Frat Boys (Lams) [COMPLETE]

Chapter 9

It was the last day before classes started.

John had officially transferred to Alex, Herc, and Laf's room. Thomas hadn't stuck around John too much, thankfully. It seemed as if he had some choice words, but he knew he couldn't take on the whole group of them.

Alex has volunteered to be John's designated walking buddy around campus. John laughed and said that he didn't need protecting, but Alex insisted, and John didn't argue much anymore.

"So John," Herc said, while the two were out for coffee that morning (since Alex and Laf weren't awake yet), "you're single for the first time since sophomore year of high school!"

John smiled and stirred his mocha around.

"Yeah, I guess I am," he said, looking back up. "It's weird, but it's liberating."

"Got your eye on anyone special?" Herc said, sipping his coffee and giving John a side-eye.

"Um, not really no," John said, looking down to hide his blushing face. "I just want to kind of be single for a while, I think."

Herc smiled and gave him a knowing glance.

"Whatever you say," he said nonchalantly.

"What's going on in your head?" John asked, laughing.

"You know, I'm pretty sure Alex is single," Herc said, looking at his fingernails and then at John's red face.

"I- I really don't know," John said, trying to come across as if he didn't care, but in his head was replaying all his conversations with Alex to try and remember if he had ever mentioned having a partner.

"You know, I can just ask him," Herc said pulling out his phone.

"NO! Don't!" John said quickly. Herc raised his eyebrows at him. "I, um- he's still asleep, just don't bother him right now."

Herc smiled as he put his phone back in his pocket. He gave them a solid month before the two confessed their feelings for each other- which was three weeks longer than Laf thought they would last.

*time skip*

Alex was wondering around campus, trying to find a good spot to get some writing done. It was the best way he could think of to enjoy the last day before classes started. He finally settled on a bench in front of a small pond filled with reeds and moss and lily pads. He sat down and opened his laptop, enjoying sounds of the soft croaking of the frogs from the pond in front of him and the tapping of his keyboard keys.

"Hey!"

Alex looked up to see Maria and John walking on the path beside him. Alex smiled and waved them over.

Maria plopped down on the bench next to him and leaned over to look at Alex's laptop. John was sitting down on the bank of the pond, trying to see if he could find any frogs or turtles.

"Whatcha writing?" Maria asked, skimming Alex's work.

"Oh, nothing much," Alex said, shutting the lid of the computer. "I sometimes write articles for an online newspaper for my hometown, so I was just working on a new one for this week." He failed to mention that the article was about finding beauty in new circumstances, and that he was writing about the new friends he had made on campus and the impact they'd already had on his life, especially a certain boy named John. Maria didn't pry any further though, so he didn't have to say anything else about it.

"Find anything, Jacky?" Maria called over to John, using the nickname for him that she'd used since middle school.

"A couple fish," he called back over, staring at the water intently. "And a weird rock that- OH MY GOODNESS, IT'S A TURTLE!" he screeched, putting his hands up to his mouth. Alex and Maria quickly joined him on the bank and looked at the turtle shell that was submerged in the water. John carefully reached in and took the shell out, placing it in the grass in front of him. A moment later, small arms, legs, and a head popped out, making John squeal with even more excitement.

"Aw, he's adorable," Alex said, looking more at John's face than at the turtle.

"He looks just like the turtle you had when you were little," Maria said to John. John smiled and pulled out his phone to snap a picture of the turtle.

"He does, doesn't he?" John said, smiling. "He's even got a little white stripe behind his ear like Tuffles used to have."

"Oh my god, Tuffles?" Alex said. "That is the most adorable name I've ever heard for a turtle in my LIFE."

John smiled and blushed.

"I got Tuffles when I was 7," he said. "I apparently thought that was the perfect name," he said, laughing.

"John."

The three looked up to see James Madison standing in front of them.

"Yes?" Alex said, standing up, and stepping in front of John and Maria protectively.

"I wasn't talking to you."

"I don't care."

James rolled his eyes.

"I'm here to say that Thomas is transferring schools next week and he wants John to give him back anything of his that he still has," James said. "You can drop it off outside our room."

"He's WHAT?" Alex and Maria said.

"You're kidding me!" Alex said.

"I'm not," James said coldly. "And I'm going with him."

"Wait, he's leaving because of me?" John said softly, standing up. "This place has been his dream school since he was in 8th grade." He looked down at his shoes. "I don't want him to feel like he has to leave."

James glared at him.

"Should've thought of that earlier," he said. "Bring his stuff over as soon as you can." James turned on his heel and left.

"Wow," Maria said. She looked over at John. "This isn't your fault, you know," she said, squeezing his hand. John said nothing.

"Maria's right," Alex said. "We're all better off if he goes, anyway. It'll help you heal."

John nodded. But he stayed silent.

He knew he was better off. But he still felt bad.