Hush

Chapter 18: Poison Paradise

A/N: Sorry for the last chapter you guys, y'all know I love you. Here's finally the real one!

"What the in fucking shit!?" Kitty screeches. "I don't understand,"

"You see? This is why I said we shouldn't watch scary movies, we all end up with an existential crisis," Meade says calmly as he sipped his slushy, though I'm sure he was trying to make sense of what we just saw on his mind.

Hercules shrugs. "I don't even know, man. Girl was real one moment and the next she wasn't even there,"

"Oh c'mon guys, the movie was obviously about the effects of mass consumerism on Americans and how it's killing us," I say from my spot on the bench and all of my friends turn to stare at me.

"Literally fuck off Alexander," Eliza deadpans and I wink at her.

Angelica swallows a bunch of leftover popcorn she didn't finish at the theater. "He has a point though, cause if you think about it–"

As my friends keep conversing about the movie I lay back, listening to them. Maybe this doesn't completely make up for my neglect but it's a start, and that's okay.

"You good, Hammie?" Lafayette asks and I lean my head on his shoulder.

"Yeah," I say. "Just thinkin',"

"That movie was deep, right?"

I snort. "Hella," I pause. "We're good, right?"

Lafayette frowns. "Why wouldn't we be?"

I shrug. "Nothing, just- lowkey abandonment issues and all that jazz,"

My brother shifts on the bench and pulls me toward him to hug me. "We're absolutely bon,"

I squeeze him. "Great,"

And then,

"Hammie is that a hickey?"

I pull back. "Screw off, so what?" I say with no real bite.

He wiggles his eyebrows at me. "Who was it?"

I try to make something up on the spot, I mean I can't exactly tell him that John Laurens blew me behind the school the other day and that's why I have a hickey.

"Um," I hesitate. "You remember Cordelia Lott from my literature class?"

He gapes dramatically and I smack him on the arm. "You two together?" He asks and I quickly shake my head. I can't have Lafayette giving Cordelia The Talk™ when we haven't spoken in months.

"It's just a casual thing, don't bother her about it," I shrug and try to change the theme quickly, away from anything related to John. "Hey, how have things been going with that club leader of yours?"

"Adrienne?" He asks, I nod.

"You like her, right?" I singsong with a smirk.

Lafayette turns beet red and looks down. "Am I that obvious?"

I nod sincerely.

He sighs. "She's just so— wonderful, Alexander. I swear she steals my breath away. It's so silly,"

I push him affectionately. "It's not. Look, I think you should tell her—"

"No—"

"I'm sure your feelings will be returned, c'mon give it a try, Gil,"

He glares at me for a moment and then deflates.

Lafayette sighs defeated. "If it goes terribly wrong and I lose her friendship forever I am going to throw you off a cliff,"