"Ms Leighton?", I shivered by the name I was the owner of. I looked up from my biology book at mr Williams slightly annoyed face. He was one of the few teachers, including the principal, that insisted on not calling us out by our first names, as the old-fashioned 70-year old he was, refusing to retire. "The Principal would like to have a word with you"

Have I done something wrong?
Pathetically scrolling through my memories, starting to panic while collecting my things into my folder in the same way I always did it.

Knocking on his door about ten minutes of rushing the fastest I could. Knocking on every fifth locker seven times. Not stepping on a single crack on the cold stone floor.
Touch the doorknob 23 times, otherwise you can't open it and he'll get mad at you and maybe throw you out.

After hearing a muffled 'come inside', I opened the door, only to be met by four faces staring at me.

"You're late", the Principal said.
Lie, you can't let anyone know. You don't talk about it, it's abnormal.
"Um, mr Williams had a test today - I had to finish it", the word easily slipped out of my mouth.
"Well, if that's the case"
"What are they doing here?"
Mr Lovell snorted.
"Oh, you haven't changed a bit, Ruthleigh", he said, I shivered by the fright of the nickname that he'd picked up from Ansel, who were evilly smiling right next to him. "You didn't come back to us on Monday"
The statement didn't come as a shock.
"I'm sorry, but I thought the System told you. I'm in another foster family now"
The normally quiet Ms Lovell, Sarah, rolled her eyes.
"Oh, we got that email, we just don't care", she took my arm. "And therefore - you're coming with us. To our house"
"But-"
"No, everything's in order, you are coming with us"
I collected every bit of self esteem that I'd earned the last month.
"No"
Mr Lovell blinked.
"I'm sorry, what was that?", he said angrily.
I hesitated.
"No"

A hand slapped my cheek, the little braveness I'd collected the last few weeks - gone in a poof.

"Stop it right there, you can't take her from school early, and you definitely can't hit her. I'm calling mr & mrs Miranda now", the Principal joined in, pulling mrs Lovell away from the tight grip she had around my weak arm.
Don't let him call them, you'll only bother them.
"She trashed our house! She accused our son here for doing it! Everything's her fault! We have all rights to do what the h*ll we want with her! We are her foster parents!"

I stopped breathing, my eyes shut out of fright as my body started shaking uncontrollably in a gesture of protecting myself. Mr Lovell tried to reach me, quickly swinging his fist in the air after me.

Suddenly two guards walked in and pushed the family towards the wall, leading them out.
The principal's secretary got inside, and sat me down on a chair right next to her desk, with an open doorway to the principal's office.
I couldn't seem to stop sobbing, neither my uncontrollable shaking.
He cannot call them, Ruth.
Tap your knee 23 times until the rhythm is the right one through the whole period, or Lin or Vanessa will get harmed by the Lovells.
"Please, don't call Lin, or Vanessa, please don't call them...", I said out loud. The Principal looked at me in fake empathy. But he didn't know.
Tap that painting, or your real mommy & daddy will die.
In a span less than a second I was up, touching it.
Tap the seat four times before sitting down, or Lin & Vanessa will get hurt.
"I've already called them, couldn't get ahold of mrs Miranda though"
Shit.
Tap the wall 7 times. Twitch your head 23 times. Blink your eyes 68 times.
Or someone close to you will die. And you don't want that, huh?

Lin's pov
"Hello, is this Lin Manuel Miranda?"
The serious voice made me suspicious.
"Yes, it is, who's this?"
My monotone answer was a mix between the laughs from backstage and me.
"Oh, of course, mr Miranda, I'm the Principal at your foster daughter's school. There has been a big misunderstanding and..."
Ruth.
"Has something happened to her? Is Ruth okay?"
My worried voice seemed to quiet the cast outside my door.
"Of course she is fine. Her last foster family was here and tried to bring her home. Guards had to take them away, and everything is under control now. Although, you have to come sign some papers so something like this won't happen again"
His calm voice almost made me angry.
I need to be there. I need to go pick up Ruth.
"I'll be there... in 10 minutes?", I said, pausing when checking the time.
I suddenly could hear sobs in the background.
Ruth.
In my mind a picture formed, her tapping and crying.
She wasn't fine.
And with that, I hung up and grabbed my car keys, running out from the theatre.

After almost getting lost in the school, asking for directions at least 7 times, I finally marched into the principal's office.
I looked around, desperate to find her.

"Ruth!", I exclaimed when I saw her sit there, shaking in a way that couldn't be healthy.
I ran to Rue, putting my arms around her.
As I let go, I squatted down in front of her, letting my eyes narrow into hers, whose were red from crying.
"Shhh... Rue, it's okay", I said, losing my concentration on her eyes as I noticed her tapping. I softly put my hand on hers. "You don't have to do that"
She shook her head, still not saying a thing.
Her fingers kept on going.

