John pov~

I walked to school the next day. Maria was waiting outside, with Eliza at her side.

"Morning Miss Schuyler, Miss Reynolds." I waved at them.

"Morning Laurens!" Eliza called back. "Have you heard from Hamilton?"

"Sorry to disappoint, Miss Schuyler, but I have not."

"What a shame. Well, I hope Mr. Hamilton feels well enough today to show up." Maria sighed.

"Indeed, it's tiresome without him." Eliza fanned herself with an imaginary fan.

"So, Miss Schuyler, where are your sisters?"

"Misses Angelica and Margarita are inside I think, they should be out promptly."

"I heard that!" Peggy shrieked, running out. "No one without a death wish calls me Margarita!"

"Hey Pegs." Maria smiled, enveloping the yellow bundle of rage in a warm hug.

"Oh hey Ria." Peggy smiled, blushing brightly.

"That's one way to calm her." Angelica walked out, behind her sister, smirking.

I heard footsteps and Eliza beamed. I turned around and saw Alex running up to us, looking paler and more sick then usual.

He came to a halt in front of us and flashed a weary smile, despite
clearly not being healthy.

"Looks like Hamilton showed up." Maria smiled.

"Indeed I–" He pauses to cough. "Indeed I did."

"All good Alex?" I asked, hugging him.

"Yes." He clutched his head and coughed again.

"Jesus Alex, you're still sick, what are you doing at school?" I asked, pulling out of the hug.

"I didn't want to miss class." He shrugged.

"Alexander Hamilton, you're at the top of all your classes, you can take a few days off if you're sick." Angelica commented.

"I'm not sick!" Alex snarled, but with less emotion then I would have expected. "I just don't feel too good."

"Alex, you're not sick. Ok. But can you tell us what feels bad?" Eliza asked sweetly.

"I uhh... my I have a headache, my throat hurts, and I feel nausea and my stomach hurts and I just want to curl up and cry. Yeah I might be sick." He conceded after counting his ailments off on his fingers.

"Yeah, you're scary pale and you don't seem to be very stable." Angelica pointed out. "You didn't have to come to school."

"Yes I did." He said, which was odd, because I would have expected him to screech it or something. I guess he has a sore throat, I can't blame him for keeping his voice low.

"Why is that?"

"I need to catch up."

"Catch up? Alex, you're ahead in practically every subject!" Maria exclaimed.

"Umm..." He looked away and interlaced his fingers.

"All good? You never seem so... unsure." Eliza put a hand on his shoulder and cocked her head worriedly.

"I'm fine." Alex kept his eyes trained on the ground. "Let's get to class."

"Ok..." I followed my boyfriend into the school, noticing how he seemed to have had all his pent up rage disintegrate suddenly.

I was about to stop by my locker when I felt a pair of hands wrap around my arm and drag me aside. I pulled out of their grasp and turned to see who it was. I was met with my sister, Martha, smiling at me obnoxiously.

"How's Alexander?" She asked.

I raised an eyebrow and curled my lip.

"Why so angry? I'm just asking cause my beloved brother's boyfriend (alliteration) wasn't at school yesterday." She fake pouted.

"All's good." I turned around and started to walk away but she followed.

"What's wrong Johnny? You don't talk to me anymore."

"Hmm, I wonder why." I frowned at her. "Now get to class, I'm sure your teacher won't appreciate you being late."

Martha scowled but crossed her arms and stalked away. I sighed and headed to my class.

—~•~—

I sat down at the table and looked around for Alex. Maria was already there, but the Schuylers and Alex were  here yet. I saw Peggy saunter in happily, followed by Angie, who looked exhausted with her sister's antics. Eliza walked in soon after, dragging Alex by the wrist as he scrambled to shove some books in his bag. The four of them sat down with their lunch trays and smiled at Maria and I.

"So, how's today been treating you Miss Reynolds?" Eliza asked.

"Very well Miss Schuyler." She nodded politely.

"My day sucks." Peggy contributed. "Mr. Adams can retire to whatever hellhole he climbed out of!"

I all laughed and agreed. "He's the worst teacher here."

We chatted for a little when I noticed that Alex has hunched over the table, eyes screwed shut and his knuckles turning white for the pressure he was putting on his head.

"Alex? Do you need to see the nurse?"

He opened one eye and shook his head slightly. I wrapped an arm around him and pulled him into a hug. Angie stood up and raised a hand to tell us not to question her, which none of us did. She walked up to Lafayette and said something we couldn't hear. I hugged my boyfriend a little tighter as he coughed. Angie made her way back to our table.

"So?" Peggy prompted.

"I asked what was up with Alex. He said they thought it was a fever, but haven't gotten a doctor to look into it."

I grumbled angrily as Alex coughed again.

"You need a doctor." Eliza commented to him.

"No. I'm fine." His voice was hoarse.

Maria raised an eyebrow at him. "Clearly not."

"I'm healthy. Everything's ok." Alex assured her.

"Alex, baby, you are not healthy." I hugged him closer and he leaned into me weakly.

He sighed and gave up, shrugging, which was shocking. Peggy seemed to notice it too, because she shot me a confused look. I gave her the 'I don't know don't ask me' look as a reply.

I took my eyes off my boyfriend for a second and looked over at where Lafayette and Hercules usually sat. I couldn't see them though, so I looked around for the two boys. I saw Lafayette and Hercules all the way in the corner of the room, talking with someone who I recognized, but I couldn't put my finger on who. Then she moved enough for me to recognize her. Martha Laurens was having a friendly chat with Lafayette and Mulligan.

I watched as Lafayette waved and walked away with Hercules, back to their seats. Worried they'd notice me watching them, I turned my attention back to Alex, who wasn't looking any better.

What had Martha been doing with Laf? They had nothing in common despite their dislike of–

Could they have something to do with Alex's sickness? No.

Werewolves get colds, it's just natural.

But what if?