Rose Bridges

Fifty three

Carmen

"Him and his little friends have said the most vile racist and misogynistic things to me, and I barely know them." Zara scoffs to herself with an angry smile as she gets worked up and annoyed. "The things they have said about Carmen to her face blow the things they've said to me out the water. I remember once she came crying to me after school because Alexander and one of his friends told her how she would never become a lawyer and that she was better off being a house maid because 'that's what people that look like her do best,'" she says with air quotes, then rolling her eyes and leaning back leisurely in her seat. "I don't like bullies, and that one," she points to Alexander. "Is the biggest bigoted one ever so I don't care what you do with him just get him away from my best friend." She looks to the judge. "Thank you, your honor. That's all I have to say."

The judge pushes her glasses up and nods. "You may return to your seat."

Zara sighs with a thank-god-that's-over-with look and steps off the witness stand.

"Mr. Brown, being that you attacked Ms. Castillo unprompted-"

"Excuse me, your honor, but it was prompted," he claims, interrupting the judge.

Her eyebrow lifts. "How, may I ask?"

He clears his throat. "She insinuated I was a homosexual."

An amused smile pulls on her face and then the next second it drops and her manner becomes dead serious. "So that's a valid excuse to assault someone? When you were the one who, as your witness-girlfriend assured, started the altercation by making a comment about Ms. Castillo's incarcerated partner?"

He stays quiet.

I look over to Amanda who sits awkwardly in her seat.

"This incarcerated partner which you and your friends were also sending messages to saying for him to," she glances down to the papers ma printed out. "kill yourself you poor...and then a few racial slurs that I will not be repeating?" Her eyebrows pinch and she looks at him annoyed.

Sighing, she folds her hands and lifts her glasses to perch on top of her head. "Mr. Brown, one thing I don't tolerate is bullies, especially violent ones. And considering you are of legal age, this is more serious than the slap on the wrist you were probably expecting. You will be sentenced to 182 days in a correctional facility." She hits her mallet down, signifying the decision is over.

My eyes widen as I glance over to Alexander who is now standing up with a confused look on his face. "Six months?! Your honor, I'm sorry, but I think you got it wrong. Really it wasn't even that big of a deal. Plus I'm not the type of person that belongs in prison. And the finals of a really big debate competition is coming up soon and I can't miss it." His lawyer rubs his temples next to him.

The judge shrugs. "I don't know and I don't care. Now exit my courtroom."

"Have a good day, your honor." Ma nods to the judge and grips her briefcase as she stands up.

I stand up and thank the judge before walking over to Zara.

Alexander is still trying to argue with the judge, his parents now trying to bribe her.

My chest feels heavy, but light at the same time. Thank god that's now over with.

Zara stands up with a smile and opens up her arms as she walks towards me.

"Oh babes. I'm so proud of you. Now I won't have to see his ugly face ever again," she tells me with enjoyment in her tone and I chuckle against her shoulder.

Just for today I wore an all pink outfit because I knew it would make him even more mad. And because I needed all the confidence I could get.

I'm wearing baby pink mary jane heels, white frilly socks, a pink plaid skirt, and a white blouse with light pink sweater. A pink ribbon tying two pieces of hair at the back of my head, of course.