In the Eye of the Hurricane

Chapter 1

"What's the party for exactly?" Alex asked. He'd only been in America for a little over three months and there were two things he'd learned quickly. One, it didn't matter how who you were or where you came from, everyone in America like to party and lay off steam in one way or another; two, it was really cold. Like, unbearably cold.

Lafayette replied as they turned the corner, "Stress relief."

"Sounds good enough to me." He shouldered his collar further up around his ears while Laf strolled down the sidewalk with just a jacket on and his arms swinging by his sides, seemingly not phased by the weather at all. Laf had been in America almost precisely the same amount of time Alex had, yet he seemed to be already entirely accustomed to the hateful climate."I doubt you're going to get me to like this friend of yours."

Laf heaved an exaggerated sigh. "You have not met him yet, mon ami."

"He's in my debate class. He's too quiet," Alex said, remembering the tall boy in his class. He'd be in the back of class, reading a book and hardly saying a word, save for every once in a while he'd speak and that one time he absolutely destroyed Aaron. "How could someone like him possibly be popular and host a huge party? Money isn't exactly everything."

"He has his charms."

"If you say so." Alex looked up at his friend. "Is that coming from personal experience?"

Laf side-glance him before shrugging. "Oui." Alex snickered and Laf smirked. "His family was visiting France. He was a cute, shy American. How could I have resisted?"

"So chivalrous, Laf."

They turned up a walkway to a brick house and Alex faltered in his steps. Jefferson owns his own house? In New York City? Alex had researched apartments for rent in NYC (even though that would never be an open option for him) and the prices had been astounding. Owning your own house in this city?

Laf looked back to see Alex looking the house up and down. "Thomas comes from money, Alex. Please, don't look so shocked." Alex looked back and ran up to the door to catch up with Lafayette just as he pressed the doorbell. Alex thought he heard a faint tone from behind the door, but maybe that was just the music playing.

The door opened and John Laurens stood in the doorway with a drink in hand. "Finally made it!"

"Are you already drunk?"

John looked at his partially-filled glass as if trying to remember exactly how much he'd consumed. "No. Maybe two more drinks and I'll be there."

Warmth poured out of the open doorway and Alex shivered. "Gonna let us in or what?" He pretended to think about it before stepping aside.

Alex rushed in ahead of Laf, peeling off his coat and scarf now that he was in a safely warm environment. He looked around and found a closet with dozens of coats and managed to find a spare hanger for his things. He turned back to Laf, having put his own jacket up, who took his hand and dragged him head first into the mess of people. Music was playing loud enough that speaking any manner of quietly wasn't an option. People were either dancing or skipping around with a drink in hand. Two months into the school year and everyone's already reaching for a bottle.

"Where are we going?" he shouted to Laf.

John answered first, trailing just behind him. "Getting you a drink? Duh."

Alex looked around as his friend weaved through people and pulled him across the floor. The high ceiling gave way to a more conventional height and Alex almost tripped over the step into the room. They stopped in front of long granite counter with stools, one of which Laf claimed. Alex quickly hopped onto the one beside him, feeling like he'd get trampled if he stood anywhere near other people.