Eliza, Alexander, and the Great Commotion of Jefferson's Rude Invasion

Chapter XXV: Caught Up

Alex was sitting across the table from Eliza at lunch. And it seemed she was all he could focus on in that moment.

Her hair fell across her face, and she brushed it away, laughing at a joke that Lafayette told.

Her eyes flashed in the light of the sun coming through a window, revealing a deep joy.

He found himself transfixed by her beauty, and in that moment he knew what he wanted.

He had to ask her out.

•••

The rest of the day Alex had a nervous knot in his stomach.

Every time he saw Eliza he would almost go up to her to ask her out, but then he wouldn't have the courage.

By the end of the day he felt almost sick with anxiety, but he knew if he didn't do it he would regret it.

So, just as Eliza was walking out the school doors with Angelica, he mustered the courage and ran after her. He lightly tapped her shoulder and she turned to face him.

"Alex?"

He glanced at the ground. "Hey. . . Do you wanna, like, go to that new movie on Saturday or something?"

"Of course!"

Alex looked up to see Eliza with a huge smile on her face.

He smiled back. "Great. I'll pick you up around three? And then we can go to dinner afterwards."

"Great!" Eliza's smile grew even bigger. "I can't wait."

"Yeah." Alex smiled lightly at her, the joy in her face making him happier than he thought was possible.

"Well, I should go. . ." Eliza looked over her shoulder to where Angelica had been waiting.

Burr had come over to talk to her.

Eliza rolled her eyes. "Well, that could take a while."

Alex laughed. "I'll wait with you."

They talked together for a good fifteen minutes, until Burr waved goodbye to Angelica.

Then Eliza bid Alex goodbye and left with her sister.

When Alex turned around, he saw Lafayette off to the side, watching.

Alex walked over and called a hello, which was returned.

Lafayette was grinning as Alex approached, which made him narrow his eyes.

"What?" he asked, suspicious.

"Look at you," the other boy answered. "Catching yourself a girl, all by yourself."

Alex rolled his eyes. "I didn't catch her. I just asked her out."

"Whatever." Lafayette waved a hand in dismissal. "You're just too caught up in her to admit it."

Alex groaned. "Can you not?"

Lafayette laughed. "You know me too well to believe I would ever stop."

"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Where are the others?"

"Ice cream parlour. Where else?"

And so they headed off in that direction.

A/N: I wrote most of this this afternoon. Whoops. . .

Vote and comment if you're excited for the date!