- NINETEEN!

                                    

                                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          

                            

                                
                            
                              
                                  
                              
                              
                                
                                  
                                  
                                
                              
                             
                            
                            
                          
                          
                          
there was no use in nini getting eager about her return to los angeles after her new york escapade. she only had messier business to deal with back home than she did in the big apple, and the minute she landed at lax, she had no time to relax. instead, she dropped her stuff back off at her apartment and headed down to her hometown's local police department. 
                          
it had almost been forty-eight hours since carol's arrest, meaning the woman would have to be freed from custody at that mark unless she was given official charges. according to instructions she had received via email that morning, the sheriff wanted to speak with nini before outlining a potential formal charge procedure. so, she entered the police department in a reasonable disguise. the last thing she needed was press about her getting into legal troubles. she waited for a few minutes before meeting with the arresting deputy and sheriff in one of the department conference rooms. 
                          
the girl tried to disguise her wince as she listened to the deputy outline the arrest circumstances along with a few photos taken at the scene by bystanders. nini was used to staying strong when it came to her mothers, but that was only due to the support system she had acquired two years ago. that curly-haired consolation had dwindled away, and her strength was also starting to as a result. frankly, even if nini wouldn't admit it to herself, if it weren't for ricky's words on vma night, that strength would have been gone in its entirety in this moment.
                          
"miss salazar-roberts, given the circumstances and your mother's prior domestic dispute, it's only appropriate that we formally charge her for the community's safety and yours," the sheriff explained lightly, hands on his hips as he looked down at a frazzled nini. "considering you are over the age of eighteen and are actively out of her care, we can predict that her sentence won't exceed a year's worth of jail time. if she accepts a plea deal and the case doesn't go to trial, which counseling will advise your mother that she shouldn't exhaust those resources to do so, she's looking at six months maximum."
                          
nini was unfamiliar with the legal world, but she knew hearing about jail time should have caused her to raise a brow. however, she only sat stagnant, picking at her hang nails nervously. "we are struggling to get in contact with your other mom, so we wanted to run this all by you first. we are hear to listen to anything you feel you want to tell us."