"Freshie; three o'clock," I muttered in my sister's ear. It was a cool winter night, and it was evident in the chilly halls of Norton Manor. I took another sip of my scotch while she twisted in her seat to discover the object of my attention.
"What? What're you on abou-oy." I watched as her jaw dropped, taking in the intelligent eyes and hungry figure of the newest man in town. "Aye yai yai" She bit a portion of her lip as she raised an eyebrow in his direction. "Dibs."
"Not if I get there first!"
"No, Angelica, wait!" she hissed. However, it was much too late. I had already rushed quickly out of my seat, strolling over to such a man. He was engaged in conversation with one of many other men in the ballroom, and I sent a flirtatious wink this second man's way in order to send him running. Now alone, the newbie had no other place to look but at me.
"Evening." He tilted his glass of punch my way and looked me over with a clearly satisfied eye.
"Ah, I was wondering when you'd decide to speak to me. I'm Angelica Schuyler. Nice to make your acquaintance," I introduced myself.
"And I yours. They call me Alexander. Alexander Hamilton." There was a twinkle in his eye that caused me to suck in a sharp breath. His attire was decent, not more or less than was to be expected at a party such as the one in which we were in attendance.
"What you got there?" I nodded at the notebook in his hand with a small smirk, one barely noticeable unless you were seriously looking.
"Oh, this? It's nothing," he shrugged off.
"No, this is nothing." I pointed at a random place around us, one holding no materials within it and proving to be of little significance. "That is something that you wish to be nothing considering I've now asked questions about it. A discovery you're not quite so ready to share. Humor me. I'm curious as to exactly why that is."
"Your vocabulary and dialect are unlike most New Yorkers. I rather fancy your language," he attempted at subterfuge.
"The same could be said of you. Now, what's in the notebook?" Before he could again push aside my inquiries, I stole the very thing from his hands and turned away in order to glance through its contents. However, I found myself further intrigued upon realizing what those contents were.
"The abolishment of slavery. A home for orphans. I couldn't agree more." The words seemed to come to life more each time I read over them. "And not a bad scrawl at all for a… man." I purposefully placed emphasis on the word, being my feminist self, and I handed him the pad back. During all of this, his expression had grown smug and pleased with my admiration. "Don't get too cocky."
"Wouldn't dream of it, Your Majesty." He extended his hand to me openly and with the hope that I would take it. "Care to dance?"
"Well, I-" It was then that I remembered my sister. My eyes made their way to Eliza at a rapid pace, and I immediately saw the symbols of affection surrounding her head. Her eyes said it all. She was eyeing Hamilton the way I eyed chocolate cake and feminist movements-and if you don't know it yet, I eyed those an excessive amount. As she noticed me staring, her face turned downcast for just a moment before she smiled and sent me a thumbs-up. "I… " Her face spells it all out. You can't possibly do this to her. "I… have something better for you."
As we made our way over to Eliza, I began to convince myself that I was doing what was best for everyone involved. First of all, he obviously has no money. There's a tear in the left pocket of his blazer and a patch sewn into his pants. I have to have money in order to please my father, seeing as how I'm the oldest. There's no way my father would approve of the marriage. Secondly, he only wants me because of my last name. If that isn't the only reason, it certainly holds some credence over other factors. Perhaps that's the reason for my setting him up with Eliza. Lastly, I know Eliza better than I know myself. She'll say it's all fine and dandy, but inside she will be crushed. I'm not quite sure I could live with myself seeing the sadness in those eyes. It doesn't matter how I feel. She needs to be okay. "Oh." Eliza seemed startled as she fumbled to get out of her seat. Alexander only smiled and offered his hand to assist her. A match made in heaven, I thought sourly. "I'm Elizabeth Schuyler."
"Schuyler?" Hamilton puzzled.
"Indeed," Eliza nodded, pointing to me. "We're sisters," we added in unison.
"Yes, I see. Well, Miss Eliza, would you do me the honor of dancing with me?" I stifled a gag as he led her onto the dance floor.
"'Yes, I see. Well, Miss Eliza, would you do me the honor of dancing with me? My butt," I huffed as I impersonated him. They were just out of earshot, but I could still see their facial expressions of mutual happiness with an infinite level of clarity.
"Well, well, well. If it isn't Angelica Schuyler," I heard from somewhere to the left of me. I looked over and found Aaron Burr with a glass of whiskey in his hand.
"I would say it's nice to see you again, but I find that I don't particularly resonate with such an emotion upon the sight of you," I smiled sarcastically.
"It's okay to love me, Babe," he winked.
"Can it, Burr." I leaned against the bar with a sigh and continued downing my scotch. I saw Eliza bend over with laughter as Hamilton supported her with his hand.
Evidently, I couldn't contain my disgusted reaction to this because Burr next stated, "You look more miserable than I am when all of my relatives attend Thanksgiving feast at my home." I did my best not to do anything to tip him off, but I failed emphatically. "Ah, Hamilton's been swept off his feet. And by someone other than you, the one person you want it to be."
"Please stop talking." I smashed my glass on the bar behind me so harshly that glass shards flew from it in all directions.
"Relax. If I knew you liked Hamilton that much, I would have put a good word in for you when I last saw him," he laughed lightly.
"You two know each other?" I looked back and forth between the two of them with furrowed brows, causing Burr to laugh at me much harder and genuinely than at first.
"We've met. Don't look so surprised. Not everyone hates me as much as you appear to." He slid down the bar in order to get closer to me. I tilted my head in his direction to acknowledge this movement, and he whispered in my ear, "Wanna know a secret?" He paused for emphasis, continuing with, "Alexander isn't exactly Eliza's type. He's quite like you, actually."
"What do you mean by that?" I demanded.
"He's never satisfied."