sober | j.jk

13 ‣ dummy

Jungkook this. Jungkook that. You've heard his name muttered five too many times already down this hall alone. Not even two hours after getting back from the library last week, you had to talk down Rafael from the rumor that you and Jungkook were hooking up and apparently had been for a while now. Was he mad that you hid Jungkook's stay overnight at your dorm? Yes. Very. It was like a stab straight through his gut. He thought you two could tell each other everything.

Six days. That's how long he screened your calls. Six days without a single reply from his number. Six days getting avoided at the library. It's not that he's actually that angry. He understands why you wouldn't say anything—for the exact reason that you've also spent six days with your name getting dragged through the mud. Six days having to hear the meanest mumbles tied to your name all throughout your damn building and even in some classes. It's just that Rafael is petty.

And he loves to be petty.

So, in order for you to never want to hide anything that 'crazy' from him again, he decided to cut himself off for six whole days. He couldn't make it to the seventh, though. Not after hearing what some girl was saying about you at a table nearby while he was putting away some books. "How about you actually read over your notes instead of running your mouth about someone like that? It's ugly. If you can't fix your face, at least try to better your mind. No wonder he won't notice you—because that's your issue, no?"

"No way you actually told her that." You slump in your chair, taking a big sip out of your straw as the soft breeze brushes over your face. You usually sit inside the cafe, but the weather is too nice to waste this cute little outdoor table. Rafael nods, stating that he did in fact say those exact words to that insensitive, envious, venomous, insipid young lady. "The right thing to do in this situation is to gratefully scold you and tell you to just take the high road next time, but—"

"But I did a great job and you're oh-so thankful to have a friend like me who will risk their beloved part-time job in a heartbeat just to defend thine honor." Rafael finishes your sentence with a grin. You sigh and grin back, shaking your head as an amused chuckle breezes past your lips. When you look away, down at the table with the remnants of that genuine smile still lingering on your face now paired with tired eyes, Rafa's own smile dims. "You okay?" He asks softly.

"Hm?" You force your expression to brighten. He's asked you this question several times already and every time you answer, you feed him the same bland lie. "Yeah, I told you I'm fine." You pick your drink back up. "I don't really let it get to me. It's just annoying." You take another casual sip, then there's that stiff silence. The same expectant silence that knows you better. "Sometimes I really do just want to fuck him to give them something real to talk about."

"If I were you, I would." Rafael shrugs. "I don't see why it's such a fucking big deal anyway." He leans back in his chair like you had. You look up at the lively young man across from you and puff out some air through your nose, eyes smiling. "So what if you two were hooking up? What's it to them? We're in college, we're young, we're reckless, we're stressed. What's so wrong with wanting to blow off some steam with someone hot? I mean, if he's already there and he's interes—"

Rafael's voice gets interrupted by the sound of your phone buzzing. "Speak of the fucking devil."

[Incoming Call: dumbkook]

"Oh, shit." Rafael eyes the name on your screen. "What are you gonna do? You haven't talked to him all week, have you?" He watches your stare thoughtfully at your phone for a few long-seeming seconds. You purse your lips and shake your head, still looking down at the humming device impatiently waiting for you to pick up. "Are you gonna..?"