Maddie Dempsey and Justin Foley were what people thought were the cliche highschool romance, and maybe at first glance they were, but when you look deeper into the story, the way Hannah Baker did, you'll see so much more.
{From: 5.18.18 Until: 6.30...
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10 years old.
The Dempsey's walked through the door of the adoption agency they had been going to for the last week to see the children they could give a home to. They weren't surprised to see the girl they had learned whose name was Maddie spinning in the dance room. They had been there everyday for the past week and each kid did something different but Maddie was always in the dance room and if the other girls were there stretching or working as well she seemed to stand out, to them at least.
Maddie didn't focus on the family like the other children did, she never did, she was used to being singled out by the family and then when they figured out her past they would say things along the lines of her being too problematic for them and they would adopt another child.
Maddie took dance seriously where the other girls just seemed to do it to pass time as they didn't really have many friends because they couldn't stay out past a certain time and they couldn't have people over.
The small family of four stood in the door way with the woman who ran the agency next to them, the parents were taking mental notes of each child because they wanted someone to fit the role of a "perfect daughter." In the small dance room there were around ten children. All of the children sat in a circle watching Maddie who was spinning on her left foot, they were all in envy of her passion and motivation to dance.
"Miss can we go to the back room and discuss some things?" Mrs. Dempsey asks pushing her purse chain up on her shoulder and the older woman with light gray hair and glasses nods as she takes them to the back room where they were at the first day they came in.
There were three seats so Mr. and Mrs. Dempsey sat down with their son, Zach, to the right of them and their daughter, May, sat on her fathers lap. "So have you chosen or narrowed the options?" The older woman, Haleigh, asks with a smile grabbing the file and pushing her glasses up as she opens it. "Honey, I like Maddie, the one always in the dance room." Mrs. Dempsey says smiling to her husband and he nods in agreement. "But it's not just are choice sweetheart, Zach, did you like any of them more than others?" Mr. Dempsey asks leaning forward without pushing May off his lap to look at his ten year old son.
"I like Maddie too. She seemed nice, and maybe she can be on the dance team and I can be on the basketball time and be those cool siblings that are popular!" Zach said smiling as he had always dreamed about being a popular and great basketball player, mostly his only friends were a few kids he played basketball with outside of school.
They couldn't ask May since she was too young to put in a good choice though she nodded along with a smile as her brother spoke. Mr. Dempsey then smiles and nods turning back to the lady. "Maddie. We would like to adopt Maddie." He says in sure tone.
"Sir it is procedure that we must tell you everything about the child before hand." The woman says with a faltering smile as she removes her glasses afraid that yet again another family would change their minds about the sweet young girl. "Let's hear about her then." Mrs. Dempsey says straightening up. "Okay, I must warn you Maddie was not just put up for adoption she was taken out of an abusive home when she was eight years old." Haleigh says with a small sad smile as she watched the smile fall from their faces. "Continue." Mr. Dempsey says nodding.
"Her mother had married someone very bad. He would bruise and hurt her mother and would force her to take drugs while pregnant with Maddie, so if you still take her in there are certain medications she has to have and certain things she can't have because she was born an addict." Haleigh says still sad but she was gaining hope as this was the first time a family hadn't already changed their minds.
"When she was born her mother went to jail and her father went to a different country and is not allowed back, as he was only here because of being a foreign exchange student. She went into foster care for the first three years of her life but her mother got her back. And once again her mother choose the wrong boyfriend. He hit and hurt both Maddie and her mother. When Maddie was three her mother got pregnant again and so the hitting stopped on her mother and was only inflicted upon her." Haleigh says sighing and stopping for a second before continuing. "When her sister, MacKenzie, was born Maddie was taking even more pain because the boyfriend didn't want to go after his own child. After being in that house for two more years her moms boyfriend left bruises on her ears, Maddie left her hair down which caused attention from the teachers and not only was it down it was covering her whole face. That night we got both her and her sister out though her sister is in a different home. It was best for both of them." Haleigh finished the story making eye contact with the family who only minutes ago wore happy smiles but now wore faces of pain and worry for the girl. "If you adopt her you would not have to let her see her sister as they want to be separate." Haleigh says and Mrs. Dempsey speaks.
"Honey, I think we should still take her in, she needs a home, a stable one at that."
"Is she problematic or disruptive or have bad behavior?" Mr. Dempsey asks Haleigh as he knew some children after being through a hard life were not always sweethearts. "No she's a well behaved, smart, kind, passionate, and talented young girl." Haleigh says with a smile as she brings out Maddies file happy to finally put it in the success files. "We'll do it." Mr. Dempsey says with a smile and Haleigh stamps on both of the files a success.
The Dempsey's and Haleigh walk into the dance room this time catching attention of all the girls, even Maddie, as the girls always had to pay attention and clap when one was adopted even if it hurt when it wasn't you.
Maddie stared at the family ,the girls saw a blank look though the family and Haleigh could see the want, and sadness behind it as she stood with her hands on her sides as she was trying to catch her breath. "They have made a decision, one of you girls are lucky enough to go home with the Dempsey's today. Are you ready to hear who?" Haleigh asks with a smile looking at the girls who eagerly nodded other than Maddie who just stared at the boy, Zach, who was smiling at her.
"Maddie! Maddie they picked you." Haleigh says with a smile and all the girls cheered for her while she covered her mouth tears in her eyes as she began to cry, she was picked, finally. She looked up at the family and they opened their arms as she walked into them hugging each of them. Mrs. Dempsey hugged her back with tears as she knew she had done the right thing, Mr. Dempsey picked her small body off the group slightly as he was happy to save a child in such need of a family. Zach hugged her with a smile since he knew she was the right one. May just leaned against her, their small bodies blending.
'This is it.' She thought as she sat in the middle of the back seat between Zach and May. 'Someone finally picked me. Someone wants me.' She thinks with a smile growing on her face.
"Maddie are you okay?" Mr. Dempsey asks looking at her through the rear-view mirror.
"Yes. I'm just..finally happy." She says with a smile as the car fades from the agency and to the house which later would be the only home she would know.
