How come she gets to determine our fate? What if I wanted to be adopted by Tuc? He has a boyfriend. All men with boyfriends are nice. Did I want to be adopted by him?
"Riley!"
"Huh?" It was Elijah.
"I was saying!" they rolled their eyes, "that Tuc seemed too optimistic."
"Ya, like he was talking to someone younger?" I said, paying attention this time.
"exactly! Do you think he has younger kids?"
"He said he did," I recalled, my thoughts drifted back to my inquiry. I don't want to be an older sibling. That'd be just like this. Younger, annoying kids who have a weird, almost siblings like relationship with me.
"Riley!"
"Sorry, ugh, I'm just wondering what we're gunna do," I couldn't help myself, I wanted to be adopted. I was just making excuses to stay.
"Well if we're both candidates then we should push Aubrey to adoption. She's only 7, it wouldn't be that hard," Elijah said as I realized she thought didn't want to be adopted and was under the impression I'm the same way.
"Elijah," I had to tell them sometime, "I think I want to be adopted," so why not tell them now.
"Your crazy. Your joking! Do you realize that if you get adopted then we'll never see each other again!?"
Well that's toxic.
"Elijah, I can't live here forever, neither can you! If I'm gunna get out," what was I doing? This is my best friend and I'm just gunna throw that away?
yes
Yes
YES
"then I'm gunna get out now! And if your not gunna let me just because you're going to miss me, then I'm just going to want to leave more! So please respect my decision and feelings because I want to be adopted!" Wow, how long was I holding that in? That felt amazing. A huge wave of relief washed over me but was instantly halted when I realized Elijah was mad.
"Fine! You go and have a good family. You go and you have two loving fathers and two younger siblings and get everything you could ever want! Just leave me here to rot with ms. Hanson!"
"Elijah, I don't want to leave you. I don't want to leave here all that much. I just realize that it's probably now or never. Most couples adopting don't want kids our age. And it's not bad luck to be adopted, it's just that ms. Hanson's judgement isn't great so most kids that get adopted aren't good matches for the couple. I want to be adopted before I'm too old. And I suggest you do too," I didn't want to loose my friend but this is my next step.
"Elijah, Aubrey, Riley? I've made my decision!"
Oh god.
That's extra enthusiastic.
One of us is going to be adopted.
