Penny For Your Thoughts? [unedited]

c h a p t e r • t h i r t y s i x

••••••••••••••• chapter thirty six •••••••••••••••
•••••••••••••••• the last chapter ••••••••••••••••

Tommy decided that he'd handle the legal team, especially since he'd basically been interning for Dad's legal team for years. He somehow, by the grace of the Gods, managed to get us one of the best lawyers in New York to represent our case. Our lawyer, Magnolia S. Tinsley, was the Elle Woods of The Big Apple. We were just a bunch of Davids, but with her smooth ginger hair tied up into a tight bun and her pencil skirt clinging tightly to her legs, she was ready to take on our behemoth Goliath, aka Tobias "Toby" Weaver . Her kitten heel pumps were pointy enough to kill a man and she was a woman that I could definetly support, one hundred percent. She told us that we'd undoubtedly win the case, especially with all the evidence we had against Dad. We were nearing the finish line, this was the last stretch. Our court date was in tomorrow and we were prepared. All that was left to do was wait. Wait and hope.

I sat on my bed and sketched, watching the sun go down outside my window. My pencil swirled and danced across the page as I tried to get rid of my nerves. Everything we worked so hard for was finally about to pay off. I realized that this had become less and less about SCAD. At this point, it wasn't about the schools at all. I didn't care about SCAD, I didn't care about Wadlington, I didn't care about how Dad was ruining my art career. What I cared about was taking the power back. I wanted to right the wrongs. I wanted justice and equity. I was tired of sitting around and letting my father walk all over us like some cheap rug from a flea market that he would use for a week then get rid of later. If I had to be the vigilante by sending my on father to jail then so be it. Besides, the role of 'vigilante' suits me well.

I was busy drawing away my world when my door creaked open, and a head popped in. I looked up to see Benny slowly slide into the room with a smile on his face.

"What are you so chipper about?" I asked, looking back to my sketchbook.

"I have a surprise for you." He grinned.

My brows furrowed as I looked to him again. Benny and surprises never meshed well together. The last "surprise" he gave me had 8 hairy legs and 8 judgy eyes.

"Bennett, if it's another tarantula I swear to God-"

"No, no! Not that. Just watch okay?"

I sighed and sat up on my bed, genuinely intrigued now.

"On the count of three, One...two...three!"

As soon as he said three, another body slid into the room. I saw her large curly locks before I saw her, and I'd know those curls anywhere.

"Ta-Da!" Jaylen grinned, throwing her hands into the air.

"Jaylen?" I asked with disbelief.

"No, it's Oprah." She deadpanned. "Yes, it's me!"