As Alexander Hamilton cautiously walked toward his middle school for the first time, he wondered if the boarding school would have any good classes. He looked at his schedule. Mr. Washington was his homeroom and Social Studies teacher. Hamilton had heard the man was a veteran, and supposed to be very smart.

When Alex looked up from the paper in his hand, he realized he was standing in front of the building that housed the boy's dormitories. Taking a deep breath, he opened the heavy wooden door and stepped inside. He walked down the polished floor until he got to the door to his room. He unlocked the door with the key he got in the mail a few weeks ago. He could hear 3 voices, one with a french accent, chattering like old friends from inside the room.

When Alex entered the room, the voices stopped. Then three heads peeked over the top of an ugly green couch.

"Hi," Hamilton said. "Um, I'm your new roommate."

The first boy got up and walked over to him. He had tightly curled black hair pulled back into a ponytail, and walked with a confident gait.

"Hello," he said. "Shimapel Lafayette. But you can call me Laf. What's your name?" He was holding out his hand for a handshake, and Alex shook it.

"Hamilton. Alexander Hamilton. But you can call me Alex."

The next boy had deep brown skin and a close haircut. He shook Alex's hand, too. "Mulligan. Hercules Mulligan. But you can call me Herc."

Alex wasn't sure if he was making fun of him, but even if he was, he was doing it nicely.

Then the third boy stepped out from behind the sofa. He had deep brown, curly hair pulled up into a ponytail, and a becoming smattering of freckles across his light skin. He awkwardly offered his hand. When Hamilton took it, he saw the other boy blush, then, and he didn't know why, Alex felt his cheeks reddening too. When Laf chuckled, Alex quickly dropped the boy's hand.

"I'm John Laurens," he said. "Nice to meet you."

"You too," Alex responded.

"I'll grab your stuff." Herc offered. Alex gratefully handed over his backpack and small suitcase.

"That's it?" Herc asked incredulously. Alex nodded, suddenly ashamed of his family's lack of money.

"That's okay!" Laf said cheerfully, and Herc nodded, setting Ale's stuff on the only bed not already covered in bags.

"Anyway, Herc mostly only brought sewing stuff." Herc put Laf in a headlock, who continued to chuckle.

"How about we go get some lunch?" Herc suggested. "I don't know about you guys, but I'm starving!"

"Oui!" Laf agreed. "You two coming?"

"Yeah, sure." Alex said.

"I'm hungry," added Laurens.

Since Laf was already there that morning for breakfast, he led the way to the cafeteria. The four boys walked side by side, talking and laughing. They were quickly becoming close friends.

When they were almost there, they passed the first other students Alex met on the otherwise deserted campus. The first was a tall boy, with the same skin color as Laf, and an afro, was swaggering forward , in a fuchsia varsity jacket like he owned the place. The boy standing behind him was considerably shorter, and was currently coughing into a handkerchief.

"Uh-oh." Alex heard from behind him.

"Well, well, well," the taller boy said, striding forward. "What do we have here? Looks like the losers club has a two new members."

Alex and John shot confused looks at Laf and Herc, who just shrugged.

"I bet you're wondering who I am," said fuchsia jacket. "The name's Thomas Jefferson, but that's Mr.Jefferson to you."

Alex rolled his eyes. At a "gifted and talented" school, you could always count on there being snooty brats whose parents bought their way in.

"And that," Jefferson said, pointing to the now sneezing boy behind him, "Is James Madison. If you mess with him, you mess with me. And I guarantee you, you don't want to mess with me." He smirked.

"Who're you?" He pointed at Laurens.

John gulped. "John Laurens."

He looked nervous, and in that moment Alex promised himself that these bullies would never make John afraid. At least, not when Alex was around.

"And you?" Jefferson gestured at Alex, a disgusted sneer on his face.

"Alexander Hamilton. But you can call me nothing. I don't like to associate with puffed-up snobs."

Madison and Laf gasped audibly.

"Why, I never!" Thomas said. "I- you- that-" he sputtered, finally deciding to just flip Alex off.

"Now if you'll excuse us, we'll be heading to lunch." Herc said smoothly, and the four new friends slipped past the tounge-tied and angry duo.