❛ AFTERGLOW ❜ - 𝖼𝗆𝖻 ✓

059; i'm glad i didn't

third person.

"hey," max softly spoke as he walked up to where mollie had been sitting, handing her a bottle of water before taking a seat just beside her, "you're quite quiet today."

today was to day of court, the trial for monica and while they had arrived much earlier than needed, it left them with a lot of free time to sit around and wait, both of them full of nerves as astrid was next to max and subtly stroking his hand with her thumb.

"i don't want her in prison," mollie mumbled, keeping her eyes on the floor as she folded her arms, not noticing the confused expression appearing on her brother's face.

"but you..?"

"i did it because i was scared and i thought if i didn't do that then i'd have to move in with her," she explained as she let out a sigh.

"it's okay," he slowly nodded, "you did what was right at the time, i'm proud of you for doing that."

"but she's going to go to prison..?"

"not for definite," max replied, "she was wanted in pennsylvania and we're in virginia right now, i don't know what the laws are for that but i don't think she'll go to prison."

"i guess it's a good thing in a way if she does," astrid added in, "because she won't be constantly trying to get you to live with her."

"yeah," mollie looked over at her and nodded, "but i feel bad because prison doesn't seem the nicest."

"neither is mom," max tilted his head and smiled slightly, "stop worrying, we're better off without her."

"is nana not here yet?" mollie asked, changing the current subject as max slowly shook his head.

"she's running late, she had to make a detour to pick up saskia." max explained, earning a confused glare from the girl sat beside him.

"saskia?"

"mhm," he nodded, "saskia wanted to come."

"what for?"

"witness type of thing." max said, "moral support? something like that."

"oh." mollie mumbled before a slight smile grew on her face, "alright."

"whatever happens today, i love you, okay?" max told her, trying to hide the frown growing on his face as mollie gave him a nod, "and i don't think that you're-"

"please don't do this." mollie shook her head as she interrupted him, "i hate sappy shit please don't."

"then close your ears." max smiled, "it's just reassurance that i don't see you as what you struggle with or what you think people see you as, i never have."

"such lies," she rolled her eyes, "i made your teen years terrible."

"no you didn't," he replied, "you were a pain sometimes but it's okay, you were just enjoying your teen years."

"in the worst way possible."

"but you'd still tell me every weekend how fun your night was," max said, looking towards her, "i'd pick you up from the police station and you'd be laughing about it, it seemed like you enjoyed it."

"well sometimes i did." she smiled, "but i stressed you out."

"yeah well, every kid stresses out their carer at some point," max laughed slightly, "i only wanted to do let you do things i didn't get to."

"i'm sorry " she sighed.

"it wasn't your fault," he told her, "i chose to give it up, you could've lived with nana."

"that was your fault for not letting me live with nana."

"i'm aware," max nodded, "but i'm glad i didn't, i'm happy i got to raise you and didn't give you any restrictions on who you wanted to be."

"max i literally smoked weed and ran from the cops every weekend," mollie looked at him as she threw her hands up, "i got drunks in fields for fun and got into fights because i was bored."

"alright, and look at you now."

"i still do half of those things," she replied, "kind of."

"but you're who you want to be, aren't you?"

she paused for a moment, sending him a confused stare before letting out a sigh and moving her gaze back towards the ground, "not really, i could be so much better than this."

"don't say that," he rolled his eyes slightly, "if people wanted you to be different they wouldn't be your friend, i think that everyone thinks you're great."

"if you're going to change anything, change your attitude because i'm sick of it." max gave her a sarcastic smile as mollie glared at him, watching the boy stand up before walking over to the door to greet julie and saskia.

"i agree with him," astrid told her, "not the attitude thing but the not changing anything."

"thanks," the girl replied with a mumble, tucking her hair behind her ear as astrid sighed slightly.

"do you think we could have a talk some point this week?" astrid asked her, "i can take you out for dunkin or something? i just have a lot i want to talk to you about."

"what type of things?"

"just apologising for stuff i said," she shrugged, "and being on good terms, if you want us to?"

"yeah," mollie gave her a nod and a smile, "i'm going camping this weekend but i could do tuesday?"

"i can do tuesday." astrid nodded, "i can come over about midday and take you."

"okay," mollie said, receiving a smile from astrid before she looked over at the entrance door to the building.

max, julie and saskia eventually walked over to where the two girls had been sitting, before the time for the trial was quickly approaching and they were getting ready to take a sit in the actual courtroom.

so as the five of them stood in a group just outside the courtroom doors, mollie grabbed her jacket up off her chair before her name was called out from behind her, causing her to turn herself around.

"hey," nicole gave her a quick smile, "are you good?"

"yeah i just... why are you here?"

"i didn't want you to be alone with it." nicole replied, "i thought you needed someone."

"you didn't have to i'm okay i-"

"stop lying," nicole interrupted her, grabbing a hold of the girl's hand, "and stop looking at the ground when you lie it's so obvious."

"thank you for coming," mollie smiled slightly as her best friend turned to face her.

"you're welcome," she smiled, following the rest of the group into the courtroom before they all took to their designated places.

♡

a/n

i'm gonna skip the actual thing bc idk how to write it but don't worry you'll hear what happens in it