Adopted By Hamilton One Shots

Abi - What if... (part two)

After my shower, and soup with bread, I was in warm clothes in a sleeping bag on the floor.

"Okay, is there anything else you need? Or want?" The lady asked, squatting down by me.

"I want emancipation." I said.

"Huh?" She asked, confused.

"I'm in foster, I want to be emancipated, I want to live on my own."

"Hun, we can talk about it in the morning." She said, "go to sleep."

"Okay." I sighed, and snuggled into the large sleeping bag. I saw the woman walk away, then let my eyes close, drifting off to sleep.

•••

The next day, I was back at the Walter house. I had spoken to the people at the shelter about emancipation. I had known about it for a while, every kid in the system knows it's an option, although I'd have to prove I could support myself, and that my living condition was bad enough that I should be removed from foster all together. Unfortunately, to file for emancipation would cost me somewhere around $800, add that on to how much I was going to pay for the missing alcohol and cleaning fees meant that emancipation was pretty far out in the future.

I needed a job, it was a Saturday, so I was walking around looking for anywhere that was hiring. I finally stumbled across a little coffee shop a few blocks from my school with a help wanted sign.

I smiled a little, and walked inside. I could work as a barista, I had already been a waitress, and a good one, and prior to that I worked at a grocery store.

"Hi." I gave the guy working a smile, which he returned, leaning on his elbows.

"Hi, what can I get you?" He asked.

"Uh, actually, I'm here about the job? The opening?" I bit my lip.

"Oh! Yeah! Uh, how old are you?" He asked.

"Sixteen." I said, smiling.

"Cool, uh, here's an application, you can fill that out at one of the tables, uh, what do you want?" He asked, handing me a clipboard and pen, and drumming his hands on the counter

"What do you mean?" I asked, confused.

"To drink. Don't worry, it's on the house."

"Oh! Uh, Venti white mocha with cinnamon, and two shots of espresso." I said.

"Awesome, just gimme a minute." He smiled. I blushed a little, and went over to a table to fill out the application.

I knew most of the stuff right off the bat, and was a little upset writing the Walters home address down. I listed my previous work experience, and was pulled out of my thinking when the barista set a coffee on my table.

"Hey, so, uh, are you almost done?" He asked.

"I just have the open answer things." I nodded, "although I'm not sure how to respond to 'what do you like about coffee?' I mean, frankly, I just need to be payed."

"I get that." He smiled, I laughed a little, and wrote down some bullcrap answer, then handed the clipboard back to him. "Yay, awesome, and, uh, here's my phone number, call with any questions." He smiled, handing me a napkin.