My Name Is Alexander

Chapter 7

John's PoV

I walk to my room, Martha following close behind me. "My room." I gesture around. It's a decent enough size, though I wouldn't mind it being a little bigger. Decorated with pictures that I've drawn, it feels like my room. Like it can never be anyone else's, like it's never been anyone else's.

"Did you draw these yourself?" She asks, inspecting a picture of a red fox. I nod proudly.

"Every single one of them." I glance around fondly at them. "Umm, so do you want a drink or something?" I ask. I don't really know what to do here. I'm trapped. Somebody help me.

"Oh, no thank you. I'm okay." She replies.

"Okay. Umm. I have some homework that I need to get done so I'm going to work on that. You do what you want I guess?" I grab my computer out of my backpack. I have this ridiculously long assignment from Washington about World War Two that's going to kill me. I bet Hamilton's already finished it. Wonder if he could help me. I pull my phone out and text him. Me: Yo I need help

He responds immediately. Hamilton: What is it?!

Me: Washington's homework. Can you help me? :(

Hamilton: You woke me up for that?!

Me: You were asleep?

Hamilton: Duh! I've already reached my caffeine limit for the day

Me: Oh. So can you help me.

Hamilton: Case toiiiiiiiiii

Me: ???

Hamilton: Uggggggggggh. Send me your address shit-head. Be there soon 😘

I ignore the emoji he sent. "I have a friend coming over." I say. I quickly text him my address and go to tell my dad. "Daaad? I have a friend coming over to help with my homework."

"As long as you stay quiet." He answers.

" 'Course Dad. Thanks." I go back to my room and stare blankly at my screen, ignoring Martha. Ten minutes later, there's a knock at my door. I grin thankfully and run out, opening the door. There stands Hamilton, arms crossed over his chest and his signature cocky smile on his face. He's wearing a black Nonstop seventeen seventy six shirt and I squeal. "You already got one? How?" I step back from the door to let him in.

"I have my ways." He winks at me and swaggers in. "Nice place ya got." I lead him into my room. "So what part are you having trouble with?"

"All of it." I admit. He raises an eyebrow at Martha, but makes no comment.

"Alright. So have you at least gone to the timeline yet?" He asks. I blink at him.

"Tiiiiiimmmeliiiiine?" He groans.

"The link Johnny, the link! The link in the Doc that takes you to the timeline that gives you all the information you need for it!" He cries in exasperation. I throw my hands up.

"Okay! I'm an idiot! Don't get mad!" He cools off.

"I could never be mad at you John." He says, smirking slightly. Martha clears her throat.

"I'm still here you know." She says pointedly. Hamilton rolls his eyes and turns to her.

"And who might you be?" He inquires.

"Martha Manning." She says stiffly.

"Okay. Now, seeeeee you idiot, you click the link, then you click 'okay', then look! It gives you all these amazing articles and I'm probably going to have to leave now before I do it for you. I already finished mine. If you need anything, you have my number. Buh bye." He winks at me again and walks out. Martha sniffs disdainfully.

"He's a dick." She mutters.

"Shut up." I snap. "He's great." I scroll through the articles for a second before pulling my phone out and texting Hamilton. He bursts back into my room.

"You do realize I haven't even left yet and you're begging for me to come back already?" He leans on my door frame and arches an eyebrow. "That must mean you like me. You're so desperate to be around me that you can't bear to have me leave you."

"Shut up." I snap. He snickers and plops down beside me.

"What do you need now?"

"How did you do it?" I ask him. "How did you get it done?" He leans on me slightly, casually, as if he's totally not doing it on purpose. "You're a whore."

"Can't be, still a virgin." He grins slyly at me. "Anyway, what I did was choose the events I wanted to do first. Then I put the name and date of the event on the timeline, for all of them. Then I went back and read the article and wrote the summary, then went back a third time to explain how that event was important and why I chose it. Think you got it?" He explains. I nod.

"Thanks man."

"No problem. I'm going to go back home now and take a nap." He stands up.

"Aww, can't you stay? I'm going to need help with this in like five minutes anyway. I'll just keep calling you over." I wheedle. He groans.

"Fine. I'll text Gilbert and then I'm going to take a nap." He stifles a yawn and pulls his phone out, his slightly curly auburn hair falling in his face. I glance over to see that Martha has left my room. Not that I care. "Alright. Imma take a nap. Wake me if you need me." And with that, he falls face first onto my bed and starts snoring softly. I roll my eyes and start looking through the articles again. I have to choose ten of these. Ten. We have two days to get this done at least.

---

I get five done about two hours later. Hamilton is just waking up as I stretch my cramped muscles. "I believe my body is finally accepting the fact it has to live off of two cups of caffeine a day." He rasps quietly. "Good." He rolls over onto his back and stares up at me.

"I finished five and now I'm taking a break." I inform him.

"Seeing that you didn't need me in those, I'm going home. Bye John." He stands up and leaves.

"Bye Hammie." He flashes me a delighted grin before disappearing.