~ Hamilton Imagines & One-Shots for the Soul ~

John Laurens (Modern)

A/N: [I'm going to try a new style of not adding the extra space after each paragraph. Let me know which one you readers like more: two spaces between the paragraphs or one. Also, Cheater! Alexander is coming up next. It is the second part to College! Alexander (Modern). I think I might make a part 3 too but we'll see...]

An unexpected force plows into Y/n. Before she can try to balance herself and her stack of books, the ground rushes up to meet her. In a whirlwind of embarrassment and chaos, she topples onto the hard concrete and covers her head as her own books rain down on her.

"I'm so sorry! I can't believe I just plowed into ya, like that." In her disorientation, Y/n notices a vibrant voice drawing closer. Probably the person who had just rammed into her in the school parking lot. She looks up and finds a freckled face peering down at her. "Are ya okay?" To say that her heart rate increased wouldn't be a lie. Trying to think of how he embarrassed her instead of his winning grin, Y/n pointedly ignores the hand he offers.

Propping herself on her elbows, she rises to her knees. "It's fine. But you really should watch where you are going."

The young man tucks his skateboard under his arm and rubs the back of his neck with a slightly flustered expression. "Yeah, my friends keep telling me the same thing." He bends down to help her with her books and scattered papers. "I don't always do this, I swear. I mean I always skate. But I don't always run into people. I only do that occasionally. Like now." Y/n tries to focus on collecting her things but she just barely contains the small smile that tries to escape onto her face. She has to admit this guy was cute and even a little funny.

"So I take it you like to skate?" Y/n offers after a small moment of silence. It didn't feel right to just walk away when he had handed her the books.

At the mention of this obvious hobby, the young man's eyes light up. "Like to skate? I love to skate! I've been skating since I was a toddler. My mom says I climbed on her skateboard before I started walking. I even skate at the protests I lead."

"Protests?"

"I'm a young activist for universal equality." He is still enthusiastic but he grows slightly more serious while he explains. "I organize and participate in several protests whenever I can find the time between school work and clubs."

As he says this, something in my mind clicks. "You wouldn't happen to be John Laurens, would you?" Her mind reviews the articles and news reports on a high school student in the area that had already started his own organization to support minorities and was a key figure in local peaceful equality protests. The grainy photos didn't give Y/n much to go off of but the backward baseball cap he was wearing is identical to the one that is commonly featured at those protests.

Releasing a bashful chuckle, the young man flashes a blinding smile. "Yeah, that's me."

Y/n can just barely contain her excitement. "T-That's amazing! I've been watching you fight injustice for three years! I even have a clipping of your first protest in the newspaper pinned on my wall. Not in a creepy way, I swear! Just in admiration of you! The way you stand up for what you believe in- The passion you show in the face of adversity- How kind you are-"

"Whoa! Whoa!" John laughs. "Take a breath before you pass out. I'm really nothing that special. I just stand up for people who need a voice." Despite his nonchalant nature, a noticeable blush is climbing its way up to his face.

Y/n tries to calm herself down and take a few deep breaths. This is completely normal. It's not like she is meeting her idol or anything. She definitely didn't crash into the person she most looks up to and proceed to embarrass herself more. A small flush of humiliation colored her cheeks. "Uhh...If you aren't too busy, I would love to ask you a few things. If that's okay with you." She manages to choke out.

John meets her eyes at that suggestion and nods his head slowly. "I'd really like that. Do you wanna walk with me to the park? I was headed there when I rolled into you." When Y/n nods her head rapidly, he just smiles. The two (still partially red) teens start walking in the direction of the local park. One has a skateboard tucked under his arm and the other has several books under her arm. Both have abnormally fast heartbeats.