Conflicted (Boyxboy)

88

I sighed in utter boredom as the judge talked about the most simple law shit ever. It was the start of the court hearing, and I wasn't involved so just sat to the side like everyone else.

Chance was the only one who wasn't sitting with us, he sat near our lawyer.

Alex was being super annoying, just tapping his foot and humming to himself as he sat next to me.

I gave him a look once he got to a particularly loud part of his song and he smiled at me sheepishly.

He then looked past me and pulled his tongue out at Nate who was sat to the other side of me.

Do they have to be here?

"Mrs Brookston, please have your case ready to put forward in five minutes." The judge spoke louder than usual across the room to our hired lawyer, and she nodded.

"Great." I commented and Hunter sighed from the bench higher up behind me.

"I could be sleeping right now." He complained.

"You didn't have to be here." Luca's voice replied as I stared aimlessly in front of me.

I frowned when I caught Matias's eyes from across the room, he was staring at me, with an arrogant smirk on his face.

What is he smirking about?

I glared back at him, but he didn't break eye contact, making me eventually just look away.

Creep.

"Hey, what's the probability we're going to lose this?" Nate asked curiously and I sighed.

"50-50, depending on whether they have something we don't know about or not." Chester answered.

"Then what if they do?"

"Depends on what it is."

"What could it be though?"

"Nate."

"Mrs Brookston, we're ready for your case please."

The small brunette lady stood up immediately, putting on a confident and serious face as she stepped forward.

I just sighed and sat further down into my seat. Do I really have to be here? Can't I just be sat in my room hoping for the best?

All this does is make me self conscious and anxious.

"Well, we're here to discuss who is the best guardian for Riley Stevens right?"
I pulled my tongue out in discomfort at the foreign surname and Alex snickered. "Surely, the best guardian is the one he's had his whole life? Despite their separation, the father, Charlie Marston, has never made an effort to make contact with his son. So his mother, Clarisse Piscarra, has always had custody of him, so why would it change now? The purpose of this court hearing is to put the child into custody of whichever parent is in his best interest. If custody changes, he will have to move country, he'll have to move school , he'll have to change his name and family again, for a parent who never really looked after him, and spends approximately two thirds of his time at work. I see the obvious conclusion of this case already. Case closed." She ranted and I blinked.

"Whoah."  Hunter commented and Alex smirked.

The judge just raised a brow and looked to the opposing lawyer. He stood slowly, seeming composed and relaxed, with a smug smirk on his face.

What? I tilted my head in confusion, becoming even more anxious.

"Indeed, Clarisse Piscarra won the original custody battle, and has therefore been the legal guardian of Riley for the past few years. However, back in the time of the original custody battle, the court favoured mother's to get custody more, and the fact that Charlie Marston was in a homosexual relationship was used against him. I'd like to think those prejudice, no longer affect the outcome?" He paused staring down the judge who gulped with a stiff face.