I'm Home

Six

"You like girls?" Jen asked. I bit my lip and nodded, waiting for her to freak out. "Cool. Now, what'd Taylor do and can I hit her with a bus?"

"No, you can't hit her with a bus, Jen. She's mad because she thinks I left her for fame." I sighed.

"Ah, she thinks you're shallow. That always hurts." She said.

"Yep. She's so sweet and nice most of the time, though. I don't know what got into her." I replied. I showed her my lock screen, and she smiled.

"Looks like you could've been couple of the year. Call her." She shoos me away to call her, so I go stand in a corner, where it's a little quieter.

One ring, nothing. Two rings, silence. Three rings. "What?"

"Hey. Look, I'm sorry I left without saying goodbye, but I seriously thought I'd only be gone a week." I explain.

"I know. I'm sorry I flipped, I'm just really hurt. You know my thing with long distance." She replied. She can't do long distance, because her parents check her phone and she's closeted.

"I'm so, so, sorry, baby. I really am, but I'm finally getting a home, you know?" Tears cloud my vision.

"I know, babe. I don't expect you to give up Jennifer Morrison for me." She laughs.

"You know it's not like that. She just reminds me of Mom, you know? Like you remind me of Dad, you know how much I love you. But it's my way out of that home, and you know how bad that home was. If I came back, I probably wouldn't have been able to walk. You know what they did, what he did. I'd have two broken legs and I'd be back with the panic attacks and all that crap. I'm not chosing fame, I'm chosing my safety."

"I know. Listen, I love you so much. Please, just delete me from your phone. Don't come see me. If you don't want to hurt me, that's what you'll do. Goodbye, Hope." She ended the call and I leaned against the wall, closing my eyes. There goes my girlfriend. Here comes my new mom.

"You OK?" She asked.

"Yeah. We're in middle school, it probably would've ended soon anyways. She was pulling away." I explained.

"OK. The first interview is in a few minutes if you're up for it." She reminded me.

"Pefect. No bruises showing?" I asked.

"Nope, perfectly covered." I nodded and went to sit with Bex.

"I heard all of that. How you doing?" Bex asked. I shrugged.

"It sucks, but that's life, you know. I may have loved her - I mean him - , but at least now we'll both be happy." I replied.

"She sounded kinda pissed." Bex knew my secret.

"Very pissed. Don't tell anyone? Please?" I sighed.

"I promise. Interview, let's go. You should go in with your mom."

"Yeah. Thanks, Bex." I walked with Jen through the crowds of people and to the first interview. The interviewer greeted all of us, and I just kept my head on Jen's shoulder.

"We have a newcomer this year, it's nice to meet you, Hope." The interviewer said.

"Hi!" I greeted, still laying on Jen.

"So how long have you guys known Hope?"

"My whole life." I joked. Jen laughed and gave them the real answer.

"I met Hope about three days ago, and right now she's my foster daughter, and I'm planning on adopting her as soon as possible." She smiled.

"I met hope two days ago, and she's pretty funny." Bex added.

"I met Jen on Wednsday, Bex, Lana and Emilie on Thursday, and I met Josh, Jared and Colin yesterday." I explain.

"So this was a fast decision?" The interviewer asked.

"Jen makes impulsive decisions." I teased. Jen laughed.

"That's the first thing we have in common. We also both love music and she plays guitar." Jen laughed.

"How many musical instruments do you play?" The interviewer asked.

"Guitar, piano, and the ukalele. My mom started teaching me the ukalele when I was four becaise I was too little for everything else."

"And she sings." Jen added.

"Wow, that's a lot. Has Colin shared his guitars with you?" The interviewer asked.

"He offered, but I haven't gotten to play yet." I replied.

"Colin doesn't share guitars." Jen added.

"I do so share guitars, ask the children." Colin said.

"Colin doesn't share guitars with amateurs." Jared confirmed with a smile. The cast laughed and Colin nodded.

"Hope is no amateur, she's very talented." Colin insisted.

"I'm not that great." I protested.

"She's modest, but she is really good." Lana added.

"OK, OK, let's stop talking about my music please. I'll post a video later or something and the unbiased people can decide." I said.

"Alright, now people want to know how you two met, Jen and Hope." The interviewer said.

"Twitter. Jen and I said at the same time,

"Hope makes impulsive decisions." Jen teases.

"I DMed Jen to thank her for how much she helped me as a foster kid, seeing Emma age out and find her family, and find true love. I've been in some pretty bad homes and I could just look to Jen and Emma for inspiration. And seeing Regina go from good to evil also helped me. I think everyone on this couch underestimates what they do. I went through times that Once was the only light in my life. Anyways, that's how we met. Oh and I ended the text by apologizing for bugging her, but I make impulsive decisions." Jen kissed my head and Bex, who was on my other side, gave me a hug.

"This girl has more life experience than me, I swear." Josh joked.

"Hey, Hope." Lana says. I look at her and she leans over Bex to kiss my forehead. "We love you, sweetheart." I smile and let a tear run down the cheek.

"Sorry." I laugh, wiping my eyes,

"I'm sorry, but we ran out of time. Have a good comic con from all of us here, we'll see you around!" The interviewer signed off.

"You did amazing, babe!" Jen exclaimed.

"You really did, darling." Bex added. I laughed and wiped the last tear from my cheek.

"Let's go, Hope, Colin and I have a panel." Jen said and wrapped her arm around me again. It was habit now, lean on Jen's shoulder and go where Jen said to go. My phone dinged, and it was Taylor.

Taylor: Glad you're so happy with your new family. Glad you don't need me.

I just shut my phone off. She wasn't going to ruin my day. Jen held out her hand. I sighed and placed my phone in her hand.

"You will not be a Jared. Jared's a hermit." Jen announced.

"He's just the only one his age, so he's kind of alone no matter where he goes. In interviews, he's always with someone and he gets maybe two questions. He got to say one sentence out of the whole thing and I got a ton because I'm adopted and new and thet want a cool story." I say.

"Yeah I guess, but still. No hermit today, you're at comic con with the cast of Once Upon a Time." She said. I laughed and laid my head back down.