CHOOSE ME!

Part 17

Alex's pov - day of the trial
I drove to the train station and kept on questioning whether I should've written a note or not but decided it wasn't a good idea. He probably hated me now because he would be abandoned if he was caught with me which I completely understand. That's why I didn't force anything on him.

I started to tear up whilst I was driving, I couldn't tell if it was because I was shocked my dad will finally get the punishment he deserved or because Charlie wasn't going to be there with me to hold my hand and make everything in the world feel alright for just a moment.

I then arrived and parked my car, I only got on the train because it's a long way to get to the court room and I didn't want to drive for too long. I waited on a cold chipped metal bench, my hands started sweating and my nerves became overpowering. What happens if I don't win? What if he finds me again and kills Charlie? How do I live with myself if he got hurt?

The train arrived late which was expected, crowds of people casually walked out and I waited at the side to get on. It was busier than I thought for a early Saturday morning. Once I got on the train I got a seat quickly and it was surprisingly quiet despite all the people who came off it before.

My headphones blasted out music into my ears and blocked out the loud sounds around me. I looked up and could have sworn I saw Charlie. He had a black jacket on which was zipped up and his hood was up. The only reason I recognised him was because his eyes glowed in the early morning sun the same as Charlie's did and his hair bounced the same way in his face the same as Charlie's. I blinked fast a couple of times but he was still there so I rubbed my eyes hard and he was gone. Had I finally gone insane?

It was about an hour and a half train ride before I reached the court house which was a ten minute walk down the road. I stepped out of the train and looked around for the person who I thought was Charlie but he was no where to be found, 'maybe I was just imagining things' I thought so I left the station and walked towards the court room.

It was a grand old building made of large pale smooth bricks and fine little details dotted around the building, it was beautiful to look at but I had the strangest feeling someone was watching me. I looked around but no one was there, suddenly the large oak door slammed shut and made me realise I should be going in now.

I couldn't afford a lawyer that's why I wanted Charlie to be my witness but he wasn't here. I didn't think he would turn up. I waited on a little bench outside the grand double doors to the courtroom when I was finally let in.

My knees felt wobbly and a small gathering was in the middle, it consisted of the jury and witnesses. But I didn't care for their eyes staring at me, I could only focus on my dad's pricing gaze at me. I sat down nervously and took a big swig of water making my dry mouth a little less dry and sticky feeling. The judge asked me to come to the front and present my argument against my dad, I walked over nervously and shaking a little.

I told them my name and the judge started the question me, she told me to take my time but everything spilled out of my mouth at once, "this man tried to kill me on multiple occasions, he beat me, starved me, locked me in my room for days with no food and only gave me water every now and then, he made me beg for my food and he was both emotionally and physically abusive," I rambled speedily out of nerves. It was a bad habit if mine. The judge went quiet for a moment, "do you still deny this after all the evidence Mr Smith?" the judge asked calmly like nothing I had said was processing in her head.

My dad stayed silent and the whole room filled with suspensive tension, "no your honour," he finally admitted. I stopped fidgeting with the bobble in my wrist and looked up smiling a little out of relief, "we will need some evidence, I believe you have a witness," the judge directed at me.

"No your honour, I don't have a witness," I said my voice became dull whilst I tried to hold back my tears. She slightly opened her mouth, I half expected Charlie to burst through the doors like when someone is trying to stop a wedding but nothing happened. She went silent once again and a small creak came from the old wooden benches, I couldn't really tell who the person was as they were so far away but I recognised their voice instantly, "I'm his witness your honour," he said loudly walking up to stand next to me. I felt my whole body warm up by just his face, he came, Charlie actually came.

He stood straight, hands behind his back formally and described everything that happened the day I went to hospital. He finished talking with a large sigh and I noticed small tears in his eyes, they made the green emeralds twinkle under the bright lights, I held his hand to comfort him a little and he nodded at me smiling happily.

It was a few more hours before the judge had made her decision, "Mr Smith, you will be arrested for 10 years for the abuse and neglect towards you're child for you're own closed minded beliefs and you'll have a restraining order against you're son and his.....sorry what is your relationship with Mr Alex Smith?" the judge asked sounding like she just wanted some gossip instead of it having anything to do with the actual case. "Oh ermmm... his partner," Charlie answered hesitantly.

My eyes went wide and something in my stomach felt like it had dropped, I didn't know how to react, then I heard a small grunt coming from my father who was being held back by two police men as he struggled to get to us and beat me and Charlie to a pulp. The judge smiled at me warmly when she noticed I gripped Charlie's sleeve out of fear. I turned to look at him and when my eyes met his they were full of love, he looked at me the way he used to, the way I missed. I smiled awkwardly and let go of his sleeve apologising. He just laughed softly, "it's ok, it's all gonna be alright," he said.

We left the courtroom after what felt like years, Charlie and I got back on the train and headed home. We got a seat next to eachother and sat in comfortably silence, Charlie's hand on my thigh as I pretended to look out of the window when I was actually hiding my blushing face and admiring him in the suit he was wearing. I wanted to rip it off him and ride him until the sunrise, I felt my pants getting tighter and I looked down in the reflection in the window.

This is going to be a long journey home, I really hoped Charlie hadn't noticed. I began to fidget with my hands as I became a little hot and tried to hide my issue under my hands, he looked over to me and the only trouble with him being a literal giant like Hagrid was that he could see over my hand and notice what was happening.

He didn't say anything though, he smirked and started to move his hand up my thigh. I stopped it before it reached my boner which made his smug smirk become so big it was beaming from ear to ear.