On Monday, Ms. Holm announced the group project, telling us we had until Wednesday to find partners or she would pair us with random people. I tried to catch Theodosia's eye, but she stubbornly avoided looking at me and left the classroom as quickly as possible when the bell rang. I didn't see her for the rest of the day.

Tuesday went basically the same way. Theodosia avoided me like I had the plague and glared at me whenever we happened to make eye contact in our shared classes. I decided to go look for her after school to talk to her.

"Wonder who Harvard and his buddies have cornered over there." Dom muttered as we walked towards our lockers. I looked in the direction he was gazing.

"Why can't he just grow up?" I sighed. "Hold this."

"What are you doing?" Dom asked as I handed him my bag. "Phil, he's like, twice your size. He'll destroy you."

"Someone's gotta stand up to him. I've done it before and I'll keep doing it now."

Dom sighed. "Don't die."

"He's not that stupid. Sure, he's had one too many concussions, but he's still got enough brainwaves to control himself....most of the time." I started towards the large crowd that had gathered.

Justin Harvard was clearly visible, since he was huge and hulking. He looked every bit the stereotypical bullying football player he was, and he and his posse were the main reason the football team and I didn't get along.

I shoved my way through the kids videotaping the football players confronting whatever poor person they'd cornered.

"Think you're better than us, do ya?" Justin sneered. "Cause your daddy's all fancy and you're from upstate?"

"I never said that."

Theodosia. They were talking to Theodosia.

I finally got close enough to see her as I realized that. She looked completely calm about the whole situation, her arms crossed and her face showing a neutral expression.

"You don't need to say it." Justin told her. "We can see it in your smug little looks you give everyone."

"May I have my notebook back?" Theodosia asked, her tone emotionless.

"Nah. I think we'll be keeping th-"

"Give it back, Harvard."

He turned to look at me and laughed. "Oh hey, Hamilton. Come to defend your girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend."

"Then why are you standing up for her?"

"Because it's pretty obvious that no one else is going to." I turned to glare at the group standing around us before turning back to him. "And because you need to get off your high horse. Give Theodosia back her notebook, you wouldn't be able to read it anyway."

"What makes you say that?" Justin asked angrily.

"You've got a total of, what, six brain cells left? I'd be surprised if you could even comprehend your own name on paper, much less Theodosia's," I glanced at the notebook, "French notes. Give it back."

"Make me, Hamilton."

I took a step forward, making a grab for the notebook, and as Justin held it out of reach Theodosia snatched it and darted out of the way.

"You think you're clever, just like her, huh?" Justin grabbed the front of my t-shirt and pulled me forward so we were face to face. "Let's see how clever you are when I'm rearranging your face. I-"A voice interrupted him. 

"What is going on down here?" A teacher had finally noticed the commotion.

I raised an eyebrow at Justin, daring him to go through with the threat. He growled angrily under his breath, no doubt some obscenity that only he was stupid enough to have to use on a regular basis, and let go of my shirt.

"Careful at practice, meathead, you might finally crack your skull open!" I called after him as he stormed away. A few people around me laughed before scurrying off as one of the Earth and Space Science teachers barked at them to 'break it up.'

I got my stuff from Dom and quickly grabbed what I needed from my locker before sprinting to Theodosia's locker. I got there just as she was closing it.

As usual, once she spotted me she turned on her heel and marched purposefully away. I followed, jogging to catch up with her.

"Theodosia. Theodosia, please, I just wanna talk!"

She whirled, her curls practically hitting me in the face and making me recoil on instinct. "What?"

"Just hear me out alright?" I asked, holding my hands out in a peacemaking gesture. "Give me a chance."

"For what?" She asked coldly.

"Just... everything. Let me start over. As me, not as my father's kid."

"You're a Hamilton. You'll always be a Hamilton. And I don't trust Hamiltons." Theodosia turned to walk away. 

I grabbed her shoulder gently. "You can't tell me that the only thing you see when you look at me is my father. That's not how I see you."

She paused. "So?"

"Theodosia, we're more than our parents' rivalry. I don't want to hate you, honestly I don't think I can. So can we start over? As people?"

Theodosia turned to face me again, biting her lip. It made her look really cute and I almost didn't hear what she said next because it was really distracting.

"Hi, I'm Theodosia." She offered me her hand.

I grinned and shook it. "I'm Philip. We've got music class together, do you want to work on that partner project together?"

She smiled. "I'd like that. You play piano right?"

"Yeah."

"Okay. We can work on it tomorrow during class." Theodosia's phone vibrated and she pulled it out, checking the screen. "I've really got to go, my dad is waiting."

"Of course, sorry for keeping you so long."

"Don't be. I'll see you tomorrow." She walked off.

I probably looked like an idiot, standing in the hallway with a stupid smile on my face. Once Theodosia was out of sight I punched the air in triumph.

"Phil? C'mon man, we're going over to my house to work on homework remember?"

I spun around at the sound of Dom's voice. "Oh yeah, right, sorry."

He looked at me weirdly. "You okay?"

"Absolutely fantastic. Let's go." I passed him, pulling on his shirt to turn him around with me.

"Y'know, sometimes I think I understand you. And then I realize I don't." Dom said.

"Well that's the fun part of a friendship, isn't it?"