-Friday, August 23, 2019-

Alex has put an all-nighter that night, since he had spent all afternoon talking to John.

He didn't mind that he missed some work by doing that. He was happy that he was able to make friends, even if he was an anti-social workaholic.

He hummed through the tune of Lin-Manuel Miranda while typing his essay for Mr. Washington.

Funny, He thought. Mr. Washington always gets a leave for half the week...

As the morning sunlight illuminated Alexander's blue walls, his eyes felt droopy and fell asleep with his cheek on his keyboard.

"ALEX!", Hercules Mulligan, Alex's dorm mate and one of his two best friends, apparently, pounded his fists to his bedroom door. 

Alex's head shot up, after about only a minute of sleep, with a red mark at his cheek. He looked at his laptop to see:

hhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh

He quickly deleted all of them and faced Herc. "Can I help you?"

"Yeah, wow. Polite." He chuckled. "Come on, Alex, live a little!"

"I'm clearly alive, Herc." Alex replied, flatly.

"Not literally. But, you can't just stay in your room all day, living a life with only coffee." Herc frowned. 

"If you mean making more friends, then no." Alex said and got back to typing his 39th page. "You and Thomas are enough." He didn't mention John. Was John even fine being friends with just some immigrant who came from a forgotten island? Are they even friends?

"Can you at least meet the Schuylers?" 

"Schuylers?" Alex raised a brow and slightly smiled. He had seen the two Schuylers last month, at his first day, and fell in love with the blue one, Eliza. He only believed that they were going to be acquaintances. He couldn't believe his luck.

"Yeah, they're friends with me and Thomas." He grinned. "Are you willing to?"

"Yeah, sure, I guess..." Alex had to refrain from smiling before shooing away his friend. He dreamily sighed and changed his clothes to something more appropriate than pajamas.

He changed into a green polo shirt and some jeans. He walked out to the kitchen to see Herc making breakfast.

"Alexander, what kind of egg?" Herc yelled.

"Scrambled!" He chirped, before sitting down at the table, looking through Tumblr.

"How's your boyfriend doing, Herc?" Alex asked casually.

"He's doing fine." He smiled, but then frowned suit. "I just miss him so much. Why did he have to go to Princeton!"

"You could always see him every weekend..." Alex mumbled.

Herc grumbled. "I hate long-distance relationships. But I love Laf so much, I couldn't leave him!"

Alexander sighed. Most people in King's had a love life. Angelica and Paine had a love life, even if did not involve 'it'. Connor and Evan, Hercules, the popular Francis had one with someone, but Alexander has forgotten her name. Even the fat, arrogant, anti-charismatic John Adams had one with his girlfriend, Abigail, whom he liked to call 'wifey'. 

 He wished he could have a love life. It would be even better if he's partnered with Eliza. 

Herc slid a plate of scrambled eggs and toast in front of Alexander. "Eat quickly. They'll be here in about 5 minutes." Alex nodded and devoured the meal.

One knock
Two knocks
One knock 

"That's Thomas..." Herc got up from his seat to answer Thomas, who made a secret knocking code for the three of them. 

"SO WHAT'D I MISS!" Thomas pushed Herc out of the way and made a dramatic entrance, his floofy hair bouncing.

Herc rubbed the bridge of his nose. Shaking his head, he groaned. "Must you always do that?"

"What?" Thomas shrugged. "What'd I miss?"

"Nothing." Alex answered flatly. "Unless you wanted breakfast."

"I make my own Mac n' Cheese and I'm proud of it." He smiled. "Anyways, here are the Schuylers." He gestured towards the two girls standing by Thomas.

"Hi." Eliza grinned. "Alex, right?"

"Y-Yep..." He stammered, his anti-social mind taking over his confident one.

"I'm Angelica." The girl with a salmon-colored hoodie, offered her hand. Alex nervously shook it. 

"Eliza, but I'm sure you knew that." Eliza said. Alex slowly nodded. 

"So." Thomas started. "Who's up for coffee?"

Immediately, Alex stood up and raced to get his shoes from his room. "Me!" He rushed back out and pushed everyone out of the door, wanting to get coffee.

"Damn it, Thomas." Herc muttered. "We can't let him drink that much coffee."

"Sorry...?" Thomas nervously chuckled. 

"But coffee is basically my blood!" Alex pouted, who had countlessly pressed the down button of the elevator, wanting nothing more than coffee. "I can't live without it!"

The two sisters giggled about Alex's coffee obsession, causing Alex to turn away, blushing, at Eliza's laugh.

---

John stared at his ceiling for 10 minutes after he woke up, too lazy to get out of bed.

He finally made the decision to rise up from his bed and do something productive, rather than staring at his ceiling.

He took a quick, warm shower and put on some random Miranda merch and black jeans.

