Ephemeral

Chapter 26

The justice system is corrupt. There are thousands and thousands of cases each year that get dismissed, people get wrongfully convicted, or the rightful punishment isn't given. Not many people are aware of how horrible it truly is for the victims until you're in their shoes, staring at the judge and jury, waiting as the clock ticks by till it's decision time. I had faith in my lawyer, a woman who I could count on to fight tooth and nail to get me justice. Truthfully, I only believed that when she had told me how she had gone through the same thing I had. It made me trust her because I knew there was no way she'd screw me over.

As sad as it sounds, I'm impatiently waiting for everyone to hurry up and screw me over so I can leave. At first it was Vincent, my mom and I. That's all. I had no friends, no extended family, no friendly neighbours. No one. It's different now, because now I have these four boys who forced themselves into my life and refuse to leave, along with a lawyer who gone out of her way to fight for me. Yes, it's her job but she didn't need to take my case pro bono. She didn't need to listen to a teenage girl and take days out to fight for me, when she could be fighting a whole other case, one that would make her money.

I had Luca, Sebastian, Gabriel, and Alex sitting with me feeding me words of encouragement, telling me how he wouldn't get away with anything he's done. But until I see the jury walk back into the court room, hear the judge announce the decided verdict, and then give him his sentence. Only then will I decide whether the justice system really is as corrupt and unjust as I thought, or if there's hope.

4320...4321...4322...4323

Before I got to 4324, I watched in slow motion as Vincent was brought back into the room, soon followed by the jury, and last but not least the judge. My eyes were fixed on each and every member of the jury, trying to pick up on anything that would tell me what their decision was. Was I going to fight these grown men and women in the next ten minutes? Or was I going to mentally squeeze the life out of them and thank them?

I didn't want to listen. I wanted to leave then and there because the anticipation was eating me alive. My hands were sweaty, my breaths were shallow, my ears had a high pitched ringing, my skin was burning, I didn't know what to do. Shall I leave? Shall I put my earphones in and wait for Natalia to tell me? Or should I grow the hell up and face it?

Before I could make a decision on how exactly I was going to even listen to what was decided, I felt my entire body being shook and a high pitched scream filled my ears. My eyes snapped open and darted to the arms wrapped around my waist and then to the owner of said arms. Luca. Before I could respond in the slightest, I felt another pair of arms wrap themselves around me squeezing me impossibly tighter and soon followed by sobs. I didn't even need to look at their face to know it was Sebastian.

"Why the fuck are you crying?" I grumbled as I shot him a weird look.

"I'm just so happy." He sobbed as I pushed him away and watched as Alex began comforting him, looking so done with him.

"You won. You. Won." Luca laughed as I furrowed my eyebrows at him in confusion.

Looking up at the judge I watched as he tried his best to look serious but that small smile was there. Glancing at the jury they all gave me smiles of encouragement, last and most certainly the least Vincent and his lawyer both looking defeated. His lawyer looked embarrassed and Vincent looked as though his fuse was going to blow.

"I won." I whispered. "I fucking won!" I laughed as I wrapped my arms around around Luca's neck and buried my face in my arm. Tears streaming down my face like there was no tomorrow.

"22 years of imprisonment, no parole." I heard Natalia whisper soon followed by a pat on my shoulder.

Pulling away from Luca, I hid my face with my hair as best as I could before wrapping my arms around her. She instantly returned my hug, gently stroking my hair and I almost instantly thought of my mom. She'd be so proud I did this for myself, but I'm not too sure if she'd be proud of the situation as a whole.