Attractions and Soldiers (Hamilton Circus!AU)

The Flexy Mar

This is a big one (really big one XD) But one of my favorite chapters so far. It also is kinda tough, so be warned.

Born in an extremely poor and wreaked family, Maria Lewis grew up watching her father abusing and mistreating her mother, as well as always being addressed by horrible names, even though she had never done anything to deserve it.

Many of the kids in her neighborhood would not want to have her as a friend and Maria wouldn't understand why. One day, a kid said to her "My momma said to be far from you because your mom will steal my daddy away" and Maria would only get even more confused.

Life wasn't easy at all for her. Her mother's work obligated her to work at night and only return by the morning when Maria's father was leaving, and she would sleep through the afternoon. Meaning Maria would stay the whole night alone with her father.

If she slipped and make too much noise, he would beat her for being too clumsy. If she broke a glass, he would slap her for not taking care of the house's supplies. If she let some rice crumbs fall from her plate, he would punch her for not giving value to his effort in putting food on the table.

In one of those occasions, Maria managed to run away from her father. It was a Sunday and Maria was washing the lunch dishes when a cup slipped from her hands and broke. He was already drunk by that time of the day but still chased after her. She ran into an empty street and sighted some boxes placed beside a white fence, which she climbed and fell on the other side, hurting her shoulder.

"W-Who are you?" A boy around her age with short black hair asked coming in her direction as she quickly stood up "Are you ok? Why are you-"

"Shhhhh" She hushed him hearing her father's shouting growing closer "Can you hide me, please?"

That was the day Maria met her best friend James. Every day, right after her father left for work, she would run to his house and stay there until near sundown, the time flowing faster than she wanted to. She would never be able to ask for it, but since when James heard Maria's stomach roar from hungry one day, making her extremely embarrassed, he would give her meals and some snacks. She didn't ask for that treatment, actually, she felt bad and thought that could get in trouble with James' family, but he used to insist and say it was no big deal, so she wasn't able to refuse it.

When she was with James it was the best time of her life, it was the only time when she actually felt like a teenager. They would play around all day long, he taught her how to read and write and so they could read books together, she gave him the idea of building a swing and so they did.

...

When she was 15 though, her father died in a tragedy at the factory he used to work in, and just to things get worst, Maria's mom got sick no longer after that. She used to say that would be ok, that it was only the flu. But when a doctor came by, he said that she would only survive if takes an expensive new treatment.

Maria didn't know what to do. She didn't have any options. She had no one to run to. She was young and alone to handle that hopeless situation. That's why when a lady offered her a chance to win money by using her beauty she accepted it in no time.

Ended up that lady was her mom's coworker. And she showed Maria everything the streets had to offer to a beautiful young lady such as her. Maria was scared, extremely scared, but that woman did her best to calm her down while teaching the business. When her first client showed up, Maria already knew it would hurt to the soul only by the glance in his eyes.

And she was right.

She never felt as horrible, used or dirty as in that night. She did as the lady instructed her to though. Don't cry in front of them. Don't keep staring in their eyes. It will be over before you notice it. Think about a happy place and travel there whenever it starts. When you feel alright again, fix yourself up, get the money and head back to your point.