Two Sides of the Same Coin Lams College AU {Mature} {Completed}

Chapter 7 ⚠️

⚠️ TW: mentions of assault, domestic abuse, derogatory language, implied child abuse ⚠️

John's POV - Sunday, August 23, 2020, 5:58 pm

I was sitting in Alex's room, holding his hand and talking to him. It was pretty much all I'd been doing the past two days. That and the usual: crying, hating life, calling the school to let them know that I would be out for the next week, et cetera. I tried to concentrate on the story I was telling him, about how Herc had gotten suspended for punching James Reynolds in the face.

"So anyway, I just hear this pow, an' the next thing I know, James is on the ground with his hands over his nose. An' there's blood everywhere. It kinda looked like someone had been stabbed. Herc actually broke his nose, can you believe it?" I tried not to think about the fact that Alex's nose was broken in much the same way. I was about to launch into the next part of the story - the part where literally no one goes to help James, even though it was the middle of the day - when his eyelids fluttered. He opened his eyes.

"John?"

"Alex, holy shit." I pressed the call button next to his bed and waited for a nurse to show up. Eventually, Darla, the nurse I had met at the front desk on Friday, came running into the room.

"He up?"

"Yeah," I said, grinning like an idiot. She smiled, then came over to check his vitals and such. After about five minutes, she left to get the Washingtons. No one had mentioned to him that they were here, which I realized as soon as Mr. Washington burst into the room.

"George?" Alex croaked. "What are you doing here?"

"Alex, I'm your emergency contact. They called me as soon as it happened, and Martha and I got the first plane over."

"You didn't have to-"

"Of course we did, dear," Martha said, coming over to stand on Alex's other side. "We were worried."

I realized then that I was still holding Alex's hand. I went to let go, but Alex stopped me.

"That stays right where it is."

I blushed, nodding "Sorry."

He smiled, then winced, as if the action hurt him. It probably did. His face was a massive bruise. "All good."

Darla smiled. "How'r'ya feelin', honey?"

"I've been better," Alex said. His sense of humor, it seemed, was intact. Darla had us leave the room, and I sent a quick text to the group chat. We had added Angie, Pegs, and Maria to the chat, so everyone would be able to get the info.

2PintsofSA: hes awake

The group exploded into chaos.

Liza: he is? how is he?

Dearest,: is he ok?

Lancelot: how is he

Horsefucker: he good

AndPeggy: hows he feeling

IDKWhere2Go: how is he? tell him im so sorry.

2PintsOfSA: he says hes ok just in a lot of pain

2PintsofSA: but ig thats 2 b expected since james shanked him