The Bad Boy Returns

Chapter 50: Trial And Error

KAT'S POV

As Nate slowly makes his way over to the stand I feel my heart begin to beat at an unsteady pace. He seems bored as if this was just a giant waste of his time. He lazily slumps into  the seat facing Chase with a glaringly annoyed look. Chase paces in a semi-circle back and forth like a shark watching its prey. "Because of your attorney's lack of skill you have already been proven to have been across the street in the area of the attack, by not only two witnesses but you've admitted it yourself." He eyes Nate before sliding the written transcript of the evidence. I watch her examine it, watching the rest of the questioning continue. "What were you doing there exactly?" Chase questions, motioning for an answer immediately. I began biting at my nails trying my hardest to stay calm. "I was going over to hang out with Shane like we would always do, but I saw what was happening so I stayed back." He says a little bit too defensively for Chase to ignore. He nods at Nate not believing one words coming from his lips. Nate sits there calm and collected not making a move. "It is told that you had been drinking that night, is this true?" Chase lifts his eyebrows suspiciously. Nate looks over to his attorney waiting for a nod of approval that would have been missed if you hadn't been paying attention. "I had a little something that day, and I realize that I shouldn't have been underage drinking." He answers in the most insincere way possible but they bought it. I almost scoffed at his half-assed attempt to charm the judge. "Did you or did you not see Kat at any point that night?" Chase gets straight to the point having a hard time getting to Nate. He has a great poker face, you would never know he did anything remotely bad. He replies with, "I did." Before slumping his back against the smooth seat. "Could you elaborate a little bit on exactly how you saw her?" Chase asks becoming inpatient with every question. Nate glances over to his attorney waiting for a sign of approval to answer the question which he receives with a curt nod. "I broke up with her that night, that's what happened. It's not my fault she couldn't deal with it." He spits at Chase sparing me a smug look before being dismissed to his seat. I clutch the armrest, digging my nails into the sensitive fabric leaving a dent. Gritting my teeth I attempt to stop myself from saying anything to that comment. I can hear Shane's rapid breath behind me and I can already tell that he is fuming.

"Attorney Winters, I believe you have one more person you'd like to call to the stand?" She looks at the small outline of the trial sitting beside her. "I would like to call up my client Katherine, up to the stand your honor." Chase states. I hesitatingly slide out of my seat and make my way over to the stand sliding into the small space beside the judge. I look out at the crowd and see Shane and my dad both giving me looks of encouragement and I look even further I see the others doing the same. I shift my eyes over as I hear Chase call my name. After pacing for a moment he makes his way in front of the stand, giving me a small nod. I wring my hands behind the stand where no one can see.
"What was going on before this attack occurred? What was happening on that day? Can you explain that day up until the attack?" Chase begins, speaking with his hands.
I take a moment before speaking.
"It was a normal day. I was with my family for most of it." I explain not knowing what else to say. "For the rest of it you were with Nate, correct? What were you guys doing that day?" He continues.
"Yes I was." My voice cracks as I speak lowly. "We were just hanging out that night." I simply reply, not sure where he was going with these questions.
"If I could interject for a moment?" George lifts his hand up, causing everyone's head to turn towards him. Chase sighs turning to silently ask the judge. "Make it quick, Attorney Salk." She waved her hand for him to continue talking. "I just have one question for you." He turns his attention towards me casing me to shuffle in my seat.
"If this alleged assault did happen, why didn't you tell the police?" He questions with a smug smile as if he thinks he solved the entire trial. "I did, more than once actually." I explain to him feeling agitated. He'd do anything to try and make it out to be my fault. "There weren't any police reports, how come?" He scrunched his eyebrows, mocking me to go on. "They didn't believe me. They said that he was a nice boy who had a football scholarship and that I should stop trying to ruin his life." I say almost verbatim. He nods not showing any emotion. "That was all, you can continue." He makes his way back to his seat. Chase watches him with confusion. What did he get from doing that?

"So nothing was out of the ordinary? How was Nate acting?" He burrows his eyebrows? Getting back to his own questions.
"I don't think so. He was acting normal...at first." I say.
"At first? What did you mean by that?" He practically interrogates me. I have to keep telling myself that this is his job and he's not actually accusing me of anything.
"After a while he was acting strange. He was a lot more, um aggressive and you know the rest." I answer my voice getting quieter with each word.
"Do we? If time permits I'd like the court to hear the story from Kat herself?" Chase turns his attention to Judge Cardin waiting for her permission. I stare at her hoping she won't make me relive this again. She nods with a grimace. "I'd like to hear what she has to say. She hasn't been given much room to speak on her behalf."

I mentally freak out, shaking my leg up and down nervously.
How many times am I going to have to talk about this?

Turning back to me Chase gives me a sorry look, sighing. "This is very important, whenever you're ready." He says only to me. The room goes completely silent. I could hear my own heart beating rapidly. I fiddle with my fingers beginning my story, my voice cracking. "Um, we were sitting in his car after he picked me up. He told me that he had to talk to me. It was getting dark by then." I look down at my hands afraid to look up. "He started talking to me about all of this nonsense, moving closer to me. Normally I wouldn't have been shocked but the look in his eyes was dark. I could tell he was slightly wasted, not enough to not know what he was doing though." I continue explaining, my entire body shaking at this point. "He just kept getting closer, I tried to push him back but he's twice my size at least. He, uh..." I trailed off, looking up to see people's intrigued faces. "He pinned me down, and uh pulled my clothes off. I fought him I really did but it didn't work." My voice cracked, after I started it was like a dam burst in me and I couldn't stop my mouth from talking. "He was on top of me and he wouldn't stop. I kept screaming but he wouldn't stop and I..." I'm cut off by the judge. I looked up to see shocked faces staring back at me, their eyes wide with horror.
"I have heard enough, I'm going to call recess and when we come back the jury will come to a verdict." She says before standing up. I reach up to wipe my face and feel wetness on my cheeks. I didn't even realize that I started crying or how much I was really crying. I stumble out of my seat and make my way out of the crowded room into the hall outside. I spot Shane standing right outside waiting. Slamming into his arms, he envelopes me in a tight embrace. "I'm sorry, kitty." He kisses my forehead, holding his lips there for a good couple of seconds. I sob into his chest, my body shuddering. His head goes up and I move to see what he's looking at. Chase stands beside us with an apologetic look. "Why the hell did you make her do that dad?!" Shane shakes his head at him, burrowing his eyebrows. "I wouldn't have made you do that if it wasn't important. I'm sorry." He ignores his sons question, looking at me. Everybody stand around us looking over to me. I make eye contact with my dad, his facial expressions resembling a hurt puppy and a pissed off lion.
"Shane, can I talk to you for a second." Chase motions for him to go with him. He looks down at me before pecking my salty lips, walking away with his father.
I make my way to my own dad, leaning into his embrace. We sit down on a small dark red futon. I lean my head against his shoulder not speaking a word to him. I don't even know what to say. After a couple of minutes Chase makes his way back over to us with Shane tiredly trailing behind him. He motions for us all to go back inside and I feel as if my heart is going to stop.
"Time to see what happens."

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