- Jemaya’s POV
Her eyes shimmered more than diamonds as she looked between me and my book while rocking her chair.
The realness and absence of toxicity in her eyes gave me the perfect break I needed from the drama and betrayal I had just experienced.
As soon as our interest was established, I tapped into it.
“I love his books too. Ever since I read his first-ever book in
the Redeem Me series, I haven’t been able to read another
book,” I confessed as I smiled at her.
I knew mine couldn’t beat hers. She was shining her white teeth so much, while my smile covered all of mine.
“What? That’s crazy,” she said as she placed her hands on my desk. “I would have said the same here, but I read other books. However, J.J. Secrets is my favorite. I like to look around for other authors while waiting for their latest releases,” she said.
“That makes sense, but why do you use ‘their’ pronoun?” I asked, enjoying how her presence brought a different energy that I could totally vibe with.
At that moment, as we chatted about our love for J.J. Secrets,
our auras were on the same level.
“Well, they are an anonymous author, so we can’t be too sure,’ she said as she flipped through the pages so gently one would think it was her baby.
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At that point, I just stared at her, my mouth widened in surprise.
When did she pick up the book?
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She was being sneaky yet obvious about it, and I hadn’t even realized.
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“I like to imagine J.J. Secrets as a man. It helps with my sexual fantasies,” I said, deciding not to talk about how she couldn’t hide her obsession when she placed her finger on my lips.
“Sh…”
“What’s up?” I asked, my eyes widening as I looked around for any signs of danger.
But no one was coming close; at most, they would
occasionally steal glances, and when our eyes met, they’d turn around like they’d just seen Medusa.
For some reason, it made me feel proud when I remembered the effect Jake had at the parking lot just a few minutes ago. It felt like I was such a good student to be able to replicate that in my own way.
Because unlike Jake, who had them turning around because they simply didn’t dare to look into his eyes…
These guys turned around like they saw insanity in my eyes. Of course, except Robin and… wait, I didn’t even know her name yet.
Just that we would be besties at this rate.
“You said sexual. People would talk,” she said as she looked warily around.
- Jemaya’s POV
1288 iVouchers
“Who cares? They’ll talk even if I don’t say anything,” I said, looking at her like I was talking to my younger self from yesterday.
Calmly, reassuringly, but with an understanding of her situation-because I’d been there.
“I envy you,” she said as she lowered her head briefly.
“You’re so cool and original. What’s there to envy? Girl, be more confident,” I said, snapping my fingers dramatically like a drag queen before clearing my throat and widening my mouth like I was about to take the biggest bite of pepperoni pizza ever and shout, “Sexy. Sex. Sexual fantasies!!!!!”
My new bestie looked like she was about to faint.
At this time, no one dared to look my way.
Not even Claire. She was busy pretending to admire her long pink nails. I kind of disliked the fact that we both liked the same color, but I had my fellow J.J. Secrets stan to distract me
from that.
“You’re so crazy,” she said as she chuckled, after recovering.
“Again, no one really cares. Look at them. Even if they talk, they don’t dare to say anything to my face,” I didn’t keep my tone down, like I was making an announcement.
On one hand, I did look crazy, because if the me from yesterday and the current me were placed side by side, anyone would say they were two different people.
On the other hand, I was doing this to prove a point.
“Okay, I get it, I get it,” she said, dropping the novel to focus
Her attention on me. “We are opposites, but I want to be your best friend already.”
“I was thinking the same,” I said and stretched my right hand for a shake. “I’m-”
“-Janiya…” she tried her first attempt as she raised her left hand first before awkwardly dropping it and then bringing her right hand to shake.
“Close, but it’s Jemaya,” I corrected as we shook hands.
“Oh… I’m sorry, I’m bad with names, but I’ll try to remember it. Jemaya,” she said and continued to repeat it in a sing-song
manner.
“Cute.” I could pinch her cheeks. “What’s your name?” I asked.
“Oh, it’s Elina,” she said as she hugged the book as soon as we dropped hands.
“Okay, Elina, Elina,” I said in a song-like manner to imitate her. We shared a small laugh.
“Yes, Jemaya,” she squealed so animatedly that if she hadn’t looked at them like they were doing too much just now, I’d have thought she was one of them.
“Let’s be friends!!!” she clapped and spread her palms for me to tap.
“Oh God,” Robin groaned beside me as he removed his glasses. “You’re so noisy. Elina,” he added as if to state the point that his irritation wasn’t directed at me.
“Your ears are sensitive, but that’s a you problem,” she rolled her eyes, clearly upset by his interruption.
- Jemaya’s POV
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“Okay, Jemaya, we’re friends now.” She winked at me like she wasn’t just the sassiest person in the room. “You said you only ever read his books. So what do you do when there are no new releases?”
“I reread them, lol. I sometimes read fanfiction, but they are never as good as what J.J. himself writes, so yeah,” I said sharply and spread my arms with a shrug like I’d just explained the most basic thing to a fellow human.
