4 a.m. // Jeggy

Chapter 22

This question was the elephant in the room. Why did I still have the marks on me? I had to explain, I knew he'd see right through me if I lied.

I took a deep breath in and messed with the plastic bag the snacks were in while we walked back to the house.

"Okay, you have to understand a little more backstory for it to all make sense. When we broke up, he threatened me a lot and bothered me, but over the summer I didn't have to deal with him at school," I began. John nodded and held my hand tightly, squeezing it in reassurance.

"And then, it was time for the first day of school. I saw him there and he cornered me, grabbed my arm and stuff. I got away from him and thought that was the end of it." I said.

"So that's where those marks from a while ago were from, then? Was that actually the end of it?" John asked. I shook my head before I continued the story.

"He managed to get into my house, I think, and attacked Angie and left me a note. He told me... he said that I had to go to his house. He threatened me if I didn't." I said. John began to shake his head, and I could see the anger rising in him. My anxiety spiked again, fearing what his anger would lead to. I put my hand against his arm again and he relaxed a little.

"So I had to sneak out. I leave my house a few times a week, whenever he requests me. And... then he abuses me. I think you know what I mean by that." I told him in a soft voice. He ran his free hand through his hair and sighed for a long moment before releasing the air heavily from his nose.

"God, Peggy. This just... makes me so upset. I wish I knew who this guy was, I'd beat his ass in a heartbeat." John said.

"No, no. I wouldn't want you to get hurt or anything, I'd feel so guilty if you did." I said as we approached the apartment complex, still a little ways away.

"It would be worth it for you. If it meant he would stop doing the things he's doing, I would be so willing to take a beating from him. You've seen it yourself, I'm used to it." He said, his voice turning colder as he must've been thinking of what his dad does to him.

"If I knew how to fight, I'd do the same for you." I told him. He looked at me with a small smile as we made our way through the dark parking lot and back into the building. Outside the door, he gave me a tiny kiss that left my lips warm and wishing his had lingered there a bit longer. We went inside and slightly-more-drunk cheers echoed through the room when they saw our snacks.

I sat back on the floor next to John where I had been before and popped open the box of Sour Patch Kids I had grabbed at the store. We listened to drunken conversations while we shared the candy. One for my mouth, one into John's hand. This pattern continued until our tongues were practically decaying from eating so much of the citric acid-coated candy.

He subtly took my hand in his and I moved the tiniest bit closer to him, trying not to draw attention to us. My attempts at this failed, as my little shift caught the corner of Alex's wide eyes and a smile crossed his face.

"Aw, Peggy and John, sitting in a tree, K-I-S-S-I-N-G," he slurred with a grin. I felt myself begin to blush, but didn't care too much. John just laughed it off before Alex took in a breath and continued.

"Peggy, I think our Mr. Laurens here has a little crushy on you!" He told us. I laughed at that, waving my hand at Alex.

"You've had too much to drink tonight, Alexander. Making things up now!" I said with a smile. He shook his head at me, giving me a little look before getting distracted by another conversation. John tipped his head in towards me.

"He isn't wrong." He mumbled into my ear. I could hear the smile in his voice as he told me this, and the words caused a smile to spread across my lips.