Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
December 15, 2022.
Madison Stone's Point Of View.
After dropping Abigail and Sophia off at Abigail's house, since Sophia wanted to stay there as well, I park my car in the garage of my house and get out of the car, entering my home soon after.
"Daughter..." my mother speaks as soon as I enter and see her sitting on the couch with Christopher, the same one holding a paper in his hand, making me deduce what she wants to tell me.
"I already know. Abigail and Sophia told me," I say approaching and stopping behind one of the couches, staring at the couple sitting on the other.
"We just found out too," Christopher says and I nod.
"Do you think you can see him again?" My mother questions.
"It doesn't matter. I have to go to that trial anyway," I say, already beginning to get annoyed at the thought of seeing that guy again.
"I will let my lawyer know so he can represent you tomorrow," my mother says. "Chris, pick up the phone for me please," and Christopher does so, getting up and going to the living room rack, where he picks up the phone and goes back to the couch, sitting down back and handing the object to my mother.
"I will call his office, be right back." She gets up and we agree, so she leaves the room.
I take my backpack off my back and throw it on the couch, stepping out from behind of the same one and sitting down on it.
"How are you feeling?" Baker asks and I give a deep sigh before answering him.
"I just want to put this behind me once and for all, although I thought I had already done that," I say in frustration.
It may sound like drama, but it's not. It is very hard to want to forget something that has hurt you, and when you are finally managing to do that, it is brought back. It is as if you want to heal a wound, and they won't let you, because they keep touching it.
"I'm sorry, but I can't shield you from this," Christopher says.
"I know that."
"But it will all work out and this case will be closed once and for all."
"I hope. I just don't want to think about the possibility of him getting a small penalty for assuming what he did. But I will go to this trial tomorrow, since I have no choice but to show up."
"I get you.."
We remain silent for a short while, as I remember that Ashley will be home soon and I haven't even showered yet, so I get up, grabbing my backpack.
"I'm going to my room. Anything, call me."
"Okay." He agrees and I start to walk away. "Madison," Christopher calls me again and I turn to look at him. "Just try not to think about it so much, because your mother and I, with help from her lawyer, will take care of everything," he says and I nod.
"Thank you," I give him a weak smile, the same one he returns, and then go upstairs to my room.
...
"I wonder if I can accompany Mad to the trial tomorrow?" Ashley asks as she places a piece of chocolate cake on her plate and my mother agrees.
"I guess you can attend the trial, can't she Chris?"
"I think she can attend the trial yes, since she was one of the people who testified in the case," he explains and Ashley looks at me.
"Then I will accompany you tomorrow, Mad."
"But we have school tomorrow. If you miss it, you will miss a day of school."
"No problem. I can do this for you," and I giggle a little, because I know she wants to support me, but I also know she wants to take advantage of this to skip school.
"You really can't stand going to school anymore, can you?" I joke, making Christopher and my mom smile, and she gives me a smile.
"Maybe.."
"The good thing is that you guys will get a break from school next week, right?" Christopher speaks up and Ashley agrees.
"Yes. I'm going on a trip to Aspen," she repeats what she told me earlier excitedly.
"I've been there. It's a good place to ski."
"Yes. I'm pretty excited about this trip. By the way.. are you guys going on a trip somewhere?"
"We are. We were going to tell Mad about it when she got home from school, but with what happened we forgot about it. We're going to Denver, a city in Colorado," my mom says, but I'm not in the mood to be happy about it anymore.
"We heard that it's a nice place to spend Christmas, because they're preparing a special event in their Botanical Gardens," Baker says and I just nod.
Maybe after tomorrow, I can get excited, because by the way, I have never been to Denver and I really like to know new places.
"And what day are you guys going?"
"We're going Monday," Christopher answers and my mother looks at me.
"You hear that, Madison? You can start packing your bags now," and I agree as I eat a piece of chocolate cake too. "Because I've never seen a person who takes as long to pack as Mad," my mom says impressed and Ashley laughs.
"It's because I like to go prepared, so I pack slowly to make sure I haven't forgotten anything," I defend myself and now everyone at the table laughs.
Ashley, Christopher and my mom keep talking about travel and when I am about to join the conversation too, my cell phone screen turns on, making me see that I have been texted, so I pick up my cell phone that is on the table and see that the message is from Andrey, so I unlock my phone and join our conversation.
"I heard about the trial."
I read the first message and look at Ashley, the same one that is super inverted in the conversation.
"Open mouth," I mentally speak denying with my head and smiling, turning my attention back to my cell phone soon after.
"Know that I will try to be there tomorrow, if only on the outside, sending you positive energy."
I read the second message and I smile, because it's really nice to read something like that, especially coming from someone you like.
"Thank you for always being there for me :)" I type and send the message.
"My favorite trip so far was to Orlando," my mother speaks up and I deny it, turning off my cell phone and joining in the conversation.
"Well it wasn't mine. I went on one of those giant Disney roller coasters and threw up while that cart was upside down on the tracks. It was horrible."
"But you threw up because you had just eaten."
"But I asked if I could go and you let me," I retort. "The best trip we ever made was the Texas trip," and now she denies it, so we start to discuss the facts, while Ashley and Christopher watch us smiling, probably not believing that we are "arguing" about it.
YOU ARE READING
Survive 2
عاطفيةMadison has already understood that growing up is not easy. Now she will have to face her problems, with the help of the people she loves, and try to be happy. Will she succeed?
