The Ghost of Him

18. Court

(((A/N please forgive this chapter idk how courtrooms work// **also trigger warnings for this chapter**)))

*Melanie's POV*

I was escorted out of the hospital after a week of being in there and immediately taken to a large black car with tinted windows, after we had shoved our way through a crowd of reporters. I was a little uneasy at first -- I had never seen this car in my life -- but when the back door was opened for me and I met Frank's reassuring smile, a strange feeling washed over me and I hauled myself into the car and wrapped my arms tightly around Frank's neck.

"We'll be going to your house first, so that you can change your clothes if you want, but then we need to get to the courthouse," he said as I let go of him. I noticed that he was wearing a tuxedo, which complimented him nicely. "Are you ready?"

That was a terrific question. Was I ready? Probably not. I was suddenly overwhelmed by the feeling that I was going to throw up.

"Can't I just say that I'd rather not be in a room with Gerard right now?"

Frank hesitated, sensing my uneasiness. Or maybe he just noticed how sickly and green my face was probably looking at the moment. "They really need you to testify, Mel," he said quietly.

I wonder if he knew. If he knew that I wasn't sure I could tell boldfaced lies to a jury. If he knew that I would give anything not to put Gerard through listening to me say these things about him. Maybe I should have just taken Gerard's offer on running away before I ever said anything to him about being pregnant.

I didn't say anything else, considering that our driver and whoever else was in the front seat could hear every word of our conversation.

I felt Frank grab my hand and gently rub his thumb over the back of it. "It'll be okay. All you have to do is tell them. . . ," he paused and glanced at the people in the front seat before meeting my eyes again. He smiled weakly. "Exactly what happened. Gerard will probably talk first."

He gave me a look and I took it as a hint that all I was going to have to do was copy off of what Gerard was saying and just add in a few details. Still, I wasn't in the mood to tell extravagant lies to a whole jury.

When we arrived at my house, I grabbed Frank's hand and pulled him out of the vehicle with me so that I could talk to him inside.

As we entered, my parents (whom I asked politely not to come to court) were huddled on the couch discussing something that probably had to do with me. They turned around and stared at me like I had just brought a toad into the house.

"Who is that?"

I opened my mouth to respond but didn't know what to say. I couldn't tell them the truth because if they found out that Frank was a friend of Gerard's I would never be allowed out of the house again.

"I'm her boyfriend," Frank blurted, giving my parents a nervous smile. "We've known each other since --what? -- third grade?"

He glanced over at me, his eyes pleading with me to play along, and I nodded furiously, trying to convince my parents to let us go.

My dad gave him a sideways glance. "How come we didn't know about you?"

Frank giggled, and I think I was the only person in the room who could detect the nervousness in it. "Well, see, we got together about a week before she was kidnapped and we were planning on telling you that week. But, as you can see, things got in the way."