America was going to be late and he knew it.
He didn't want to make the founding fathers mad because he wasn't there.
However, he'd still be late even if he hadn't tripped over something…or someone.
Getting up, America looked to see that he'd tripped over some small African American boy with golden brown hair.
The boy also appeared to be crying.
When seeing the boy crying, America picked him up and held him close, the boy clinging to him.
Eventually, the boy did stop crying, mostly because America is rocking him back and forth like England would do with him when he was younger.
Deciding it best to stay with the boy, America carried him to the meeting house, talking to him the entire way.
"Where are your parents young one?" America couldn't help but ask.
"I don't have any, nor do I have an owner," The African American boy answered.
"I could take you in if you want," America suggested.
This made the boy look up at him and ask, "You would do that?"
America nodded in response.
Smiling, the boy hugged America tightly.
"Alfred," Someone called out, causing America to turn to him.
"Hi there Mr. Jefferson," America said and smiled at him.
"You're going to be late if you don't hurry," Jefferson said.
"Same goes to you sir."
With that, the two head to where they're supposed to go, Jefferson completely ignoring the child America is holding.
It would also seem that most of the members of congress hadn't paid attention to the child as well.
That is, until his head popped up from underneath the table, facing the front of the room.
The boy looked around the room in awe.
"Why'd you bring a child, more or less an African American child, to our meeting Alfred?" One asked.
"I found him all alone on the way here," was America's response.
However, the other men kept persisting as to why there was a child of a different color in their meeting.
This caused the boy to run off and for America to get up and run after him.
Once America caught up with him outside, the boy faces the other and points directly at him.
"After some time, I've figured out who the both of us are," exclaimed the boy.
By this point, the founding fathers and some of the others had come out of the meeting house.
"Y-you have?" America asked and stared helplessly down at the boy.
"Yes, I have. You're none other than America itself," The boy stated.
"So, since you know who I am, who might you be young one?" America asked.
There are looks of surprise from the others.
"If you must know, I am the state of Maine," is what the boy said.
When this left the boy's lips, America's eyes widened and there is confusion everywhere.
Maine sure seemed to have grown up pretty darn quickly because within a few years, he's just shorter than America.
He's also adjusted his hair to where it's almost completely covering one of his eyes but you can still see the blue of his eye.
The other eye is still completely visible though.
Not only that, but he has a completely straight face when he's not talking to his friends, all of which are black because no white person would ever talk to him because of his color.
When it was the time of the Revolutionary War, Maine was among those fighting and when fighting, he was always seen with an angered expression on his usually calm face.
Despite all this, Maine survived the times of racism and many other wars and all the different kinds of movements, one of which he joined that had jump started all the others.
This was the African American movement.
Over the years, other states came along as well, some of them still small because of how young they are.
Three of them look like they could be ten years of age in human years.
The only guy of the three is usually seen with Maine because the small boy looks up to Maine and has a deep respect for him and what he's been through.
This boy is known as Tennessee, or Alec Wilson Jones to those who couldn't figure out he's a state.
Also, Maine goes by Gabriel 'Gabe' Lyell Jones to the ones who had no idea he's a state.
Both Maine and Tennessee are playing a game when someone calls one of their names.
"Hey! Gabe!"
Turning to the source of the voice, Maine sees that it's one of his human friends.
"Oh, hi there Max," Said the black state.
"So, I was wondering if you wanted to go hang out and maybe go watch a game or something," Max suggested and flipped her hair over her shoulder.
"As long as Alec can come along," Maine stated.
"Who's Alec?" Max asked.
It was then that Alec tugged on Max's shirt and had a straight face.
Max looked down at the child and smiled widely.
"I'm Alec," Tennessee told her.
"Well, aren't you cute," Max cooed.
"Is it ok if I go along with you guys?" Tennessee asked and looked up at Max.
"I don't see why not," Max answered.
A smile crossed Alec's face.
"Yeah!" He shouted and ran to Maine, who picked him up and put him on his shoulders.
Once on Maine's shoulders, Tennessee gripped golden brown hair with both hands.
"Whatever you do, don't pull my hair Alec," Maine warned.
"Don't worry big brother, I won't," Tennessee stated.
"Good," Maine said.
Max giggled and the three headed out to go and do whatever.
When they got back, Tennessee has his arms around Maine's shoulders and is sleeping against Maine's back with Maine holding him up, supporting him from underneath.
Plus, it had gotten dark out hours before.
"You know, that was the most fun I'd had in a while," Max said.
"I know, right?" Maine agreed.
Once they had gotten to Maine's house, a female with long light brown hair and cocoa brown eyes wearing Superman pajamas walks out saying, "There you are! I'd been wondering where you two are."
"Who's she?" Max inquired.
"I'm one of their sisters," the girl informed.
"Alec should've been in bed a while ago."
Lifting his head off of Maine's back, Tennessee looked to the female in the Superman pajamas tiredly.
He reached towards her and she took him from the black state.
After this happened, Tennessee curled up against her, clutching her pajama shirt with one hand.
"Name's Cocoa," she said.
"Nice to meet you Cocoa, I'm Max" Max smiled at Cocoa.
Cocoa nodded in response.
"Anyway, I'll see you tomorrow Max," Maine told Max.
"See ya tomorrow Gabe," Max said and ran off.
"New Jersey," Tennessee spoke up in a tired voice.
"Yeah Tennessee?" New Jersey asked and looked down at the small state in her arms, carrying him into the house, followed by Maine.
"I like spending time with Maine," Tennessee yawned.
"He's fun to be around."