We Should Be Together - Lams AU

4.

"How was your date?" Laf asked me. Honestly, I knew he meant well, but thinking about that date just makes me want to die.

"Fine," I lied.

"Care to elaborate?" Herc pressed.

"Elaborate about my date?" I asked.

"No, elaborate about what went wrong." I looked up in horror.

"How the hell--"

"Seriously, John, but you can see Alexander over there with his arm around Eliza, but do you see you with your arm around Angelica?" Herc and Laf both poignantly stared at me.

"OK, fine," I hissed, "To start with, it wasn't Angelica, it was Peggy. And also, we ended up in this really fancy, expensive restaurant and she just wouldn't. Stop. Talking. And then she got upset when I zoned out. And then she got more upset when I didn't want to cover the entire $170 tab! I don't even have any money for anything anymore - it completely cleared out my account!" I complained, and watched Laf and Herc roll their eyes.

"John," Laf started. "When a woman has deemed you worthy enough to speak to, you listen to her. It's an honour! Especially a bubbly, happy girl like Peggy. You never, ever just zone out."

I rolled my eyes.

"Yeah, John, you really were kind of a dick," Herc said, shrugging.

"Now stop being a dick and go and give her a proper apology!" Laf demanded.

"What?!"

"We'll give you moral support at the time and inevitably emotional support afterwards!" Herc smiled.

"Guys, I'm not apologising to her; I already have." I stated, getting more pissed off with them every second.

"Not well enough!" Laf snapped. "Apologise! Now!" He stood up and yanked me to my feet. Mulligan followed as Laf dragged me halfway across the school.

Finally, after looking everywhere for Peggy, we went to the art room. Laf threw open the door in the most dramatic fashion possible and pulled me inside. Peggy was sat hunched over her sketchbook with her hair in French braids and wearing a soft-looking yellow jumper. She didn't notice us come in.

She didn't even look up until Laf had dragged me all the way over to her and tapped on her shoulder. When she did look up, Peggy blinked in surprise and then looked down at her lap.

"Umm... mademoiselle, my friend John would like to speak to you." Laf pushed me forwards, and he backed off, going back to Hercules' side. They watched as I awkwardly floundered around, trying to find the right words.

"I'm so, so sorry about Friday night." Peggy's dark eyes met my own. "I was a total dick, and I really hope that you can forgive me."

Silence hung in the air as Peggy closely regarded me.

"And if you don't, I totally get it. I wouldn't forgive me either. I mean, I feel like a terrible human being, and I should totally make up for it at some point. Like, I could buy you ice cream?" I pleaded. There was more silence.

Finally Peggy replied: "I forgive you, John." I sighed in relief.

"But you're not taking me out for ice cream."

"That's OK, I understand exactly why... I ruined our date and--"

"No, John, you don't understand."

"Why do you think I don't understand?" I whined, exasperated.

"Because it's nothing to do with our date, although that was pretty shitty." Peggy went back to her artwork. "It's because I can't go out with a guy who has a crush on my sister."

"What?!" My heart dropped.

"Come on, you spent our entire date looking at her and Alex. You have such a crush on her!"

"No, I don't!" I insisted. "I honestly, honestly don't have a crush on your sister."

"Right," Peggy sneered. "Of course."

"Peggy--"

"John, I have to do this art homework. It's due tomorrow and I'm going to a family thing tonight. Please let me focus." She sighed. I backed off, incredibly pissed off at how assuming she was.

"Fine. Sure, yeah. I get it." I left the room, Herc and Laf trailing behind me. They followed me outside before I sat down on the steps leading up to the language classrooms.

"See? Apology accepted!" I laughed, hoping they won't quiz me about the rest of what Peggy said.

It was not my lucky day.

"You have a crush on Eliza?!" Herc demanded.

"No! No, I don't!" I moaned. "I don't know where the hell Peggy got that idea!"

"Something about 'You spent our entire date looking at her and Alex' really gave it away." Laf rolled his eyes sarcastically. "Honestly, John, it's OK to be jealous. I understand, I really do."

"You know you could've just told us that you fancy her!" Herc said, sitting down next to me and sliding his arm around my shoulder.

"This explains why you were so... so..." Laf gestured to Herc for a word.

"Pissy?" Herc suggested.

"Yeah, pissy! That explains why you were so pissy when we said how Alex and Eliza would be so cute together."

"Do you even know what 'pissy' means, Laf?" I shot back, feeling fire glow in my eyes.

"Uhh... yeah! Sure! It means..." He trailed off. "It means... oh, I don't have to justify myself to you!"

"Ooh, 'justify'! Big word for you, Laf." I heard the bitterness in my voice grate the air.

Hurt sprang across Laf's face. I realised my mistake, but it was too late to change it.

"What's the fuck is your problem, John?!" He turned away from us and sprinted off. Herc yelped and jumped up, before running after him. I sighed and got up, realising I now had nowhere to go. My face flushed red with guilt, as I went after Herc and Laf. I really did have to apologise to Laf - he could hold grudges for a really long period of time.

No matter where I looked, though, I couldn't find them. They had totally disappeared. I checked my last hope - the toilets - cursing under my breath.

That was when I heard giggling from the furthest stall, before whispers and kisses.

I rolled my eyes, turning to leave, before I heard the lock being pushed back and the door swinging open. Laf and Herc emerged, smiling, with Laf red in the face. I saw their hands were entwined.

The smiles disappeared as they say me. They dropped hands, and both went an unflattering shade of beetroot. My mouth dropped open.

"I should... I should go," I said, before I turned and left.

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Word Count: 1084 Words