Happy Friday, my lovelies! I'm posting this chapter on Friday night instead of Saturday morning as a little bit of a gift to all you lovely people. Of course, this means there won't be an update tomorrow. And I apologize in advance for this chapter. My friend pitched this idea to me when I was brainstorming ideas for this story and I blame him for the immense amount of feels I felt writing this chapter. Please forgive me for this. ~Shaymie

"I'm glad this dance was free. I couldn't imagine spending money on this." Angelica took a sip of punch and gagged. Eliza and Peggy set their cups down and frowned. I looked over at John, who hadn't left our little corner since we got here. Unlike Alex, he hadn't bothered to dress up even a little and had shown up in a hoodie and jeans. I guess his plans with Darcy kind of fell through.

Speaking of Darcy, she had been sending me steady updates about Mama's condition since about an hour ago. I wasn't in the mood to dance or anything. Not when my baby brother could arrive at any moment. I was excited and yet… nervous. Would I be a good big sister? I was a complete wreck. He deserved a better sister than me. I was far too dependant on my medicine to keep me out of trouble. I was terrified that something would change and I would do something I'd regret.

"I'm surprised you showed up, Ange. I thought you hated Valentine's Day," John said as he threw himself into a folding chair. I rolled my eyes as he pulled his PS Vita from his pocket and started playing. What kind of person would come all the way to a school dance just to play a video game? Was he really this desperate to not be alone on Valentine's Day?

"Just because I'm not interested in a relationship right now doesn't mean that I hate the holiday. And it beats sitting at home with Eliza, watching The Notebook again. Though I'm starting to regret the decision to come here." Angelica stared out onto the "dance floor", which was just the center of the cafeteria, and sighed. George King and Samuel Seabury were currently embraced closely together in a slow dance, ignoring the fact that some annoying pop song was currently blaring through the cheap rented speakers.

Alex walked over to us, carrying a napkinful of cookies. He offered one to me and started nibbling on the end of a sugar cookie. I raised an eyebrow. Alexander Hamilton was eating something sweet? The world must be ending. I took a bite of the cookie, pleasantly surprised when it wasn't completely terrible. Most of the budget for this dance must have gone towards the snacks.

"How long are we staying here?" Peggy asked, scowling as she grabbed Gil's hand. "We should have just went to Herc's house. This dance sucks."

"Yeah, I'd ask for my money back if I had paid anything. This sucks." Alex set the tower of cookies down and wiped his hands on his jeans. I rolled my eyes and tugged on his sleeve. He looked down at me, a small smile on his face. "What's up, Lo?"

"You were the one who wanted to come here," I signed. There was no way I'd be able to speak in such a crowded place. At least we weren't the only ones who had been tricked by the colorful flyers advertising "hours of entertainment". Alex looked away and rubbed his neck awkwardly, his cheeks slightly reddening at everyone's laughter. Everyone but John, that is. He was fully immersed in his game.

"You agreed to come."

"Then I guess we're both idiots." I smiled at Alex and grabbed his hand, looking up as the DJ announced that it was time for couple's dances. Peggy grabbed Gil's hand and pulled him towards the middle of the cafeteria. Alex looked down at me inquisitively. I shook my head. I couldn't go out there in front of everyone. It would be too embarrassing. Alex nodded and sat down in a chair, pulling me into his lap.

"You two aren't dancing?" John asked, looking up from his game as Angelica and Eliza walked off to the snack table. I shrugged. We had already gotten our dance at the park. Alex yawned and leaned his head against the wall. My phone pinged with a text. I pulled it from my pocket anxiously and felt my eyes fill with tears. It was a text from Darcy, with a picture attached.

Darcy: Meet our new brother, Colton Atticus Haywood.

"He's adorable," Alex said, peering over my shoulder at the picture. I nodded and offered the phone to John. He ignored me, his attention on something across the cafeteria. I followed his gaze and gasped. James was here. Why was he here? What should I do? I sat paralyzed until John stood up and grabbed my wrist, pulling me towards a more crowded part of the cafeteria. Alex followed closely behind, clearly confused on what was happening. I'd fill him in on the situation if I wasn't so choked up with fear.

"Where the fuck is Lorin Haywood?' James' voice rang out loudly above the crowd. The DJ stopped playing music and ducked underneath his table. To my horror, the entire crowd split to reveal me to James. John cursed under his breath as I hid behind Alex. The room was quiet as James made his way over to us. I squeezed Alex's hand, flinching as the look on James' face darkened. Alex wrapped his arm around my shoulder, his jaw tensing.

