The Senior

Chapter Six - We Are the Champions

Emily's POV

I met up with Becca at a small cafe on Northbridge University campus. She stood up when she saw me, twisting strands of her hair around one finger. "I drove over as soon as I could. Your first mock trial sounds like a big deal," I said.

"That's because it is a big deal. We argue a pretend case, but in front of a real judge," Becca said.

"That still sounds like it should be no sweat for you."

"Normally, you'd be right, except my mom just called to say she's coming to watch mine! She's taking a half-day and everything."

"And that's bad?"

"She's never come to anything I've done before. And while it means a lot that she's trying to change that..." She wrung her hands. "Now I'm a hundred times more nervous. I can't screw this up in front of her!"

"Becca, it doesn't matter what she thinks."

"What?"

"You didn't go to law school to impress your mother. You went because it's what you want to do with your life. The only standards you need to meet are your own."

"I can always count on you for my daily shot of perspective." Becca sighed. "Mom or no mom, I'm still nervous about performing. It would mean a lot to see a friendly face in the courtroom."

"Of course I'll come! A mock trial sounds exciting. What usually happens?"

"The faculty picks a real-life case that's already been tried and switches some of the identifying details around. Then we try the case ourselves in front of a real judge. Opening statements, cross-examinations, the whole thing."

"With witnesses and everything?"

"Yeah, we use drama students and volunteers mostly. Why?"

"Could I participate? 'Pretend to be another person for a day' is on my bucket list, and this sounds like the perfect opportunity."

"Why not? I'll talk to my professor. Just don't expect me to take it easy on you in cross-examination!"

Becca and I chatted for a few more minutes before I headed back to Hartfeld.

******

The next day, I arrived in the courtroom about an hour before the mock trial was scheduled to start. Becca came up to me with a file folder. "Good news! One of our volunteers called in sick, so you get to be a witness. Here's your character info and witness statement," Becca said.

She handed me the folder. "Don't I get a script?" I asked.

"There are no scripts in mock trials."

"So I'm making it up as I go along?"

"Not exactly. The answers are all in your witness statement, but how you answer is up to you."

"So I could get up on the witness stand and cluck my answers like a chicken?"

"Sure... if your character's a chicken. Mock trials teach us how to question different kinds of people. Helpful people, hostile people, unpredictable chicken people... The important thing is to stay in character no matter what. I'd stay and help more, but I need to go over my opening arguments one more time before the trial. Good luck!"

Becca rushed off before I could ask anything else. I sat down heavily on one of the benches. "So I have to improvise the whole thing? I guess that's one way to step into another person's shoes." I opened the file and quickly read through the basic details of the trial. "'Maria Smith, a homecare nurse, stands accused of murdering Eleanor Jones, her elderly patient.' Oooh, juicy! Nothing like a good murder!"