“It’s okay, we’re gonna win this thing, I promise.” My attorney, Bill claimed. But I was too busy to pay attention to him, I was too busy, looking at Craig. He smiled a sinister smile that tore my already hurting heart in two.

He wasn’t alone this time- no, this time he had that girl with him, the one that pushed him into hurting me.....no! No she didn’t do anything! It was his choice, not her’s.

But it was just so much easier to blame that whole thing on her. After all, she was the one who acted like she was on my side the entire time! She was the one who I called when I didn’t know who else to turn to, or what I was supposed to do next! She was my rock, the only thing that kept me sane!

“Ms. Mathews?” Bill asked, as if just now noticing that I hadn’t been paying attention to a word that he had said. When I didn’t answer, he slowly turned his head until he could she what I was looking at, and with that single glance that he had gotten he understood perfectly what was going on in my mind that very second.

“Don’t even pay attention to them, they’re just trying to play games with you, get you off guard.” I heard his voice, but it was like he was speaking incoherently, I couldn’t make sense of his words.

I checked my watch, five more minutes. We took our seats, just as the judge walked into the room. This was it, my time to get what I want and then get out.

?????


“She’s looking at us, you know.” Ashley whispered from behind me. “Then let her look,” I say
“Craig, I don’t know if we should be doing this,”
Liz looks my way and I smirk, “Do you want to go home then? And see a wanted man your entire life?”
“No it’s just,”
“Look, I know she was your best friend, but don’t you love me more then you like her?”
“She’s more then my best friend, she’s your sister,”
“No, she’s my past and you’re my future, baby,” I say, and Ash smiles

?????


I let him stand there, almost triumphant. I didn’t have the audacity to stand up to him, even if we were hurting Liz. But it just didn’t seem right, taking what was rightfully hers, and after all she had dome for us!

It was Craig’s own ignorance (and mine, too) that had put os in this position in the first place, so why were we trying to get Liz in trouble?

The judge came in and we took our seats. “Honorable Judge Brown residing” I looked over at Liz but she was staring straight ahead.

“Take your seats,” the judge began, then turning his attention to Liz he said, “Ms. Mathews, you say that your brother here, has been on drugs for quite some time now.” Liz nods, “Yes sir, that is correct.”


“And you housed him even though you were aware of his abuse?” she nods again, “Yes sir,”
“I see, now when was it exactly that you decided to turn him in?”
“Just a few weeks ago,”
“And what made you decide to come to the police?”
“I just couldn’t take it anymore, the guilt was eating me alive.” Tears began streaming down her cheeks, and her breath was coming in short panicky gasps.
“Thank you Ms. Mathews, you can sit down now.

Next it was Craig’s turn, he walked up there like he owned the place, and gave his little sister a huge evil smile, which she was quick to look away from.

“Mr. Mathews, your sister says that you have been under the influence of drugs for a large
sum of time.
“I’m sorry Judge Brown but my sister has no idea what she’s talking about.”
“So your telling me that your sister made this whole thing up? Why would she do that?”
“For attention,” he smirks
“But it is true that you’ve lived with her for a little over a year now?”
“Yeah that’s about right”
“So she would have witnessed if you had done any drugs?”
“Yeah,”
“Okay thank you, you may sit down,”

I looked over at Liz, who still wouldn’t even glance in my direction. I couldn’t take this anymore, I had to do what was right. I stood up, and in a voice so calm I surprised even myself I said, “Permission to approach the bench, your honor?”
“Alright,” Judge Brown responded

I stood up there and told them everything, from how Craig wasn’t only a abuser but also a dealer, to how he was in possession of many illegal alcohols and weapons.

“I even have proof,” I say, “send one of your officers to search his car, and you’ll find a bag of marijuana in the back seat.”

Judge Brown does so, and the officers returned to the court room I possession on a large baggy of illegal drugs.

The jury left the room to talk and when they came back, the judge asked, “Has the jury reached a verdict?”

An older man stood up and replied, “Yes your honor, the jury finds the defendant guilty,”