What Are You Waiting For?
There is a certain category of events that can be classified as something that, once experienced or seen, immediately alerts one that it is not going to be a normal day.
A loudmouth in a magenta jacket dancing his way into a high school civics class is one of these things.
Alex had been sitting with his friends, lounging on the table with Lafayette, Hercules, and John (his new usual crew), awaiting the arrival of Washington. It had been about a week since the first time he'd had this class, and each day since, Alex had looked forward to his period in Washington's classroom with surprising fervor.
This particular day, Alexander was reclining on top of the table, Lafayette poised on the tabletop by Alex's feet. Hercules had a foot anywhere one could rest a foot, considering he only had two— one was on the table next to Lafayette, and the other was on John's lap, who was lounging in his seat and attempting to sharpen a particularly stubborn pencil. Alex noticed John's look of concentration.
He knew he was bi. He didn't need John's cute face with its freckles and its perfection to remind him so forcefully and so frequently.
"Washington isn't usually this late," John said distractedly, brushing some pencil shavings off Herc's shoe.
"Twenty bucks says it's Lee, with the student council election bribe, in the office," Hercules droned.
"Ah, Clue, 'ercules. You have a bet." Laf grinned and tightened his curly ponytail.
"Didn't that happen last week, though? I think this week, it's still Lee, in the office, but instead of the student council election bribe it's the student council election campaign plan." Alexander looked at the clock, thinking hard about Lee's questionable pursuits of leadership in student government.
"Maybe he's learning something in civics, then," John laughed, "It's the voting that counts, not the fifty you slip the boss before the ballots come in."
"Well..." Alex was about to continue, when the door opened to the room. And, since he was expecting it to be Washington or Lee, he certainly was surprised by the arrival.
A boy of about Alex's age, maybe slightly older, danced— danced —over the threshold, closely followed by James Madison, who was carrying twice the amount of books the other student was. The new addition had a bush of curly hair surrounding his arrogant face— quite the frame for quite the glow. And his coat matched the complete excess that was the rest of him; a magenta number with a tailored fit.
Magenta surveyed the room, his companion pulling two chairs out at a table close to the front desk. Madison sat down, and the new boy proceeded to cross the room in an extravagant fashion. Something about the way this guy carried himself— with this air of superiority he did little to prove he merited— rubbed Alex the wrong way.
The kid stopped, and flashed a grin at Laf. "Hello, Lafayette. I had no idea you were in Washington's civics class," his voice dripped with that arrogance, but he seemed (slightly) tolerable, at least in a small enough dose.
"Oui," Lafayette propped an elbow on his knee, "Since class assignments came out, Thomas. It is you who is the— how you say... unexpected one, eh?"
"Ah. I've been late coming home from France... We stayed an extra week," this Thomas character tilted his head slightly back. "I'd barely even put my bag down yet by the time it was time for me to come back to school."
"You had a nice trip, I believe?"
"Fabulous," Thomas replied. "So, what'd I miss so far?"
"You missed the lesson on hypocrisy, Jefferson," John piped up dryly, cleaning the sharpener in his hands.
"Coulda used one. Ha." Herc grinned.
"Laurens. Vacation must have treated you well." Jefferson readjusted his collar, and straightened his posture. "I'd best get back to James. I'll catch up with you later, Laf... Laurens. Mulligan. And...?"
Alex looked at Jefferson a split second, then held out his hand for Thomas to shake. "Thomas Jefferson? Alexander Hamilton."
"Pleasure." It did not sound particularly pleasurable.
"À bientôt, Thomas."
Jefferson turned and walked back over to Madison.
"I don't see how you stand him, Laf." Laurens raised an eyebrow at Lafayette.
"He seems insufferable. You called him a hypocrite, and I don't know him, but I see it, and that smug—"
"Aléxandre, mon cher, give him a chance. He is not so terrible."
"Your taste sucks," Herc said, gently punching Lafayette's leg.
"Taste? He is a good friend. Ask Madison if you cannot believe me." Lafayette shrugged, taking a sharpened pencil from John as the door opened again, and this time, it was, indeed, Washington and Lee. The latter quickly made his way to a seat towards the front of the room, tossing his bag down and folding his arms. Washington put his belongings by his desk.
"Good morning," he began, and his voice had a calming effect on the room. Every day, the simple impact of Washington's voice stuck out to Alex like a sore thumb. In a good way. So, maybe a surprisingly un-sore thumb. "In lieu of some recently expressed interests from some of you in this room, I decided we're skipping forward a few days to start our unit early."
Alex and Lafayette plopped down into chairs. Alex pushed his chair closer to John, taking one of the pencils from his lap.
