Withered

So Long And Goodnight

//Addison//

He kissed me, he kissed me, he kissed me, and this time we weren't drunk. He was so interesting, and although I would never admit it to him, he made me feel like I matter. There had been boys in the past, but they weren't like Leo. He's mature and smart, while they were all just idiots looking to get lucky.

"Thank you." I said.

"For what." He grinned and looked at me.

"For taking me here, for listening, for taking me in on my first day, for being you." I knew that I shouldn't have said it, but I wasn't thinking before they came out.

"You're welcome, but you were the one doing me the favor." I laughed at him.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Two thirty four."

"Already? Wow. Want me to take you somewhere?" I questioned.

"Sure, where do you have in mind?" My phone buzzed with a message reading, 'Got a call from your school about how you skipped a bunch of classes. Once Peter gets home we are having a talk. Come home now.' It was obvious she was angry, but I didn't care.

"Nevermind.." I said, grabbing my bag. "I have to go like right now."

"Your mother?" I nodded. "Okay, well thank you, Addison, mainly for getting me out of school." He winked, "I'm kidding, but seriously come here." I did as he asked, and he kissed me once more, touching my cheek as I slowly pulled away.

"I have to go now," I smiled, "but I'll see you soon."

"I hope so!" He called as I ran toward the nearest street.

~~~~~~~

I got back to our humongous white house about twenty minutes later to it completely empty. I guess that was to be expected, my mother was hardly ever home and Peter won't get here until later. Natalie normally drops the kids off around 3:30, and I still had about a half an hour left. That thirty minute time slot gives me just enough time to find my birth certificate and check who my real parents are, if I'm right about being adopted, that is.

Peter and my mother's room was upstairs, across the hall from mine. I knew Natalie had a key so it wouldn't be a problem if I wasn't downstairs to get the door. Their room, like everyone else's in this whole damn house, was white. White walls, white carpet, white bedspread, white curtains. I hate how bland it is, and I made sure all my walls were covered with posters and whatever else I could possibly thumbtack up.

They kept all their important stuff boxed up in the closet, so I went there first. Behind the clothes there was a boxes marked 'August', 'Amaya', 'Andrew', and finally 'Addison'. I pried it out from under the other boxes and opened the top. Inside was my last few report cards, a couple drawings from when I took advanced art, school work, and at the bottom there was a folder with the words 'ASA'. I pulled it out and took it back to my room.

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath, all the answers I was looking for could be inside, or I could be right back where I started. I flipped it open, and looked at what was before me. There it was, my birth certificate, with my tiny foot stamped on the left side. Instead of Addison Brinley Hargitay, my name was listed as Addison Brinley Stewart. My heart sank, my mother wasn't my mother because my mom's name was Maggie Stewart.

I could hear the door open downstairs, but I was too in shock to check who it was. I grabbed my headphones and started playing the loudest song I had on my phone. I flipped through the next few pages which all had the word 'ADOPTION' written on them. I flung the whole file across the room, and started crying. How could my whole life be a lie? Why didn't she just tell me, instead of making me think I was actually her daughter?

I felt a tug on my headphones and pulled them out. "I saw you were into my stuff." My "mother" raised her voice.

"When were you planning on telling me the truth?" I yelled, tears had began to reform in my eyes. "I know about Maggie."