A Winter's Ball- A John Laurens x Reader

Chapter One

I walk into the ballroom and am immediately startled by the loud music. Ma really outdid herself, this time. I walk over to the snack table and survey it. It is not exactly a snack table, more like a feast table. There was five whole roast turkeys and at least twenty meat and cheese plates. I start pouring myself a drink when someone bumps into me. I look up and see a young man, around twenty, staring at me.

"I am so sorry, I didn't see where I was going." I stutter for a response, as I stare into his chestnut-brown eyes. 

"Oh, i-it's fine. I-I wasn't really paying attention, either," I barely manage to say. He sticks his hand out, introducing himself.

"Hi, I'm John, John Laurens. Pleasure to meet you." I've heard of John Laurens. He's an abolitionist who works with general Washington. 

"Hi, I'm (y/n) Schuyler," I say. I curtsy, and could feel my face getting hot. Hopefully I'd put on enough powder so he wouldn't see me blushing. I shake his hand, and my heart flutters. Any girl who has met colonel Laurens knows that he's cute. He has huge chestnut eyes that anyone could get lost in, and he talks so confidently that everyone's comfortable talking with him. Almost everyone. Everyone, that is, except me. 

"Schuyler, huh? So your family put off this party?" I nod. He seemed to be amazed by the shear size of the place. Most people are.

"So what's happening in the war? How are the soldiers faring?" I say, quickly, tying to change the subject before he started asking about my sisters. I should have asked how he was faring. Dammit y/n, get yourself together.

"As always, the British are one step ahead of us. The living conditions aren't great, but things could be worse. Most soldiers are homesick and want the war to end, but we're doing alright. I do know one person who wants to keep the war going. Speaking of which, here he comes." John points over to a 18-21 year old man with brown hair tied in a ponytail heading towards us.

"(y/n), this is Alexander Hamilton. Alex, this is (y/n) Schuyler." We shake hands and I curtsy once again. He smiles, but I can see him eying someone. I turn around and see that the person he is eying is my sister, Eliza. He sees me staring at him and breaks out of his trance.

"Nice to meet you, (y/n). Sorry, I'm just a little distracted, that's all." I should have been used to the feeling of disappointment when I see a man staring at one of my sisters, but it hits me like a blow to the gut every time. Instead of showing it, I fake a smile. John nudges Alex, and whispers something to him. Alex grins and glances at me. Then John says something else, and Alex nods and hurries away.

"Hey, (y/n), I'd like to show you something," John says, motioning for me to follow him. He leads me outside and up onto one of the hills nearby. John sits down on top of the hill and pats the grass beside him. I carefully sit down, trying not to wrinkle my many skirts. I lay back on the grass,  looking up at the stars.

"The stars are beautiful tonight." John points to one and names the star. I point one out and name it, as well. Astronomy was always my favorite subject in school. He looks over and smiles at me.

"How come I've never heard of you? Surely someone should have realized how pretty and smart you are." I blush, and then smile, maybe just a little bit sadly.

"No ones' looking for a girl that follows the rules all the time. I'm not even that pretty." John looks at me like I'm stupid.

"You're not kidding anyone, (y/n). You're beautiful. And if no one sees that, then they aren't paying enough attention." My eyes widen, and then I smile, this time, genuinely. I tucked a piece of (h/c) (h/l) hair behind my ear.

"You know, you should smile more often." John was definitely a man of compliments. My face felt like it was on fire. We talk about what we like to do, the war, all sorts of random things, for hours. Eventually, we make it to the generally uncomfortable subject of sisters. 

"So how are you and your sisters? I know from experience that being a middle child, it's hard to get any attention. But you seem like you're not the type of person who likes attention." John glances at me, checking if I was uncomfortable with the subject. I don't want to back down in front of John.

"Me and my sisters were never really close. Angelica and Eliza always hang out together. Sometimes they try to include me, but then I usually end up messing something up, like saying the wrong thing to their crush, or not picking out a good outfit to wear. Peggy sort of gets me, because we were always the tag alongs. But now she hangs out with them." John nods, as if to say 'I know how you feel.' We lapse into silence, eventually nodding off in the meadow under the stars.