The Thief

23. The Ruling

Evane

The courtroom is alive today in anticipation of the ruling. I sit in the back not looking at Asher. I don't know what he's going to do but I want him to know I'm still angry. There's a surge of sound to my left and I glance over. Todd is walking into the room he glares at everyone before taking a seat. A moment later Emily and the twins walks in and sit near him, but far enough away that it could be thought that they might not know him.

"All rise for the honorable Judge Pearson."

We all stand and the judge takes his seat at the podium. "You may be seated." He goes through some papers and looks up just as Tom enters the room. The judge narrows his eyes at Tom, but Tom only smiles and comes to sit with Ember and I.

The judge focuses on Asher. "Mr. King."

Asher stands. "Your Honor, if you would allow it, I would like to say something before you give me my sentence."

The judge raises his eyebrows but says, "You have my attention."

Asher steps out from behind the table. "Yesterday you asked for the reason I committed these crimes and..." he glances back at Todd then at me. He turns back to the judge. "The reason is my foster father."

Todd makes a move to stand.

"Sir," the judge says, "if you're the man he's talking about, I would highly suggest staying until he is finished speaking." Todd sits back down. "Go on, son."

"Um, my foster mom works a lot so she's hardly ever home and Todd, my foster dad, takes advantage of this. He trashes the house while the twins and I are at school and then when we get home he expects us to clean it before Emily gets home. And that would be fine if that was it, but if we don't do a good enough job he... beats us. I went to the hospital a few weeks ago because of a particularly bad one." Asher licks his lips. "I usually take the beatings for the twins, but he finds different ways to punish them. He takes things away. Sometimes it's just toys, but other times it's food or clothes or blankets.

"I stole because they needed those things and I realize now," he glances back at me, "that I should have gone about it a different way. I should have told someone sooner but," he pauses, "I was scared he would hurt them."

The judge nods and then motions for the bailiff to grab Todd. The bailiff handcuffs Todd and reads him his rights as he's taken out of the room, Todd doesn't listen to the bailiff, instead he glares at Asher and then me just before he's gone. I can't help breathing a sigh of relief.

"Well Mr. King, I think you have done the right thing today," as the words escape the judge's mouth an invisible house seems to be lifted off of Asher's shoulders. "In light of the circumstances I sentence Asher King to three months in a youth detention center and community service. For your service I would recommend the youth programs, you seem to do well with children," he adds as a side-note. He bangs his gavel.

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"And don't worry about Todd, I will take care of that."

"Thank you."

Everyone stands and begins leaving the courthouse. I wait until the crowd dwindles before getting up. I look at Tom and Ember. "Thanks for coming you guys. And thank you Tom, I don't know what you said to him but it worked."

I walk towards Asher while Ember and Tom stay seated, already in another conversation. Asher's still talking with his lawyer, but he seems to sense me coming. He turns around right as I get close.

"I'll wait for you by the door," Ms. Hall says, smiling at me.

"Only three months, huh?"

He smiles. "All thanks to you. Is it the end of my sentence already?" Asher asks.

"Ha ha," I reply sarcastically. "You really think I wouldn't come?"

"Are you still mad at me?" He runs a hand through his hair, ruining the combed back look.

I smile. "I guess not, but way to wait until the last minute."

He shrugs. "I'm a procrastinator, always have been. So we're friends again?"

"Friends? I don't know about that..."

He takes a tentative step forward. "Best friends?"

I bite my lip, but step forward.

"Don't tell me we're only acquaintances because--" I cut him off with a kiss. He kisses me back hard. "So enemies it is."

"Just shut up," I say kissing him again.

After a moment he breaks away. "So three months. I'm not going to be able to see you."

I shake my head. "Nope."

"My lawyer said they'll move me there right away. Today."

"So this is goodbye for three months?"

"Yeah," he says. He glances at his lawyer and she motions him over. Asher looks back at me. "I'll see you soon, before you can say Harry Potter." He hugs me one last time and kisses my forehead before leaving.

"Three months," I mutter to myself.

Hello! Wow! So what did you think? Todd got arrested, Asher's going to juvie for three months! Do you think that was a fair sentence? What do you think will happen to Todd? Will anything change in the three months Asher is gone? Please comment and vote if you liked this chapter! Thanks for reading!