Laurens|First Person
I've been keeping to myself since I got here. It's quite a bit bigger than South Carolina- populationwise that is. I stick to my building and my classrooms- one lecture hall and one regular classroom for smaller groups. I sit in the campus's coffee shop, sipping on white mochas and coffee beans while I look over my notes for my lecture tomorrow. I've gained the attention of the barista though. He's a broad shoulder man with close cropped hair and chocolate skin. Hercules, I think his name is, though I've hear most people call him Mulligan or Herc. I've never really had a chance to address him at all. I think I may have him in one of my smaller classes this year, and from what I can tell, it's his last year of school which means he's not too much younger than me.
I'm pretty young for my position of ascendancy in the world of college professors. I'm the youngest here, the closest to my age is this thirty-five year old librarian type who grunts when she walks. I'm nearly twenty-four though, so I don't feel quite as young as I did when I started out. I still sometimes get odd looks when I'm seen talking with students like friends, rather than the ancient professors who only talk about their jobs.
Hercules nods at me from behind the bar. I look down at my cup and realize it's empty. I don't want to go home for the night just yet, so I get up at ask him for a cup of decaf. He comes back a second later with the cream colored mug. I thank him and go to sit down, but am surprised to have him follow me back to the table.
I quickly shuffle my papers to the side, folding them into the leather briefcase I've had as long as I could remember. I put them in a neat stack beside my pen. "What're you looking at there, Professor Laurens?" I glance at Herculese, wondering if he actually cares. He seems to be a well-liked guy, I can't see a reason why he'd want to be friends with a teacher.
"Uh, you can call me John. These are just notes for my lectures." I take a sip of the black coffee. I don't mind it bitter, it gives it more of a natural flavor. "Aren't you still on the clock?" I ask, not wanting to get him in trouble with his boss.
"I'm on break." He flashes a grin of white teeth. He starts to say something else, but the bell chimes by the door and two students come in, one of them just so happening to be that boy I met earlier. Alexander Hamilton. I remember his mother, she was good friends with my aunt. She died a couple of years ago, I never heard anything about her husband. I wonder if Alexander ever met him, or if he left before he could form memories.
I always tend to get tangled up in Hamilton drama when they're near, though they're far too intriguing to just ignore completely. Alexander is a perfect example. Dark hair and eyes, the look of someone who doesn't quite know what he looks like, but definitely knows what he's thinking. His clothing is slightly wrinkled, but his lips stretch into the grin of someone who knows how to have fun if he wants to. Something about him sticks in my mind, making his name echo in the back of my skull.
"John?" I jerk my head back to Hercules. My cheeks flush red, though I wasn't doing anything wrong. He chuckles.
"I-" I start to explain myself, but he waves his hand at me.
"You were staring at him, right?" He gestures vaguely to Alexander and his friend.
"Well, I wouldn't say staring-" Hercules laughs.
"Sure. The one in blue, right?" I nod. "Don't worry about it, I would be too, I mean if I rolled that way." He gives me a look. "Which I don't, so-"
"Oh my gosh!" I exclaim probably too loudly. "I'm not going to hit on you, and I'm not staring at Alexander." My voice lowers to a hiss at the end and Hercules peeks over his shoulder to look at Alexander. I just pray he doesn't notice. He seems too focused on his friend who looks up at us a couple of times. Hercules nods at his friend and I nearly smack his arm. "What do you think you're doing?" I whisper, he smirks at me.
"I'm getting their attention, you want him to notice you, right?"
"He- he's a student..." I trail off, my gaze drifting back to his table where his friend gives me a look. My face turns red again.
"Duty calls." Hercules announces. I look up to see Alexander heading to the counter to order. Hercules stands and makes his way back to the register to do his job. I hold my breath, hoping he won't do anything too drastic. I'm so focused on the counter that I don't notice Alexander's friend sitting in the spot that Hercules just left until he pats his hands on the table.
"So..." He gives me a knowing smile that I blush at, shaking my head.
"It's not how you think." I defend myself. "I've barely said two words to him, plus he's a student." I put power into my words hoping he'll get it and not say anything to Alexander.
"So? He's nineteen it's technically legal." I notice he has a French accent, but his English is better than I would've thought. "Just..." He trails off, glancing at Alexander as he starts to pay for the two mugs of coffee before him. "Just don't hurt him, ok ami? Alex is a good kid." I nod, though I don't really plan on furthering my relation with Alexander. It would be too weird.
I sigh, going back to my notes and now-cold coffee. I look up occasionally to see Alex and his friend laughing, and sometimes glancing at me. I know they're probably talking about me, but I decide to push aside any feelings that gives me in order to keep myself in check when he comes into class tomorrow.
He'll just be another student. That's it.
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Quietly Noticed || Lams
Fanfiction*Completed History professor, John Laurens is teaching his first year since being transfered from South Carolina. "King's College" is where he works now, much different than the small town he used to live in. He takes a liking to quite a few of the...