"We'll be starting our study of the voting system, democracy in its simplest form. We'll cover how election works, and how common people are involved in the appointment of officials," Washington continued. He looked around carefully, and Lee seemed to fidget slightly in his seat.
"What's up with him?" Alex whispered to John, gesturing towards Lee. "I know he's an asshole, but..."
John shrugged, leaning towards Alex. "He wants to be class president, but he hasn't got the creds. I'd guess Washington's change in plans is his fault."
"He seems like he could use a civics course," Alex replied, smiling with half his face.
"Ha. No question."
"Looks like Jefferson has a question."
"... would be beneficial for all civic duties— Yes, Mr. Jefferson?" Washington nodded for Thomas to speak.
"If some actions are rights, why do some still choose not to pursue them? Equal opportunity is presented on paper, isn't it?" Jefferson cocked an eyebrow. "So few people seem to take the opportunity when it isn't legal duty. Why aren't more actions obligations?"
"Well, if it isn't a required duty as a citizen, but it's a right, it's also a person's right to decline," Washington answered.
"Who would decide not to take every granted opportunity of the sort?"
"Those who are exercising their right not to. It's a double-edged sword, Mr. Jefferson."
"How about immigration? Voting? Yes or no?"
"It's your own opinion, and interesting to discuss. Although, I believe we've had this conversation before."
"Opinion backed by fact, Mr. Washington."
"What fact?" Alex blurted out.
Jefferson turned to face him, eyebrows raised. "Statistics. Data. Written word."
"Written by who, you? And where? Your sources are weak." Alex couldn't help himself. Jefferson looked mildly surprised.
"By me? Of course not. By people who"— he stretched his fingers —"know their civil duties well enough to know what they're arguing about. Who've read or written books in this country, for this country."
"Suggest all you'd like, Thomas; you're the one who's been studying French politics and not our own—"
"Our own."
Curiously, Alex sensed John go tense beside him, his fist clenched.
"Thomas, I don't know how well-read you are on early American government, but if you knew shit about the Bill of Rights—"
"Excuse me, Mr. Hamilton." Washington looked between the two boys and shook his head slightly. Both relented, equally reluctant to cease.
John brushed Alex's knee with the back of his hand, and Alex relaxed. It was then that he decided that Jefferson was an asshole, and that Laurens had better not sit anywhere in this class other than right where he could calm Alex down and stop civics class from becoming the scene of a murder.
Class proceeded without further argument between the two, but the look Jefferson gave Alex at the end of the class was enough to signify no quick ending to whatever rivalry they were beginning to form.
"You can't take one class without getting into a fight, huh, Alex?" John was laughing at him and trying to eat a sandwich at the same time. It was study hall, and the two boys were in the library with their books for English open in front of them, but no motivation to even glance at the words written in them passed at all between the pair.
"He doesn't know what he's talking about! I had to talk some sense into him, and if it turns into a personal attack, it turns into a personal attack." Hamilton answered, arms crossed.
"And I always thought I had no restraint," John said, laughing a breath of a laugh that made Alex smile back at him.
"The look on Madison's face when I said Bill of Rights..."
"The look on Washington's face when you dragged Jefferson!"
"True," Alex tilted his head and grinned. "Oh, yeah, wait—" He pulled the pencil he'd borrowed from John out from behind his ear, the tip already worn down to a dull stub. "Thanks for this. I broke it in just for you."
John glanced at the destroyed remains of his sharpening endeavors, and sighed with amusement. "Geez! How many notes did you even take? And can I use said notes to study for the test next week?"
Alex smirked, kicking his backpack further away from John. "No. We're gonna do one-on-one study sessions instead. Studying notes bore me. Essays, talking, or nothing."
"A one-on-one study session," John scoffed. "It's adorable how you think any studying would actually get done."
"Oh, I certainly don't." Alex winked. "But you know what's really adorable?"
"Enlighten me." Was that a blush? Alex decided to take the chance.
"There's a nice mirror in the bathroom, you can see for yourself."
John's jaw dropped, not unpleasantly, but with boundless surprise. Alex withdrew slightly. Was John even into guys? "I don't m—"
"Whoa. Alex, where were you hiding that one?" John laughed. That was definitely a blush.
"I don't know. Places no man has ever boldly gone before?"
"You like Star Trek?" John couldn't stop laughing. That sound was amazing, Alex decided.
"No, but I know it."
"Impressive! Your wording order was a little off, though."
"You like Star Trek?" Alex grinned, reaching over and shutting both his and John's English books with one sweep of his arm.
