We were never meant to be

Chapter fifty-one

Kayla
"What do you mean he has offered a deal?" I ask Baldwin, heart in throat. This cannot be happening.
Baldwin and Orlando just gave closing statements and even though Orlando's was pretty convincing, the evidence unlike five years ago, were plenty and no jury or judge would ignore them, the odds are on our side.
Until you hear about a deal that the defense offers that could ruin everything.
"Orlando has prepared a deal for the Dawson family, one which states that Mr. Tyler will serve a five year sentence in a white-collar prison and pay the Dawson family a 10 million dollar fine. And it is my duty as their lawyer to layout to my client every deal that is presented to me. If they take the deal or not, that's up to them." You have got to be shitting me. Of course they're gonna want to take the deal. That's a lot of money. Who wouldn't?
"Can't you just tell them not to take it?" Aaron asks pissed.
"Well I could advice them against it, but in the end it's their decision. I hold no authority whatsoever." Baldwin replies resigned.
"Well they can't just give the jackass five years of jail. And in a white-collar prison no less. With parole he could get out in three and back on the streets assaulting another underage girl." Aaron spats at Baldwin as if he can change the current situation.
"It's a lot of money Aaron. Everyone would take it. They get the money and get to send Jake in prison even if it is for a small amount of time. We still don't know what the verdict will be. If it's not guilty he gets away completely unscathed. In their eyes it might be reasonable and beneficial." God I hate this world. I hate how it brews with injustice. I can smell it. Smell the unfairness. The hypocrisy. Money. Power. People would do anything for it.
"Would you do take it? If you were in their shoes, would you take the deal, the money?" Aaron questions looking right at me. I don't even have to think about it. I already know the answer.
"No, I wouldn't. But Jack hasn't destroyed their life the way he has mine. His actions led to horrible consequences in my life. Numerous ones. I wouldn't blame them if they took it." Baldwin seems to be thinking about something, completely oblivious to Aaron's and mine conversation.
"Yes cheesecakes, but when the trial took place back then, you didn't know what his actions would lead to. Meaning they too don't know what will happen to them later on." I sigh running a hand through my short hair. This a mess.
"I have a proposition." Baldwin states abruptly making both me and Aaron turn to him.
"What?" I ask softly.
"What if after I present them with the deal, you may enter and talk to them about your unfortunate experience. For you to be the one advising them, not me." I'm stunned to silence. Shocked to say the least.
"Wh-why, um, why would you trust me with something so significant?" I ask trying to find reasoning in his suggestion.
"Why wouldn't I?" Baldwin says and before he has any chance to continue his sentence, Aaron cuts him off.
"Yeah why wouldn't he? I for one think it's a great idea." He says raising his hand. I give him a bland look.
"Of course you do." I mutter.
"Miss Everson, I believe that there is no one more qualified than you in delivering the ugly taste of the incidents you have encountered. I may share it with them, but it will be nothing compared coming from you. And after observing the way you handled yourself on the stand, I'd say you're more than capable of it." Baldwin shares his opinion leaving us, me, confounded. I turn to look at Aaron, to ask for his thought on the matter, but it's clear by the way he's looking at me, that he believes I should go for it.
"It's your choice cheesecakes, but your impact on their decision can make a huge difference. One that varies between 5 to 20 years." He always knows how to use the exacts words that get to me. I bring my hand to my temple massaging it. I know we all have to make life choices every day, but can mine for once be a bit easier, maybe what's for dinner, chicken or fish and not for how long to put someone away?
I raise my head looking up at Baldwin.
"I'll do it."
***
"I can't believe there's 12 strangers in there now, deciding on all of our lives." Ryan says from his seat. We have been sitting outside the courtroom since the moment the closing statements were given and the jury retracted for the verdict. Obviously we don't plan to stay here and wait for it. It could be days, months even, before they deliberate. That is if the Dawson's don't take the deal. We're waiting for Baldwin to finish talking with them so then I can go in and talk instead.
I told everyone to go home already, that I will return with Aaron, but they insisted on waiting with me.
Both Aaron's and my parents are staying for a week, along with Kony, Ryan and Naomi. If the verdict still hasn't been reached since then, they're leaving. They've been away long enough, they can't keep waiting here with us.
"Reyna love, there's someone else who decides. Not one fraction of our future is up to some stranger's hand." Cory quirks. I suppose he's right.
"You know what I mean." Ryan replies from the other end.
"Hey how you holding up?" Naomi asks beside me. I'm sitting between her and Aaron.
