The Smell of Coffee and Paper: A Hamilton Au

Chapter Six

Just fall apart if you need to.

I'm here,

 and I won't leave you now.

John Laurens III

I and my friends arrive at our apartment once again. Technically it's Herc's and only Herc's, but he lets us live there because he gets lonely and wanted roommates. Sure, I had my own place, but since I decided to rent Herc's place for fun, and convenience. Herc's place is far closer to the cheap parking garage. But in the meantime, I rented my own apartment out, and it's really hard to kick the renter out on the flip of a coin. Besides, I like living with my two best friends. Most of the time, I suppose, it's the truth.

Yet sometimes they're rather insensitive, to put it blatantly. Tonight's thing is this show called "Timeless." This was the season finale of the second season, and they've been talking about it for forever. Honestly, it's about time travelers and I don't get all their hype, but they love it. And their talking has escalated to just complete and total yelling. I really wanted to get a good night's sleep because last night I got borderline no sleep due to Laf and Herc's 'joke.'

Well, so much for sleep. As if my sense of relaxation could coexist with the cacophony they're making.

I tell them that I'm going to take a walk. I don't think they hear me, but that's okay. Just need some air and some goddamn quiet.

I take a stun gun with me, just in case anyone threatens me. I know the city very well and the places to avoid, but you can never be 100% sure. Even at this late hour, people still roam around, and the city is lit up in a beautiful show of light. This is what I love about New York City--the hustle and bustle, the picture of a city that never stops moving.

Counting my steps because I have nothing else to do, I wander about. The Jumping Bean should still be open right now, but quite near its closing time. I can imagine Holly cleaning up the cafe, turning off the machines, flicking off the lights and hurrying back home before anything can happen to her in the back alleyway with the employee entrance. Just the same way that I'd imagined Alex doing the same thing earlier in the day. I took it as a shortcut once during the day, and it still had a rather eerie feel to it.

I've taken 237 steps so far walking incredibly slowly just for the feel of it. Passing time until Herc and Laf are too tired to keep yelling, their throats are hoarse, and they are finally tired enough to go to sleep.

The honk of a taxi jerks me back to reality. The crosswalk light has turned red and I am in the middle of it. I give an apologetic look and run the rest of the way to the other side, my long legs traversing distance relatively quickly. 1 step, 2 steps, 3 steps, 4 steps. 237 plus 4 equals 241.

Just keep on walking. Just keep on counting. 297. 298. 299. 300. I pause in acknowledgment of my slow walking step count milestone. 3/100 of what a 'healthy' amount to walk is. Looking up, I see a flash of red through my glasses, darting down an alleyway, directly to one of the more unpleasant parts of the city. I quicken my pace and get a clear look at the figure. Not that I'm trying to be a hero or anything but drug addiction isn't a joke in any way, shape, or form.

It was Alex again. Wait, no. Alexander. His name is Alexander, John. Alexander. Not Alex. He doesn't like that...

"Alexander!" I call out. He freezes, then turns around, the look of a caged and cornered animal has. Shoot, how do I make not defensive Alexander come out. "Weird seeing you out here so late, did you just get off work?"