Counterpoint

Chapter 6

Alexander

   I sit down at my desk and am shuffling through the papers that I had neglected to take home with me the night before. Though I suppose that it wouldn't necessarily be considered neglect since I never went home last night. Considering the fact that I wasn't allowed to go home last night. My two cups of coffee are set along the far side of my desk, far away from me and my clumsy ass arms that would spill it all over my desk and all of these papers that I don't have the time to reprint. My computer begins to play the Skype ringtone and I can't help but groan in annoyance. 

   I pull my laptop over to me and see that the one interrupting me is none other than Lafayette. A  small smile dawns on my lips as I answer the call. It has been at least a month since I have last talked to Lafayette or heard his voice. Ever since he has gone back home to France it has proven to be increasingly difficult to keep in touch with him, but now that he is calling me I hope to fix that.

   "Bonj- wow you look like hell." 

   "Quite a greeting you got there Laf." I reply in french with a sigh, the words flowing smoothly. "It's nice to see you too." 

   "Sorry." He leans forward and looks at me intently. "But Alex you really look like you have been through some serious shit." 

   "There you go again with the flattering language." I reply sarcastically.

   "Again...sorry." He frowns. "The storm was that bad last night, huh?"

   "I was able to get a few ho-" My eyes narrow as I look at my friend who is giving me a smile that seems almost too perfect to be genuine. "Wait a second. How did you know that it was storming last night Gilbert?"

   "Really?" He groans. "Why did you have to use my first name?" 

   "Laf." I glare. "How did someone in Paris know that it was raining in New York City?"

   "I like to keep tabs on my friends." 

   "You like to keep tabs on the weather that is going on around your friends? You're going to have to come up with a better lie than that."He rolls his eyes in response and remains silent. "Were you talking to someone in New York?" I ask curiously, a teasing smile glowing on my face. "Was Gilbert the lonely Marquis getting all lovey dovey on Skype last night?"

   "Ha! Hardly!" He scoffs. "Jefferson is a friend and nothing more." 

   "Wait, you were talking to Jefferson?" he falls silent and looks like he just swallowed his own tongue. "When did the two of you become friends?" 

   "It was a while back." He says with a smile that doesn't quite meet his eyes. "Not long at all." 

   "Laf," I snap. "Be honest with me." 

   "We became friends when he was working here in France." He confesses quietly. 

   "So you two have been friends for three years?" I ask with a frown. "Thanks for telling me, you ass." 

   "Don't be mad at me Mon Ami." He sighs. "Just because the two of you don't get along doesn't mean that he and I can't be cordial with one another." 

   "I think you are past being cordial." 

   "Alex, mon ami, there is no need for you to be jealous." 

   "I'm not jealous!" I snap. "I just think its a bit suspicious that you were talking to him on the night that he invited me to stay with him!" 

   "Yeah, I heard about that." I glare at him in response. "Hey, don't look at me like that, I had absolutely nothing to do with that." 

   "I know you didn't, I'm sorry, I'm sorry." My voice gets quieter with every word. "I'm just exhausted." 

   "I know you are." Laf replies softly. "I would say to go back to Thomas's and sleep but I know you." 

   "Yeah," I laugh. "and it's not exactly like I could just tell Thomas to take me back to his house. I hate feeling like I am encroaching upon his space."

   "Why?" Laf asks curiously, leaning back in his chair as he looks at me curiously. 

   "I don't know. I just feel guilty about it...like I'm being a burden." 

   "Alex," He says softly. "That is the exhaustion talking." I give a quiet laugh. "Trust me, I think Thomas was just as grateful you were there last night as you were grateful to have a place to sleep." 

   "Why would he be grateful that I was there?" I ask confusedly.

   "Call it a feeling." Lafayette says with a shrug and a smile, the dreaded combination he uses whenever he knows something and has no intention of sharing.

   "You know, I hate it when you do that."

   "I don't know what you mean." He replies with a playful smirk.

   "Yeah, sure you don't you french bastard." 

   "Hey, I am your french bastard, remember that." I can't help but laugh in response and he smiles at me warmly. "Don't over exert yourself Alex. Seriously, try to take it easy." 

   "I'll be fine Laf." I chuckle. "Talk to you later?" 

   "Absolutely." 

   "See you later Laf." 

   "Au revoir." I exit skype and roughly rub at my eyes. Exhaustion is just a state of mind. I can get through it and then when I get to wherever I am going to sleep tonight I will sleep like the dead. That is my plan, just get through today. Someone knocks on the doorframe of my office and I look up and see the amber colored eyes of Jefferson peering in at me. 

   "We have a meeting." He says simply.

   "Got it." I rise out of my chair and grab the papers that I assume will be necessary for the meeting. 

   "Are you going to be able to make it?"

   "What are you talking about Jefferson?"

   "You look like you are about to pass out at any second." 

   "I'm fine, mind your own business Jefferson." 

   "Well you passing out on the way to the meeting is kind of my business." He says with a shrug. "I don't want to be accused of any foul play." I narrow my eyes as I look him over suspiciously. Now that I know that he and Lafayette were talking last night I am beginning to grow a bit anxious about what Lafayette took the liberty of telling Jefferson last night. Jefferson looks at me curiously. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

   "You spoke to Lafayette." 

   "I have." he replies confusedly. "I have spoken to him on several occasions." 

   "You spoke to him last night." I snap. 

   "I did." He crosses his arms. "Is there a problem?"

   "What did he tell you?"

   "Why? Is there something interesting I should know?" he asks with a grin.

   "Forget it." I snap as I brush past him and rush down the hall to the conference room. It doesn't take long for Jefferson to catch up with me and match my stride. What did Laf mean when he said that Jefferson was just as grateful for me being there as I was? I hate it when he alludes to something but never offers you anything concrete. Whatever, it's nothing to be focusing on right now. I walk into the conference room and take my seat as far away from Jefferson as I can get and keep my eyes trained on my papers. Just get through today and everything will be fine. 

   Just get through today and nothing else will matter.