A/N

Guys, don't worry! Thomas is back in this chapter.

The love triangle is STILL going.

:::

"."

- (Guess what).

:::

Weeks by weeks passed, flitting by quicker than a deer out of a car's way. Thomas simply ignored Angelica now, which she couldn't say didn't hurt. She had liked Thomas for a while, and everyone knew now that he had liked her. But maybe liking wasn't enough. Maybe — he had hoped to get serious with her.

And now he was just fed up with chasing his tail.

It struck Angelica raw, to think that maybe she was just that heartless. But at the same time, she was Glad that she was now on speaking terms with Alexander again. Although they found themselves going numb and silent every time Eliza came into the picture.

The two of them would be having a conversation, and then out of nowhere Eliza would come bouncing in and she'd hook an arm around Alexander's waist. And then they would be fighting to keep out the awkward silence.

"Oh — hey, Maria! Wait up!" Eliza called across the hallway to her Friend, the week before the Winter Dance. She unhooked her arm from Alexander's waist and kissed his cheek. "That's my ride to Physics. Catch you at lunch?"

"Yeah. Definitely," Alexander said, his voice so strained it was definitely awkward.

"Great," Eliza smiled and her eyes lit up like stars. She averted her smile towards Angelica and waved at the both of them. "See you guys."

"See you, junior," Angelica called, waving back.

As soon as Eliza was out of sight, Angelica's smile dropped. She turned to look at Alexander and found that his gaze was already locked intensely on her.

"We have to do something," Angelica said, all serious. "And I mean it this time. I know we have feelings for each other — but we can't just keep stealing kisses while you're with Liza."

"You're right," Alexander said.

"It's not fair to her!" Angelica found tears threatening at the backs of her eyes as she said this. "I know my Sister like I know my own freaking mind, and God help me, I've never known anyone as trusting or as kind as her. And what if —" Angelica found that her hands were shaking "— what if she ..."

"Hey, hey, hey — easy now," Alexander reached out and grabbed hold of both her hands, to stop them from shaking. He tucked them both into a steel grip. "Take it easy, okay? We will tell her. Don't worry."

Angelica didn't answer. Just stared at him through a black cloud of worry.

"It's going to be okay," he said, softer, reassuring. His grip loosened slightly on her hands, his thumbs drawing unconscious circles on her skin.

Angelica had to pull away, before she could fall into it.

"Alex," she said, her voice contorted into warning and accusing and longing. "Not here."

He didn't look at her, "Right, right. Sorry," he reached up and pressed his hands to his face, smoothing back his dark hair. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay," Angelica whispered. "Let's just go to class now."

"Yeah, sure."

Alexander pushed his locker door shut, and they headed down the hall, walking at least five feet away from each other while trying (and failing) not to catch the other's eye. When they locked gazes for the third time in the past five minutes, Angelica had to crack a smile. Alexander cracked one back.

They headed into their separate classrooms.

We really need to work something out, she thought.

:::

They didn't work something out.

They tried to, but whenever they were given the opportunity to tell Eliza, neither of them could sum up the courage to do it.

How would she react? What do we expect to get out of it?

What if we get nothing out of it?

Just the heartless realisation that we broke her heart?

Alexander and Angelica's feelings for each other stayed a secret, right up until the night of the Winter Dance.

:::

"Hey, guys?" Peggy's voice rang across the room, towards where Angelica and Eliza were applying last minute makeup. "I need your opinion on something!"

"Sure, Peg," Eliza replied, fluffing out her straight black hair around her as she looked into the mirror. "Opinion on what?"

Angelica didn't answer. She thought about maybe suggesting IT now. Perfect time, right? They were mostly alone. Better to get it over and done with.

She stole a glance at her Sister again. Eliza was touching on a layer of lipgloss.

"Hey, sis?" Angelica said.

"What?" Peggy shouted back, irritable.

"No, not you! Eliza."

Eliza looked up at her name, "Hey," She pursed her clutch closed. "What's up?"

Angelica could have said it.

She could have told her about Alexander, and unleash her chest from the weight it was carrying, which now seemed she could carry right to her grave.

"Can you, like," she turned around so that her bare back was facing her Sister, zipper undone. "Do my zipper?"

"Sure."

"Thanks," was the small reply that escaped the older Schuyler Sister's mouth. She felt the fitting pink bodice tighten around her torso, tugging on the neckline so that it cut right around her throat.

Damn you, Angelica. Damn you for being such a bloody coward that you can't face your own Sister.

"Okay," the sound of shuffling feet around the corner of the room brought both Sister's attention to the doorway, where Peggy stood holding up two dresses - one banana yellow, and one mustard yellow. They were both the same style, fitting with a heart neckline and flowing skirts. The mustard dress was coated with glitter.

"Which one?" She asked.

"Mustard," Angelica blurted.

