In New York You Can Be a New Man

Chapter Twenty-Seven

This book is going to end soon, so I will begin the sequel(?) shortly after!

With high school coming up, I don't expect to be as active as I have been, so hang in there with me! Anyways, thanks for reading/voting/commenting and being awesome!!! Katherine

PSA: This is a pretty long chapter. ≈1,500 words. Read at your own risk.

***

John couldn't believe how fast the year had gone by. One day, he, Lafayette, and Hercules were exchanging summer stories at their newly-claimed senior table; and the next day they were buying their graduation robes together.

"You know, I'm going to miss you guys. You three are honestly the best thing that has happened to me this year and I don't know how I'll live without you..." Alexander said, scanning the rack of robes for one that would fit him.

"Do not fret, mon petit lion! We will all– how you say? ah!– keep in touch! Well, Herc and I will be studying in France together, which leaves you two to stick together in the States, eh?" Lafayette cheerfully sung out from the front of the store.

Even with Lafayette's encouragement, Alexander couldn't muster the strength to plaster a smile on his cheeks.

"Why the long faces? Let's make the last time we have together worth something– a time when we can look back on and be happy! We can save the crying for after we leave." Hercules' muffled voice called from the dressing room.

"I love you guys so much, and I don't think I'll be able to say goodbye..." Alexander muttered quietly so that no-one would hear him.

Interrupting Alexander's thoughts, Hercules burst out of from behind the door and twirled in his robe. "How does this look?"

There was silence, and then the trio broke into laughter at their friend.

"Hercules, that would be the wrong color. We are supposed to buy white robes; not red! Even though you rock that color, you can't buy it. Plus, I think that's a few sizes too small." Lafayette commented, walking around Hercules the way an artist gazes at his sculpture.

"You know what. Screw this. I'm sewing my own robes." Hercules stomped back into the room with the sound of his friend's laughter behind him.

--

"John. It's about time we had the talk."

"The what? Wait, you want to talk about doing... it?" John said, almost spitting the drink out of mouth.

"No... I mean, well... We've been avoiding this topic for forever. You know what I'm talking about."

John sighed and turned around to meet his roommate's eyes. It seemed like just a month ago he had moved into the dormitory with Alexander.

"You know this can't keep going on, John."

There was a pause and John felt his heart skip a beat.

"Are you breaking up with me?"

Alexander inhaled and then exhaled, trying to steel his nerves.

"John, you know how long distance relationship work! We keep calling each other until we drift away and someone cheats on the other!"

"Alexander. You know I would never cheat on you." John pleaded, trying to tell himself that this was just a dream. That Alexander wasn't going to end things between them.

"It's not you that I'm worried about. I just– I don't want to hurt you if I do something stupid. You know how I am– I don't think things through and then I end up hurting people and I–" Alexander rambled, feeling the tears roll down his cheeks.