Bad Things Happen

New Family!

Warning: abandonment flashback.

"Daddy, where are we going?" Laurens asked scared. His father had snapped.

"We're not going anywhere." The man answered.

Little John sat in the backseat of his father's truck. He didn't understand why his dad told him to bring his backpack with him.
They pulled up to a street corner and Henry Laurens got out and opened the back door.

"Get out!"

John didn't say anything, he obeyed his father and got out of the vehicle.
Henry got back into the truck and started the engine.

"Daddy wait, I have to get back in." John begged.

"No Jack, you're going to go inside that building. When they ask for your parents, tell them that I left you here. They will take care of you from there. Understood!" Henry ordered him.

"Yes Daddy." John cried.

Henry drove off that day, and never came back.

Laurens woke up in a heavy sweat. He had the same reoccurring nightmare every time he went to a new foster home. He leaned over and turned the lamp on. The clock said 3:43am (A/N I know that's a weird time, but I literally just typed in three random numbers). At least the next morning was Saturday and he wouldn't have to go to school. He sat up and rubbed his neck, trying to calm himself down while still breathing heavily.

"Hey, you ok?" Alexander asked entering the room. "I saw the light and just thought I'd check in."

Laurens nodded, still breathing heavily. He pulled his legs around the side of the bed.

"You don't seem ok." Alex pushed, while walking to sit by him.

"It's a thing." Is all Laurens could get out.

Alexander put the pieces together. He too had nightmares whenever he went to a new foster home. It was mainly because he was scared of getting new bad memories at every house.

"It's ok, relax." Alexander said putting a hand on his back. Laurens was shaking. "Relax."

Laurens started to calm down, he was breathing slower and stopped shaking.

"What happened?" Alexander asked.

Laurens grabbed his backpack and pulled out his notebook. He flipped through some pages before handing it to Alexander.

The page read,

Today is the sixth anniversary of the day my father left. He blamed me for killing my mother, which I suppose I did. Everyone else says I did. Marcus said that I'm a murderer. I didn't mean to. If I could, I'd bring her back right now, then I wouldn't have to be here. Right now, I'm in a group home with five other kids. I'm the youngest and they all hate me. I just hope that I'll find a good home someday. - J. Laurens.

Alex looked over at Laurens. He just sat there with his head down.

"How did she die?" Alex asked. "I'm sorry, I shouldn't..."

"Childbirth." Laurens interrupted.

Alexander's heart broke. He knew what it was like to lose a parent, but at least when his mother died he knew she loved him, and she knew he loved her.
John didn't get that. Not only did he not get that, but his father blamed him for her death.

"You know it wasn't your fault, right?"

Laurens just sat there. Alexander sighed and moved on from the topic.

"Do you need a glass of water or something?" Alex questioned.

He shook his head.

"Ok, just let me know if you need anything." Alex responded before walking over to the door.

Alexander looked back at Laurens, he looked shocked. You could tell he wasn't used to a foster sibling being nice to him.

"Hey, that good home you wrote about?" He began. "It's here. The Washingtons are the best people you'll ever meet. No one will blame you for things like that. Trust me."

He turned around and left the room to go back to his.

Laurens rolled over and went back to sleep with his mind at ease.

The next morning.

Washington was the first one up. He went downstairs and started his day. Martha followed about fifteen minutes later.

Alexander woke up next. He reached over to the night table and grabbed his phone to text Eliza.

Alex: hey, me and Laf were planning on going to a movie today if you and your sisters wanna come.
Eliza: we just saw a movie yesterday, I don't think I've ever meet someone who goes to see more movies than you.
Alex: is that a yes?
Eliza: ugh, let me ask my sisters.
Eliza: fine. As long as it's not a horror movie.
Alex: done, meet us at noon.

He quickly got dressed and ran downstairs. Lafayette was already down there as well.

"Alright, we're on for a movie at noon, Laf." Alexander said bouncing down the stairs into the kitchen. "With the Schuyler sisters."

"Bon travail mon ami." Lafayette answered.

"Alex, take a seat." Martha said. "Eat up."

"Thanks." Alex answered. "Do you think we should take them out to lunch after?"

"It would be rude not to." Lafayette replied.

Laurens came downstairs late. He was wearing some of the new clothes and shoes they bought him, but his curly hair was still a ragged mess. He figured he could maybe get it cut sometime next week. If they would let him.

"Good morning, sweetheart." Martha said, being the first one to spot him. "Are you hungry? Help yourself."

He looked over at all the food on the table. The last few homes he lived at didn't have much food, or they didn't give him much food.

"Good morning, how'd you sleep last night?" Washington asked.

Laurens looked up over at him and then back over at the table again.

"Go ahead, eat up." Washington laughed.

Laurens walked over to the table and grabbed a plate. He sat down and started filling it with food until not one part of his plate was empty. He started eating like a race horse. He hadn't had a decent meal in months. Besides dinner last night, but he purposely tried no to eat much so they wouldn't be mad at him.

"Wow." Lafayette gasped before Alexander punched his shoulder.

Laurens looked up awkwardly. Everyone was looking at him. He dropped his head embarrassed.

"Relax," Washington started. "You should have seen Alexander when he first arrived."

Laurens smiled.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Alexander laughed.

"Alex, why don't you take Laurens with you to see that movie you were talking about?" Martha suggested.

"Yeah sure. Laurens you wanna come?" Alex asked.

John nodded and continued eating.

Before noon, all the boys ran upstairs to get ready. Laurens had no idea what was about to happen.

1113 words.