alexander
I showered and changed into some warm clothes, heading back to the dorm. I walked in and saw John playing with his turtle. "So," I started. He turned around to face me, holding the little turtle in his hands. "Are Lafayette and Hercules coming over?" I asked.
He nodded. "Burr too. They'll be over in just a bit. Burr's on the first floor and the other two on the fifth."
I just nodded and sat on my bed. He put the turtle back in the tank and got some hand sanitizer. "Hey, are you okay?"
"Huh? Oh, y-yeah I'm fine. Just a little shaken up I guess from the storm."
"It'll pass." He rubbed my shoulder.
"Yeah."
There was a soft knock on the door. John went to open it, and Lafayette and Hercules walked in, saying their 'hello's and sitting on John's bed. "How did you guys handle the storm last night?" Hercules asked. John and I looked at each other.
"Slept right through it," I lied. John nodded.
"Yeah I was out before the thunder started. You know me, I can sleep through anything."
"We know," Lafayette chuckled.
"It was a hell of a storm though. I swear I thought the building was gonna collapse," Hercules laughed. "So what's the plan for today?"
"Oh, I-I thought we'd just stay here," John said.
"But it's raining outside! Can't miss that," he replied.
"Yeah but A- I-I mean, it's not like you haven't seen rain before guys." Lafayette leaned over and whispered something in John's ear and then in Hercules'. I felt massively out of place. "Alright okay. We'll meet you guys downstairs in five." And they got up and left. I panicked.
"But I-"
"Relax. It'll be just like last night, walking around town."
"It wasn't pouring last night."
"C'mon Alex, live a little."
"I'm not going outside."
"I'll be right by your side. We all will be. C'mon, Alex. Nothing's gonna happen to you. I promise."
I sighed. "Fine, fine. But I don't have a raincoat." He handed me his jacket, the one I used last night. "John I-"
"I have plenty of jackets. I'll be fine. You might want to change." I looked down at my clothes. I still looked like I was in pajamas so I did change in a long sleeve shirt and jeans. I tied up my hair and put on the jacket, that still smelt like him. He changed into some warmer clothes and pulled a hoodie on. "C'mon."
I followed him down the stairs and to the front of the building.
"You really going out there Hamilton?"
I turned around and saw Charles hunched over the counter. "W-What?"
"It's pouring. You sure your friends are actually going to help you out there?"
"Wh-"
"Leave him alone Lee. C'mon Alex, let's go." John grabbed my arm and we went outside. It wasn't raining as hard as it had been earlier, but it was still raining hard.
"John, what did Charles mean by that?" I asked. He shook his head.
"Don't listen to him, Charles is just an asshole. A grade A douchebag. He's just trying to pick a fight."
"But it's almost like he knew-"
"I said don't listen to him!"
I looked down, fiddling with the bottom of the jacket. "Sorry," I whispered.
"It's okay. I shouldn't have yelled at you. It's not your fault. C'mon, let's enjoy the rain." He took my hand and placed it on his forearm. I wrapped my other hand around it too. We walked over to the three boys sitting on a bench. Burr bracing it under a hood of a raincoat, and the other two huddled under a bright yellow umbrella. Lafayette smiled at John.
"So what now?" I asked.
"We usually go to the park when it's like this," Burr stated. "They'll run around and I make sure no one dies."
I chuckled but some part of me felt like he wasn't joking. "So let's go," I smiled. John gave me a weird look.
"In a taxi," he said. I just shrugged.
So we waited for a taxi and took one to the nearest park. I didn't know what to do, So I just sat on the bench next to Aaron. "Must be fun," I muttered.
"Surprised you're not with them. Everything okay?"
"I don't really like rain," I admitted.
"Then why'd you agree to come?"
"Because I like John." I think he was waiting for me to correct myself, deny that the feelings were romantic, but I didn't.
"Really?"
"Last night we went to go see Phantom of the Opera. We were really open. Um... He... Well when the storm was really close, we were both in my bed. He was trying to keep me calm. And this morning I was awake but I didn't want to move so I just laid there and... He kissed the top of my head."
Aaron stayed in silence. "I think you should go over there with them." I looked at him.
"What? Why?"
"Just go."
I stood up, he smiled at me, and I jogged over to them. They were messing around like little kids. I laughed. "Alexander!" Lafayette shouted. I walked over to them.
"Thought you were going to be the new mom friend," John teased. I chuckled.
"What are you guys doing?"
"Just throwing a ball someone left here."
"Can I join?"
"Can you catch?"
"Maybe not with this jacket on, but without it, probably better than you," I said.
"Oh, is that a challenge?" John laughed.
"You bet." I took the jacket off and handed it to Laf. John have the ball to Hercules and he took steps back.
"First one to 15 wins! Laf, keep track!"
