Not Throwing Away My One-Shot (Hamilton One-Shot Book) {REQUESTS: OPEN}

~Marliza~

❤Maria's Birthday💙

"And stay out, whore!" A voice snapped, followed by the slamming of a door.

Maria Reynolds, a young, dark-skinned girl, stood on the porch or her husband's home. She slowly sauntered down the staircase, holding a hand over her now freshly bruised eye. Deciding it would be best to hide it, to not draw attention to the fact, Maria shifted her light brown curls, so they covered it.

This wasn't a new routine for Maria. However, it was the first time she actually got permanently kicked out of the house (although, she wouldn't be surprised if her husband, James Reynolds, came back and forced her home). Ever since Maria was married off to James, at the age of sixteen, having to drop out of school (making sure she was always near him), Maria hasn't had much experience with the world outside her apartment complex, aside from the times she was sent out to the grocery store across the street to beg passersby to buy beers for her husband. Or, when she snuck out to 'work the corner', to earn enough money to pay the rent, since James forbid her from looking for a job. Maria never wanted to result to prostitution, but she needed someway to keep James happy. The happier he was, the less bruises she'd have to hide.

Now, here she was. Alone. A young, short, and curvy girl, with a singular briefcase, walking the streets of Manhattan. To make it all worse, this was all occurring on her twenty-first birthday. Some way to celebrate! Being kicked out of her home, and trying to find a place to stay, and maybe food... The last thing she ate was the last bit of cereal, at the bottom of the box this morning, and she could really go for something to eat or drink right about now.

For the first time in years, Lady Luck was on Maria's side. A petite, French café, was just across the road. Maybe she could scrounge up a few spare coins to pay for a biscuit or if she was lucky, maybe even a coffee! The last time Maria had coffee, she was fifteen...and still single. But, now she's a free woman again (maybe), and ready to explore the horizon!

Sheepishly stepping into the café, Maria frequently got out of the way of people grabbing a small coffee before heading to work, making sure to instinctively apologize to each and every one for being a 'burden'. Sitting down at a nearby table, Maria fished through her red velvet purse, hoping to find some change. After adding the total up, she came up with not even enough for the smallest biscuit on the menu. Actually, looking at all the various coins, buttons, and paperclips she managed to discover, she probably didn't have enough to buy anything! Unless they stumbled upon some sort of penny-candy store. Are those still around, anymore?

"Hey, sweetheart, are you okay?" A polite, feminine voice broke through to Maria's thoughts. "Are you waiting for someone?"

Frightened, and unsure how to have conversations with people, Maria quickly shoved the miscellaneous objects back into her purse before abruptly standing up. She mumbled a string of "I'm sorry," before trying to escape to the door. Though, she was quickly interrupted, when more people piled out the door of the café, with their delicious-looking coffees.

"Hey, sweetie, you don't have to leave," a gentle hand rested on Maria's shoulder, causing her to jump from the physical contact.

Turning around, she became face-to-face with a young woman, not too much taller than her, with pale skin, and vibrant, raven-coloured hair, that reached her shoulders. Her eyes were a dark and mysterious, and gleamed in the lighting. Needless to say, she was beautiful. And, Maria accidentally found herself staring.