Adopted By Lin-Manuel Miranda

the sky's the limit

Was it hard to live from a backpack? Yeah. Could I manage. Yeah. I slung my bag over my shoulder and walked out of the hotel that I got ready in. Here's the thing about hotels- act like you belong and no one will say anything. My bag was heavier today, I wasn't sure why. It held all the usual stuff. In the big part of it held a folded up blanket, a pair of jeans, and a jacket. The middle compartment had dry shampoo, detangler, and a hair brush for my hair, then it also had a small case with nail clippers and a nail file. A different bag had concealer, 2 chapsticks, and mascara. It also had a bottle of body spray and lotion. The middle area was the most filled up, I wasn't sure why, that's just how I always packed it. In the really small front area it just had some hair ties, a bottle of Advil, my glasses case, and a dream catcher necklace. I've always liked dream catchers, and it felt right to carry that all the time. In one of the side pockets it had a deodorant stick and some pens, and in the other one it had a knock-off swell Bottle that I could fill up in water fountains. The back pack was an old one from when I did gymnastics, and for some reason they stretch out a lot, and thats why I could hold a lot in it, that's why, when it was time to leave, that's the bag I took. I walked down the streets of New York City with my bag on my shoulder, just thinking about life. I checked my watch and realized it was 11 am. I head over to Central Park, where I usually go around lunch. Not for any particular reason, just because I like to see all the kids and families playing and having fun. I sat on my usual bench and put my bag next to me. I wasn't to cold today, even though I wasn't wearing my jacket. I tried to wear as many clothes as possible to avoid carrying more. I was wearing a sports bra, with a Leotard, shorts, jeans, a t-shirt and a sweat shirt. It was hell sometimes in the summer, but in the winter I didn't mind it. I watched as a dad chased around his toddler, running in my direction. The child came up near me laughing, like a screaming-laugh. His giggle was contagious, I couldn't help but laugh.
"Seb!" The dad said, approaching the child. "Don't bother people." Well, I'm assuming it's his dad. The man turned to me, "I'm sorry to bother you."
"You're okay!" I laughed and the man smiled.
"Sebastian," he turned back to the little boy, "go play I'm right here." The little boy, Sebastian, ran away laughing. "Can I sit?"
"Of course!" I replied. Company was a good thing for two reasons. It made you Blend in more, and 2 I rarely talked to anyone, so human company was nice.
"I'm Lin, nice to meet you." Lin put his hand out for me to shake.
"Bailey." I shook his hand, and smiled.
"You from here?" I looked over to my bag, tempted to say I was from here, but I decided not to lie.
"Manhattan." He nodded. "Is that your son?" I asked, trying my best not to be home.
"Yeah," the man smiled. It was obvious he loved his son. "How old are you, aren't you a little young to be out here alone, the city can be a scary place?" I could tell he was trying to sound concerned, Not rude so I replied nicely.
"I'm 13, almost 14." Lin nodded.
"Are you waiting for someone." I shook my head.
"I don't need anyone, sir." I tried to sound respectful since my answer was snappy.
"Everyone needs someone." He reasoned turning to me.
I shrugged, "i don't." I insisted.
"Your parents? Siblings? Friends?" He was trying to be helpful, but he didn't know anything.
"Technically, I'm in Foster Care. Technically they don't really care what I do. Technically I ran away two months ago." I don't want anyone to feel bad for me, I had the light end of it, no abuse, just not caring.
"Do you want somewhere to stay for a while?"
"No thank you sir, I can take care of myself." I turn my head to the screaming kids.
"Please." He begs. "Just come stay with me for a little, at least come have dinner."
"As long as I'm not bothering you." I say, I haven't eaten something that wasn't like popcorn. In my defense, bags popcorn are cheap and popcorn is filling. I pushed my glasses up as Lin started to talk.
"Of course not." He insisted. "Seb!" He called and the toddler approached out of the crowd of kids.
"Daddy!" He screamed and Lin shushed him.
"We're gonna go home and eat lunch." Sebastian nodded. "Come on." Lin motioned for me to stand up, I grabbed my black bag and followed him down the streets as Sebastian tried to make conversation.
"I'm Seb!" The toddler exclaimed, laughing, this child laughs all the time and it's the best thing. 'He can't say Sebastian yet.' Lin mouthed and I nodded. 
"I'm Bailey." I replied and Sebastian nodded.
"Do you like trains." He's better at making conversation then I'll ever be.
"Yes!" I laughed. Out of the corner of my eye I could see Lin smiling at us, but I didn't look directly. I looked up to see a biker on the sidewalk who was about to run over Sebastian. Lin was on one side, Sebastian in the middle and I was on the other side. None of us were looking, Lin looking at me and Seb, Seb looking at me. The biker was on his phone so of course he wasn't looking. I grabbed Sebastian's arm as the biker started to ride by. "Careful kiddo!" I laughed.
"Thank you." Lin said smiling. I nodded and went back to listening to Sebastian ramble. "We're here." Sebastian and I followed Lin to the elevator where he clicked four.
"Is mommy home?" Sebastian asked, innocently.
"No, kid, sorry." I tapped my sides, 8 times per side then switch again, I hated elevators. After what felt like an eternity the elevator dinged and the door opened.
