Saved By Lin-Manuel

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There is abuse mentioned in this chapter, I thought I should warn you guys just in case. I marked the section with [*]. Enjoy the chapter!
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"Hey, are you okay?" Lin asks me.

"Yeah, but I really need to get home," I explain not wanting to upset Jeff and Carol. I really didn't want them to beat me again. "What time is it?"

"It's 5:14, but you don't look okay. You have a bruise on your cheek. What's your name?" Lin says. I mentally curse at myself because my makeup must have worn off.

"Oh, it's not a big deal. I was sleep walking last night and bumped into a doorway. Don't worry about me, my name's Elizabeth Gardiner" I tell him while trying to get around him but he was holding onto my arms. I have always wanted to meet Lin, but I wish I has more time to talk to him.

"I know that isn't true, but you seem like you are in a rush. If ever need anything, you know where to find me," he said before walking into the Richard Rogers Theater which I just realized we were standing in front of.

I try to get back to the house as fast as possible, but end up getting there at 6:16 and curse under my breath before walking in. Carol and Jeff don't notice me walk in at first, I head back to my bedroom bur accidentally trip over one of my shoes and I make a loud noise. I was goner. I hear footsteps coming down the stairs. I feel my pulse quicken and I try to act natural. I throw my backpack down, quickly kick off my shoes. I lay down on my mattress and begin to twiddle my thumbs. Maybe they will be too drunk to notice.

Jeff and Carol walk in and are immediately suspicious. "We said be home by 6:15, and you're a minute late ," Jeff exclaimed. "Do you expect us to put up with this?"

"I have been home for awhile actually," I explain while trying to lie my way out of this. I was gonna probably end up paying for this.

[*]
"Now you're lying. This is unacceptable!" Jeff yelled while grabbing my shoulder and yanking me up from my mattress and I brace myself because I know what is coming next. I feel Jeff's fist strike me in the face and knock me to the ground. Before I can try to stand back up, Jeff yanks me back up just to throw me down. One last time, Jeff jerked me up and jabbed me in my gut. No doubt that was going to leave a bruise.
[*]

Right before they walk out Carol tells me, "We treat you so well and this is what we get? No dinner tonight."

Does she really think they treat me so well? Then why am I laying her with bruises on my faces and abdomen also starving because I've barely eaten anything. I've never been treated any better. Can you tell I am using lots of sarcasm. This is by far the worst house I have ever been in. I needed to escape, and I needed Lin to help. How was I going to get in touch with him? I couldn't just into the theater, they wouldn't let me in. It was hopeless. Maybe I could write a letter? No, that wouldn't work, Lin doesn't even know my name. He's probably forgotten about me already. I get into the shower and then go to sleep, maybe I will think of something by morning.

I wake up and my parents are taking me on a road trip today. I've never been out of New York before. We are going to drive around the country and just be tourists. I hop into the shower and let the cold water wake me up before turning to nozzle to the warmer setting. After I shower I dry my hair with a towel and get dressed in my ripped skinny jeans, and simple black t-shirt. My dad and brother load up the car. It is still dark when we leave, and very early. I fall asleep, but not much later I am awoken but a car's set of headlights shining through. They crash into us.

I wake up in a puddle of sweat. I have had that nightmare since my parents died, which was over four years ago. They split me and my brother up, and I haven't seen him since. I look at my alarm clock which reads, 6:23. I decide to start getting ready for the day. I get into the shower and let the warm water run over my body. I get out of the shower and blow dry my hair, and straighten it. I pick one of my eight shirts, and one of my eight pairs of shorts and put them on . I slip on and lace up my black converse.I quickly put on some concealer on my cheek to cover the bruise from last night. I run downstairs to cook Jeff and Carol breakfast. I make them toast and bacon, I am so tempted to make me some too, but I can't take another beating. I finish their breakfast, and set it on the table. I look at the microwave which reads, 7:15, wow, I got ready faster then I expected. I realized it was Wednesday. Lin would be getting to the theater early today!

I leave Jeff and Carol a note reading -

Hey, I have to leave to go to school earlier. Last minute tutoring with some 6th graders. It's a one time thing, I promise. Enjoy breakfast.
-Elizabeth

I quickly scribble that down before grabbing my backpack and running out the door. I started walking to the theater and sat down behind the barricade closest to the stage door. I was never very religious, but I began to pray Lin would come soon before I had to leave. I checked my watch which I actually wore today. It was 7:37, and I had to leave in 23 minutes to be at school 15 minutes before it started. Time went by and Lin still wasn't there. I gave up hope, what was I thinking, call wasn't for another couple hours, there was no way I was gonna see Lin again. I turned around and was about to leave, but then I heard someone call my name.

"Elizabeth?" the voice asked, it was Lin. I turned around and walked up to him.

"I can't do it anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"I can't live with my foster parents anymore, I need help."

"I can help, come inside," Lin said while guiding me inside. I was screaming inside, this was my first time inside a Broadway theater, and the best part was that I was backstage. Lin lead me up to his dressing room and we sat down on his couch. "I see your bruise is gone."

"Not really," I said. I walked up to the mirror and smudged off the concealer leaving a purple and blue bruise left behind on my cheek. "And then there's also this," I say as I lift up my black shirt revealing another bruise.

Lin rushed up to me, "Why didn't you tell me yesterday?"

I looked at the floor and said, "I didn't have enough courage to tell one of my idols I am being abused every night." I looked into Lin's eyes which were full of pity. I hated being a sob story, or some one people felt bad for. My eyes started to swell with tears. Lin embraced me in a hug and began to run his fingers through my hair.

"How can I help? I can't let this happen any more," Lin asked while pulling away from the hug.

"Here," I scribbled down my social worker's phone number. "Call my social worker, her name is Jenna Hutcherson. She is very kind and will understand." I looked at the clock and it was almost 8:00. "Sorry I have to go to school, thank you so much," I say before hugging Lin and rush out of his dressing room. I exit through the stage door, and start sprinting towards school. I don't make it far until everything turns black and I feel my face hit the pavement.