Her Light - His Darkness✔

Chapter 38

I stand before the full-length mirror in Ava's room inspecting the black pencil skirt and navy-blue button-up blouse, she was kind enough to borrow it to me and I'm having a hard time understanding the importance of it all.

Two and a half weeks have gone by and today is the day I testify against the man I thought I'd spend the rest of my life with and the man I thought I'll love forever.

I haven't stepped foot into that court room since Landon's trial began but I have been following it through the news, things aren't looking too good for him. His lawyers have been arguing some bullshit about insanity just like Dwayne told me they would, but the case is being picked apart by the DA and I find it oddly satisfying.

"I hope you're decent, I'm coming in!"

"I'm decent." I call out as Ava steps into her bedroom, not bothering to wait for my reply.

"Told ya it'd fit."

"You did, but is this necessary? I huff out, arms folded across my chest, "I could just wear jeans and a decent tee."

"I did my research okay. You need to look trustworthy and credible, like you have your shit together, His lawyers will definitely bring up the whole drug thing, they'll do anything to make the jury see you as a bad person out for revenge instead of as a victim," she grimaces at the word, holding her hands up in surrender, "sorry, survivor."

A week ago, Ava referred to me as a victim and I lost my shit, refusing to see myself as just that, a victim. I am not a victim, I am a survivor, I survived the four years of unknown letters and torment, I survived the kidnapping, I survived Landon's attempt to murder me, I fucking survived!

I'm not a VICTIM!

I'm a motherfucking SURVIVOR!

"And you know this how?" Groaning, I slip the black strappy heels on. Converse would've been so much more comfortable.

"I told you, research." She says in a duh tone, rolling her eyes.

"Where'd you do your research?"

"Do you have any idea how many legal shows there are on TV?"

In response I burst out in laughter, Ava's face scrunching in confusion at my reaction.

"What's so funny?"

"Lo, we need to go, we're gonna be late for your appointment with Dr. Rose."

"Coming." I respond to Christian peeking his head in through the open door between my laughter.

"I'll see you there." I give a small wave of my hand at a dumbfounded Ava.

Surprisingly Ava has made a lot of progress with Dr. Rose this time round, her smiles come more naturally to her now, lighting up her entire face, her goofy side has made more of an appearance in the last two weeks than it has in the last six months that I've known her or it could have something to do with Nathan.

Ava confided in me about Sarah a few days ago to distract me from overthinking. The night Chris caught her cheating and Mikey died, Sarah came rushing to the hospital and upon hearing the news she told Ava to worry about it later, they have more important things to discuss and something along the lines of he'll still be dead tomorrow. She didn't go into further detail about what happened, but I heard enough to guess the outcome.

Sarah hasn't stopped by the house since that night Ava dragged her out and it seems like a distant memory that she came waltzing into the backyard, interrupting our evening.

Thank fuck for that!

Christian and I have been spending a lot of time together lately, most of the time like now, we're in a comfortable silence, every so often I'd admire his side profile while he drives, blushing like crazy every time he catches me. As we step out his jeep the brown brick building standing tall before me scared the shit out of me the first time I arrived, the green vines creeping up along the side of it made me think of a horror movie for some reason, but now I quite like the way the vines creep up the wall.