
The coffee machine was running.
Spoons clinked against glasses.
But everything seemed to drift farther away.
"What?"
"His dad is sick."
Nadine repeated it more softly.
"It's been going on for several months."
Keira tried to process the words.
She couldn't.
"Jovan never told me."
"I know."
"How do you know?"
Nadine lowered her gaze for a moment.
"My sister is a resident doctor at the hospital where his dad is being treated."
Keira immediately remembered.
Those meetings.
Nadine and Jovan at the bus stop.
Nadine getting into Jovan's car.
The conversation she'd seen.
Five tomorrow. I'll help you talk to Rendi.
At the time, Keira had only seen part of the chat on Jovan's screen.
She'd never asked who Rendi was.
She'd only seen Nadine's name.
Seen them meeting so often.
And let her mind fill in the rest.
"Why did Jovan ask you for help?"
"His dad needed some additional tests. His family was confused about the schedule and the paperwork. My sister happened to be able to explain everything."
Keira stared at the table.
"Then why did you have to meet in secret?"
Nadine sighed.
"It wasn't really a secret."
"He never told me."
"That's different."
Keira looked straight at her.
Nadine didn't back down.
"Keira, I'm not defending Jovan."
Her voice was calm.
"I think he was wrong not to tell you."
Keira stayed silent.
"But he wasn't meeting me to cheat on you."
That last sentence struck exactly where Keira had tried hardest not to look.
She tightened her grip on her glass.
"Why didn't he tell me?"
"I don't know everything."
Nadine played with her straw.
"But I do know that his dad's condition got worse around that time."
Keira remembered the weeks before the breakup.
Jovan often disappeared after school.
Canceled plans.
Took longer to reply to her texts.
Got angry easily.
Looked exhausted.
Keira had thought he was getting bored.
Or busy with someone else.
It turned out there might have been another reason.
"He told me..." Nadine stopped.
"What?"
"He didn't want you to worry."
Keira let out a small, bitter laugh.
"That's great."
Nadine didn't laugh with her.
"He also said you had a lot going on at the time."
Keira immediately remembered the city-level journalism competition.
She had been busy.
Extremely busy.
"Still."
"Yeah."
Nadine nodded.
"It was still wrong."
Keira looked at her, slightly surprised.
"I thought you'd defend him."
"I'm not his lawyer."
For the first time, Keira almost smiled.
Nadine continued,
"Jovan should have told you. You should have asked too."
Keira fell silent again.
This time, for longer.
"I did ask him once."
"What did you ask?"
Keira swallowed.
"I asked if he was seeing anyone."
Nadine raised an eyebrow.
"What did he say?"
"He said no one."
"That was true."
Keira stared at the table.
"But he still didn't explain you."
Nadine nodded.
"Yeah."
"Then when I saw you together..."
"I understand."
"No, you don't."
Nadine went quiet.
Keira took a breath.
"I already felt like he'd changed."
Her voice was soft.
"He kept canceling plans. His texts were short. Sometimes I'd ask what was wrong, and he'd just say he was tired. Then I saw him meeting you."
Nadine didn't interrupt.
"So..."
Keira stopped.
"...I thought I knew the answer."
Nadine looked at her for a long time.
"Did you ever ask him directly about me?"
Keira didn't answer.
She didn't need to.
Nadine knew.
"There you go."
The single phrase felt heavy.
Keira turned her gaze toward the window.
A light rain had begun to fall.
"But there's one more thing," Nadine said.
Keira turned back.
"What?"
"Jovan doesn't know I contacted you."
Keira frowned.
"Why?"
"Because he once told me not to get involved."
"But you got involved anyway."
"Yeah."
"Why?"
Nadine smiled faintly.
"Because I was tired of being made into a fictional other woman."
Keira immediately lowered her head.
"I'm sorry."
"Hey."
Nadine's tone softened.
"I was partly joking."
"Still."
Keira looked at her again.
"I'm sorry."
Nadine nodded.
"It's fine."
The server arrived with their drinks.
They waited until the server left.
Keira stared at her drink without touching it.
"How is his dad now?"
Nadine was quiet for a moment.
"His condition is more stable."
Keira exhaled the breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.
"Has he gone home?"
"Not completely. He still goes back and forth for checkups."
Keira nodded.
Her chest felt strange.
She felt relieved.
Then guilty for never having known.
Two years.
She had dated Jovan for almost two years.
Yet when his family was facing a problem this serious, she'd been busy suspecting him instead.
On the other hand, Jovan really hadn't given her a chance to know.
They were both at fault.
That thought hurt much more than having only one person to blame would have.
"Nadine."
"Hm?"
"Why now?"
Nadine looked at Keira.
