Laying down on his bed, Alex held his hands to his face, his bruised cheek. He faced the plain wall in his bedroom. His cousin. He wasn't in shock that James had just hit him, it was quite normal, actually. It still hurt. He thought to himself, "it's not his fault I get hit. I deserve it."

Alex had few, if any friends at his high school. He sat alone at lunch and all he did after school was study. He didn't like the kids at school. They were mean. They were hurtful, emotionally and physically.

"Alex!" James shouted from the bottom of the stairs, "come here!"

Alex did as he was told in fear of punishment. He walked down the stairs where he saw James sitting at the kitchen table. "Have a sit. I need to talk to you." Alex could feel his face where James had just punched him throbbing. Alex swallowed hard and sat at the table across from James.

"Alex, good news." Good news? Alex became scared now, his eyes grew big. There was no such thing a good news in this house. "I've saved enough money for you to go to boarding school. Finally I can get you disgraceful ass out of my house." Alex froze, staring James in the eyes. All he could let out was a small, "okay."

"Go pack your things, you're taking the public bus."

"How am I going to fit all my things in the bus?"

"Excuse me," James stood up from his chair and then pushed it in, "I don't remember asking you to respond with an attitude." He walked towards him. Alex started sweating. He didn't dare look him in the eyes. He looked forward as if nothing had happened, as if he could just ignored what was about to happen. But he can't ignore punches to the face. James took a big swing into Alex's jaw, making his mouth bleed. "Awe man Alex you got blood on my clothes. You keep messing up and I'll have to buy some punching rings to wear. Maybe that'll get you to shut up." Alex was holding his hand to his mouth. And still didn't say anything.

"Why are you still here? I told you to get packed a minute ago!" Alex stood up, still not saying anything and tiptoed up the stairs into his room. He wasn't sure if he should be happy about leaving. He had a good thing with his grades here. What if he had to share a room with someone that was even worse than James? He sat on his bed, bent down and picked up his little trash can. He started spitting in it to try and get the blood out of his mouth. He gave up after 5 minutes with it not helping.

It was 11:30 on a Friday night. Alex pulled out a backpack, a duffle bag and a pack the little amount of clothes into the duffle bag. He packed his pillows, blankets and linens into the suitcase. He also put his towel and a toothbrush and his hairbrush into it. He put school supplies and other knickknacks such as cards and his diary. He looked at his room to see an empty mattress on the wall with the head of the bed under a window, a desk across from that and his dresser facing the window on the opposite wall.

He was nervous. And although he didn't want to admit it, he was freaking out. He curled up in his bed. He squeezed his eyes closed and covered his ears with his hands, trying to block out negative feelings, with nothing but his own thoughts to listen to.

He woke up bright and early. 5:00 in the morning, Alex woke up without trying to early every morning, he rarely got sleep. He was surprised that he got any sleep at all this night. He rolled off of his empty bed and dragged his things down stairs to the front door.

James was waiting for him at the door with a bus ticket.

"Here." James threw the ticket at Alex, but it gently floated to the ground. "You don't even know is to catch something correctly." Alex crouched down to pick up the piece of paper. As he crouched close to the ground, James walked passed him, kicking him in the stomach before completely passing him. Alex fell onto his butt, then went back to pick up the paper. "Now that I think of it, THAT'S why your father left you. He must've been embarrassed to be related to you, I know I am." James chuckled to himself then sat himself onto the couch. Alex bit his lip in order to keep himself from saying something that would get him in trouble, but James continued to push Alex to a breaking point. "Yeah. A tiny, weak, lonely little boy isn't quite the most ideal son you'd want to have. Your father was right to leave, and your mom was right to die."

James smiled but Alex bolted up and ran to James, grabbing him by the collar of his shirt, lifting him up, Alex shouted in his face, "Ill let you talk shit about me and I'll take it. I'll let you talk about my father who at least TRIED to be a nice person, unlike you. But don't you fucking dare bring my mother into this! She was an amazing person who accomplished things in life and was born for a reason, and not just to be a burden to society!" Alex, realizing what he had just done, let go of James collar. He took a step back and began to be very interested in his shoelaces.

James pretended to act confused, "hmm. I don't remember asking you to speak to me. Not only that but you decide to lay your hands on me?" James took step after step closer to Alex until he was a foot away for the living room wall. "Come on Alex, you're better than this." Quickly right after that, James punched Alex in the gut. Alex fell back up against the wall. Alex still attempted to keep standing but his was leaning up against the wall. He closed his eyes shut and held his hands on his stomach. James raised his hand high in the air and brought it down hard onto the left side of Alex's face. Alex slide down the wall and sat there silently.

"You know what?" James started, "I'm going to miss this. This is fun." James kicked Alex in the side. "You make me laugh, Alex." James walked away but not before spitting on Alex's hair. "You should start walking to the bus stop."

