Adopted by Heathers Cast

They Made You Cry, But That Will End Tonight

I woke up letting my thoughts and insecurities consume me. It was pretty late at night, and Alice was asleep.

I felt like I was about to break, right then and there. But I couldn't. I had let out my emotions too much lately and I didn't want to worry my family.

I sighed and tried to relax. But my thoughts quickly took over and I started sobbing. Alice woke up and immediately hugged me.

"Hey, Cat, I'm here. I've got you." she said, holding me tightly against her chest.

I tried to push away and said, "No, it doesn't matter..." Alice held me tighter and said, "Don't ever tell me that 'it doesn't matter' because if it is enough to make you cry, if it hurts this much, then it does matter. Never think that you are insignificant or that your problems aren't important because they are. Because you matter."

"When you have a famous family, you don't matter. I'll never be as pretty and talented as you guys. I'll never be as perfect as people want me to be."

"Then it's important - Cat look at me - it's important to have a family who loves you, not for who society thinks you should be, but for who you actually are. Cat, you don't need every single person to like you, just the few good people who will stand beside you no matter what." Alice said.

"I hate being compared to my famous family. That's because I'm not important. I'm just Elle McLemore's kid. I'll always have to live up to her standards."

"The only person's standards you have to live up to are your own. You're not Elle. You're Cat. And, you are important, you are the most important thing in all of our lives. Also, Cat, for what it's worth - you are already surpassing any subconscious expectations we all had." Alice said.

I broke down sobbing, and said, "I'm expected to be the perfect singer, the perfect actor. All because of who my mom is." Alice hugged me and said, "I understand that it's hard, sweetheart, I know. But, we're here for you and we don't want you to be exactly like us. We want you to be Cat, and if that means that you become an actor - great. If that means you become a vigilante and you fight crime illegally - we will probably want a conversation, but we will support you. I got you. We all do."

"If you were a fictional character, how do you think the author would describe you?" Alice asked.

"A girl who needs to be perfect and live up to her mom's standards." I said.

"What about your personality?" Alice asked, to which I said, "I don't know."

"I think the author would describe you as a strong young woman who has been through enough trauma to last her three life times. I think they would see how incredibly strong you are and they would put you through test after test just to prove it." Alice said.

I couldn't take it anymore. I said, "But I feel like I'm being compared to you guys and I hate it."

"Comparison is a dangerous thing, as well as a powerful one. Listen to me, Cat - you are not us so it's not fair to compare you to us. It's essentially comparing apples to oranges." Alice said.

"You don't understand how much I hate this feeling..." I said, and I started sobbing.

"What do you want me to do? Do you want me to yell at the kids in your school, do you want me to just listen, do you want me to tell Jess, Elle, and the others?" Alice asked, holding me tightly.

"You can tell them..." I said. Alice let go of me, kissed my head, and said, "I'll be right back."

I sat on the floor of my room and creaked open the door. I heard Alice knock on Elle's door and say, "Elle? Elle?"

I saw Elle sit on the sofa bed next to Jessica, and I heard Alice say, "Cat feels compared to us and that she could never live up to our standards."

I slammed the door and broke down crying again. This just made me feel worse.

"No!" I yelled without thinking, running out of the room.

"Sunshine!" Elle said as I launched myself in her arms.

"Elle...I can't do this anymore..." I said, sobbing.

"Hey, it's okay, Sunshine. I love you." Elle said.

Elle rocked me back and forth until I drifted off to sleep.

AN: Yay, a chapter published at a reasonable hour! Woo-hoo! And I just realized I have mismatched socks on. Anyway, hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!