Hercules gripped the football and chunked it. John and I ran, and I caught it. We kept going until we were both tied at 14. We both were drenched and had mud covering our pants. Hercules threw the ball one last time and it went farther than any one before. We both ran at full speed and I was able to outrun John just enough to stick my hands out and catch it. John slipped, and because he was so close to me, he took me down with him. He towered over me as we were both laughing hard and trying to catch our breath. I looked up at him and wiped some mud off his face.
"I won," I said breathlessly. He chuckled and wiped the mud off my cheek. We laid there, breathing heavily and staring at each other.
Then he leaned down and kissed me. I wrapped my hand around his neck and kissed back. The kissed tasted sweet, like rain and sugar. Like a candy you could eat for days on end. I pulled back slowly. He got off me and sat next to me. I looked over at him. His hair was socking wet and slick down to his shoulders. Mine was probably the same. I reached out for his hand. He looked back at me and smiled, putting my hand on his forearm, making me slid a little. I moved a little closer. I kissed his cheek swiftly. He turned red. "Alex," he started. Oh no. Was he going to say he didn't really like me? I mean he just kissed me but... Maybe it was a one time deal. An in-the-moment thing. "I really like you," he said softly. I could barely hear him over the rain pounding against the mud puddles.
"You do?"
"Yeah... I wanted to kiss you last night at the theatre, but... I was afraid," he said, rubbing the back of his neck. John Laurens, afraid?
"I felt you kiss me this morning," I stated. He peeked and looked at me.
"You did?"
"I wasn't really asleep."
He laughed nervously. "Oh. I-I know I shouldn't have but..."
"It's okay."
"Okay."
We staying in silence for a bit.
"Y-You better not get sick," he said. I laughed a bit. He turned me toward him gently with his hand on my cheek. I leaned forward and kissed him, my hand sliding up his arm and around his neck.
"Hey lovebirds!" Aaron shouted. I pulled back quickly and turned red.
"Shut up!" John shouted back. We got up and wiped as much mud as we could off of ourselves and then walked over to Hercules and Laf, who gave me the jacket back, but by now was of no use. It didn't even smell like John anymore. The rain drowned it out.
"It looks like it's not going to get any lighter. Maybe we should head back. I could use a nap," John said.
"Yeah, let's go," Aaron said.
We caught a taxi back to the dorm building and walked back up the stairs, our shoes squishing beneath us with every step. I shivered, and grabbed a towel and some warm clothes. "I'm going to go take a shower, get all this mud off. I can take your clothes to the washing room too, clean 'em up real quick," I said. John shook his head.
"Don't worry about it."
"John," I said. He looked down at me.
"It's fine."
"Okay. But there better not be mud on anything."
I went and took a nice warm shower. I dried my hair and tied it up. I went to the laundry room to wash the mud off my clothes and then shoved them in the dryer. When they were done and nice and warm, I headed back up to our dorm. John was sitting on his bed, wearing a loose shirt and some sweatpants. I sat down on my bed and curled up in my blankets. "So, tonight was, uh, eventful," he said.
"Definitely," I replied.
"Would you, uh... Want to go out with me?" he asked. It caught me off guard.
"What?"
"I-I really like you Alexander. Will you go on a date with me? If it sucks, you can hate me forever, but if it's not, maybe there could be another date in our future..."
"I'd like that," I smiled. He smiled back at me. I walked over to him and sat on his bed. He kissed my forehead and I wrapped my arms around his neck and kissed him. I pulled back slowly. "Maybe you should wash all the mud out of your hair before it dries," I suggested.
"Yeah, that's a good idea. I'll be back. You've got a great date coming your way. How's Friday?"
"John, I'm free this whole week."
"Great!" And he left. I laid down on his bed. It was warm and smelled like him. I found myself burrowing in his blankets, curling up into a little ball to stay warm. I felt my eyes closing involuntarily. But I didn't want sleep, I wanted John. I tried to keep myself awake as I waited for him to come back.
Soon enough, he did. His hair was towel dried, and he looked incredibly warm. He looked at me on his bed. "I'm guessing you're going to be sleeping here, yeah?" I nodded. He chuckled and dried his hair a bit more before sitting down on the bed by my feet. I sat up and leaned against his shoulder.
He wrapped his arm around me and kissed my temple. I kissed his cheek and then laid back down. He started rubbing circles on my back before laying down himself. "Don't sleep too long, okay?" he said. I sneezed in reply. "I told you not to get sick Alexander."
"You're the idiot that was playing in the rain," I teased. He rolled his eyes and kissed my forehead.
"Sleep it off," he said. I kissed his chin then turned over and curled up so I could fall asleep. His arm wrapped around me and I felt warm and safe. I could still hear the rain pouring like I was under it, but I felt okay.