Adopted by Albert | ✔

9 | vidcon (day two)

We got up at about nine the next morning. We had breakfast at Chick fil A and we took an Uber back to the Convention Center.

The first thing I noticed as I looked out from the car window is that it seemed more crowded than yesterday.

"Why are there so many more people that yesterday?" I turned my head towards my parents, who were also staring out.

"Most people miss the first day," Kirsten replied, "On the last two days it's usually more crowded because people arrive then."

I mean, I wasn't complaining. More meeting people, more fans, more meeting big celebrities, who seemed to already know my name before I know their's.

It was just as awesome as yesterday.

We got out and went inside. There really were a lot more people, and it was really noisy. We went through the places we didn't go yesterday, like The Expo Hall, where we listened to their stories.

We also went through meet and greets, where I met more creators and fans. More pictures, more conversations, all of it like yesterday, but more.

About an hour in, Albert decided that we split up so that I could get to explore more places without being surrounded by my foster parents. Kirsten was a bit worried, but Albert and I convinced her pretty quickly.

So for another hour or so, I just hung out, walking around, meeting people along the way.

I remember that the best part of meeting people who were fans was their expressions. I'll catch the eye of someone and their face will explode in realization of who I am. They'll run up, talk excitedly, maybe take some pictures, and then they'll be on their way.

It was the same cycle for almost everyone I met, and I never got tired of it. Meeting someone who really looked up to you was an awesome feeling.

It was really going perfect.

Then it was noon. I met back up with Albert and Kirsten, and I then met his friends. Jake and Kaden, as well as Kaden's girlfriend, Raven.

Jake was taller than Albert, and he had a nice laugh. It was childish, like Albert's.

Kaden was shorter than both Albert and Jake, he had short, blue hair and glasses.

All of us went to lunch nearby the convention, where I got to know both of them a lot better.

"Did Albert ever tell you how we met?" Jake asked after swallowing a mouthful of food, "He sent me a message on Roblox begging for a higher rank in my group."

"I did not!" Albert said from across the table, "I asked you if I got a higher rank if I had a hat!"

"That's basically the same thing!"

"Okay, okay, I get the point," I interrupted them, laughing, slightly embarrassed at the fact that people were staring, "Albert asked about a hat and you just knew you had to become friends with him."

"Yeah, that's basically it."

"Hey, Kaden, did Albert ask for a promotion in your Roblox group, too?" I ask him, and he grins, saying, "He actually did."

Albert's jaw drops, and he's about to say something to defend himself before Kaden continues, "Don't you remember the Roblox Myth's group? You asked me for a higher rank! Don't give me that look, you know you remember it!"

"That was, like, five years ago," Albert said stubbornly.

"Still counts." Kaden grinned as he ate another forkful of spaghetti.

After lunch we went back to the convention center. Up to this point it was going amazing.

Then, since I chugged a whole cup of lemonade, I excused myself from the group to find the restroom. When I went in there, there were a lot of girls my age and a bit younger.

They all stared at me when I came in. I found it extremely uncomfortable. I mean, by this time I was used to people staring at me, but I had come in to do my business. I understood that seeing someone well-known is cool, but I kind of wanted privacy.

I ignored them and went into a stall, did my business, went out, and washed my hands. I could hear their whispers and giggles above the water. 

Finally, when I turned around to get a paper towel, one of them asked, "You're Flamingo's daughter, right? I've seen you in his videos."

"Uh, yeah." I didn't like the fact that there were at least five girls with their attention on me.

"So what's he like, then?" She raised an eyebrow, but before I could say anything she asked, "Is he still racist?"

At that moment I realized that these girls were not fans.

"What?" I could feel my eyebrows knit together. "No, he's not racist, what are you talking about?"

"Yeah, you probably don't know, but he used to have an older channel where he'd curse and make racist and unfunny jokes. It's real." She stepped closer to me. "After all he's said and done, he doesn't deserve the fame he gets."

My mind went blank. "I don't--"

"I bet his girlfriend is just dating him for the fame. Tell me, do they really care about you? Or did they just adopt a child for the views?"

I finally got my breath back. "What? Albert would never-- you're just jealous of him. Him and Kirsten."

She took another step forward. "Jealous?" Her nose scrunched up. "Why would I be jealous of an abuser? If you don't know, his ex revealed that she was abused while dating him."

"You're lying. Albert would never hurt anybody."

"But would he do it for the views?"

Everyone was dead quiet, staring at me, who's face was pink, waiting for my reaction.

I don't remember it happening. It was all explained to me later. All I remember was my face heating up, everything going red. 

The next moment, the girl was on the floor, her nose covered in blood, and me getting dragged off of her by security. As they hauled me out of the bathroom, important-looking people came in, what looked like doctors.

There were people on both sides of me, so I couldn't make a run for it. It looked like all of VidCon had come here to see what was going on. I wanted to hide my face from all the staring people.

Then I saw them. Albert and Kirsten. Security led me to them, but I didn't dare look up at them. I stared at the floor. I didn't want to see the looks on their faces.

"You are the legal guardians of her, right?" One of the guys who led me started talking to Albert and Kirsten, explaining the whole story. 

I zoned out, staring at the floor. I found myself thinking about how much bigger Albert's shoes were than mine.

After he finished, Albert said some words and led us out of there. He didn't have to tell me what was going on. We were getting kicked out of VidCon.