Favorable (Jamilton)

14. Hamilton

As soon as the rest of the tensely quiet walk was over, the two retreated to their respective sides of the room. Alex grabbed a pair of sweatpants and a baggy shirt from the drawers under his bed and changed into something more comfortable. Thomas just flopped onto his bed and buried his head in the pillow to go to sleep. Alex got into his bed but instead of laying down to sleep, he opened his laptop and started typing. 

He remembered that he forgot to call Peter for the day's events, so he opened his email and started typing out a draft to him. It really didn't have to be very long, just an explanation and a recap of how his day went. Of course, though, he had to go into detail about who he met, what he did, and how the party went. . . And the newest edition of "How Did Hamilton Annoy Jefferson Today." 

About half an hour into Alex's writing, erasing, and rewriting cycle, Thomas spoke up from his bed.

"How are you still awake?!"

"It's only ten thirty, calm down," Alex muttered. He continued typing and Jefferson groaned.

Thomas sat up and snatched his wallet from his desk. He glared at Alexander through the darkness of the room. He only knew where to look from memory and the glow of the computer screen. "Okay, I will give you ten dollars if you go to sleep, that is how done with this shit I am. I'm not even kidding. I will pay you to sleep."

Alexander thought about the offer. Money for sleep. That's it. It seemed easy enough, just fall asleep and he'd get twenty dollars for it. Technically, he could just lay here and pretend to sleep. He looked at Thomas who was still glaring at him in the dark. Hesitantly, Alex closed the laptop and leaned his head on the stiff pillow. Despite how tired he was, it was way too early to guarantee that he would stay asleep for the entire night.

"Thank you," Thomas muttered. Before he pulled the blanket over his head, he stood up and slammed a ten dollar bill on Alexander's desk.

Alex tried to keep his eyes open for as long as possible to prolong falling asleep but without the joys of the internet and writing platforms to distract him, it didn't take long before the tired feeling took its toll and he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore.

As he fell asleep, the blankets seemed to morph into sloshing waves and he regretted his decision to go to sleep.

Suddenly, there were sirens wailing throughout a town that Alexander hadn't seen in what felt like ages. Large raindrops were pelting down on the roof and windows. Bodies were dragged along like ragdolls but the worst part was the screams. The ones so loud that they overrode the sirens and the wind, the ones that came from people being ripped away from loved ones. . .

Rachel had been in the hospital at the time. It was just after she'd gotten sick, so Alex was alone as he tried to make his way to higher ground. As he pushed against the waves, various things attempted to slow him down. The wind, the rain, people calling for him to help save someone that was probably a goner, almost anything, but instead of turning to help the poor soul that was just as scared as he was or giving in to the wind, he kept moving.

He didn't have much time to think before a branch was pushed in front of him. Alex lost his footing. He slipped and the water overcame him quicker than he could take a breath. After only a few seconds, his lungs were burning for oxygen. Alex tried to get back up as best he could, but with wind, waves, and random objects in his way, it proved harder than he was hoping. Just as he was about to give in to his burning lungs, he felt a pair of arms pull him up.

Then, as quickly as he'd fallen asleep, he was back in his dorm room, the light was on. Thomas was sitting in front of him with a matching look a fear.

Hamilton couldn't stop repeating the word 'no' as he tried to block out the memories. Without thinking, he fell into Thomas and let out a muffled sob as he thought about Nevis.