James walked back upstairs. Alex sat curled up up against the wall. He slowly regained his strength and stood up. He pulled up his shirt to see a bruise already forming. He could feel his cheek throbbing already and starting to heat up.

Without saying goodbye, Alex grabbed his bags and walked out of the house. He checked to make sure that the bus ticket was still in in pocket. Though crumpled a bit, the ticket was still there.

Alex had the backpack on one shoulder, the duffle bag wrapped around the other and was dragging the the suitcase behind him. He was in a rush to get to the bus, he feared as though he was going to miss the bus. Then what would he say to James? Alex started running. no one was out on the streets. It was too early for people to be awake. The sun wasn't even up yet, it was THE middle of November, so you can imagine that it was pretty cold in New York City.

¨do you need any help?"Alex heard a voice from behind him calling out to him.

Alex panting said trying to sound polite, ¨No i'm good! Thanks!" It kinda of surprised him that someone was awake, and trying to help him.

¨You sure?¨

BY now Alex was turning around to see who it was, but was still trying to walk backwards to get to the bus stop.

"Where are you heading to?" It was a boy, around the same age as Alex. He had a gruff low voice and dark skin.

"Ummm i'm going to the bus stop I need to catch a bus that's supposed be here in 10 minutes!" Alex turned around to start running but the person stopped him again, "no kidding!?"

"No- kidding-? Yeah man I really have to go thanks though!" Alex tried to say quickly.

"I'll come with you! I going to the bus stop too!" The person had a brown backpack slumped over his left shoulder. He caught up to Alex how has speed walking. "If you don't mind me asking, where are you going? I'm going to Yorktown for school."

"Uhh- yeah I'm going to school too." Alex was too focused on getting to the stop.

The person didn't say anything after that. He kind of understood that this boy needed to be somewhere and that he was stressed out as it was and he didn't really need to try and hold a conversation with a stranger.

After a few minutes of walk running, the person finally spoke up, "here," he pulled the duffle bag off of Alex's shoulder and put it on his own. "We can probably run faster now, the weight is leveled out." The Person chuckled and started running faster, not even looking out of breath. Alex followed, he wanted to shout out, "I HAVE RATHER SHORT LEGS!" And that would be an excuse to not make it to his bus stop. But I stress, alex took a big short sigh and ran faster, trying to keep up to the person. Alex was falling behind the other person.

"You're gonna have to run faster than that if you want to make the bus!" The Person person said mockingly.

"UGH! I'm trying!" Alex stopped running to catch his breath.

"Hey man," the person stopped running, and turned around to see Alex panting a few feet away. "We don't REALLY have to run. We aren't that far from the stop and the bus is usually late."

"Why… would.. you… do… that.. TO ME?!" Alex managed to get out.

"Do you not like running?"

"Why would I? Do you see me man? I'm a shrimp, not built for athletics."

"Sorry."

They stood silent until the person finally said, "we should get going," the person walked to Alex and patted him on the back, "we are almost there."

"Okay." Alex said quietly.

They headed off walking. "My names Hercules. Hercules Mulligan."

"Alexander Hamilton." Alex stuck out his hand to be shaken.

"Well what do your friends call ya? I'm your friend right?"

"Yeah- friends. Well, since you're the first, you can just call me Alex."

"Nice to meet you Alex." Hercules let go off his hand.

It was until now that Hercules actually saw Alex's face. Bruises covered almost l of the left side of his face. "Woooooaaahhhh, what happened to your face?" Hercules asked.

Alex had almost forgotten what had happened this morning. He became stiff. "I uh, tripped in my room and I hit the bed. I'm clumsy, sorry."

Hercules wanted to believe him, he really did but there was something in his voice, his hesitation that made him suspicious, "oh that looks like it hurt." Hercules chuckled nervously.

"Yeah." Alex said shallowly. He began to walk at a faster pace, as if to escape the topic.

"Finally. We're here." Hercules took in a big deep breath. No one else was at the bus stop. Why would they? No one is going from New York city to Yorktown in the middle of November.

"Good." Alex set down his backpack and sat at the bench that was available for him. "Wait- are YOU going to Yorktown for school."

"Yeah! I'm going to Boarding school! It's pretty fun. You're going there, too?"

"Uh-huh."

"Why are you coming in the middle of the school year? And you're leaving your family right before Thanksgiving and Christmas?"

"Umm yeah my 'family' just got the money to send me away. And I haven't celebrated the holidays in a while."

"By a while, you mean last year?" Hercules took a seat next to him.

He hesitated a little bit and then, Alex finally said a quiet, "Yes." it was silent until Alex broke the silence, "Why are you going to school in the middle of the school year?"

"Oh," Hercules smiled, "I came here to visit my folks before it snowed so much that buses were closed."

