4 a.m. // Jeggy

Chapter 14

The rest of the week was a living hell.

Every night, James blackmailed me into coming to his house, and John came to school with more bruises and spoke much less than usual. Needless to say, we're both a total wreck.

If I couldn't sleep before, I definitely can't now. Sometimes it feels like I never will again. But I don't want to be awake anymore either. The nightmares that I'd escaped by ignoring sleep were now my reality once more.

The only thing that filled the empty parts of my days and nights was texting John. Despite the fact that I knew he was still getting hurt, I didn't ask about it because I didn't want to make him uncomfortable or pressure him into telling me. He said he'd explain it all when he's ok with it, and I respect that even though I worry a lot about it.

We would share a lot of stories in our texts. Talking about our childhoods and bittersweet moments of growing up. We'd tell stories of our siblings and the shenanigans we pulled when we were both kids.

We talked about deep things, like why adults put so much pressure on teenagers to do everything perfectly, or what we would do or say if we only had a week to live. We shared sad stories that evoked tears from both of us, but that's ok.

And then there were the conversations that were the total opposite. The ones where I laugh so hard my stomach aches, where happy tears fill my eyes. Where we send each other hilarious stories and dad jokes and memes.

Our texts were the one beautiful thing I had within my world of despair.

But anyways, it's currently Sunday afternoon. I'm supposed to meet James again tonight. It'll also mark one week since I walked in on the whole John thing with his dad. You know, the thing that he claimed was over but clearly wasn't.

I laid on my bed completing AP Chemistry homework while I thought about the past week. Also, I know that everyone says not to do homework on your bed because you'll fall asleep, but I don't like sitting at a desk and me, sleeping? At this point, it's not even an option.

Halfway through the packet I was working on, I received a text from none other than John Laurens. What would today's conversation be about?

Laurens: hey, are you doing anything right now?

Peggy: nope, just chem homework. why?

Laurens: can i come pick you up?

I read his text three times before realizing that he wanted to pick me up for something. I sat up on the bed and squealed, kicking my legs in excitement.

Peggy: yes! please save me from my boredom. where are we going?

I tried not to sound too clingy or overexcited in my text. But I really didn't want to finish this homework, and any escape (especially John) was a good one.

Laurens: its a secret. I'll be there in 15.

Peggy: see you then! xx

A secret! Where could he possibly be taking me that it's a secret? I thought through a bunch of different places as I got ready, putting on a cute dress in my signature yellow color, tying my hair in a bun and putting on a tiny bit of mascara, charging up my phone while I waited.

I couldn't keep my excitement to myself anymore. A few minutes before Laurens got to my house, I ran into Eliza's room and began to jump up and down.

"What's gotten into you?" She laughed.

"Umm... John Laurens?" I said with a smile.

"Peggy! No freaking way!" Eliza said, trying to contain her giggles and failing.

"Yes! He's coming here in a few minutes and he said he's gonna take me somewhere, but apparently it's a secret!" I said. She got out of her chair.

"Really? That's amazing! It's about time you two got together..." She said. I blushed a little and shrugged, but my smile stayed firmly on my face.

"Have you told Ang?" She asked. I shook my head and she shooed me away, pushing towards Angelica's room.

"Angie, Angie, guess what?" I said loudly, since she had earbuds in. She turned around and took them out, giving me a questioning look.

"John Laurens is taking me somewhere secret! I don't know if it's like, a date or anything but he's coming to pick me up soon!" I said. Angelica smiled at me and rolled her eyes playfully, telling me essentially what Eliza did.

"But hey, if it really is a date, I wanna talk to him when he drops you off. I gotta make sure my little sister doesn't get hurt." She said as I walked back towards my bedroom.

I froze momentarily, thinking of James and how she had that same conversation with him. That didn't keep him from hurting me...

But I pushed away my thoughts and grabbed my phone, running down the stairs when I heard the doorbell ring.

And there stood John Laurens in all his bruised glory, holding a bouquet of yellow roses and a smile spread across his face.