"Because yesterday Jovan asked me if Rendi could still help with his dad's appointment schedule."
Keira went quiet.
"Then he said..."
Nadine smiled a little.
"...that you two had broken up."
Keira's fingers moved slightly.
"He told you?"
"Not in detail."
"Hm."
"He just said it was because he was an idiot."
Keira looked at her.
Nadine chuckled.
"Those were his words."
Without realizing it, Keira smiled a little.
Only for a moment.
"Then I saw the school gossip."
Keira's smile vanished.
"And I thought, if you broke up because you thought I was the other woman, that was too absurd."
"So you contacted me."
"Yeah."
Nadine took a sip of her drink.
"The rest isn't my business."
Keira nodded.
There were so many other questions.
But one question kept circling in her mind.
"When I... broke up with him..."
Nadine waited.
Keira struggled to finish.
"Did he say anything to you?"
Nadine sighed.
"That day?"
Keira nodded.
Nadine looked hesitant.
"Just forget it."
"Nadine."
"Seriously, it doesn't matter."
"If it doesn't matter, tell me."
Nadine looked at Keira for several seconds.
Finally, she gave in.
"He came to the hospital that night."
Keira froze.
"For his dad?"
"Yeah."
"And?"
"He looked like a mess."
Keira swallowed.
"I asked him why."
Nadine played with the edge of her glass.
"He only said..."
Nadine looked at Keira.
"...‘Keira doesn't trust me anymore.’"
Keira felt as if something had yanked hard on her chest.
There was no dramatic continuation.
No tearful confession.
Just one sentence.
But that was exactly what made it feel real.
Nadine stood after a while.
"I should go home."
Keira stood too.
"Thank you."
Nadine nodded.
"You're welcome."
Before leaving, Nadine stopped.
"Keira."
"Hm?"
"If you want to be angry at Jovan because he didn't tell you about his dad, go ahead."
Keira said nothing.
"But don't be angry at him because of me."
Nadine smiled faintly.
"He's unbelievably annoying whenever he talks about you."
Keira frowned.
"Why?"
"Because every subject somehow ends up going back to you."
Keira didn't get a chance to answer.
Nadine had already walked away.
Keira stayed at Titik Sore after Nadine left.
Her drink was almost no longer cold.
The rain outside grew heavier.
She opened her conversation with Jovan.
She scrolled up.
The week before they broke up.
Jovan: Sorry, I can't pick you up.
Keira: Why?
Jovan: Something came up.
The next day.
Keira: Where are you?
Jovan: Out.
Keira: With who?
Jovan: Someone.
At the time, Keira had been annoyed.
Now those two words had a different meaning.
She scrolled again.
Keira: You've been acting weird lately.
Jovan: I've got a lot on my mind.
Keira: About what?
Jovan: I'll tell you later.
Later.
It turned out later never came.
Keira closed the conversation.
Her phone vibrated.
The name she had been thinking about appeared.
Jovan calling...
Keira stared at the screen for a long time before answering.
"Hello."
"Where are you?"
Jovan's voice immediately sounded different.
Worried.
Keira frowned.
"Why?"
"Answer me first."
"Titik Sore."
Silence.
Then:
"Alone?"
"Right now, yes."
"Right now?"
Keira closed her eyes.
Wrong choice of words.
Jovan asked immediately,
"Who were you with?"
Keira didn't answer.
"Kei."
"I met Nadine."
Silence.
Complete silence.
Keira even checked to see if the call had disconnected.
Then Jovan said,
"What did she say?"
His voice was flat.
Too flat.
"Everything."
Jovan didn't answer right away.
Keira could hear him breathing.
"You're still there?"
"Yeah."
"I'm coming over."
"Jovan—"
The call ended.
Keira stared at the screen.
"Seriously?"
Twelve minutes later, Jovan appeared.
His hair was wet.
So were the shoulders of his uniform.
He must have rushed through the rain from school.
Keira stood immediately.
"Did you ride your motorcycle?"
Jovan didn't answer.
His gaze was fixed only on Keira.
"Nadine told you about my dad?"
Keira nodded.
Jovan let out a harsh breath.
"She shouldn't have—"
"Why?"
Jovan stopped.
"Why what?"
"Why wasn't I allowed to know?"
"That's not what I meant."
"Then what did you mean?"
Jovan pulled out a chair and sat down.
Keira sat too.
"My dad wasn't doing well at the time," he said.
"I know that now."
"I didn't know how to tell you."
"So you didn't tell me at all?"
Jovan stared at the table.
"Yeah."
Keira let out a small, bitter laugh.
"Amazing."
"Kei."
"No."
She shook her head.
"I was wrong for accusing you."
Jovan looked at her.
"I was wrong for not asking you directly about Nadine."
Her voice began to shake.
