Paper Hearts ▪ Lams

10

November 15th, 2013

Alexander's bedroom

Freshman Year

//trying to remember all the good times//

John ran into Alexander's room, his feet slamming on the hardwood floor.

"Alexander?" he called as he opened the door, revealing his best friend in a crumbled ball in the corner of his bed.

Alexander had texted John after school, telling him that Eliza just dumped him. John immediately ran, skipping his after school baseball practice and not wasting a second to find Alexander.

Alexander looked up, his face red and puffy and his eyes full of pain, "John?" John rushed to his side, taking him in his arms.

"John, you're supposed to be at baseball practice," Alexander said, pulling out of John's embrace.

John chuckled, "Lexi, you are definitely way more important than some sport."

Alexander's cheeks streaked with more tears, "But, it's important to you a-and-"

John cut Alexander off, "But you're more important to me."

Alexander's eyes welled with tears as he dove into John's arms, sobbing loudly. He crawled into John's lap, forgetting everything he knew about personal space.

John wrapped his arms around his small figure, tightly holding him while running his hands through his hair. He let Alexander cry into his chest, tightly gripping his shirt and begging for his heart to be patched up.

After a while, John finally spoke up, "Do you want to talk about it, or do you need more time?"

Alexander pulled away from John's chest, sniffling. He nodded and pushed his hair back.

"She pulled me aside after school and told me that she didn't like me anymore; that there was someone else."

John felt his soul burn with anger. Who in their right mind would give up a boy like this?

"Did she tell you who it was?" John asked, placing a hand on Alexander's knee shakily.

Alexander nodded and wiped his nose off with his sleeve, "I-It was Maria Reynolds."

John tilted his head, "Is Eliza bisexual?"

"No, actually," Alexander shook his head, "She is lesbian."

"Oh," John said sympathetically, "I'm so sorry."

Alexander shrugged, "It's okay, she deserves so much better than someone like me."

John snapped his head towards Alexander. He had never heard him talk about himself like that before.

"Alexander Hamilton, look at me," John said sternly. Alexander slowly met John's eyes, tears falling from them quickly, "Never, ever think that you are less than you actually are, Lexi, because you are worth so much in this world, you could never possibly know."

Alexander smiled at John, silently thanking him. He wrapped his arms around John's neck suddenly, slightly knocking John over. John caught them before they fell with one arm, and had the other gripped on Alexander's waist tightly. Alexander giggled lightly, making John's heart flutter with joy.

He sat them up and wrapped his other arm around Alexander's waist, gratefully taking the small boy in his arms.

Alexander pulled back with a smile on his face, though pain still seemed to roam in his eyes.

"I know that it's going to take a lot more than a mini-inspirational speech and a quick hug to patch you up, but we're going to do it, no matter how long it takes," John said, smiling softly at Alexander.

Tears fell from Alexander's face as he forced a smile on to his lips.

"Now, I know that to get over someone, you have to talk about them," John started, sitting criss-cross in front of Alexander.

"And what do you know about getting over someone?" Alexander inquired.

John chuckled softly, "More than you'll ever know," he mumbled.

"What?"

"Nothing," John quickly said, "Just trust me, okay? Now, what'd did you like about Eliza?"

"John it's not what I liked, it's what I loved," Alexander said, a sad smile on his face.

John felt his heart tug, but he ignored it for the sake of his best friend.

He listened to Alexander talk for hours on end about what made Eliza the most incredible person on this planet and each detail tugged on his heart a little more.

But he wouldn't let him know that, because why would he care?