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"Now, everyone give it up for the maid of honor, Angelica Schuyler!" John Laurens, one of Hamilton's closest friends, grinned, drunk off his arse already.
Angelica let out a small chuckle and raised her glass of wine, standing on the stage in front of the crowd and slowly breaking inside. "A toast to the groom! To the bride! From your sister, Angelica, who is always by your side!"
Everyone but Alexander and Eliza followed, and the newlyweds were smiling wide and holding each other close.
That is, until Angelica noticed Laurens in the corner, looking at the bottle of wine in his hands with pain that reflected what Angelica was feeling on the inside.
"To your union! And the hope that you provide!" Angelica continued, voice breaking. "May you always be satisfied!"
Everyone cheered, and Angelica forced one more smile and got off the stage, going towards the door whilst holding back tears.
No matter how much she loved Alexander, she had a reputation to uphold.
"Miss Schuyler?"
Angelica looked up to see Laurens.
"May I have the pleasure of accompanying you outside? I am also in need of fresh air."
Angelica looked away, internally cursing. "Of course. Do not let me stop you."
As soon as the evening air hit Angelica's face, she felt herself close her eyes, holding onto the balcony of the mansion they'd went back to for the dinner party.
Beside her, Laurens stared out into the garden below, and Angelica was startled when Laurens fell to the ground, shaking.
"Sir Laurens?" Angelica asked, alarmed. She sat beside Laurens, about to put a hand on his shoulder.
"Dammit!" Laurens yelled, punching the ground, and it was just then that Angelica noticed the tears streaming down Lauren's face. "Damn it all!"
Angelica felt herself tear up. "Sir Laurens...?"
Laurens looked up, obviously struggling not to weep. "Don't act surprised! You love him, too!"
"T-Too...? Him? I'm sorry; I don't kn—"
"I could tell," Laurens interrupted. "You love Alexander, don't you?"
In that moment, Angelica realized that Laurens had feelings for Alexander.
Romantic ones.
Angelica knew it was wrong for Laurens to feel this way by society's standards, but she accepted it, anyway.
She wasn't alone anymore.
Angelica looked down, bottom lip trembling. "It does not matter what I want. All that matters is that my dearest sister, Eliza, is happy."
Laurens gave Angelica a weak smile through his tears. "I-I understand."
"I-I'm going to guess that y-you didn't want to say anything for his sake, huh?"
Laurens nodded, and Angelica broke, leaning into Laurens and sobbing.
Two souls, madly in love with a newly married man, leaned on each other under the silver moonlight.
"I thought he loved me," Laurens choked out. "He had said so much—we talked so much—I thought we had something special. I th-thou—" Laurens couldn't complete his sentence because another round of tears came.
"H-He was the first person I've ever fell for," Angelica whispered. "But he's also the first one Eliza had fallen for, too. I couldn't take away her first love."
Laurens and Angelica continued to cry.
Maybe, someday...they would heal.
But, for now, they would hurt.