Speak Up // Lams

Chapter 3

• Johns POV •

"Uhh, here I'll text it to you." She said in response. I heard a ding and put her in speaker to check my texts. Sure enough, an address sat in my inbox. I clicked on it to navigate there and began to walk, explaining to Peggy what happened.

"So, he kicked you out?" She asked.

"Yeah. And I have nowhere to go. That's why I called." I explained.

"Well, thank God you did. I'm sure my dad will be fine with you staying here. We have a bunch of guest rooms, so..." she said.

"I'm happy I called you. I missed you, you know? School wasn't the same." I said. She laughed a little.

"There have been days recently where I've almost called. I just didn't know if you'd remember me. I was scared that if I did call, it wouldn't be you or I'd be the forgotten Schuyler again." She responded. I smiled to myself.

"Peggy, you'll never be the forgotten one to me."

• time skip •

I caught up with Peggy the whole way I walked to her house, because she wanted to make sure I stayed safe the whole way.

I walked up the long driveway to a big gray mansion. Dang, the Schuylers really were loaded.

I knocked on the door and saw Peggy racing down the marble staircase to welcome me in.

"Hi John." She hugged me. This was the Peggy I remembered from freshman year. Hugs and hospitality, smiles and caring.

Her hair was shorter now, instead of cascading down her back it rested on her shoulders. She had grown an inch or two, but not much. She looked more confident and more happy. I remembered when and how we first met.

I wandered through the cafeteria, weaving through the tables in the first day of high school. I saw a girl with a yellow and white dress sitting alone at a table, tears in her eyes. Deciding to take a risk, I walked over to her and sat down.

"I'm John Laurens. Are you okay?" She had looked up with a surprised look on her face, tears still lingering in her eyes.

"Peggy Schuyler. Not really, but I'll be better soon." She had said, wiping her eyes with a smile I knew was fake.

"Peggy, why are you crying?"

"Nobody understands what I'm going through." She had said sadly.

"Can you tell me?" I had asked gently.

"I want to die." She stated plainly, nothing more and nothing less. I reached out and grabbed her hand.

"I want to be friends. I want to help."

I snapped back to reality as Peggy ushered me around the house, showing me where everything was before taking me to my room. The walls were a toned down green with dark furniture, giving it a foresty sort of vibe.

"Thank you. You really saved my life tonight." I said gratefully.

"Hey, just think of it as me repaying you for saving my life in freshman year." She said with a smile, turning on her heel and walking out of my room, leaving me to smile to myself.