How to Love

Chapter 1

The hurricane was finally over. After 3 days of torment, Nevis was again at peace. Only a hand full had survived, including Alexander Hamilton. Everyone slowly began recovering from the damage and returning back to their families since the majority of families had gotten separated during the storm. Many were left orphans making the already small and now destroyed orphanage very packed and not very ideal. Half of the building still stood but had no roof. The other half had no walls and some of the floor plan left. Not only that, but there were not enough beds. Extra mattresses were put out on the floor, some being ripped or without springs in them, while the rest slept on blankets or any piece of fabric that could be found in the default of the disaster. As for the rest of the people on the island, they struggled to find simple things like food, clothes, freshwater, or shelter. But with everything being at such a limit, everyone soon found themselves growing closer together, helping one another out. They would all meet on the beach where it was the cleanest- not including the large mountains of default along the far ends of the beach- and had the most space available every night and form a bond fire and share food, concerns, and any other thing that could be provided or shared. It filled the people with hope and joy and they felt as if they were part of a small family. Alexander was only 7 years old at the time, but he'd often make up stories during the day just to tell them to everyone when night fell. They loved hearing his stories. It brought everyone joy, and that made Alex happy. During the day when he wasn't making up stories, he'd find himself helping out the community clean the town, helping out one of the mothers (that's what he would call them) with the younger children at the orphanage, or looking for food, water, and clothes like everyone else. When it became late, he would rush to a mattress on the floor before they were all taken. He had been in the orphanage for a year now before the storm hit, and technically had a bed, but he would always give it up for someone else. 'Mother Victoria says since I've been here longer and already had some nights on the bed, I should let others who haven't had a chance on the bed have their chance on it, and I agree with her.' He would say. It was extremely uncomfortable, even for a child who had a lot of tolerance to these types of things, but the children on the island learned to live with what they got and not to complain since A) complaining won't fix the issue, and B) there were others who had it worse. Someone always had it worse...

3 months had passed since the disaster hit, and it was now December. People from different parts of the world had come to help the island but America was the one that really made a difference there. Soldiers had come to help protect and help provide food and other necessities. On top of that, volunteers had come to help fix the town and bring fresh water to people. Soon, the American government decided to take their help a bit further. They raised funds throughout the country to bring the orphans to America and have them be kept in better conditions. They promised that everyone would be given a bed, food, clothes, and soon a new, loving family. To be honest, they didn't really have a choice in the matter of if they wanted the children to go to America or not. They were kind of forced there.

"But do I have to go?" Alex whined.

*sigh* "sadly yes. But it's ok because everything will be so much better there anyways!" Victoria, one of the caretakers at the orphanage reassured him.

"I don't want to leave! This is my home! Not America! Nevis!" He replied trying to fight his way into staying home.

"shhh shhh shhh. I promise you will love it there! And you're going to make so many friends! Just... promise me you'll never forget from whence you came. Ok?" Victoria said trying to be strong for the little boy she was kneeling in front of.

"But I don't want to leave you! Can't I stay with you and-" Alex tried to ask again but got cut off.

"Ah ah ah. Promise me." She said with her finger in the air for emphases.

*sigh* "I promise Mother Victoria." He said defeated, looking to the floor now. Victoria let go of his hands and hugged him tight, a tear escaping her eyes. Alex clutched on to her like a bear and hoped he could have stayed like that forever but at last, the flight attendant of the private plane ushered Alex to get in the aircraft. He walked through the aisle of the plane looking for a seat when he finally found one next to the window, towards the end. He looked out and saw all of the Mothers staring back at the plain, waving, including mother Victoria. After about 7 minutes, the plane was speeding down the runway and took off into the air. The mood on the plane was a melancholy one and barley anyone spoke as they flew further and further away from the only home they ever knew. This was it. They were gone. Most likely to never return again. If only they knew that their last bond fire on the beach, was their last.

The plane landed at Tampa International Airport, but they were not to all stay there. You see, the U.S. government wanted to make sure that they would be evenly distributed among different orphanages as to not upset the balance and cause a shortage of supplies and resources in any of them, so the kids were separated into different states. 3 were left in Florida, then the plane took off again. 10 were left in Texas, 5 in Kansas, 15 in New Mexico, 12 in Michigan, 3 in California, and 2 in South Carolina. Alex was left in South Carolina with another older boy that he didn't really know, so all together, he felt like he was completely alone. Once he was dropped off at the airport, a woman escorted them to a car outside in the parking lot. She wore a white button-up shirt which was tucked into her black pencil skirt that reached her knees. Her red high heels and red jewelry added an accent color to her black and white uniform. Her black blazer made her look like she had a strong role in an office like the boss, and her blonde hair that was wrapped into a bun accentuated that look. Her skin was pale, and her deep brown eyes were stone hard and cold. She just looked intimidating. She drove for what seemed like forever before she got to the building with a sign that read "South Carolina's Orange Groove Orphanage." The boys were brought in by the unnamed women who drove them there, and they were put into the system. Now, they lived there and had to make the best of it. A tour was given, rules were read, and beds were passed down to the two boys. They were in two separate rooms which left them even more alone. Each room was a decent size with 2 rows of beds with chests at the end of each one. It was like this on the other side of the room where the second row was as well. Alex's bed was somewhat at the end of the room but also somewhat in the middle. He put away what little he had brought into the chest at the end of his bed, and then just sat there. He really missed Nevis and he really missed Mother Victoria.

A/N: Hello everyone! Thank you so much for reading this first chapter of such a complex, long, and exciting story. I have so much planned for this story and have been writing it for some time now and I think it's finally time I get to posting it.

Disclaimers:

* The ships that will be included in this story are Lams (The main one), Mullette, Maria x Peggy, Hamliza, Burrdosia and I'm sure there will be more, but they are much further down the line, so I'm not 100% sure yet.

* The story is rated M for mature topics such as Abuse, Self-harm, addiction of both nicotine and alcohol, strong language and adult themes, but once again, most of these will be set for later on in the story and I will be posting disclaimers for it before the chapter begins.

* I have been trying non-stop (No pun intended) to find information on how the whole process and living of children in orphanages, group homes and children in foster care and it has been very hard to find information, so if anything is inaccurate, please tell me for future reference, I would REALLY appreciate it!

* Because I couldn't find much info on these subjects, I made my own truth for the mater. They will be living in an orphanage where couples can either adopt or foster them. If they are not with a family, they are at the orphanage, and if they are with a family, they are either being fostered by them or got adopted, but I will write which one it is of course. Again, sorry if this is not how it really works.

* In no way, shape or form am I making fun of any of the topics in this story, but if you have read anything else from me, you will know that I enjoy writing about topics that don't get talked about a lot or topics that spread awareness on certain issues. Feel free to share some of your own experiences on the matter with me if you can relate/ feel comfortable about it. I love hearing from you guys.

That's all for now, see you next chapter! Oh! And hang tight. This story is a roller coaster!