Helpless- A Lams Modern AU Fanfiction

Chapter Three

John's Perspective

A few hours later, I hear a honking at the door and run outside. Alexander's pile of rust (sorry, car) is waiting outside. He waves to me from the driver's seat.

"Hey, Turtle Boy." He looks incredible- he's got a grey shirt and an oversized white sweater that would look dorky on anyone else. He's also got jeans and a pair of fabulous Converse, covered in miniscule writing.
"Alex," I say, smiling. My phone beeps.

Peggy: Where are you?
Peggy: The party started twenty minutes ago
Peggy: You'd better not have ditched
Peggy: Did you get in a car accident?
Peggy: Omigod are you, like, dead?
Peggy: ANSWER ME, BOY!

"Who is it? Some boyfriend?" Alex's eyes twinkle with mischief.
"Just Peggy. She's worried because we're not there yet." I pull up my message screen.

Me: keep your hair on peggy we are on the way
Peggy: Good. NOW LEARN TO USE CAPITAL LETTERS!!!
Me: good lord margarita.
Me: don't you have anything better to do? go bother someone else.

Instantly, I realize my mistake. Peggy's sensitive about the way she comes off, and she hates being the annoying little sister. No one ever picks her out of a lineup- she just sort of sits in the background. It's not that she isn't charismatic and personable and friendly. It's just that her sisters are so much bigger and more popular, she always feels shunted to the side.

Me: peggy im so sorry i didnt mean it you know that.
You have been blocked by: Peggy Schuyler
Automated response: You've been blocked for a reason. Now go away before I hit you like I hit Thomas Jefferson.

Thomas Jefferson has been harassing Peggy lately, shoving her books out of her hands and tripping her in the lunch room and sending rude group chats about her. He shoved her against a locker one time and she went a little ballistic. She hit him three times and left a scratch on his cheek, which for Peggy is absolutely insane.

Me: Peggy please! You know I didn't mean to say that. Look, I'm capitalizing and everything.
Automated response: You've been blocked for a reason. Now go away before I hit you like I hit Thomas Jefferson.

"Want to listen to some music?" Alex doesn't wait for my response. He turns on the radio.

Me: Is this about this afternoon at lunch? I didn't think you were that petty.
Automated response: You've been blocked for a reason. Now go away before I hit you like I hit Thomas Jefferson.

The music is loud and intense, but somehow it's relaxing at the same time. It's a favorite old song, Nirvana. My mom used to play Kurt Cobain. She said he reminded her of her youth.

Me: Margarita Schuyler, stop. We're almost here.
Peggy: I know. I know you didn't mean it. It just surprised me. You'd better have brought potato chips.
Me: Of course I did.
Peggy: The good kind?
Me: Ruffled salt and pepper.
Peggy: I suppose I could let you in the door. 😊
Me: Dork 💛
Peggy: You'd better believe it 💁

We pull into the driveway. While the car is still in motion, a flailing figure in a yellow dress comes tearing out and nearly gets rammed into.
As I step out of the car, Peggy engulfs me in a tearful hug.
"I'm sorry," she bawls. "I shouldn't have blocked you. You're so nice- you brought me potato chips!" Salt and pepper chips must be some sort of trigger, because this sends her into fresh floods of tears.

Alex has stepped back a little. "Um, is she okay?" He asks nervously, eyeing Peggy and her running mascara.
"She does this all the time," I say, hugging Peggy and laughing. "She cries at the drop of a hat."
Aaron Burr, walking in, drops his hat on the ground, and Peggy sobs again, smiling a little.

We walk in, our female component rolling her eyes back to apply a fresh coat of mascara. Immediately, I'm overwhelmed by the loud music and laughter that fills the large Schuyler living room. There are people dancing and people talking, and everyone's in a good mood. Peggy runs off almost immediately, probably making sure that her cat, Yasaman, is okay in her room.

Alex and I are alone now, perched on a small sofa in the corner. I run a hand through my hair.
"Want a drink?" He asks suddenly.
"Sure," I say. The truth is, parties make me anxious. People are ugly when they're drunk, and so I hide in the corner.

Alex returns with two beers. He takes a sip, makes a face, and then gets up to get soda instead. Meanwhile, I don't even think I'm aware of it, but I drink when I can't find anything else to do.

After about an hour, I'm absolutely wiped out. I'm draped across the sofa laughing hysterically, and I know I'm about to crash and say something I don't mean to.
"Are you drunk?" Alexander says next to me.
"Whaaaaaaat? I'm not drunk!" I cackle loudly, and I know someone's staring at us, but it's almost involuntary.

"Come on, I'll take you home." He takes my arm firmly.
"I can't go home." I don't want my little sister to see me like this, or my mom.
"Then you'll stay at my house tonight. We can walk so you don't have to ride in the car."
He slings his arm around my shoulders.

Peggy comes up to us, can of lemonade in her hand. "You guys leaving already?"
"John's kind of messed up, so I'm taking him home. See you tomorrow at school?" Alexander is supporting me almost entirely now.
"Yup! I'm going to lock myself in my room with the cat and my chips and Downton Abbey. No one's disturbing me for the rest of the night. See you at school tomorrow!"

We walk home, or rather Alex walks and I balance on his shoulder. His house isn't that far away, and we walk inside. Alex brings me into a small bedroom and tucks me into bed.
"The room's all yours for the night," he says, adjusting the green duvet. "I'll sleep on the couch tonight."
"I really like you, Alexander." My words are a little slurred, but my sentence itself is crystal clear. I lean forward and give him a quick kiss.

Alex pulls away after the briefest of seconds. "John..."
"It's true! Besides, I'm barely even drunk."
"The fact that you kissed me says otherwise. Good night, Turtle Boy." He gets up and heads towards the door, and I feel a flash of panic rising in my chest.

"Wait!"
My sudden cry startles Alexander, and he turns back to me.
"Just...stay with me. Please." I make the saddest face I can.
Alex perches on the edge of the bed and begins to sing softly. It's something I've never heard before, but it's beautiful.
"You will come of age with our young nation. We'll bleed and fight for you, we'll make it right for you. If we lay a strong enough foundation, we'll pass it on to you. We'll give the world to you, and you'll blow us all away."
His voice is soft but beautiful, and before I know it my eyes are getting heavy. I feel Alex lying down next to me, and I fall asleep to the chorus of his breathing and the memory of his song.