"So that happened," Alfred smirks as we wait for the Dorm List with everyone else.
"Shut up," I tell him, rolling my eyes in annoyance. "It wasn't as funny as you think."
"Ha, ha, come on," he nudges my arm with his elbow. "Not even a smile?"
"No," I reply. "You wouldn't be laughing right now had it been you in this situation!"
"You're right, I'm sorry," he apologizes, "but it's still funny, at least admit it."
"There's nothing to admit because it's not funny," I answer in irritation as I walk up to the wall to see the list.
Dorm 11- Arthur Kirkland and Alfred Jones.
FFFRRRIIICCCKKK!
No!
NO!
NNNOOO!
Ugh, this can not be happening to me right now!
"Whoa, dorm buddies?" Alfred asks with a big grin. "That's awesome, isn't it?"
He pulls me into a side-hug, and I try not to groan loudly in annoyance.
"Yes," I say with literally no enthusiasm whatsoever, "awesome."
Why me, Life, why me?
~~~~~~
"So, can anyone tell me why the Revolutionary War was so important?" my history teacher asks, and I see Alfred raise his hand.
The teacher calls on him, and he begins to speak his answer.
Alfred and I have the same history class together, and it honestly hasn't been so bad.
Well, for now, at least.
"The Revolutionary War, also known as the American Revolution, was fought between America and England," Alfred explains. "America wanted their independence from England, but since that didn't happen right away, they went to war."
"It actually started out as a civil war between them first, Alfred," I speak up even though I shouldn't. "Later on, France joined the American's side to aid them in the War, and then it turned into a world war after that."
"Raise your hand next time, Arthur," my teacher warns me.
"Sorry," I apologize. "You're right, I shouldn't have spoken out of turn."
"Well, yeah," a girl with a Southern accent replies, "but it wouldn't have happened in the first place if England would have just left America alone."
"E-excuse me?" I stutter, looking at her with a shocked look. "If it wasn't for England, America wouldn't even be here as the country that it is today."
"Neither would Canada," another girl adds on in my defense.
"So you approve of the War?" Alfred smirks with a raised brow and crossed arms.
"Now, hold on, I didn't say that-"
"If England really did want America under their wing," Alfred interrupts me, "they shouldn't have taxed them over stupid stuff."
"That 'stupid stuff' would have actually helped the Colonies back then had the Americans not refused," I calmly argue.
"Oh, really?" Alfred laughs. "Then why did a group of Colonists dress up as Native Americans and dump the tea into the Boston Harbor?"
"I don't know," I answer, a little confused myself, "but it was a major part in that whole War."
"Redcoat," a boy smirks.
"Excuse me?" I glare at him. "Just because I'm English and know so much about this War doesn't make me a Redcoat. That's like me calling Alfred a Confederate soldier when he isn't. It's rude and disrespectful, and I think that you and I both know better than that."
"Boys, I think that's enough," the teacher warns us.
"Well, what about England?" Alfred interrupts everyone. "They've done some pretty awful things, too."
"Like what?" I challenge. "Whatever it is, it can't be any worse than everything else. Every country had its ups and downs, mistakes."
Alfred freezes a bit, suddenly starting to shut himself up.
"Besides," I continue, "World War Two would have ended a lot faster if America hadn't come swooping in heroically and out of nowhere like they did."
"Hey, we're the reason the War ended!" Alfred argues.
"And at what cost?" I question, raising a brow for emphasis. "Was your country bombing Japan not once but twice even remotely necessary to end the War? That doesn't seem very heroic to me!"
"To be fair, here," Alfred replies, "Japan bombed us first!"
"So?" I answer. "And what about what's going on in your country right now? I hear you want to build a wall to keep the 'bad people' out? So much for a 'free country,' I guess."
"Well, do you want terrorism spreading around the world?" Alfred counters. "I mean, would you just take in a random person? We're a free country, yes, but there's just some people that shouldn't be let in."
"So, you'll let refugees in," I reason, "but you won't solve the problem itself?"
"Yes, that's right," Alfred nods. "That's how everyone else does it."
"But why not solve the problem right away?" I wonder. "And another thing, if you're a free country, as you say, why don't some of your States support the LGBTQ+ community?"
"Because even though I'll admit that our President isn't a great one myself," Alfred answers, "the rights for the LGBTQ+ community is mainly based on State laws. The President has a say, but even he can't force the States to do stuff."
I back off, and just in time, too, because the bell rings.
Everyone packs up and starts to leave as our teacher tries to remind us that we are starting a report tomorrow about the American Revolution, but clearly no one but me is listening to her.
As usual, I think to myself as Alfred pulls me into an unexpected side-hug.
"That was fun, wasn't it?" he smirks.
"Yes, it was," I agree, slightly confused.
"I haven't had a debate like that in a while," he goes on.
"You mean...you weren't serious about your responses?" I ask, feeling stupid for getting so passionate about something that wasn't even a serious thing.
"I was about some of it," Alfred explains, "but I was mostly just saying stuff to see your reactions. You made some pretty great arguments back there, and I respect your opinions."
"I don't," a girl that I've come to know as Rikki, a student from the American State of Montana, tells us. "I mean, he sounded rude, cocky, snobbish, and absolutely uncaring about your opinions, Alfred."
"Yeah," Dax, the boy who had accused me of being a Redcoat, adds on. "He's English, so of course he would argue about American history, back then and now."
"Hey, leave him alone, Rikki, Dax," Alfred says defensively. "We were just having a discussion."
"I bet he does Magic," a girl named Claire smirks. "You know, Witchcraft and Black Magic like in the Middle Ages?"
"Oh, yeah!" Dax laughs. "And I bet he reads the "Harry Potter" and "Chronicals of Narnia" series in his spare time, too!"
"Guys, I said that's enough!" Alfred orders them, but I just run away with tears in my eyes.
"Oh, what?" I hear Rikki's faint voice challenge Alfred as I hide behind a wall so that I could still listen to their conversation. "So you're his friend now?"
"Yes, actually," Alfred replies. "I won't tolerate you guys bullying him!"
"Who's side are you on?" Dax questions. "You sound like you two are best buds!"
"Whatever," Alfred snaps at them. "I'm not going to argue with you guys."
"Watch your back, Alfred," Claire warns him. "The British are coming."
That last sentence of Claire's is enough to make me run away completely and towards the restrooms.
I'm crying so much that I don't watch where I'm going, and I end up going into the women's restroom on accident.
"AAAHHH!" a girl screams, and I realize my mistake.
"I'm so sorry!" I apologize through my sobbing. "I'm really sorry!"
I run back to my dorm room, sitting between the wall and my bed after closing the door.
Small spaces always make me feel better, so it's easy to squeeze myself in between my bed and the wall.
I hug my knees close to my chest, sobbing harder than I was before.
Mum was right, I think to myself. People in the real world never hesitate to hurt others.