Looking for a Mind at Work (Incomplete/Discontinued)

I Could Say The Same

It is January 11, 2011. Alexander's 20th birthday. He wasn't expecting much. He had planned with his friends to go have a few drinks at the bar. However, once he opened the door, a big surprise was awaiting.

Literally. It was a giant balloon in the shape of the word "surprise".

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY ALEX!!!" John Laurens' freckled face appeared from behind the giant letters. He then saw Herc, Laf, Angelica, Eliza, and Peggy (and Peggy!) and they all hollered "Happy Birthday!" so loudly, Alex was sure he'd get complaints from his neighbors.
         
"W- wow thanks guys!" Alex stammered. "I'm definitely surprised."
         
No one laughed at his joke except for Eliza, but that was enough for Alex.
         
"Who's idea was that anyway?" He asked.
         
"Who do you think Alexander?" Lafayette rolled his eyes at John.
        
"What? I thought we could go big this year!" John said.
        
"Big?" Hercules scoffed. "I didn't know you meant so big that all three of us had to carry this thing out of Target!"
         
"Really?" Alex laughed. "You three carried that huge balloon all the way to my apartment?"
         
The boys looked at each other awkwardly. "Actually..." Laurens said with a blush on his cheeks. "Angelica helped us."
         
The eldest Schuyler sister gave a satisfied smile at the boys' embarrassment and her sisters covered their giggles with their hands. 
         
Alex held the door open while one by one, his surprise guests squeezed into his apartment (because his door was that small). Angelica was the last one to come through. He didn't intend to say anything but they accidentally caught each other's eyes. For a long moment, they looked into each other's eyes before they both looked away awkwardly.
        
"I'm going to check on how the others are doing." Alex said a little too quickly. He walked away before she could speak. He knew it was cruel. He hadn't responded to any of her texts for over a week. Anytime he visited Eliza at her house, he would always suggest to go to a room away from Angelica. Of course, he didn't say it directly, but he could tell it hurt Angelica's feelings.
        
But then again, he wasn't comfortable being in the same room with her.
        
Not again.

One hour later...

"And then a man comes out of nowhere and attacks me!" Lafayette said with strong emotion. "But I quickly jabbed my elbow into his gut and backed away. He got up very fast. He was a strong man....but I was faster. You see the light in the forest was very dim so I was able to blend in easily. 
        
"When he had his back towards me, I made him drop and burned him up and scattered the remains" Lafayette threw his hands up dramatically and everyone clapped and laughed at his funny poses.
       
Angelica coughed. "Pardon me for intruding, Marquis, but this happened while you were training to be a soldier in Missouri?"
      
"Oui madame." He grinned. "I transferred to America for my freshman year of college. But then I realized that I wanted to serve this country and France with a soldier's heart."
        
"Yes that's great but can you tell me why this story seems a little... exaggerated?" Angelica questioned.
       
"Ooh she's one to you!" Laurens laughed.
        
"There's nothing to reveal miss Schuyler." The French man looked at her straight in the eyes. His eyebrows raised slightly, suggesting a challenge.
        
"You must tell me how you're so good at lying sir Lafayette." Angelica said with a slight smirk. "Missouri is a part of the Great Plains is it not?"
        
The others watched her with a look of confusion. What was she getting at?
        
"Then tell me, how is it that you were fighting in a forest?"
        
Immediately, his face flushed and everyone watched Angelica in awe. Peggy and Laurens screamed unnecessarily loud in their attempt to recreate the "Black People React" meme.
       
"How did you do that?" Lafayette asked her with curiosity.

"A woman has her ways." Angelica said mysteriously as she took a sip from her cup.

"Oh I like her." Lafayette said. "Alex, you keep Eliza. I'll have Angelica." He joked.

"I am a woman, not an object someone can own." Angelica said sharply.
        
After more banter, Alex looked in Angelica's direction and caught her eye. To her surprise, he didn't turn right away. She looked long enough to see that he was upset at her.

The last thing he wanted to do was talk to her. So that's exactly what she planned to do.

"Eliza dear," Angelica tapped her sister's shoulder. "Can I talk to your man for a minute?"

She ignored Alex's burning gaze on her.

Eliza nodded as if it was the most normal question in the world. "Sure! I needed to go to the restroom anyway. You guys can chat while you're waiting for me."
         
The three of them stood up and Alex showed his girlfriend the restroom which was conveniently in a hallway away from the rest of the group.

Now they were alone. At first there was no talking. Only silence. The only hint of noise was coming from Eliza's footsteps in the bathroom. It was becoming unbearable but neither of them wanted to speak first. Neither of them knew how to begin.

Finally Alex broke the silence. "You're a woman of words Angelica. What did you want to talk about?"

Angelica sighed. "Alexander you know what it is."

He didn't answer. So she tried again.

"Listen, I didn't mean for any of that to happen that night." Angelica started.

"Sh!" He interrupted. "The walls aren't that thick, Eliza could hear us!"

"Ok fine! Will that make you happy? If I shut up?" She snapped, but immediately regretted it. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to raise my voice."

"You seem to not mean to do a lot of things." He noted.
 
His words seemed to stab a hole in her heart.
         
"Alex please listen to me! I don't remember everything, but I remember enough to know that what I did was wrong. I should've been more responsible. I know. You would've known that too if you'd looked at my text messages."

Apparently that triggered him, because his shoulders tensed up and his face turned a little red.
         
"I'll admit, that was wrong on my behalf. But that doesn't excuse what you did. Do you know how many times I've wanted to tell Eliza about that night? But I didn't, because I still had some respect for you left and I didn't want to ruin your relationship with her. Even when she was asking me what was on my mind, I said it was nothing. But heck yes, it was something!"

Angelica was used to men being angry. It was their way of relieving their emotions. But she didn't expect it from Alex.
  
"I understand." She said through gritted teeth. "But that doesn't excuse your attitude."
         
"My attitude?" Alex looked like he was ready to cause a storm. "You freaking tried to seduce me in your own home!"
         
That felt like a slap on the face. "I did not and you know that very well Alexander! Do I look like a person to do that?" Angelica questioned. "You know I'm nothing like that but you just want someone to blame because you always do! You're never satisfied unless you win."

Alex couldn't believe his ears. "I thought I knew you. I knew you as charming and trustworthy. But I guess I was wrong."

Angelica looked up at him with eyes teemed with tears. Her look was so deadly, Alex was sure he would have that expression engraved in his mind forever. He knew from that one look that he had gone too far.

"I could say the same about you."

Right then, Eliza came out of the bathroom. Alex and Angelica didn't talk for the rest of the night.

*throws confetti of angst that no one asked for. YOU'RE WELCOME!! (Moana reference intended)