The principal approached us from behind.
"Um, mr Miranda, I'd like you to sign some papers..."
I squeezed my eyes closed in frustration and anger, turning around.
"Are you actually serious right now?! My child is obviously not fine and crying. I think those papers can wait", I spat, talking fast.
The stiff-looking man coughed in the most Professor Umbridge-way possible.
"Um, excuse me, but she's your foster child - and she'll return to her class soon"
How could this man understand so little? How could he have zero empathy?
"Sorry - that was rude. But, Ruth is me & my wife's daughter", articulating and meaning every word. "And I'm sure that missing a few classes is okay, I'll talk to the teachers so they can send the homework through email. Everything sorted?", speaking calmly, as the Principal bit his lip, sighing.
"Well, it's been a pleasure meeting you. We'll send the papers with the homework. Ms Leighton can go home", his secretary said.
"Lin? P-please, can we go home now?", I could hear Rue say behind me.
Home. She said the word like she meant it.
"Yeah, Rue, of course, of course"

As I followed her through the silent corridors to her locker, all the students still in class, I could see how she walked suspiciously close to the lockers on her left side.  And when we were in the car, it still bothered me how she opened and closed the locker four times when she got to it and left. Rue sat in the passenger seat, still a bit shook up, I noticed her finger movements tapping the seat four times before sitting down.
"You shouldn't have come, I-I'm alright, I could've gone back to biology", her heartbreaking voice making me hesitate from asking what was on top in my head.
"No, Rue - please, you are under my protection now. It's my duty to come pick you up from school when you're not feeling okay. It's my pleasure", I said, babbling on as we drove down the busy streets of New York.
"You called me your daughter", the words surprised me. "It's just - I'm not"
"In our eyes you are", even if it'll take time for you to accept it.
She kept quiet, looking out the window.
"Y'know V's working on a case so that they'll pay for what they've done, hey?"
Rue nodded, terrified.
"In a few aspects I want them to pay for it, in others I don't", Rue said. The sentence left me sad, how much did a human have to do to leave a child like this? "I'm so sorry for bothering you today. I'm sorry", like she needed to repeat what she was saying.
"Oh, no, you didn't, niñita. V & I are more than happy to have you. You are one of our highlights, 'kay? It's you and Seb. Our highlights, you outshine the morning sun, and you two do not bother us at all", we'd just stopped in front of a red light, seeing people rush over the road.
"But I'm sor-"
"Shh, Rue, shhh", I accelerated the car, heading down the last street.
"Didyoujustquoteyourownmusical", her sometimes excited voice said as she quickly spoke, giggling.
"Shhh"
I put my finger over my lips, letting the radio take over the silence as 'under the sea' began playing.

As we entered the apartment, I picked up the pile of letters that had fallen through mailbox earlier today. Looking through the neatly written mail, one caught my eyes.
"Um, Rue?"
Ruth Leighton
C/O Fostering System NY
C/O Lin Manuel Miranda & Vanessa Nadal
**************
"...yeah?", an unsure voice said, heading towards me. The new address to us was newly scribbled down.
"You've gotten mail. Here", I said, handing it to her, seeing a red pigment forming on her left cheek. "Wait", I quickly snatched the letter from her. "Did they hit you?"
She swallowed, while I could see her debate if to answer or not.
"I-it's nothing to worry about, don't worry, I can take it", she looked at the letter in fright, in a way that the paper only could represent the scariest monster in the whole wide world.
They hit her. They actually did.
"They won't touch you again. Not under my watch"
Rue didn't even giggle like she usually did, instead I could notice her blinking in an unnatural way as she couldn't take her eyes off the letter in my hand, terrified.
"W-what's the date?"
The question confused me, as I opened up my phone, since I rarely remembered the date.
"Umm, the seventh of December?"

And with that Rue refused to take it.
-----
Hi 👋
How is everyone? Happy about the fact that I actually uploaded? anD A CLIFFHANGER. mohaha🌚

Well, I'll try to upload at least once a week. Which day would everyone prefer? Tuesdays are quite good for me. Or I'll just update when I feel like it🙈

And, some exciting stuff here; so since I am a v weird human that hates to make decisions, and basically can't ever choose when it comes to character's names(like just calling her Ruth was hard enough for me it literally took me two weeks to decide), y'all get to choose her middle name🌈
Have fun in the comments🎉 (idk leave a suggestion, and comment on someone's idea if you like it) dUN DUN DUUUN

So, how are y'all feeling about this chapter? Opinions on Rue?💓
Also I know zero Spanish. Therefore, I used niñita... after a lot of research😅

Also I basically love writing this fanfic tbh cuz the hamfam's basically the nicest fandom ever?? Like what, everyone's so flippin nice and support each other... can't it be more like this in all fandoms?🌈

Have a lovely & brilliant day now, don't forget to vote and maybe leave a lil comment?💞

Sincerely,
C

Published; 23rd of January, 2017