Key’s Point of View
Friday.
The sun was beginning its lazy descent, setting the sky ablaze in a soft orange glow. The field ahead of us looked magical under the warm light—flowers scattering their colors across the grass, balloons swaying in the faint afternoon breeze, and the smell of sweet pastries and fried siomai lingering in the air.
Gio was nowhere in sight. Again.
Lately, I barely saw him, always lost in the whirlwind of preparations for the upcoming school event. Every time we crossed paths, he was either rushing off with his arms full of supplies or muttering plans under his breath.
He promised he’d make it up to me. He swore he would. I clung to those words like a lifeline.
Yesterday, Bolt had finally been discharged from the hospital.
A secret Devon didn’t know yet—Bolt wanted to surprise her. He was tired of resting, tired of waiting.
A month away from everything had been enough.
He was ready to return—to her, to life.
My condo had been finished too. Or rather, completely overhauled.
What used to be a warm, acacia-doored haven now had a heavy, bulletproof metal door.
Inside, every inch was new: furniture, appliances, even the smallest decor replaced without mercy.
When Hayes asked, I told her the truth.
When Dash asked why...
I lied.
Flat out lied.
"Where are you guys?" Merville's voice crackled through my phone, snapping me back to the moment.
I glanced at Bolt, bouquet trembling slightly in his hands.
"We’re on our way to the field," I said. "I’ll call again once you’re ready to bring Devon."
"Geh," she answered shortly, hanging up.
We crossed the empty stretch toward the field, the grass crunching softly under our feet.
Everything was ready.
The marble picnic table groaned under the weight of food Bolt had ordered—sandwiches, spring rolls, fried chicken, pastel-colored cakes.
Flower petals floated like whispers across the ground. Balloons tied to the trees danced in the wind.
Photos of Bolt and Devon dangled from the branches, fluttering like tiny memories.
Confetti glimmered in the grass like fallen stars.
Bolt had poured his whole heart into this.
Denim and Yvo were already there, chatting idly by the table.
Kobe and Ville were missing—they were handling Devon.
"I'll call them," I said to Bolt, who simply nodded, his throat bobbing nervously.
I dialed.
"Merville, bring her over."
Brief words, heavy with meaning.
"Okay."
I slipped the phone back into my pocket and turned toward Bolt.
His hands were fidgeting, rearranging the bouquet over and over, his breathing shallow.
"Damn it, I’m so nervous," he muttered, almost to himself.
Denim snorted and clapped a reassuring hand on Bolt’s shoulder.
"Come on, man. It’s you. You’ve got this."
Funny, I thought.
Denim’s dad still had no clue about Bolt and Devon.
They were hiding it—for now.
Keeping it safe, keeping it precious, before they let the world in.
Minutes later, Merville appeared at the edge of the field, guiding a blindfolded Devon with slow, careful steps.
The sight made my chest tighten.
Devon looked tense, one hand clutching Merville's arm, her head darting from side to side like she could will herself to see through the darkness.
As they approached, a hush fell over the field.
The laughter, the small talk—all of it disappeared like smoke.
Only the wind stirred.
Devon froze, sensing the change.
"Hello? Merville? Kobe? Where are you guys? Hello? Anyone?"
Her voice was small, almost lost in the wide open space.
"Hi, babe," Bolt’s voice cut through the quiet, soft but steady.
Devon stopped moving.
Stopped breathing.
Then, with a sharp intake of breath, she ripped the blindfold from her eyes.
Her gaze landed on him—and she launched herself forward.
Bolt caught her easily, lifting her off the ground as she wrapped her arms around him.
He spun her in a wide, joyful circle, and her laughter rang out, bright and unrestrained.
"Oh my God! You're here! You're really here!"
Tears shimmered in Devon’s eyes, sliding down her cheeks as she clung to him.
They kissed, and I groaned dramatically, turning away.
I dropped onto a bench and grabbed a plate of siomai, stuffing one into my mouth just to avoid gagging at the sugar storm happening behind me.
Everyone else started eating, but Bolt and Devon stayed tangled together, lost in their own little world.
"Alright, lovebirds, enough already! Come eat!" Yvo called out, setting down his soda with a thud.
Laughing, Bolt and Devon finally broke apart and sat down.
Yvo slid onto the bench beside me, and across from us, Kobe, Merville, Bolt, and Devon squeezed in.
Denim, ever the silent observer, took the far end of the table.
I snorted into my drink when I caught Kobe trying to hand-feed Merville, who batted his hand away with a scowl.
Meanwhile, Bolt’s hand never left Devon’s waist, anchoring her to him like he was afraid she might vanish again.
The noise around the table grew—laughter, teasing, arguments over who got the last siomai.
Bolt and Devon practically glued together, oblivious to the world.
Suddenly, two hands covered my eyes.
I stiffened, ready to swing—
Until the faint scent of Gio’s cologne—warm, earthy, familiar—reached me.
A slow smile spread across my face.
Sure enough, he leaned down and brushed a kiss against my cheek before sliding onto the bench beside me.
"Hi, Vaney," he murmured, his voice low and just a little breathless.
I couldn’t stop the grin pulling at my lips.
"Eat first," I said, stacking food onto his plate without giving him a chance to protest.
"Thanks," he whispered, shy as always.
"God, we’re drowning in couples," Yvo grumbled around a mouthful of food, making everyone snicker.
"Maybe if you had a girlfriend you wouldn’t be so bitter," Merville teased, sticking her tongue out at him.
Yvo rolled his eyes dramatically.
"Hard pass. I’m not in a rush to complicate my life."
Honestly?
If I didn’t know any better, I’d think my brother was gay.
But I did know better. Haha.
"I thought you weren't coming back until next week," Devon said, gazing up at Bolt.
Bolt grinned and tweaked her nose.
"Couldn't stay away from you that long."
Some things...
Some things you just don’t see coming.
Kobe and Merville, who once couldn’t spend five minutes together without screaming—now side by side, inseparable.
Bolt and Devon, who spent months pushing and pulling each other apart—finally choosing each other.
It’s funny how life works.
How something broken can still become something beautiful.
And God, I wished it would stay like this.
Just like this.
But I knew better.
We all did.
Our lives weren’t normal.
We carried shadows on our backs, enemies lurking in the corners.
No matter how much we loved these people—these moments—we couldn’t protect them forever.
I hated it.
But I accepted it.
All we could do was fight for them as long as we could.
And if the day came when the price of peace was my life...
I would pay it without hesitation.
I would risk everything.
Even Gio.
Even myself.
Because if sacrificing my life meant giving them a future—
A peaceful, quiet life without fear—
Then let it be so.
I would die for it.
And I would die smiling.
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