Second Impressions [Miniminter/SDMN Fanfiction] [COMPLETED]

> part thirteen <

"Just let me expla- Mum. Mum listen!" Mallie sat in the kitchen alone on skype to her mother using her laptop. She had been back from the cinema after a very quiet, long drive home with Josh for about an hour now and it was coming up to midnight.

"I don't care Mallie. This is ridiculous. They made my baby's life hell and I shall never forgive them. You can't stay there." Her mother protested, struggling to be parental over the camera.

"Mum, listen okay?" Mallie rubbed her cheeks and sighed, waiting for her mum to acknowledge that she wanted to speak. "They've really changed. They're so kind and sensitive now and they know if they were anything like they were school, I'd be out like a shot. But George is being so out of order - I just don't feel safe at home right now."

Her mum stayed silent, avoiding eye contact through the screen with crossed arms and
her teeth biting on her lip. Eventually, she threw her arms down, defeated.

"Fine, Mallie. You win. But I need to speak to them at one point. To really get to know them." Christine looked at her just as Josh entered the room, he was shirtless, not thinking she would be on camera. He awkwardly smiled and walked to the fridge. "Who is that?"

Her voice startled Josh. He turned around and looked to the skype screen. Mallie shuffled over and Josh waved awkwardly.

"You remember Josh, yes?" Mallie bit her nail, feeling so weird about the whole situation. Christine looked at him whilst Josh bent down to fit into the centre of the camera.

"Yes, hello Joshua," She seemed uncertain. "All I can say to you is treat my daughter well and thank you for looking out for her."

"I'll do my best, I promise." Josh smiled at her but she showed an unconvinced face. Josh moved away to make a sandwich whilst Mallie finalised her conversation with her mother, ending it and shutting the laptop. She sighed, looking over to Josh.

"Sorry - I should've warned you that I was on a video call." Mallie mumbled quietly and Josh just nodded, offering her one half of his made sandwich. She shook her head, bowing it slight to look at her hands.

Mallie's stomach was turning. She was so
confused between who she felt what for and which feelings were real. She wanted to go home and she would've if her car was here. She sat swimming in her endless thoughts, forgetting Josh was there.

"Mallie?" Josh clicked his fingers, trying to pull her back to reality. She looked at him, completely baffled. "I said, do you want to talk about it or what?"

She shrugged and Josh rolled his eyes. He was frustrated. He thought she knew what she was getting into when she kissed him and she knew that she liked Simon so why would she have made it more awkward than it already was.

Josh quietly ate his sandwich and chucked his plate into the sink before leaving the room with heavy feet. Mallie stood up, her body feeling exhausted and over-thought. She spent about fifteen minutes doing the washing up, drying and wiping down the kitchen surfaces - finding it distracted her from her thoughts.

Mallie wandered out to the conservatory area where the table tennis table was sat. She went to the back door and unlocked it, stepping outside into the warm night. She tiptoed, not wanting her feet to get too dirty. She made it one of the deck chairs they had in their garden, choosing to sit there and look up at the clear night sky. She sung quietly along to the words of a Coldplay song that she couldn't remember the name of.

She was there for about twenty minutes before the door opened behind her. Mallie sat up and turned around to see Vikk coming out there with his laptop. He jumped slightly when he saw her.