INAUGURATE | Chandler Riggs [2]

three: uncertainty running rampant

incoming facetime: 😌💘chandler boy

"hey baby," chandler's smooth voice spoke through the receiver, lighting up madison's dull eyes.

"hey," she whispered, cuddled up in an arm chair in her hotel room.

the stressed teenager was clad in one of her boyfriend's warm sweatshirts and had her ear buds secured in her ears to keep her conversation private. plus, she felt closer to chandler that way.

"i miss you," she mumbled with a frown painting her soft features that had begun to harden more and more over the course of the last few weeks.

"i miss you more, mads," he responded quietly, nursing a broken heart at the sight of his girlfriend's distressed state.

"it's just so hard," madison whispered in a depressing tone, "one minute they say i'm old enough to make my own decision and the next they're reexamining evidence."

"i know, babe," chandler returned with an expressive sigh, "have you talked it about it with your dad at all? outside of the courtroom, i mean?"

"i think he's as scared as i am," madison broke with a tear sliding down her already slippery cheeks.

chandler frowned, wanting to catch it on his thumb and ward all others off. seeing his girlfriend's tears while being unable to do anything about it just have been one of his least favorite things in the entire world.

"when do you testify and give your decision?" chandler asked, his voice low and raspy due to the time difference.

"tomorrow." madison garnered a deep breath and closed her eyes right. "it was weird seeing her today. any pleasant memories i had of her were shattered by the stuff she said today."

chandler frowned, watching his girlfriend face melt into a frown, though hardly visible by the hood covering half of it. it was getting late and the darkness of his room threatened to lull him to sleep, but he fought it for his time with madison.

"what kind of stuff?" chandler whispered into his phone, rubbing his eyes lately as his chest tightened in anticipation of her answer.

"how i wasn't meant to be in the limelight. how andrew is an absent father. how i'm too young to be allowed to do certain things — that it didn't fit with my culture or what she wanted," madison ranted, letting her eyes flutter around the room before finally settling on the ocean blue of her boyfriend's.

"oh madison i'm so sorry," chandler responded, letting his heart spill into all of his words and paint them in his love, "i love you."

"i know, and i love you, too," madison simply stated, managing a broken smile for the boy who cared so much for her. "the judge didn't look too happy though so, so-" her voice broke, "we'll see. steven gives his testimony of my dad's character and my presumed happiness here tomorrow, as well. i know he'll do amazing."

"of course he will. he'll tell the beautiful truth of how resilient you are here and how much you love it," chandler spoke reassuringly, "right?"

"yeah," madison barely whispered, uncertainty running rampant through her tone, "yeah."

chandler frowned, sympathizing with the girl but still unable to even begin to understand what was going on inside her head. it hurt him but he would not show it. he knew he had to be strong for her, that's what his mom said, and he was not willing to sacrifice her happiness for his own.

"it's tricky stuff," madison went on, "it would be easy, but because andy didn't know about me or didn't get custody until a few years ago while lida did, it's finicky."

"she didn't want you then, though," chandler fought back, angry feelings brewing over the grandmother of his best friend, "she didn't put up a fight then but andy did."

maddie smiled at his words, seeing the passion in his eyes that made her heart warm. his love put out the fire that her past had started.

"i just hope see the judge sees that," madison finished with a tired smile.

"they will," chandler reiterated, "i promise."

a/n;
OUR BABIES ARE ALL GOOD! for NOW NDBSJN IM SORRY