FUMES [2], jj maybank

29. DEVIL'S ADVOCATE

SITTING IN A COURTROOM is something expected at some point in my life. I just thought I'd be the one on trial. Not John B.

"John Booker Routledge, pursuant to the North Carolina statute section 14, you are charged with murder in the first degree with aggravated circumstances. If convicted, the maximum sentence would be the death penalty."

"What the fuck?" I whisper at the judges words. My heart drops, the panicked taste of bitter metal in my mouth.

  The people around us start talking immediately but my focus goes to Sarah right next to me. The tears start in her eyes and I rest a hand on hers. "Your Honor, he's 17!" JJ shouts to the judge. "Stop!" Pope tells him. Sarah and I stand up and I move to be in front of JJ as he continues yelling. "Babe, go! Stop!" I push him away with a hand on his chest.

  "He's 17! Are you kidding me?"

"You could be charged with some stupid shit, JJ. Walk away!" I say. Pope and I continue to try to push JJ away. I turn to John B for a second and he's already staring at us. "You're gonna be okay!" I shout to him. He nods as he gets taken away. Do I even believe myself? "John B! John B!" I hear Sarah shouting for her boyfriend. Fuck.

I walk away from JJ and go over to her with Kie. Bailey takes my place pushing JJ back. "Sarah!" Both Kie and I shout to the heartbroken girl. An officer blocks her and pushes Sarah away. I glare at the officer and pull Sarah away. "Stop! Don't touch her!" Kie yells at the man. "We gotta go, Sarah!" I shout.

  Kie and I walk her out of the courtroom. When the door closes behind me I immediately see Justin and Brandon outside waiting for us. "What happened?" Justin asks as he walks over to Sarah and I. "He could get the fucking death penalty for Rafe Cameron's crime!" I shout to make sure everyone around us can hear. "Sam!" Brandon yells at me. He's not mad at me, he just doesn't want me in trouble.

Blake moves through the ground, "Do they realize how fucked this is?"

"Jesus, where'd you come from?" I ask. He truly popped up out of nowhere. "I've been here," My brother says but I focus on the stairs beneath me.

"Is this a joke? Like, are we in hell?" Kie asks. "Damn well close to it...." Bailey scoffs. "I should have never come home," Sarah says. There's so many people outside of the court. It's like this is the show of the season. A teenager possibly dying is their entertainment. "They're gonna kill him, guys. I know it—"

"Sorry for what you and your family have gone through. Thank God the system works," A man says.

   I turn to see Ward walking past us. The system? You've gotta be fucking kidding me. "Are you joking, Ward?" I yell over the dozens of people talking around us. "Of course you guys think the system worked because it was made to protect you and people like you!" Kie steps in front of me to yell at the Cameron. "The system is bullshit and this proved it!" I yell, moving to be next to Kie.