Understanding Me

Prom

It was Saturday and me and Jane were sat downstairs waiting for Beth to finish getting ready for prom.

"Are you sure you don't want to go?" Jane asked me for the fiftieth time that night. "Because it's not too late to get you ready." I smiled as I shook my head.

"I think it's just better if I stay away from everything, that way no one gets hurt."

"You don't actually believe that do you? Beth didn't get hurt because of you, Beth got hurt because some bad men were trying to hurt you." I looked up towards Jane who always had the right thing to say. A part of me still believed that I was responsible, no matter how I looked at it.

"Jane, do you mind if I ask you something about my parents?"

"Of course not." She nodded at me to continue. I took a deep breath in before asking what had been on my mind all night.

"Did you know my parents adopted me?"

"Yes. Although your mother never consulted me about it, she came to visit one day with little you in her arms. You smiled up at me, but always frowned upon Darron." I laughed, only slightly knowing the name from listening in to my mums' discussions when I was younger. Darron was Janes ex-boyfriend, apparently, I had great sense of character back then. "When I asked about how she adopted you she wouldn't ever say. Although, now I can guess." I frowned.

"What do you mean?"

"Your parents used to work for S.H.I.E.L.D, she never explicitly told me, but I found pagers and documents in their apartment when I was house sitting." I nodded. So, the agency gave me to them, I was their mission. Everything felt so artificial, all my relationships were fake. My real parents and my adoptive parents died and I really didn't know any of them. "They loved you Maddy. If that was the only thing I knew for sure. They loved you." I could feel the corners of my lips lift as the tears dripped onto my cheeks. Okay, that's all I needed to hear.

At that moment we heard footsteps coming down the stairs and immediately our eyes fell to Beth wearing a beautiful gold dress. Jane and I both gasped as we saw her. She looked stunning, I could only hope to look that good in a dress like that!

"Oh, honey you look amazing!" Jane rushed over to Beth, her arms engulfing her body as she tried to wriggle out.

"Mum! Stop!" She groaned as she tried to push her away, a small smile resting on her lips. I walked over to them as I jokingly started hugging Beth.

"Oh, Bethy! You look incredible!" We both laughed as she pushed me off. "You really do look great!" I smiled as her cheeks turned red.

"Thank you! Now are you sure you can't come?" She huffed as she dropped her phone and lipstick into her clutch.

"I'm sure, but you have fun." We walked Beth out to Janes car and helped her into the front seat. It didn't take long before we were at the school, changing lights could be seen from the outside as we parked up. Straight away Beth jumped out of the car and rushed over to Stacy, Naomi and Keisha waiting at the entrance. Me and Jane peacefully sat as we watched her enter the school, sending us a quick wave as she went in.

"So, what happens now?" Jane asked as she turned to look at me, a slight strain in her voice.

"You're the adult." She smiled as a small chuckle left her mouth.

"Well actually, since nineteen hours ago, so are you." I almost choked as I remember that it was my birthday. I was officially an adult and could make my own decisions. But what was I going to do? "What ever you choose, you're always welcome here." I tilted my head towards Jane, a small smiling growing on my face. I reached over and wrapped my arms around her, squeezing slightly as the time passed.

"Thank you, Jane, for everything." A small tear on my cheek dropped down onto her top as I pulled away.