"I'm okay. I mean, now that everything is almost over, all the anxiety and stress over the unknown, I'm..exhausted to say the least. Physically, mentally, spiritually, you name it. But nothing a good night's sleep can't fix." Naomi chuckles.
"Right. I forgot you are the biggest sleepyhead in the history of sleepyheads." Aaron let's out an amused scoff on the other side of me.
"That's an understatement."
"What?" We both turn to face him.
"She's a slumber bunny with a case of hypersomnia and that's still not enough to describe her want of sleep." Aaron says so casually.
"What's hypersomnia?" Naomi asks.
"Hypersomnia is the inability to stay awake and alert during the day despite having more than an adequate amount of nighttime sleep. Hypersomnia challenges work life, social life and home life. Treatments include medications, non-drug options and education and support groups. Even though Kayla is not actually hypersomnionic, with the amount of sleep she gets, you might just think that." Aaron explains.
"Did you just recite that all from your memory?" Naomi is clearly trying to grasp all of this. Aaron turns to her.
"Oh...I uh..I read about it once on Google. I guess it just stuck." He says softly.
"Is he always this smart?" Naomi whispers at me.
"Yep." I reply.
"Do you ever get used to it?"
"Nope."
"Okay genius, tell me more about the sleepy Kayla, what do you know?" Naomi directs the question at Aaron again. He ignores the whole genius part as per usual.
"The first time Kayla and I were waiting for our first exam results was at her favorite coffee shop. We were sitting in her 'precious spot', as she likes to call it, and now imagine you're about to find out the first result that tells you if you're actually doing something with your life, if you're actually succeeding. One would think you'd be anxious, excited, edgy. Not Kayla. She fell asleep in the middle of a loud coffee shop, because the answers were taking too long and she didn't want to think about it." Aaron says not even trying to hide the smile on his face, while Naomi throws her head back and laughs.
"Hey! I was anxious! Which is why I went to sleep. When life gets too hard you need to take a nap. It's my motto. Why think or deal with it? Sleep has numerous benefits. Stressful time passes by in a blink, sleep supposedly grows you, you get relaxed, escape reality, what's not to like? I don't know why people don't do it more often." My speech just makes them laugh even more.
"Cheesecakes you literally are the sleepiest person I know. Probably the sleepiest person anyone knows." Aaron says between laughs.
"Agreed." Naomi wheezes. "Oh Kayla, you're the only person that can make someone laugh in a place and moment like this." Naomi sighs in contentment gesturing around the courthouse.
"Well in my defense, I try to find time to sleep as much as I can, since I lacked it for three long years. I think I have lack of sleep in my system, one that needs filling." That shuts them both up. Naomi opens her mouth like she wants to say something, but then closes it deciding against it.
"Well when you put it that way..." Aaron mumbles.
"And that's on ganging up on me. Enjoy your guilty conscience." I say to them smirking. Both Aaron and Naomi shoot me a glare.
"Miss Everson?" I turn my head to find the half of Huntley's upper body hanging in the doorway of a room. "We're ready for you." He says before disappearing back in.
I let out a long breath standing up.
I can do this. Just tell them the truth.
I swipe the sweat that gathers off my hands at my pants.
Sometimes the truth isn't enough.
The voice in the back whispers.
Shut up.
I face Aaron.
"Do something to distract me before I run for the other direction." I say, my voice barely audible.
"Like what?" He asks confused.
"Just anything."
"You weren't scared to go up on the stand, but you're scared to talk to the victim?" Naomi asks blandly behind me.
"Well that's because one: I relate to the victim being one myself and two: if I don't convince them and they take the deal then it was all for nothing. All that torture that we went through the trial, will be dismissed. Irrelevant, wasted."
I say all of this without moving, facing Aaron all the time.
I grow irritated.
"Will you take my mind off or wh-'' I'm cut off by him pulling me against him and locking his lips with mine. He doesn't move or anything just gives me a three second kiss before pulling back leaving me breathless and with no time to react on what he just did.
He takes a step back as if knowing I might need the space.
I open my mouth, but no words come out.
"Well that sure was a distraction." Naomi says. I can hear the amusement in her voice.
"I don't have time to dwell on this. It was just a distraction, nothing more." I say as I turn in my heels and head for the room. I keep repeating the last sentence in my head over and over again hoping it will stuck.
It was just a distraction. Nothing more.
I say that even as I knock on the door and hear Baldwin's voice on the other end telling me to come in.
I keep repeating it even as I get in and close the door behind me, facing the situation I stumbled on.
I say it one last time as I start to walk in their direction, but a question keeps nudging me.
If it's a distraction, then why do you want it to so badly to be more?