The Hollows Of Hiraeth (✔️) | 'Hollows' Book I

Chapter Ninety

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All I could think about was how she had shamed me on that stage days after my arrival, and I would give anything to go back and kick her in the stomach.

"They're waiting for you guys," She announced to Jameson and Max, her eyes narrowed but her glossed lips poised into the shape of a sickly sweet smile. Max  nodded his head curtly before sneaking successfully past her and into the courtroom.

"Go on then, Jameson, you don't want to be late." Her voice stung my ears; she was putting her best faux kindness act, I realised. Jameson was about to turn back to me when Eden grabbed onto his hand and pushed him through roughly. She spun around to me as I tried to get past and follow Jameson. But no, of course not.

Her size eleven foot, don't quote me on that, stomped onto the tip of mine and I let out a yelp in pain, "If you repeat any of what you just said to the judges, it won't be just your feet that I'll mangle." Eden seethed, her face inches away from mine as she threatened me. The faux kindness left her in seconds, and a cold breeze was all that was left in the void that is her heart.

Jameson was waiting for me, but not right near the door, turns out he had been shoved a few people down, which I guess explains why my feet got elephanted on without any squabbles. I looked very out of place in my prom dress, but at least I didn't look like walking charity shop. Once I reached Jameson, he guided me to where I had to stand and I shrunk down behind him. It was only when he left my side to stand behind me did I feel the burn of a thousand eyes on me.

I wasn't paying attention, but, suddenly, I was nudged forward by Jameson and I saw the Judge eyeing me, as if, in an ironic turn, I was committing a crime.

"Sky Forest, do you confirm that the following allegations against you, committed by Harrison Wilscombe, are true: He struck you in the arm with a knife, correct?" I nodded, sliding a reply in the form of 'correct' before the Judge continued.

"These next allegations are only proved true if you give word for it, not much reliable evidence has been found as of yet. Harrison rigged your room with knives, in which a guardian, Carter Hays was injured from, correct?" My jaw was forty metres into the soil beneath the court room by this point. That was Harry?

"Miss?" The Judge persisted. My mouth opened and closed whilst I found the words to respond with.

"I'm not sure, I never let him into my room." I told her and she nodded, though the stress underneath her eyes seemed to grow with every syllable.

"These allegations don't have much evidence against Harrison, is there much–" The Judge cut Harry's poor choice of a lawyer off with a sharp glare.

The Judge returned to her case notes, "Harry tackled you down and attacked your arm brutally. Correct?"

I nodded. "Correct."

"Harry confirmed that an accomplice of his tackled you down two days ago, you were knocked out. You didn't give in a statement." The room went silent. The walls seemed to close in. Jameson's presence behind me seemed to tower over me; I could feel his anger. I never told him. I didn't want to worry him. What have I done?

"Correct, I don't know who it was, though." I told her honestly, I had thought it was a female. I wrung my clammy hands in front of me as nerves walked my body slowly into a state of severe panic. Jameson's presence behind me turned from red hot angry to cold and distant and my heart started to ache. Why didn't I tell him?