He exited his bedroom, and went into the living room, to see his best friend and dorm mate, stalking his boyfriend at Instagram, and drinking coffee.

"Laf, I swear, if you look away from those pictures for even just a minute, you'll die." John joked.

"Maybe I will..." Laf chuckled. 

"How did you 2 meet again?" John asked. He always loved the story of how Mullette sailed. Occasionally, he would grow a bit jealous about them. Not that he was crushing on one of them, but he also longed for someone to love him, even if that person was about 62 miles away.

Laf chuckled. "You never grow tired of it..."

~flashback~

19 year old Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Maquis de Lafayette trudged down the boat's platform and to the dock.

He was a new immigrant, from France, and was completely new to his New York surroundings.

He aimlessly wandered around the city, with a backpack at his, well, back and a suitcase at his left hand.

He was at a park. He spotted a bench and sat down on it, to replenish for a while.

He took out his phone, which had the French flag as a case, and looked through his contacts to see if there's any help.

Mom.

Dead.

Dad.

Dead as well.

Adrienne, his childhood friend.

Well, she's at France, not much help.

He sighed. He had nowhere to go...

Until there was a tap on his shoulder.

"You lost?" A man, wearing a beanie, who was also Lafayette's soon-to-be-boyfriend asked.

Lafayette hesitantly nodded his head and looked back down at his phone.

Lafayette said, "Oui, je m'appelle Marie-Joseph Paul Yves Roch Gilbert du Motier, Marquis de Lafayette."

Herc was confused for a moment until Laf continued, "Lafayette or Laf for short." He smiled.

"I'm Hercules Mulligan." The man, Hercules, smiled. "Or Herc. Do you have a place to stay?"

Laf shook his head. "No.... I'm an immigrant from France."

"Well, you could stay at my place." Herc stood and offered his hand.

They went back to Herc's apartment.

"Thank you, Herc." Laf thanked him for probably the hundredth time.

"Of course, Laf. You needed help, so I offered you." Herc opened his apartment door. "You can stay in the guest room."

Laf nodded and entered the guest room.

He set up his stuff and-

"AFTER A YEAR YOU CONFESS YOUR UNDYING LOVE FOR EACH OTHER AND KISS!" John interrupted Laf suddenly, and wiped faked tears away from his eyes.

"Yes. Then I found a job, moved out, and went here." Laf stated, giving John a weird look. "Jesus, John, you act like a child."

"I do not! " John crossed his arms and pouted like a 5-year old.

"See?" Laf chuckled, sipping his coffee. "Now eat, we'll be seeing Pegs, Theo and James afterwards."

"We will?!" John went into the kitched and drank milk out of the carton, since he's the only one who drinks milk, and shoved cereal into his mouth.

"Alright..." Laf laughed at his weird friend. "We ought to be going now." He grabbed his keys and his wallet before going outside their dorm. John followed suit.

"So, where are we going?" John asked, walking alongside Lafayette.

"At Pegs dorm." Laf pressed the up button, as Laf and John's dorm was at the 3rd floor while Peggy's and her roomate, Theo, was at the 5th.

They arrive at the floor and knock at her door.

"Hello, Johnny!" Peggy opened the door and tackled John into a hug.

"What about me?" Laf pouted.

Peggy smiled and said, "Hi, Laf."

"Wow. Cool." He frowned. "Is Jemmy boy here already?"

"Mhm." Peggy nodded and skipped away back to her dorm.

The two friends enter the dorm, to see Theodosia humming a tune and what it seems like composing a song, and James eating croissants.

"Mind if I steal some?" Laf chuckled, snatching a couple of croissants from James plate.

"Laf!" James groaned. "You have your own!"

"I know. But those are 2 floors down."

"Hi y'all!" John waved and jumped on the couch.

"Hey." Theo smiled, looking up from her notebook.

"So... what do you guys want to do?" James asked, putting his plate down at the sink.

"Let's play UNO!" Peggy suggested.

"Yes!" Theo screeched and went into her room, presumably getting her Mattel Cards collection.

Which she did.

She dropped her bundles of cards down.

"Alright! I've been collecting. I have Classic Uno, Uno Emoji, Uno BTS, Uno H2O, Uno Flip, Uno Winnie the Pooh-" Theo listed.

"Damn." John muttered.

"-Uno Spongebob Squarepants, Uno Mod, Uno Harry Potter, Giant Uno, Uno Thank You Heroes-"

"I shouldn't have suggested that." Peggy pointed out. The 3 boys nodded.

"Disney Pixar Toy Story Uno, Uno Disney Frozen 2, Uno Attack Game, Uno Dare-"

"Oui." You probably would've guessed, Laf said.

