Silk Touch | dreamwastaken

Chapter 35:

A/N: thanks for all the support and comments recently! i love reading all the comments heh :) just so everyone knows, obviously i'm not familiar with trials and stuff but i will try to make it as accurate as i can possibly. who knows, maybe i have to ask quackity ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

TW: mentions of rape

i look up at the building, sweat building up. this is it. this is the day. clay looks at me in worry, watching the way i nervously chew my lower lip. he glances away quickly and i sigh, clearing my throat before clutching onto my purse better.

i'm wearing black dress pants with a white blouse and a black blazer. i smoothed my blouse down, and i nearly regret buying the outfit. it costed almost $200 dollars, and my bank account is currently screaming. i've never been to court, or much less a trial, so i probably went a little bit overboard.

clay is wearing black pants and a black dress shirt, which sort of makes him look like he's grieving. when we go inside the building, we're directed towards a room. when i walk in, everyone hushes, glancing at the people walking through. the first thing i notice is the giant stand, one in the middle surrounded by two other small ones.

the jury sits on the side, watching everyone and i clear my throat quietly. i watch as poppy's lawyer glances at us, sighing before getting up and shaking our hands. "hello, it's nice meeting you two." she says, giving us a kind look.

i take a seat next to her, and clay finds a spot in the audience to sit in. i watch as poppy's lawyer shuffles around a few files and papers, and i snag a few looks at photos. photos from the coroner. i look away quickly, and i feel something turning in my stomach.

i don't bother looking for lucas, but when the door opens the second time, i know for a fact that it's lucas by the way the room completely stills. i stare at my hands with an intent, pretending that it's the most fascinating thing i have ever seen. i study my hands while i hear a chair squeak before slightly groaning by the weight put on it.

i glance just a few seconds at lucas's lawyer, and i see him clearing his throat loudly, shuffling his files around. a few minutes later, the judge walks in, accompanied by security. the judge takes her seat, and she moves some papers around before she bangs the gavel.

the room hushes until there is nothing but quietness. i bounce my leg nervously and poppy's lawyer places a gentle hand on my leg. "calm down. we must not show that we're nervous." i nod and take her soft encouragement and i try to stop.

she introduces the case, and poppy's lawyer is the first to stand up. lucas takes a seat at one of the stands. "poppy was a very kind and energetic woman. she was young, happy, and bright. she had many friends," then she pauses to throw me a look. the room turns to shift their attention to me and i swallow, not knowing what to do with the attention, "and many people knew her. a month ago, she had hosted a party. a fun party where everyone could feel like teenagers once more."

the jury nods, and i sneak a glance at lucas. he's slightly slumping in his chair, watching the lawyer intently. i glance back at the audience, my heart stopping as i catch kaylee's eye. she smiles at me and i turn back around, feeling the heat spread on my cheeks.

"at the party, people have said that she could be seen with multiple people. of those people, lucas was one of them." the jury turns their attention to lucas and he straightens up. a small spark of smugness lights up inside of me. "he claimed that he barely had talked to poppy the whole time, and that they were old high school friends." the lawyer turns to lucas.

"lucas, how did you meet her?"

"english class. we were doing a group project for a book report."