One of the Boys...Right?

*Jess*

"In the case of the Walkers vs.Chase Andrews, how does the defense plead?" the judge asked.

"Not guilty, your honor." Chase's lawyer said. I stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Chase was such a lying asshole, apparently he had found someone just like him. How do you defend someone who goes around shooting people? [A/N: thank you, heartbreak recs. for making me laugh so hard with your comment]

"Please present your opening statements to the jury." The judge arranged her papers. Our lawyer stood up and walked over to where the jury was standing.

"If you will, think about your children, especially if you have teenagers. And think about their friends, kids you may see everyday. Now I want you to think about their lives torn apart by their friends being killed in a school shooting. Or, to think the worst, imagine losing your children. Never seeing them after they leave for school in the morning. Never being able to tell them goodbye. To many parents, this horrifying scenario was made reality on the day Mr. Andrews brought a loaded gun into school and recklessly shot students and teachers alike before threatening the life of an underage girl and her friends. So as you listen to the defense tell their story, think about how the lives of these people will never be the same." she nodded at them before returning to the table as Chase's lawyer stood up.

"A high school student, influenced by pressure from friends to drink and do drugs, pressured by school to excell, driven by hormones to get the girl he fell in love with. All of these things combined caused one boy to crack. This incident was never supposed to happen, and although it is a terrible tradgedy for those lives to be lost, we cannot blame the instinctive actions of a boy pushed to the brink." she said before sitting down.

"Jury calls Ms. Jessica Walker to the stand." someone said. I shot a worried glance at our lawyer. She gave me a calming smile and I slowly stood and walked to the small box.

"Ms. Walker, do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you God?" a baliff asked.

"I do." I nodded and sat down.

"Ms. Walker, how did you know it was Chase who forced you into the hall?" his lawyer asked as she walked around.

"I knew by his voice, by what he said." I replied.

"What did he say?" she asked.

"He said that he got what he wanted, but he didnt know what to do with it." I said.

"How did you recognize him by that statement?" she stared at me intently.

"In the beginning of the year, after I refused to talk to him, he told me he always got what he wanted." I looked away, down at my hands.

"Why didnt you tell anyone?" she asked.

"I didnt think it was that serious. He said stuff like that all the time. He tried to make himself sound so tough and macho, and he hated being denied anything. I just brushed it off because thats how he is." I shrugged.

"What happened in the hallway?" she fiddled around with a pencil.

"I tried to tell him that he wouldnt hurt me because he had done so much to finally get me. Then my friends rushed in and he made me leave. I hid in the art room." I bit my lip.

"Why would you listen to him if you never did before?" she came up to the bench.

"I-I...I was scared. I wanted to be as far away as possible." I tried to find a way to explain.

"What happened when your friends rushed in?" she asked.

"From what I know, one of my friends tackled him. The gun went off into the floor and the cops rushed in." I said.

"What happened after that?" she smirked.

"My friend...the one who tackled Chase...he found me and as we were walking back down the hall...I blacked out. I woke up in the hospital." I replied.

"Why did you black out?" she raised an eyebrow.

"Objection. Irrelevant." our lawyer stood up.

"I'll allow it. Ms. Walker, please explain." the judge said.

"Emotional stress. The entire thing brought back...when my p-parents were killed." I winced at the word.

"Why would that be? You were so young." she asked. I realized I would have to tell everyone the parts of my life that I wanted to keep hidden, especially the guys.

"I was hiding in my closet. I listened to my parents beg for their lives in a home invasion robbery. I listened to them both being killed. First my unborn sister, then my mom, then my dad. Then I sat under that desk in the art room, listened to a gunshot in the hallway, and panicked because I thought that one of my friends was dead...a-and I couldnt do a thing." I closed my eyes.

"So why didnt you go back out and do something? Do you always let your friends fight your battles?" she glared at me.

"No. If I couldve stopped the gunmen when I was eight, I wouldve. I admit a tragedy from my past kept me from fighting my own battle, but I would never put my friends in any danger." I scowled at her.

"No further questions." she turned on her heel and walked back toward the table.