"-Uno Super Mario, Uno Splash, Uno Minecraft, Uno ColorADD, Uno WWE-"

"What the fuck?!" James exclaimed. Everyone stared at the precious cinnamon roll, who has never swore before.

Theo stopped listing before screaming, "JAMES FUCKING MADISON SWORE!"

"Now let me continue." She stopped running around and went back to her collection.

"I was sure that would stop her." James squeaked.

"Good job, Jemmy. You swore." Peggy chuckled.

"Anyways," Theo said. "Uno Tin Mickey Mouse and Friends, Uno Barbie, Uno Captain Marvel, Uno Wild Jackpot, Disney Frozen Uno, the first movie-"

"Do these even exist?!" John whispered.

"Apparently." They all said in unison.

"-Uno Incredibles 2, Uno DC Super Hero Girls, UNOcorns, Angry Birds Uno, Auburn University Uno, Baby Animals Uno, Barbie California, Batman Uno-"

"Let's just play Classic Uno." Peggy nervously scratched her head.

"Ugh." Theo pouted. "I wanted to show you the rest!"

"I'm sure you have hundreds in store." Laf said. "Let's play the rest later."

Theo nodded her head and took out her Classic Uno. 

 ---

At the other college, Alex, Herc, Thomas, Eliza and Angelica walked down the streets to the cafe.

"So, Alex. What do you major in?" Eliza asked.

"I major in Law. I also minor in Creative Writin-" Alex answered but was soon interrupted by Angelica.

"I study Creative Writing too!" Angelica smiled. "Though, I major in it."

"And how old are you?" Angelica asked.

"I'm 19."

"So that's why you're so cute and small!" Eliza chirped.

Alex blushed at the compliment and stayed silent.

"We're here." Herc said and opened the door, letting everyone in.

Alex immediately rushed to the counter, leaving the group to find some seats, and ordered, "One large black coffee, please."

"Nothing else? No sugar or cream?" The barista asked, looking at the sleep-deprived student with worry.

"Yep." Alex nodded, tapping his fingers at the counter.

He remembered his friends and quickly texted Herc.

Alex: Hey, Herc, whadya guys want?

Herc: 2 cream, 3 sugars for me and Thomas. 

Alex: and?

Herc: 1 cream, 5 sugars for Angie. 5 creams, 1 sugar for Eliza

Alex: wth

Alex: ok

Alex closed his phone and added the orders for his friends. 

He waited for the coffees and came back to his friends with their orders.

"Thanks, Alex." Thomas said and took his coffee.

Alex took a seat beside Herc and chugged his coffee.

"Damn, Alex, since when did you have this obsession?" Angelica chuckled.

"Since I arrived to New York." Alex sipped on his coffee, afraid it will end.'

"Where's your family from?" Eliza asked.

"Unimportant..." Alex mumbled. The 4 friends stole worried glances at each other before changing the topic.

---later at night---

Alex received another Instagram DM from John.

Turtle_is_layf: Hola

Writin'_NonStop: Bonjour

Turtle_is_layf: How r u

Writin'_NonStop: Besides making new friends, im fine

Turtle_is_layf: whats wrong with making new friends???

Writin'_NonStop: introvert, anti-social, workaholic are 3 words you can say about me

Turtle_is_layf: ah

Turtle_is_layf: who?

Writin'_NonStop: schuylers

Turtle_is_layf: pegs?

Writin'_NonStop: no, eliza and angelica. and who's pegs?

Turtle_is_layf: so those are their names....

Writin'_NonStop: ????

Turtle_is_layf: Pegs is my best friend. Eliza and Angelica are her sisters....How coincidental

Writin'_NonStop: oh. yeah.

Writin'_NonStop: don't tell 'pegs' but i kinda like her sister....

Smooth.

Turtle_is_layf: Eliza or Angie?

John didn't know what was happening, but he felt a little jealous. He couldn't like Alex. 

Writin'_NonStop: Eliza...

Turtle_is_layf: Yeah she's nice and pretty

Writin'_NonStop: I thought you were gay

Turtle_is_layf: I am. Can't I say that someone is pretty?   

Writin'_NonStop: lmao

Turtle_is_layf: so you ally?

Writin'_NonStop: nope. bi and proud 

Turtle_is_layf: cool

Writin'_NonStop: gtg. gn

Turtle_is_layf: gn

Writin'_NonStop: i don't sleep.

Turtle_is_layf: whateverrrrrrrrr

John closed his phone and laid back down at his bed.

He can't possibly like Alex.

He just met him.

Then what is this feeling?

John thought, This must be a phase.

It has to be a phase...

---

Hola.

Yes all of those UNO versions were real.

YA NEED PROOF??!?!

there's actually a lot more.

https://www.unovariations,com/uno-editions

Sayonara!