Chapter 4: If You Join Us Right Now

Before a long, arduous task is approaching, such as a heavy course load of a college semester, the first day is often a good indicator of how that task is likely to go.

Alex walked into the classroom and looked around at the massive auditorium. Completely lost, he randomly decided to walk into a row and sat down next to a girl who didn't acknowledge him.

It was just as well, because the bell had just rung, the last few students trickled into the room, and the teacher, an unattractive middle-aged woman, took to the front of the room.

"Hello, class!" Dear God. Her voice was the most irritating thing Alex could have ever imagined, like a beginner violin student playing. "I'm Mrs. Fleming, and I'm absolutely delighted to be your English teacher for this semester!"

"So to begin, why don't you introduce yourself to the person next to you, and tell them one interesting thing about yourself! Get some nice feeling in!" Mrs. Fleming went on.

What the hell does any of this have to do with learning? Alex thought to himself.

Nonetheless, he turned in his seat at the girl next to him and said, "Alexander Hamilton. I, eh, write a lot." Sure, he had to say something, but he wasn't going to start spilling his entire life story.

"Veronica. Sawyer." the girl replied haltingly. "I… enjoy popular movies."

Alex got the feeling that she, too, was holding a whole lot back, but wisely decided not to press over the demands of a hippie teacher.

The boy looked down, where a guy with a big bushy afro and a fuschia sports jacket was loudly talking with three girls dressed in red, yellow, and teal.

"Who are they?" Alex asked aloud.

Veronica turned in her seat and grinned. It wasn't a happy grin.

"They? They are the Heathers, and Thomas Jefferson, and they are some of the least pleasant people that you'll ever meet in your life. They're the 'popular' kids."

Alex groaned mentally. He knew a thing or two about entitled idiots.

An eternity of stupid activities and Thomas talking and talking and talking, and English was finally over.

Y'know, maybe college isn't all that it's cracked up to be, Alex thought to himself as he trudged out the door.

The next class was just basic history. Hopefully, it'd be better. Alex had always loved history.

A few minutes of walking later, and Alex found himself inside a room not unsimilar to the one he'd just been in. And yes, Thomas and the Heathers were still there, whoever they were. More importantly, John and Laf were also there, who quickly smiled and waved their friend over.

"Good to see you, mon ami," the Frenchman said as Alex settled in the seat next to him.

"How's it going, buddy?" John asked with a giant smile on his face.

However, the last bit that his friend had said seemed to fade away as Alex's attention was suddenly directed towards a few rows in front of him.

Sitting in a chair in towards the front of the room was the most beautiful girl that he'd ever seen in his life. Short, straight black hair framed a sweetly smiling face that just seemed to emanate warmth and kindness. Her dark eyes glittered with intelligence and a seeming cunning. She wore a pair of casual fit jeans and a baby blue jacket.

Alex was utterly enraptured. He was helpless.

He didn't notice John, right next to him, his lips somewhat curving down into a frown.

But only for a moment. He tapped his friend on his shoulder, trying to get his attention.

"Alex. Alex. Earth to Alex," John said, waving his hand in front of Alex's face.

Finally, Alex stopped staring and returned to reality.

"Who is that?" Alex breathed.

"Hm?" John looked down, pretending to not be aware of who his friend was looking at. "The Schuyler sisters?"

"Sisters?" Only then did Alex notice the girl sitting next to the object of his affection, with skin the color of chocolate wearing a fiery red outfit. "They don't look like sisters at all."

"Don't say that to their face. They hate hearing that," John recommended. "Angelica's a sophomore here, Eliza's a freshman like us, and Peggy's a senior in high school. She'll be here next year."

Alex just blinked dumbly.

Lafayette sighed. "Mon ami, pay attention. Class, it is starting."

This snapped the boy to attention, as the pencil in his hand began to quiver with anticipation over the sheet of paper as the professor walked to the front of the room.

"Hello, class." Unlike Mrs. Fleming, this man's voice was quite calm. Deep. Relaxing. Alex found himself already liking him. "I'm Mr. Washington, and welcome to history class."

Thomas began to continually whisper loudly to somebody sitting next to him, a shorter black guy wearing a grey polo shirt.

"Mr. Jefferson," Washington said, pointing at the boy, and Alex took a little thrill in the tiny surprise jump Thomas made in his seat.

To his credit, he recovered quite quickly. "Yes, sir?"

"Perhaps there's something that you'd like to say to the class?" Mr. Washington said dryly. "I did have some debates planned to help us all break the ice. Perhaps you'd like to be the first."

Thomas stood up. "Gladly," he said, his lip curling into a devious smirk.

"Who would you like for the opposing team?" Mr. Washington said.

Thomas smirked as his eyes roamed the room, stopping when they landed on Alex.

"I'll take the immigrant," he said, eyes glinting.

Alex suddenly felt dizzy for a moment.

He's said that before! When has he said that before? he questioned.

But after a moment, the feeling faded away, and was replaced by anger and indignance. Who the hell did this guy think he was?

"Mr. Hamilton." Washington pursed his lips, obviously not liking Thomas' word choice. "Please come to the front of the room."

As though he was in a dream, floating, Alex saw his legs carrying him to the front of the room. He felt the weight of everyone's eyes on him. He made eye contact with that girl - Eliza, she must be - before breaking it and standing next to the second podium.

"Your topic will be on the current debate over immigration that's also occurring at the highest levels of our government today. Hamilton, you will be for, and Jefferson, you will be against."

"Jefferson. You'll be starting us off. Take it away." Washington took a step back until he was standing in between the two.

Jefferson cracked a cocky grin. "Immigrants. What can I say? They're literally illegal. The image of the hardworking immigrant trying to make a living in our country? That's a lie. The government's spending on foreign aid is so vast, they hardly need to work. They take up space and waste valuable resources that we could instead be using for the betterment of people who deserve it. We need to get rid of them. Now."

Alex didn't think that a person could piss him off so much, but boy, was he mad. He felt his blood literally boiling.

"You mention a group of people who are somehow 'more deserving' than immigrants, Thomas," Alex began. "But what are we - America - if not a nation of immigrants? Without immigrants, this nation would not even exist. We would be nothing. Immigrants take the important jobs that nobody else wants, the jobs that hold our nation together. They start with nothing, and from nothing, they make a name for themselves."

"Yeah, you're right about that nothing," Jefferson replied.

"I'm sorry?" Alex clenched his fists.

"Look at you! Is that really the only pair of jeans your whore of a mother could afford for you?"

A tad bit of dizziness had returned, but Alex pushed it away. This guy would not get off talking to him like that.

"Hey, turn around, bend over, and I'll show you where my shoe fits!" he spat, and the two boys launched themselves at each other.

Washington got in between them and pushed them apart.

"Alright, ALRIGHT. That's enough. Jefferson, take a walk. Hamilton, take a walk!"

Thomas glared and trudged back to his front-row seat. Alex made his way back to his own.

The weight of everyone's eyes on him wasn't a discomfort. He bathed in it. Friend or enemy, now at least everyone knew who he was.

"Did you really have to do that, Alex?" John asked as Alex sat back down.

"Absolutely."

Hey all. It's me, HTP, the fanfiction author that you all know and love.

If you've seen some of the other things I've been doing on this site, you might realize that I'm not... exactly what you'd call a normal fanfiction author. This is my first shot at trying anything even resembling normal.

So, do leave a review! Let me know how you're doing. Is there any musical in particular that you'd like to see! If so, just say so, and I'll probably bury myself in their soundtrack for five hours just for you.

Thanks for reading, and until next time!