"I want mac and cheese!" Sebastian giggled as Lin tried to unlock the door.
"Ok kid." Lin smiled at me and apologized for his yelling. I looked around the apartment, it was really nice. When you walked in a living room was there a couch two chairs a t.v and a piano. If you went farther back there was a small wall, about 4 ft tall, with what I'm assuming is a baby gate. Nothing was too big or extravagant it was like a normal/ large apartment but not too large if I'm even making sense. "What do you want to eat, Bailey?" Lin asked, opening the baby gate to the kitchen.
"I'm fine with anything." I follow Lin into the medium-sized kitchen
"Mac and Cheese?" I sat on one of the bar stools and nodded as Lin pulled out two containers of microwaveable macaroni. Lin tried to make small talk, which I was grateful for, because I wasn't good at it. "Why did you run away?" Lin asked casually.
"Neglect." I shrugged. "It was dumb of me to run away."
"No it wasn't!" Lin says, pulling the mac and cheese out of the microwave. "Speaking of that, do you have a number I can call. Like a social worker, or some system?"
"I have a social worker I gue-"
"Great!" Lin interrupts, "Number please kiddo?"
"***-***-****" I repeat the memorized number.
Lin calls Sebastian into the kitchen and he walks into the room with a train. "When should I call?" Lin asked and I shrugged, I haven't talked to her in about 4 months, she wasn't the best Social Worker but she liked me, and at this point that was all I could ask for. "Will I need your full name."
"Umm, you can call whenever, and they go by first and middle name since most people don't want to be connected to their last name. So just say Bailey West, um-"
Lin interrupts me again, "Bailey West is your full name!" I nod in confusion, "that's so pretty."
"Thanks," I reply and continue what I was saying, "her name is Sophie, so that's it." I rubbed my arm.
"I'll make the call, you and Seb can go eat on the couch, his shows should be on." Lin jokingly shoos us out, I laugh and grab me and Sebastian's bowls in one hand and Seb's hand in the other. I try to focus on the show with Sebastian, but can't help try and listen to Lin's conversation.
"She ran away... Give me a valid reason she should still stay with them... Why else would she run away... Are you not comprehending what I'm saying... That's what I thought... Ok, thank you." I tuned out the rest of the conversation and tried to keep up with the show, laughing whenever Seb did. After about ten minutes, a key turned and the door opened.
Sebastian ran over yelling, "Mommy!"
"Vanessa!" Lin said running to the woman, whispering in her ear for a minute, then pulling away. "You're home early!"
"Yeah." She laughed, pecking Lin's lips.
"Bailey, come here." I walked toward Lin, away from where I was awkwardly standing. "Relax." Lin whispered, tossing an arm around my shoulder. "Bailey, this is my wife Vanessa, Vanessa this is Bailey."
I shook Vanessa's hand and introduced myself, Lin shooed me and Sebastian away, again to talk to Vanessa, I again, tried to listen, it was quieter this time.
"I'm okay with it are you sure?"
"Yes."
"You sure?"
"Yeah."
"Lin, you have to be ready."
"I am. Look how good she is with Sebastian."
"Ok." Vanessa sighed but laughed.
"Bailey. Come here." Lin said again causing protest from Sebastian.
I promised him I would be right back, and opened the baby gate to the kitchen.
"Bailey."
"Lin." I laughed, repeating him.
"I talked to Sophie, she's going to come over and do a house check, then we can sign some papers and you could stay." Lin said excitedly then added, "She'll be here tomorrow, come on I'll show you your room, get your bag." Lin lead me back through the living room to get my bag, then down a hallway. Past one door and to the next. "Here it is." Lin opened the door revealing a room.
The walls are painted a light gray, with a twin sized bed pushed against the left wall. The bed had grey chevron sheets with two white pillows and a gray throw pillow with a light pink heart in the middle. The white nightstand had a light Pink lamp, a small candle next to it, and a gray vase with pink flowers. Two white stools are at the end of the bed. There was about 7 feet of space to the right then two doors, one door was a bathroom that was connected to Sebastian's room, the other was a closet.
Lin immediately begins to say I can redecorate and add some personal stuff if I want but right now, I'm not worried about that.
Tiny footsteps are heard coming down the hall, and Seb is banging on the door. Lin opens it, laughing. "What's up homeboy." Lin looks over at me. "Can you say Bailey? Bay-lee." He sounds it out for Sebastian.
He just laughs and says, "Lee!" Sebastian reaches for me and I take him.
"Watch this kiddo." I open the bathroom door and walk through to his room. "Isn't that cool!" Lin watches us, amused, and we walk back into my room.
"You're such a good big sister." Lin laughs. Big sister. No. I was getting comfortable to fast and I don't know why, before I knew i would accidentally call Lin dad and he would throw me out.
"Thank you, Lin." I say.
"But you are!" He insist.
"No, thank you for letting me stay here, and letting me spend time with him," I motion to the small child on my hip, "and meet Vanessa." I realize I'm rambling and stop myself.
"Hey, don't worry about it, right now, in my mind you're as much of my kid as Sebastian."
"I've known you less than 12 hours." I laugh, but am also somewhat serious.
"So." Lin pulls me and Sebastian into a hug, kissing each of our foreheads, "My babies."
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I literally have no idea how to describe things I'm so sorry..