"Alexander Hamilton. Alexander fucking Hamilton. Get your dirty hands off of my girl," James hissed as he stopped in front of us. His face crinkled in disgust as he looked at Alex. I took deep breaths, trying to calm myself. For once, I felt grateful for my medicine. I didn't feel panicked at all. Just… scared. Really scared. I didn't know what James would do. He was terrifying when he was angry, and right now he was pissed.

"I'm sorry, but I wasn't aware Lorin was a piece of property. She's not yours. She's not mine. She is her own person." Alex smiled encouragingly at me and looked up at James. "I don't know who the fuck you think you are, but-"

"I'm James Reynolds, nino," James spat out with a sneer. "And I thought I told you to get your fucking hands off her. I won't say it again."

"It's over, Reynolds. Lo doesn't want to be with you anymore. You can turn around and leave or I can drag you out by force." I looked up at Alex. I had never heard him sound like this. He sounded so… so assertive. He'd protect me. I knew he would. He promised that he would protect me from James. He never broke a promise. He wouldn't break a promise.

"I'm sorry, Lorin." James' voice was barely audible as he looked at me, his blue eyes filling with tears. "I've been getting help, babe. I'm taking anger management classes. I've been going to therapy. I won't hurt you anymore. Please come back to me. I'll be good. I… My life has no meaning without you, Lorin. I love you."

I shook my head, my breaths coming out in gasps. I couldn't go back to him. He was lying. He wouldn't change, he never would. I didn't need him. I was happy with Alex. Alex loved me. James had some kind of sick obsession with me. I refused to fall for his trap again. He would act nice and then start hurting me again. He treated me like his own personal sex slave. I was better than that. I deserved better than that.

"See, Lo doesn't want anything to do with you. I'm giving you one last chance to get out of here before I make you leave," Alex said angrily, a growl-like quality coming into his voice. James stared him down for a few seconds before bursting into laughter. His entire body shook with chuckles as he ran a hand through his hair. His eyes were murderous as he stared down Alex. John pushed both of us back, his eyes steely.

"Listen Reynolds, don't make us call the police-"

"Fuck off, Laurens!" James yelled, pulling at his hair. And then he started laughing again. "I see how it is, Lorin. You're too much of a coward to fight your own battles, so you get your boyfriends to do it. I knew you were fucking Laurens, but I didn't think you would stoop so low as to add a dirty immigrant to your little harem. You little slut!"

Alex pushed me behind him when James pulled out a gun, still laughing maniacally. His hand trembled as he pointed the gun at me. Tears were streaming down his face as he looked at me. And then he turned the gun to Alex. This wasn't the boy I had fallen in love with once upon a time. This was someone sick and twisted. This was a… a total stranger. A monster.

John was desperately trying to defuse the situation, but I couldn't hear him. I couldn't hear anything through the buzzing in my ears. This couldn't be happening. There was no way this could be happening. There was no way James could be here, at my school's dance, pointing a gun at my current boyfriend. This had to just be a nightmare. A terrible nightmare. One squeeze of Alex's hand told me that no, this wasn't a nightmare. This was real.

"I hope you burn in hell," James hissed, his finger slowly moving towards the trigger as he glowered at Alex, who was slowly pushing us back. Soon we'd reach the wall. My body reacted before my mind did. I frantically pushed Alex out of the way. He couldn't get hurt because of me. I didn't want anyone to get hurt trying to deal with my messes. James was my problem to deal with.

A gunshot rang out. I screamed in pain as the bullet entered my body. Alex knelt next to me on the ground and pressed his hands over the wound, sobbing loudly. James had dropped the gun and was staring down at me in horror, shaking his head. Tears were streaming down John's face. The entire cafeteria was in chaos. I took a shaky breath and winced.

"Don't move, Lo. Everything's going to be alright, love," Alex whispered. His hands trembled. I reached up to cup his cheek, smiling weakly. Tears dripped from his eyes onto my face. "Why did you do it, Lo? Why did you push me?"

"Better me than you," I coughed, feeling my head grow foggy. My eyes slipped shut. Even though I had sacrificed myself for Alex, I couldn't believe I had been shot. Part of me thought that James would put the gun down when he saw me. I thought that his obsession with me would stop him from hurting me again. I should have known he would break that promise from the start. He was always terrible at keeping promises.

I love you, Alexander, I thought as I drifted off.