By The Pond - A Lams Story

Chapter 8

-John's Perspective-

John unburies his face and sighs. "I'll go get Chutes and Ladders." He leaves the room and grabs the board game out of the closet before coming back and unpacking the game. "So who's playing Chutes and Ladders and who's not?"
"I wanna play! I call the yellow girl!" Peggy exclaims, and John shakes his head, smiling a bit.
"Of course you do."
"I want to play." Herc grins, and John nods.
"Count me in." Laf grabs Herc's hand and entwines his fingers with his. "I will crush you, mon amour."
"Not if I beat you first." Herc smiles competitively at Laf and looks back towards the game board.
"Eliza?" John asks.
"Nah, I think I'll sit this one out." She smiles in apology,and he nods.
"Okay, so Herc, Laf, and Peggy are playing. Who's starting?"
"I can go." Eliza volunteers. John hands her the spinner, and she flicks it, the arrow landing on Herc. "Herc, truth or dare?"
"Dare." He replies with hesitation. "Give me something good."
"Mm." Eliza thinks for a second, and she frowns in concentration. "Let Peggy play with your hair for as long as she wants."
Herc's eyes widen and he looks between her and Peggy, one with an innocent smile and one with a mischievous grin. "You wouldn't." Eliza shrugs, and John laughs. Herc shoots a glare at John before sitting on the floor in front of Peggy.
Peggy grins and puts her fingers on Herc's head and starts lightly messing with his hair. Herc sighs as Eliza passes him the spinner. He spins, and it lands on three and Laf. "Hun, truth or dare."
"Truth." Laf leans on the back of the loveseat, having been robbed of his human pillow.
"If you weren't dating me and I wasn't here, who would you kiss out of the remaining people in this room?" Herc grins evilly.
Laf returns the smirk. "Oh, that's easy." John sighs. They're already being cutthroat. Lord have mercy. "Eliza."
Peggy gasps in offense, and huffs. She tugs on a lock of Herc's hair, and he yelps.
"Pegs, I don't think that's the best way to earn a kiss." Eliza murmurs. Peggy shrugs.
Herc hands Laf the spinner. "All yours, Love."
"Thank you." Lafayette blows Herc a kiss and spins it while Herc moves his character. It lands on John and four. Oh boy. "Jackie, truth or dare?"
Either choice isn't safe, but dare is the worse of two evils. "Truth."
Laf pouts a bit but taps his finger on his chin. "Mm. What would your dream boy be like?"
John bites his lip and thinks. Mm. I bet he's hoping I'll describe Alex. But I have to be honest, so I'm not liable for whatever comes out of my mouth. "Definitely someone who's dependable, hardworking, willing to laugh with me when I'm happy and just listen to me when I'm sad, someone who can make me blush- cheesy pick-up lines are a must, and someone who is willing to raise a turtle with me." He shrugs. "If you want a ramble about, Alexander, you're not getting one."
Laf nods and hands him the spinner. John flicks it, and it lands on Eliza. "Liza?"
"Mm. Dare." Eliza decides.
John grins. "Call Maria and tell her you're pregnant." He's been holding onto this one for a while.
Eliza blanches. And she pulls out her phone. "Honey? Hi. You're gonna want to sit down for this..." She pauses. "I'm pregnant." She pauses again, and all the room hears is silence. And then Wait... It's family night... Did you get dared? Eliza giggles. "Yeah. I'd never cheat on you. Bye, I love you." After another second, she hangs up. "I love her so much. She's so smart."
John shrugs and hands her the spinner. It lands on Lafayette. "What do you wanna do?"
"Kiss Herc, but he's currently busy." John rolls his eyes. "Dare."
"Mm." She thinks for a moment. "Let John braid your hair."
"And take it out of the bun? Do you know how long it takes to get it like this?" Herc mouths 'Forever.'
"You're the one who said dare."
Laf sighs in defeat and sits himself down in front of John. "Jackie, I am trusting you."
"Chill, Laf. I always do Peggy's hair, and y'all love it. I won't hurt you or you hair. I promise." John goes to grab his brush and comes back, pulling Laf's hair gently out of the bun before working his magic.
A couple minutes later, Lafayette is rocking a french braid bun. "There. I even put it back into a bun for you." Lafayette looks at it the mirror and smiles widely.
"Thank you, mon ami." Laf takes the spinner from Eliza and spins it. It lands on John. Great. Might as well let him do what he's gonna do.
Before Laf can even ask, John says "Dare." The room goes quiet, and Laf grins.
"Call Alexandre and ask him out on a date." The room is even more silent. Of course. I should have seen it coming.
John sighs and takes out his phone and goes to his contacts. Feeling everyone's gaze on him, he sighs loudly. "Can y'all please stop looking at me? I can't exactly focus this way." They look away before looking back, and John shakes his head before standing up and heading into his bedroom.
He looks at his contact for Alex and sighs again. I told Lafayette that we're just friends. And I'm not fucking ready for a boyfriend! Not after... John shakes his head. Lafayette only means well, but he's got the worst timing. No matter how on point his gaydar is.
Deciding that putting it off would only make things worse, he clicked dial and brought the phone up to his ear. And sighs when the beeps go away and he's greeted with Alex's voice.
"Hey, Freckles."