"That makes sense." That sounded nice to Alex, having a family that you love so much that you'd actually come home early to make sure that you would be able to see them.

Cold wind blew and Alex shivered. "The bus should be here soon, so it won't be that cold. And best thing is, we are gonna be one of the only people on the bus. Who comes from New York City to Yorktown in the middle of November?"

"Yeah, that's good."

"Usually it's really boring because I'm by myself, but now that i have you, it'll be fun!"

"Ha, sounds 'fun'."

The bus pulled up. The two boys stepped on and handed the driver their tickets. The chose to sit in the very back of the bus, using the two seats across the aisle for a storage area. Alex wasn't really planning on sitting RIGHT NEXT TO Hercules, which he had just met, but Hercules was. Hercules took a seat right next to Alex and said, "Get ready for a fun 9 hours! If you need to use the bathroom, just ask the bus driver, he'll stop for you." Hercules gave Alex a big smile.

Alex focused straight ahead him. It was 6;30 after all so you can understand that he'd be tired. Alex was surprised by this. Although usually always tired but not able to get enough sleep, Alex never closed his eyes or took a nap.

"Hey man, you can take a nap, I won't judge." Hercules was reaching into his bag for something. He pulled out a small pillow and a light blanket. "Use these. I always come prepared."

"Are you sure?" Alex hesitated to reach up and grab the pillow and blanket.

"Yeah, of course, man!"

"Thanks." Alex leaned the pillow up against the window and gently placed the blanket on his lap. He leaned his head up against the pillow and closed his eyes.

Screaming, Alex bolted awake, quickly lifting his head off of Hercules shoulder. Alex was out of breath. Hercules stared at him, with confusion. Alex ran his hands through his hair and attempted to relax by breathing deeply.

"Are you okay…?" Hercules carefully placed his hand on Alex's back. Alex flinched but then relaxed. "Is-is that normal?"

Alex slowly nodded his head and closed his eyes.

"Do you need to talk about it?"

Alex didn't say anything, but continued to breathe in and out. He finally shook his head and gave a little smile, "I'm okay, thank you."

"How often does that happen?"

"Every time I fall asleep."

"That happens every night?"

"I don't sleep."

"Oh."

They didn't say anything for a couple of hours, which was the most awkward couple of hours of Hercules' life. He didn't want to say something that would make Alex uncomfortable. Alex leaned his head up against the window and stared at the almost empty highway.

"So what's your family like, Alexander?"

He was never asked that. Should he be embarrassed of what has happened? Should he lie about James and tell him that he is a perfectly fine cousin that DIDN'T give scars all over his body?

"That's kinda hard to explain…"

"How do you figure…?"

"I don't-I don't know how to say it without sounding like a failure."

"What? What your family is like would make you a failure? That doesn't make any sense."

They sat silently.

"Hey man, you don't have to tell me, I'm just really bad at small talk. It's not really my business, anyways." Hercules smiled nervously.

"No I'll tell you. It's important that I tell you. But you can't tell anyone else."

"I won't."

Alex sighed and started shaking.

"Dude. You don't have to tell me."

"It's just- I don't have a family. I mean I do- I have my cousin but he-" alex stopped himself and his eyes started to fill with tears. Hercules was in shock.

"Dude, calm down. I'm not going to think any less of you."

Alex focused on the seat in front of him.

Hercules started again, "But if it's really important that you tell someone and get this off you chest then go ahead."

There was a pause.

"I didn't trip in my room." Alex said quickly, still focusing on the seat ahead of him. He started to sweat.

"Huh..?" Hercules said politely.

"My cousin hit me. And kicked me. And slapped me."

Another pause.

"Is that what the bruise on you face is?"

He nodded slightly.

"Oh…"

Another pause.

"So, where's your parents..?"

A tear rolled down Alex's cheek.

Another pause.

"They-" Alex stuttered, "They aren't around anymore."

Hercules didn't want to push, but he was curious and interested.

"What happened to them?" He asked.

Alex swallowed. Another pause.

"My dad left me and my mother when I was 10 and we still lived in the Caribbean. Around 2 years ago, my mother was diagnosed with cance. She didn't survive."

Alex put his hand to his mouth, as if he had said too much. Tears rolled down his face but he didn't make a sound.

"I'm sorry to hear that." Hercules put his hand and rubbed the space in between Alex's shoulder blades.

Alex closed his eyes and took a deep breath in and out.

"And you've been living with your cousin."

He nodded his head.

"And, this cousin of yours, is abusive to you..?"

Another pause. Alex took his hand off of his mouth, opened his eyes and looked at Hercules. Hercules didn't know what to do, his eyes just grew.

Hercules tried to defuse the tension.

"WELL it's a good thing you're coming to this school then and we got you outta that house, right!?" He laughed nervously.

