Like Mother Like Daughter

Chapter 38

"Courtney, how close are you with Tom Hartford?" Shagra asked. Uh oh, that irritation little voice starting singing those words in the back of my head.

"Objection, relevance!" Ms. Julian protested.

"Where is this leading Ms. Benghal?" Judge Pratt asked.

"It has it's relevance to the case your honor, please let me continue?" Ms. Benghal pleaded. Please say no, please say no-

"Agreed," why do I even try?

"Answer the question, Courtney," Shagra said.

"He was my first friend when I arrived in Durango," I replied.

"And over the time, you two have escalated from 'just friends' to boyfriend and girlfriend, correct?"

"Objection! Your honor, what is Ms. Benghal trying to achieve by digging into Ms. Stern's personal life?" Ms. Julian asked.

"If you'll let me finish counselor than you'll understand," Shagra replied.

"I'm falling through with Ms. Benghal's request Ms. Julian. Another outburst and I'll postpone the trial until tomorrow morning," Judge Pratt said. Ms. Julia sat down reluctantly.

"Answer Ms. Benghal's question Ms. Stern," Judge Pratt told me.

"Yes, we became an item. Why?" I asked.

"Well, what most people find in runaways is that their main objection is to fulfill pleasurable needs, such as sex," she replied.

"I'm speaking on behalf of Ms. Julian, what does that have to do with anything?" I asked.

"I'll ask the questions Courtney. Did you want to stay with Amelia because of your boyfriend?" she asked me. What?!

"Excuse me?"

"Is the only reason you wanted to stay with Amelia was because you finally had your first boyfriend?" she repeated.

"How could you think that? I don't make decisions based on my love life!" I replied.

"But you and Tom were practically insuperable the whole time you were in Durango. In fact, you were so desperate to have him love you, you gave yourself to him while on a trip in Texas!" she exclaimed.

"Slow down! How do you know that!?" I asked.

"I have my sources, now admit it, the only reason your stayed with Ms. Pond, caused her trouble, was because of a boy!"

"No! Absolutely not! No matter what my family comes first," I replied.

"Your family? Courtney Ms. Pond is not your family. She is a stranger that you met through a piece of paper. Tess has raised you for eighteen years, and this is how you repay her? You should be ashamed of yourself," she said. What she was saying wasn't true, but it stuck. I knew that because I felt a couple of tears fall down my face.

"You can say whatever you want to make me look crazy, but I'm not. I'm just an eighteen year old girl who’s finding the truth," I said. Shagra narrowed her eyes at me, while behind her Tess had a grin on her face like she had cheated on her final exam, cheated through the whole thing, and got away with it.

"Maybe we should ask your boyfriend? He seems to know the whole story in and out," Shagra said.

"That won't be any use,"

"Why not?"

"...We broke up. A month ago,"

-

"You realize what that bitch is trying to do, don't you?" Ashlyn asked me. Right now we were at Starbucks sipping on fraps.

"Yeah I know," I replied.

"She's trying to make you look like a psycho! If the jury buys it than you can never see Amelia again! They can't do that!" she exclaimed, a little too loudly.

"Ok one, lower your voice, two, there's not much we can do right now. What I want to know is how the hell did she find out about Texas? The only person who knows is you!" I replied.

"Maybe she has a spy or something. You don't know what these lawyers are capable of," she replied. I ran a hand through my hair, thinking about my consequences at the end of this.

"If I had never looked in that file none of this would've happened," I said.

"Sweetie, if you never looked in that file, you never would've realized the lies you were being told! It's not fair to you!" she replied.

"I know but...I feel guilty. Amelia cleaned up her life because of me, it could also be ruined because of me," I said.

"Alright you know something? Stop it. Stop it right now!" she demanded.

"Stop what?"

"The self pity! The Courtney I know never said those things, especially about herself! For god sakes girl snap out of it!" she exclaimed.

"Well what do you expect? I'm broken! I can't do a damn thing about it!" I snapped back.

"This isn't you Court, I can't believe this is actually my best friend. Where's Ms. In-Your-Face? Where's Courtney Kick-Ass Stern? Huh? Cause this is not her! Oh but here's one thing I am used to, Courtney running away from her problems!"

"I didn't run away from this problem!"

"You did when you told everybody that you and Tom were no longer an item,"

"I've caused him enough pain!"

"My god! Who are you and what have you done with my best friend?"

"I'm sorry Ash, I don't know what I'm going to do," I replied sadly.

"Fine, call me when you see Courtney." she said, then stormed out of the cafe. She's right, this isn't me.

And it's all because of me.

Man up Courtney.