Two Sides of the Same Coin Lams College AU {Mature} {Completed}

Chapter 1 ⚠️

⚠️ TW: homophobia, domestic abuse, death, murder ⚠️

~8 years ago - 2012~

"Where the hell are you going?"

"I'm leaving, now let go of me!"

"James, what about the boys?"

"What about them?"

"They're your sons, too!"

"Those two are no sons of mine! They're your bastard children! Now let go of me, Rachel, before I have to make you."

A few moments later, the door of the Hamilton house slammed shut, and none of its inhabitants heard from James A. Hamilton ever again.

~~~~~~~~~~

~7 years ago - 2013~

A small boy of eleven hid behind the expensive draperies, watching his parents argue.

"What the hell was John doing with these?" Henry shouted.

"They're his!"

"No, they're obviously Martha's! Why the hell would John be playing with Barbies?"

"I bought them for him!"

Henry Laurens advanced on his wife, a menacing snarl on his face.

"You bought him dolls?"

"Yes, I did," Eleanor said, her lip quivering ever so slightly. "He wanted them, so I bought them."

That's when the belt appeared in Henry's hands. The young boy reached for the receiver on the end table, taking advantage of his father's turned back. Henry Laurens lifted the belt, and John closed his eyes, listening to the screaming and the slap of leather on skin. Finally, finally, the screaming stopped. But the consistent whack, whack, whack of the belt did not cease.

Five minutes later, blue and red lights flooded the room. As he was being taken away, Henry snarled at the young boy.

"You're no son of mine."

~~~~~~~~~~

~6 years ago - 2014~

The twelve-year-old boy lay next to his mother as the doctor snapped his bag shut. An older boy appeared in the doorframe.

"Well?"

The doctor sighed. "The boy will live. She, on the other hand..."

The teen turned away, showing the doctor out. He returned a few minutes later. The young boy looked up at his brother.

"What'd he say, James?"

James sighed. "Nothing much. You'll be fine."

A few weeks later, the boy woke up from his slumber and shook his mother's shoulder.

"Mama, wake up!"

But she never did.

~~~~~~~~~~

~7 years ago - 2013~

"You're no son of mine."

John didn't care about that. He cared about her. He ran over to the woman lying, lifeless, on the floor.

"Mommy!"

A pair of men with a stretcher came over, picked her up, and took her away. He tried to follow, but a young woman held him back.

"Mommy!"

A few weeks later, John's cousin sat him and his brother and sister down, tears in her eyes.

"Your... your mother is... she... she died from her injuries. I'm sorry."

~~~~~~~~~~

~2 years ago - 2018~

"You're... you're kidding, right?"

"Not at all." The old man smiled down at the teen. "The people raised enough for you to gain passage on a ship that was New York bound. We even found a couple in the city who's willing to take you in for the time being."

"Oh my god."

The man smiled. "Good luck in the New World, Alexander."

A month later, Alex looked at the Statue of Liberty from the bow of the ship. He wondered what New York had in store for him.

~~~~~~~~~~

~7 years ago - 2013~

"She's... dead?"

"Y-yeah... I'm so sorry. You three are... being sent to New York City, to live with a family friend."

"Why?" Martha whined. "Why can't we stay here with you?"

Our cousin smiled at us. "I'm too young to keep you all here. These people will take care of you. I'll come visit, I promise."

Two weeks later, John was looking down at the New York skyline from the airplane, wondering what he was getting into.

~~~~~~~~~~

"In New York you can be a new man..."

~~~~~~~~~~

594 words

I'm kinda tired... maybe I should get some sleep for once... hmm... NaAaAhH

I'll update again soon!