Yo! So, apologies for the lack of writing. A bunch of shit keeps on happening? Y a y. This chapter will be in two parts, so keep a lookout for that!

Trigger warnings: Hospitals, hinted at/implied abusive households, self-hatred,

I tried to process everything as Laf, Herc, Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, and I walked out of the school. We stayed after school for about half an hour and were taking Angelica's 7-passenger SUV and meeting his new foster parents at the hospital, and whoever they were they had to be fucking saints or something.

The fifteen-minute drive was awkward and tense, no one daring to make a noise, rather drowning in the bark of the engine and the howl of 3 p.m. traffic. Normally we would all be laughing and enjoying ourselves as if this was any casual Thursday, but we couldn't stop but wallow in somber expressions and grave thoughts.

We walked to the entrance of the hospital, all either hand-in-hand or arm-in-arm. Funny how I always despised touch from everyone no matter if they were Laf or a perfect stranger, yet when I was meeting someone that I had known once in a million stars I came to crave it. I remember how I had had such a huge crush on Alexander in seventh grade, even going into the year of the eighth grade. Who am I kidding, I only got over him the summer of ninth grade. He was like a best friend to me.

Thinking about it, I remember one day of seventh grade. That day when everyone got suspicious. The day that I wondered what happened behind closed doors. The day that I finally realized that nothing is so pure.

"Alexander, how did you get that bruise?" We all were in the gym, school still not technically starting for another ten minutes.

We were all crowded in our small group in the bleachers. Lafayette, Hercules, Angelica, Eliza, Peggy, Maria, and I all were moving so we could see what Angelica was talking about.

Alexander shrugged, letting his dark brown hair fall and just barely cover his left eye. The way he had become so timid in the past week was alarming, to say the least, but he always insisted he was fine, just feeling ill.

But for some reason, that explanation didn't sit right with anyone, and now that he had a black eye that he hadn't had yesterday, we were all set on finding out what was going on in Alexander's home.

"Alex. Seriously. What really happened?" Angelica, being the oldest, decided that if no one was going to pursue the topic, it might as well be her.

He shrank into himself, then, he grabbed his backpack and moved to stand up. But before he could leave, Eliza pulled him gently back down by his hand. "Alex, please tell us what happened. We're worried, and if you're in danger then we want to be sure you get somewhere safe." Her words fell with such ease and combined with her soft tone, anyone would have fallen to her command.

But, when was Alexander ever like any other person?

He managed to break free and anxiously walked over to a kid named Aaron Burr, who presumably was slightly-no, very-put off by his black eye. But Aaron moved over a seat and let Alexander sit down.

We were all left frowning and concerned, wondering why the hell did he be so defensive? And especially, how did he get that bruise?

We stopped dead in our tracks. What the hell? Standing before us was Mr. Washington and his wife, Martha Washington.

That's why he met up with everyone, idiot. I pushed this self-deprecating thought of myself out of my head.

George Washington and his wife were Alexander's new foster parents. I didn't have time to dwell or question the fact, because before long I was being pulled toward them by Laf and Peggy. They seemed too caught up in the fact that they were about to achieve the answers everyone had been craving, though they may not be the most relieving.

"Oh, thank God you're all here. Thank you so much." Mrs. Washington shook all of our hands, nodding her head so that her dark brown and graying bun was bobbing at the back of her head, and making sure we were aware of how thankful she was.

Mrs. Washington was a relatively small woman, only in her early forties, but she had the sense of warmth in her grimace, and the sweetness in her voice that drew people in. She had slight-barely noticeable-wrinkles around her eyes that suggested a lifetime of happiness. Her dark brown eyes, tanned skin, and brown-black hair all gave off warm tones; one could only be left to wonder what she would have looked like in her early twenties.

"Alexander won't wake up for at least another day, or so the doctors are hoping. But we've gotten permission from his doctor and the nurses to allow two or three of you in the room with him at a time," Mr. Washington held his wife's hand, it shaking ever so slightly.

We all nodded in understanding, many ponytails or curls bobbing, or a beanie in Hercules's case. Weird, how everyone in our new group had at least one similar trait to another, whether it be a calm and reassuring personality, unruly curls, or anything, really.

We had barely known each other just two weeks ago, not caring whether the other got an A on a test or if they were alright after a breakup. But, now, at that moment, I felt like I was with my family. The people I would graduate with, all celebrating together; the people I could imagine visiting when we went to college and university; the people I would trust more than my biological family.

I stopped my thoughts. Trust these people more than Martha, Mary, Harry, and James? Yeah, that would end you up back in Charleston with Father in a heartbeat. No. I would not let that man who dares to share my last name stop me from whatever lay ahead. Yes, I trust my siblings, but they are too young to understand. I couldn't bear to see the kindness in their eyes disappear, and let myself be at fault.

Wait, what? I walked down a corridor labeled Intensive Care Unit (ICU) with Laf and Peggy by my side, both holding on to me tight enough that if my knees gave out I would be safe from falling to the ground.

The three of us were led into a medium-sized room, and there didn't seem to be anyone in the room beside us, then I looked to my right and-holy shit.

Hi! This is part one, and thank you for being so patient. I'm gonna write part two this weekend, and hopefully get it out within two weeks.