Sons of Liberty University | Hamilton College AU

Prologue

 "Alex, you're going to be okay!" Mom shouted as she pushed me into the basement.

"Mom!" I screamed as the wind howled outside. "Come downstairs!"

"I love you so much, honey," she said, tears pouring down her face. "I need to find your father! He's outside in that mess!"

"Dad isn't coming back!" I said, starting to cry. "He left us! He said so himself!"

"Honey, your father is going to come home!" she assured. "I--"

"He left a note on the kitchen table that said 'I'm not coming back, don't go looking for me'! Mom, he doesn't love us anymore! You need to come down to the basement! You're gonna die!"

"Alexander, your father wouldn't leave us!" she shrieked. "He... he... "

Mom screamed and fell to her knees.

"COME DOWNSTAIRS!" I screamed again. "You can't leave me!"

She crawled down next to me, where I shut the door and locked it and lit a candle.

And we both cried.

"I'm so sorry, Alexander," she sobbed. "I'm such a horrible mother, I--"

"Never, ever say that," I interrupted her. "Just because we aren't rich or have everything we need doesn't make you a horrible mother. The fact that you want me to be able to have that stuff is proof that you are a good mother."

"I never deserved you, Alexander..." she whispered softly as she stroked my hair. "You're only 10 and you are the sweetest boy alive.

"There is so much that you have the potential to do," she continued on. "But we can't afford to pay for schooling. I wish you had been born into a rich family where you could get the education you deserved."

"I'll save up," I said. "I'll save up until I can go to a University in America. I'll help you out until you don't need the help anymore. I'll get a good job that pays so I can send you the money and I'll find someone who loves me and who I love back, even if it's a guy. You don't mind that, do you?"

She kissed the top of my head. "Whatever makes you happy, my son," she said. "But remember: Même si vous poursuivez vos rêves, vous avez encore besoin de les attraper."

I nodded. "Of course, Mama."

9 Years Later

"I'll come and visit you during Christmas break," I promised, and kissed my mother on the cheek.

"I'll write you as much as possible," she said. "Now go, you'll miss your flight! I love you so much, my son!"

"I love you too!" I called as I lined up with my suitcases.

I was finally leaving the Caribbean and going to Sons of Liberty University, a school I had received several offers for reduced tuition fees.

I fingered the locket around my neck with the picture of my mother and me inside of it.

After I had gone through all of the scanners and X-rays, I sat down in the waiting area and listened.

"Flight 84, New York City," a voice said over the loudspeaker. "Now boarding Economy Class."

I stood up with my backpack, my suitcase having been loaded into the cargo hold, and looked around one last time before boarding the plane.

I wasn't going to miss this place.