Rumours Only Grow [Jamilton]

Scene Twenty-One {Thomas}

I Just Ruined My Own Life [Because of a Boy]

I took deep breaths as I walked to the library, trying to keep myself calm. I could emerge with a compromise if I was lucky. If I wasn't, which is typically the case, I was going to be doomed.

It was three days after I found my songbook and read those disturbing texts. The only thing I had since then, were two Vitamalts, and Alexander had to convince me to drink those. I had just been with Samuel an hour earlier, seeing as it was a Sunday, and discussing the Bible with him. I had been trying to become friends with him, which actually seemed to be going quite well.

I peeked into the library, feeling my jaw drop. You'll never guess who was sitting there, doodling at the table.

John Laurens.

I knew that the kid was pretty bold, but I didn't think he would ever be the type to threaten me like this. 

"Ah, Jefferson!" His sweet smile would trick anyone into trusting him. "I'm glad you could make it. Please take a seat and we can negotiate."

"It was you?" I managed out, after a minute or so of staring at him in shock. "You were the one who texted me? Who looked through my songbook?"

"Of course, silly!" John let out a childish giggle. "Please, sit down. I'm eager to discuss this."

I slowly walked over to the table, sitting down and watching John uneasily as he shut his sketchbook and pulled out a notebook. He flipped to a page filled with writing, grinning as he looked across the table to me. I felt sick to my stomach.

"You look uneasy, Thomas. Have something to get off of your chest?" John's eyes held a malevolent glint in them. He was obviously enjoying this. 

"No. I'm just waiting for you to get this over with, alright? I want my information to be guaranteed as safe in your hands." I rolled my eyes. I was quite irritable under the pressure of my secrets being revealed to the public because of my foolish mistake. 

"That's easy! We can get straight to it, alright?" John moved from his spot in the bulky black chairs that were at each table in the library and sat on the plain white folding table in front of us. "I'm sure you know what I want."

"I have a vague idea, but I don't want to make assumptions. I do that too often." I leaned back in my chair. "Alexander has told me that a few times."

"Oh, Alexander! I'm glad you brought him up. He's the person we're negotiating on." John beamed. 

"Hold up, what? You can't negotiate over a person, John. It's not like Alexander is our property, and we're getting divorced and have to figure out how to split it." I raised an eyebrow.  

"We can if I say we can!" John huffed, slamming his hand on the table. 

I flinched, almost tipping my chair back too far. I managed to keep it upright, which was one of the few times I was lucky during this encounter. "Alright, jeez. Go ahead and say what you wanted to say."

John took a deep breath, recomposing himself. At the sight of a passerby through the library window, he waved at the stray student with a sweet smile. His mask was so obvious. I couldn't believe I hadn't seen it before. Once the student was out of sight, he turned to me. "Alexander and I have been close for a really long time, Jefferson. I've actually grown very fond of him, and I've decided I want a relationship with him. However, you've gotten in the way of that. Now he absolutely refuses to talk to me and is always hanging out with you. In short terms, you've ruined everything."

"It's not like it's the first time, right?" I said sarcastically. 

"Correct!" John chimed. "I'm glad we can agree. But back on topic, you're the one who made Alexander hate me. I've thought about this so much, and I've decided that if you made him loathe me, you can make him like me again! Then I thought about how you made him despise me. You made him do that by coming into his life positively. Therefore, the opposite should fix it."

"What are you implying?" I crossed my arms. 

"I want you to have a big fight with Alexander, and then refuse to be his friend. After that, provided everything goes according to plan, he'll come crying to me for comfort. If it doesn't, Lee and I will find a way to trick him into coming back to me." John explained. "I'm sure you can agree with me that this would be best for everyone at school. Lee can go back to living without me, although we've become pretty close. You can go back to being a selfish asshole. And Alexander and I can go back to being best friends for a while, and then we'll start dating. In senior year, I'll propose, and we'll get married. Everything will be perfect!" 

I gave him the most dumbfounded look that is humanly possible. "Did you hear the words that just came out of your mouth, Laurens? You're only thinking of yourself. Calling me selfish is not only hypocritical but also untrue." I stood up, shaking my head. "I refuse your offer." 

"Your information, though! I'll release it to everyone in the school. Your life is going to be ruined!" John looked at me, astounded that I would do this. "Don't you care about yourself?"

"Yes, but I also care about Alexander's well being. You wouldn't make his life better like you think you would." I approached the door. "Release my information. Do it."

I could feel John's gaze piercing through the back of my skull. "Fine. I hope you have a nice Monday, Jefferson. Something tells me that it's going to be terribly ruined."

END SCENE TWENTY-ONE