The Annoying Dreamer and the Artistic Doubter

Court Intrigue

"Alright everyone, today's the trip to the Kings County Supreme Court."

Most of the class, especially Royal's friends, groaned.

"Can't we go somewhere fun?"

"Or watch the new Hunger Games movie?"

"You all complain we never do anything interesting, and when we do, you get upset. Try new things, start lining up."

Silas was searching through his bag, overhearing it. A devil morphed his grin into a smile.

"Huh, where did I put my glock?"

His voice was loud enough for most of the people in the room to hear.

"Oh shit he's doing it today!" Everyone else immediately ran out of the room to Camila's dismay.

"Line up properly out there! Silas, let's not make those types of jokes."

"It got them out of the room, didn't it?"

"Inside and outside of the school today."

"Sir, yes ma'am!"

Camila raised a finger. "They know the school has a metal detector, right? Even if you brought a gun to school, wouldn't school safety have come up already to check you?"

He tried hard to stop himself from chuckling. "Fear really messes with people's brains."

"Well that's an understatement." Been a while since I've went to a court. Hope I don't run into anyone that saw me before. "You want to go?"

"I'd prefer to watch a movie too: although I wanna see if Addison Rae survives the Thanksgiving slasher. But I wanna see if my old lawyer is still working there. Hey, wait for us!"

"Oh, cool," quickly following behind before doing a double take. "Hold up, you have a lawyer?"

"Like five. I'll tell you when we're alone."

Silas, what did you do? Did you make the same mistake?

He noticed she was eerie silent throughout the walk in the cold air, forcing him to tap on her.

"Huh, what?"

"Ms. Rose, wanted to make sure you were paying attention."

"Sorry Ms. Caesar."

"You look like you're contemplating whether to snitch on your friends about to commit a heinous crimes to the police to prevent them from getting hurt or do nothing since they don't have a choice."

Wait, he - hold on. "Why is that so oddly specific?"

"I'm an oddly specific person sometimes."

"That's," having to think about it, "good point. I just hope it's interesting."

"Valid," shrugging on the surface, eying her face when they started walking side by side.

Ms. Caesar introduced them to the tour, who led them through the metal detectors before taking the class up the elevators.

"So what kind of cases do you cover here," Royal asked. "Murder?"

"Not necessarily. The County helps those gain licenses, register marriages, passports, and filing business name statements. Anyone thinking about owning their own businesses one day?"

Most of their class had their hands up. Silas nudged Camila.

"You don't want to make money off your art?"

"I mean I would, but make a business out of it?"

He put his hand up. "Question, what about content creation? Something like art, movies, YouTube, TikTok, making books?"

"Absolutely, you need to keep a good amount of your finances. If you're making money off it, I'm hoping legally," earning laughter from a fair amount of class. "But you don't want them to end up wasting it all immediately."

One of them coughed. "Royal."

She sucked her teeth. "I do not be wasting my cash-as much."

"We also have courts to help relatives deal with their family members who passed away."

"What, gas?"

Silas sucked his teeth. "If they passed away, dead, dodo," earning groans and rage.

"We also have the family courts for matters with children and families. Those are less fortunate but who can take any guesses?"

Silas raised his hand. "Custody, visitation, child abuse, paternity, and um, maternity?"

"Correct. Pretty knowledgeable for your age. Any other guesses?"

Camila tried. "What's it called when they send you to juvie?"

"Ah, you mean juvenile delinquency. While it's not as severe as prison, judges can sentence people your age into anything: house arrest, juvie is one, that is correct young lady, though there are others."

Silas raised his hand. "Question, what if a teen fights their parents or hurts them, and the police find out they were defending themselves?"

"Um, could I get more details?"

"So there was this movie where this girl killed her husband for abusing her, and she was put under house arrest before his ghost tried to kill him. But her husband's friend was a cop and didn't believe her till the ghost beat him up. If that was a child, what then?"

"Well I believe they wouldn't put officers with ties to the parent, but there would definitely be an investigation on the topic. I'll see if a judge is nearby."

As the class followed him, Silas heard a voice calling him. Camila turned with him at an older figure that resembled Silas, but without the glasses and assertiveness.

"Dad?"

"Silas!"

His eyes seemed excited to see him, and Camila did not expect him to punch his dad in the chest.

"Where have you been? You owe me like three years worth of money and visits!"

"Is that anyway to greet your dad?"

"Is that any way to leave your son!"

Should I be watching this?

"I'm back to see if I can. I lost my job last time so I couldn't pay enough, but I earned more to see you. I'm meeting with the judge to see if it's possible."

"I'm back to see if I can. I lost my job last time so I couldn't pay enough, but I earned more to see you. I'm meeting with the judge to see if it's possible."

"Don't you owe me enough to pay for my college?"

"Wait, has it been that long? How many years do we have left till that happens?"

 "Counting this, two."

"Isn't it three if we count this year," Camila asked.

"Yeah, she's right."

His dad's hands scratched the back of his head. "We'll have to cross that bridge when we get there."

Silas crossed his hands. 

"That's no excuse. You said you were coming back on my birthday. Friends ghost each other, not family."

His father's eyes darted to Camila's, unsure of what would be said to him.