The most beautiful roses have their cruelest thorn

Maloles

It felt like day two of prison, and today wasn't even done, yet. I sat down, while Aaliyana and Daniel are in the backroom to my left. The gavel then catches my attention.

"Court is back in session for the trial of Mia Madden. Does the defense have its' witness? Asked the judge.

"Yes, he's in the lobby as we speak." River answered.

"Good. Bring him out." Declared the judge. A teenager with jet-black glasses, long, curly, blonde hair reaching to this neck came out of the room. He had on a black sweatshirt, blue baggy jeans, with gray and white sneakers. I always knew his long hair irritated him. But, short hair on a nerd, in this case, wouldn't look good on him. He then walked up to the witness stand.

"State your name and occupation, please." Requested the judge.

"Daniel Maloles, junior high student." He replied in his deep voice. I could see the anxiety in his eyes as he kept glancing back at me.

"Mr. Maloles, the defendant told us you sent her an inappropriate message. Can you explain why you did it?" Asked River who sounded rather friendly with him. I guess that was the right way to talk to him. Daniel was the type of person to be easily startled, and break down crying. It seems like Mr. River and the judge read right through him.

"Young man, you don't have to be afraid. But, lying in court will have serious consequences." The judge said slightly relieving him. But the judge still looked disappointed in him.

"Ok, I'll be honest." He admitted.

"I sent her that text because Aaliyana forced me to, or else she would try to kill me. If I didn't do what she said, Mia would get killed. but, I had no idea she would kill Armando." He testified anxiously.

"Oh! Then Ms. Scarlett isn't innocent after all!" The judge commented.

"She's not the angel she looked." He muttered loud enough. Angel? With that body?

"Um, very well, Mr. River, you may cross-examine the witness."

...

"Was this conversation via text or in-person?" River asked.

"In person." He replied.

"Ok, well, why do you think she'd want to kill her instead of him if you betrayed her?" River asked for more clarification.

"Maybe because I wasn't involved with their relationship." He pondered.

"Um, I'd also like to give this in." Said, Daniel.

"I found a little container inside Armando's bag." Said, Daniel. It looked like the same container Aaliyana had in her pocket.

"Wait, where did you get that?!" Kurt asked.

"Oh, um, I found it at the crime scene." He repeated.

"That doesn't make any sense. Then, why didn't you give it to the police when you first saw it?" Asked River.

"Oh, um, I didn't think it was important..." He replied. Of course, It was obvious he didn't think this through.

"Objection!" River pointed his finger at him.

"Taking evidence from a crime scene is a serious crime." River informed. The atmosphere became vague.

"Um, I have no idea," Daniel replied quickly.

"Do you know what's in this bottle?" River asked Daniel.

"No, It was right next to him when I found it." He added, nervously.

"That contradicts what you just said. You said you saw it inside his bag, but the crime scene shows that the bag was on his back the entire time. So, how could you have picked it up right next to him?!" River rectified as Daniel couldn't stay still, like a vibrating chair.

"Well, Mr. Turnbull, tell the truth! Did Ms. Scarlett give this to you?" Asked River walking up to him, holding up the container with gloves on.

"I don't know." He responded In that same whiny tone. I heard that tone before. It was the tone where everyone kept asking him why he sent that message, including his parents. But, the boy had no choice but to stand up for himself and set it straight. Today was finally the day to do so.

"In that case, your honor, we must have this analyzed right away. this might be the real murder weapon!

"Understood, Bailiff, have this analyzed!" the judge declared.

"Yes, sir!" the bailiff replied with a loud voice and rushed outside with the container.

"Well, Mr. Maloloes, if this is found to have traces of the same drug, you can be convicted for perjury!" The judge exclaimed.

"Unless you come clean now, you'll be in big trouble, young man!" He added.

Daniel stuttered. I could see his heart was beating out his chest. It looked like he wasn't going to keep silent much longer with his hand on his heart, and rapid breathing.

"Are you alright?" The judge asked with his eyebrows raised. All of a sudden, he looked up, took his glasses off, and put them in his pocket. He had a serious expression, with a bare and slightly defined face. He looked at the judge. Is he standing up for himself again?

"You know, I agreed to testify to protect Mia, and I will tell the truth for her sake. I can't let Aaliyana get away with what she did, which is why I presented the bottle." He announced with such seriousness. I gasped, as I felt heavy-hearted. It sounds like someone genuinely cared about me.

"Oh!" The judge gasped

"Then, speak freely!" He added, satisfied.

"Aaliyana explained the plan. If she was able to expose Mia as revenge, then she thought she'd get away with her punishment. Since I was close to Mia, she got me involved. If I didn't be an accomplice, she'd kill Mia... After the text, she handed me the poison, and told me to never show anyone, or else I would die." Daniel testified with his voice shaking with fear.

"So, she really is behind this! I'm rather convinced!" Stated the Judge.

"Yes, so if this comes back as drugs, and according to Mr. Turnbull's testimony, then Aaliyana Scarlett must be the killer." River explained once more. The gallery exclaimed once more.

"Objection!!" Called Kurt.

'What now?" Called River.

"You still didn't answer my previous question. Why would Ms. Scarlett kill Mr. Taurus? she'd kill Mr. Turnbull for a reason if he had betrayed her. But, if The victim and Ms. Scarlett were partners in crime, why did he have to die?" Asked Kurt.

"...It was a topic previously discussed. Recall what I said. "...to keep them doing what they loved, or as the defendant told me, was for drugs," River recalled.

"Ms. Scarlett didn't want him to be killed, but instead, It was the victim's idea to frame Ms.Madden.

"What?! So, It was like a murder-suicide?" Asked the judge.

"Objection! What makes you so certain it was the victim's idea?" Asked Kurt.

"It's the only thing that adds up. As verification, we can have our friend here, tell us they were indeed doing drugs." River said looking at Daniel. But, Daniel looked confused.

"Well, can you?" River asked with a small smile of confidence.

"I'm sorry. I have no idea if they were on drugs." Daniel admitted as River's small smile disappeared.

"What?! Weren't you two best friends?" Asked River.

"Yeah, but I guess he didn't tell me everything," Daniel suggested. He seemed to be telling the truth.

"But, that can't be right." River said, looking away. Kurt snapped his rather large fingers. It felt his reverberating snap could silence the entire court, like the judge's gavel.

"It seems you don't have any evidence," Kurt suggested.

"But the defendant told me something else." River whined to himself. I could see he was cornered and had nowhere else to turn to.