You're Not Imagining

Chapter 14-

I dug into the back of my closet trying to find something professional to wear, though all I was able to find were oversized jeans, sweatpants, and stained t-shirts.

"Fuck" I sad rubbing my head trying to get rid of the headache I've had all morning.

Today was the day of Nicholas' trial and Jade with the help of Nicholas' lawyer was lucky enough to be able to get me a place to speak on defense of the man. I was going to do anything in my power to bring him back home.

I was snapped out of thoughts from a knock at my door. I turned around to see Kai in the doorway holding a suit.

"It may be big on you but it does the job" he said tossing it over to me.

I caught the suit looking at it, then back up and Kai smiling, "Thank you"

"Go bring your man home"

-

I followed Jade and Kai through the hallways of the courthouse. The halls felt so big and empty, each step I made echoed throughout the halls and every breath I took was loud and clear.

I felt a hand grab onto mine and looked up beside me to see Jade. "This is the man you have waiting years for, you're not going to loose him now"

My heart didn't want me to let go of the man but my brain wanted me to let go of him. My brain reminded me that he caused the death of a young girl.

Nicholas was 19 while the girl, stuck being 16. A life cut too short for recklessness, but I couldn't bring myself to blame him. I wanted to see the good in him, only the good.

"You ready?" Jade said standing in-front the two big doors leading to the court room.

I wasn't

"I'm ready" I said as Jade opened the doors

-

The room felt huge and suffocating. To think at age 19 I would be defending someone in court for a hit and run car crash that killed someone. My hands fidgeted as I tried to keep calm during the opening speech. I will admit it was long and boring but my eyes shifted to a door closing and I looked up to see him.

To see Nicholas being bound in cuffs and dragged into the court room felt wrong. This whole situation felt wrong to me I didn't want him to go through this. He looked over his shoulder making eye contact with me, delivering a small smile. His hair was greasy and unkept and I could tell he didn't have time to wash up before the trial even began. Dark purple under eyes laid on face and he didn't even look like himself at this point. He looked tired and defeated.

I was cut out of thought from a man's voice, "Our honor my client Nicholas Porter is being put on trial for the death of Gabriella Miller. We stand as not guilty".

And the case began.

It was hard to keep focus during most of the case it all seemed like such a blur. Both of the lawyers, the one for Nicholas and the one for Gabriella both stood up and gave their speeches and evidence. Then witnesses were able to speak. Gabriella's mom came up first explaining how much she hated Nicholas and I quote "he should of been the one to die in the crash that day".

My heart stung for my man I knew how much talking about Gabriella hurt him so being put on the spot light in front of a bunch of people was hard for him to go through.

Everything went by so quickly it was soon my turn.

My legs felt like hello going to stand up on the podium. I never realized how much I hated speaking in front of people till this moment.

An officer came up to me holding a book, "Please raise your right hand." I held up my right hand. "Do you solemnly swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, and you will keep secret all do the proceedings of the grand jury conducted in your presence? So help you God."

I took a deep breath, "I do".

And then the stage was mine.

"On April 12th, 2015 I met Nicholas Porter at a party where he single handily saved my life after a house fire was started. The hospital told me it was a miracle I had no damage inflicted on my lungs due to the smoke inhalation. The guilt caused by the murder of Gabriella Miller made him leave me that night, afraid he would hurt me. 3 years later we met again in college where he confessed to me that everything about me reminded me of his old love and he was scared to love someone else due to hurting them, but he confessed to me. He loves me and after knowing everything he has been through and the pain and guilt caused by the mistakes he made as a teenage I know that he will never make the same mistake again. He learned the consequences of his actions, his old ones may have not been the best but he is older now and I believe he has changed." I took a deep breath looking over at the judge sitting next to me. "So I ask of you to please let him come back home with me today. He saved me and I don't know how I can live a part from him. He is everything to me".

I looked over at Nicholas who had tears streaming down his red face. I gave him a comforting smiling before hurrying back over to my seat.

The rest of the court case went by so slow. I just wanted to know what would happen to my man, it was painful to sit through the rest of the 2 hour case.

But then I got my answer; the conclusion to the case.

"The jury finds Nicholas Porter guilty for second degree manslaughter."