"But you also left me with nothing but guesses."
Jovan said nothing.
"I asked you why you'd changed."
"I know."
"You said you'd tell me later."
"Yeah."
"When was later, Van?"
Jovan didn't answer.
Keira held back the tears beginning to burn her eyes.
"I was your girlfriend then."
"I know."
"I should have known your family was going through something."
"I know."
"Why didn't you trust me to be there for you?"
That last question made Jovan look directly at her.
"It wasn't because I didn't trust you."
"Then why?"
Jovan rubbed his face with both hands.
For a few seconds, Keira saw something the boy rarely showed.
Exhaustion.
Complete exhaustion.
"I was scared."
Keira fell silent.
Jovan gave a short laugh.
There was no happiness in it.
"Funny, right?"
"No."
"I didn't want you to think about my dad every time you looked at me."
"Why?"
"Because I already think about him constantly."
He looked at Keira.
"At home, it's all hospitals. My mom crying. My little sibling asking when Dad will get better."
Jovan's voice dropped lower.
"Then I'd see you."
He paused.
"With you, I could forget."
Keira's chest tightened even more.
"I could talk about stupid things. Argue about food. Listen to you get mad because I was late."
The corner of Jovan's mouth lifted slightly.
"Every time I saw you, my life felt normal."
Keira lowered her head.
"So I was selfish."
Jovan gave a small nod.
"I didn't tell you because I didn't want to lose the one place that made everything feel ordinary."
The first tear finally fell from Keira's eyes.
She quickly wiped it away.
Jovan tensed immediately.
"Kei."
"I'm angry."
"I know."
"I'm really angry."
"Yeah."
"You're an idiot."
Jovan nodded.
"A huge one."
Keira looked at him through wet eyes.
"If you'd told me then, I wouldn't have started treating you like someone to pity."
"I know that now."
"I might've gotten mad because you weren't eating."
Jovan smiled a little.
"You definitely would have."
"I could have stayed with you."
"Yeah."
"I could have listened."
"Yeah."
"Van."
Jovan looked at her.
"I was your girlfriend."
Jovan went quiet.
Keira realized immediately.
Girlfriend.
Not ex-girlfriend.
She closed her eyes for a moment.
"I mean, back then."
"Yeah."
Jovan's answer was quiet.
Keira wiped her face.
"And about Nadine..."
"There was nothing going on."
"I know."
Jovan fell silent.
Those two words seemed to mean more to him than they should have.
"I believe you," Keira continued.
Jovan looked at her for a long time.
"This time?"
Keira knew he deserved to ask.
"Yeah."
Jovan nodded.
He didn't smile.
That only made Keira feel guiltier.
"I'm sorry."
Jovan immediately shook his head.
"Don't."
"Why?"
"Because I was wrong too."
"Still."
"Kei."
"I broke up with you over something you didn't do."
Jovan exhaled.
"You broke up with me because I made you stop trusting me."
Keira fell silent.
"See?" Jovan gave a faint smile. "We're both idiots."
Keira laughed through her tears.
"You're more of one."
"Debatable."
"No, it isn't."
"A little."
For the first time since the breakup, laughter surfaced between them in the middle of a conversation that didn't feel light.
The rain was still falling outside.
Titik Sore was gradually growing quieter.
Keira looked at Jovan's still-wet hair.
"You were speeding, weren't you?"
"No."
"Liar."
"A little."
"Jovan."
"I was wearing a helmet."
"That's not the point."
"Exactly."
Keira sighed.
That habit.
Everything felt far too familiar.
Then the most dangerous question surfaced in her mind.
If their biggest misunderstanding was over, what happened now?
Jovan seemed to be thinking the same thing.
He looked at Keira.
"Kei."
"Hm?"
"I'm not going to ask right now."
Keira frowned.
"Ask what?"
Jovan smiled faintly.
"You know."
She did know.
Are we getting back together?
The two words hung between them without ever being spoken.
Keira lowered her head.
"I can't yet."
Jovan nodded immediately.
"Okay."
Keira looked at him, slightly surprised.
"Just okay?"
"Do you want me to pressure you?"
"No."
"Then okay."
Jovan leaned back.
"I told you. I'll wait."
Keira played with the tissue in her hand.
"I'm still angry."
"Go ahead."
"I'm still disappointed."
"That's fair."
"And our problems aren't just about Nadine."
Jovan nodded.
"I know."
"If we..."
Keira stopped.
"If we what?"
She bit her lip.
"If we try again someday, I don't want to go back to the same relationship."
Jovan looked at her.
Keira forced herself to continue.
"I don't want you to keep everything to yourself."
"Okay."
"If something's wrong, tell me."
"Yeah."
"And I need to ask before jumping to conclusions too."
