Forbidden || Hamgelica

Trois

"Wow ... Eliza, you found yourself a real nice guy ... have you talked to him?" She was sweating, trying to fake smile at least. The response was quite a relief, yet more of a problem. "I haven't-"

Peggy, thankfully, had seen their dance, and changed the topic, saving her sister. "I found someone! He's tall, French, has a hell of a beard-"

"Lafayette? Oh my god you'll be comfortable in France your whole life if you get lucky! Ahhh make sure to send us clothes! I heard the French are the best designers!" Angelica said, winking a thank you to her sister. "Lafayette? Really Peggy? Papa will never agree to you marrying royalty!" Eliza said, jealous of her sister.

"Who said I needed Papa's permission," Peggy said, checking her hair, leaving Eliza with a disgusted look, "If I wanted his permission I wouldn't have even spoken to the man. Much less have gotten him infatuated." Peggy said, skipping away.

She left Angelica and Eliza, all alone, loving the same man. "One moment Eliza, I danced with him, I can bring him over to you." She said, walking away. Eliza looked so helpless, so in love, without having even talked to him yet. She watched her sister grab her hand as he eagerly followed Angelica.

"Where are you taking me?" He said with a light smirk. "I'm about to change your life," she said, forcing herself to be happy as she dragged him over, "My sister." She pointed to Eliza.

"Eliza Schuyler, it's a pleasure to meet you." Eliza blushed the slightest. Angelica couldn't take this anymore. "I'll leave you to it...." she walked away to sit down and pull out her hairs as she thought about Alexander.

She heard their voices, Alexander's voice felt forced too. That gave her a little sigh of relief.

Eliza on the other hand was blushing to death, convinced this guy was the one she should marry. He on the other hand felt forced into the one on one. He hoped Angelica was going to take him somewhere for the two of them, not take him to her sister.

"What's your name Sir ...?"

"I'd prefer not to say the name."

"You told Angelica though ... why not tell me?"

"You'll find out some shit you shouldn't know. Some shit I don't want to tell." He said as Eliza gave him a confused look.

"You told Angelica ...."

"Which doesn't mean I'll tell you. Please Eliza. Let me keep my secrets."

They continued a conversation, Eliza trying pretty hard, as Angelica danced with John Laurens, Aaron Burr, she could list at least seven more names. She was too tired to dance anymore. Catching Peggy taking the Marquis to a corner was something she could bear looking at.

But she couldn't look at Alex and Eliza. She'd see how happy her sister was and she'd cry. Cry as hard as possible. She couldn't take it, but Eliza would always be more important than herself. Her job was to sacrifice until her dying breath.

Even if it meant she could never be happy.

She couldn't be happy if she had to do her duty this time. She could never. She was going to do it. She'd find another guy, even if it meant running back to-

That was when she saw him. Him. The man she'd dumped and left years ago was back. She looked like she'd seen a monster. And the monster was headed straight for her. Her worst nightmare was coming true.

She was internally screaming while he smirked and stood next to her. "My Angel~"

"I'm not yours. And it's Angelica to you."

"Very well then, Angelica, would you like to dance?"

"How about no. Would you like to shut the fuck up and walk away? Or shall I hit you so you fly away instead?"

At this point, people were staring, and Angelica prayed her father wouldn't notice. "And how do you expect a lady to hurt a man?" He said, angering the feminist Angelica even more.

"Some women," she started, raising the punch ladle at him. "Some women, let me rephrase that, women who aren't afraid, could whoop your ass to Hell and back in a corset and high heels." She said, hitting him on the head with the ladle.

He was angry, and quickly whipped up the courage to slap her. She wasn't so happy with this, so she flipped him over onto the ground. Alexander was staring at her dreamily, while Eliza had decided to take action.

He and Angelica continued their fight, Angelica hurting him harder every time. "Angelica! Stop this right now!" Phillip said, running in with Eliza. "If you continue to behave like this towards potential suitors, I'll never get you married!"

"First of all, I don't want to get married. Why do you need to make me?! Secondly, if you knew this man, you'd join me in this fight."

"Against you. Maybe I should get you married to this guy. No. He'd never take you. You're not a lady at all. I'm so ashamed of you."

"Like I care. The only person who needs to love me is myself. Hell, if you want me to get married, just let me marry myself!" She shook her head and walked out.

Alexander ran after her, and they met on the roof. "You were perfect out there!" He smiled at her and put his hand on hers, which was rested on the balcony fencing.

"Thanks Alexander. You're a lot better than ... those two. Typical men."

"I know that guy. That's why I cheered you on from the corner. He's my enemy, Thomas Jefferson. How do you know him?"

"If I tell you, you'll hate me. I shouldn't. Peggy's the only one who knows a thing, I can't burden you with a secret, along with being burdened with a war."

"Ange, I'm great with secrets. It's no burden at all. You can tell me anything."

"I was his mistress. And he proposed to me."

"And you refused him?"

"Obviously. Nobody can know. It'd ruin everything my family's built."

"I'll keep it as secret as secrets get ... you should know that your past doesn't change the future. And now, Thomas is my enemy in the wars of love too!" He laughed the slightest, Angelica seemed a bit confused.

Was he interested in her or her sister? Or did he know she liked him and was saying this out of sympathy?

"If it makes you feel any better about Jefferson coming back into your life, I could tell you about a woman I've been avoiding today ..."

"Go ahead, Alexander, if you'd like to spill."

"Catherine Livingston, an old friend who's father helped me come in to America from the West Indes. Then he suggested a match between me and his daughter, to elevate me into the political world. I refused, knowing she wasn't right for me. And Catherine, well she does everything her father says, she was prepared to marry me, even though we didn't like each other."

"Catherine Livingston? I know her, we're close family friends ... Oh! I remember now! Your eyes aren't just Jefferson's, they're yours! That's how I recognized you! I was that girl who'd come to the house once a week to study with Kitty!"

"You were the hot girl who was friends with Kitty?!"

"Obviously!"

"So we do know each other! Then I suppose," He blushed a little bit. "It wouldn't be to early for this." He leaned in and she eagerly kissed him. She relished the moment, yet prayed Eliza wouldn't see the two.

She eventually pulled away, and whispered, "I'll see you soon ... don't forget to write ..." and walked away, a large smile on her face, to go join her sister, leaving Alexander flustered, yet way too happy.

As Angelica walked into the carriage, she felt more confident than ever. She was actually happy, yet seeing her sister's face smitten, she was guilty. And guilt can bring anyone down quickly...