Adopted by Heathers Cast

Maybe We Won't Grow Up

Two Weeks Later

"Happy birthday dear Catlynn, happy birthday to you!" my entire family and all my friends sung at the top of their lungs.

"Come on Kit, blow out the candles!" Red screeched. I turned towards her and blew out the candles with all of my strength. The entire group cheered.

"You're fourteen." Elle said. "Fourteen years old. I can't believe it."

"Neither can I." I said. I remember being twelve and being in Elle's apartment for the very first time. It was a surreal feeling. I was just that girl that Elle took off of the street, Catlynn Reeve. I was still Thomas Reeve's daughter.

Now I'm not. I'm Elle McLemore's daughter, Catlynn. And that brought me more joy than you could ever imagine.

I remember my thirteenth birthday. It was held at the New World Stages. The only friends that came were Lachlan, Cesca, Astrid, and Emily, as those were the only true friends I had at the time. Now, there were 8 adults in the room and twice as many kids. My friends.

"You look older than I remember. Even though I saw you two days ago." Ryan said. I laughed. "Guess it comes with being fourteen! Mommy! I can drive in two years!"

I stopped short. Ever since Jess and Ryan got in the car crash, I've been scared for my sweet sixteen, when I could get behind the wheel for the first time. But now, I have confidence. Confidence and hope that everything was gonna be okay. And that made me smile so hard and so wide, I felt like my cheeks were gonna fall off my face.

"Cat! I brought Twister!" Axel screamed. I gasped as Cesca was setting up the game on the floor. "I actually haven't played this game since I was eleven."

"Three years is too long to wait, let's go." Red ordered. I laughed and smiled at my now ex-girlfriend. Even though we had broken up, she was still my best friend. And to be honest? I don't think I wanted anything more than that. I had a tight group of friends who I loved more than anything else, and I didn't want to trade that for a relationship.

I smiled at Ryan, getting an idea. "I'll be right back." I said to my friends and family.

I ran to my room and slammed the door. I went to my desk and started digging around for the purple journal Ryan gave me way back when.

"Got it!" I yelled to myself, opening the journal to a blank page.

This year's been a rollercoaster. Actually, that might be an understatement. This was both the worst and best year of my entire life.
Here's why.
I started 2014 in my dad's custody, and I thought there was no way I was getting out of it. I found the things I wanted to do, I loved being a leader and helping others. Which is why Student Council was the perfect fit for me.
This didn't go over well with my dad. I told him on a walk home from school, and he got mad at me and pinned me to a wall. The wall that got me out of there. The wall that saved my life.
Being with Elle wasn't all happiness and sunshine either. The crash, Ethan dying, all my hospital trips, I can't even count.
But I have a family now. A loving one. One that's always there for me. And I wouldn't trade that for the world.
I haven't written in this journal in a while. Guess I didn't have time. Or a reason. I've gained confidence, I've stood up for myself.
So to the future Catlynn who will inevitably read this, you got this. Stay strong. Fourteen year old Cat believes in you.
And if my family reads this, I love you guys. Thanks for everything.
~Cat

"Catlynn!" I heard, snapping out of my daze. "Come open your presents!"

I ran to the living room, realizing that Elle's present was definitely not adoption papers like last time. Why would I need them, I was already in her custody!

To my surprise, Katie was the first to hand me a box. I smiled and opened it. In the box, was 25 stickers, each with a different color spaceship, a star, or a planet.

"What are these for?" I asked.

"Twenty five trips to the hospital over the course of a year." Katie said. "It's to prove how strong you are." I started crying, I did not expect my birthday presents to be so sentimental.

"Katie!" I cried, hugging my aunt.

________

Presents, cake, and three Monopoly championships later, my friends all left and the only people in the apartment were my family. My loving family.

"So. How's that for a fourteenth birthday?" Evan asked.

"This was better than my thirteenth!" I cried, laughing. My whole family laughed in response.

The next thing I knew, I was crying, and my entire family wrapped me in a group hug. I was sobbing into Elle's shoulder, a feeling I was very familiar with.

Once all the tears were out, Evan started tickling my leg, and I was laughing so hard I couldn't breathe. Jessica tickled my other leg, and I couldn't stop laughing.

"M-make it stop!" I cried, laughing my butt off.

The End.

AN: Adopted by Heathers is over. Five and a half months later, it's over. It's finished. Complete. I love you all and I am so proud of what I've done. So for the final time, hope you enjoyed, and see you in Adopted by Be More Chill. Love you all!