4 a.m. // Jeggy

Chapter 12

The day rolled around before I could stop it. Sunday night. Soon enough it was 10pm. 11pm. 11:30.

I snuck out my window, knowing Angie and Eliza wouldn't hear me. I was terrified of what would happen if I didn't show up to meet James.

I knew the way to his house after dating him, and I walked quickly to get there. I checked my phone occasionally to make sure I wouldn't be late. I was nearly there when I suddenly stopped in front of a house, all of its lights on and crashing noises coming from inside.

I couldn't just walk away. I heard yelling and crying and screaming, and what sounded like glass shattering. So despite the fact that it was quarter to midnight and I had no idea what was happening inside, I ran up to the house and knocked on the door loudly.

Suddenly, the crashing stopped, as well as the screaming. I heard mumbling and someone walking towards the door.

I didn't expect a battered John Laurens to be the one to open it.

"Oh my god." I muttered, putting my hand to my mouth. He had a huge gash on his cheek, as well as a bloody nose and a black eye. Hand shaped bruises and red marks littered his arms, and I couldn't help but notice the little white scars that stood out on his wrists.

His face paled as he realized that it was me.

"Shit, oh god, um, I have to go. Everything's fine, don't worry," he whispered in a rush, trying to close the door. He turned his face away and tugged his sleeves over his arms. I heard a mans voice from inside the house.

"Jack, who's at the door? This better not be some goddamn excuse to try to get away from me." The man said. I shoved the door open and fell inside, holding loosely on John's arm.

I'm not a strong person. I can't defend someone from another person. I can't even defend myself from another person. But seeing John, such an innocent person, all beat up and bruised, made those thoughts leave my mind. I felt like I could take on an army.

"Oh, now who might this be?" The man said. He was tall and looked a little like John. They had the same eyes, but other than that, not much else. I assumed he was John's Dad.

"I'm Peggy Schuyler." I said confidently, trying to keep the fear out of my voice as I stood in front of John, in an attempt to protect him from potential harm.

Glass littered the ground and I noticed broken plates, too. Papers were knocked off the table and chairs were in odd places, along with dents in the wall. I assumed the chairs had been thrown.

I also noticed a woman, silently sobbing in the corner of the kitchen, her hand cut up along with little cuts on her face, but her injuries were nowhere near as bad as John's.

Based off her more tan skin and tons of freckles, I realized she was John's mother. I felt a pang in my heart, remembering my own mother and how she died too soon. Seeing John's Mom crying brought back memories of mine crying, just before she died, after losing the twins.

But I pushed the thought of my mother away and steeled myself in front of John.

"Well Peggy, you can go now. This issue is between John and his mother and I, and you need not be involved." John's father snarled, walking over to the door and opening it.

"No." I said, surprising myself. His father seemed shocked at that.

"Excuse me? This is my house, and I'm telling you to leave. Go." He said, more forcefully this time. I shook my head and reached for John's hand. I gripped it tightly in my own and he gave me a grateful smile.

"Get the hell out of here!" John's dad yelled. I flinched a bit but didn't move. John pushed me away gently.

"Peggy, please. I don't want him to hurt you... just go, okay?" He whispered. I turned around and looked at him in disbelief. He was willing to keep getting beat up, like it was nothing, so I could leave?

"I can't leave you to get hurt more..." I mumbled. His father stormed over to us and grabbed my arm.

"Dad!" John yelled, chasing after him. But it was too late. John's Dad shoved me out the door and locked it, leaving me out on the pavement.

I texted John quickly, knowing he wouldn't see it until later. And with that, I took off sprinting until I reached James's house.

I should've called the cops. I should've done something. Hit John's Dad, gotten John and his mother out of there. But I didn't. God, I'm a failure.

So I just knocked on James's door with a shudder.

a/n: I don't totally love this chapter but it'll make sense later and it leads up to the whole James & Peggy scene so I wanted to throw it in.