Don't Do It

N i n e t e e n

•Jake's POV•

"Dude, I don't like what you did." Justin tells me while we're watching a movie in the theatre room. I'm seated between him and Jerry on the long black sofa.

They had nothing to do this evening, so they came to my house two hours ago, without letting me know.

They don't have to call or anything like that — this is practically their home as well. They even have their own rooms here. That's how often they come over.

"What did I do?"

I look at him blankly as I wait for him to answer. I know he's referring to this morning, when I stopped him from kissing that girl he has suddenly taken an interest in.

Justin has been in a foul mood ever since the incident. Everytime someone speaks to him, he only gives out one-word answers or shrugs. But now he's eventually said a full sentence.

"You called my name when I was about to . . ." Justin abruptly stops talking, his eyes leaving my gaze and stopping at his sneakers. When I notice a bit of colour rising to his cheeks, my jaw drops.

"I don't believe this." I breathe.

"Will you two shut up?" Jerry snaps, and sticks his hand into the bowl of popcorn that's on his lap. "I'm watching a movie over here." He swallows a handful of popcorn.

Tapping Jerry's knee repeatedly while staring at Justin, I widen my eyes. "Jerry, forget the movie. Justin's blushing!"

I'm being dramatic, I know, but this has never happened before.

Well, ever since Rose was still in his life, that is. But that was a year ago so it's very abnormal to see him in this state. We're not used to it.

"The fuck?" Jerry yanks the remote from his side, on the sofa, and pauses the movie. Justin is now the centre of his undivided attention.

"No, I'm not," Justin recovers from his silence, and puts on his best pokerface. He's not the type to openly display his emotions. "Now can we please finish the movie?"

"Don't bullshit us. We can tell when you're lying." Jerry says calmly before eating his popcorn.

"Yeah. So get out with it." I say, backing Jerry up.

Justin rubs his face with both of his hands and heaves a sigh. He stays quiet for a minute, gathering his thoughts before turning in his spot to face us.

"I-I'm in love." he admits unwillingly.

"Woah," I mutter, stunned. I seriously thought those words ceased to exist in his vocabulary. I mean, that's how long it's been since he last said them.

"Is it that girl I saw you with?" I question, even though I already know the answer.

"Which girl?" Jerry looks between me and Justin as he eagerly waits for one of us to tell him. Justin puckers his lips because he doesn't want to expose who she is. "Justin, which girl, dammit!"

Raising his hands in the air out of surrender, he finally opens his mouth to speak. "The one I spoke to in the cafeteria the other day."

"And her name is . . . ?" I move my hand around in circles as a way to show him that he can put in the final piece of the puzzle.

He coughs out a word into his fist, his elbow on the armrest, not wanting us to hear him at all. Is she really that special for him to keep her name a secret?

"C'mon, Justin. Speak!" I retort impatiently.

He fiddles with his hands in his lap and gnaws on his lower lip, sighing. "Fine, her name is Taylor, okay? And I'm in love with her."