Eyes.
It's always the eyes. They didn't believe her.
What more could she tell these people?
“Ms Wright, is it true that you were underage drinking at the defendant's party?”
She swallowed.
“Yes, your honor.”
The camera flashes became harsher as prosecution took a stand.
“Your honor, my client was assaulted by Mark Riggs at his party. Intoxicated or not, he committed this crime.”
Nodding, the judge pounded his gavel.
“Short recess. The jury will decide on the verdict.”
Lottie paced around the small room.
“Ms Wright, try to stay calm-”
“MRS. TURNER I'M SCREWED.” She sobbed. “They won't think of me as any other than an whore-ish irresponsible teenager.”
“That's not true. They know you're the victim here.” Her lawyer eased.
Stopping in her tracks, she turned towards the older woman.
“You think knowing I'm the victim will change anything? Mark's an all-American boy. He's captain of the football team, class president, does community service, and attends the youth groups at his church. He's rich, and his family makes donations to local foundations, everyone knows him. Everyone loves him.” She rasped, “But who am I?”
“Lottie…”
“I'll tell you what they think I am..” The girl held up her phone, hand shaking, scrolling through all the dm's on her social media pages.
“I'm just a whore. I'm just an impoverished slut wanting to leech off the success Mark Riggs is gonna get. I just want to ruin this man's life.”
Her lawyer looked away, “I can show them proof of your suicide attempt. That'll change some perspectives-”
“IT HASN'T. AND IT WON'T.”
Lottie continued to shove the messages on her phone in her lawyer's face.
“These people want me to die. They tell me that almost every day.”
Tears pricked her eyes. “I never even wanted all this attention. I figured, if I bring it to light, there'd be a chance he'd get something, anything taken from him, as a consequence of him robbing my innocence from me.”
There was a silence in the room as she dropped her phone and trudged over to a chair.
“But I was wrong. I was so wrong. You can't fight justice with money. Cause’ money will always win.”
Mrs. Turner's jaw went slack.
“Lottie, I'm trying my best to win this case for you.”
She scoffed, “Win? We're not winning. We've lost the moment I stepped foot in that courtroom.”
A gentle hand rested on Lottie's shoulder.
“Mrs. Turner” she sobbed, letting the tears fall now, “They hate me. The way Mark and his lawyers looked at me, like they wanted me to feel humiliation. I hate being humiliated.”
“I know, Lottie.”
“I just want it to end.”
Mrs Turner squeezed her shoulder and dropped her head, “I'm sorry Lottie.”
“All rise.” The judge asserted.
Silence permeated.
“The jury has come to a decision.”
It's over.
“Mark Riggs-”
Over.
“Is not guilty.”
Mrs. Turner dropped her head and squeezed her hand under the table.
“Lottie Rose Wright will resume education at a different educational facility to avoid further conflicts. Court dismissed.
YOU ARE READING
LOVE YOU, LOTTIE.
Mystery / Thriller"You're perfect for me. You will save me." Assault hurts a girl. When she's forced to attend a new school, things spiral. As an obsession deepens Lottie's left to endure things she thought she left behind. Yet, nothing is as it seems. Deception a...
