Chapter Text
Alex’s first day at Liberty High was over before he knew it.
The next day, he got there a little earlier so he was waiting by the doors for the school to open. He was looking around for Burr when-
“ALEXANDER” A familiar French voice called. The next thing he knew he was getting crushed by Lafayette.
“Mon ami!” He said happily, still smothering Alex in a hug. “It is SO good to see you!”
“Laf, let him breathe!” A deep voice behind him called.
“Please…” Alex choked out.
Lafayette released Alex from his bear hug and chuckled sheepishly. Hercules walked up behind him and sighed.
“Laf, you’ve got to stop doing that.” He scolded “You scared him to death!”
“It’s ok.” Alex laughs. It felt good to laugh. In the corner of his eye, Alex saw Burr, smiling at him.
He smiles back.
When he turns back around, he sees John approaching the group.
“Mon ami! You’re late.” Lafayette calls out to him.
“I just stayed up really late doing homework.” John says, yawning.
“Is it that one assignment in Mr. Paine’s class?” Laf asked. “That one is SO confusing. What even is pi?”
Hercules stares at Lafayette in shock
“Wait.. you dont know what Pi is..?”
“What, am I supposed to?” Lafayette scoffs
“Yes, It's like- the whole concept of a circle!”
“Oh well, I’ll manage” Laf shrugs. Hercules just sighs.
As if on cue, the bell rings and kids start to pour into the building.
Their group breaks apart as they all descend separate hallways, Alex going up the stairs to reach his class. He sits next to Burr, but neither says a word.
____
English and Biology passed much like they had the day before. Alex still wasn’t entirely sure what was happening half the time, but at least he no longer felt completely lost.
By the time the lunch bell rang, he already knew where he was going.
He grabbed a cheeseburger from the lunch line that looked only marginally better than yesterday’s pizza and made his way toward the table in the back corner of the cafeteria.
Only one person was sitting there.
Lafayette spotted him almost immediately.
“Mon ami!” he called, grinning as he enthusiastically patted the empty seat beside him. “Come, sit!”
Alex couldn’t help but smile as he walked over.
“You’re here early.”
“My history teacher kept talking after the bell,” Lafayette explained dramatically. “So naturally, I left.”
Alex laughed, setting his tray on the table before taking the seat beside him.
“So,” Alex said, unwrapping his cheeseburger, “how are your classes going?”
Lafayette groaned loudly, throwing his head back.
“If I have to do one more group project with Charles Lee, I am moving back to France.”
Alex raised an eyebrow.
“Who’s Lee?”
“The most self-centered, arrogant asshole to ever walk this planet.”
The voice came from directly behind him.
Alex turned just in time to see John drop his lunch tray onto the table with a loud clatter before sliding into the seat across from him.
John let out an exhausted sigh.
“Oh,” he said after a moment. “I think Charles Lee is in my debate class.”
John looked up from unwrapping his sandwich.
“…Seriously?”
Before Alex could answer, another tray landed on the table.
“Please don’t tell me you’re talking about Lee already,” Hercules said as he sat down.
“He just found out they’re in debate together,” John explained.
Hercules closed his eyes for a brief second.
“My condolences.”
Alex blinked.
“…Is he really that bad?”
John and Hercules exchanged a look.
“Yes.”
“Absolutely.”
Lafayette leaned forward with a completely serious expression.
“I have considered faking my own death to avoid working with him.”
Alex chuckles, finishing his burger in a few swift bites.
“Well, wish me luck.” Alex says, gathering the trash from his tray. “I have debate next.”
“We will pray for you.” John sighs dramatically.
_____
Alex walks into the debate classroom to find Lee talking to someone. Lee laughs at something they say and then takes a seat next to them.
Alex finds a seat as far away as possible from Lee.
Unfortunately, Alex doesn't know anyone in this class, so he sits alone.
When the bell rings, the chatter dies down and the teacher, Mr. Adams, turns his attention to the class.
“Today, our debate topic is ‘When is it justified to challenge authority?’” Mr. Adams begins, clearing his throat.
“Would anyone like to start us off?” He asks, eyes scanning the room.
The person that was talking to Lee raises his hand lazily.
“Mr. Jefferson, go ahead.”
“Authority exists to create order. Without it, everyone decides for themselves which rules matter and which don’t. That’s not justice. That’s chaos." Jefferson begins, sounding almost bored. Alex quickly realizes why—he isn’t expecting a challenge.
“Does anyone want to add their opinion?” Mr. Adams searches the room again.
Immediately Alex’s hand shoots up.
Mr. Adams gives a look of shock.
“Mr. Hamilton?”
“Order isn’t worth much if it’s built on injustice.”
“According to who?”
“The people living under it.” Alex states.
The classroom was silent.
“People disagree all the time. If every person decided a rule was unjust simply because they disliked it, society wouldn’t function.”
“Questioning authority isn’t the same as ignoring it.”
“Isn’t it?” Jefferson frowns
“No. Questioning asks authority to justify itself. Ignoring it assumes it has no authority at all.”
“And if authority refuses to justify itself?”
“Then people have every right to challenge it.” Alex states, gesturing with his hands.
“Through the proper channels.”
“What if the proper channels don’t work?”
“Then you continue using them.”
“For how long?”
“However long it takes.”
“What if nothing changes?”
“Then perhaps your argument wasn’t convincing enough.” Jefferson sighs.
“Or perhaps the people in power simply didn’t want to listen.” Alex says without missing a beat.
“Then you keep trying.”
“And if they never do?”
“Then that’s unfortunate.”
Alex frowns.
“That’s your solution? Just accept it?”
“My solution is to work within the system instead of tearing it down.” Jefferson retorts.
“You can’t fix a system that refuses to admit it’s broken.”
Before Jefferson could respond, the teacher glanced at the clock.
“Unfortunately, that’s all the time we have for today’s debate.”
Jefferson scowls at Alex.
When Alex finishes packing up his things, the bell rings.
Just as he is about to walk out the door, someone grabs his shoulder. He turns around to see Jefferson glaring at him.
“This isn't over, Hamilton” He growls.
Alex just smiles at him and turns to leave.