Belong - an adopted by Hamilton fanfic [Hamilton]

48. To be: there

I eyed myself in the mirror, from top to toe. The dress was this lively blue colour, neither navy, neither like the sky - just in between. A strapped top, with the skirt being in two layers - the outer was sheer and blue, striped. I loved it, to be more on point.
Since I basically never went outside, I'd just figured I'd wear an old dress that was too fancy to wear on a daily basis, so I'd packed the one from New Year's.
It took me ages to pack, but on Monday - the day before leaving for the White House - I'd caught Vanessa as she got home, panicking, begging for her to check my bag.
Just so I didn't have to do it again.
She'd just smiled, and nodded.
I stood in the door opening, looking at her - looking through my bag.
"It's fine, Ruthie", she assured me.
"Fine enough?", I tentatively asked, literally shaking from the thought of forgetting anything that could be needed.
"Yeah. Totally fine-", Vanessa concluded, but in that moment her face turned bright, just as if she'd gotten the most wonderful idea of all. "Wait! Right here. Stay", speaking in almost detached phrases, unable to understand.
My, to be frank, mind that was incompatible of making its mind up, decided it was time to freak.
Something was definitely up with your packing. Redo redo redo redo.
On repeat.
But she sounded happy, maybe it's not so bad?
I was frozen, not even shaking anymore.
Redo redo redo redo.
Before I knew it, she was handing me a shopping bag, beaming at me.
"Oh, don't you worry. Nothing too major, Niñita", she, again, assured me that it was fine - this, because of the look on my face. I hesitantly accepted the bag, trusting her. Taking out the indescribable blue dress, just smiling. "It's an impulse buy", Vanessa said, sounding a tad nervous. "It's okay if you don't like it, but I thought, even though every one tells me not to buy clothes to my teenage daughter, screw it. Couldn't leave it on the hanger; alone in that big old store"
It wasn't something bad. It was something good.
"Thank you. It's lovely, V", breathing the words.
And we both laughed, probably because we didn't quite know what we were afraid of before.

"You ready to go, Niñita?", Lin asked me.
"Yeah", I jumped up from the bed, grabbing my phone. "Oh my god. There's pockets!", I let out an exclamation of happiness, trying to comprehend the fact of pockets.
Lin laughed.
"What's all the fuss about pockets?", he genuinely wondered, giving me a confused face. My jaw dropped.
"This is a rare thing, Lin. Dresses never have pockets. Let alone fancy dresses. And trousers, especially jeans, may not have them too, y'know? They're just there for decoration. Like. Why?", I rambled.
"No pockets?", he sounded absolutely devastated, looking at me in with traumatised puppy eyes.
"No pockets!", I shouted in frustration. "When I grow up I'm going to design a whole clothing line and every piece of clothing will have pockets", sounding like a very firm and determined 5-year old, which made Lin laugh.
"Hold on to your dreams, Niñita, hold on to your dreams"

I took my seat next to Luis, feeling almost uncomfortable by the fact that we were near the front row - I didn't want them to notice me just being someone in the crowd, the one they all knew, if I did something stupid.
Tap.
Or what?
Tap or you'll do something stupid in front of everyone; and they'll think you're a freak.
Lin took the mic and started introducing himself & the cast, so I stiffened up, sitting perfectly straight, smiling at Luis, tapping in secrecy.

"You did great!", or something in that style; that's what I told everyone as I walked past them, trying to get to Lin as the room was wrapping up before the workshops. I liked seeing how people shined up from the compliment; which, secondly, made me happy. A great circle.
"Niñita, here!", I heard Lin call, so my head turned around, looking from corner to corner - until I saw him.
"Hey!", I said, a bit out of breath.
Crowds were always going to be my weak point.
"And this is my daughter, Ruth", he said, gesturing towards me. No big deal. I confusedly looked past him, where the Obamas stood, looking like they were having the time of their life.
"Ah, hi, Ruth! Or, hold on, do you prefer Rue?", Michelle said out of the blue, holding out her hand to greet me.
Of pure bluntness and confusion, I laughed a little - trying to lighten up the situation for myself. All sorts of manner were thrown out the window.
"Hi, and Rue if I get the chance to choose", I responded, my hand shaking a bit.
"Rue it is then, hello!", Barack stated, shaking my hand too. Or if I shakes his, who knows.
"Hello", I said quietly, to then take my place next to Lin.
"So, I suppose you're partaking in the workshops later?", Barack asked me. In my head, an echo of, you're not on first name-basis yet, tap kept going - over and over and over again.
"Um, I haven't actually decided yet, I usually don't", I replied, smiling, trying to sound a bit clear.
"I think you should, nevertheless", Lin said, beaming towards me.