E I G H T E E N
>November 16th, 2017<
>Manhatten, New York<
Tapping the face of his watch, the man frowns adjusting the blazer he'd chosen for the day. Not that his typical attire usually consisted of something so grand, but Niall had realized that this was going to need more than a polo shirt with golfing shorts.
His phone is turned off, Niall anxiously parking his Range Rover by the courthouse where he was beckoned to come that day. He wasn't immediately asked to speak for one of his bandmates, instead, it was Lana herself, Louis' lawyer, that contacted him begging to just meet with her in the judge's chambers.
She had added that without the extra press, or pressure, the truth could be revealed.
Louis less confident that there was a "truth" in a case like this. He had already accepted the loss, the fact that there wouldn't be as much as a truth but more so the cold verdict. Would he be convicted of rape, or not?
Trudging to the door, Niall taps his foot as he waits in line to be taken through the metal detector. Dropping his keys and phone into the basket, Niall flinches when the machines beep, "Sir, your watch."
"R-right." Niall manages to unclip the band from his wrist laying his Rolex in the bin as well. Stepping over the threshold again, he sighs as a mock relief is lifted from his shoulders. That was the easiest part of his day.
The guard smiles comforting towards him as he returns Niall's items, "Court today?" The man asks raising an eyebrow, Niall wants to scoff and gesture to his innocent appearance, he's then reminded of who he is here to see - Louis didn't fit the dreaded description of a criminal.
Uneasily, Niall rubs the back of his neck having clipped his watch back in its rightful place, the metal brushes his neck causing him to flinch, "N-no," He mumbles bringing the watch back to his line of vision, "Here to see Lana, Lana Winters."
The once sweet look contorts itself to a scowl, the man nods solemnly directing Niall with a simple nod of the head towards the room behind him and to the left, "There." He speaks with a gruff tone Niall hadn't picked from him in words prior, "Right, thanks."
Pushing the door open, Niall wipes his hands on the charcoal slacks he'd chosen to pair with the blazer, his oceanic eyes immediately flicker to Lana that being the only woman in the room demands attention silently. Her hair is resting perfectly on her shoulders, curled upwards as if it was another attempt to establish near-dominant etiquette.
She unfolds her arms, a plastered smile masking her features as she offers Niall her hand in greeting, like predicted, Niall's hand distinctively takes the underhand, he wouldn't be fighting to be alpha with someone as powerful as her.
"Glad you could come, Howard, this is Niall," A balding man clears his throat nodding, he rises straightening his tie with his left hand as he extends his right glancing at Niall's wrist, "Nice watch, a pleasure to meet you."
"You as well," Niall returns politely wondering if the watch was a good idea or not, it not only reminded the men of his wealth but kept him in tune with time. It was fleeing before him, and in that judge's chamber, there wasn't a damn thing he could do to stop it.
Taking the chair closest to Lana and Howard, Niall clears his own throat, "Is Louis coming today?"
On time the door is opened again, the same guard Niall had met at the door stands with the daggers in his eyes, hand offering Louis up like an owner would it's mangy dog. "Smoke breaks over, the judge will be done with Lunch any minute now." As if he was scolding Lana for being in his chambers, the woman scoffs grabbing her own pack of cigarettes, "That's fine I'll just have to smoke in here then, thank you for escorting Mr. Tomlinson back," Taking one out, she sticks it teasingly between her teeth seeing the man surrender as he lightly pushes Louis into the room.
Once the door is closed, Lana returns the cigarette to her pack narrowing her stare at Louis, "How nice of you to finally join us-"
"I said don't involve him," Louis growls eyes never leaving Niall's, the younger one in the room exhales softly, "Lou you're in trouble-"
"You don't think I know that?! I raped a man Niall-!"
"No!" Lana once again is demanding all eyes be on her, this time with her barking tone, she slams her hand down on the table, "You listen to me Louis, I want you to win this case, just as bad as you did."
Niall frowns tearing his look to Louis, "Did?" Sulking, Louis takes the chair at the opposite end, furthest from others, "You will not win this case, Louis, if you believe for one second the lie they are accusing you of." Lana informs crossing her arms to encourage the dominating stance she held, "You didn't rape him, Louis." Niall finally speaks again, this time solely to Louis, and to him alone.
Scooting his chair towards him, Niall places his left hand on Louis' arm, "Why would you even say you did?"
Staring up at his young friend, Louis sniffles fighting back tears that sprung his earthy eyes, he wants to sob yet shakes his head, "H-he wants a divorce, a life without me." Glancing at Niall's watch, Louis smiles weakly knowing it was the Rolex he purchased for the boy, "Might as well rot in prison if he doesn't want me,"
"Rot in prison for a crime you didn't commit?" Lana asks, "You can't convince a jury, if you can't even convince yourself, Louis."
- BaileyPress -
