Renegade - A Taylor Swift Adoption Story

Chapter 1: Sneaking Into a Taylor Swift Concert

Hi. My name is Chloe. I have no last name, as far as I'm aware. Well, I must've had it once, I suppose, but that was all gone when I became an orphan when I was a baby. That was 9 years ago and guess what - I'm still an orphan. I reside in the big old city of New York where I live at the Sunshine Orphanage. Ironic name, really - there's nothing sunny about it. If anything, I'm surprised that police haven't come to raid it because it's far from anything a true orphanage should be. Think of it like the orphanage from Annie, but a million times worse.
So, as you can imagine, I spend a lot of time out in the streets. And luckily, our orphanage director, Amanda Jones, doesn't particularly care. That's great, as I don't particularly care about her either. My dream of belonging to a loving family has fled over the years and got replaced by a fight for survival. Luckily, the NYC streets can be quite kind to an orphan kid. As long as you're street smart and know to stay away from people who act too sweet - normally there's a sick story behind that. I've lost many friends who have vanished from the streets and never returned. Then, I've read a newspaper about child trafficking crimes being at an all time high in the city. It doesn't take a genius to put two and two together.
So, what do I do all day? Well, I mainly watch people, try to swipe a couple of things and sell them, and get food whenever I can. The market ladies usually treat me well, so that's not really a problem.
One true love of mine is Taylor Swift. I've never seen her at concert before because I was too scared I'd get caught. But over the years, my wish to see her live never faded. And this time, I was prepared. She is playing tonight in just a couple of hours and I made it my mission to be there. In person.
My heart was pounding as I slipped past the security and found my way into the venue. It was like entering a fairy tale. The air was buzzing with energy, and the lights were like a million stars just within reach. I didn't look like the other fans, with their glittery outfits and bright smiles. I was just Chloe, in my faded jeans and a jacket two sizes too big, but in that moment, none of it mattered.

The moment Taylor stepped onto the stage, it was like the world stood still. Her voice filled the air, and I felt like she was singing just for me. Each song was a story, a piece of a puzzle that fit perfectly into my heart. I found myself lost in the music, each note lifting me higher, away from my worries and fears.

I never imagined that a night could hold so much magic. Tonight, I felt like I was stepping into a different world. Ever since I first heard Taylor Swift's music, it's been like a secret friend, whispering stories and dreams to me when the nights got too quiet and the shadows too long.

Surrounded by strangers, I didn't feel alone. We were all there for the same reason - to be part of Taylor's magical world. I sang along to every song, my voice just a whisper in the sea of sound, but it felt like I was shouting from the rooftops. I was here, I existed, and for one night, I was part of something beautiful.

As the concert went on, I danced, I laughed, and I even cried a little. Taylor's music wasn't just melodies and words; it was a lifeline, a beacon of hope in my sometimes-grey world. Under the glow of the stage lights, I wasn't just an orphan girl; I was a dreamer, a believer, and for a brief moment, I touched the stars.

The Taylor Swift concert was finishing and I didn't quite want it to. I stayed in the arena long after the crowds began to leave, contemplating my next move. Where do I go from here? I just witnessed the best night of my life and I wasn't ready to return back to reality just yet. How am I meant to carry on after such an amazing night?
"HEY! Where is your ticket?"
Shit. Caught. I should've left earlier. '
"HEY!" Before I could even take a good look at the security guard, my legs took off.
"Someone stop her!" Unluckily for him, there weren't that many people in the arena anymore. I ran down the steps as fast as I could until I reached the floor and exited through the first door I could find. Unfortunately for me, it wasn't the outside of the arena. I had no idea where I was, but there was no time to guess. The security guard was right behind me - I heard his thundering steps not too far behind me as I raced down an unknown corridor with a lot of doors.

Everything happened in a split second. I must've tripped over a cable because before I knew it, I fell on the ground. My knee came crashing down first and I experienced the worst pain I ever felt. I could see the security man stop a few feet behind me. Now, look. I'm normally not a crier. At all. But the pain I felt was beyond awful. And I think the sight of the security guy and not knowing what will happened next scared me even more. I started to loudly cry while hugging my knee, which was now quickly turning bloody. My heart was beating fast and I knew I was having a panic attack. Breathing became more and more difficult.
"Hey, what's happening?" A voice pierced the quiet. The door beside me swung open, casting a soft light that illuminated the corridor. My chest felt as though a vise was squeezing it. Every breath was a struggle, and the world seemed to tilt precariously. There, against the gentle glow, stood none other than Taylor Swift. My heart threatened to leap out, and realization dawned: I'd inadvertently dashed backstage. The weight of the situation crushed me, and tears, hot and thick, streamed down my face, blurring my vision.
"She has no right to be here!" The voice of the security guard boomed, a stormy cloud amidst the chaos, advancing menacingly towards me.
But then Taylor, like a shield, stepped forward, her voice firm and commanding. "No!" she declared, positioning herself between me and the looming guard. "Can't you see she's in distress? Her wellbeing is our priority now. Go. Now."
His disgruntled mutterings echoed faintly as he retreated. My pulse raced, the room still spinning, each breath a shallow gasp.
Taylor turned to me and knelt down. "Honey, you're having a panic attack. Can you do one thing for me? Breathe like this, look."
She demonstrated a slow breathing technique and encouraged me to follow her lead. My heart was still racing but I was eventually able to slowly breathe in and out a couple of times.
"Good girl," Taylor smiled as I sniffled, still unsure what is happening. "Now, let's go take care of that knee."
She got up and reached out her hand to help me stand. That's when I saw that my knee was worse than I thought. I closed my eyes to stop myself from getting dizzy and took a few more deep breaths.
"Come in, I have first aid in my dressing room." That's when I realised she opened the door and waited for me to enter. My eyes were still teary.
"Come darling, it's okay." Taylor gently smiled, still holding my hand. She must've realised I was in shock because she ended up putting her hand on my shoulders to guide me in. This next part is kind of blurry - I don't remember much other than lying down on the dressing room sofa and seeing Taylor treat my knee.
"Did you lose your mom?" Taylor gently asked as she lightly touched my wound with a wet sponge to wipe off the blood.
The question stopped me in my tracks. I didn't want to lie to THE Taylor Swift. She'd kick me out right there and then if she knew. But then again, if I say yes, it's not really a lie. My parents died when I was a baby.
I nodded, still sniffling. She put her hand on my shoulders in support.
"It's going to be okay, honey. We'll find her." This made me cry even harder. If only she knew the truth. 
I twitched when the dressing room door opened and immediately exhaled when I saw Tree Paine, Taylor's publicist. Taylor must've filled her in on what happened already, because she wasn't at all surprised to see a child in the popstar's dressing room.
"We've set out alerts to the police about a missing child with her description," said Tree and sat down on a nearby chair, "but they don't know how long it'll take. They've advised to bring her to the station and they'll handle it there."
Taylor frowned, "but anyone could claim her. How do we know they're her real parents? You and I both know police do a shit job."
Tree sighed, "what are you thinking then?"
Taylor's face got more determined as she looked at me - don't you worry, I was still sniffling, "She stays with me until someone claims her through police. We'll ask to provide birth certificates, past photos, and passport to make sure they're really her parents."
I closed my eyes. I knew this search was pointless and I knew I'll get in so much trouble once they find this out. But I was already too deep in to get out now. This is definitely NOT how I imagined meeting my idol was going to go.