𝚋𝚘𝚛𝚗 𝚒𝚗𝚗𝚘𝚌𝚎𝚗𝚝 {𝚓𝚓 𝚖𝚊𝚢𝚋𝚊𝚗𝚔}

𝚜.𝟸 𝚎𝚙.𝟻 -𝚙𝚊𝚛𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎-

"slide a drink across the table / watch it fallin' to the ground / keep your distance, she's unstable / watch your tone and watch your mouth"

~

Tate bounced her leg up and down on the cold courtroom bench, trying to calm her nerves. "John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statute section fourteen," the judge rattled off. "You are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty."

The court room exploded into whispers and side-conversations, everyone clamoring to make sure they'd heard the judge correctly. Tate merely sat back in her seat and stared at John B, his eyes lifeless already. Across the courtroom, Sarah seemed to be choking on silent tears. JJ's head was jerking around, as if waiting for someone to say it was all a mistake. Finally, he stood up. "Your honor, he's seventeen!"

"Not fucking legal," Tate muttered under her breath. "That can't be fucking legal."

"Quiet down!" the judge ordered, banging her gavel.

JJ wouldn't. "No, he's seventeen! Are you kidding me?"

"You're good, you're good," Pope muttered, standing and starting to push JJ from the courtroom. He cast a helpless look at Tate, so she stood up to help him, completely numb.

As John B was escorted out the back door, Tate grabbed JJ by the back collar of his jacket and pulled him away, out of the courthouse, onto the front steps. Kiara ran to get Sarah, who had moved towards John B instead of away from him like the rest of them.

When they were finally all outside, JJ was seething silently, and Kiara was livid. "Is this a joke? Like, are we in hell, or..."

"I should have never come home," Sarah said tearfully.

"They're gonna kill him, guys," JJ said softly. "I know it."

Tate shook her head, but before she could say anything, they overheard some kook walking past with Ward Cameron say, "I'm sorry for what your family is going through. Thank god the system works."

"Can you please shut up?" Kiara shouted, rounding on the man. "Of course you think the system worked, because it was made to protect you and people like you." Her face crumpled, and JJ stepped forward.

"He'll have his day in court," Ward said robotically. "A jury will decide."

Tears spilled onto Kiara's cheeks. "He shouldn't even be in court! You should, 'cause you're a murderer- You have a lot of nerve showing up to court-"

"Kiara, come on," said Tate, grabbing her friend's hand.

She shook Tate off as Ward started to argue back. Tate started to step back, but then Kiara swung at him and she jumped forward again, JJ right behind her, Shoupe appearing out of nowhere to cover Ward.