Favorable (Jamilton)

4. Hamilton

Alexander walked in and fell in love with the smell and atmosphere of the small building. There were sofa's scattered around, along with barstools and regular tables, the lighting was mostly provided by gold holiday lights hanging from the ceiling and wooden beams that were attached from wall to ceiling. Instead of plastic cups to drink from inside the restaurant, there were actual glass mugs. Alex figured that from the tub of dirty mugs near the door. 

Music played lightly over a single speaker. It was just loud enough to be heard around the shop but you'd have to be near the counter actually hear the song's lyrics.

There were only two other customers in the store, they were sitting closer to the back.

Then Alex noticed that the barista was trying to talk to him. 

"Sorry, what'd you say?"

"Well, first I said 'hi welcome to the Hip Stir, how may I help you?' Then I said, 'are you a stoned college kid?'"

Alex slowly went up to the counter, still enjoying the look of the establishment. He didn't recognize the song playing but it made the place feel more comfortable. "Yes, how'd you know? About the college kid part, not the stoned part."

The man behind the counter smiled. "Takes one to know one, mostly. What can I get ya?"

"Oh. . . Um. Double shot espresso?"

"You going for caffeine this late?" The barista shot Alex a suspecting look. Alexander could feel his face light with excitement to already have the chance to prove someone wrong.

"Actually, one two-ounce double espresso only has about eighty milligrams of caffeine. A twelve-ounce cup of normal drip coffee has about one hundred twenty milligrams, so there's really more caffeine in a normal drip."

The barista just looked at him with a surprised expression.

"Who are you, exactly?" He asked as he filled a cup.

"Alexander Hamilton."

The barista turned around so quickly that he almost dropped the glass. "You're Alexander Hamilton?"

"Um, yes? Why is that surprising?"

"You have pretty much the entire campus afraid of you! Or at the very least respect you to a point bordering fear. . . You have got to teach me how to do that."

Oh great, he thought. Someone that I don't even know knows about that.

Alexander just shrugged and hoped to leave it at that. 

"I'm John Laurens, by the way. Lafayette, Mulligan, get over here!" John turned and called the other two customers over.

I just wanted coffee and now I have three potential acquaintances. This is really shaping to be an exciting year, Alex thought as two more men came over.

"What?" The slightly shorter one asked.

"I present to you, Alexander Hamilton! Alexander Hamilton these two tall and taken drinks of water are Hercules Mulligan the wonderfully French Lafayette."

The taller of the two men stepped closer and looked at Alexander like he was a science experiment that was finally showing results.

"I'm actually Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier de Lafayette, but Lafayette is easier for everyone, or Gilbert if you really care that much. I have to say, I expected someone taller," the tall man said, his French accent surprisingly noticeable. Alex couldn't help but think about the resemblance that he held to Thomas Jefferson.