Freckles, I like you a lot!

Chapter 3

Popcorn was dished out and everyone was having a good time. Alex started to warm up to the group, especially John Laurens.

About halfway through the third movie Alex excused himself, needing to use the restroom.

He finished washing his hands and re-entered his bedroom. Alex briefly stopped to look out the window when he saw a flash of lightning and moments after, the crackle of thunder.

Alex stiffened, then immediately dove to his bed and hid under the covers.

-FlAsHbAcK-

Alex traveled up the stairs from his musky basement to the outside with his mother. Houses were torn down, crops were strewn all over the ground. Alex watched as villagers came out from their basements. Babies and children cried, a hurricane had wrecked havoc in the village moments ago.

Alex's mother held him tight. "At least we're okay," she assured.

"Father left in the middle of that storm," Alex said "we might never see him again."

"You're okay, which is all that really matters."

-EnD fLaShBaCk-

"Where is Alex?" Laurens asked.

"I think he's still upstairs," Aaron replied.

"I'm going to go check on him," Laurens announced "it's been 20 minutes.

Laurens ran upstairs and knocked on the door that used to be the guest room. "Alex?" Laurens called out "I'm coming in."

When Laurens opened the door he immediately heard sobs coming from under the blankets on Alex's bed. He raced over and tore off the covers. There Alex was, curled into a ball and sobbing. Laurens held Alex with his arms and sat on the bed, he let Alex cry into his shoulder.

"What's wrong, Alexander?" Laurens asked after 5 minutes. Alex aggressively shook his head, nobody needed to know. His breathing slowed down as Laurens soothingly rubbed circles on Alex's back.

Aaron barged into the room "Are you coming do-" he started, then noticed Alex's quiet sobs and hiccups.

"What's wrong?" Aaron crossed the room and laid his head in Alex's lap. Laurens had pulled Alex to his chest.

"I think he had a panic-attack," Laurens told Aaron "I found him like this." Laurens gave Aaron a questioning look, what was he doing?

"Oh," Aaron said "I think the best thing we can do for him is be there whenever he needs it," Laurens nodded in agreement.

The teens noticed that Alex had now started to softly snore. Aaron carefully got up. "I'll tell the others that you and Alexander won't be back for awhile," Aaron left the room and went back to tell the group. Laurens laid his chin on Alex's head and fell asleep too.

Downstairs Aaron told everyone that they may not be back for a bit.

"Are they making out?" Peggy excitedly asked.

"Of course not!" Angelica corrected "They just met, are you stupid?"

"Ever heard of a one-night stand?" Eliza mischievously suggested.

Ladies," Lafayette objected "Laurens isn't like that."

"How do you know?" Hercules challenged.

"Well why don't we just go check?" Aaron proposed. The room went quiet. Everyone exchanged glances and slowly got up. Peggy got out he phone for blackmail, 'innocent pictures, actually' as she put it.

Six teens crept into Alex's room. Peggys phone flashed as she took pictures.

"I told you they weren't making out," Angelica murmured.

"They're snuggling," Eliza shot back "it's close enough."

"Guys," Aaron said "let's leave them be and go to sleep too."

"Aaron!" Hercules protested as they went back to the entertainment room. "It's only 7 o'clock."

"Sleep is for the weak," Lafayette agreed "plus, we haven't finished the movie yet."

"You only want to watch it because it's Naruto now," Angelica demurred while looking for the remote. "You're such a freaking weeaboo, Laf!"

"Am not, mon ami!" Lafayette barked.

"Are too!" Angelica yelled. The two went back and forth for what seemed like forever.

"Do turtles wear bikinis?" Peggy asked.

"What?" Lafayette questioned.

"It's almost Laurens' birthday," Peggy informed as if that explained everything.

"So you're gonna get a bikini for one of his turtles?" Aaron laughed.

"Preferably for Shelly," Peggy confirmed seriously.

"Weirdo," Eliza muttered under her breath.

"Excuse me?' Peggy demanded, grabbing a pillow off of the floor and flinging it at Eliza. The pillow hit her in the face, knocking her to the ground.

"Pillow fight!" Angelica announced. Eliza forgave Peggy and teamed up with her. Hercules and Lafayette created a team, which left Aaron to team up with Angelica.

At 8:30 they all collapsed, exhausted.

"Me and Peggy totally won!" Eliza bragged.

"No way!" Angelica protested "it was definitely Aaron and I."

"Eliza," said Aaron "Your grammar is wrong."

"Grammar Nazi," Eliza grumbled.

"Who's up for round two?' Hercules grinned.