"Yeah."
"Don't just keep saying yeah."
Jovan smiled.
"I'm listening."
Keira gave a small nod.
For a moment, there was peace.
Until Jovan checked the time.
"I'll take you home."
"You don't have to."
"It's raining."
"I can order a car."
Jovan looked at her.
Keira met his gaze.
"Don't start."
"I haven't started."
"You already have."
Jovan laughed.
"Okay."
Keira picked up her bag.
They walked outside together.
They stopped beneath the awning at Titik Sore.
The rain was still pouring.
Keira opened the app.
Jovan stood beside her.
Not too close.
Not too far.
"Van."
"Hm?"
"Your dad..."
Jovan turned to her.
"If it's okay, could you tell me how he's doing once in a while...?"
Jovan was quiet.
Keira quickly added, "If you're not comfortable, it's okay."
"I'm comfortable."
The answer came quickly.
Keira looked at him.
Jovan smiled a little.
"His checkup is tomorrow."
"What time?"
"Afternoon."
"I hope it goes well."
"Thanks."
Keira nodded.
Her car arrived a few minutes later.
Before getting in, Keira turned around.
Jovan was still standing under the awning.
"Get home safely."
"Yes, ma'am."
"Don't speed."
"Yes, ma'am, Keira."
Keira glared at him.
Jovan laughed.
And for some reason, the sound of his laughter made something in Keira's chest feel like it was returning to its place.
Not whole.
Not right.
But no longer as shattered as it had been yesterday.
Keira had barely gotten home when her phone vibrated.
She assumed it was Jovan.
It was Celine instead.
Celine: KEIRA.
Keira immediately went on alert.
Keira: What?
Celine: Don't be mad.
Keira closed her eyes.
Again.
Keira: CELINE.
A screenshot came in.
@TheNextHallway.
There was a new photo.
Keira and Jovan stood beneath the awning at Titik Sore.
They weren't close.
They weren't even touching.
But the photo was clear enough.
Under it:
TONIGHT'S UPDATE: The school's most famous exes were spotted leaving Titik Sore together.
Weren't they broken up yesterday?
Meeting today.
A date this afternoon?
So when are they getting back together?
Keira closed her eyes.
"Oh my God."
The comments were already piling up.
But one thing made her stop.
Jovan hadn't commented.
Good.
At least he was learning.
Five seconds later, a notification appeared.
@jovandirgantara commented.
Keira opened it immediately.
Only four words.
Not a date. Just talking.
Keira let out a relieved breath.
Then Jovan's second comment appeared.
But you can still pray for us.
Keira froze.
Her eyes widened.
The comments exploded instantly.
NO WAYYYYYY
JOVAN????
IS THIS A SOFT LAUNCH OR WHAT
PRAY FOR WHAT, BRO
KEIRA, PLEASE CLARIFY
Keira immediately opened their chat.
Keira: JOVAN.
The message was read instantly.
Jovan: Yeah?
Keira: DELETE THE COMMENT.
Jovan: Why?
Keira: YOU'RE ASKING WHY???
Jovan: I only said to pray.
Keira: PRAY FOR WHAT?
The typing indicator appeared.
For a long time.
Then:
Jovan: Pray the meeting goes well.
Keira stared at the screen in disbelief.
Keira: Liar.
The reply came quickly.
Jovan: You said I look worse when I lie to you.
Keira buried her face in a pillow.
Her phone vibrated again.
Jovan: Kei.
She didn't reply.
Jovan: Are you mad?
Keira typed:
Keira: Very.
Jovan: Okay.
Keira: Just okay?
Several seconds passed.
Jovan: I'll buy you bread tomorrow.
Keira almost laughed.
She tried to hold it back.
She failed.
Then one last message came in.
Jovan: Kei.
She didn't reply.
Jovan: And thanks for finally believing me today.**
Keira's smile slowly disappeared.
She read the sentence several times.
Then replied:
Keira: Don't make me regret it.
Jovan answered:
Jovan: I won't.
Keira didn't know whether she could trust a promise that big.
Not yet.
But that night, for the first time since their relationship ended, Keira didn't put the black bracelet in the bottom drawer.
She took it out.
And placed it on the table.
She didn't put it on.
Not yet.
But she wasn't hiding it anymore, either.
At school, everyone might assume they were headed toward getting back together.
But the truth was far more complicated.
Because learning the truth had only solved one problem.
There were still wounds.
There was still trust to rebuild.
There were still things they hadn't said.
And Keira didn't know that the next day, just when she began to feel like everything was slowly getting better, someone would show up at school with news that had absolutely nothing to do with Nadine.
News about Jovan.
About his family.
And about the real reason his dad's condition had been kept hidden from almost everyone all this time.