Torn [J.Barber]

[04] EXPLANATION

May had snuck out once again that morning. There had been news that after Jacob's arrest, there would be the bail, and people would have to settle how much it will cost in the courthouse.

She wore a black hoodie, trying to blend in as much as she could. After all, she was not supposed to be there. While they were distracted, she had gotten past the other officers.

"This court is now open. Please be seated." Says a man just as she enters. She quickly takes a seat, keeping her head down.

"Good morning. Let's get started." Says the judge. "Bring in the defendant."

The door opens, revealing Jacob, and two officers by his side. The boy looks to his parents, but quickly catches sight of May in the back.

Panic overlooks his eyes, while he takes a seat, glancing back at her again. "Indictment number 08-44-07. Commonwealth versus Jacob Owen Barber. The charge is one count of murder in the first degree." A woman reads loudly.

"Is Commonwealth ready?" The judge asks. "Yes, it is, Your Honor." Neal stands up with a smile. "Ms. Klein, how does the defendant plead?" The woman inquires.

Jacob stands up along with his lawyer. "Not guilty, your honor." She states. "Let's go to bail arguments. Commonwealth?" She looks up at Neal.

"Yes, Your Honor. If I may, we all know the defendant's father who is here with us today. We all have fond feelings towards Mr. Barber. I, for one, have considered him to be a mentor for many years." He begins.

"Mr. Loguidice, I presume you know Mr. Barber isn't accused of anything." The judge cuts him off.

Jacob kept looking back at May, until May saw his lawyer ask him why he kept turning, and he stopped.

"Yes, Your Honor. But his history with this case is of great relevance to the argument I'd like to make regarding bail." He informs.

"Make it then, counselor." She encourages. "Yes, Your Honor." He says while he takes out his papers. "Commonwealth seeks a bail in the amount of 500,000 cash, five million surety." He calls.

"Oh, come on." Jacob's lawyer complains. "Commonwealth feels the defendant poses a particular risk of flight in light of the savagery of the crime and the overwhelming likelihood of his conviction." He explains.

May fiddles with the strings of her sweater, sighing. "Your Honor, the defendant has no priors. He has no history of arrests." Jacob's lawyer defends.

"The court does not consider the defendant a flight risk in the least." The judge states. "Bail is set exactly where it was yesterday. Ten thousand. A hundred thousand surety."

"I'll be sending this case to Judge French for trial, with pretrial set for August 21st." She adds, hitting her gavel down.

"Thank you, Your Honor." Jacob's lawyer smiles, then leans in to whisper something in the boy's ear. Soon, he is taken away once again.

Jacob looks back at May, before the door is shut behind him. Not wanting to stay there any longer, the girl stands up, leaving the room, and walking back home as fast as she could.

***

When May returns back home, she is met with her father at the door. She was away for too long. "Where have you been, May?" He asks, not angrily, but worriedly.

"Sorry.. I— I was just hanging out at the Blackburns next door. You know how they have their little five year old, Lily?" She lies.

The man nods. "Yeah, I was just playing around. Sorry, I know I should've left a note." She apologizes, looking down to the floor.

Mr. Rifkin sighs, then nods. "I'm not angry. Come on, there's news on the case." He informs, pulling her into the living room, where the television was set to the news station.

Mrs. Rifkin sat at the couch, gesturing for May to join beside her, so she does. After about a minute, May could see Jacob on the television, coming out of the courthouse.

Reporters were screaming his name, and asking him questions. His expression was blank. May holds her hand over her mouth, taking shaky breaths. This must be horrible for him.

It seemed to go on forever, cause reporters had followed them all the way home, until their car disappeared into the garage.

"I don't— I don't wanna watch this." May shakes her head, getting off the couch and running up the stairs, slamming her door shut.

***

May scrolls through her instagram later that night, now noticing that her home page was scattered with comments about Jacob, and then she checks her messages. A new groupchat.

Dylan.ston03
Holy shit u guys JB is literally on ever effing news channel

ScottWernerN4cer9
dude is gonna break the internet

YrboyJeremy808
My parents keep asking me questions

AideyDance
Seeing some girls on here saying he's hot lol

She sighs, rolling her eyes. Who in the right mind would add her to this groupchat? And why now?

GregKDaGawf
LAMFAO!!

YrboyJeremy808
Shit guys he follows Ben's sister

ScottWernerN4cer9
You mean May?

YrboyJeremy808
No dumbass I mean Selena Gomez
Yes I mean May

AideyDance
You guys do know that she's on the gc right?

*messages were unsent*

May quickly shuts her laptop, having had enough. She leans her head back on her wall, taking in a deep breath.

She hadn't even been trying to contact Jacob yet. She was too afraid to. What if he had lied to her yesterday?

Soon, she gets a notification on her phone. A text message from her mother, with a link to a news station.

She didn't know whether she wanted to click on it or not, but she needed more information, more insight. She wanted to find out what was going on.

So she did. "In my experience, what we saw today, the body language, the cold stare, the avoidance of any eye contact..." the reporter begins.

"...it's not a good look for someone accused of a crime of this magnitude."
She concludes. May rolls her eyes, now shutting off her phone as well.

This is becoming all too much. First she loses her brother, and now her only friend could be the murderer? Something doesn't add up.

Part of her wanted to speak to Jacob, to get some sort of explanation for all of this.