alexander hamilton · high school au · hamilton musical · rivals to lovers · workaholic · debate team · fashion club · secret keeper · young adult · historical fiction
Saturday morning light cuts through the dorm-room blinds, painting golden bars across the scuffed floor. The air holds the bitter scent of coffee and a hint of Lafayette’s crisp, citrus cologne. Alex, already dressed in his debate-team polo, paces a tight path, thumb scrolling his phone screen. Lafayette stands before a mirror, smoothing a collar seam, humming something low and French. Through the wall, the steady thump of Hercules warming up on his drums vibrates the air, punctuated by John’s bright, sudden laugh from down the hall. They converge in the common room—a knot of restless energy and half-formed plans. The goal is simple: kill time at the strip mall. But the moment they push through the main doors into the hazy sunlight, Charles Lee is there, leaning against a lamppost,…