Wasn't Meant To Be : Jamilton [Completed]

Chapter 23: The one with Lafayette's story

 Thomas was just leaving the guidance office, pissed that the counsellor thought he needed help with the bullshit that had gone down in the hallway. He'd managed to get out of that conversation with record speed, though. 

Alexander paused for a moment when he saw Thomas leave the guidance office. His breathing rapined and he quickly sped into the bathroom, praying Thomas didn't see him. He hid behind the door, letting his breathing calm down.

Thomas paused at the lockers outside the bathroom and called Sally, saying, "Hey, the school might call the house. Don't let momma answer. She doesn't need to know about this." He paused, then said quietly, "Yeah. It's..." More silence. "I know..." He was quiet for a long time before he sighed. "I know. Love you too. Bye." He hung up and left the lockers.

Alexander heard it. He sighed, leaning his head against the bathroom wall. He had to stop letting Thomas get to him, he thought.

Thomas went to pass lunch with James in the library, but he was ignored because Dolley had joined them. Back in the lunchroom, John got lunch and sat back down, chatting amiably with Herc and Laf as they waited for Alexander. 

After a few minutes, Alexander walked back into the cafeteria, sitting down beside John, once again. "Hey." he weakly smiled.

"Hey," John said, smiling at him. "I got your macaroni. And they had coffee, so I got that. I figured you could use some caffeine."

Alexander sat up straighter at the mention of coffee, his smile growing. "Thank you, John!" he grinned, picking up his plastic fork and beginning to eat his macaroni.

John leaned on Alexander's side a little bit as he ate his lunch. Laf was going on about how Herc would look much better without his worn-out beanie. But Laf forgot that he'd given Herc that beanie and Herc was a bit too shy to tell him that he didn't want to give it up just yet.

Alexander wrapped his arm lightly around the boy's shoulders. He decided to engage in the conversation Laf and Herc were having. "You would look better without it."

Hercules scoffed and watched Lafayette steal yet another fry. "I'd look like James Madison." Lafayette gasped and dropped his stolen fry. He patted Herc's knee in an attempt to be reassuring. "Don't put yourself down like that, mon ami." John shrugged. "You look fine with or without it." 

Alexander laughed. He squinted his eyes slightly. "You... do look like him..." he mumbled, before stealing one of Hercules's fries, like Lafayette. "Better to keep it on then. Better safe than sorry."

"There are worse things you could look like, Herc," John said, sipping his sprite. "You could look like Laf." Herc bust out laughing while Lafayette threw a balled up napkin at John, grumbling, "Vous ressemblez à un fils bâtard couvert de taches de rousseur de ce poisson Shark Tale." John laughed anyway. "Laf, I'm sure you just roasted me all to hell, but I didn't understand a word of it, so it doesn't count." Lafayette raised his head. "I said you are the ugly one, mon ami." 

"H-he said that You look like a freckled bastard son of this Shark Tale fish," Alexander informed, turning to Laf. "I loved that movie..." 

"Does he not look like the boy fish?" Lafayette asked, gesturing to John (using one of Herc's french fries to point). John pulled out his phone, looked up the fish, and rolled his eyes. "Maybe a little, I guess."

Alexander laughed loudly. "He fucking does." He smirked at John.

"Oh, shut up, Alex," John said, nudging Alexander's side with a pout. But he was quite obviously blushing. Herc snorted and said, "Hey, you two. Don't get all Shape of Water on us." Laf choked on his fry.