Can You Help Me?

chapter 38 ✨

A/N Maddie is 15. I forgot to celebrate it if we are being honest, just pretend she didn't celebrate it with her old family.

A WEEK LATER

I woke up the next morning completely forgetting what was today. I got up walking out to the kitchen noticing Lin was already gone. I looked at his room in confusion but blown it off.

I looked at myself in the mirror noticing that I needed to clean up immediately. I turned the shower on stripping off my clothes from yesterday.

Once I finished, I decided to walk out to the stage. I could maybe do some dancing, or even some tumbling. As I reached the stage, I was shocked by the loud surprise I got.

I looked around seeing everyone standing smiling. It then hit me that today was my birthday, and I was finally 16 years old.

"Guys! You didn't have to!" I said smiling, running over to everyone hugging them.
"We wanted to." Oak said hugging me.
"Our plans for today are dinner, then presents!" Lin said.

I checked the time on my phone noticing it was already 3:00pm.

"What time?" I asked.
"Dinner is at 7." Lin said. I smiled at him running to him hugging him tightly.
"I love you Dad." I whisper. I looked up at him noticing he was already having tears form into his eyes. He bent down to my level.
"I love you too." Lin said. I looked at everyone crying tears of joy.

I ran back to my room and started getting ready for the dinner. I was extremely excited. I haven't celebrated my birthday since my parents died, and I couldn't even do that.

Since I was so caught up into gymnastics, and going to nationals and worlds, I could never have a normal life. My birthday would normally be the coaches and my teammates singing to me, but we couldn't have cake. We were professional athletes, and we couldn't eat sugary foods.

Once I finished getting ready, I noticed it was already 6:00pm. I heard a slight knock on my door as Renee, Pippa, and Jasmine all barged into my room.

"You look beautiful Maddie." Jasmine said smiling.
"16? I can't believe it." Pippa said.
"You're growing up." Renee said, running over to me hugging me. I laughed at them making a group hug. I love these girls like they were my own family.

We talked for a long time while I occasionally was on my phone texting Brian. He wished me a happy birthday this morning, but never got around to seeing it until now.

Before we knew it, it was already 6:45, and we had to start heading to the restaurant. Lin walked in with his signature sweater, as well as some jeans. All the girls were in dresses, and all the men were basically matching.

We got into the car heading over to the restaurant. During the car ride, we kept talking and also having some rapping.

Once we arrived, we took our seats in a back room, where it was completely blocked off so we didn't have any fans interrupting our dinner.

Before we knew it, it was already 9:00pm, and the restaurant was closing in 30. We paid for our meals, standing up walking back to the car to go to the theatre.

Once we arrived, we went straight to the stage as everyone brought out their presents. I decided to go get changed into something comfy, since I didn't want to be in a dress.

"Here. I got this special for you." Leslie said, handing me a box. I unwrapped noticing it was a brand new pair of grips, "Since you go to college soon, I already know you'll have many scouting you out for gymnastics, and I've overheard you talking about getting back into it." I ran over to him hugging and thanking him.

"You won't forget this." Daveed and Oak said, handing me another box. I unwrapped it seeing a ton of Hamilton merch, and also a necklace that said my name.
"You know me so well." I said hugging them.

"We hope you love it Mads." Renee said. All the girls stood watching me unwrapping the paper. Once I opened the box, I noticed a ton of Lush products. I jumped up immediately hugging them.

"Here you go kiddo." I took the box from Chris smiling. I pulled out a ton of cute tops.
"You have good taste." I told him hugging him.
"What can I say?" Chris said hugging back.

"Here you go!" Anthony said handing me a box. I laughed looking at him. He looked like a kid on Christmas and it wasn't even his present. I opened the box slowly noticing two tickets to Drakes concert. I jumped up hugging him. Since I became friends with Paige, she's got me hooked on him.

I looked over at Lin noticing he was on his phone smiling. He got up walking away to our 'apartment'. I raised my eyebrows looking at everyone getting shrugs.

About 5 minutes later, Lin walked back in with a huge box sitting it down in front of me. I laughed at him wondering what it was.
"Open it." Lin said taking a seat.

I began unwrapping the huge box opening it seeing yet another box. I raised my eyebrows at him as he laughed at me. I unwrapped the next box opening it seeing yet another box. I rolled my eyes laughing at him.

Once again, I unwrapped the box seeing a paper on the bottom. I picked up the paper and began reading the message.

Madison,
I love you with all my heart, and I'm so happy I can call you my foster daughter. I would really enjoy for you to become part of my family, being my real daughter. I understand if you don't want to, but I hope you will.
I love you.
                   Lin

I started having tears form into my eyes. I looked back in the box seeing another paper, but this one had 10 pages attached. I read over the first page carefully, looking at Lin noticing we both were crying.

"Y-You wanna adopt me..?" I asked.