no time to die // J. Barber ✔

thirteen

Jacob and Amelia came out of their last therapy session, walking past their mom, who greeted them.

the 2 kids waited at the corner, Amelia looking at her phone as Jacob looked around while Laurie talked to Vogel.

once they were done, Vogel wished Jacob an early birthday but Jacob ignored her and so did Amelia.

they soon walked out of the building, going into their car and drove home, "two of you are quiet, how was the session? ", Laurie asked as she drove.

"it was fine", Jacob shrugged, "annoying", Amelia corrected. Laurie looked at her kids in confusion, "annoying? ".

"she just asks us the same questions every week or different versions of them and when we call her out on it, she just tried to play dumb, like she didn't realize she already asked us", Jacob explained.

"she's only trying to help us", Laurie said, making Amelia scoff quietly before Amelia's phone buzzed.

Jacob was texting Amelia since he couldn't tell the truth in front of their mother.

"who's that? ", Laurie asked. the kids stood silent as they texted. "kids, i asked you who you were texting", Laurie stayed silent.

"just.. Sara", Amelia lied. "nobody.. Dylan", Jacob lied as well. "Dylan stone? ", Laurie asked.

"he's at his sleep away camp, this kid doesn't believe he knows me, so he's trying to prove it", Jacob lied as he smiled.

the silence approached, before Laurie broke it, "how's Sara? ", Laurie asked. Jacob looked at Laurie in disbelief.

"what? she's good for you and Amelia, she's stuck around all this time", Laurie shrugged.

"Amelia stuck more", Jacob mumbled. "she's your sister, Jake", Laurie said.

"me and Sara are not... talking, so", Jacob shrugged. "is that your doing? or-", Laurie said, pushing Jacob as Amelia stayed silent.

"mom, don't, please", Amelia said as Jacob looked at her. Laurie nodded and stood silent, focusing back on the road.

⇏-------------------------⇍

the door swung open, revealing Andy being angry and Laurie behind him.

"is Jacob Jay Kobbs while Amelia is Alia Mel? ", Andy asked as he looked at Jacob then Amelia.

"answer me, God damn it! ", Andy shouted. "Andy! ", Laurie called, "it's not that big of a deal", Jacob said.

"don't tell me what's not a big deal! show your mother! ", Andy said as Laurie had her face of confusion and shocked.

"show her what both of you have been up to! ", Andy shouted. Amelia and Jacob went to their only social media post.

Jacob's laptop shouted a picture of a person holding an axe with his face while Amelia's showed a picture of a woman holding a knife with her face.

"shit! ", Laurie cussed, "Jacob! Amelia! ", Laurie said as she turned around. "it's just a dumb joke", Amelia said before turning her laptop back around.

"do you have any idea what this looks like? joking about being murderer suspects? ", Andy shouted.

"it's not like no-one even know who it is", Jacob defended him and Amelia.

"everybody knows! how do you think i know?! ", Andy shouted. "Andy, calm down", Laurie said.

"this.. is damaging, this is evidence and it's either both of you are to stupid or too arrogant to know the difference! ", Andy shouted.

"we're not stupid", Jacob defended. "then what's wrong with you two?! ", Andy shouted.

"nothing! you're making too big of a deal out of this! ", Amelia said loudly.

"do you have any idea what they're gonna do with this picture? they're gonna wave it around in front of the jury and they're gonna say it shows a consciousness of guilt, they're gonna say 'this is how Jacob and Amelia Barber sees themselves, psychos! ' and they're gonna use that word over and over again", Andy shouted.

"Andy, enough", Laurie called. "Jesus Christ, do you know what's at stake? do you realize what they wanna do to both of you? ", Andy shouted.

"stop is already, you're scaring them', Laurie called. "good! they should be scared! i'm scared", Andy shouted.

"it was just a joke", Amelia mumbled as her voice cracked, "we can delete it".

"that doesn't mean it goes away", Andy calmed down. Andy panted as Jacob and Amelia hadtheir eyes glossed.

"ok", Jacob mumbled, "we're sorry", Amelia finished. "you guys can't do this, kids, you just can't", Andy lectured.

"we said we're sorry", Jacob said as tear fell down quietly for Amelia. "i think we should just delete it anyway", Laurie suggested.

"God damn right, they're gonna delete it, they're gonna delete it right now", Andy said.

Amelia and Jacob sat in silence before taking their laptops and deleting the account.

"this can't happen again, i need to know both of you understand that", Andy said while the kids deleted their social media accounts.

Jacob and Amelia nodded. "there, it's gone", Jacob said as Amelia and him turned their laptop to show their parents.

Laurie and Andy shook their head, Laurie leaving the room then.

Jacob and Amelia closed their laptops, laying down on the bed, crying then as Andy stood in guilt.

"i'm sorry i yelled, i shouldn't lost my temper, i just..", Andy said as the two kids continue crying.

Andy sighed before sitting down on Jacob's bed, "i'm only looking out for the both of you, kids, you gotta understand that", Andy said calmly.

"yeah", Jacob croaked out. "Mel, Jake", Andy said, making Jacob hum as Amelia stayed silent.

Andy sigh before standing up, "ok, so go", Amelia said coldly, making Andy stand up and walk to the door.

"there's nothing wrong with us", Jacob mumbled, making Andy turn around, "we know exactly what they're gonna do to us, we don't need you to tell us that", Jacob sobbed out.

Andy sigh out of guilt and stood by the door for a few seconds, going out then.

once Andy got out, the 2 kids continued sobbing as they looked at each other and held each other's hands, intertwining their fingers.

word count: 1000 words.