Adopted by Beetlejuice: The Cast

Chapter 8

Quinn's POV

I knew it before the judge even said anything. We had lost. There was no way that we could have won and I knew when the judge gave me a sympathetic look it was all over. But it couldn't be. I couldn't go back there, I loved it here. If we lost then where would my life lead? Would my parents ever let me leave their household, especially after this?

All through lunch I had been unable to eat. I knew a way to win this case, but I was scared. I had been toying with the idea of, well, pulling out The Website. But what if everyone disowned me and I was alone? What if Kerry and Joey would never look at me the same way again. What if what if what if. I had to do it, we needed to win. My hands immediately clammed up and my legs began to shake. I was absolutely terrified.

"The verdict is in, I would like to congratulate you...,"

"Wait," I say stepping forward with tears in my eyes. "I can prove it. I can prove he abused me." Kerry and Joey look at me shocked. I would be shocked too. "I've wanted to say something about this for a long time, but I was... really really scared and I still am. I know everyone in this room will look at me differently but I can't go back to my house, I just can't," I say, tears begin to fall down my face. My brother is starting daggers at me, he knows what's about to happen. I took a deep breath and attempted to make my voice sound strong, this had to work. I look straight at my brother. "He raped me," I say. Kerry and Joey look more shocked then I had ever seen anyone in my life. The courtroom erupts.

"She's lying because she's going to lose," my brother yells.

"Wait a minute, what," my dad yells. My mother looks shocked but after a minute she joins in on the angry yelling. Kerry bends down.

"Really," she asks sadly. I look down at my hands and nod. "Can you prove it," she says. I nod again. "Oh, honey." But then the judge calls for silence and all the noise subsides even quicker then it had come.

"Ms. Quinn, that is a pretty big allegation. Can you prove this is true," she asks. I nod and pull out my phone. I have The Website bookmarked. I walk up to the podium and hand my phone up to her. She puts her hand over her mouth and looks down at me. "I'm so sorry." I didn't get my phone back, they needed it for evidence or something. Then my brother put his two senses in.

"She's lying. That, that you're seeing was all consensual. I swear," I turn to him in disgust.

"You're an idiot, you know that. Even if that were true, I'm underage and that is illegal in itself. You lost for once, ok. Stop trying to save yourself, it's pitiful," I say angrily. The room is silent.

The court was dismissed and told we would get called back when the new details of the case had come through. I would be left with Kerry and Joey until the trial was ready to be run again. I would have been fine if we had just left it like that but that's not how it happened. My mother interfered. As we were walking out of the courthouse she demanded to speak to me. Kerry said no. They got into a fight which drew the attention of all the people in the room until an employee came up and told Kerry that it was my mothers legal right to speak to me in private. Ug. She drags me into a room.

"Quinn Aziler, I can't believe you're doing this to us. Do you understand what you are doing to me and your father? It's disgraceful, I demand you to call off this case and come come," she says grabbing my arm.

"Mom, I cannot do that and I would appreciate it if you let go of my arm," I say gently. I am almost confident this was being recorded and I couldn't give anything to anyone against me. She doesn't let go.

"We have a reputation to live up to, Quinn," she says with fire in her eyes, pulling me closer to her face.

"Mom, he hurt me. You know it, I know you know it."

"Of course I do but you need to do this for your family, it's not all about you."

"He raped me," I yell.

"I know," she says "don't you understand, I don't care." I feel tears in my eyes and I attempt to leave but she won't let me.

"Mom, let me go," I say, beggingly. Just then 2 large men burst into the room. For a moment I think I'm about to die but then I realize it's security and I'm safe.

After that it was all over. We were called back into court about 10 minutes after the whole incident went down. As I suspected, the whole fight had been recorded. The confession of my mom know about my abuse and not caring about the rape pretty much garnenteed them a 1 way ticket to 'not parent material' land. My brother was arrested and a trial (which I didn't have to attend, thank goodness) would be held for my parents. My custody was transferred to Kerry and Joey and I legally became their kid. Even now I have to say hands down, one of the best days of my life. And of course, one of the worst. I asked Kerry and Joey to never ever look at The Website and they told me they weren't planning on it. As soon as we were in the Taxi (the driver didn't know us this time, thankfully) I texted Sophia.

We won

No way, really!

Yes, did you think we were going to lose? She doesn't answer for a second.

It's ok, I thought we were going to too. I could see her rolling her eyes at me.

How did you win? Oh geez, this was the part I wasn't really keen on discussing. I couldn't let her look at me any different. I liked the way she looked at me now.

I'll tell you at dinner, or you'll see it on the news. Whichever comes first.

By the time I had finished talking with Sophia, between me and Kerry, the whole cast knew. We had all made plans to go out to dinner if we won, and we had. Thank god, we had won.