This Guy {Lams}

Chap. 9

John's POV

He looks down. His face is getting red, he started to shake. A tear drops onto his desk, making a small 'splash' sound. I don't know what to do. I bolt my hand up.

"What, Mr. Laurens?" King George asks.

"C-can I take Alexander to the nurse?" King George sighs, knowing he has to say yes. He nods.

I bolt up, wrapping my arm around his waist. He reluctantly puts his arm around my neck. I practically carry him to the nurse.

"Mrs. Washington- urgent. Help." I manage to shout out as I enter.

I hear her heels clicking quickly towards us. She comes out of the hallway leading from the Main Office to her Nurse's Office. She leads me to the room with beds. "Sit him down here. You can stay here if you'd like." She suggests.

I nod, "Can I grab his and my stuff?" She nods back to me.

-

I run out of her office, sprinting to King George's room. I grab Hamilton's stuff and shove it into his back. I do the same to mine, except in my bag. I grab both and rush out just as quickly, not one word coming out of my mouth.

I run back to Mrs. Washington's office, setting the bags on a chair. I walk into where Hamilton is. His knees are to his chest, his arms wrapping around them. His eyes are tightly shut, he whimpers every now and then. I sit next to him on the bed. I put my arm on his back, he flinches at my touch, but doesn't pull away. I rub circles on his back. My mother did this to me when I was having a panic attack.

Alexander's POV

My mother would do this to me when I was having a panic attack. She would rub circles on my back, like Laurens right now.

Memories began to flood in my head...

She was sitting. I was in her lap. She was rubbing circles on my back and she... stopped suddenly. Her breathing slowed. Her pulse was weak. I was weak. I cried for hours, calling my cousin. He never answered. I walk to his house. He was there, but he wasn't. He was hanging.

I cried harder. I was put into the foster system, the ripe age of 7. I was in California for a year. Went to Texas for another year. Vermont for two years, Pennsylvania for three, landing in New York last year, freshman year. No one talked to me, but one day Thomas Jefferson did. Never left his side since.

I open my eyes slowly. Laurens was red, his eyes were glossy.

He shone a soft smile. "Was- was it something I said?" He asked politely.

I gave him a shrug in response. He doesn't need to know my damn business.

"You should go to class." I say sharply.

A single tear drips down his face, "O-okay." He stutters, leaving me alone in this nasty room.

I lay back and fall into a dreamless sleep.

-

John's POV

"Then he kicked me out." I finish telling my story at lunch to my few friends. They all look confused and shocked.

"I didn't know that kid had emotions." Angie jokes. Everyone shoots daggers towards her.

She looks down quickly, leaving Peggy to speak. "He's hiding something, obviously. He probably had a rough childhood. I mean, he's in foster care for a reason." Peggy reasons. Nods and agreements are heard between the 6 of us.