The Place to Be - John Laurens x male reader

Chapter 11

Y/n's POV

Me, John, Alexander, Mulligan and Lafayette all walk into the main hall together. There's a lot of people, and my first thought is, Oh shit. Too many people here.

It's very crowded, but there's one person I just can't not see with the vibrant yellow dress.

"Peggy!" I cry, running towards her.

"Y/n!" She almost shouts back, racing towards me.

We collide into each other, hugging one another tightly. "I missed you, dork."

"Me too, Pegs," I grin into her hair. "Me too."

"At least you're alive, bro," she sighs, shaking her head. "I was worried sick, my love."

I could tell she was trying to restrain a laugh. I like the fact that she's taking none of it seriously. It's what she does. It's what Peggy does. God, I've missed the girl. She looks so excited to be here, almost as though she's dying to get onto the dance floor.

Unfortunately, I am less enthusiastic.

"How have you been?" I ask.

"Great!" She replies. "Daddy was bugging me to find a man as soon as possible, but after he found out that we're - ahem - together, he stopped!"

"I feel like the story is helping both of us with our fathers," I chuckled. "I'm very pleased you appear to be enjoying yourself."

"Well, I was rather bored. Angelica's dancing with a random man, Eliza was looking around for someone to dance with, but Father insisted that I only danced with you, and not on my own, which I wanted."

I smile as she ruffles my hair. "But now you're here, and I get the feeling you want to get the dance over with as quickly as possible. But before we're condemned to the floor, I need to talk to you." She grabs my hand, dragging me to one of the corners of the room. I feel John's eyes on me, and can't help blushing. Please don't let him think we're actually together even though he knows we're not. Please don't let him be jealous.

Peggy grabs my arms. "You actually met a real-life man, and you actually developed a real-life crush on him, and I think he actually likes you too."

"Come on, Peggy. Why would he like me?"

The youngest Schuyler sister facepalms. "Really, Y/n. I knew you were oblivious, but - he's told you he's gay, he knows you are gay, he said that you distract and confuse him, he's staring at you right now with complete envy in his eyes - you really think he just sees you as a friend? You think he wants you to think he sees you as a friend? No! No friend would actively tell their other friend that they distract and confuse them! Christ, Y/n, I thought you were smart."

I feel my cheeks heating up. I suppose I had suspected that he might like me back, but I never actually accepted the fact that he probably does.

Dragging me out onto the floor, she looks at me. "Hurry up, music is starting."

I'm not very enthusiastic about dancing, even with Peggy, and it looks like she's not too thrilled after all. But I have to deal with it. Friends are allowed to dance with each other, Y/n. 

Then we start dancing, and something immediately feels wrong.

The music is rather loud, and people are twirling around me and Peggy as we struggle through the dance. There's too much chatter, added onto the blasting band, and I can't take it any more. My head is spinning, my ears are ringing so loud I just want them to explode. My feet aren't moving where they're supposed to. It's so goddamn stressful, I feel like I'm going to pass out. I can't breathe, I'm panicking. Who would make the music so loud? Why are there so many people? Why is there so much noise?