One Last Time //Lams//University AU//Part 1

Chapter 4

November 6th 2017
Wednesday

John POV
Classes were shit but at least they're over. I was hanging out with the Meme Team (🐢 🐢 🐢) minus Alex because he was in a meeting with one of our Professors. I sat on the floor of Lafayette and Alexander's dorm. By now those of us who had hangovers were fine. The Schuyler's and I were scrolling through Pinterest and Herc and Laf were grabbing snacks.

"So John, there anyone you like?" Eliza asked looking up at me, "In what way?" I asked, "Oh please, you know what I mean." she replied, I chuckled, "Well there may be one." I said, everyone perked up and looked at me, "Now you have to tell us!" Laf yelled from the kitchen, "Since when?!" I yelled back. Angelica laughed.

"He's right. You better tell us." she said, I shook my head, "Fine." they all dropped what they were doing and stared at me. "Don't say anything though." I added in serious tone, "Oh well sure." Herc said, I took a deep breath, "Well, I mean, Alexander is kinda cute..." I said and looked at everyone. They were silent and staring at me.

They just stayed silent for about 5 seconds when right on cue Alex walked through the door, "Hey guys, I'm back-" he stopped and then realized everyone was silent, "Uh, did I ruin the moment?" he asked, "I can go, if you want me to-" "No! Alex you stay." Peggy said getting up, "John? Can we talk? Outside?" she said grabbing my arm and dragging me outside with the rest of the girls.

"Did I do something wrong?" I asked as they shut the door, Angelica looked at Eliza and Eliza shook her head. Now I'm confused. "Look, John there are boundaries when it comes to Alex." Eliza stated, "He's probably the most sensitive and fragile person you will ever meet." Angelica added, I looked at Peggy and she nodded her head, "He's been through Hell to get here. Look John, I think Alex needs a distraction and a boyfriend will do him good-" Peggy said looking me right in the eyes, "But, you need to promise that you will never do anything to hurt him in any way." Eliza finished.

I looked at them before nodding, "I promise." I said, Angelica smiled, "Good." she opened the door, "Wait!" I said before she walked in, "So, Alexander isn't dating Jefferson?" I asked and they looked at me weird, "Oh God no." said Eliza, "What made you think that?" "I saw them kissing in the hallway this morning, I figured it was forced so I dragged Alexander away." Angelica looked at me and then at Peggy, "I'm gonna kill Jefferson." she said and walked inside followed by Eliza.

I was about to walk in when Peggy grabbed my arm and I turned around, she was right in my face. "I swear to God Laurens if you do anything to hurt my best friend you will never see the light of day again. Do you hear me?" she asked in a very dark and quiet voice, I nodded frantically, she let go of me and smiled, "Great! Good luck!" she said and skipped inside.

I let out a breath I didn't know I was holding and walked inside shutting the door behind me. Alex was sitting on the couch chatting to Lafayette and Eliza, Peggy was back on her phone and Angelica and Hercules were joking about politics.

I sat down grabbing a handful of chips that had been placed on the table, "What was all that about?" Alex asked me when he saw I was inside, "Oh, it was nothing." I said, he looked at me suspiciously, "When the Schuylers drag you outside its never 'nothing'." he said, I laughed at that.

Then his phone started ringing, he got up and walked into the kitchen to answer it. I wasn't really paying attention but after about a minute I looked up at him, he looked as if he was about to burst into tears, he dropped his phone to the ground and ran into his bedroom locking the door.

Peggy immediately got up and ran to the door to try and open it, "Alexander? Alex please open the door!" she yelled desperately, Angelica and Eliza joined her, "Alex!" they yelled trying to turn the handle but to no prevail.

"I swear to God Alex if you don't open this door I'm gonna kick it down!" yelled Eliza banging of the door with her fists, we heard a slight noise from inside, it was barely audible and I couldn't figure out what it was but Peggy's eyes widened, "ALEX!" she yelled, Angelica looked at me, "Help bust this door open!" she begged, "What?!" I yelled, "I will pay for it!" she yelled again so I took position and rammed my body into the door.

It took a few tries but eventually I managed to break the whole door down. They ran inside and Lafayette helped me up, my arm throbbed in pain but I ignored it because I wasn't the target of sympathy right now. Alex kicked something under his bed and started fiddling with his sleeve.

Peggy knelt down in front of him, "Alex show my your arm." she said in a soft voice, Alex just shook his head, "Alex." she said more firm but still softly, she took his hand and pulled up his sleeve, his arm was covered in blood. She looked at Angelica and said, "Bring the wet cloth and some bandages." Angelica nodded and walked out of the room.

A few moments later she came back in with a wet, warm cloth and some bandages, Peggy took the cloth an dabbed the blood away from Alexander's arm, he flinched but stayed quiet. After the blood was gone all you could see was hundreds of cuts. I stared in shock. She wrapped the bandage around his arm and then pulled his sleeve back.

She sat next to him, "Wanna tell us what's wrong now?" she asked, I stared at her, how could she do that and not question? Or, had this been happening for years now?

"M-my cousin just committed suicide." Alexander said trying to hold back tears, Peggy looked at him with wide eyes, "Oh my God Alexander, I'm so sorry." she whispered and pulled him into a hug, he couldn't hold it anymore and tears began to stream down his cheeks.

"It's all my fault." he said, Angelica sat next to him, and rubbed his back, "If I w-wasn't here, I c-could have s-stopped him." he said through sobbs. I looked at him, "It's not your fault." I said, I knelt down in front of him holding my probably broken arm, "You couldn't have done anything to stop him, it's not your fault." I continued, he let go of Peggy to look at me, "Being with him when he died might have just made it worse for him and for you."

Alex looked down at the floor and continued to cry, I put my good hand on his leg, "If it was suicide then even if you managed to stop him now, it wouldn't have helped later." he looked back up at me, "He's happy now. Sometimes that helps. The best thing to do is to except it." Alex stopped crying.

He knelt down in front of me and hugged me, "Thank you, John." he whispered in my ear, "It's okay." I said.

"Oh my God John your arm!" he yelled, "Yeah I think I need to go to the hospital."