People Like Us (A Newer Working Title)
an excerpt

When Julia opened the door, Tiger was standing there, covered in melting white flakes. "Oh my god, it's snowing!" she fawned, starting out into the cold for a few seconds, before realizing her impoliteness and inviting Tiger in. "Good to see you!" she closed the door behind him and hugged him tight, before he'd even finished peeling off his coat.

He held up a grocery bag. "I got some pretzels and mustard – oh, and there's some marshmallows in there too." He smiled. "I heard you were making hot chocolate."

Julia bubbled with happiness and took the bag to the kitchen – she just loved playing hostess. Before Tiger had his shoes off and coat hung up, she was setting down a tray of pretzels in front of Alex, Moira and Thomas, with several dipping sauces. "This is grainy dijon, this is the honey-mustard that Tiger brought, and this is the same cheese sauce from the nachos – which is also pretty good on the pretzels," she explained, to no one in particular, and then looked up at Tiger and motioned to an armchair. "Make yourself comfortable! Would you like plain hot chocolate, or flavoured? I can do peppermint or almond!"

Tiger smiled at her, his cheeks red and round as apples, from the cold. "I'll have whichever you think is the best," he said, stretching his feet toward the fireplace. "With marshmallows, please." He grinned. Julia had a great place – wood-burning fireplace, leather sofas, huge kitchen, all very stylish but also very comfortable. Just the smell made you feel like you were at home.

"Hey Tiger!" It was Thomas, who reached over and placed a huge hand on Tiger's knee, squeezing in greeting, some sort of throw-back to the congratulatory butt-patting of his high school football years. "How are you?"

"Hey Tom," he answered jovially, looking over at Moira and Alex snuggled on the opposite end of the couch, waving in greeting to them at the same time. Just being around this crowd put him in a great mood, he felt like he couldn't stop smiling. It didn't hurt that this was a welcome respite from studying. "I'm – well, I'm not studying. Maybe a bad idea later, but feels pretty good right now."

"How are classes?" Thomas continued, genuinely interested, leaning forward to try a pretzel. Tiger did the same, confiding that he wasn't really concerned about any of his classes. He and Thomas chatted a little about school things, with Moira and Alex just snuggling quietly and watching the fire, until Julia sailed in with two mugs of hot chocolate, handing one to Tiger and sipping from the other.

She sat on the carpet next to the pretzels, her back nestled between Thomas' and Alex's knees. "I don't know if the pretzels will go so well with the hot chocolate, but they are tasty!" She smiled. "Thanks, Tiger."

He looked at the four bodies piled together on the couch, so comfortable together, and smiled even wider. "You all look so comfortable over there."

Julia patted the carpet next to her. "Well, don't be a stranger, come join us." Tiger shrugged and slid to the floor, sat facing the fire, leaning back against the couch in front of Thomas, who squeezed Tiger's shoulders between his knees as he leaned forward for another pretzel.

Tiger look at Julia, who smiled back. Tiger glanced at Alex and Moira, then back at Julia, cocking his head in their direction. "How's Alex doing?" he whispered.

"I'm fine," Alex interrupted, and Tiger flushed, embarrassed. Alex looked at Julia. "Does everyone know about this whole stupid thing?"

"Alex, we're worried about you," Julia said, "we just wanted –"

"Well, don't," Alex cut her off, "I'm OK."

"I don't really know what even happened," Tiger edged in, sheepishly. "But if there's anything I can do –" he trailed off.

Alex stood, pulled a hap-hazardly folded, wrinkled piece of paper from his front jeans pocket. "Here," he tossed it at Tiger, and sat back down. Tiger looked confused, and a little startled, but carefully unfolded the paper and skimmed it.

"I'm sorry, Alex." Tiger didn't know what to think, but it was all suddenly very clear why everyone was so concerned about Alex. This is exactly the sort of thing that would really throw him for a loop. Alex is a very smart guy, but he's ruled heavily by his heart, not his head. This had to have sent him reeling.

Alex knew his friends were just trying to be supportive, and that comforted him somewhat, despite the dark pit of anger he felt in his stomach. "Don't be sorry, Tiger. I'm not sorry that he's dead."

Tiger nodded. "McDougall? You're actually part Scottish?" Tiger had instinctively known that Alex wasn't full-blooded Puerto Rican, his facial features were too angular, almost elven – but Tiger would never have guessed Scottish.

Julia made a face, and Tiger knew he shouldn't have said anything – but Alex just snorted slightly. "Yeah. Scottish."

Tiger was a little flustered, which sometimes made him keep talking when he shouldn't. "Well, that's cool, I'm part Scottish –"

"I'm Puerto Rican, as far as I'm concerned," Alex stated, staring blankly into the fire. "My name is Alejandro Jesús Ramírez," he continued, really stressing the Spanish pronunciation, emphasizing his last name.

Thomas could not help himself. "– you killed my father, prepare to die!" he quipped, quoting The Princess Bride. Julia and Moira both turned to him, aghast, and Thomas shrugged apologetically – he really couldn't help himself. Tiger almost successfully stifled a laugh, nearly choking on his hot chocolate – and that started Thomas laughing.

To everyone's surprise, Alex started laughing too. "I love that movie," he chuckled. Julia shot Thomas another dirty look, just in case. Alex looked at Thomas. "That was harsh. Funny, but harsh." He held out his hand, and Thomas shook it, smiling.

"So," Tiger started, eyes darting around, trying to figure out whether it was appropriate to change the subject or not, now that the ice was broken. "Alex – any idea what you're going to do with your inheritance?" Julia widened her eyes at him with an exasperated look, and he shrunk back a little, still not really sure what he'd said wrong. Moira was uncharacteristically quiet, sitting at the far end of the couch, curled up against Alex, but Alex seemed to be handling it just fine, so far.

"The first thing I'm going to do with the money," he started, with a sort of oratorial flair that indicated that it was Alex-the-artist speaking, "is to change my legal surname to my real family name, to Mom's name. I think, symbolically, that's got to be my response to this." Alex could turn anything into an art project. "Dad," he stressed the word with contempt clear in his voice, "left me this great little 'fuck you', and I can only respond back with the same sort of 'fuck you'."

He exhaled, clearly exhausted. In the firelight he looked like he hadn't slept in days, which was pretty close to true. The soapbox and bravado were gone as fast as they arrived. "After that I don't know. I still don't want his money, and I really don't want that house. It's painful, just having to think about what to do with it." He pressed the palms of his hands against his eyes, frustrated, tired, hurting. "I might donate it all to a battered women's shelter, in Mom's name. But there'd be no way to do it anonymously, I couldn't handle any of that shit right now. And neither could she."

Moira broke her silence with a heartfelt "Aww, baby –" as she held him tighter. Julia and Thomas both instinctively reached to touch him, Julia placing a well-manicured hand on his knee while Thomas slid a strong arm across the back of the couch and squeezed Alex's shoulder.

"Thanks, guys, for being her for me. You'll all such good friends." Alex sighed softly, as though resigning himself to the outcome of a hard decision. "But I think I need professional help, here. Moira suggested I see a shrink – and I think I'm going to. So –" he looked away from the fire, finally, scanning around the room at each of them, bravely attempting to smile, "so, you can stop worrying about me, I'll be in good hands. I'll figure this out."

"That's probably a good idea, Alex," Julia ventured, and everyone muttered something in agreement. Julia looked around, then stood up and dusted herself off. "So, anyone want to play some cards?" she offered cheerily, hoping to dispel the dark mood.