Sugar Coated Love

Chapter 14

"Today we will start with witnesses, so I am going to let the prosecution begin with their first witness."

Sidney stands. "Your honor, I call Y/N Y/L/N to the stand."

I rise from my seat and head to the stand and swear that I'll tell the truth, then sit down in the seat provided.

"How long have you known the defendant?"

"For a few years."

"And why did you end up meeting him?"

"My aunt and uncle are friends with his parents. Since they became my guardians when my parents died, I ended up going with them to a lot of functions. So I met David when my aunt and uncle introduced us at a dinner with his parents."

Sidney gives me a soft, almost imperceptible smile.

"And what was your first impression of him?"

I shrug. "He seemed alright, but he kept getting close to me during the dinner. It was a little weird but I didn't really think much of it at the time."

"What do you mean by getting close to you?"

"Objection, relevance," Jamison stands, looking at the judge expectantly.

Sidney swivels to face the judge. "I am laying out the foundation of my client and the defendant's relationship. It is relevant to this case, your honor."

"Overruled, you may continue Mrs. Hernandez."

"Mr/Ms/Mx Y/L/N, please answer the previously stated questions."

I nod. "He kept touching my arms, or would move his chair closer anytime I leaned away from him or spoke to someone else."

"And did this continue whenever you two would meet after this?"

"Yes."

I look past Sidney for a moment, catching Hyunjin's eyes, who sends me a thumbs up and a bright smile.

"Did this behavior get worse over time?"

"Yes," I take a breath. "It turned into him grabbing onto my arms or pulling me away from people I was talking to. If I was surrounded by too many people, he would grasp my waist or my shoulders and hold on harshly. Really uncomfortable behavior towards me."

"When you both went to university, did his behavior taper off?"

"No."

"How did he act in university towards you?"

"Objection! Leading the witness."

"Sustained, please reframe the question."

Sidney nods, turning back towards me. "During university, did he do anything that made you uncomfortable or unsafe?"

"He followed me around campus a lot and wouldn't leave me alone when I asked. He would insert himself into my friend group, even though none of my friends wanted him around," I pause to think. "He was also in every, non major related class that I had, and tried to sit close or next to me in every one of them. My friend group can attest to that."

The jury seems enthralled in my story. I guess that is good.

"And I understand you work outside of classes?"

"Yes, I own a bakery in the downtown LA area. It was my parents, they left it to me when they died."

"Did the defendant ever show up while you were working?"