Adopted by Scarlett Johansson

7

Scarlett's pov:

This poor girl doesn't deserve this and I don't know what to do now. I have lived next door with her and her mom for a little over 10 years, she was about one year younger than Rose is now when I moved to this house. I have watched her and her best friend play outside on the streets at least a 100 times, watched her grow up. And even though we've never really had a conversation, it feels like I have known her for a very long time. I know that the reason she never really has talked to me is because she respects that I'm a celebrity who wants privacy and for that I'm forever thankful, even though I wouldn't mind it because she seems like a wonderful girl. She and her friend have played with Rose out on the streets many times when they were younger, even though I don't think she remembered that, because almost every other child in the neighborhood was also playing with them, but the point being that even though it doesn't seem like it, I've had more contact with her that I think she realises.

Me and the other parents on the street were informed about her mom's depression and alcohol problems when she was at her worst. And that maybe seems unfair to her mom but it was only for Tessa's best. I don't think that Tessa knows about that. But as said, me and the other parents knew just so that we could keep an eye on Tessa and see that she was okay, because she didn't have any other parent than her mom or any siblings to look out for her. But as soon as the child social service told her mom about their worries for her and Tessa and that they knew her addiction to alcohol she stopped. And I think she's been clean since, well until now I guess.

When I was done with the bedding in the guestroom I went back in the living room to go and get Tessa, but she had already fallen asleep on the couch. The cutest sight. I went back up to the guest room and brought down the duvet to lay over her. I went up to my bedroom and brought down my duvet and a pillow as well. I then laid down on the other side of the couch so that she wouldn't have to sleep alone. I fell asleep almost immediately.

When I woke up I immediately checked if Tessa was awake, but she was still asleep, that's good. I carefully lifted up the duvet and made my way to the kitchen. The clock was only 7am so I started to make myself a cup of coffee to wake up a little more. When the coffee was done I took it with me to my office. I then started to make some calls. I first called my agent to see if I could by any chance keep her at my house, until we know what to do.

He tells me that he'll call me back when he gets the answers I'm looking for. I sit down and breathe out. Rose is at her dad's house now so I don't have to look after her today, and with all this happening, I'm kind of relieved that she isn't home today. I decided to call my best friend to get some support, but also just to talk. I pick up my phone and search in my contacts. There, Elizabeth Olsen.

I press on the call button on the phone and let it dial for only a couple of seconds until she answers. "Hi scarjo" she teases me just cause she knows I don't like to be called that. "How are you dear?" she continues. "I have a problem Lizzie, so you know I've mentioned Tessa to you before? The girl next door who's mom had some alcohol problems before"  "yeah?" she says confused. She came to me last night completely ruined, well turned out her mom and stepdad got physical with her. She has a black eye and a scar under her left eye, it looked bad Lizzie." my voice breaks at the end. "I will be right there scar, 5 minutes max, so we don't have to speak over the phone." She answers me.

Lizzie doesn't live far away so she's here in no time. I can hear her car pull up in the driveway and go to meet her at the door. I welcome her in and we go to the kitchen. You can see in to the living room from the kitchen so it's perfect, I can still keep an eye on Tessa while talking to Lizzie.

Lizzie looks worried, and I can't blame her, I am worried too. "I don't know what to do, Lizzie. This poor girl has no one else. And it's going to be hard for her to be adopted by anyone since she's a teenager." I look at Lizzie for a response. "What does your agent say?" "He's said he's going to call me back when he has the answers so I don't know yet." "What do you want to do?" Lizzie asks me. "I want what's best for her, Liz. And if that means that I'll have to adopt her, I- I'll do it" I say with a little hesitation. I don't want to ruin her family but I also don't want her to move into a group home or move between foster homes. "But remember you also have to think about what's best for you. You don't know her that well, and are you sure you are ready to take this on your hands? It is a big thing to do."

I get what she means. I have never gotten to know Tessa for real and now I'm thinking about adopting her, I get it, it sounds crazy. And maybe it's my mother instincts that are kicking in, but it's something about this girl that's special to me. And I feel like I have to protect her.

"I know it may sound crazy Liz, but I'm sure." I gave her a short answer. "You know whatever you decide to do, I'm going to support you and help you." She gives me a hug. I'm so thankful for her. As she hugs me tight my phone starts ringing. I immediately picked it up and answered. My agent Bryan asks me how I want to handle the situation and I tell him exactly what I told Elizabeth. That I'm willing to adopt her if that's what's best for her.

Bryan says that he has talked to child service and because I'm not a registered foster parent she can't live with me under the process of making it so that her mom isn't her legal guardian anymore. That process is apparently going to take up to two weeks so under that time Tessa will have to live at a group home or with another foster family. But he can help me with some paperwork to make me a legal foster parent, but that is going to take a few days. Bryan also tells me that child service said that Tessa can stay at my house one more night until they can find a group home for her.

I agree to his offer and he tells me that he's going to call me back later today to sort out some of the paperwork. I end the call and look into the livingroom to see if Tessa's still asleep, she is. The phone call was on speaker so that lizzie could hear the conversation. When I look back at Lizzie she gives me a big hug. "It's going to be okay, you are so strong Scar, and I bet Tessa is too. You two are going to be just fine. You can't imagine how proud I am of you." Her words warms my heart, I'm blessed to have her.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Because the las chapter was so short, here is a longer one:)

I just want to say that I have no clue how the child social service handles these cases, so everything I'm writing is made up. I don't know how the process works either so everything about that is also going to be made up, hope you can deal with that.

I'm going to post the next chapter in a couple days so you'll not going to get a chapter tomorrow, just because I want time to write and time for my friends and stuff. But until then stay safe my friends:)