Alex relaxed and put on a small, soft, smile. "Yeah," He spoke up, "I guess it is…"

"You're gonna love it!" Hercules closed his eyes as if imagining the scene in front of him, "great clubs to join, lit teachers," at this time he held his hand to his mouth, pretending that he didn't wan anyone to hear him, "and the ladies aren't too bad either." He laughed at his own joke and Alex rolled his eyes, but smiled, too.

"I'm serious," Hercules started again, "you'll like it. And it's good we got you outta there!i have two best friends, john Laurens and marquis de Lafayette. Johns THE most caring person I've ever met. And laf, he's.. -he's and bit of a goof."

"How so..?"

"Well, Lafayette is a french name. He moved to America recently. He has a heavy French accent and still isn't sure how when meeting someone in America, you DON'T kiss them on the cheeks." Hercules laughed just thinking about it. "One time, in Math class, laf got his schedule changed so he was new in the class. Without knowing, he sat in this guy's 'seat' and that guy was not happy. The guy was like 'hey yo get up!' And all lafayette did was stand up, shaking his hand, and said 'AHH!BONJOUR MON AMI!' And then kissing him on both sides of his face.

"He sounds like a nice guy."

"I had to hold back the guy from beating Laf."

"A little oblivious maybe?"

"I was punched multiple times in the face."

"At least Lafayette is kind."

"Lafayette was in the hospital.:

"You stood up for your friend"

"Lafayette lost a tooth."

"Ok, I'm trying to be positive and you're making it really hard."

"Huh," Hercules laughed, "I know. It was funny seeing you struggle."

Alex frowned.

"But you should've been there, it was funny."

"What did the teacher do throughout all of this?"

"He was recording it." Hercules quickly and frantically wiped out his phone and scrolled through some pictures. "Here it is!" Hercules shoved the phone to Alex's face and played a video. He saw a kid his age sitting up against a wall, getting punched. Looking at the boy who was punching, Alex could see Hercules, wrapping his arms around him and trying to pull him off.

"That's Lafayette..?" Alex said, pointing to the kid, that was now laying on the ground, passed out in the video.

"Ooh there goes the tooth!" Hercules seemed super exciting. Yeah that's Lafayette.

Alex got bored after 4 minutes of the video. Hercules saw Alex, staring out the window and quickly put his phone into his pocket.

"OOH THERE'S THE SIGN!" Hercules shouted. He squished Alex up against the window to see the sign they were about to pass.

"What's it say?" Alex said, muffled from Hercules pushing up against him.

"Didn't you just see?" Hercules asked, sitting back in his seat.

"I would've," Alex responded, running his fingers through his hair, "but there was a person on me."

"Sorry about that."

"What'd it say?"

"Oh, it just pretty much said we'd be there in the next 20 minutes."

"Oh cool."

"What's good is that you are arriving on a Saturday evening."

"That's good?"

"YeaH! This way, you can meet some people without bothering them with homework, and them needing to go the classes. It's a better time for meeting your roommate and stuff. More practical."

"Roommate?"

"Roommate…?"

Alex started breathing heavily. "I've never had a roommate before."

"Chillax dude."

"What if they don't like me?"

"They wi-"

"What if i don't like them?" Alex interrupted.

"Well, you can also ask to cha-"

"What if th-"

"ALEXANDER HAMILTON!"

Alex grew quiet and looked at Hercules dead in the eyes.

Hercules put both his hands on Alex's shoulders. "Alex," he said, "they'll like you, you'll probably like them and if you don't, you can just ask to change roommates."

"But what if," Alex looked down at hands. He saw the scars on his arms and bruises. "what if they're like James….?" There was a pause. Hercules nearly gasped, but thought that that wouldn't have been a good idea. Hercules didn't know what say.

He attempted to defuse the tension. You could cut it with a knife. Hercules chuckled and said, "Well then, they can answer to me." Seriously? Hercules thought to himself. No laugh, nothing? I thought that was funny.

Alex continued looking down.

Think of something else to say, Hercules.

"They won't, I promise. You're likable! Smart, nice, not a total ass. I like you just fine. I'm sure the will, too. But seriously, if they do act like James, tell me. I've got your back, always."

Alex looked back up. "Okay." He said softly.

"HEY!" Hercules shouted, throwing his hands in the air.

Alex bolted up, "WHAT?"

"I just remembered that Lafayette's roommate moved out and now his room is up for grabs! You gotta take it!"

"Why'd he move out?"

"The roommate didn't really 'like' Lafayette's 'personality'."

"Huh?"

"Lafayette is nice. And loud. And.. gives hugs…."

Alex glanced out the window, "And you want me to be his roommate?"

"It sounds worse than it is."

"I see."

Hercules looked at his watch, "We should be there in a few minutes. The bus stop is basically right outside of campus so there's no walk or anything like that."