Just you wait~ Lams AU

Chapter 1: Hercules Mulligan.

I felt eyes on me as I walked down the corridor. The bustling chaos of the dining Hall was so close. Yet so far.

I let out a startled cry as the back of my collar was pulled. The white fabric dug deep into my throat and pushed against my Adams apple hard.

As I stumbled back, coughing. I heard a low rumble of laughter. My dark eyes shot upwards.

Head thrown back, unruly curls framing his tanned, freckled skin. None other than John Laurens, flanked by a smug-looking Thomas Jefferson and a guilty-looking James Madison.

Settling a stoic expression on my features, I straightened up.

When his hysterics had subsided, Laurens began to stare me down with thickly lashed eyes. He caught my glare with a self-assured smirk.

I sighed, dropping my eyes to my feet.

I can't remember how long this had been happening for. Daily torment on my way through the stark white school corridors.
I remember indefinitely the event that set it all off.

I had just moved to Yorktown. Upon my school tour, I was lost in telling my tour guide, a Samuel Seabury, about my childhood.
I was an orphan. I ran away from my care home in the Caribbean when I was 17, only to be caught by social services and sent to America in a hypothetical exile.

Samuel obviously saw it fit to tell Thomas Jefferson, gossip freak and resident jock. All sorts of fantastical rumours began to infect the school community, and pretty soon the torments of "poor" "diseased" "psychopath" were an everyday routine.

When the word got around they all said I was insane. John Laurens, Golden Boy of Kings High turned out to be not so golden. If verbal taunting weren't enough, his constant beatings were torture. Teachers never noticed.

Or they never cared.

I snapped back to the present when I felt hot breath on my hair. Madison had stepped forwards, trying desperately to make eye contact. I looked past him at the wall, already knowing what was going to happen.

Before he lay out the first blow, he whispered,

"I'm so sorry, Alexander."

As his fist connected with my stomach again and again, I saw John Laurens smiling.

~ One Painful Lunchtime Later ~

Groaning, I tried to roll onto my side. A sharp shock of pain tore through me and I gasped. My eyes shot open.

Frozen in a vice of pain, I lay there in the cold corridor.

I wasn't sure when I had passed out, but I was damn sure they had done some severe damage. My face throbbed and I felt a tender bruise spreading like an inkblot on paper across my cheek.

I grabbed the locker closest to me and pulled myself up slowly, exhaling quickly at the shock of movement. I tried to take a hesitant step forward, but my legs gave way and I stumbled to the floor.

I hit the linoleum with a loud smack and I yelled out in pain, rolling onto my back. My shirt was stuck to my side with blood, and I daren't move for fear of it tearing off.

"SHIT!" I flinched at the sound of a deep voice coming towards me. Thundering steps edged closer to my helpless position and I cringed, closing my eyes and awaiting a blow.

Instead, I felt rough, cold hands tenderly reaching towards the bruise on my face. I cranked my eyes half open slowly, and met the dark brown eyes of Hercules Mulligan.

Hercules was decent. He used to be friends with Laurens, but when the torments started, he got better friends. We were acquaintances, but I knew was a kind, caring soul.

He carefully pulled me up to sitting, wincing when I groaned.

"Damn..." he muttered, glancing over my beaten body.

"Alexander?" He asked. I nodded curiously.

"Was... was this Laurens?" I nodded again slowly. Rage overtook his features.

"That fucker!" He yelled, causing me to flinch away from his harsh voice. Upon noticing my obvious discomfort, he unclenched his jaw and loosened his grip around my shoulders.

"I'm so sorry this had to happen to you, Alex." The sincerity in his eyes set off a new wave of pain in my chest, and I began to cry again. He whispered comforting words, engulfing my in his large arms and pulling my into his broad chest.

Reaching up, he stroked his hand through my hair in a calming manner. The routine movement settled my breathing and I began to stop crying. As I calmed down, I continually hiccuped. I buried my flushed face into the strong arms of Hercules, and I felt safe.

He gently lifted me to my feet, and he waited until he knew I wouldn't fall before cautiously leading me forwards.

Stumbling along the corridors, being held up only by the grip of Hercules, we jerkily made our way towards his dorm room. We didn't talk much, but Hercules filled me in on who he roomed with.

"There's Lafayette, he's a crazy French man. Don't worry, he may seem completely insane at first, but he grows on you," he began, smiling fondly.

"Then there's Aaron Burr. He... well he's interesting. He is a strong believer in the 'less is more' policy, and isn't very forthcoming on any particular stances. He is very nice though."

"Lastly, we have George 3rd, who we call Georgie. He's a snob, simply, and he's not that great of an influence. He's a major yandere..." He caught my confused expression and laughed.

"Oh Alex. You're gonna be fine...
just you wait."