On the edge of the woods, a large, muscular figure was leaning against a tree, as if waiting for John. As he came into view, John realized it was none other than-

"Laurens," James Reynolds said sharply, "come here, NOW."

John nervously stumbled over. "Um, what?"

"I see you and your freak friends have been hanging around my girlfriend lately," James said, standing up to reveal his full height.

John sighed. "First of all, it's not like that! Second of all, she's your ex. Third of all, I'm kinda gay! Not gonna happen!"

James let out a quiet chuckle. "She'll be back soon, trust me. And I'm not worried about you."

John was confused. "Who are you worried about then?"

"Hamilton," he responded. "You're his best friend, right? Tell me what his intentions are with my girlfriend!"

John was starting to get annoyed. "Again, NOT your girlfriend! Also, Alex likes her as a FRIEND. He wouldn't DATE her! Also, she has a girlfriend now."

James laughed coldly. "She's not some fag like you," he taunted, shoving John's small figure a little. "We both know Hamilton's doing something with her. Now, tell me what's going on!"

"Nothing!" John insisted, rubbing his now-hurt shoulder. John couldn't lie-he was getting scared now. James didn't mess around. He could seriously hurt John.

James snorted. "Sure," he said sarcastically. "How about this-I'll leave you alone if you tell me where I can find Hamilton."

John smirked a little. "It's gonna take a lot more than that to get me to tell you," he replied.

"Is it, now?" James said, stepping closer to John. "Well, we'll just have to take care of that, won't we?" Before John knew what was happening, James took him by his collar and lifted him clear off the ground and pinned him against a tree with one hand.

"LAST WARNING, LAURENS!" James shouted. "WHERE'S HAMILTON?"

"Put me down! I'm not telling you!" John struggled against James' tight grip, but it was no use.

"Guess I'm just going to have to find him myself, then!" James took John's small body, and, with a huge power surge, slammed him against the tree. John let out a bloodcurdling scream-had he broken one of his ribs? All the air inside him soon escaped and he was gasping for breath.

But James wasn't done. Again and again, slam after slam, John was smashed against the tree. Once he was done, James hurled John in the ground and left him there, bloody and crying.

John couldn't move his head, but he heard someone step through the leaves.

"JOHN!" John heard Alex's voice ring throughout the forest, afraid and angry.

"JAMES REYNOLDS, YOU ARE NOT MAKING IT OUT OF THIS ALIVE!" Alex roared with fury coursing through every inch of his body.

John heard the two men behind him begin to fight. But he couldn't comprehend anything.

Then another voice came.

"JOHN?! ALEX?! JAMES!" It was Maria. She quickly hurried over to the two men, along with Laf and Herc, and together they were able to stay then away from each other. Eliza dashed to John's side, an alarmed look in her eyes.

"Someone find Washington!" she ordered to the girls behind her. They nodded, equal looks of shock and horror in their faces, and ran off.

John shuddered.

Is this what dying felt like?

In his last few moments of consciousness, someone shoved Eliza out of the way.

It was Alex.

"JOHN!" he screeched, tears streaming down his face. Laf quickly came over and pulled Alex away from the horrifying sight of his best friend lying in a pool of his own blood.

"NO!" Alex tried to struggle out of Laf's grip, but he couldn't. "NO! JOHN, I LOVE-"

Then everything went black.