"No, banana," Eliza snapped back, turning accusing eyes on her Sister. "Are you blind?"

"No, but I do have a soft spot for glitter," Angelica answered.

"Guys, I'm going with mustard," Peggy said, in which Eliza just sighed. The youngest Schuyler Sister tossed down the dresses and picked up two pairs of shoes, one pair banana yellow and the other a glittery mustard. "Which pair?"

"Oh my god, Peggy," Eliza said, and she smiled as she said this. She had just finished zipping up Angelica's pale pink bodice. "Just get the pair that matches your dress."

"Yeah, Peggy," Angelica replied, mimicking Eliza's voice. She poked a tongue out at their littlest Sister. "Oh my god, common sense."

Peggy glowered at them.

"Well, excuse me!" She exclaimed, flailing her arms. "For trying to be innovative here! Pfft. This generation ..."

Angelica and Eliza continued to laugh until their Father came knocking on their door, telling them they had guests.

"What, already?" Peggy shrieked. She fumbled to pick up her scraps of clothing. "I am not ready!"

"Hurry up, you butt," Angelica said.

"I am not a butt!"

:::

By the time the Schuyler Sisters finally made it downstairs, Peggy slipping on a stolen pair of Angelica's hoop earrings, all of the guests had arrived, and were relaxed in the living room.

Aaron and John had been sitting on one couch, talking serious to each other, while Lafayette and Hercules joked and laughed with each other on another couch. Alexander wasn't sitting. He was pacing the space behind Aaron and John, brows furrowed anxiously — but they all looked up when the Schuyler Sisters entered.

The room fell into a pinch of silence. Eyes and mouths popped open.

"Well, well," Lafayette said, as the girls walked humbly into the room. "Belle femme."

"Thank you, baguette," Peggy said, smiling. She curtsied, spreading the large folds of her glittery mustard skirt around her like a fan.

Alexander was no longer pacing. He was standing there dead in his tracks, large eyes trained on the sisters. Angelica felt every nerve in her body run raw when their gazes locked, but his mouth stayed open and limp and silent.

Hercules wolf-whistled.

"Damn. Looking good, ladies," he said, grinning.

"Hercules, lay off," Eliza said, and walked around the living room to get to Alexander. She looped an arm through his and smiled up at him. "Hello."

"Hello," he replied, but it was vague and distracted.

"Hm," She stared at him for a moment, thoughtful. Angelica saw that he was wearing a tux - the first time she had ever seen him in one. He looked rather dashing, despite his ungelled hair and untucked shirt.

If anything, it just made him more attractive.

"I've never seen you in a tux," Eliza said.

"Ha! No one has," Hercules said, and stuck out a tongue at Alexander.

Alexander turned back to the group with a sly smile, "Come on. Tuxedoes are lame as f*ck, I'm not going to wear one if I don't have to. I'm not Burr."

Aaron's ears perked at this. He turned stoic eyes on his friend, "I'm sorry, Alex, did you say something?"

"Nothing, sir," Alexander mocked him with a bow. "Pardon me. Please, spare me, oh wise one, I am your obedient servant."

Lafayette and John ended up laughing so hard at this they were crying. Hercules simply hooted. Aaron's face turned red. He turned around shoved Alexander in the stomach, who started laughing himself.

"Idiots," Aaron scowled. "Damn the lot of you."

"Aww, come on, Burr!" Alexander exclaimed. He socked his friend in the back. "Prodigy of Princeton."

"Spit us a verse, drop some knowledge!" Hercules added.

"Now, be sensible," Aaron said warningly.

"Or what?" Peggy said, joining in with the poke of her tongue. "You'll run home to Daddy?"

Angelica had to laugh at her sister's tomboyish behaviour. She looked on, as the group continued to mock and tease Aaron, who was now going around throwing free punches at people, shouting something about snapping their necks and ridding the world of stupidity.

Five minutes into the teasing, there was the ring of a doorbell.

The group paused, and looked at each other.

"I thought the whole gang was here," Aaron said.

"It is," Hercules answered. "Unless it's your girlfriend." He hooted, and John joined in.

"Awww, man—you didn't tell Theo where the Schuylers lived, did you?" John said, grinning.

"Of course not, you half-wit. I'll be dead before I ever let her come close to the likes of you."

"Oh, come on! Why not?"

"No? You don't trust friends? Wee'll behave..."

The laughing and teasing went on. Angelica took it to herself to go get the door.

"Okay, guys. I'm going to answer the door now." Nobody answered. She walked down across the living room to the front door, and pulled it open.

All movement inside her stilled to a tenseness she hadn't felt in a long time. She stood there, staring dumbly at the person in front of her.

"Oh... hi."

"Wow," the look on Thomas's face spoke awe and wonder. He stared at her, and slowly his face drew up into a smile, as if he hadn't been ignoring her for the past couple of weeks.

"Angelica, you look incredible."