Shaken (An Adopted By Lin-Manuel Miranda Story)

f o u r t e e n

We were back in the car again.

Music was playing softly in the background, a wide selection of Broadway musicals displayed across Lin's phone as we sat, not talking to each other.

Which seemed odd, but we were fine with it.

I think he had started to notice that I was a quiet person. I liked to keep to myself and think a lot, or I would do the exact opposite and try to cleanse my mind of my troubles. Either way, I didn't talk, and he hadn't questioned me yet.

I tugged on the string of my hoodie and twiddled it around my pointer finger and thumb, looking at the road ahead. It was truly magical being in New York City once again. I felt like when I was a little kid again, walking around aimlessly, looking at all the tall skyscrapers and Broadway theatres. I had no idea how lucky I was, that millions aspired to step foot in the city. All I knew was that I was in one of the greatest cities in the world.

New York City was like my playground as a kid. But once I got put up for adoption, after all the stressful times I went through, the magic was gone. It was like every time I walked the streets, it reminded me that I had no one that would be a role model for me, other than Adam and Daisy,  but it wasn't the same with them. They were like friends to me, just there to help me out when times got tough. I just felt so down after I lost who I had before...

But now, I had someone.

Someone better than the people I had before, someone that would act as a father to me. Someone that would remind me when I looked at the city that I wasn't alone anymore, even if it was only for a short amount of time while he fostered me.

And that someone was sitting right beside me.

-

"Are you sure that you're ready? I mean, it may be slightly overwhelming, I'm not going to lie. But they are great people. I know already that they'll accept you. Look at Pippa, for example! She loved you at first sight, even though she had no idea who you were, and that I'm fostering you," Lin babbled on, looking slightly stressed out just after we parked. "Lin, don't worry! I promise you that I'm fine to meet them. I'm only a little stressed, and not confused since I know what's going on... I hopefully won't pass out. Surprisingly enough, I don't have a lot cluttering my mind right now, so it's really a perfect time to do it." He smiled at me and I smiled back, undoing my seatbelt, "It's now or never."

I hopped out of the vehicle with a smile on my face, walking around the vehicle to meet Lin around the front. We quickly ushered ourselves into the stage door after Lin put in a code, and I couldn't help but grin. I could see Lin slightly look at me and smile too as we walked down a long, brown hallway as he leaned down to whisper to me. "So, Ari, I'm going to walk in first. You stand at the bottom of the stairs until I signal you in, okay?" He asked and I nodded, showing a thumbs up. Lin proceeded to walk up the stairs to the stage, just as they were finishing a quick run-through of Alexander Hamilton between shows, his fill-in playing for the next week he was away.

I still felt bad about that.

I could hear Lin clapping and whooping, and I couldn't help but laugh like the others on stage did. "That was beautiful. Anyway, I have an announcement I need to make."

I took a deep breath in.

"As you guys know, I don't usually miss shows," I cringed, "but there is one thing that's more important right now." I heard a few joking gasps from the stage, and a few people chuckling. You could tell that he was using a happy tone to talk, so it was okay to joke. "Everyone knows that I am not married. I was feeling kind of lonely, you know? So after a little bit of thought, I decided I needed someone. And I met the perfect person to fill my sadness hole." "Sadness hole?" Someone asked from the wings and I giggled again. "Shh, it's a sadness hole. Anyway, I didn't find a date, but I found someone better. Ariana?" He asked and walked toward the top of the steps as I peeked my head around. He stuck out his hand down the stairs, and suddenly, the biggest grin popped onto my face. I ran up the stairs and took his arm, walking with him to the stage. I saw looks of excitement, looks of confusion, and looks of shock. Luckily I saw no negative expressions.

"Cast and crew of Hamilton: An American Musical, New York City, this is Ariana. My foster child.