"No. I'm... I like other stuff more."
"Like what? No guarantee I'd know what it is anyway, but..."
"Disney movies?" John punctuated his statement with a bit of a lopsided smile.
Alexander let out a full laugh. "Dammit, Laurens, you are adorable."
John definitely blushed again. "Hey, you know, you should come see me after school during the day."
"Hmm?"
"Sometimes Herc and Lafayette come over for awhile after school. My dad doesn't get home till late, so it's just us and my siblings, but there's enough space for them to leave us all alone. You should come! I'll give you my address and stuff."
"Really?" Alex completely beamed. "Sure! I'd love to. When?"
"Anytime, really." John tucked a stray hair behind his ear before reaching to pick up his backpack and put his book back in. "We go out from there, sometimes, too. Lafayette is so lucky he's got a car."
"Don't you, too?" Alex asked, leaning back so his chair was on two legs.
"Well, yeah, but you could never fit all four of us in mine. Laf's is, like, a bus or something."
"You think that'll have enough room for our egos, too?"
"Alexander Hamilton, nothing is big enough to contain your ego."
"Alas, I admit it."
John smiled, standing up. "I'll send you the address, okay? It wouldn't be a party without you."
"What are we celebrating, then?"
John raised both eyebrows. "That has yet to be determined."
"We'll think of something," Alex grinned.
"You can always think of something." John shouldered his bag, looking reluctant to leave. The bell rang, and he smiled this sweet sort of smile that— Alex shamelessly noted —paired nicely with his freckles. "I'll see you later!"
"Till then, my dearest!"
"Ha! Of course, dear boy!"
It took Alex a minute to wipe the smile off his face in his newfound solitude, but he did manage to write some notes in his book for English with the time he had sitting alone in the library.
This time did not last long, however, as Alexander saw someone sit down next to him out of the corner of his eye. This person proceeded to take out a notebook and scratch something down, and when Alex looked up, he found himself facing Aaron Burr.
"Oh! Hey, Burr, I didn't know you weren't in my civics class. I thought you would be, I think your friends are. Madison and Jefferson. But what class have you got instead? Your classes always seem to be the best ones. I guess Washington's would have to be the exception, though..."
"I'm in a Latin class instead," Burr answered, sliding the notebook and pencil back in his bag. "I took civics last year. It's a good class; you'll like it, Alexander."
"I do, a lot."
Burr smiled. "I'll bet Washington'll like you."
"I think he does. Except when I call out a thought. But even then he seems to. Even when someone needs calling-out, he isn't all too angry, per se—"
"Do you want a piece of gum?"
Burr's question caught Alex by surprise. "That would be nice."
"While we're talking, I'll offer you some advice?" Burr handed Alex a piece and unwrapped one for himself. "Smile more, Alex."
"What?"
"Talk less. Smile more." Burr chewed for a second. Alex followed suit. "You don't have to let everyone know your opinion every time."
Alex laughed. "You can't be serious."
"Sometimes a smile is as powerful as half a hundred essays."
"Huh." Alexander considered this. He wasn't entirely convinced, but was Burr untrustworthy? His advice seemed unachievable, especially considering Alex's temperament, but perhaps it didn't need to be dismissed. A thought occurred to him. "Hey, Aaron?"
"Yeah?"
"Are you dating anyone?"
Bad question. Bad question. Burr seemed to draw back, his eyes closing off slightly so his emotion was on the cusp of unreadable. "No. But..."
"Oh?"
"Nothing. There's this..." Burr seemed to debate something with himself. "This girl."
"Ooh!"
"Don't get too excited, Alex, she's got a boyfriend."
"Oh. Well, is he attractive? Is he smart? Does he smile as much as you?"
A look of amusement crossed Aaron's face. "I appreciate it, Alex. You're very kind. She flirts back with me, and it can't be anything more."
"You should try, though. What are you waiting for?" Alex stared at Burr for a moment, waiting for his response.
He sighed. "You've got nothing to lose. I'll be fine... Why did you ask?"
"Funnily enough, I was gonna see if you had any advice on asking someone out." Alex raised his eyebrows.
Burr cracked a grin. "I'm flattered, but I'd expect people would think to come to you for that kind of advice."
"Try for the girl, Aaron."
"Ha." Burr pulled out a tissue and spit his gum into it. "And you, who'd you have in mind to ask out?"
Alexander paused a moment, then looked Burr in the eye and smiled.
Silence.
Burr smiled slowly in return. He stood up, pulling his backpack on one shoulder, and turned to walk towards the door.
On his way out, he turned his head to face Alex again.
"I see you're learning fast, Hamilton."