Tolerate

chapter eleven

"Don't go." I mumble into the girl's chest as i hold her tight. "Please."

The blonde girl sighs and squeezes me. "I don't have a choice, babe." She kisses my forehead sweetly before removing her embrace, I don't let go. "Love, you have to let go."

I begin to cry against the girl's chest. "I can't..."

"We can talk to each other every day, alright?" Another kiss to my forehead. "We can call and text and I'll even write you letters, I promise." Another kiss. "I have to go."

Eventually, I finally tear myself away from her with tears in my eyes. "You're gonna be a great musician someday, Reneè. I'll go to all of your concerts."

She smiles and uses her thumbs to wipe my tears away. "I love you, Harper."

"I love you too."

—

It's the day of Dakota's trial. I walk into the courthouse hand in hand with Layne and Vienna. Renee couldn't be here today due to paparazzi, she didn't want this to be a public thing and honestly neither do I.

"Don't even look at him, Harper. Act like he's not here." Vienna says softly as we walk into the courtroom.

"I'll try."

"We love you so much, Harper." Layne announces as she excuses herself to the other side of the courtroom to talk to her brother.

I sigh and keep my eyes forward as I take a seat. My lawyer joins me and Vienna sits behind my chair. When the judge and jury walk in, I gulp.

God, why does there have to be so many people?

"All rise." The judge says and everyone stands.

As he speaks, my eyes drift to the other side of the room and lock onto Dakota who looks completely unbothered as he checks his watch and sighs as if this court hearing is completely ruining his day.

He turns his head and our eyes lock. I gulp as he grins and waves his hand menacingly. I immediately look away.

—

After three long hours of listening to the judge and jury and almost everyone's testimonies, it is time for Dakota to be called onto the stand.

My lawyer squeezes my hand as Dakota sits down and looks right at me. "Dakota Carmen, correct?" She asks him as she gets out of her chair and releases my hand.

"Yes ma'am."

"Can you please explain to me what happened the night of June eleventh?"

I gulp as I watch his smirk twitch. I know that look anywhere, he's about to lie... even though everyone so far has said he was guilty, he is going to make up his own story.

"I was at Harper's apartment after my little sister, Layne, told me to go over and apologize." He tells some of the truth.

"Apologize for what?"

"For making fun of her sexuality. I didn't know she was a lesbian until the day prior and didn't know how to react. You see ma'am, when I found Harper hanging out with this... girl one day, I didn't think either of them were that kind of person!"

"Enough, mister Carmen. I asked you one question, not to explain your entire life story." My lawyer says sternly as she holds eye contact with Dakota. "I do not believe my clients sexuality has anything to do with your personal opinion."

"Ma'am, I already apologized for overstepping-"

"When we searched miss Bradley's apartment, we found two empty glasses. Can you tell me what kind of drinks you and her shared?"

Dakota pinches the bridge of his nose, feeling annoyed. "We had a bit of alcohol. It was only one of those lemonades though ma'am, I definitely was not intoxicated if that's what you're going to say."

"You were not intoxicated but what about Harper?"

He sighs and shrugs, "Harper had the same amount as I did but I suppose she's just a lightweight."

My lawyer pauses. "In one of the glasses, we found traces of benzodiazepines. Does that name ring a bell, mister Carmen?"

I watch Dakota carefully as he clenches his jaw and shakes his head. "No ma'am."

"How about flunitrazepam?" He shakes his head no. "Rohypnol?" Another head shake. "What about the term "being roofied" mister Carmen, ever heard of that?"

Dakota pauses. The room is so quiet, I can hear the jury write on their notepads. "I think we are all here for the wrong reason today."

"No Dakota, we are all here to put you in prison for drugging this innocent girl and raping her just because she's a lesbian." My lawyer says in a very stern tone. "And if nobody here can see that you're guilty, I will take you back to court over and over again until you sir are behind bars. A man like yourself does not deserve a free life."

My lawyer sits back down next to me. "Those are all my questions your honor."

"Alright. Mister Carmen, you are dismissed."

I release a heavy breath as my lawyer tells me it'll be my turn next on the stand before the entire room is dismissed so the jury can make their final decision.

"Miss Bradley, is it?" Dakota's lawyer walks up to me for questioning as I sit down in the large chair beside the judge. I nod nervously. "You have to use words in a courtroom, miss."

"Yes." I clear my throat.

"You're here claiming to have been drugged and sexually assaulted by my client, Dakota Carmen.. right?"

"Right."

The lawyer looks me up and down with his eyebrow raised. "Miss Bradley, answer me one question. If you were drugged, how would you know if you were assaulted?" He pauses for a moment. "Surely you wouldn't remember."

"Your honor." My lawyer says from her seat but the judge holds up his hand so the man can continue.

"You could be doing this for money, to get your name out there for popularity.. the opportunities are endless for a pretty girl like yourself."

I lower my eyebrows in confusion. "I can assure you that I am not here to sue Dakota, I'm here to put a guilty man in jail so he can't do what he did to me to other innocent women."

"Miss Bradley, you cannot call my client by his first name in my courtroom. It is highly against-"

"Sorry your honor, but I cannot call a rapist in an honoring way." I say, maintaining eye contact with Dakota who sits with handcuffs on his wrists.

The judge raises his eyebrows, "Continue."

"I'm not here to get money, sir." I look at Dakota's lawyer. "But that man that you're fighting so hard to protect... he's not innocent." I take a breath and hesitate for a moment before I continue. "And if you'd allow me, your honor, I'd like to call one last person to the stand."