Forgotten and Forgiveness

Chapter 16 - Open Cuts

"Lucy Heartfelia, you are here today for the murder of Lisanna Strauss." My eyes are watery. Even though they've told me this a thousand times, I don't protest against it. They wouldn't believe me anyway. I see my father sitting in one of the front row seats with a tuxedo on. He probably stole it to look professional and like he wouldn't harm a single hair on my head. But of course that would never be true. He's like Natsu. No matter how many times you say I forgive you, it will never change the past. 

I sit there in the middle of court, quivering and shaking. I feel lonely in a deep, deep hole that life has dug for me. It feels terrible. On the other side of me are the Strausses. Vice Principal Mirajane and Mr. Elfman. Those role models will never treat me with the same kindness again. "Ms. Erza, what did you say you saw on Sep. 16, x792?" Asks the judge, Mr. Jellal. She lets out a small blush. 

"From my window I saw Lisanna give the gun to Lucy after she went to help her Jellal....ahem....Mr. Jellal." As far as I knew, Ms. Erza had been crushing on Mr. Jellal since they were children. But she never got lucky. Judge Jellal watches the Strauss siblings shake their heads in complete denial. "Lisanna would never do that." The sentence slips from Mirajane's mouth. 

"You have no right to say something as of now." He tells them. "Continue Ms. Erza." He gives her a nod. "Lucy came out from behind my house and ran to Natsu Dragneel's house. We all heard the shot pierce the air. Lisanna shot herself. Lucy was just trying to help." I peer over at Natsu who is standing on the Strauss side. I can tell he wants to believe Ms. Erza badly. 

"Ms. Strauss, what do you have to say about this?." Jellal asks plainly. "Lisanna was a kind, generous girl full of compassion. She would never frame someone unless she had to." She says through a cracked voice. I really do feel bad for them, but they need to know that Lisanna committed suicide herself. 

"Natsu Dragneel, you were a former boyfriend of the girl. What do you have to say?" I look over at him with eyes that could threaten to cry any second. 

"When I came out of my house, Lucy's hands were coated in dark red, and she had her hand on the trigger. Lisanna was a..." He pauses, then looks at me. "very nice girl that would not harm anyone." Judge Jellal nods, then says "Do you have any knowledge on what you saw that day? Did you look out any windows like Ms. Erza?" Natsu hesitates, fighting something within him. 

He looks down. "I don't know." Judge Jellal then asks him "Do you have any relation with Lucy Heartfelia?" Natsu manages to mutter "No. Just a few "hello"'s exchanged in the hallway." I feel tears start to drip from my cheeks and onto my orange prisoner uniform. My hands are cuffed in-front of me and it reminded me of the time we were handcuffed together. 

"It's a lot more than that." I spat. Everyone turns to look at me. Natsu lied in court and they are astonished to hear my voice speaking up because they were too confused and nervous to use their own. "Nobody told you to speak Lucy." Jellal says. My bodyguards give me a look of negativity. "He's lying in court." I say. "I thought there is a punishment for that!" 

"LUCY HEARTFELIA!!"

I shrink back into the plastic uniform that's too big for me and smells like rubber bands. He looks back at Natsu who's hand's are...shaking? "Again Natsu. Do you have absolutely any relation with Lucy?" I look at him through pleading wet eyes as if I'm begging for him to say yes. My teeth grip together, about to break. "I-I-" Is all he manages to stammer. Rage and madness start to come gushing out, like I felt that day when I beat up Lisanna. 

"Natsu!! I was handcuffed, tortured, depressed, and kissed by and with YOU!!" I say through sobs. He looks over at me. There is nothing more that I want right now besides him holding me and rocking me back and forth when we were kids and I was sad. "I FREAKING LOVE YOU SO MUCH!! AND IF YOU DON'T KNOW THAT, I COULD DIE!!" I scream. I run out of the grip of my policeman guards and into Natsu's chest. 

I squeeze him so tight he could burst. I cry into his shirt for a brief moment, then the guards let go. All I can remember is the look in his eyes. The same mine have been for the past 10 years. Sadness, depression, and heartbreak. Then the world goes to a blur. 

I wake up a week later on my concrete bed. Or at least that's what my roommate Cana told me. It's been two weeks since court. It's still undecided whether I'm stuck here forever or not. I still don't see why they are making me go here if they didn't even know if I did it or not. Now I sit on the bed, resting with my head up against the wall. It's turned to see all of the beautiful charcoal drawings she's done on her ceiling. I often look at them, and know I will be for the next year. Then it's off to regular jail and out of juvenile. 

I look back down at my lap, were I'm working on writing an essay for ELA at this place. ELA here has no levels at all. So that's probably why it's about how important grammar is and how to use it. Here, all I hear about are really disgusting comments from boys, 'I'm going to kill you, literally.' looks from girls, and whistles when I'm picking up something that I dropped, and my butt is in the air. I've never been to a place so retarded.

Earlier this week, Natsu came to visit me, but I flipped him off and walked away. I don't want anything to do with that bully who can't make up his mind. A month passes, then two, three. I'm honestly starting to wonder when they rescheduled the court day. However, one day in the middle of December, I get taken down to the main office. "Judge Jellal has decided without our help who has won the argument." Says the deputy of the police department in my area. I look glumly at the ground. "Hmm. Who was it sir?" I ask, not looking up. 

"Lucy Heartfelia. You screamed at the judge, shouted unnecessary things at everyone, and were forced to be put to sleep. Why wouldn't I have ordered your beheading ceremony on the 24th?"