Our Shot (LAMS school au)

Chapter 17: The First Date

Alex's POV
A few days later

Me and Eliza had our first date that night. We were meeting up for dinner at a local Asian restaurant, and I was planning on meeting her there. For now, however, I was in the midst of the struggle of picking out clothes to wear.

My wardrobe was dismal, but luckily my dorm mates were kind enough to chip in articles of their own. I had borrowed nice slacks and a dress shirt; I didn't think I had bothered to dress this nice since my mother's funeral. Anyway, after I had changed in the bathroom, I stepped out to see if the guys approved.

Hercules wolf-whistled immediately, and I burst out laughing. "Tu as l'air bien," Lafayette said to me, sitting on his top bunk.

"Merci Laf," I replied, looking over myself, "What do you think, John?"

He had been silently sitting in his bottom bunk, reading, that entire time. "Hmm?" He asked dismissively, not taking his eyes off the words in front of him.

"What do you think," I repeated, gesturing to the clothes, and he looked up.

He was silent, looking me up and down. He pursed his lips, as though he was struggling to keep from spitting something out, but eventually he recovered and returned his reading. "You look nice," was all he said, but then continued after a brief pause: "Is this your first date or something?"

I froze a bit, but then shrugged. To that apparently unspoken fact, it seemed, the other two in the room seemed more that honored to offer their own compilation of dating advice.

"Remember to open the door for her!"

"And compliment her on what she's wearing!'

"You're gay, Herc."

"So? I've gone on dates before."

"Touche."

"Guys!" I interrupted the two, "Thanks for the clothes... and advice, but I should probably go."

"Good luck!" I heard Hercules and Lafayette chime as I closed the door, and as I left I saw Laurens still residing in his bed with his textbook; as soon as our eyes met he returned to it.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Friday, September 8th

6:00 pm

Alexander: Hey Eliza, I'm waiting outside the restaurant, are you on your way?

Eliza: Yeah! Sorry, I'm waiting inside. I got here a bit early and got us a table.

Alexander: Cool! I'm on my way in.

When I met Eliza at our table, I immediately heeded Hercules' advice. "You look nice," I told her, smiling, as I sat down, and she smiled back.

Her hair was in a side braid down her right shoulder, and she was in long red sundress. I was glad I had taken the advice of my friends and not under-dressed. "You look pretty handsome yourself," she joked back, and I thought it a good start.

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -(Sorry for all the time skips, but I'm lazy af and I need to move this along)

"....that was the last time Angelica and I ever went skinny dipping," Eliza finished her story animatedly, and by that time we were both laughing loudly.

"That has to be one of the greatest stories I have ever heard," I managed, snickering, "I would very much like to meet your sisters soon."

She nodded. "Of course," she explained, "I've known Hercules, Laurens, and Gilbert for as long as I can remember, as have my sisters.We hang out all the time."

"Who's Gilbert?"

"Lafayette?"

"His first name is Gilbert?"

"You didn't know?"

"We just call him Laf."

At this she laughed. "So how are you enjoying school so far?" She asked, "It's probably much more different than school in the Caribean."

I shook my head. "I wouldn't know," I explained, "I was self-taught."

She scoffed lightly. "Amazing," she mumbled to herself, "You are amazing, Alex. How did your roommates react when you told them about... all that? Did they cry as well?" She asked, referring to her own reaction at the telling of the story of my childhood.

"Actually," I began, "I never told them. I'd rather keep it between us, if you don't mind."

"And Burr," she added jokingly, and I shrugged.

"You know, I'll never understand that guy," I steered the subject.

"He's an interesting person," she agreed, "with interesting values and an interesting personality."

A brief silence ensued in which we both had a bit more of our food, until I decided to inquire as to something I hadn't cared to ask anyone else. "Eliza," I started, and she looked back up at me while taking a sip of her drink, "What does pansexual mean?"

She almost spit a bit of her drink back into her glass, but managed not to and composed herself again. "Um, w-why do you ask?"

"Well, Laf said it to me once, and I hadn't known what it meant. I didn't want to ask anyone else."

She nodded quickly, as if suddenly understanding the reason for my sudden question. "Lafayette is pansexual," she confirmed, "And that means... well it means... well it's hard to explain. I suppose it means that when you like someone, it doesn't matter to you whether they are a boy or girl, they're just... them. Does that make sense?"

I nodded. "It's an interesting concept," I admitted, "I was never familiar with all of these terms; back on Nevis you did what you liked, and as long as you were a decent guy no one butted into anyone's business."

"Sounds like a nice place," she admitted quietly, "I know a lot of people that would love to live in a place where they wouldn't be labeled right away by their sexuality."

Hmmm, I hummed. "Why does it matter so much here?" I wondered aloud.

Eliza shrugged. "People think that other people should do what they believe is right, and when they, say, LGBTQ people, refuse to conform for the majority, that's when all hell breaks loose."

I was silent and still for a moment, but then nodded, and continued to work on my dinner. This time, it was Eliza who broke the silence.

"Don't take this the wrong way, Alex, but tell me the truth; are you gay?"