Five Years Later

"Happy birthday!" Eliza squeals as she walks into my small one bedroom apartment.

I look up at her and raise an eyebrow. "Liz, you know I don't celebrate-"

"Alex, you don't get a choice." She says sternly before smiling and pulling a small wrapped object out of her purse. "Come on, I got you a present."

"Eliza, you really didn't need to." I say and she hands me the gift anyway.

"Alex, it's your twenty-third birthday, it's special!" She says.

I chuckle lightly. "You say that every year, Liz." She just crosses her arms and I sigh before ripping open the present to reveal a small keychain that reads 'Nonstop.' I smile at it and look up at my friend in blue. "Thanks, Liz. You're very thoughtful."

She giggles and hugs me. "Now come on, get ready. I'm taking you to dinner."

I groan. "Eliza, I don't want to go to dinner."

"Yes, you do. I invited some old friends." She says, giggling lightly.

"Like who?" I ask, feeling annoyed.

"Oh you know, Laf and Herc, Angelica and Peggy..I invited Burr and Theo, but I don't know if they'll come. Theo is super picky about what she's eating because of the pregnancy."

I nod slowly. "Well, tell them they don't need to show up. I'm not going." I say, returning to my work.

"Alex you-"

"No, Eliza. I'm not going. I have work I need to finish and I really don't feel like going out." I say, snapping at her lightly. I then sigh as I realize what I did. "Look, I'm sorry. I just...You know I hate my birthday."

"You know, Alex, that was five years ago. You really need to learn to let it go." Eliza informs me, leaning against the wall.

"Yeah, well it's also been thirteen years since I've had a real birthday, so I don't really want to celebrate." I say to her, crossing my arms.

Eliza just frowns and shakes her head. "I really think you should take a break, but I guess there's nothing I can do to change your mind. We're going to your favorite restaurant if you decide to join us." She says, walking out of my apartment.

I sigh and close the door after her. I had no intention of going, because the last time I went to a birthday dinner, I woke up and once again, someone I cared for was gone. The worst part is I don't even know why he left. At least with my dad I knew the reason.

After that happened, I pushed most people away. I still occasionally talked with Laf and Herc, but they were now engaged and owned a small restaurant downtown, so they were constantly busy. Eliza and I stayed really close, and she was the only person I constantly talked to.

Washington kind of took me under his wing and got me an interview for the New York Times, and I ended up getting the position as editor in Chief. After I graduated college, however, I really stopped talking to people. Eliza came over every once in a while and we texted a bit, but that was the extent of my social life.

Going out with some people I went to college with did not sound fun to me, after all they all had their own lives. Laf and Herc had their own life, Theo and Burr were married and expecting, Peggy was dating some girl (she refused to tell anyone who, but I could care less), and Angelica had taken over as CEO of the New York Post after her father passed. Eliza now owned the small cafe she used to work at, and she had never met any man, which sucks for her honestly. Any man would be lucky to have her, she was caring, kind, and not to mention pretty.

I sigh as I push away my thoughts and return to my paper. I was editing John Jay's editorial for his section in the newspaper, and it was physically hurting me to read it. I have no clue how he got hired, but he is sure lucky I don't let him look like a fool.

I feel my phone vibrate many times, signaling that someone was calling me, and I sigh and pick up.

"Hello?"

"Hi, is this Alexander Hamilton?" I hear a thick French accent ask.

I'd recognise that accent anywhere. "What do you want, Lafayette?" I ask, unamused.

"Come on, mon ami. Come celebrate your birthday with us!" He says from the other side of the phone.

"Laf, I really don't want to-"

"Alex, Herc and I will come to your small apartment and drag you away from whatever article you are working on." He threatens before sounding happy again. "Besides, Theodosia and Aaron are here! They never come around anymore, come visit for a little bit."

"Laf, seriously-"

"Hold on, I'm putting you on speaker so you can't decline." There was a pause and then a bunch of "hi's" from familiar voices. "Alright, now you have to tell no to all seven of us."

I roll my eyes and then start speaking French, as I know Lafayette will be the only one to understand me. "Lafayette, je ne vais pas à un stupide dîner d'anniversaire. Maintenant, laissez-moi tranquille pour que je puisse éditer l'article d'une personne stupide." (I am not going to a stupid birthday dinner. Now please leave me alone so I can edit a stupid person's article.)

Long story short, I ended up getting dragged to a birthday dinner anyway.

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