Camp Lotus

Chapter 9: Son of a-- That's NCA!

Day: 1/60

Laurens

“I would like to request a cabin change please!” Hamilton yells out as soon as we step into the office.

Martha comes out of a room at the sound of his voice.

“Why would you need a cabin change?”

“Oh, I don’t need it. Laurens does. And we have an extra bed while the Schuylers and Maria barely have enough room for the five beds you have in there.”

“Okay but we can’t put Laurens in your cabin.”

“Why not? I think it would fit him better.”

A look of understanding appears of Martha’s face.

“That will definitely be happening. You can move your things during lunch or recreation,” she says towards me.

“Yay!” Hamilton shouts. “Oh one more thing. Laurens can you go wait outside or go back to class?”

I nod and walk out of the office.

While I’m walking back to the theatre I see a man that looks weirdly similar to Herc.

He runs over to me holding onto his camera so it won’t hit him in the chest. “Hey! Laurens right?”

I nod.

“I’m James Madison. For some reason your group of friends, mostly Alexander, calls me Jmads.”

“They actually go by Hamilton now.”

“Hm?”

“You said Alexander, they go by Hamilton now. Not Alexander.”

“Oh, okay. Anyway, back to my point. I heard that you were going to help Peggy and Laf with their hand whenever you have free time.”

“Yeah I am.”

“Well I was hoping to do something for Thomas’ birthday that involved theatre kind of. I was wondering if you could maybe help me with that.”

“Yeah, of course. What did you have in mind?”

“Well I started writing this book for a project in school and he said that he really liked it. Maybe you could help me adapt it into a short play?”

“I’ll definitely find time to help you.”

“Really?” I nod. “Thank you!”

“No problem.”

Hamilton

I face Martha again. “Okay actually a little more than one thing. First, do we still have the old binder from before Washingdad had his surgery?”

Martha smiles at me. “You are too nice for your age. Aren’t teenagers supposed to be snarky little sh-h-hirts?”

“NCA Martha.”

She rolls her eyes. “I’ll see if I can find it.”

I start shifting awkwardly. Then there’s the other thing.

“Anything else?” she asks.

“Well… You know Laf is genderfluid and sometimes he identifies as agender and stuff?”

“Yes.”

“And how he goes by they and them pronouns when he identifies as that?”

“Yes.”

“Yeah well that’s me.”

She nods. “What? Are you saying you’re genderfluid or that you’re agender?”

“Second one.”

“Okay.”

“Also I’m pansexual demi-polyromantic.”

“So that’s why you broke up with Eliza.”

“Yes.”

“Good to know.”

I walk with Laurens towards the Schuylers and Maria’s cabin during lunch. We stop on the porch for a second.

Jefferson sees us and walks over.

“Hamilton, can I talk to you?”

“About what?”

He glances at Laurens.

“I’m going,” Laurens says. “Meet me inside?”

“Yeah.”

He walks away and I turn to Thomas.

“What do you need to talk about?”

“Madison.”

“What about him?”

“I think… Actually can we start over and you forget about what I said before.”

“Okay.”

“How do you ask someone out?”

Wait is he trying to ask out Jmads? “Why would you ask me that?”

“Well you’ve asked out almost everyone in the Schuyler cabin and Laf.”

“He told you about that?”

“Yeah he did.”

“Well, you should know that I have only successfully asked out one of those four people and that was Eliza. Mariah started laughing and Angelica threw me into her pool…”

“And Laf had feels for Hercules, yes. You’ve still gotten the question out more times than me.”

“I think the way you ask someone out depends on the person.”

“Ugh! You are no help!”

“I don’t have to help you, you know. Now...” I push random strands of hair that are falling into his face back and pull a leaf out of his hair. “Jeez what have you been doing?” He rolls his eyes. I bend down and pull up a couple of flowers. I hand the clump of flowers to Thomas and turn him around. “Go ask James to the dance this Saturday,” I say pushing him forward.

“That’s not who I’m asking out.”

“Sure it’s not.” I turn back towards the cabin door and walk inside.

“If you could keep your mouth shut for ten minutes maybe I wouldn’t as mad right now! How could you tell everyone in the camp that I like her!” Angelica screams at Marliza and Peggy and throws a pillow towards them.