What you know (Hamilton cast)

Thirty-six

Kelsey's POV
"Are you sure you're alright?" Jackson asks.

"Yeah. I'm just tired from being attacked with silly string at one in the morning." I was wondering why Emmy wanted to get a drink after even though I'm twenty and she only got a soda like me.

"I saw that. Confusing post." I laugh, clutching my coffee cup, pulling my kees up to me as I sit in the corner of the couch at the coffee house. "What have you been up to?"

"Helping my brother look for an apartment so he can finally get out of mine." I laugh again. "I love him but god, that guy can give me a headache after a while."

"You better tell me how that goes."

"You better tell me how it goes with Nick." I shake my head.

"Don't even mention him right now. I'm pissed at him."

"I feel like saying 'how come' would be the dumbest question I could ask."

"The answer is his existence."

"Harsh." He says but laughs before taking a sip of his own coffee. "Do you want to see a movie or something?"

"What do you have in mind?" I ask, glad that I did a bunch of schoolwork in the morning.

"I know a film you might like."
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Lin's POV
One week later, I'm writing a let- I mean, watching TV with Seb when my phone vibrates and I see Pippa's name on my screen. I open it up.

What the hell am I supposed to think of this?

Beneath it is a photo of a girl and a guy on the same bridge we had gone on that morning, not too long ago. The girl is Kelsey. I don't know who the guy is. They don't know that the picture is being taken.

Lin jumpsalot: She broke up with nick?

Pippa isanemoji: no.

Lin jumpsalot: they have an open relationship?

Pippaisanemoji: i don't know
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"Who's the guy?" I say the next morning as she walks by the green room at the theater.

"What?" She asks, stopping and glancing up from her book at me.

"Who were you with yesterday?"

"Oh my god, you really are a dad. He's a friend of mine and how did you know that I was with anyone yesterday."

"Did you dump Nick?"

"No."

"Did you cheat on him?" Her jaw drops. "I'm joking." She sighs in relief. "Well, you should have." She laughs and shakes her head, walking away. "He deserves it." I call after her.

"Okay, dad!" She calls back. I know that it was a joke, but I smile. She seems okay through the week and the show goes well. I have an interview and so does Jonathan and Daveed. I spend some time with Vanessa and we invite Kelsey over for dinner on Saturday night.

She plays with Seb while V makes dinner and I set the table. She offered to help but I asked her to watch Seb who really likes her.

"Dinners ready." Kelsey picks of Sebastian and sets him down in his highchair, strapping him in.

"Thanks, Kels."

"No problem. You hungry, bud?" She says to him before sitting down herself. Dinner is very good. We both keep an eye on Kelsey, being the "parents" we are, and she eats okay. Not ideal as far as the amount goes, but enough not to raise concern.

"Thanks again, Vanessa. You're a really great cook." She says, helping clean the dishes. Vanessa looks surprised that she likes her cooking but the look on her face turns back once she seemingly remembers Kelsey's horrid eating habits. Like not eating at all. And that's why she didn't eat that much.

I find her asleep afterwards, Seb watching TV next to her. She didn't intend to spend the night but she's asleep now and after putting Sebastian to bed, I put a blanket on her shivering body.

People are supposed to look peaceful when they sleep. Kelsey looks dead. Or dying. In terrible conditions. Her skin is so pale that you might think she died in a snowstorm, her cheeks flushed, skin cold, and face sad. Instead of seeing peace, I feel like I'm seeing everything beyond the smile and it worries me that all of her recent happiness is an act. And more so that it's for our sake.
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A/N- my fav emoji: 🤑