nerd.

trente-trois

Dedicated to @bottleofstars, thank you so much for writing that letter/book, it means a lot!

Two Weeks Later

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Arielle Evans 

Today is the day of the trial, and I couldn't possibly be more nervous. I fiddle with my fingers anxiously as my mother neatly plaits my hair to the side and ties it off with a rubber band.

"You'll be fine. Your father is going to meet us at the court." Mom soothes, rubbing my back through my itchy black blazer.

"What if the judge declares not guilty? What if Seth gets out of jail and comes after me again?" I panic, raking my hands over my jeans again.

"He will declare guilty, as long as you believe in yourself, and your innocence." Mom replies softly. I nod, tears stinging my eyes and making them burn with the eyeliner. We both step out of the house and Mom locks the door behind us, shutting the storm door. I open the car door and climb in the passenger seat, not knowing what to expect for today.

*

To say the very least, the courtroom was not what I expected. A cluster of jury members were seated in the corner of the room, away from the stands, but close enough to where they could hear what was going on. Mason and Harry were sitting together, to my surprise, in the rows of seats, and Harry gave me an encouraging smile as I walked past. I take a seat at my table next to the lawyer my mother hired, and listen patiently while she goes over everything that she is going to say and everything that I need to say. When a few police officers enter the room with Seth in tow, I immediately stiffen, and sweat begins to bead my forehead once more. 

Seth shoots me an evil smirk and I quickly look away. Out of the corner of my eye, I can see Mason stiffen and clench his jaw. I glance back to see Harry's reaction, but I assume he didn't see the smirk, because he is still typing something on his phone. I turn back around just as the judge takes his seat at the podium and flips through the file papers. He taps his mallet against the hard wood of the podium, and everyone quiets down. 

"Arielle Jessica Evans, please come up to the witness podium." he says, and I stand carefully, stepping around my mother's chair to walk up there.

"Place your hand upon the Bible, miss." the woman there directs, and I follow her directions before reciting what she tells me to. 

"You may return to your position, Arielle." The judge says, and I quietly shuffle back to my table and sit down again. Seth stands, still handcuffed, and repeats my same actions, staring at me the entire time. I look down at my skirt and fight the urge to nibble at my cuticles. "Please remain at your stance, sir." Judge Drew says when Seth tries walking back to his table. Seth rolls his eyes but returns to the podium. "Mr. Richards, you have been accused of," Judge Drew pauses, looking at the papers again. "coming after Miss Evans multiple times, making physical contact with her against her will, and kidnapping her." Judge Drew frowns. "Now is your time to say whatever you need to say in your defense before we have the lawyers involved." 

"I don't have anything to say, thank you." Seth smirks. 

"You may return to your table." Judge Drew says, a bit of annoyance tainting his voice. Seth is escorted by the police officers back to his table, and he plops down in his seat, not tearing his eyes away from me. "Mr. Richards, I'm going to have to ask you to keep your eyes up here and off of Miss Evans." Judge Drew snaps. Seth quickly diverts his attention back to the podium. 

"Laura Young, please come forward." Judge Drew commands, and my lawyer stands and moves in front of the table. "What would you like to say in defense of your client's case?" 

"Arielle Evans has been bullied at school starting a few years ago, sir." she starts. "She found Mason Richards, someone she thought she could actually trust. Their friendship grew into something more. When she went over for dinner with their family one night, she was caught off guard when Seth Richards burst into their home drunk and demanding things of his wife. He touched her against her will and would not let this child leave their house until at least a few hours later. A few days later, Seth had tracked her cell phone to her friend Harry Styles' house and demanded that she come with him. Harry Styles had kicked him off the property at that time. Just a few weeks ago, Seth Richards had kidnapped Arielle when she was walking home from Mr. Styles's house and they were found in the woods just before he took her elsewhere, perhaps even to a different country. After that Mr. Richards was arrested for attempted kidnap." She pauses to take a breath. "I am pleading guilty, Judge Drew, because Arielle is just a child and she was mistreated by this horrible man." Judge Drew nods, smiling slightly, and looks at me sympathetically. 

"Mr. James, you may come forward to present your client's case." Judge Drew says, looking pointedly at Seth's lawyer. .

"Seth Richards is a recovering alcholic, sir. He is struggling to stay away from the drinks, but his conscience keeps telling him to have another, then another. Truly, it isn't his fault that he drinks. It's the influence, sir." 

"Do not change the topic, Mr. James." Judge Drew spits through gritted teeth. 

"As I was saying, he does not drink by choice, but by influence. Just like that, the actions he takes are not by choice, but by influence." 

"Objection, your honor!" Laura yells, shooting up from her seat. "I would like to call a witness to the stand." 

"Objection granted." Judge Drew sighs, raking a hand throug his thinning hair. 

"I would like to call Harry Styles to the witness stance, your Honor." she says, and Judge Drew nods. Harry gets up from his seat and squeezes past Mason before running up to the stance. "Mr. Styles, would you please describe the morning of when Mr. Richards had appeared at your doorstep looking for Arielle?" Laura asks, and Harry nods, looking directly at Seth, his eyes filled with nothing but hatred and anger. 

"Arielle had come to my house that morning to visit." Harry begins. "Seth was banging on the door until I opened it, and he had demanded to see Arielle with no rhyme or reason. His behavior did not indicate that he was drunk, nor did he have any scent of liquor on him. He was definitely not drunk you honor, so, Mr. James, your client was not under the influence when he did what he did." 

"I think I've heard enough. Jury members, have you made your decision?" Judge Drew interrupts. A member from the jury nods and runs up to the judge, giving him a slip of paper. 

"Well?" Laura prompts. 

"The verdict is.." Judge Drew pauses, smiling at the paper. 

"Go on..." Laura motions for him to continue. 

"Guilty." 

a/n-

ok so i dont know exactly how a trial goes but i did my best so pls dont complain thanks v much

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ilyasm xo