Protecting Cecilia

Chaos in the courtroom

Song: Listen by Beyoncé ----- Song suggestion by a dedicated reader, missannabellakay thanks for reading and for the suggestion.

The rest of the weekend, I played the songs on my phone. Emily had to show me how to look up videos on YouTube. I know right seventeen and can't figure half this stuff out. So I search until I find a song I might be able to work with.

Grammy slept with me the first few nights, now I sleep with the door closed and I lock it to keep everything out. They have a key if they really need to get to me. I have to double check the windows to make sure they are also secure and locked. The other thing I have been doing which may seem childish but I do it anyway, I look in my closet and look under my bed. I just know he is coming for me and I don't want any surprises lurking in the dark.

Chipper is in my bed now. He lets me cuddle him all night and I know if anyone gets near me he will wake me up barking to get my attention.

Nothing important has happened at school. Everyone seems to ignore me still, well except for Emily and most of the Drama class. And if it wasn't for Weston, I don't think I could get by a day. He is always there when I need him the most, like he just knows what is going on around me including in my own head.

However on Wednesday I have to go to court. Weston wants to go but he was told he should stay at school. They are sentencing my parents today. I really don't want to go but I was told I had to be there by my lawyer.

The whole ride to the court house I feel nauseous. I just know I'm not going to make it there before I puke up my breakfast. My stomach is all in knots. By the time we pull up my heart is racing, my chest feels like its closing in, cutting off my air supply. I feel so lightheaded like I'm going to pass out. I can feel the blood drain from my face.

Pops opens the back door for me. He looks at me and his expression changes. "Hey kido you ok?"

I shake my head no. I hadn't planned on getting out, however I get up and rush to a nearby bush and empty out my stomach.

Grammy is by my side in no time with tissues. "You look pale as a ghost." She hands me the tissues so I can wipe my mouth. Pops hands me a bottle of water. They are always prepared for everything, I guarantee she even has band aids in her purse among anything else first aid wise. "Do you want us to tell them you're not able to do this today?"

I shake my head no. "Let's just get this over with. I never want to see them again."

We sit on one side and I watch as the door opens to the left. They walk in together, my mom behind my dad. Both have on handcuffs with their arms in front of them. She never looks up at me, but him he finds me right off the bat and he stares me down. I sit in the middle of Grammy and Pops and they both hold each hand. I grip a little too hard and they both look at me. "It's going to be ok kido...take a deep breath we are here for you," says Pops.

The trial last all freakin' day. Questions after questions. I didn't know Mrs. Banks would be here but she is and gives her testimony in my situation. When she is done she leaves. She tries to smile at me and I can tell she is trying to hold back tears. My grandparents also were asked to go to the stand to give their input. Then I am asked.

I answer all their questions truthfully; I have no reason to lie. I have to recount all the times I was punished or just the beating in general. I try to be specific as possible. I have to stop a few times because there were a lot of times that were so bad that I just wanted to die and talking about them today flooded my mind with all those bad memories that I wanted to keep hidden. Mrs. Lasher and Mrs. Bush are here and they present pictures that they had taken of me. They also have pictures of the time I was in the hospital. I have all the proof I need to prove that I was beaten all the time.