killer, m.clifford/a,irwin

33

The next day Michael came and picked me up per usual, however when he asked the question 'are we going to talk about Sydney today?' I answered yes.

Michael stared at me, a look of confusion crossing his features before his eyes softened. "You saw the news last night?"

"I'm under the assumption she's been on the news for the last month." I raised my eyebrow before sighing. "But yeah, I heard that the date had been set for the trial."

"It's the 13th of next month." Michael informed me. "A school day, you know, at least that's a plus? Get a day off school?"

"To go sit in a stuffy court room and retell the night Ashton was murdered." I added dully. "Yeah, what a fabulous trade."

"Don't be petty." Michael brushed me off, refusing to take my negativity to heart which I appreciated. I hadn't meant to lash out at him, especially when he was just trying to cheer me up and take my mind off things.

"Mum says the prosecution team want to run over some mock questions." I frowned, biting down my lower lip.

Considering I was the key witness in this investigation, I was going to be heavily involved in the trial.

"I heard she was going to plead not guilty." Michael said quietly. "That means the defense are going to try and pin the murder on you."

I paused. "Yeah."

I didn't really have much to say about that. I couldn't even stomach the thought of Sydney murdering Ashton let alone doing it myself. Sam Larkin, the prosecutor, had already warned me about the path they might take. Along with that warning came another, "they're going to try and break you on the stand".

I wasn't exactly thrilled to get questions thrown at me left, right and center. If I messed up even the slightest detail when I was retelling that fatal night than that might evoke doubt in the jury, which would ultimately get Sydney off.

I would not be the reason Ashton's murder walked free. I was going to nail this bitch.

"Maybe you should go see her." Michael suggested, his tone gentle. "If there's still all these unanswered questions..."

"I'm not going to see her." My eyes glazed over. "I want nothing to do with her. Seeing her is just going to reaffirm all this."

"Isn't that what you need? Someone to confirm that this is reality? That might be the best way to move on." Michael shrugged loosely. He never forced his opinion on me, but said it in a way that made me take it into consideration.

"I don't need this to be reaffirmed." I corrected him. "I'm extremely well aware that this is reality."

"Well, what don't you believe yet?"