"VALERIE RAFFERTY! DO NOT MAKE ME COME UP THERE!" my foster mother shouted. To be honest, I wanted to take my sweet time, but I couldn't. I quickly packed up the rest of my things and ran downstairs.

"Let's get this over with." my foster mother, Penelope, said coldly. I quickly put my infusor pump into my bag and made sure the IV was securely in my arm. If I lived a normal life, my parents would check that it was secure and stuff, but nope! My birth parents were dead, and my foster parents treated me like garbage.

"VALERIE ELIZABETH RAFFERTY! LET'S GO!" Penelope shouted.

"Coming, ma'am." I said, trying to hide my accent. My family immigrated from Italy when my mom was pregnant with me, so I not only became bilingual, but had a super strong Italian accent. Penelope hates the accent, and she slaps me every single time she hears it.

"What did I say about that accent?" Penelope said, slapping me across the face.

"I'm sorry..." I said, crying. My attempt at an American accent was horrible.

"Get to the car. And don't say a word." Penelope said. I ran out to the car, knowing I was heading for the one place where I felt safe. The children's hospital.

I had been born at that hospital. Born with a heart condition. The doctors and nurses there know my entire life story, and they made fake "appointments" for me when I was put in a new home so I had some stability in my life. When the abuse with Penelope got bad, they did the same thing.

This appointment, however, was real.

I still can't believe I'm only 10 years old. I've been through so much and had to grow up so quickly that I feel like a full-grown adult. I got in the car, and did what Penelope asked. I stopped talking. Pretty easy to do, given that I'm not very talkative. I guess that's what foster homes do to you. They shut you up.

I was staring out the car window, at the highway. I had learned every turn we take to get to the hospital by heart. But one turn seemed off.

"Where are we going?" I said, trying my best to drop the accent.

"You're so babyish, Valerie. We're not going to that children's hospital anymore. I switched your care."

"What?" I asked.

"DON'T QUESTION ME, VALERIE RAFFERTY!" Penelope snapped. "DON'T QUESTION ME, OR I SWEAR TO GOD, I WILL MAKE YOU LIVE IN A DUMPSTER!"

"Yes, ma'am." I said with a shaky voice.

I had made a plan to run in my head. I had been making that plan for years. Did I have everything? My pump, my phone, something to eat?

A doctor's appointment was the perfect chance. Hospitals are huge, and I already packed everything I need to at least survive on the streets for a few days.

Penelope pulled into a massive parking lot, and dragged me out of the car. She dragged me into the hospital, and as soon as we entered, she became a perfect angel.

Now was my chance. I ran, I ran out of the hospital and didn't stop until I reached the busy, crowded streets of Times Square. This was not good for my heart, but abuse wasn't either.

My heart couldn't take it anymore. I felt like I was going to collapse.

If I collapsed, someone would have to take me to the hospital. And they would call my parents.

I kept running, but then crashed right into someone. I felt their arms wrap around me, pulling me into their chest.

"Hey buddy. You okay?" the voice asked.

"Maybe." I said, trying to hide my accent.

"Are you sure? You sound really out of breath." the voice said.

"Well. Um, my heart..." I said, letting my accent slip.

I let my accent slip.

"PLEASE DON'T HURT ME!" I yelled with the breath I had left. The mysterious stranger pulled away and I got a good look at his face. He had slicked-back dark hair and was wearing glasses.

"I won't hurt you, sweetie. What's your name?" he said.

"Valerie..." I said, choking up."

"Valerie. That's a beautiful name. My name is George. What makes you think I'm going to hurt you?" he asked.

Should I tell him? I just met him, who knows what he will do?

"Um...I'm a foster kid...and let's just say I don't have the best placement." I said.

"Oh my God. That sucks, Valerie. Can you tell me more? I want to help you." George said.

"Um...her name is Penelope Rafferty...and she wants to adopt me but I won't let her...she slaps me every time I let my accent slip and says I make up my heart condition for "attention" or whatnot." I said, finally catching my breath. "That's...that's why I fell into you. I was running and my heart couldn't take it."

"That's horrible. No one should ever treat a kid like that. Tell you what, I have to go into work pretty soon, do you want to come with me?" George asked.

"What if Penelope finds me?" I asked. George put his hand on my shoulder and said, "Penelope is not going to hurt you again, not if I have anything to say about it. Now, Valerie, come with me."

I reluctantly followed George down the street.

"Where are we going?" I asked.

"The Lyceum Theater. I'm in a show called Be More Chill as Michael Mell. Do you like theatre?" George asked.

"Not really. I love music, but I've never gotten to do it. Bad foster placements." I said. George nodded, and said, "Well, musical theatre is amazing. It takes you to another world." I nodded excitedly, I loved stories. But, I'm not so used to stories that were set to music. Let's hope I like them.

"Did I mention you have the prettiest hair I've ever seen?" George said. I looked at my strawberry blonde pigtails, I was the only one in my family who had hair that color.

"Thanks." I said.

"You're welcome, Val." George said. "Now come on, we're here." He opened a door and then stopped. "What's in your arm?" he asked.

"My infusor pump." I said. "I actually have to get that changed pretty soon. It's terrifying."

"Oh. Well, do you want me to be there?" George asked, and I nodded. "Great. Now come on, there's some people I want you to meet."

AN: ADOPTED BY BE MORE CHILL! I'll try to update all three of my books pretty regularly! You guys know how fast I write. Anyways, hope you enjoyed! Catch ya later!