❛ AFTERGLOW ❜ - 𝖼𝗆𝖻 ✓

057; i'm not upset

third person.

mollie had been home alone for almost the past four hours, and whilst max and astrid had gone out for dinner, it left the girl with no one to talk to for the evening as she had no plans of leaving the house.

she was sat by herself at the kitchen island, a canvas laid out in front of her and her paints scattered across the counter while mixing two of her favourite colours to create the perfect shade needed, just one dim light lit above her.

but as max and astrid walked through the front door and gained the attention of the girl, max gave her a small frown before he let out a sigh, and that was enough to make mollie aware that they were in the middle of a fall out.

"max i'm-"

"i don't want to talk about it with mollie in the room," max shook his head as he interrupted astrid's sentence.

"i can go upstairs," mollie shrugged.

"please," max gave her a nod, the pair watching her collect her phone before she walked up the stairs, yet stopping just round the corner of them and sitting close enough to be able to hear the conversation, in case something were to happen.

"i'm sorry," astrid folded her arms, "i won't move in if it is an issue i can get my own place."

"that's not what i'm saying," max replied, "i can't afford this, i don't have enough to fund us and mollie too."

"then i'll just get rid of it," the girl suggested, "it'll cost to get rid of it but it's better than keeping it and-"

"no because you wanted to keep it." he looked at her, "don't do that just because i said something."

"i can get a job," she shrugged, "it'll have to be part time but i can get one and that could help, mollie could get one too, i don't know."

"i know you keep coming up with solutions and i know that mollie is an adult and she could technically pay for her own things but i don't want to push her into something that'll ruin her mental health," max explained, "and i need you to understand that."

"i do understand," astrid nodded, "that's why i'm saying if we can't afford it then i'll get an-"

"no," he shook his head.

"max i'm not going to force you into it," she frowned, "it was a mistake we didn't plan for this and we aren't even together."

"hold on," mollie spoke up from the top of the staircase, walking down a few steps so they were in her view, "what mistake?"

"i thought you told her," astrid mumbled, max shaking his head before he glanced down at the floor, "i can tell her i don't-"

"before you assume anything we aren't together," max told mollie, watching her take a seat on the step she was stood on before nodding, "astrid is uh, she's pregnant."

"okay," she shrugged, "then why are you saying you can't afford it if it's hers?"

the boy went quiet for a moment, giving a confused look to the girl he was currently arguing with before she replied with a shrug, "mollie.."

"why can't the dad just pay for his share and then like.. i don't know how family things work." mollie shook her head, "the dad does something and then the mom does something i don't-"

"i'm the dad." he mumbled.

"oh," she paused, "alright then."

"why are you upset at that?"

"i'm not upset."

"i can see it on your face," he pointed out as mollie rolled her eyes.

"it seemed like you were hiding it from me, i don't get what the big secret is," she folded her arms as max let out a sigh.

"can you just let me speak to astrid without interrupting me?"

"i didn't interrupt you i was listening in case something happened and i needed to interfere-"

"mollie i can take care of things myself," he argued, "i don't need you to come protect me i'm fine, i don't need your help."

"that's pretty obvious since you just said i can't do anything for myself or other people." mollie scoffed.

"i didn't say it like you were being a burden i said it because that's what i do, i take care of you." he told her, "i've taken care of you since you were six i didn't say you were being a burden with anything."

"well you hint it enough."

"if i really didn't want to look after you i would've made you live with nana," he admitted, "i had that option when i was sixteen so i could go to school and have a social life but instead i kept you here, i wanted to make sure i was still here for you."

"you're basically saying i've ruined your life," mollie threw her hands up as max furrowed his eyebrows before shaking his head, "because i've stopped you from doing what you want to do."

"i didn't say that."

mollie gave him a quick nod, a frown growing on her face before she stood up and walked back up the stairs, "well congrats on the 'mistake'."

"mollie," max said, watching her turn the corner to walk towards her room before her bedroom door slammed shut.

"i think we know what this thing is going to cause us," astrid spoke up, a soft yet upsetting tone in her voice as she tucked her hair behind her ear, "and i don't want to cause any tension between you and your sister so i think maybe i-"

"no, astrid it was my fault." max shook his head, "i didn't tell her and i should have."

"she might just not feel as included in your life as she wants to be," the girl suggested, "you should talk to her before court."

"she won't want to, that'll make her too anxious," he sighed, "and court is in three days anyway, i've never had any legal custody over her so who knows what will happen."

"she's nineteen they won't do anything now."

"mom could say anything and they'd believe it." he told her, "mom has more power than me so whatever she says they'll probably believe."

"okay you need to focus on one thing at a time right now," astrid said, "focus on court and i'll see what i can do about the money situation."

"are you not coming to court with us?"

"why would i do that?"

"i want you to," max shrugged, "i need you to because i think i'll be a nervous wreck."

"i'll come if you want me to come," astrid gave him a small smile as max replied with a nod, "okay, i'll come."

♡

a/n

this chapter was messsyyyy for drama

we got any theories about anything???