Adopted by Ash Costello (1)

Escape

Escape -

"Oh My God! What are you doing here?" Chloe suddenly burst once she entered Sandy's office and was faced with two band members she had never even dreamed of seeing live let alone meeting. "I'm dying aren't I? I'm dead! I'm dreaming!" Chloe jumped from one conclusion to another whilst pinching herself hard on her arm. Nikki and Ash were red-faced and laughing.

"Hiya. Are you alright?" Ash asked, laughing. Chloe was too shocked to move and therefore remained frozen at the door. She could feel herself shaking from excitement, nerves and some disbelief. This couldn't be happening. This kind of thing didn't happen to people let alone herself with her track record of bad luck.

"I think so" Chloe breathed, finally moving and taking a seat next to Sandy on her side of the desk. "I know this is totally embarrassing and I don't even know what you're doing here but could I get a picture with you? It's okay if you say no. It's just that New Years Day are one of my favourite bands" Chloe rushed, embarrassed.

"Of course we will. There's plenty of time though. We'll take one later" Nikki agreed

"Later?" Chloe asked,  surprising herself slightly at how easily she spoke to Ash and Nikki considering she thought her anxiety wasn't too kind on her meeting new people let alone members of bands that she liked.

"Well Chloe Ash here was thinking of possible adopting you. It's not a guarantee but she thinks you'll be the perfect fit for her and now it is up to you to see whether you think she'll be the perfect fit for you" Sandy explained

"Yes. Perfect fit completely" Chloe nodded enthusiastically, not only encouraged by the prospect of leaving the adoption centre and school she couldn't stand but also at the chance of being adopted by Ash fucking Costello. How could she say no?

"Slow down there. There's a lot to work out" Sandy replied "Ash, why don't you ask Chloe a few questions?"

"Okay" Ash spoke and turned to Chloe. "We would be touring a bit but we haven't got a tour coming up soon so you would live with me at my home a few hours from here, enrol in school and then we would tour. Would this be okay?"

"Yes! Of course it would!" Chloe grinned more within these past few minutes than she had done her entire life. She may possibly be getting adopted and, while pushing that pessimist that lived inside her head away, she could thrive on this prospect.

"Well, you'll have to be touring a lot but you would also get to settle down for a bit and go to school. Would that be fine?" Ash asked, worried that she might upset Chloe.

"Of course it would!"

"Okay and about school. Would you be okay with touring maybe disrupting a few days here and there? We would pay for a tutor to teach you on the days that you did miss so you can enjoy us on tour but also not have your education suffer for it"

"Yeah! Totally!" Chloe smiled, thinking of the opportunity she may have in touring with New Years Day.

"I think that's all I've got to ask" Ash said, now turning back to Sandy.

"We've read through all your paperwork and are happy to proceed if you are" Sandy smiled herself now, not being able to keep in her own excitement.

"Should I do it? I think I should" Ash asked Nikki, grinning. Chloe looked back and forth at the three adults in the room anxiously waiting for her fate to be decided.

"So do I" He smirked

"Alright then Sandy. I would love to adopt Chloe if she would have me" Ash beamed and Chloe responded by nodding her head and beaming back at her

"Oh that's fantastic!" Sandy clapped her hands "Here's a pen. I just need you to sign here, here and here" She added, pointing to the places that needed Ash's signature. "Why don't you start packing up Chloe and these two can meet you outside after?"

"Okay. I won't be a minute" Chloe exclaimed and rushed off into her room with excitement she had never remembered feeling before. She had a chance at being part of a family and, although she thought she never needed one, she now felt ecstatic. Running into her room, she bumped into David, Harry, Georgia and Caitlin who were sat on the floor. Chloe ignored them and started swiping things into her bag in an effort to pack quickly, wanting to get away as fast as possible.

"What are you doing? Running away?" David laughed mockingly.

"Make us something to eat before you run off otherwise we'll get more issues to be added to your file" Caitlin demanded

"You've got quite the collection now haven't you Chloe? No one is ever going to adopt you" Georgia squealed, becoming giddy with the fact that Chloe was trapped; or so she thought.

"Not at all!" Chloe grinned "I'm going to go home with Ash and Nikki now. Thanks for being yourself because that meant they wanted to see me and not stick with you being a dickhead" She added, liberated.

"Oh those freaks adopted you? Good luck! They're in a worse state than you" Georgia was in hysterics "No wonder why they didn't like me - they have poor taste"

"Says the girl who dates that" Chloe responded, pointing at Harry whilst making a disgusted face (although still not being able to look at him in the eyes).

"You fucking bitch! Die for fucks sake! You can't even kill yourself right" Caitlin now piled on, pointing to Chloe's wrists that were wrapped in bracelets that covered her scars. Chloe felt them start to itch at even the mention of their existence but would never itched them then.

"I don't even need to respond because I'm leaving here. I'm getting a family while you've got nothing" Chloe laughed, grabbing her bag and pushing past Georgia on her way to the door. Stunned, the quartet stayed in the room talking about how disrespectful Chloe really was. "Fuck you"

After Chloe had returned back to Sandy's office to sign a few pieces of paper, she requested one more thing before she left.

"Can you let Jane know what's happened? She didn't have a phone so I don't know whether you could call the school. I'm worried about her because she's in the lower years and struggling at the moment and she's the only person I've had a pleasant conversation with in that school. Please"

"Leave it to me"

"Thank you so much" Chloe thanked "I better be off now anyway. Goodbye"

"Bye Chloe. I wish you all the best" Sandy got up and hugged the teenager who now officially had been adopted. After their hug and goodbye, Chloe took her bag outside being ready for her next chapter.