All In | ✓

Twenty-one

"Can I talk to you two?" Jaxon grabs both mine and Eli's sleeve. "It's important."

"Sure, what's up?"

"In private." Jaxon starts walking backwards slowly, pulling us with him. "Please."

Eli and I exchange a look and allow ourselves to get pulled into the library.

"Are you okay?" Eli asks. Jaxon nods and begins to pace back and forth in front of us.

"How did you know you liked each other?"

"This is about-"

"Don't say his name," Jaxon begs. "It isn't completely about him."

"I knew I liked Jack when he was the first thought I had when I woke up and the last I had before I fell asleep," Eli explains. "Whenever I'm around him I'm happy and comfortable and I feel like I could fly."

"Eli makes me feel loved," I say. "Like he said, he's my first and last thought every day. If he's not by me I'm wondering what he's doing. He makes me smile and laugh and he's on my mind so often it's crazy."

"Okay." Jaxon nods and stops pacing. "Alright."

"What's running through your brain?" Eli steps forward and rests a hand on Jaxon's shoulder.

"I am the same person I used to make fun of," Jaxon whispers, looking down at the ground.

"You like guys."

"I'm pretty sure I like Hudson."

"You're pretty sure?" Eli's hand drops to his side. "Jaxon, from what I've seen, you're crazy about him."

"You are the most comfortable I've ever seen you when you're by his side," I state. "You smile so much more and you seem so… how do I put it?"

"Free," Eli supplies. I nod and look into Jaxon's eyes.

"But I can't like him!" Jaxin exclaims. "He's my closest friend, and he doesn't like me like that and if I say anything then I'll lose him forever!"

"What the hell are you talking about?" Eli swats Jaxon's arm. "Hudson is head over heels for you!"

"You're lying."

"He never takes his eyes off of you." Eli starts pacing back and forth behind me. "He smiles so bright and he's always looking for an excuse to be close to you. He makes sure that you're smiling and he pays more attention to you than anyone else. Hudson likes you so goddamn much, I can't believe you can't see it!"

"I can't like him!" Jaxon shouts. "Don't you get it?"

"You think it's wrong," Eli supplies, stopping in front of Jaxon. "You think it isn't okay for you to like him. You don't want to like him because you're scared of how others will react."

"I can't like him," Jaxon whispers, tears in his eyes. "I can't do that to him."

"You aren't doing anything wrong by liking him." I lean against the desk closest to me. "You don't control who you like."

"And you don't need to tell him," Eli adds. "You can let your feelings fade away."

Jaxon nods and rubs his eyes.

"But if you ever want to be with him, you should tell him."

"Thanks," Jaxon replies. "Thank you."

"Of course." Eli pats Jaxon's shoulder. "That's what friends are for, right?"

"Right." Jaxon nods and chuckles. "Can we leave now?"

"Yeah." I open the door and walk out into the hallway. "Man, we've been in that library so many times this week."