Our Shot (LAMS school au)

Chapter 20: Monday

Monday (If that wasn't clear by the chapter title)

Alex's POV
It was the day of the debate. When I had woken up that morning I was practically shaking with excitement; I couldn't wait to take Thomas's ego down a peg after school that day. John, however, seemed to be practically shaking for a different reason.

He seemed adamant enough to help me compose our piece when I got back from my date, but his overall change in demeanor still had me a bit addled.

When I told him I wasn't going to be going on a second date with Eliza, he seemed... happy?

But why? Did he think Eliza wasn't good enough for me? If that was the case he had no business getting involved in my private affairs. He probably didn't even know her that well.

Nevertheless, I was praying he would do well that day; I did care about him. I wanted him to succeed today in this debate so that he would gain some self-assurance. The only problem was that around Thomas, confidence was sometimes hard to come up with.

In my mind, Thomas was nothing but, in simple terms, a bully and a fuckboy, true and simple. That's what the general consensus seemed to be, but no matter how many times I heard it I couldn't help but think back to everything John had told me. He was diagnosed with adolescent bipolar depression, John had admitted, he was only fifteen.

Not only that, but Thomas was gay! John said he swore never to tell anyone, but I didn't, and it sounded like a fact that would be ripe for blackmail...

No. John would be furious, not to mention the fact that poor Jefferson would be ruined. But who knows what he had done to Laurens to shut him up about all that in the first place.

I was confused by John's actions and now thoroughly conflicted by Jefferson's. But an unclear mind will be your downfall in this debate, I told myself.

Right then I was with John, standing at our podium in the debate club classroom, simply talking. Once in a while I saw John steal a glance across the room, where Mr. Washington was conversing with Thomas and Madison.

I followed suit, and glanced over at our two opponents. Thomas was well dressed, for the occasion or just to show off, I didn't know. He was in khakis and a well-fitting dress shirt.

I seemed to spend a split second too long looking, and Jefferson noticed. I narrowed my eyes at him, but he didn't seem to notice. On the contrary, he didn't seem to want to look me in the eye. He seemed to look over my face before going down my body and then he returned to ignoring me completely.

After that, however, his attention was turned to John, the ladder's eyes already trained on his present opponent. John took in a breath sharply, and my eyes narrowed further when Jefferson began to smile complacently at my friend.

At this, I took John's shoulder lightly and turned him to face me. "You're gonna do great," I told him confidently, shaking him slightly, "And we're gonna win."

He didn't look convinced. "Alex," he said, and I could tell he was fighting the impulse to look back away, "I'll be right back."

As he forced my hands from his shoulders and turned on his heel to leave, I barely caught him by the hand.

"Is something wrong?" I asked him.

"No," he said, smiling a bit, but I could tell he was a bit paler than usual.

"Are you not feeling well?"

"No," he repeated, "I just... need to use the bathroom."

He didn't let me respond to that, but only pulled his hand from my grasp and made his way quickly out the classroom. He took a right, and I was relieved to know that he probably was going to the bathroom. I sighed, looking after him, until something unusual caught my eye.

Jefferson was watching the now empty doorway as well; he whispered something to Madison, who nodded, and then got up from his desk.

He left, and took a right.