No judgement

25

It's court day. The day I have been so scared of for a while now. I have been in Indiana for at least two weeks, waiting for this day. I can't wait to never look back, my cousin is just as excited to leave. Zayn and Liam left about a week ago. They have stuff they need to do, but Niall, Harry, and Louis stayed. They told me they are not leaving me, work can wait.

I stood up and walked to the stand to testify, Jake staring at me the whole time. I sat down, waiting for the questions to be asked.  I know they are going to take the words that I say and twist them into something different. I have watched enough crime shows to get an idea.

"Please state your name." The judge said.

"My name is Baylee Lee Winters." I said, they made me swear to tell the truth. The basic court stuff that everyone has to go through. I looked over at Niall, who was keeping his full attention on me. Louis and Harry look really nervous, but I am thankful that they are here.

"Can you take us back to that night please." My lawyer said.

"On March 31, 2016 a night that changed my life forever. I was peer pressured into going to a party by Jake." I looked over at him and he is smirking. He thinks this is funny. "He told me that if I didn't go then he would break up with me, and ruin my life. Which he did both of those anyway. I had one drink, a single drink. He wasn't around me though so he thought I had more than that. He was the only person I knew at the party, so I felt small and panicked. He took advantage of that. He pulled me into a bedroom that was in the upstairs. Telling me that he just wanted to let us have a minute, so I could calm down. So I followed him up there. At first that was all that he was doing. Helping me calm down, he put his hand on my thigh. Which was normal, he always did that to confort me." I got interupted by the lawyer Jake has.

"So if it was normal for him to have his hand on your thigh, why was it such a big deal that night then?" He said. He must have a public defender becuase that honestly made zero since.

"I'm not finished yet." I said politetly. "He started to run his hand up my thigh, and prior to that night I never had sex. Not with Jake, not with anyone. So I told him that was enough. I tried to push his hand off, but he was too strong. He had a tight grip. He put his hand down my pants. I was crying and screaming for help. The music was way to loud for anyone to hear and Jake took me to the very back bedroom, where not many people go to. So I had no luck. He pulled my pants off. Pulling his down as well. He put his hand over my mouth holding it tightly. While he started. I was in so much pain. Physically and mentially. I didn't know what to do. He took his other hand and put it around my neck, chocking me. I almost passed out, but he finished before I could. I wish I would have passed out. I wish I would have, it would have been easier to just pass out, maybe he should have just killed me. Saved us both the trouble. I don't still think that." I saw Niall looking at me when I said that. I made sure he knew I was talking about the feelings I had that night. "I am glad that I am alive now. I just had a feeling of pain."

"Why didn't you go to the police that night?" His lawyer asked.

"I'm getting there." I'm getting a little angry with this guy. He doesn't let me finish. "When Jake left me alone in the room that night, I called my mother. She came and got me instantly. She talked me into going to the police. I honestly was so scared and I didn't want to go. I was scared of being poor miss little girl that got raped. She convinced me though, so we were on our way. She stopped at the stop sign on Mcmin street, a man ran the stop sign. He was drunk and going really fast. The corn fields made it hard to see, so we didn't see him. He didn't have his head lights on. So she died that night, and I got to scared to go to the police alone. I didn't have my mom to help me anymore, and I tried to tell my dad but he always told me that I deserved to be the one dead. So he didn't care. So that's the story. That's why I didn't tell anyone. Not until recently though. I told my friends a few weeks before we came here. They have been trying to convince me to say something. The other night I was so scared that when the cops came, I just blurted it out. If they would have left that night something would have happened. I didn't want me or anyone else get hurt." I finished. I finally got done with the story that was hard to get through. I tried not to cry. I didn't want to cry, but I did. I always do. Right now honestly I don't even care.

They asked me about a thousand more questions it feels like. I was so tired by the time they were done questioning me. They called for me to sit down, and for Jake to go up to the stand. I let out a long sigh, sitting down where I was earlier.

"Did you comit this crime on Baylee Lee Winters?" My lawyer asked. He looked at me with a big grin on his face.

"Yes I did." He said blantly. He said it like it meant nothing.

"Why?" The lawyer asked him.

"Because she was an easy target, she trusted me. I had been thinking about that moment from the time I layed eyes on her. Isn't she just gorgous." That was the end of his questioning. The judge declared that he is going to be put into prison for 10 years, without parole. I wanted more. I am also just really thankful that he is getting something. He will be a felon for the rest of his life, he won't have a chance at an easy life ever again. I got up out of my chair. Hugging Niall.

"Thank you for everything. You are a big reason I had the strength for this. I love you." I whispered in his ear.

"I love you. I am also so proud of you. You did a really good job." I kissed his cheek. I don't want to kiss him publically, there are camera's everywhere. I walked around the wall hugging Harry. He put a kiss on my forehead making sure that the camera is facing us. This is getting really old to me. I don't want to have to do this much longer. I grabbed Niall's hand walking out of the court room. We can go home now, and I have not been this happy in a long time.