echo; adopted by twenty one pilots

-2-

and honestly, we're probably more suicidal than ever now.
💊
*about two months later*

i wake up and sigh. another goddamn day in this hellhole. while i'm alive and well, i might as well check the schedule.

i head into the hallway, past all the empty beds. where is everyone? i see the schedule for saturday. adoption day? oh boi. the last two adoption days for the past two months have been hell.

i sigh deeply and go to the public showers. there are no curtains or cubicles. i hate showering here. goddamn jessica and fucking kimberly are always pushing me around.

i grab my towel and go to the farthest shower head. i always shower in my bikini when it's daytime. i hate being exposed.

i'm washing my hair with my eyes closed because you can't wash your hair with your eyes open, ya dink. i hear the doors open but i can't open my eyes or i'll go blind.

"hey you dumb, emo, mute," jessica laughs darkly. i finish washing my hair before i sigh and roll my eyes. just because i haven't talked in a couple years does not mean i'm mute. i just don't talk to fuck faces.

well, maybe it does. but i'd be happy to talk if someone would hear me. actually, no, i don't want to be heard. i want to be listened to.

"hello, emo?" kimberly pushes my shoulder with two fingers. i turn off the shower and wrap my towel around my frail body.

"listen up, bitch! you'll never be fucking adopted. not a bitch like you," jessica snaps, shoving me against the wall, causing my toiletries to fly everywhere and my head to hit the tile wall.

they laugh and walk out as blood seeps out of my nose. those fuckers. i decide to just shower again, even though i'll be late.

-

when i'm done, i get dressed, place my bracelets to my elbows and put a twenty one pilots sweatshirt over that. the sweatshirt i'm wearing is worn out, mainly because it's from when the tøp colours had blue in them.

along with that, i throw on some basic jeans and my old runners because unlike every other orphan in a make believe world, i don't have a full selection of clothes to choose from every day.

-

i run into the "living room" of the orphanage, which isn't actually for living. it's for when ms. karen wants to suck every adults ass for adoption day so that one of us brats will be taken away. i get into my assigned seat and glance around.

most of the couples look pretty basic. i look at the whole eighteen peoples facial features and-

is that...

tyler and jenna joseph? my eyes widen and i nearly scream. jenna catches my eye and she smiles. i smile back as she begins to stand up and head over to my chair.

"may i say, your hair is fantastic! i'd kill for some beautiful locks like yours!" i blush. this is the first compliment i've had in nine years.

she prances back to tyler and they begin to chat a bit.

this time tyler stands up and walks over to me. i bite my lip to keep from squealing.

"hi. my names tyler joseph. what's your name?" he asks.

"m-my uhm.." my throat sounds scratchy from my lack of speech so i clear my throat and try again.

"m-my names echo, s-sir," i stutter out. he nods and rocks back and forth on his heels before clearing his throat.

"mind if you come with us to the interview room and have us ask you a couple questions?" he asks. i nod.

i stand up, getting glances from kimberly and jessica. i make sure that my sleeves are pulled down enough before following jenna into the room. i notice tyler is staring at my clothed arms. i quickly cross them and look down.

-

"so.. echo, do you mind telling us about yourself?" jenna asks brightly. i shrug.

"i-i'm pretty b-boring but i guess so.. i'm f-fifteen. and... i-i like twenty one pilots," i say, starting to blush.

"oh, that name sounds kind of familiar," tyler says and we all laugh.

"you have an amazing laugh," jenna comments, making me blush even more.

i nod.

"so, any... medical or mental illnesses?" tyler asks, his eyes wandering down towards my arms again.

i shake my head. i just lied to the tyler joseph.

i look in my lap. he sighs.

"well, echo, mind if you just scoot out for a bit while we talk about this?" jenna asks hesitantly.

hesitantly.

i nod stiffly and run to the door.

*trigger warning! stay alive*

she hesitated. i'm not getting adopted. again. i take out my floss box and take out my favourite razor to use. it's from a pencil sharpener. it's a bit dirty but it glimmers in the light just fine.

i strike it against my wrist in thin lines until there's at least fifty cuts before stopping to let the blood bubble out. i sigh in relief before using a was of wet toilet paper to wipe it away. i put my sweater back on, just in time for my name to be called on the speakers.

"echo black! report to the interview room please," ms. karen says in her same snarky tone.

i sigh. i might as well deal with the pain of rejection now.

i get up and tiptoe into the interview room. i sit down in front of jenna and tyler, who are both on their phones.

i clear my throat and their eyes shoot up.

"oh hey there, echo. well we have news," jenna starts. i squeeze my eyes shut to stop the tears and i feel my nails start to pierce through my skin. the pain of rejection is always painful.

"if-if you'd like, can we please adopt you?" tyler asks, releasing the smile he's been holding back.

my eyes swing open. i immediately nod and begin to cry.

they both get up and pull me into individual hugs. jenna first, and then tyler.

when tyler let's go of me, he accidentally grabs one of my wrists gently. i wince, only the slightest bit. his smile falters and fades slightly.

he backs away.

"so, we are going to sign some papers and wait for the judges approval, and you pack your stuff. hopefully you'll be ours within a couple days. because this story is realistic," tyler glances at my arms before giving me an uneasy smile.

tyler knows. fuck that. my life is ruined. i show a smile, trying not to make it look too fake.

i walk out to see those goddamn girls standing at the door. i bolt to the sleep room and hide under my bed.

they walk around the room for a bit before giving up and leaving.

i'm going to live with tyler and jenna joseph. this can't be real.