Survive 2

Chapter Fourty Four

Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.

December 16, 2022.

Madison Stone's Point Of View.

"Are you already ready, girls?" My mom walks into my room while Ashley puts on some perfume and I finish putting on my sneakers.

"I am." Ashley speaks.

"I will just put on some perfume and we will be right down," I say tying my shoelaces.

"Hurry up then, because we still have to have coffee before we leave," and I agree. "Did you sleep well?"

"I did." Ashley says and I agree.

"Me too."

I didn't think I would be able to sleep, but Ashley put on a movie for us to watch and I ended up falling asleep while watching it.

"Christopher and I were worried about you getting anxious and not being able to sleep. I'm glad you made it."

I finish tying the laces of my sneakers and get up from the bed, grabbing my cell phone that is on it and putting it in my pocket, going to my dresser, where I take the bottle of my favorite perfume and apply it on me.

If I have to go, at least that I go smelling nice and neat.

"Shall we go downstairs?" I ask and they agree, so we leave the room and I close the door.

We walk down to the kitchen, finding Baker dressed socially with his administrative deputy badge hanging around his neck and eating his breakfast.

"Good morning, Christopher," we speak in unison and the man sitting at the table looks at us smiling.

"Good morning, girls. Ready for today?" and we agree, taking a seat at the table.

My mom sits to Chris's right, me to the left, and Ashley next to me.

"We don't have much choice but to be, do we?" I say and grab a cold sandwich, placing it on my plate and taking a band of it, taking a bite of it.

"But it's better to be prepared by force than not to be prepared at all," and I agree.

"Yeah. In that you're right philosopher Baker," I wryly say as I pour some orange juice into my glass.

"Are you going too, Christopher?" Ashley asks and I look at him.

"I won't be able to go, as I will be working. By the way, I'm already going," he takes a last sip of his coffee and stands up, taking his backpack that was hanging on the right side of his chair and putting it over his shoulder.

"Good job, my love." My mom says and Christopher leans his face in, giving her a kiss, causing Ashley and I to look at each other smiling.

"Let me know when you get there and keep in touch with me so I'm aware of what happened," he asks and we agree, then he says goodbye to us and goes to work.

After a few minutes, the three of us finish our breakfast and after I quickly water Anthony's plants, we go to the garage and get into my mother's car. I sit next to the driver's seat, where my mother sits, and Ashley behind in the middle seat.

I take my cell phone out of my pocket and send a message to Andrey, asking if he is going to the trial, which is answered a few minutes later with another message saying: "Me and the guys are on our way. If we can't get in, we will be waiting for you out here, but either way we will be here cheering you and the girls on."

"Andrey said he and the guys are on their way to the courthouse," I say and Ashley agrees.

"I already knew they were going," and I turn my face to face her.

"You knew because you're the one who told them about the trial, right?" I ironize and she gives me a mischievous smile.

"I like Andrey so much, you know?" My mom comments and I already know what she means by that, and from the response Ashley gives, I see that she also understood.

"I like him too, Mrs. Stone. And he likes Mad so much, you know?"

"Yes. I can see how much he likes and cares for her," she speaks and looks quickly at me, turning her attention back to the traffic soon after. "You know I support you with him, don't you daughter?"

"I do, Mom."

"And what's left for you two to be together, Madison?" Ashley asks.

"I don't know. When it's time for us to get back together, we will," I say as I look out over the landscape.

"And do you have a sense if that moment is near or far?" Ashley questions again and I deny it.

"No. I don't know. I don't even know when we will kiss again, let alone get back together."

To be honest, I am afraid that he doesn't want anything to do with me anymore, that he still wants me around, but only as a friend.

I know it sounds silly, because he is always on my side supporting me, saying that he likes having me around, but I like him and I think that when we like someone and we are not with them, even if we know that the feeling is reciprocal, we are still afraid of losing them.

"Maybe he is waiting for you to say you want him back," my mom gives her opinion and Ashley agrees.

"Maybe that's it, but I will think about that later, because that's not my focus right now," I say and they both agree, so we change the subject.

"Will you need to say something?" Ashley questions and my mother answers for me.

"Probably, but Robert, my lawyer who will be representing Mad, Abigail and Sophia, will explain what is needed when we get there."

"I can already picture Williams and Alexander being convicted and us celebrating for it, then going to the Amour for some dessert," Ashley speaks hopefully, causing my mother and I to laugh.

"Hopefully this scene you've created in your head will come true," I say, and she affirms what she said.

"Believe me. It will."

We arrive and see the staff and our lawyer already in front of the courthouse waiting for us, so we get out of the car after my mom parks it and go to them, where we greet each other and Robert is introduced to everyone.

We also see some people who appear to be our age group and whom we have seen at school, entering the courthouse, which makes us think that they are here for the same reason as us.

"Everything will turn out fine," Andrey says and I give him a smile, but it breaks apart when I look away. "What?" He notices my drastic mood change and turns his face to look too, thus seeing the same thing as me, Williams arriving in court with a man who must be his lawyer.

We all follow him with our gaze until he walks into the courtroom and get out of our field of vision.

"I'm nervous. I've never been in a trial, nor do I know how it works," Abigail speaks, causing everyone's attention to turn to her and my mother hugs her from the side, stroking her shoulder.

"No need to be nervous. Robert, explain to them how the trial will work, please," my mother asks and our lawyer agrees, beginning to explain shortly afterwards.