Crashlanding

Chapter Twenty Five.

I tuck the hair that was lose behind my ear, and sigh to myself as Perri stands behind me, his arms wrapped around my waist, resting his chin on my shoulder. "You look beautiful" He whispers, as I smile at him in the mirror. "and, i'm insanely proud of you" He whispers, placing his lips to my cheek, as I look at us both in the mirror, a moment that looked so happy, so joyful, but it wasn't, today was real, today would be a reminder to my living nightmare.

"Sam, Jord and Ash are meeting us there, Starr and Geo are riding with us" He whispers, as the door knocks indicating that Starr and Geo had just arrived. I nod my head, as I tug at my skirt, making sure it didn't look too revealing, not that it would, it was below my knee, black tights underneath, covering any skin that I would usually show.

Perri takes my hand in his, as we walk to the front door, everything feeling like it was slow motion, like none of this was real, that this was just a dream, I would wake up, wake up any moment now.

As we sit in the car, my mind drifts to the sights we pass, my eyes focused on the outside world, the people walking down the street, the families we passed as we drove by, each tree a different shade of green, the green his eyes were.
Here comes a wave meant to wash me away, a tide that is taking me under..

My head snaps to the direction of the speaker, Perri's eyes following me. "Babe?" He whispers, as we pull into the parking lot, my ears still listening to the song.
I won't cry and I won't start to crumble..

"This song" I whisper, as images start replaying in my head, the focus ever so clear, as clear as day, as my hand comes to my mouth, Perri's eyes flashing with worry. "Ava are you okay?" Starr asks as she opens my door, crouching down to my level, as I look at her. "I won't be silenced, you can't keep my quiet" I sing along to the song, as Perri smiles at me. "Are you ready?" Starr whispers, as I smile at her, nodding my head.

Cause I'll breath when they try to suffocate me, don't you underestimate me, cause I know that I won't go speechless..

"Right, Miss Jordan's, you'll wait in this room until an allocated person comes to collect you, you decided to not opt for the video statement" my solicitor states, as I feel Perri's hand grip harder on my small one, I give him a small smile as I nod my head. "Yes" I whisper. "You're first up, it shouldn't be too long now, if Mr Kiely could take his seat" the solicitor states, as I turn to Perri, the worry still evident in his eyes. "I'll be fine" I whisper, as he nods his head. "You're silenced, you're not quiet anymore" he smiles, placing a kiss to the top of my head, as another memory flows into my head. "I love you Kiely" I whisper, as he smiles down at me. "I love you too" he smiles, before he walks into the courtroom.

—-

As I take to the witness stand, I look out into the viewing area, seeing Diversity sat staring at me, like this was part of their day job, all of them filled with worry, their faces saying a thousand words.
As I swear on the bible, and hold my hand on it, repeating everything I have to, my eyes wonder around the room, seeing him stood there, seeing his dark green eyes staring at me.

As I close my eyes, the last few years reply over in my head, the feelings, the emotions, the memories all coming back to me, as the tears roll down my cheeks. "Miss Jordan's we are aware of the current situation you are in with your memory loss, so you are just here to listen to what the hospital and doctors have to say on the matter of some of your questionable injuries" the judge states, all of the eyes in the room falling on me. "Your honour, I would like to testify against Mr Arnold's with the memory I recall" I state, my voice loud, my voice clear, I wasn't speechless, I refused to be speechless now that I remembered. I look briefly at Perri, who is like the others slightly shocked at my words, their mouths open slightly. I look to Louie who's eyes were the green that had haunted me in my dreams, the green that I remembered clear as day now. "Miss Jordan's are you saying that you are able to make an honest statement as you recall your memory" the judge asks, the court becoming silent again. I nod my head, taking a deep breath. "Yes your honour" I reply, as I grip the stand in front of me, the grip on it making my knuckles go white, as I stare at the green eyes, the smirk on his face fading.

Potential Trigger Warning.

"I don't recall when the violence started, I don't recall the date at this moment in time. But Louie used to get angry, so angry at times he would smash my head into a wall and tell me that I wasn't worth it, that I would never amount to anything" I state, my voice still loud, but not as strong as it had been. I take a deep breath, and shake my head. "At parts in my life I would accept what he would tell me, telling me that I wasn't worth anything, the emotional abuse was always there, I just refused to believe it. I used to pass the occasional hit, or push against a wall as it was my fault, that I had made him angry. I would lie to the doctors at the hospital, ignoring the domestic abuse cards because I didn't believe it, I refused to believe that the person I loved would do that to me. But the one night he came home late, I was in the shower" I state, looking down at my feet briefly, trying to gather the courage I needed. "He came into the bathroom, he slammed my head so hard against the shower wall I passed out, I woke up in a hospital bed, the doctors telling me that I had slipped in the shower, and they told me that the baby I was carrying was fine, that they were healthy. I didn't know I was pregnant, nor did Mr Arnold's" I state, the memory of the day causing fresh tears to fall as I look at Louies eyes, as they soften, but his body language suggested he wasn't as calm as he looked. "You weren't fucking pregnant" he shouts across the room, clawing at the glass. "Mr Arnold's I ask that you remain silent" the judge calls, as I look at Perri briefly, the tears falling down his face. "The following days Louie repeatedly hit and kicked me, causing me to have a miscarriage" I sigh, my hand wiping a few stray tears. "I do not remember everything fully, but I remember this moments as they are something that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Louie Arnold's is an abuser, not just physically but emotionally or mentally, he tears people down" I state, as I look at the judge.