“I see. You’re even more of a stan than I am in that case,” she
said.
“It’s never been a choice for me. I never indulge because I was always saving for his next releases. You never know when he’d surprise us.”
“I know, right? That meet-and-greet six months ago was such a surprise too. If I had known he would be holding that fan meet even a week earlier, I’d have canceled all my
appointments.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“I had to represent the school in Russia for a space exploration competition.”
“Wow, that’s so amazing,” I said, feeling glad that she was such a genius. A good friend to make.
“Yeah, plus we won, so I’m not too sad,” she said nonchalantly, like it was normal for eighteen-year-olds to be arguing space science on an international level.
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- Jemaya’s POV
“Girllll, that’s the spirit,” I snapped my fingers to trace a Z before we high-fived a second time.
“I’m envious of you, though. You managed to go even though it was announced in just five days. Heard the turnout was massive.”
“Yup. Was going through a lot, so I needed that release. And look what it birthed me,” I smiled as I tapped the book in her hand.
“Lucky find, huh?” It was indeed a lucky find because the special edition of this particular book was only given out at the fan meet. No other copies were sold or printed elsewhere, and out of the hundreds of fans that had come, only ten of us got lucky-me being the tenth person.
“Soooo, can I read it? I heard he included a side story for Zia and Tyler.”
“Yup. It’s so spicy. Tyler was bottomed by her, though. Zia finally unlocked the strap kink and punished him with it every time they had sex,” I explained.
“Oh no. Spoilers,” she slapped her face and made a dramatic crying face.
“Oops,” I kissed my fingers, but there was no bit of sympathy in my smiling eyes.
“You girls are-”
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- Jemaya’s POV
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“You are also a nerd. Why can’t you just mind your own business and stop obsessing over ours?” Elina shut Robin up before he could even complete his sentence.
“You are also a space nerd. What gives?” Robin was starting to gear up for what looked like a fight, and I wasn’t ready for the drama of Royal Plastics 2.0.
“Guys… please calm down.”
“But he started first,” Elina pouted at him, looking pained, but I was also shocked that my always-silent seatmate was not holding back.
It made me wonder what drama was going on before I came in.
“Please?” I imitated her pout and puckered my lips.
She turned to the side, still glaring at Robin, who didn’t look away either.
“Pretty please, Lina. Pretty girls don’t do drama, huh?” I tried to act coyly and almost popped my eyes out of their sockets as I interlaced my fingers to beg.
Elina finally settled as she looked at me and nodded.
Robin opened his mouth.
“I still can’t believe they let such a lousy nerd represent the whole country.”
“Lousy nerd? It’s you who is lousy. In fact, your whole family is lousy nerds,” Elina jumped and was about to throw the hardcover special edition in her hands at him.
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“Oh no, this is bad,” I sighed, knowing there was no stopping her because she was enraged to the point of wanting to smack the book on his head.
“What’s the commotion about?!”
The sudden warning from the teacher at the door was what saved Robin’s glasses from shattering into his eyes.
“It’s nothing,” Elina immediately sat down as she clenched the book to her chest.
“Then go to your seat, Miss Elina,” he said as he took his stationery to the table.
Everyone else adjusted to his presence, but Robin was busy taking deep breaths to recover from his near-death
experience, while Elina looked upset and couldn’t bear to part with the book.
“You can borrow it,” I leaned forward and whispered as the owner of the seat in front of me stood by her side, and while she dragged her feet very sluggishly in protest.
But the moment my words registered in her ears, she immediately brightened up and turned back like she’d just been promised a room full of ice cream.
“Really?” she beamed.
“Yes, really,” I nodded at her and gave her a thumbs-up.
“Oh, Jemaya, we are best friends forever.” She jumped to her feet and gave me a hug before running to her seat.
This girl was really dramatic. I found myself smiling as I watched her act so giddy and excited, yet so calm as she
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handled the book and placed it gently in her bag.
I had no doubts that it was safe in her hands.
“Is the test still going to hold today?” someone asked as he proceeded to take out the electronic board marker.
When he turned back and our eyes met-
“That would be cruel on Miss Jemaya, wouldn’t it?”
This man had unapologetically mispronounced my name. yesterday, so imagine my shock when he said it right and was so polite about it.
“Huh? Why is that man acting so strange?” I murmured to myself as I avoided his gaze to take out my writing materials.
“Anyone with a brain would be scared of someone related to Jake Hardin.”
Robin whispered by my side, making me jump out of my chair.
No, I wasn’t spooked by his breath at the back of my neck.
What terrified my butt off my chair was the implication of his explanation.
“Jake Hardin?” I screamed into my palm, my eyes wide in shock, surprise, and every other unnamed feeling that was swirling through me.
“Why so exaggerated? Even I am curious to know how
involved you are with one of the most dangerous men in this country,” Robin continued, but I remained in a daze for the rest of the class.
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