Afraid // Calum Hood

Chapter 29 // Court

Adelaide's Point of View

The closest I've ever been to going to court was watching an all day marathon of Law and Order and proudly being able to recite the opening sequence to SVU. But here I am, moments away from entering a real courtroom for the first time in my entire life.

After the hospitalization of Eric and the rumors speculating about how he had gotten so badly injured were spread, the road to the trial was quickened. Almost every person in the town were attending the trial as if it was some sort of tourist attraction. Even Luke and Ashton were making an appearance today.

Calum finally came out of the courthouse's bathroom after several minutes. His sleek back suit hugged him perfectly. It was a shame this suit had to be used for a trial and not for some red carpet event. My hands smoothed out the material on his broad shoulders and fixed his silk tie so it was straight. He leaned forward and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

"You look extremely handsome," I told him. "Maybe you will win just simply due to the fact that you are so attractive."

Calum's grinned down at me, his big brown eyes seeming to be filled with concern. His hand grasped mine, intertwining our fingers together. "Don't be nervous, okay?"

"I'll try," I mumbled, inhaling a deep breath as he pushed open the heavy door to the courtroom. Heads turned to get a glimpse of us while still continuing their exceptionally loud conversations.

Calum kept leading us through the aisle, his jaw clenched tightly and an emotionless expression plastered over his flawless face. His eyes widened at the sight of an older couple in the third row and he bent down to whisper in my ear. "Ellie's parents are here."

"It's okay," I assured him, squeezing his palm tightly as we approached the front row where I would be sitting in case I needed to be called up to the stand. "Good luck out there, alright? I love you, Calum."

"I love you too," He replied, pecking my lips for not even a second before dashing towards the chair next to his lawyer.

I sighed, sliding down the aisle to the empty spot between Lucy and Luke. Calum's parents were directly behind me, along with the beautiful Mali-koa, and Michael and Ashton were both in the first row as well. I rested my head onto Luke's shoulder as he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me against his body, clad in a sharp suit, in a comforting manner. My nerves were more evident than I wished them to be. Lucy was clinging onto her boyfriend in a similiar fashion to the way Luke and I were positioned which relieved me that I wasn't the only one so distraught.

Calum was called up to the stand after a few minutes of shuffling around and he pressed his hand against a bible, swearing to tell only the truth. The intimidating lawyer of Eric, the bandaged up boy who was currently sitting on the defendant's table, started pacing in front of Calum with his hands folded together.

"Mr. Hood, you were convicted of the murder of Ellie Cunningham three years ago, correct?" The lawyer with wrinkly skin and thick black frames resting against his oversized nose.

"Yes, sir," Calum spoke into the microphone in front of him.