𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍 / alex standall ✓

𝟓𝟔. the big hallway blowup

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷ 𝐋𝐄𝐓 𝐈𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐏𝐄𝐍
56 / THE BIG HALLWAY BLOWUP
↳ season two, episode eleven: bryce and chloe
act two / the polaroids

𝐍𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐀 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐉𝐄𝐒𝐒𝐈𝐂𝐀 both woke up today feeling lighter. Nessa had stayed the night at Jessica's last night so that neither of them were late to meet Chloe at the courthouse. They wanted to make sure that she felt supported enough to agree to tell her story.

Jessica shook Nessa up from her peaceful sleep as she pointed at the clock on her nightstand, letting her know that she had about five minutes to get dressed before they had to leave for the courthouse. Nessa quickly jumped out of bed and pulled on the outfit that she had laying on Jessica's desk chair, grateful for the ability her hair had to hold curls through a night of sleep.

Jessica dragged Nessa out of the house quickly and both girls sat in silence, Nessa tapping her feet on the floor as Jessica sped through town. It was a rather short drive, and soon enough, Jessica parked and the girls got out of the car, beelining into the courthouse and into the room where the lawyers were already sitting down with Chloe and her mother.

"Chloe, Mrs. Rice, our window is closing here." Dennis, the Baker's lawyer, said to Chloe and her mom. "To be clear, by testifying that Bryce raped you on campus, you'd help support the argument that Liberty's protection of rapists allowed more rapes to happen, and refute Bryce's testimony that he had consensual sex with the girls on tapes 9 and 12."

Nessa shifted uncomfortably next to Jessica at the mention of their experiences with Bryce. Chloe looked up at both of them, but all they could offer her was a kind smile. Nessa was afraid that if she said anything else, she might reveal her own identity and find herself back on the witness stand.

"Do you understand?" Dennis asked, and Chloe nodded.

"I, I think so." Chloe stuttered.

"You mentioned, uh, your little sister?" Mrs. Baker piped up from next to Dennis.

"Amelia." Chloe revealed her sister's name, and Olivia nodded.

"If you decide to testify in that courtroom, maybe the next girl, maybe even Amelia will be safer." Mrs. Baker said, trying to pull at Chloe's heartstrings for a better chance.

"Chloe, I know this is a lot." Nessa finally said, interjecting into the conversation. "We know it." she gestured to both her and Jessica, realizing that they were asking Chloe to have courage that neither of them had when they were on the stand.

"I know me and Nessa are asking you to do the thing that we couldn't do, but if you could do this for all of us, whatever happens next, we have your back." Jessica said as she reached across the table, grabbing Chloe's hand as she comforted her and got her used to the idea of confronting Bryce.

Chloe looked around at all of the people in the room that were waiting for an answer from her, her nerves apparent by the way her eyes danced around and her lip trembled.

"It's up to you, sweetheart." Chloe's mother said as she placed her hand on the small of Chloe's back. "Whatever you decide."

Chloe inhaled softly before breathing out. She closed her eyes, willing herself to make a decision.