‹ Prequel: If your heart stops beating
Did You Get What You Deserve?
Chapter 56
“Could you state your name for the record?”
I cleared my throat.
“Alecsandra Iero.”
“And what is your relationship to the defendant?”
“Er... sort of a foster sister, I guess.”
“Right. And what is your relationship like currently? How would you describe your daily interactions?”
“Well, he’s basically the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had. He’s my teacher, he’s my mentor, he’s my best friend. What do you want to know?”
“Have you and he-”
“Before you ask, the answer is no.”
The lawyer blinked, then regained his composure. He obviously wasn’t very experienced, as I seemed to be throwing him.
“No further questions, your Honour.”
As I sat down, the lawyer called up the next witness. Mr Dean sat down in the witness stand, smoothing his tie in a self-satisfied way.
“Please state your name for the record.”
“Neville Dean.”
“I understand you have evidence?”
“Yes, I do.”
“What is this evidence?”
“Camera footage.”
The lights dimmed, and the projector was turned on. And suddenly, a black-and-white image flashed up on the screen. The room looked surprisingly familiar... until the door in the corner opened and I realised with a shock that it was Alec’s room. The figure tiptoeing through the door was me. And, as I watched, the Alec on the screen climbed out of bed, walked over to the door and put his arm around me, leading me back to his bed and sitting me down on the edge of it.
Then the image changed. Now the camera was looking straight down on Alec’s bed. He and I were sitting in the middle of the bed, me fast asleep with my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair and kissed my forehead before picking me up and carrying me out the door.
The projector whirred to a stop, and the lights came back on. I was shocked. There were cameras in our house? In Alec’s room?
“As you can see,” continued Mr Dean, but Alec’s lawyer cut him off.
“Objection!” he yelled, “this is an invasion of privacy! Illegally begotten evidence cannot be used as evidence in a trial.”
“Sustained,” said the judge. “Mr Dean, the defendant’s family could sue you for invasion of privacy. Now, I suggest you cease your testimony there before you cross any more legal lines.”
I smiled. I liked Judge Parnell, she had a wicked sense of humour.
“Next witness,” she called.
I smiled apologetically at Keith as he passed me. After all, it was my fault he was up there in the first place.
“Could you state you name for the record please?”
Keith bit his lip nervously.
“Keith,” he said. “Keith Dean.”
I cleared my throat.
“Alecsandra Iero.”
“And what is your relationship to the defendant?”
“Er... sort of a foster sister, I guess.”
“Right. And what is your relationship like currently? How would you describe your daily interactions?”
“Well, he’s basically the closest thing to a brother I’ve ever had. He’s my teacher, he’s my mentor, he’s my best friend. What do you want to know?”
“Have you and he-”
“Before you ask, the answer is no.”
The lawyer blinked, then regained his composure. He obviously wasn’t very experienced, as I seemed to be throwing him.
“No further questions, your Honour.”
As I sat down, the lawyer called up the next witness. Mr Dean sat down in the witness stand, smoothing his tie in a self-satisfied way.
“Please state your name for the record.”
“Neville Dean.”
“I understand you have evidence?”
“Yes, I do.”
“What is this evidence?”
“Camera footage.”
The lights dimmed, and the projector was turned on. And suddenly, a black-and-white image flashed up on the screen. The room looked surprisingly familiar... until the door in the corner opened and I realised with a shock that it was Alec’s room. The figure tiptoeing through the door was me. And, as I watched, the Alec on the screen climbed out of bed, walked over to the door and put his arm around me, leading me back to his bed and sitting me down on the edge of it.
Then the image changed. Now the camera was looking straight down on Alec’s bed. He and I were sitting in the middle of the bed, me fast asleep with my head on his shoulder. He stroked my hair and kissed my forehead before picking me up and carrying me out the door.
The projector whirred to a stop, and the lights came back on. I was shocked. There were cameras in our house? In Alec’s room?
“As you can see,” continued Mr Dean, but Alec’s lawyer cut him off.
“Objection!” he yelled, “this is an invasion of privacy! Illegally begotten evidence cannot be used as evidence in a trial.”
“Sustained,” said the judge. “Mr Dean, the defendant’s family could sue you for invasion of privacy. Now, I suggest you cease your testimony there before you cross any more legal lines.”
I smiled. I liked Judge Parnell, she had a wicked sense of humour.
“Next witness,” she called.
I smiled apologetically at Keith as he passed me. After all, it was my fault he was up there in the first place.
“Could you state you name for the record please?”
Keith bit his lip nervously.
“Keith,” he said. “Keith Dean.”
♠ ♠ ♠
**Dun dun DUUUUN!Sorry I have not been writing for aaaaaaaaages. I've been working on my book. This chapter has been half-written for weeks.
I'm sad. My best friend just got on a plane and left for Italy. For three years. THREE YEARS, GOD-DAMMIT! So I'm sad. And it took a great amount of effort to sit down and write this. But from now on, I'm going to be writing these chapters for Caitlin. Even though she's never read this story, I'm going to be writing as if she was looking over my shoulder.
In other news, I don't like this story-line. I detest it, it was a bad move. So it's going to be over in the next chapter. And I know given as Li'l Alec is a witness she wouldn't be able to watch the trial, but how else would you know what's going on? It's my courtroom and I'm doing it my way!
Ahem...
I'm eager to get on to the next plot line. And the next plot twist. XD
You're going to be seeing more of Melanie, Matt, and Alec's siblings. I need to do something Julia-centred. Little kids open up all sorts of cuteness opportunities.
I'm rather incoherent today, I don't make much sense. The last thing I had to eat was several boxes of smarties. On top of a mocha. I'm bouncing off the walls and rather jittery.
Thanks to...
I have no idea really, so I'm going to say Bellkura, Critical_Lemon, loveACTUALLY and MissMikey and hope that's right.
Now I'm going to go have something real to eat.
Ciao!**